CMC Electronics and Fokker Services are offering airlines a lower-cost route to ADS-B Out compliance after developing a novel upgrade path for the Boeing 747s of Luxembourg-based Cargolux.
The partnership between CMC (Booth V88) and Fokker saw the companies certifying a standalone GNSS receiver for ADS-B Out based on Cargolux’s requirement. The companies explained that normally a complete upgrade of an aircraft’s existing multimode receivers (MMRs) is required for ADS-B Out compliance.
Obtaining this certification included three supplemental type certificates (STCs), said Fokker. The first step was to install a standalone, non-activated SBAS receiver/antenna, including structural provisions and wiring. The second step was the installation of dual ADS-B Out transponders. And the third step was the activation and certification of the ADS-B Out capability using the CMC Electronics CMA-3024 GNSS.
This staggered approach allowed the continued operation of the Cargolux aircraft following the execution of the certification ground and flight test program, as the organizations waited for EASA STC approval.
The cargo operator’s fleet of 14 Boeing 747-8 freighters and 16 747-400 freighters is now compliant with ADS-B mandates in the U.S. and Europe.
“Our 747-400F fleet is now fully equipped and after six months of implementation, the system is working very well and we are fully compliant with the mandate that became applicable in the U.S. on January 1, 2020," said Sebastien Robert, lead avionics engineer, Cargolux.
“Now Cargolux and other 747 operators can benefit from this solution to help them meet the worldwide ADS-B Out mandates," said CMC Electronics marketing manager Tarek Sabanekh. Several other 747 operators have already selected the same solution. He added that upgrading aircraft with the more advanced CMA-5024 or CMA-6024 receivers can also address operational requirements, allowing advanced capability such as Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV) and Ground-Based Augmentation System (GBAS) Landing System (GLS) precision approaches.