RUAG MRO International has provided a minor modification on the Quick Access Recorder (QAR) for Bombardier Challenger 850 aircraft operated by VistaJet. The existing QAR unit has been upgraded to μQAR with USB standards to support a faster and more direct flow of flight data to the operator’s Flight Data Management (FDM) department. The solution also adjusts the location of the μQAR within the avionics bay environment enabling easy access. Engineering and upgrade support was provided at RUAG’s business aircraft facilities at Munich-Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany.
The modification replaces the Bombardier Challenger 850’s existing QAR system, based on data cartridges, relying instead on μQAR and an USB and Secure Digital (SD) card interfaces. Prior to the RUAG μQAR upgrade, the data cartridges needed to be physically removed and sent to the operator’s Flight Data Management (FDM) department for readout. An exchange cartridge was then inserted into the QAR system for the next flight segment.
The RUAG μQAR upgrade proves a significant impact on the full data transmission process in terms of effectiveness, flow of information, and pilot workload. The USB interface ensures the pilot is able to forward the data directly to their FDM over email or exchange server using their assigned personal devices. The upgrade saves the operator time and enables them to improve scheduling accuracy, contributing to the efficiency of their overall operations. “Foremost, transmission of the aircraft data to the operator’s FDM department is now as immediate as possible. These improved conditions ensure the operator can take full advantage of enhanced operational flexibility, thus improving their profit options,” states Christian Karl, Head of Sales Business Jets, RUAG MRO International. The RUAG team has already completed the second upgrade of this kind for their Bombardier Challenger 850 customer, VistaJet.
