Innovative Solutions & Support, Inc. announced today that it is providing its Utilities Management System (UMS) for the recently announced Pilatus PC-24 under a multi-year production contract. The IS&S UMS integrates multiple aircraft utility functions commonly supported by multiple individual controllers and monitors. The UMS-24 will monitor aircraft sensors and control aircraft systems as required achieving the system functions. This open architecture system will allow Pilatus to design and/or refine control and monitoring algorithms, in-house.

The UMS-24 consists of four identical LRUs each one servicing up to 334 signals and controls. The four LRUs are data-linked through a high speed multi-line Ethernet ring. The interconnected system will integrate the PC-24 mechanical and electrical systems with the main avionics suite. Each unit contains two channels with dissimilar hardware and software.

“We are pleased to be selected by Pilatus for the PC-24. The UMS will provide a flexible platform that allows safety critical functionality to be implemented with the required availability and integrity,” commented IS&S President Shahram Askarpour. He continued “The IS&S UMS will provide integrated control of systems from within the avionics suite and implement automation of various normal and emergency tasks to reduce crew workload and improve safety conditions.”

The UMS components are four Data Concentration and Processing Units (DCPUs) that provide independently monitored, real time local control and input/output capability. Each unit is developed to Design Assurance Level A (DAL A) and provides dual channels for input, output and processing. The DCPUs interface with the aircraft systems, avionics suite and EPDS (Electrical Power Distribution System). Communication between the DCPUs is via the Utilities Bus. The PC-24 UMS is based on the IS&S UMS-100 family of Utility Management Systems.

The UMS-100 family is derived from IS&S products developed for the C-130, Cessna Citation and Eclipse aircraft. The UMS-100 provides for control and monitoring of aircraft functions such as navigation, auto-flight, landing gear, surface positions, fire protection, ice/rain protection, electrical loads, lighting, environmental conditions, cabin pressurization, and oxygen systems.

The UMS-100 acts as the aircraft central maintenance computer with a direct satellite or ground based link for real-time fault reporting. The UMS-100 system allows for a maximum of six data concentrators to be included in the communication ring. The system provides a significant power and weight saving over use of federated boxes and utilizes the latest IS&S technological breakthroughs in avionics circuit design.

This award complements the company's backlog that has grown more than five fold, this fiscal year, to the equivalent of more than three years of production. The Company was recently awarded a Next-Gen production contract for Systems Integration, Dual GPS Navigation and Cockpit Avionics upgrade of a major commercial air lines MD-88 and MD-90 aircraft which IS&S will supply all the equipment and installation kits.