SF Airlines selects Thales and ACSS to retrofit its entire fleet with ADS-B Out compliant equipment
Romain Guillot
 le 03/06/2020 , Maintenance aéronautique
The pandemic crisis didn't prevent Thales from winning a large contract in China. SF Airlines, China's largest cargo airline, has selected Thales and ACSS (Aviation Communication & Surveillance Systems), its joint venture with L3Harris Technologies, to retrofit its entire fleet with new transponders offering ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) capability.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has required all chinese operators to implement ADS-B Out Version 2 functions on their aircraft by the end of 2022, a key requirement to improve the capacity and the efficiency of its airspace.
Thales and ACSS will thus provide SF Airlines with ADS-B compatible solutions for its 55 aircraft currently in service (Boeing 737-300F/400F, 747-400ERF, 757F and 767-300F) as well as for any future aircraft that will join its fleet .
Thales specifies that the equipment will be installed according to the different configuration of each aircraft, with the possibility of including, as appropriate, a new TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System), TCAS directional antenna, and ATC (Air Traffic Control) transponders.
Being the first to market certified ADS-B In and Out Solutions, Thales' partner ACSS is a leading equipment manufacturer in the domain. Together the two companies have delivered over 5,000 NXTs (Next Generation Transponder) on different types of aircraft including Airbus, Boeing and Embraer for airlines around the world.
"We are very honoured to partner with SF Airlines and provide this avionics retrofit to the largest aircraft cargo fleet in China. We will continue using our full capabilities in mature airborne and ground solutions to support our partners and CAAC, promoting the safe and efficient development of China's civil aviation industry. "said Jérôme Bendell, ice President of Thales North Asia and CEO of Thales in China.
This project, which represents the largest cooperation between Thales and a Chinese cargo airline, will see the entire fleet of SF Airlines retrofited by December 2022.
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