Selectable Suite Of Cockpit Technology To Help United Airlines Improve Safety, Reduce Delays And Maximize Passenger Comfort

Multiple Honeywell cockpit technologies have been selected by United Airlines to outfit its new fleet of more than 150 Boeing 737 MAX airplanes.

The flight deck package will include the first installment of Honeywell's SmartRunway and SmartLanding on a Boeing 737 MAX and will feature Honeywell's IntuVue RDR-4000 3D Weather Radar System and Integrated Multi-Mode Receiver. These solutions work in tandem to greatly improve passenger safety and comfort during takeoff, landing and potentially hazardous weather conditions.

"Poor weather conditions and runway incursions are major concerns for the commercial aviation industry. Solutions such as IntuVue, SmartRunway and SmartLanding can prevent these incidents from occurring by providing pilots with the information they need to make avoidance decisions quicker," said Carl Esposito, president, Electronic Solutions, Honeywell Aerospace. "This technology is especially important for airlines such as United that fly many routes through diverse weather patterns. It allows them to be prepared for anything and stay operational, so passengers reach their destinations as quickly and safely as possible."

Honeywell's IntuVue RDR-4000 3D Weather Radar System is the world's only fully-automatic radar system that has reduced turbulence-related incidents by more than 45 percent. Such incidents can cost an airline hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage per incident and further delay flights. IntuVue provides accurate weather information up to 320 nautical miles in front of the plane and can warn pilots of lightning, hail and turbulence, and determine whether they should fly around or through the approaching weather.

Honeywell's SmartRunway and SmartLanding minimize runway accidents, which make up 25 percent of commercial aviation incidents. The system will increase pilots' awareness of surroundings, helping to ensure they use the correct runways and taxiways, and providing passengers with a smoother experience and greatly reducing the possibility of injury. These solutions reduce pilot workload, allowing them to make better-informed decisions to improve passenger safety and comfort.

Key Honeywell cockpit technologies onboard United Airlines' new 737 MAX fleet include the following:

• IntuVue RDR-4000 3D Weather Radar System is the first and only automatic, commercial radar to accurately depict weather in the flight path of an airplane. It also detects inclement weather 50 percent farther than any other system. IntuVue enables Connected Radar, allowing Honeywell to download weather hazard data from other IntuVue-equipped airplanes. Pilots and dispatchers can opt to immediately receive this information using the Weather Information Service app.
• SmartRunway and SmartLanding represent the next generation of runway awareness and advisory systems that increase flight crew awareness of surroundings during taxi, takeoff and landing. These systems give pilots timely information to help ensure they are accurately navigating and landing on the correct runways and taxiways.
• Integrated Multi-Mode Receiver is the industry's leader in radio navigation and combines satellite-based and ground-based navigation systems into one receiver. The Integrated Multi-Mode Receiver helps pinpoint precise airplane locations for efficient landings, especially during difficult and new runway approaches. This technology helps United Airlines maintain the ultimate level of passenger safety and comfort. The receiver also benefits airlines by saving space in the cockpit and lowering costs for operators. This system is reduced in size and weight by up to 50 percent compared with existing solutions.

This contract marks the first time Honeywell will provide United Airlines' airplanes with its selectable suite of cockpit technologies, ensuring United Airlines meets current and upcoming regulations mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration such as the use of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Out. This technology uses precise Global Positioning System data to accurately pinpoint an aircraft's position in real time and to share this data with surrounding aircraft and air traffic control.

(Source: Honeywell news release. Image from file)

FMI: www.honeywell.com