Owners and operators of aircraft equipped with an older flight data recorder (FDR) face increasing repair costs and reliability issues, and according to Flight Data Systems (FDS), FDR manufacturers are accelerating end-of-support for some legacy units. To help the transition to modern FDRs, FDS has developed the Flight Data Acquisition Interface Unit (FDAIU) and will begin shipping it in the second quarter.
The FDAIU makes it easier to install an FDS Sentry FDR in older aircraft, by interfacing with existing FDR wiring and connection provisions, without extensive modifications to the aircraft. Installation of the Sentry and FDAIU “can be completed in minimal time,” according to FDS, “reducing aircraft on ground times, and maximizing aircraft availability.”
The lightweight Sentry ED-112A FDR comes in optional cockpit voice recorder, FDR, and combined CVFDR configurations, with digital and analog interfaces. It is available for aircraft ranging from UAVs to urban air mobility applications and helicopters, and business and air transport aircraft. Some of the business jet applications include the Challenger 601-3A/3R and 604 with Pro Line 4 avionics, Beechjet/Hawker 400, Beech 1900, and Hawker 800/1000.
“This is a plug-n-play solution for these legacy data recorders,” said FDS v-p of sales and marketing Shane LaPlante.