Citation
(1998), "Smiths Industries in major avionics upgrade for Southwest Airlines", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 70 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.1998.12770eab.039
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 1998, MCB UP Limited
Smiths Industries in major avionics upgrade for Southwest Airlines
Smiths Industries in major avionics upgrade for Southwest Airlines
Smiths Industries Aerospace has been selected by Southwest Airlines to carry out the most significant upgrade programme to date on flight management systems for Boeing 737 "classic" jetliners. Under the contract, Smiths Industries will supply new flight management computers (FMC) for 208 of Southwest's Boeing 737-300 and -500 fleet, with deliveries to be completed by December 1998.
Upgrading to the latest FMC technology, which meets new international air traffic control standards, will offer Southwest greater control over arrival times to reduce delays and increase airport capacity. The airline has decided to place greater reliance on the Smiths Industries flight management system to increase further its operating efficiency. It will now standardise its entire fleet of B737s with the latest FMC, which is supplied as basic equipment on new Boeing 737-300s and "next generation" 737-700s currently being delivered to Southwest.
The new flight management computer is half the size of its predecessor, offering more functions with higher reliability, at reduced weight and lower power consumption. Using the satellite-based global navigation positioning system, it provides the processing power for Smiths Industries full flight management system, fitted to all newly delivered Boeing 737s.
A central feature of the new FMC for Southwest is the adaptable airline operational control data link, which is capable of establishing a link between the aircraft and the airline's operational control using aircraft communication and reporting system (ACARS) network. This allows flight plans, and information on winds and a variety of data to be exchanged electronically. This FMC is developed and manufactured by Smiths Industries Aerospace at Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
For further details contact Smiths Industries. Tel: +44 (0) 181 458 3232.