FedEx Begins Installing Enhanced Vision

The FAA has certified an Elbit enhanced vision system on a FedEx MD-10 aircraft as the airline moves to equip its entire fleet of 362 aircraft with the capability by 2015.

Gulfstream Aerospace was the first manufacturer to equip its business jets with enhanced vision, forward-looking infrared (Flir) in 2001, but no Part 121 air carrier had installed the equipment until now, FedEx notes. Airline officials say the move is being made purely for safety reasons.

An Elbit EVS 2, made by the company’s Kollsman unit, will provide Flir imagery to be displayed on a single Honeywell liquid crystal display head-up display (HUD) mounted over the left seat. Delta Air Lines, Alaska Airlines and Southwest Airlines have either equipped or are equipping their aircraft with HUDs, but only FedEx has added enhanced vision when installing the displays, says Joel Murdock, strategic projects managing director for FedEx.

Flir imagery can show the pilot a view of airfield activity and surrounding terrain at night or in rain, snow and light fog, to ease operations during periods of limited visibility. Murdock and Bob Rachor, FedEx vice president for planning and performance, say enhanced vision also will help pilots avoid runway incursions. FedEx procedures call for the captain to stay head-up looking through the HUD during approach while the first officer monitors aircraft performance head-down. An early view of the airfield despite darkness or poor visibility will make it easier to transition to landing, FedEx says.

FedEx will equip its 16 MD-11s first (after securing that certification), then move on to its Boeing 757s and 777s and Airbus A300s and A310s. Equipping the entire fleet with EVS for safety has been a “long-term interest of (CEO) Fred Smith,” but the airline had to wait for quite a few years for the technology to mature, say Murdock and Rachor.

FedEx also will benefit from a variety of HUD safety enhancements, with performance information such as flare guidance. But FedEx isn’t installing the HUD to fly Cateogry-3 approaches by hand, a procedure used by some airlines, because FedEx aircraft already are equipped for Cat.-3 autoland. Boeing does not offer enhanced vision on its new production aircraft yet, but it is certifying enhanced vision on a HUD on the Boeing Business Jet.

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Fonte: Flight Safety Information 02/07/2008.