Also Earns Order From Frontier Airlines Subsidiary
Rockwell Collins has received two
impressive orders for its Head-up Guidance System (HGS). The
company announced this week its HGS-2100 has been selected by Nav
Canada for installation on two of its flight inspection aircraft.
Lynx Aviation selected the HGS-4100 for its fleet of Bombardier
Q400 regional turboprops.
Nav Canada -- the private sector company that owns and operates
the Air Navigation System in Canada -- will be using the HGS for
Runway Instrument Landing System (ILS) and enroute navigation
checks. The company also expects to perform research flying for
evaluation of developmental technologies through the course of its
daily activities.
"This contract is significant because it represents the first
commercial application for the use of HGS for precision flying in a
data collection mode," said John Desmond, vice president, Head-up
Guidance Systems for Rockwell Collins. "HGS will provide Nav Canada
with precision flying capability in all environments, allowing
their pilots to acquire and verify ILS data while maintaining
better aircraft operational awareness."
"Much of their flying is close to the ground in and around
terminal airspace. The HGS will provide significant situational
awareness benefits in energy management, traffic avoidance and
terrain avoidance in areas of irregular terrain," he noted.
The HGS-2100 displays critical flight information in the pilot's
forward field of view. Aircraft flight path and acceleration
symbols and command guidance appear overlaying the outside scene
allowing precision hand-flown approaches, enhancing situational
awareness and improving aircraft energy management. Additional
features include the display of runway remaining and unusual
attitude recovery symbology.
Lynx Aviation, a regional subsidiary of Frontier Airlines, has
selected Rockwell Collins' HGS-4100 for its fleet of Q400s.
"Our HGS technology provides safety and economic benefits by
enabling Lynx Aviation to complete flights in low-visibility
conditions," said Desmond. "The improved flight path control and
situational awareness provided by our HGS are important for Lynx
Aviation's operations in mountainous terrain."
The HGS-4100 presents flight symbology on a glass combiner in
the pilot's forward field of view. The system will expand the
operational capability of the Q400, allowing Category III approach
and landing down to 600 feet runway visual range (RVR),
low-visibility takeoff down to 300 feet RVR at Category III
airports and lower-than-standard Category I approach minima down to
1600 feet RVR.