Hawkers Could Be Grounded by FDR Failures, Duncan Warns

Duncan Aviation is seeking a customer to provide a Hawker 750/800XP/850XP/900XP for development of an installation package for a new cockpit voice flight data recorder (CVFDR) that will enable Hawkers to avoid grounding due to FDR obsolesence issues. The factory-installed FDRs in these Hawker models under the original supplemental type certificate (STC10001SC-D) contain main system components that are no longer available.

“The digital flight data recorder, flight data acquisition unit, linear potentiometers, and the accelerometers are no longer available for purchase or repair, and there is no longer a method of support for any of these critical FDR components,” according to Duncan Aviation. “The concern is that due to regulatory requirements in other countries, particularly Mexico, Hawker aircraft with the original FDR risk being grounded for extended periods of time when any of those components fail.”

Duncan Aviation’s upgrade with a BendixKing Aerocorder FDCVR will apply to Hawker models with the original Collins Pro Line 21 avionics, but the Collins flight deck modernization package will be a minimum requirement.

“If you own a Hawker aircraft that is registered in the United States, we would love to discuss opportunities with you that will be available for our launch customer for this new STC,” said Matt Nelson, Duncan Aviation’s manager of satellite operations.