Category: Avionics

Evolution Measurement Named Exclusive Sales Channel Partner for DMA in The Republic of Ireland

Evolution Measurement announced its appointment as the exclusive channel partner for DMA in The Republic of Ireland. This strategic partnership expands Evolution Measurement’s ability to serve the needs of customers across various industries in The Republic of Ireland.

DMA, known for its avionic test solutions, selected Evolution Measurement for its expertise, extensive network, commitment to customer satisfaction and proven track record in The UK and Northern Ireland.

“We are proud to be appointed as the exclusive channel partner for DMA in The Republic of Ireland,” said Paul Crowhurst, managing director and founder at Evolution Measurement. “WP Diagnostics have provided great levels of support to the avionics test market over a very long period of time through Liam Peare and we are privileged to take the reins and work to continue this long-standing capability, clear that Liam has developed great relationships with the customers here in The Republic of Ireland and we take our responsibilities to continue these seriously.”

Evolution Measurement’s partnership with DMA underscores its dedication to providing customers with access to best-in-class measurement technologies. By combining DMA’s state-of-the-art instruments with Evolution Measurement’s exceptional service and support, customers in The Republic of Ireland can expect unparalleled value and performance in their measurement applications.

“We thank WP Diagnostics for their unwavering support over the years, wish Liam a long, happy and well-deserved retirement and are excited to see how Evolution Measurement will continue to develop the strong customer relationships representing DMA in The Republic of Ireland,” said Mario Buccilli, DMA. “Together, we look forward to empowering customers with the most advanced measurement solutions available in the avionic testing market.”

New Qualcomm-Built Advanced Video Processor by Teledyne FLIR Powers AI at the Edge 

Teledyne FLIR, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, today announced Teledyne FLIR AVP, an advanced video processor designed to power Teledyne FLIR’s Prism AI and computational imaging at the edge.  

The AVP incorporates the latest Qualcomm QCS8550, the most advanced mobile processor chip from the leader in mobile, automotive, and robotics system-on-chip (SoC) technology. The AVP provides best-in-class artificial intelligence (AI) performance within a small, lightweight, and low-power module for thermal and visible camera integration into unmanned aerial vehicles, robots, small gimbals, handheld devices, and fixed-mounted security systems.  

AVP runs the Teledyne FLIR Prism AI and ISP software libraries and interfaces with the Boson and Neutrino thermal infrared imaging camera modules and a wide range of popular visible cameras. Trained on the world’s largest thermal image data lake of more than five million annotations, Prism AI is a powerful perception software designed to detect, classify, and track targets or objects for automotive autonomy, automotive automatic emergency braking, airborne camera payloads, counter-drone systems, ground intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and perimeter security. Prism ISP is a comprehensive set of image processing algorithms that include super resolution, image fusion, atmospheric turbulence removal, electronic stabilization, local-contrast enhancement, and noise reduction.   

“The new AVP is the most powerful and SWaP-optimized processor on the market today, running AI workloads up to five times faster than competitive offerings,” said Dan Walker, vice president of product management, Teledyne FLIR. “The combination of powerful edge computing and our Prism digital solutions ushers in a new era of electro-optical system capabilities while simplifying development and reducing integration risk.”  

The AVP is designed to empower integrators to build powerful, edge-intelligent products. It is supported by several tools to simplify and streamline development including a Qualcomm RB5 development kit. Software and board-support packages are also available to enable developers to design and fabricate custom interface boards that meet each product’s specific form, fit, function, and input-output (IO) requirements

Duncan Aviation’s Houston Satellite Installs Starlink

Duncan Aviation announced recently that its satellite shop in Houston, Texas, has installed its first Starlink in-flight, internet connectivity system in a GL-XRS. “The customer couldn’t be happier as the installation proceeded without a hitch, and once installed, Starlink fired up immediately,” a company statement said. “Not only that, but as he flew home, the customer streamed three movies simultaneously and Facetimed with his wife. He couldn’t have been happier with the speeds achieved or the bandwidth that allowed so much activity with virtually unnoticeable latency.”

“Although this was our first installation, the avionics and structures teams were impressed by the well-organized Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) and kit that allowed us to perform the installation well within the three weeks we had allotted,” said Mark Winter, Houston satellite manager. “We expected to encounter some problems since it was our first Starlink installation, but it couldn’t have gone more smoothly.”

The Duncan Aviation Satellite shop in Houston has seven more Starlink installations planned in the coming weeks and months, including two additional aircraft for the GL-XRS customer.

One of the reasons the Starlink installation requires relatively short downtime is because it’s an internet-only system. While it does have the capability to integrate with Cabin Management Systems (CMS) or any other system on the aircraft, it doesn’t need to. Using their own devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops, passengers may connect to their office’s Virtual Private Network (VPN), stream media, play games, or Facetime with family and enjoy uninterrupted coverage around the world.

The Duncan Aviation team in Houston has been installing avionics systems in aircraft for the better part of three decades, and they’re “pretty amazed by how revolutionary this system is in terms of ease of use.”

“We performed power and ground checks, and as soon as we powered up the Starlink system and sent the serial numbers for the aeroterminal to Starlink, the system was active within minutes, and we ran our tests,” Winter said. “We achieved significantly faster up- and download speeds than Starlink had told us to expect, and our customer was extremely pleased by that.”

In early March of this year, Duncan Aviation finalized a dealership agreement to sell and install hardware for the Starlink high-speed, in-flight internet connectivity system on a growing list of makes and models. All of Duncan Aviation’s full-service facilities and many of its Satellites shops are qualified and authorized to perform the installations.

Abaco Systems Unveils SBC3513L: Next-Gen 3U VPX SBC optimized for FPGA-Based TSN Endpoint Solutions

AMETEK Abaco Systems announced the release of the SBC3513L Single Board Computer (SBC), a groundbreaking solution optimized for the growing demands of modern military and industrial applications. Developed in alignment with the SOSA Technical Standard, the SBC3513L delivers exceptional yet balanced processing power and optional FPGA-based Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) Endpoint capabilities for mission and safety-critical systems.

“Our approach is to develop products which support TSN as flexibly as possible, combining Abaco’s FPGA hardware with FPGA IP Cores to create TSN Switched Endpoints in our SBCs,” said Alan Hislop, division vice president of business development & sales for AMETEK Abaco Systems. “We believe the FPGA-based approach will be key to delivering both full TSN compliance and the 10G bandwidth requirements of major new programs such as the US Army’s Ground Combat Systems Common Infrastructure Architecture (GCIA), Future Vertical Lift (FVL) applications, aviation upgrades, and technology insertion.”

Featuring the Intel Xeon W processor, 100GbE data plane, and onboard Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ FPGA for additional programmable capabilities, the rugged SBC3513L offers exceptional performance and reliability for demanding command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (C5ISR) applications. With its seamless upgrade path and advanced thermal management design, the SBC3513L sets a new standard for rugged computing solutions in space-constrained environments.

DDC-I and North Atlantic Industries Announce DAL A BSP Support for Safety-Critical Deos RTOS Running on NAI’s 68PPC2 T2080 Multi-core OpenVPX Single Board Computer

DDC-I, a leading supplier of software and professional services for mission- and safety-critical applications, and North Atlantic Industries, a leading provider of embedded systems for mil/aero applications, today announced the availability of DDC-I’s Deos™ DO-178C Design Assurance Level A (DAL A) verified FACE-conformant real-time operating system and a DAL A Board Support Package (BSP) for NAI’s 68PPC2 T2080 PowerPC OpenVPX single board computer. The BSP provides complete DO-178C/ED-12C DAL A verification evidence, including high assurance boot, multiple Ethernet channels leveraging the T2080 DPAA, PCIe, SATA flash storage, I2C, serial, real-time clock, watch dog timer, SPI, USB, and GPIO, greatly accelerating the development, deployment, and certification of high-performance safety-critical applications for avionics systems.

DDC-I’s approach to building safety critical software mirrors North Atlantic’s approach to configuring boards, with an emphasis on modular, scalable portable DAL-A verification. Deos utilizes a DAL-A linking loader that allows OS binary components and their artifacts to travel separately. NAI’s Configurable Open Systems Architecture™ (COSA®) utilizes highly modular, portable components that can be added or removed, and reapplied to other system configurations with maximum reuse of DAL-A artifacts. This shared commitment to modularity, portability and reuse enables avionics designers utilizing Deos and the COSA architecture to reconfigure their I/O systems with minimal impact on hardware, software and DO-178 recertification.  

“Our SafeMC multi-core technology and reusable verification evidence make Deos an ideal environment for developing, certifying and deploying high-performance, FACE-conformant, safety-critical avionics applications targeting the 68PPC2 and COSA architecture,” said Greg Rose, Vice President of Marketing at DDC-I. “Our SafeMC technology provides unique solutions to address the AC 20-193 multi-core objectives, delivering best-in-class performance and determinism for safety-critical applications running on NXP PowerPC multi-core processors.”

“Deos running atop the 68PPC2 gives avionics developers an integrated platform that combines high-performance multi-core performance with a best-in-class safety-critical RTOS,” added Lino Massafra, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at NAI. “Developers requiring the highest level of design assurance now have a rugged, flexible, off-the-shelf solution with configurable I/O and DAL-A evidence in a compact, low-power package that accelerates deployment of safety-critical systems.”

Deos is a safety-critical embedded RTOS that employs patented cache partitioning, memory pools, and safe scheduling to deliver higher CPU utilization than any other certifiable safety-critical COTS RTOS on multi-core processors. First certified to DO-178 DAL A in 1998, Deos combines DO-178C DAL A artifacts with FACE® Technical Standard support that encompasses the Safety Base and Safety Extended Profiles for the Operating System Segment (OSS). The Safety Base Profile features hard real-time response, time, and space partitioning, and both ARINC-653 and POSIX interfaces. The Safety Extended Profile, which adds support for TCP/IP communications, multi-process support, and expanded POSIX capability (80 extra functions), is a superset of the functionality required by the Safety Base and Security Profiles.

SafeMC technology extends Deos’ advanced capabilities to multiple cores, enabling developers of safety-critical systems to achieve best in class multi-core performance without compromising safety-critical task response and guaranteed execution time. SafeMC employs a bounded multi-processing (BMP) extension of the symmetric multi-processing architecture (SMP), safe scheduling, and cache partitioning to minimize cross-core contention and interference patterns that affect the performance, safety criticality and certifiability of multi-core systems. These features enable avionics systems developers to address issues that could impact the safety, performance and integrity of a software airborne system executing on Multi-Core Processors (MCP), as specified by the FAA Advisory Circular AC 20-193.

The 68PPC2 is a 3U OpenVPX™ NXP® T2080 PowerPC single-board computer that can be configured with up to two NAI smart I/O and communications function modules. Featuring an NXP QorlQ® T2080 Quad Core e6500 Processor running at 1.5 GHz, and consuming less then 25W, the 68PPC2 is ideally suited for rugged Mil-Aero applications that accelerate deployment of SWaP-optimized systems in air, land, and sea applications. The 68PPC2 comes equipped with eight Mbytes of DDR3 SDRAM and 32 Gbytes of SATA II NAND Flash. It also features PCIe, USB, I2C, TTL, and RS-232 interfaces, as well as an optional SATA II for external access to up to 2 Gbytes of expansion memory.

Universal Avionics Data Link Selected for A320 Upgrade by Eirtech Aviation Services

Universal Avionics (UA) has announced that aircraft modification provider, Eirtech Aviation Services, has selected UA’s data link solution for its Airbus A320 fleet upgrade program. The upgrade features Universal’s UniLink Communications Management Unit (CMU), which enables air-to-ground digital communications between pilots and Air Traffic Control (ATC), as well as Airline Operational Control (AOC) through its database of Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) messages.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Eirtech Aviation Services to enable Data Comm on the A320,” said Dror Yahav, chief executive officer at Universal Avionics. “UniLink brings customers enhanced operational efficiency, safety, and airspace access worldwide.”

“Eirtech continually seeks innovative solutions to provide customers with the most advanced aviation technology,” said John Clear, chief innovations officer at Eirtech Aviation Services. “Universal Avionics’ data link complements our commitment to delivering high-quality upgrades, keeping our clients prepared for modern and future airspace requirements.”

As part of the A320 upgrade program, the UniLink CMU delivers several datalink benefits:

  • ATN-B1/Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC): Facilitating streamlined text-based communication with ATC, reducing workload and potential errors.
  • Departure Clearance (DCL) support and ACARS messaging between the aircraft and ground for Airline Operational and Administrative communication efficiencies.
  • Optimized Routing and Fuel Savings: Enabling airlines to achieve cost savings and reduce environmental impact.


Universal’s outstanding equipment delivery, performance and reliability, combined with Eirtech Aviation Services’ market-leading support for aviation leasing companies will effectively fulfill Data Link upgrade requirements for transitioning aircraft.

StandardAero Signed as an Authorized Starlink Dealer for Business Aircraft Operators

StandardAero, a leading provider of business aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services, has reached an agreement with SpaceX’s Starlink to become an authorized dealer and installer of the company’s high speed internet product onboard select business jet aircraft. 

Starlink’s recent approvals for FAA supplemental type certificates (STCs) apply to Gulfstream G450 (GIV-X), Gulfstream GV, Gulfstream G550 (GV-SP), Gulfstream G650, Gulfstream G650ER, Bombardier Global Express, Bombardier Global Express XRS and Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft. StandardAero can perform Starlink installations on these platforms from its’ aircraft service centers of excellence in Van Nuys, CA and Springfield, IL, both of which specialize in long-range jet maintenance.

“Our new relationship with Starlink echoes the commitment we have made to our customers to provide them with the latest advancements in technology available for their aircraft, and demonstrates the trusted industry expertise we have in providing avionics services and support,” said Tony Brancato, StandardAero Business Aviation president.

StandardAero adds Starlink to its suite of connectivity solutions offered for various business aircraft platforms. Starlink is unique as the first and largest satellite constellation in low Earth orbit to deliver high-speed, low-latency internet anywhere around the globe, onboard aircraft.

“With the increasing dependency of wi-fi onboard business aircraft, we’ve seen customer maintenance schedules and budgets that are driven by connectivity upgrades,” said Brian Campbell, VP of Global Sales & Marketing for StandardAero Business Aviation. “Expanding our services ensures we can continue to deliver custom aircraft MRO solutions fit to each customer’s unique needs.” 

As a Starlink dealer, StandardAero will also provide installation support for upcoming STCs awaiting approval that apply to Bombardier Global 5000, 6500 and 7500, Challenger 300/350/3500 and Gulfstream GIV aircraft.

Astronautics Providing Badger Pro+ Integrated Flight Display System in Bell BasiX-Pro Glass Cockpit Retrofit Kit for 412EP Helicopters

Astronautics Corporation of America’s Badger Pro+ is the integrated flight display system for the Bell BasiX-Pro Glass Cockpit RetrofitKit. Bell’s newest upgrade solution recently received supplemental type certificate approval from the Federal Aviation Administration for Bell 412EP helicopters with PT6T-3D engine types. The Bell BasiX-Pro Glass Cockpit Retrofit Kit with Astronautics’ Badger Pro+ display system will upgrade 412EP legacy helicopters from analog instrumentation to full-glass cockpits. The 412EP retrofit kit is offered by Bell Aeronautical Accessories and installed by Bell’s global completion centers of excellence. 

The Badger Pro+ system consists of four 6”x8,” high-resolution, smart displays providingprimary flight, navigation, and engine data, along with a control panel and an engine data acquisition unit.  Astronautics’ Badger displays have proven dependability with hundreds of fielded units and over a million hours of flight time.

“Astronautics is pleased to enable Bell’s ongoing mission of improving performance, reliability, and supportability for their medium-sized helicopter customers with our Badger Pro+ system,” said Eyton Zelazo, Astronautics’ director of displays and cockpit integration. “The Bell BasiX-Pro Glass Cockpit Retrofit Kit will provide Bell 412EP operators with modern flight-decktechnology to improve situational awareness and decrease pilot workload, while also offering the same look and feel of a new production Bell 412 cockpit.” 

Key highlights of the Badger Pro+ integrated flight display system, as part of the BasiX-Pro Glass Cockpit Retrofit Kit for the Bell 412EP, include:

• Common display unit hardware with new production medium-sized platforms (SUBARU Bell 412EPX and Bell 429), simplifying maintenance and pilot training for mixed fleets.

• Aircraft parameter, chip, and exceedance recording for 70+ hours of data, useful for maintenance tracking and planning.

• Full-screen presentation of external video with pan feature.

• Multiple high-definition digital video inputs (no conversion to analog).

• Weather radar / HTAWS displayed in both full and arc HSI formats.

• Route mapping with five levels of declutter.

• Two-second power-up time (not just in-flight recovery).

• Non-ITAR night vision goggle compatible.

The New Terminal One at JFK Launches first RFP for Operations With Ground Service Equipment Procurement

The New Terminal One at JFK Launches first RFP for Operations With Ground Service Equipment Procurement

The New Terminal One at New York John F. Kennedy International Airport has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for an all-electric fleet of ground service equipment, launching the first RFP for operations of the world-class, all-international terminal scheduled to open in 2026 in partnership with the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey as part of its $19 billion transformation of the airport.

An all-electric fleet of ground service equipment will play an important role in supporting the Port Authority’s strategy for reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the agency’s airports and facilities by 2050.

The New Terminal One is seeking vendors to provide, manage and maintain ground service equipment for a period of five years with two renewal options of two years each, for a possible total term of nine years. To optimize the efficiency of airport operations, ground service equipment will be pooled at the common-use terminal for use by all airlines.

Ground service equipment plays a crucial role in airport operations by ensuring that flights are loaded and ready to depart on time. Typical ground service equipment includes portable ground power units, mobile baggage conveyors, baggage carts, tugs, and aircraft steps.

In line with The New Terminal One’s deep commitment to sustainability, charging stations will be available at each gate to support an all-electric fleet of ground service equipment. Vendors interested in submitting proposals should offer an all-electric equipment solution with equipment that is currently available or will be available by January 2026.

“As The New Terminal One continues to advance, we are excited to begin to shape our operations with the launch of this first RFP. An all-electric fleet of ground service equipment underlines our strong commitment to operational efficiency, while reducing emissions and making air travel more sustainable,” said The New Terminal One president and CEO Gerrard P. Bushell.

“Ground service equipment is an essential part of airport operations and will play an important role behind the scenes to ensure that our customers have a seamless experience when arriving and departing from our terminal. We look forward to partnering with our chosen provider to deliver world-class service at The New Terminal One when it opens, ensuring that every experience is an extraordinary moment to remember,” said The New Terminal One executive vice president and chief operating officer Simon Gandy.

When complete, the New Terminal One will be the largest terminal at JFK International Airport, offering 23 gates in a 2.4 million square-foot space. The terminal’s first phase, which includes a headhouse and an initial 14 gates, will open in June 2026.

In 2022, the Port Authority established the Zero-Emission Airside Vehicle (ZEAV) rule, requiring the transition to zero-emission ground service equipment at the region’s three major airports, with the bulk of the GSE fleet required to be zero-emission by 2030. The Port Authority is also demonstrating its commitment to support the transition to electric GSE by the provision of charging infrastructure, requiring GSE charging at all new gates, and working with tenants on charging infrastructure plans.

Interested participants in the ground service equipment RFP may contact The New Terminal One’s procurement team at procurement@onejfk.com to request a copy of the RFP and additional details. Proposals are due on April 22, 2024. The New Terminal One anticipates selecting a vendor in the second quarter of 2024.

AFI KLM E&M to Support Australian Airline Bonza

AFI KLM E&M to Support Australian Airline Bonza

AFI KLM E&M and Bonza announced that an agreemen to provide component support for the growing Australian airline’s Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet. The support defined by AFI KLM E&M covers a broad scope tailored to Bonza’s requirements, including repair services, pool access and the provision of a Main Base Kit (MBK), as well as logistical and AOG support for airframe and LEAP-1B engine LRU’s. It will be managed and delivered from AFI KLM E&M’s logistics and distribution centers in Amsterdam, Miami and Kuala Lumpur.

AFI KLM E&M already supports a number of customers in the Asia Pacific & Oceania regions, with a local infrastructure – notably in Kuala Lumpur – enabling it to efficiently serve airlines in the region, not to mention its customer support teams already present on Australian soil.

“For a growing airline like ours that currently has a smaller fleet, we need to ensure that all our aircraft are operational so that we can deliver the best performance and experience for our customers,” said Tim Jordan, CEO of Bonza. “AFI KLM E&M’s equipment solutions, including the pool access program, are a response to this requirement, and we are confident that their know-how and global experience of the 737 product will be invaluable in delivering smooth operations for our fleet.”

Tommaso Auriemma, VP Sales Asia & Pacific at AFI KLM E&M, added: “We are honored by the trust placed in us by Bonza. By signing this agreement, AFI KLM E&M is extending its footprint in the 737 market in Oceania, and also enhancing the relevance and attractiveness of its solutions on all generations of the 737, including the MAX. We look forward to supporting the development of Bonza’s operations, a young and dynamic airline, through a long-term cooperation, starting with component support for their fleet”.