AlliedSignal Adds Color Weather to AFIS Datalink Service

Color weather graphics were added to the spectrum of flight planning and messaging datalink services offered by AlliedSignal.

The company, exhibiting at the static display, will provide the new capability on its new Global Star 2100 FMS 5.5-inch diagonal color LCD. It will provide precise, real-time graphical weather data, including regional radar, jet stream and high-altitude significant weather charts, on the FMS screen.

The AFIS graphical weather presentation will be displayed on competitive FMS units as they are introduced. The new feature will be available for worldwide operations through the global ground and/or satellite-based data communications networks.

In other news:

• AlliedSignal has received FAA approval to extend the major periodic inspection interval from 2,100 to 2,500 hours for the TFE731-5B engine powering the Falcon 900B and Falcon 20-5. Service bulletins required to achieve the extended MPI interval for the -5B will be released in early 1999.

• An engine upgrade for the TFE731-3C will improve reliability and durability and reduced overall cost of ownership for owners of the Learjet 55. The upgrade, which can be performed during major periodic or core zone inspections, will increase inter-turbine temperature limits by 25 degrees centigrade in climb and 20 degrees in cruise without compromising improved turbine reliability. It also will increase major periodic inspection intervals to 2,100 hours.

• AlliedSignal has begun deliveries of the new N1 Digital Electronic Engine Control (DEEC) to operators of TFE731 series engines. The N1 is a drop-in replacement for most existing TFE731 electronic engine controls. STCs have been approved for the Learjet 31 and 35/36 and are scheduled for later this fall for the Falcon 50 and Hawker 400/600/700 aircraft.

• An agreement has been reached with Altair Avionics to jointly market and support Altair's family of engine monitoring products and to cooperate in the development of future monitors and engine controls. Initial efforts will center on existing products for the Allison 250 and T56, Pratt & Whitney PT6 and AlliedSignal's APU and propulsion engine product lines.

• Raytheon Systems has selected AlliedSignal to supply components for its multi-zone temperature control system for the Boeing Business Jet. The system features individual thermostats for several areas of the airplane to provide separate temperature settings in different zones.

Elsewhere AlliedSignal has completed the Critical Design Review on the environmental control system for the new Raytheon Hawker Horizon. It will complete the CDR for the APU installation kit this month.

By Jim Street