Press Release

Issued by .

July 29, 2015

Associated Air Center (AAC) working jointly with StandardAero's Springfield Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) delegation has obtained a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the installation of a Controller-Pilot Data Link Communication (CPDLC) System, as part of the requirements for Future Air Navigation System (FANS), on an early model 757-200 Boeing aircraft, manufactured in 1987.

“This certification represents another significant industry accomplishment,” said James Colleary, president of AAC. “Whenever an in-house team can develop an engineering data package to support the installation and integration of a FAA-certified CPDLC/FANS system for an out-of-production Boeing aircraft, it's a serious technical achievement.”

Workscope for the project included the installation of a new FANS compliant Flight Management System (FMS), a new FANS compliant Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS), a new FANS compliant Iridium Satcom System, a new FANS compliant Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) equipped with a back-up battery, replacing the original CVR, a new VHF Communications antenna, a new Global Positioning System (GPS) antenna and a new Iridium communications antenna. The system was installed during a scheduled maintenance event and certified on July 24, 2015.

The new CPDLC/FANS system includes compliance for travel to international destinations and provides better flight planning capabilities for traveling in heavily congested routes and at flight levels that can optimize range and fuel burn. AAC completed a similar STC for a Boeing classic 737-300 CPDLC/FANS system in June of this year.

The project was completed at AAC's maintenance and repair organization (MRO), FAR-145 FAA repair station, Hangar 3, Dallas Love Field, Texas location.