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GULFSTREAM CONDUCTS FLIGHT TESTS IN THE ROCKIES TO EVALUATE ENHANCED VISION SYSTEM II (EVSII) AND SYNTHETIC VISION-PRIMARY FLIGHT DISPLAY (SV-PFD)
Both New Flight Deck Systems ‘Perform Well’
SAVANNAH, Ga., Oct. 16, 2006 – Gulfstream Aerospace recently completed a series of test flights on a long-range G450 test aircraft to evaluate both its Enhanced Vision System II (EVSII) and Synthetic Vision-Primary Flight Display (SV-PFD). Both new flight deck systems, introduced at the Farnborough Air Show in July, remain on schedule for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification in 2007.
The recent flight tests were carried out in the challenging environment of Aspen, Colo.
Two Gulfstream experimental pilots and a flight-test engineer evaluated the performance, accuracy and reliability of EVSII and SV-PFD over a two-day period. They flew day and night in the extreme terrain of the Rocky Mountains and conducted approaches and landings at Aspen Airport, which is situated in a ravine between mountains.
“We wanted to evaluate these two new systems in a location that would create the most challenges in terms of terrain, approaches and landing,” said Pres Henne, senior vice president, programs, engineering and test, Gulfstream. “As any pilot will tell you, landing in Aspen can be difficult, especially on a moonless night. The test pilots reported that EVSII displayed a clear image of the surrounding mountains that, when viewed with the naked eye, blended into the background of the dark night sky.”
EVSII
As with the original Enhanced Vision System (EVS), Kollsman Inc., a leading manufacturer of avionics and electro-optic equipment, produced the Gulfstream EVSII’s specially designed forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera that projects an infrared real-world image on the pilot's Head-Up Display (HUD). EVSII features an improved cryogenically cooled detector that is more sensitive in identifying runway lights during approach and is smaller and some 20 pounds lighter than the original EVS. Because the EVSII camera operates at a lower temperature than the earlier EVS version, EVSII does not require additional cooling from the aircraft’s environmental control system.
Gulfstream plans to replace its current EVS, which is standard equipment on new production ultra-long-range G550 and long-range G450 business jet models, with EVSII after it is certified by the FAA. EVS is an option on the G500 and the G350.
In the almost five years between September 14, 2001, when EVS was first certified, and June 30, 2006, 261 in-service aircraft and three Gulfstream-operated flight-test aircraft have been equipped with EVS. Of the current in-production large-cabin Gulfstream aircraft that are in service, 98 percent are equipped with the system. Of the 261 EVS-equipped customer aircraft, nearly half of these, or 128, were retrofit installations. Gulfstream retrofits EVS onto G500s, GVs, GIV-SPs, G400s, G350s and G300s.
SV-PFD
The new Synthetic Vision – Primary Flight Display (SV-PFD) features a large three-dimensional color image of terrain overlaid with the PFD instrument readings. Innovative technology developed with Honeywell, combined with a pilot-centered design approach that focused on existing system integration, has improved the two-dimensional, blue-over-brown image. Combining previously certified terrain data from Honeywell’s Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) with obstacle data, SV-PFD accurately depicts terrain, obstacles, runways and approaches at locations throughout the world.
Maintaining the tradition of PlaneView® and building on Gulfstream’s participation in NASA’s GVSITE Synthetic Vision research program, SV-PFD includes both traditional and Head-Up Display (HUD) symbology. Symbols such as attitude, altitude, airspeed, bank and steering cues, flight path marker, Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS) alerts, and Traffic alert Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) all remain the same. The new HUD-like symbols include a flight path marker, a path-based flight director runway outline and a runway lead-in line.
Following certification, Gulfstream will offer its SV-PFD as an optional upgrade to current operators of PlaneView-equipped Gulfstream G550, G500, G450 and G350 business jet models. Gulfstream also will offer the optional upgrade to future customers and current customers awaiting completion of their new PlaneView-equipped aircraft.
NOTE TO EDITORS
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), designs, develops, manufactures, markets, services and supports the world’s most technologically advanced business-jet aircraft. Gulfstream has produced more than 1,500 aircraft for customers around the world since 1958. To meet the diverse transportation needs of the future, Gulfstream offers a comprehensive fleet of aircraft, comprising the wide-cabin, high-speed Gulfstream G150™; the large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G200™; the large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G350™; the large-cabin, long-range G450™; the large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G500™ and the large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G550™. Gulfstream also offers aircraft ownership services via Gulfstream Financial Services Division and Gulfstream Pre-Owned Aircraft Sales®. The company employs more than 7,900 people at seven major locations. We invite you to visit our Web site for more information and photos of Gulfstream aircraft at www.gulfstream.com .
General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, employs approximately 81,900 people worldwide and had 2005 revenue of $21.2 billion. The company is a market leader in mission-critical information systems and technologies; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and business aviation. More information can be found online at www.generaldynamics.com.
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Document last modified Wednesday, January 03, 2007 |