Universal Avionics is pleased to announce the certification approval for its UNS-1Espw Flight Management System (FMS) in the Cessna Citation 560 Excel and XLS aircraft. Cessna Aircraft Company, of Wichita, Kansas, a Textron (NYSE: TXT company) received an FAA amended Type Certificate (TC) for the dual UNS-1Espw WAAS/SBAS-FMS installation with Localizer Performance with Vertical (LPV) guidance approval. Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS)-enabled FMSs are a popular retrofit; now this amended TC streamlines the process so operators are able to obtain WAAS/SBAS capabilities straight from Cessna without delays normally caused by the certification process.  

The amended TC includes approval for 3D coupled WAAS GPS (RNAV) Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV) procedures. These approach types, referred to as RNAV (GPS) LPV approaches on the approach chart, are the fastest growing GPS approach type in the U.S. As part of the NextGen National Airspace System improvement plan, the FAA is focused on reducing the industry's dependence on older ground based navaids such as ILS, and increasing the use of GPS navigation via the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS). Because of its ability to alleviate airspace congestion, save fuel and improve safety, SBAS technology is being applied worldwide, with systems in Europe and Japan to be operational for aircraft soon.  

Cessna has over 20 years experience in the forward fit and retrofit of Universal Flight Management Systems on several aircraft types. "Universal is very pleased with Cessna's accomplishment of making WAAS/SBAS-FMS capabilities available to their loyal customer base," says Dan Reida, Vice President of Marketing for Universal. "The ease of incorporating this upgrade will result in a larger user base taking advantage of the multiple benefits WAAS technology offers."