Esterline completes ground, flight testing of GPS landing system

BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Esterline Avionics Systems has successfully completed ground and flight tests of its satellite-based augmentation systems (SBAS)-capable CMA-5024 GPS/SBAS landing system unit (GLSSU) on Boeing 737 aircraft.

The company said it anticipates receiving a supplemental type certificate (STC) from the Federal Aviation Administration by the end of the year for all B737NG aircraft types.

Esterline's CMA-5024 is an FAA-approved DO-260B ADS-B positioning source that can be paired with any DO-260-B transponder, helping operators meet the looming automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast compliance date. The unit will also allow aircraft to take advantage of SBAS navigation, with optional localizer performance with vertical guidance (LPV) capabilities also available.

"The CMA-5024 meets the requirements for an Instrument Flight Rules, civil certified global navigation satellite system (GNSS)," Esterline said in a statement. "The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), a component of SBAS, augments GPS to provide an extremely accurate navigation solution that will support all flight operations from en route through LPV Guidance CAT-l equivalent approach.

"The CMA-5024 is compliant with and completely supports EGNOS/SBAS, from departure, en-route navigation, and all EGNOS/SBAS LPV precision approaches, and complies with published Communication Navigation Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) navigational mandates."

Esterline Avionics will be showcasing its technology next week during the Farnborough International Airshow in Hall 1, Booth No. 1180.