BAE Systems and Quest International UK are partnering to introduce a new air management system for BAe 146/Avro RJ aircraft and potentially other aircraft types.
BAE has signed an agreement with Quest International to distribute the AirManager system for five years. Also, through its Regional Aircraft business BAE has engineered and won certification for a supplemental type certificate to install Air Manager on the Boeing 757. A trial for that aircraft is under evaluation, says BAE.
Quest developed the AirManager system in the late 1990s for initial use in the health sector. The patented product uses a close coupled field technology (CCFT) that features a contained and safe electrical field that eliminates smells while also breaking down and destroying airborne pathogens, contaminants and toxins.
AirManager inventor and Quest director David Hallam says the main strength of the system is its ability to destroy a wide range of contaminants quickly. It achieves a single-pass kill rate of 99.999% of biohazards, removing particles down to below 0.1 micron, which Hallman notes is the equivalent of a single particle of cigarette smoke.
The unit designed for the BAe 146 and Avro RJs weighs 5kg, which is slightly heavier than a standard filter used on aircraft. The AirManager unit connects to an existing power supply, and is fed off a trip that is protected in the flight deck. Its power requirement is 9 milliamps.
Quest approached BAE in 2004 to determine if AirManager could be engineered to work onboard commercial aircraft, and BAE undertook a four-year study of the system to verify the technology.
BAE has also this year installed the system into the flight deck and cabin of eight aircraft with five European airlines to further evaluate the system.
Two units are required for the BAe 146/Avro RJ at a cost comparable to using existing filters, says BAE. Installation is achieved in stages across several days of overnight line maintenance activity, and replacement is carried out during C checks. During the heavy checks the unit is exchanged for a new one, with the old one being overhauled at service centre.
A Boeing 757 passenger variant would require five AirManager units while a freighter would need a single unit. BAE explains each unit is issued with a one-year warranty.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
