CHELTENHAM, United Kingdom, Jan. 11, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Smiths Aerospace (LSE:SMIN) was recently the first to obtain Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) STC (Supplemental Type Certification) for its SDS-2000 system as part of the American Airlines MD-80 cockpit upgrade. The new EFIS standard will utilize AMLCD technology displays from the previous HSI/ADI analogue instrumented aircraft. American Airlines is the launch customer including the SDS-2000 system on their fleet of 128 analogue MD-80 (DC-9) airplanes. The SDS-2000 system is designed and manufactured at Smiths Aerospace facility in Cheltenham, UK. The displays are currently being retrofitted to American Airline's MD-80 analogue-instrumented aircraft.
The SDS-2000 system includes a suite of four 5-inch Air Transport Indicators (ATI) displays, two control and dimming cockpit panels and two mode select panels. In addition an installation kit is supplied which includes the interface wiring harness, circuit breaker panels and associated parts to complete the installation.
Smiths was awarded the contract from American Airlines in June 2002 to retrofit 128 MD-80 (DC-9) aircraft with 5ATI ADI / HSI (electronic attitude direction indicator / electronic horizontal situation indicator) Active Matrix Liquid Crystal Display systems (AMLCD). The system will be the primary flight and navigation display and will interface with the GPS navigation system, Terrain Awareness Warning System (TAWS), weather radar and safety information. MD-80 simulators at the Dallas Forth Worth training facility were modified with the new AMLCDs from Smiths in January 2004. The SDS-2000 system emulates the current EFIS, which results in minimal pilot training. All MD-80 pilots have been trained on the SDS-2000 system, achieving more than 30,000 operating hours on the simulator without any problems reported. Likewise, the SDS-2000 system fitted to revenue service aircraft has accumulated more than 6800 flight hours with no problems reported.
The SDS-2000 currently replaces analogue ADI /HSI instruments but also offers a cost effective replacement for operators with aging Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) EFIS displays including CRT EFIS MD80 aircraft. The displays technology benefits from incorporating the processing features, which on current CRT EFIS, is provided from separate symbol generator units, thus the SDS-2000 offers CRT EFIS operators, reduced weight, inventory, maintenance and operating costs.
Notes to editors:
About 5ATI primary flight integrated displays
Using AMLCD technology, combined with built-in analogue signal and digital data bus interfacing, Smiths has incorporated the EFIS functionality into a single 5ATI instrument. The depth of the unit is compatible with electro-mechanical ADI/HSI indicators and provides an easy EFIS upgrade for many classic aircraft; no separate symbol generator unit is needed.
About Smiths Aerospace
Smiths Aerospace is a leading transatlantic aerospace equipment and systems company, with $2 billion revenues and more than 10,000 staff split between North America and Europe. Smiths Aerospace, a part of Smiths Group plc, holds key positions in the supply chains of all major military and civil aircraft and engine manufacturers and are world-leaders in digital, electrical, and mechanical systems, engine components and customer services.