Diamond Aircraft & Safran Electronics & Defense integrated the first modular flight inspection system into a DA62 MPP

Diamond Aircraft and Safran Electronics & Defense are excited to present the first integration of the versatile and extra compact CARNAC XS modular flight inspection system (FIS) into Diamond’s special mission aircraft, the DA62 MPP.

In-flight calibration: a unique operation in the air

Every member state of the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) is obliged to inspect and calibrate periodically their navigational aids and instrument landing systems to guarantee aviation safety under any weather conditions. These complex missions require qualified pilots trained to conduct many manoeuvres at low altitude within air traffic, and an aircraft equipped with a FIS system to ensure precise measurements and analyses by flight inspectors. 

Embarked into the DA62, CARNAC XS, the smallest FIS system of Safran’s CARNAC family, enables to calibrate all types of beacons (VOR, ILS, VDF, Marker, DME, NDB, TACAN, etc.), to validate PBN/RNAV procedures and approaches as well as to measure coverage of V/UHF radios, secondary radars (A/C and S modes) and the ADS-B system.

About the Mission Setup

The extra compact FIS module is located in the mission equipment compartment of the DA62, right behind the operator seat, and is wired up to the mission power panel and the dedicated antenna connection panel. This modular design and the pre-installed antennas enable an easy configuration change from e.g. ISR to FIS in less than a day. The operator laptop, directly connected to the CARNAC XS, allows real time analyses of the measurements taken by the calibration bench and the pilot tablet allows a live monitoring of the flight relevant data. With additional radios and audio panels, the operator has all the capabilities to ensure safe communication on board and, at the same time, direct connection to the ground crew.

The expected delivery will be in the upcoming weeks to long term Diamond Aircraft Distributor and Special Mission Aircraft operator Asian Aerospace Services in Bangkok, Thailand. Once operational, the aircraft will be available for demonstration to future Diamond Aircraft MPP operators in South East Asia.