Honeywell has revealed that Elbit Systems subsidiaries El-Op and Kollsman are its partners on development of a digital head-up display (HUD) for the air transport market. An enhanced vision system (EVS) using the liquid-crystal display (LCD) HUD was selected by FedEx Express last year for installation on its widebody freighter fleet.
Under the agreement, Honeywell is developing the HUD electronics and LCD image source, while El-Op and Kollsman are providing the overhead unit including optics and combiner. Kollsman is also supplying the cooled infrared sensor for the FedEx EVS. Flight tests will begin next year, with certification on the package carrier's Boeing MD-10 freighter planned for early 2006.
Honeywell says its monochrome LCD produces a better EVS image than the cathode-ray tubes traditionally used in HUDs, with higher resolution and wider viewing angle. The LCD also consumes less power and is more reliable. Eliminating the high-voltage power supply required to drive the CRT also simplifies the HUD electronics, the company says.
The US avionics manufacturer still produces a CRT-based HUD for business and regional aircraft, which is offered on Gulfstream business jets either standalone or combined with a Kollsman-supplied EVS sensor, and for which BAE Systems provides the overhead display unit.
Honeywell says it is now looking at a new-technology HUD for business and regional aircraft, with the LCD device "high on the list". The company is also considering a potentially smaller HUD using digital micromirror display technology under development by BAE for military applications.
The technology is expected to be ready this year. A smaller head-up display would be offerable on a wider range of business jets, Honeywell says.
GRAHAM WARWICK / WASHINGTON DC
Source: Flight International