A recent piece in AVIONICS magazine told the story of an experiment with a group of young Avianca (Colombia) pilots. The young, non-native English-speaking, non-military pilots demonstrated in a 787 simulator temporarily modified with synthetic-vision displays. One goal was for them to learn to use synthetic vision to land the airplane under some stressful situations.

New mandates have moved Data Communications (Data Comm)/Communications Management Units (CMU) from a “nice to have” to a “really gotta have” category.

Universal Avionics’ (UA) Certification Department is the focal point between the FAA and our company for the certification of our products. Our team coordinates each phase of the products’ life cycle with multiple cross-functional internal teams, while closely managing our relationships with three main branches of the FAA: The Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office (LAACO), the Manufacturing Inspection District Office (MIDO), and Flight Standards District Office (FSDO).

As the operational use of data link communications continues to evolve, it is essential that pilots keep pace with changing procedures. As an example, aircraft with Universal Avionics UniLink® UL-800/801 Communication Management Units (CMU) that are Future Air Navigation System (FANS) 1/A+ equipped can use Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications Departure Clearances (CPDLC-DCL).

Operators in the U.S. are taking action to meet the FAA's Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out mandate at the end of 2019. Shops are full and according to the Aircraft Electronics Association's 2017 Avionics Market Report, "the retrofit (avionics) market showed an increase in its percentage of total sales… recording an all-time high… a 20.1% increase over 2016." This growth is likely a result of aircraft equipping for ADS-B Out to meet the FAA's 2020 deadline.