CBL Systems has been chosen by two regional carriers to retrofit their ATR 42 and ATR 72 fleets with its new fiber-optic based Distributed Flight Data Acquisition Unit. The system DFDAU provides an affordable way for operators of smaller or older aircraft to comply with new government regulations that call for flight data recorders (FDRs) to carry more channels of data, so as to aid in accident investigations.

CBL, with a background in fiber-optic control and monitoring systems, develops and markets airborne data acquisition systems, which use intelligent sensors and remote data acquisition units. Because of the processing capability of the sensors and data acquisition units, the CBL system can translate all the data it acquires into a common protocol. It then routes the data to the flight data recorder by a single ring-configured optical fiber. The result is a system that is inexpensive and easy to retrofit. Fiber optic systems are also immune to electrical interference, electromagnetic noise, lightning and power failure. CBL Systems' patented architecture will also continue to provide data despite localized failures in any part of the system.

CBL sees a strong potential market for the DFDAU because of Federal Aviation Administration mandates to increase the number of parameters monitored by FDRs. Standards have been toughened because older FDR systems have, in some cases, failed to provide enough data to support accident investigations.

All existing passenger aircraft are to be able to record 22 to 34 parameters by August 2001, and new aircraft must monitor 88 parameters by August 2002. The DFDAU can also be added to existing systems when regulations require the addition of new sensors, as in the case of 737 rudder upgrades. CBL is negotiating to supply the system to other major airlines.

By Bill Sweetman