Jet Aviation Installs FANS in Oldest Challenger 604

Jet Aviation has installed future air navigation system (FANS) equipment in the oldest Challenger 604 in service. Completed in three weeks at Jet Aviation’s facility in St. Louis, the aircraft was delivered to the owners two days earlier than expected.

“The Challenger 604 that we installed the FANS in was the first one ever delivered to a customer back in 1995 and is the oldest one still flying. Bombardier produced 363 Challenger 604s to replace the 601 model, and now the oldest one still in the air has the most modern navigation system available to assist the owner with navigation worldwide," said Blake Hogge, senior manager of avionics sales at Jet Aviation in St. Louis. "We worked with Rockwell Collins to develop the STC [supplemental type certificate] for the FANS solution, and we completed the industry’s first FANS installations in Challenger 604s more than a year ago." The company has completed more than 10 FANS installations in 604s so far, Hogge added.

The FANS solution incorporates automatic dependent surveillance-contract (ADS-C) and controller pilot datalink communication (CPDLC), according to Rockwell Collins. Together, they help reduce pilot workload and improve the clarity of pilot communications with air navigation service providers in oceanic and remote airspace around the world.