Airbus has agreed with Air Canada to upgrade its A320 family aircraft for significant future usage.
The multi-year upgrade programme will include a package with significant cockpit and avionics system upgrades.
The deal is part of Air Canada’s continued commitment to enhancing its currently active fleet with the latest technology to boost efficiency, among many other functions.
The overall modification of the flight deck environment on the A320 family jets will align with Air Canada’s other fleet types and future aircraft scheduled to be delivered.
Air Canada has commitments to types such as the A321XLR that will come with next-generation cockpit technology, and these upgrades are seen as necessary to retain A320 family jets in the foreseeable future.
An enhanced electronic instrument system (EEIS2) and head-up display (HUD), among many other functions in the avionic department, will see upgrades. These enhancements are slated to feature on up to 76 aircraft once the refurbishment is completed.
Airlines across North America have spent significantly in recent years on streamlining their fleet, from aircraft types operated to the overall commonality and harmony between jets.
Air Canada is responding to these trends, but not in this sense. It focuses on the latest technology inside the cockpit, which should enhance data and operational reliability.
Air Canada expects better cost rationalisation for maintenance, spares, and better operational compatibility with the next-generation aircraft slated to be delivered in the coming years.
With this combination of improvements, Air Canada is getting ahead of the requirements and latest standards available on the market. We are thankful to Air Canada for their trust in Airbus with this significant A320 fleet upgrades agreement.
Cristina Aguilar, SVP Customer Services at Airbus.
Changes within the cockpit are also slated to improve pilot comfort levels, with better information displays alongside higher-resolution LCD screens. These screens will offer new system capabilities and features, ultimately resulting in greater and faster airport accessibility thanks to SLS, FLS, and GLS landing systems.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Daniel Fowkes is a Melbourne-based aviation analyst and journalist with over a decade of industry experience. As founder of Dj’s Aviation, he delivers trusted analysis on aircraft, airline strategy and global aviation trends for djsaviation.net
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