Today was a huge day for Rockwell Collins. Flight tests began for its most recent configuration of Pro Line Fusion® featuring a touch-screen flight display. Today’s news is groundbreaking because it would be the industry’s first touch-screen primary flight display. The Pro Line Fusion touch-screen displays will debut as an aftermarket option to all in service Beechcraft King Air Pro Line 21 equipped air crafts.
The flight tests are taking place out of Rockwell Collins’ Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based Flight Operations and are being performed on the Hawker Beechcraft King Air B200GT.
Greg Irmen, vice president and general manager, Business and Regional Systems for Rockwell Collins, stated “First flight for this latest configuration of Pro Line Fusion is a significant step in our development process. We’re on track for bringing this innovation to market as planned.”
Also featured in the cockpit is the new GH-3900RSU Standby System from L-3 Avionics Systems. The GH-3900 RSU separates the display from the sensor array. This separation allows the ultra-thin display to be mounted much higher in the panel. Also included is a separate Remote Sensor Unit containing rate/level sensors, air data transducers, and optional accelerometers. This Remote Sensor Unit will provide altitude, attitude, airspeed, heading, and navigation data to the DU-42 display.
Source: Hawker Beechcraft