Three Reasons to Consider Upgrading Your Aircraft Communication Capabilities

We all know that technologies have been evolving during the years and the days when we were only relying on traditional and basic voice communications are gone.

Although still used for many of us, data and text messaging are rapidly being incorporated in our day-to-day lives, including many standard operating procedures we use in aviation. Recent studies from Harvard Business Review appoint that 94% of Americans prefer to text rather than call. This is also true in business aviation. Besides that, text messages tend to be faster and have fewer chances of misunderstanding compared to the communication on voice radio, which is subject to noise and propagation disruptions. 

Thinking about that, Honeywell and Textron Aviation are partnering to offer you the possibility to upgrade your Primus Epic flight management system to a fully-integrated Future Air Navigation System (FANS 1/A+) and Protected Mode Controller Pilot Data Link Communication (PM-CPDLC) solution.

Why you should consider doing this upgrade?

FANS 1/A + and PM-CPDLC saves your time!

Pilots and air traffic controllers will be able to communicate and deliver/receive instructions with a push of a button and without the need to use voice frequencies. It also enables the transmission of complex instructions that can be quickly and correctly loaded into the aircraft flight management system, upon pilot´s acceptance. And more, it provides a data link between ground automation systems and flight deck avionics for air traffic control (ATC) clearances, instructions, traffic flow management and flight crew requests! You will also have more efficient and direct routing, increased payload capabilities, especially for take-off weight limited flights, reduced fuel burn and reduced separation between aircraft. Get increased flexibility and accommodation of your requests!

FANS 1/A + and PM-CPDLC makes your aircraft compliant!

Once your aircraft is upgraded to FANS 1/A + and PM-CPDLC you can take advantage of the US Domestic FANS FAA Next Gen Airspace System by utilizing departure clearances and initial en route services. This also improves re-routing around weather and traffic congestion and enables NextGen initiatives and trajectory-based operations.

Also, since February 2020, the European Commission mandated the installation of ATN Controller Pilot Data Link Communication (ATN CPDLC) on some in-service aircraft in the European continental airspace. FANS 1/A+ is required in the entire North Atlantic Track High Level Airspace (NAT HLA) flight levels 290 to 410.

FANS 1/A + and PM-CPDLC are aligned with the future “digitalized air traffic control”

Traffic growth is pushing air traffic control infrastructure and capacity further towards their limits and is becoming a big challenge in an incredibly congested airspace, reinforced by the technical complexity of integrating unmanned aircraft systems into civilian airspace. Digitalizing air-traffic control is a developing trend to improve transport safety and is aligned with airports’ aim of running flight operations on time and improving passenger throughput. The adoption of remote-control centers to efficiently manage various airports’ traffic has also emerged recently. This approach leads to the redesign of the future management of airspace control and aircraft equipped with FANS 1/A + and PM-CPDLC will have an advantage when this scenario becomes fully accomplished.

Ready to upgrade? The best time is now.

By working with Honeywell, Textron Aviation can bring a lower cost solution to the market for Hawker 4000 and Citation Sovereign 680 aircraft equipped with Primus Epic flight management system, with reduced certification time for the airframes. In order to execute this program, we are requesting a $100,000 deposit to secure a place in line. The expected flyaway price will be no greater than $ 350,000 for basic installation, depending on equipage.

Advantages of enrolling:

• You will pay less, since running either airframe program independently later will require additional engineering resources and will ultimately result in a more expensive solution for both airframes.
• You will receive priority installation and enjoy all the benefits of this upgrade when flying.
• The deposit is transferable – in case the airplane changes ownership before installation.

The program is expected to be available in the next 12 months, that is July 2022, and the installation can be done at any domestic or international Textron Aviation service center.

Don't wait, since the clock is ticking fast and the amounts stated above can change without further notice. 

Secure your priority schedule today. 

Still need more details?   

Click in the button below to enroll or contact/text Tom Heck, Textron Service Sales Manager, at +1 (316) 761-0161 or at tlheck@txtav.com.