Esterline’s CMC Electronics (CMC) business unit and Leonardo are pleased to announce that Leonardo’s AW189 P5 prototype successfully completed multiple GBAS GLS approaches at the Zurich Airport in late 2018 using the CMA-6024 GPS/SBAS/GBAS Landing System Sensor Unit (GLSSU) as the precision approach sensor.

Leonardo’s pioneering achievement has led the way towards certifying GBAS GLS precision approach for helicopters. It also marks one of the first successful GBAS GLS approaches completed by a helicopter.

Michel Potvin, President, Esterline Avionics Systems, said: “We are proud of this latest milestone and confident that Leonardo and other customers will appreciate the CMA-6024’s exceptional performance, reliability, versatility and ease of installation.”

Built on the success of the CMA-5024 GLSSU, CMC’s CMA-6024 is the next evolutionary step forward that adds a complete GBAS/GLS solution to helicopters but also to all aircraft types. The CMA-6024 delivers a high-reliability satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) and ground-based augmentation system (GBAS) precision approach solution.

As a self-contained, ARINC 743C SBAS/GBAS compliant solution, the CMA-6024 requires no specialized installation or integration support. The CMA-6024, features an embedded VHF data broadcast (VDB) receiver and is a complete, self-contained, fully certified GBAS GLS precision approach and navigation solution, and is certified to design assurance level A (DAL-A).

As an ARINC-743C SBAS sensor, the CMA-6024 provides both a SBAS navigation solution that is fully compliant with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) and required navigation performance (RNP) and also offers a SBAS precision approach guidance solution with localizer performance/localizer performance and vertical guidance (LP/LPV).

The CMA-6024 is a ruggedized sensor that meets or exceeds the most stringent environmental requirements set out in RTCA/DO-160G and goes further to meet additional requirements for both civil and military helicopters, air transport, military trainers and other challenging applications.

The CMC Electronics (CMC) brand within Esterline Avionics Systems (www.esterline.com/avionicssystems) has achieved an international reputation for innovation and excellence in the design and manufacture of electronics products for the military and commercial aviation markets. The company’s focus is on delivering innovative cockpit systems integration and avionics solutions to its customers worldwide. CMC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Esterline Corporation (NYSE:ESL, www.esterline.com), a specialized aerospace and defense company headquartered in Bellevue, WA, that employs over 12,000 people worldwide.