Mon, Sep 07, 2009
Also Moves Forward On AFCS For The C-130
ASB Avionics (ASB), under contract with the NOAA, is developing
a Dorsal HF Shunt Antenna for their WP-3 fleet. The P-3 HF Shunt
Antenna builds on ASB’s history of HF Dorsal Antennas for
L-382/C-130, KC-135, 707, 737, and 747 aircraft. The P-3 HF Shunt
Antenna will eliminate the requirement for the existing dual
long-wire HF antennas and will replace the existing dorsal leading
edge allowing the antenna couplers to be mounted within the
pressure vessel. The P-3 HF Shunt Antenna will require minimal
maintenance, be immune to precipitation static buildup, lighting
strikes, and damaging antenna wire breakage, and will reduce drag;
improving fuel specifics. The new antenna is designed to be
installed on all P-3 variants.
P-3 Shunt Antenna Drawing
Based on its other HF Antenna products ASB expects the RF
performance to be substantially better than the less efficient
long-wire antennas, as well as reducing Life Cycle Costs (LCC).
In other news, ASB is in the final stages of FAA approval of its
dual digital Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) for the
L-382/C-130 replacing the obsolete existing analog flight
director/autopilot systems. The Honeywell provided AFCS will
complement ASB’s previously FAA certified Commercial Off The
Shelf (COTS) Avionics Modernization Program (AMPS). The new AFCS
replaces all existing analog flight director/autopilot components,
substantially reducing Line Replaceable Unit (LRU) and wire count.
The high Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF), low acquisition costs,
and auto-flight characteristic improvements will help in reducing
the LCC and improve the functionality and useful life of legacy
L-382/C-130 airframes. Certification is expected by October
1st.
ASB L-382/C-130 Panel
ASB is also developing an Enhanced Vision System (EVS)
installation to complement the L-382/C-130 ASB COTS AMP and expects
FAA certification, parallel to AFCS approval.
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