Boeing Corp., based in Chicago, anticipates releasing the new 787 Dreamliner for service in 2008. When it came to outfitting the new aircraft’s Traffic Collision Avoidance System, or TCAS-II, Boeing turned to its longtime supplier of RF switches, Dow-Key Microwave Corp. in Ventura, Calif.
Boeing’s TCAS-II, mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), provides the aircraft’s identification and altitude to air traffic controllers. At the same time, its terminal radar reveals the aircraft’s relative position and distance. If the system detects the potential of an in-flight collision with another airplane, it tells the pilot to pull up, dive, or turn right or left, for example.
“Safety is of key importance for Boeing, and has strict requirements therein,” says Carl Abendroth, president of Anzak Corp., an electronic components representative for Dow-Key based in Kirkland, Wash. “Dow-Key provides Boeing with custom solutions to meet and surpass those safety requirements.”
A portion of the TCAS-II uses two antennas, located on top of and beneath the fuselage, that are connected to one of two Mode S transponders, which provide redundant support. Two Dow-Key 402-167 switches are used to connect one or the other of the transponders to the two antennas. For more information, visit www.dowkey.com.
