New Universal Software To Help Satisfy Link 2000+ Regs.

By mid-year, Universal Avionics (Booth T063) expects to bring its controller-pilot data link communications (CPDLC) capabilities to European customers with the anticipated technical standard order (TSO) approval of the latest software for its UniLink UL-800/801 Communications Management Unit (CMU). This will allow operators with the necessary CPDLC message sets to meet the European Link 2000+ Program mandate requirements, which take effect from February 2020.

“With receipt of this certification, our customers will be able to start realizing the efficiencies and time savings associated with communicating via CPDLC,” said Dan Reida, the company’s vice president of sales and marketing. “Our FANS-1/A+ customers have repeatedly touted these benefits for oceanic operations and now it will be available for European domestic operations as well.”

According to the Arizona-based manufacturer, the upgraded software control number (SCN) 31.X, addresses industry requirements for operational consistency and human factors for all FANS CPDLC and ATN CPDLC messages for operators flying in both continental Europe and oceanic airspace, and can be used for other FANS applications such as the FAA’s Data Comm.

The UL-800/801 CMU can be installed on a wide range of platforms, even those with a third-party Flight Management System, while the UL-801 model features an integral VHF data radio which forgoes the need to install a dedicated such system, thus saving weight and space.