CHICAGO- American Airlines (AA) has entered into a substantial agreement with Airbus for various avionics systems and airframe upgrades on 150 A320ceo family aircraft in its existing fleet.
The retrofits will incorporate modern features into the aircraft, including improved weather radar for better prediction of weather events, a new Satellite Based Augmentation System Multi-Mode Receiver (SBAS MMR) for enhanced GPS-based satellite navigation systems, and the latest Air Traffic Services Units (ATSU) standard to improve air-ground communications.
American Airbus A320 Upgrades
The airframe upgrades will also involve component and airframe life extension under Airbus’ Extended Service Goal packages.
These enhancements aim to enhance the reliability, efficiency, and competitiveness of American Airlines’ A320ceo fleet, aligning them with the latest systems available on the market and the advancements seen in Airbus A320neo aircraft.
“Besides American’s recent acquisition of new Airbus aircraft, these retrofits contribute to the airline’s fleet modernization and streamlining efforts through avionics and systems upgrades, enhancing operational excellence,” stated Antoine Morel, Vice-President and Head of Airframe Services at Airbus.
“Airbus’ holistic approach to intricate and enduring solutions aids in achieving our customers’ strategic goals. We deeply value American’s confidence in Airbus and anticipate furthering our robust partnership.”
The weather radar, MMR, and VHF equipment are developed and produced by Collins Aerospace and integrated by Airbus, which will supply the requisite service bulletins and installation kits.
Air Canada A320 Enhancements
Airbus has agreed with Air Canada (AC), the largest airline in Canada, to provide a significant cockpit and avionics system upgrade package for their A320 Family aircraft that is already in service.
This multi-year upgrade program encompasses an Enhanced Electronic Instrument System (EEIS2), Head Up Display (HUD), and various other avionics functions. The upgrades will be installed on potentially 76 aircraft.
Murray Strom, Senior Vice President of Flight Operations and Maintenance at Air Canada, commented, “These significant upgrades to the avionics of our Airbus A320 family will modernize the flight deck environment to align with our other fleets. They will also provide additional capabilities comparable to the latest generation of aircraft, such as the A321XLR that Air Canada will soon introduce to its fleet. Including HUDs on the A320 family will enhance fleet uniformity across all our aircraft types, while the EEIS2 displays will offer improved data presentation, leading to enhanced operational efficiencies and reliability.”
Cristina Aguilar, Senior Vice President of Customer Services at Airbus, added, “With this comprehensive set of enhancements, Air Canada is staying ahead of market requirements and adopting the latest standards available. We appreciate Air Canada’s confidence in Airbus and are grateful for their commitment to this significant A320 fleet upgrades agreement.”
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