Story ID: 365CMC
CMC Introduces CMA-6024 GNSS for Helicopters
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: CMC is offering demonstrations of its new helicopter cockpit demonstrator at Heli-Expo 2017.
Word Count: 728
Esterline CMC Electronics (Booth 3207) is showing visitors its new helicopter cockpit demonstrator and introducing the CMA-6024 GNSS landing system. While not a new product from CMC Electronics, the CMA-6024 has been customized for rotorcraft operations, according to the company, to allow operators to achieve precision approaches to CAT II and CAT III minimums at helipads.

CMC’s CMA-5024 has long been available in a rotorcraft version and provides WAAS LPV approach capability. It is installed on the Airbus H225, H175, H160 and H145 and some military variants of these ships. The CMA-5024 is a satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS), while the CMA-6024 adds ground-based augmentation system (GBAS) for more precise (CAT II and III type) approach capabilities. Both the CMA-5024 and -6024 offer the advantage of standalone installation, without the need to integrate with an aircraft’s existing flight management system (FMS). 

CMA-5024 owners who want the upgraded GBAS capabilities don’t have to replace their units but can upgrade to match the CMA-6024 performance. The upgrade for rotorcraft generally requires adding a VHF data broadcast receiver to receive signals from the GBAS ground station plus a software upgrade. An annunciator to indicate the level of service (LPV versus GBAS landing system approach) is also required and can be installed separately, or with an integrated flight deck as part of normal advisory messages, as is done with Airbus Helionix flight decks. 

CMC hasn’t established pricing for the CMA-5024 to -6024 upgrade yet, but according to Tarek Savanekh, production marketing manager for navigation and integrated systems, “We don’t expect it to be that high.” The target market for the CMA-6024 and the upgraded -5024 is medium- to heavy-lift helicopters, but there aren’t many GBAS stations currently available where helicopters operate. “Early adopters will be those who need it and operate in areas where LPV is not possible,” he said. “Offshore will take a while; we need to invest in ground stations.

“Today there is only single certified GBAS, Honeywell SmartPath,” he explained, and SmartPath is equipped with CMC’s GPS receiver.

Savanekh expects GBAS to grow fastest in areas such as Russia, Europe, Southeast Asia and Australia, because it is far less expensive to develop GBAS approaches than to commission traditional CAT II and III approaches with their more complex infrastructure requirements. GBAS can serve an entire airport’s runway structure, where ILS must be installed on each runway end. Also, for areas that have no SBAS capability, going straight to GBAS can be simpler and less expensive, because an airport (or cluster of helipads) can simply add GBAS capability for all of its approaches, rather than wait for the state aviation regulator to implement SBAS. “You no longer need to compromise on how many approaches you have, you just need to design them,” he said. “I expect China will follow suit, and Latin America. In the future GNSS-based systems will be the primary means of flying an approach.”

The new MFD-3068 is CMC’s first display developed from technology from its acquisition of Barco two years ago. “This is going to be our six-by-eight-inch offering for the helicopter market,” Savanekh said. Germany’s armed forces was launch customer for the MFD-3068, for its CH-53 GS/GE upgrade program, but CMC is also offering the new MFD for the civil market.

For helicopters equipped with obsolete ED-800 CRT-type displays, CMC’s CMA-6800 is a direct form-fit-function replacement.

To help helicopter operators meet upcoming ADS-B OUT mandates, CMC has updated its CMA-3024 SBAS GPS receiver so it can be used as a qualified position source for ADS-B upgrades. The advantage of incorporating the CMA-3024 is that is is a full SBAS GPS receiver, according to CMC, “approved as a primary means of navigation in all phases of flight,” so it can also be used for en route and approach phases. 

At the CMC booth, the company is highlighting for the first time its helicopter cockpit demonstrator, which “brings together most of our products,” he said. This includes CMC’s GPS-based Doppler sensor, its head-up display, the CMA-6800 and MFD-3068 cockpit displays and electronic flight bags. “Our mission is to make sure everything works well together and with whatever else the customer wants to put on board,” Savanekh said.