Bonanza with Autoland? Ya Rly!

[Roger, Roger]

http://www.avweb.com/news/airventure/EAAAirVenture2009_Bonanza_flybywire_200851-1.html

Just when you might have thought that engineers were running out of wonder boxes to put in light aircraft comes word from Hawker Beechcraft and Rockwell Collins that they've flown a fly-by-wire Bonanza A36 with an autoland system. Rockwell Collins spokesman David Vos called it a "digital parachute." The Bonanza did a series of hands-off landings at Hawker Beech's Wichita headquarters. The system is based on Rockwell Collins' Athena system, which is used to maneuver unmanned aerial vehicles. Hawker Beechcraft came up with the fly-by-wire system and did the integration.


The system is being billed as a safety feature and perhaps a glimpse of flying's future. "This project with Hawker Beechcraft shows what is possible by leveraging our [unmanned aerial systems] technology to potentially serve as a digital parachute in emergency situations," said Vos. "While we are still in a demonstration phase, we're excited about our continued work with Hawker Beechcraft as we look for opportunities to further enhance safety in a future airspace where manned, unmanned and optionally manned aircraft can coexist."

 

[Stomp16]

That's cool. Who's up for a CatIIIc in an A36?

 

[meritflyer]

Should make for an interesting checkride on the short field landings.

 

[ppragman]

I'll pass on using it. I'd be nice to have it installed, but I'll pass on using it.

 

[adk]

Marketing it as a "digital parachute" sounds like doctor killer, round two.

 

[Orange Anchor]

That's cool. Who's up for a CatIIIc in an A36?

Friend of mine got his C-180 and himself qualified for Cat IIs. Took a lot of hopping through hoops but he said it was fun doing Cat IIs while the airliners were holding.

 

[JulietBravo]

Marketing it as a "digital parachute" sounds like doctor killer, round two.

:yeahthat:.. just another reason for those people who think they can fly to take to the skies. But don't get me wrong, its sounds like some amazing technology!

 

[ChasenSFO]

Impressive, but why the hell would you need it? Its a Bonanza, not a 767.

 

[jynxyjoe]

Love it.:rotfl:

 

[TFaudree_ERAU]

Impressive, but why the hell would you need it? Its a Bonanza, not a 767.

It is much cheaper to test experimental equipment in small aircraft and adapt it to larger aircraft than vice versa. Our Cirrus had WAAS over a year and a half ago. We JUST got it in the Lear when we put a GNS400W in place of the old KLN90 that the previous owners put in it. Same with flat panels. You saw G1000s and Avidyne Flight Max in piston singles long before you did anything bigger.

This could be revolutionary for corporate jets. There is nothing more nailbiting for westbound flights than getting in range of Gander for your tech stop and hearing RVR800 on the ATIS.

 

[kellwolf]

I know one guy that would never actually fly the airplane if he had this. And he's got the money to get it installed. If he could get it to taxi and takeoff by itself, he would.

 

[FlyChicaga]

I know one guy that would never actually fly the airplane if he had this. And he's got the money to get it installed. If he could get it to taxi and takeoff by itself, he would.

If he's got that kind of money, why not just hire a pilot?

 

[TFaudree_ERAU]

If he's got that kind of money, why not just hire a pilot?

One consonant surrounded by two vowels.

E, G, and O

 

[LatitudeDancer]

If he's got that kind of money, why not just hire a pilot?

Dominance issues. I know people that would do the same.

 

[kellwolf]

One consonant surrounded by two vowels.

E, G, and O

Bingo. He also thinks he's the second coming of Lindbergh. "Oh, this thing handles ice just fine" were words that came out of his mouth once.

 

[jynxyjoe]

Bingo. He also thinks he's the second coming of Lindbergh. "Oh, this thing handles ice just fine" were words that came out of his mouth once.

What? It handles fine!