A long-term agreement signed by Hainan Airlines and Collins Aerospace will see the airline upgrade its fleet of 500 Airbus A320 and A330 and Boeing 737NG aircraft with new pitot and air data sensors. The agreement calls for Hainan Airlines’ Airbus fleet to undergo retrofits with Collins’s 0851MC pitot probe and the 737NGs with new Collins air data sensors.
The new pitot probes meet current FAA and EASA ice crystal and mixed-phase icing requirements. “This will provide the aircraft with improved performance during icing conditions, enhance safety, and help keep flights on time and on schedule,” according to Collins. The air data sensors will help the airline’s 737NG’s “with higher product reliability, cost savings, and improved aircraft efficiency.” The sensors measure airspeed, altitude, and other critical parameters used for air data computer calculations.