summary
- Air Canada has selected Airbus to upgrade the cockpits of its A320 family aircraft to improve situational awareness and operational efficiency.
- Upgrades include a head-up display (HUD), as well as new avionics systems such as ROPS, RNP AR, and soft go-around capabilities.
- These enhancements will bring Air Canada’s A320 fleet to similar capabilities to the latest generation Airbus aircraft, including the A321XLR.
Air Canada has selected Airbus to upgrade the cockpits of its Airbus A320 family of aircraft.
Airbus narrowbody upgrade
Earlier this week, at one of the world’s largest maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) events, Air Canada and Airbus signed a new agreement in writing to upgrade the Airbus A320’s cockpit.according to wings magazine, the new agreement will result in significant upgrades to the cockpit, including a new avionics system. Up to 76 aircraft will be upgraded, a process expected to take several years.
Photo: Air Canada
Several features will be upgraded, but one of the most common or well-known features added is a heads-up display (HUD). HUD has been available on Airbus aircraft since 2006 and is a visual guidance system that significantly increases the pilot’s situational awareness. According to Airbus, HUD This is a very good means of stabilizing the aircraft during the approach phase.
Most recently, a new HUD system was certified for the Airbus A320 family in February 2015. This includes:
- Runaway Overrun Prevention System (ROPS)
- Required Navigation Performance Certification Required (RNP AR)
- Autopilot/Flight Director Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (AP/FD TCAS)
- Recommended runway ahead
- soft go around
- Reversible Backup Speed Scale (BUSS)
The new HUD offering was extended to A321 aircraft in 2016.
Air Canada’s aircraft include upgrades to the Enhanced Electronic Instrument System (EEIS2), SBAS Landing System (SLS), FMS Landing System (FLS), and GBAS Landing System (GLS), as well as upgrades to the Other avionics will also be installed. Murray Strom, Air Canada’s senior vice president of operations and maintenance, said:
“The A320 Family HUD will further improve fleet harmony across all of our aircraft types, and the EEIS2 display with enhanced data will deliver further operational efficiency and reliability.”
Strom also emphasized that the upgrade will bring Air Canada’s aircraft similar in functionality to the latest generation of Airbus aircraft, including the A321XLR.
According to data from channel airlines, Air Canada has a fleet of 85 Airbus A320 aircraft, 40 of which are wet leased. The breakdown is as follows.
Aircraft type | Active | inactive | wet lease | total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Airbus A319 | Five | 2 | 18 | twenty five |
Airbus A320 | 16 | 6 | Five | 27 |
Airbus A321 | 13 | 3 | 17 | 33 |
The youngest subfleet of the three types is the A321, with an average age of 14.7 years. As previously mentioned, Air Canada operates the A321XLR, which is expected to enter service later this year. This airline has ordered 30 of his A321XLRs.
Air Canada recent news
Last week, Air Canada launched its longest flight in terms of distance. The airline has introduced the Boeing 787-9 and launched direct flights from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to Singapore’s Changi International Airport (SIN). The flight to Singapore was grounded in 16 hours and 5 minutes, approximately 8,000 miles away.
Singapore Airlines, a Star Alliance carrier like Air Canada, has a hub in Changi, and the route is strategic at both ends. Passengers departing from Vancouver can connect anywhere on Singapore Airlines’ network, and passengers departing from Vancouver can also connect anywhere on Air Canada’s network. Read the story below to learn more about the route.
