Avionics Systems, Integration, and Technologies of the Light Transport Aircraft

Avionics of the present day comprises advanced technology and software-intensive systems. Earlier generation avionics constituted federated architecture and used line replaceable units (LRUs) having individual resources for each application with redundant hardware and software. However with the advancement of technology, methods,and mechanisms, the industry moved quite rapidly towards the integrated architecture called integrated modular avionics (IMA). Over the last decade there has been tremendous growth in these technologies which has resulted in reduced weight, volume, and developmental efforts. Usage of complex systems with advanced technologies and their certification for use in civil aircraft are the key issues to be addressed even today. Avionics of general aviation aircraft consists of typical systems like communication, navigation, display, radar, engine indication and data acquisition and recoding systems. These can be realised in federated as well as integrated architectures. TheLRUs requirements for avionics sub-system depends on the certification standards like FAR 23 or FAR 25. The whole cycle of architecture definition, integration, testing and means of compliance of the complete suite is the major activity in any new aircraft development programme. Development of ground-based test facilities and proper maintenance of the entire system on aircraft are other important activities in such programmes. These issues are presented in this paper for a typical light transport aircraft (LTA). The new technologies with their relevance, merits/de-merits, awareness of the global systems being adopted, etc., which are being attempted as indigenousdesign and development, are also presented. Defence Science Journal, 2011, 61(4), pp.289-298 , DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.61.1090