BAe 146 Destined for Flight Deck Improvements

Prompted by customer feedback, BAE Systems has decided to offer flight deck upgrades for its BAe 146 regional jet to keep the aircraft current with regulatory requirements and meet user demand for more reliable systems.

Among the upgrades to allow the BAe 146 to stay current with newly emerged air traffic management regulations is a new solid-state altimeter. It will allow the aircraft to comply with reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) rules taking effect in Europe before October 2001.

Secondly, a Honeywell Aerospace Mk.VII enhanced ground proximity warning system will be installed to satisfy terrain awareness and warning system mandates. Aircraft need to be retrofitted with such a system by 2005.

To improve the aircraft's reliability, BAE Systems is offering three upgrades. They include replacement of vertical reference units and directional gyroscopes with fibre optic gyros; a new Honeywell or Rockwell Collins weather radar and liquid crystal displays to provide digital Doppler technology; and flat panel displays with Rockwell Collins and Universal systems being considered.

BAE Systems is offering these systems as individual packages, but recommends a total system, integrated upgrade. It estimates it would cost about $600,000 per aircraft for the avionics.

Moreover, the company is offering an upgrade to give BAe 146s that only have a Cat 2 landing capability, the Cat 3 level offered on newer versions of the aircraft. The two candidate systems being considered include a modified Avro RJ Honeywell Digital Flight Guidance System and a Head-Up Guidance system. While BAE Systems nominally is offering options, it is backing the visual guidance system solution. The cost of the upgrade is put at $500,000 per aircraft.

It would take about 12-15 months to develop the upgrades and install them on the first aircraft once the avionics program is given the go ahead. For the visual guidance system Cat 3 option, first installations are expected to be ready by late 2001 for use in the winter 2001/02 season.

By Robert Wall