Collins' Pro Line 21 to Keep Pilots in Touch

Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics are being fine-tuned with human factors engineering so pilots can stay better attuned to the aircraft, Collins' Gene Schwarting said here. Schwarting is director of strategic management for Rockwell Collins' newly renamed Business and Regional Systems division.

"These latest refinements go beyond styling and aesthetics," Schwarting said. "They significantly enhance functionality by adding a tactile dimension that supports what a pilot sees. They help create and reinforce the natural, intuitive feel of a well-designed cockpit."

Collins' engineers "understand the complex man-machine interface and the process of physical and mental interaction with technology," Schwarting said. "The new Pro Line 21 styling is rooted in human factors research, addressing the placement of controls, their size, shape and texture, all to help the crew react instinctively even under high-stress conditions."

Schwarting said Pro Line 21 products are under development for air transport and military applications, too.

He said Rockwell Collins would assume a larger role in a variety of aviation organizations to more directly provide the industry with its expertise. Likely areas for this would be in training organization and RTCA Free Flight committees.

Ted Fuhrer, who became VP and general manager of Rockwell Collins' Business and Regional Systems last April, was also on hand here Monday. Fuhrer described a number of product introductions and provided some philosophical background on his company's new "Your Mission/Our Passion" effort. He said Collins has eschewed a "Build It and They Will Come" approach to product development, instead favoring a close relationship with customers in product design.