Fortress® crash survivable recorder supports safety and training programs on T-6 Texan II aircraft used by U.S. Military
PARIS AIR SHOW, PARIS-LE BOURGET, FRANCE – JUNE 19, 2023 – Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions division, a proven leading supplier of rugged avionics solutions, today congratulated Scientific Research Corporation (SRC) on receiving a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC SA00219MC) from the FAA for Curtiss-Wright’s Fortress flight recorder being used to upgrade the T-6 Texan II trainer aircraft operated by the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Army. Curtiss-Wright is providing SRC with a variant of its Fortress CVR25 flight recorder that combines a cockpit voice recorder (CVR), flight data recorder (FDR), integrated data acquisition, independent power supply and Secure Digital (SD) card based quick access recorder in a single lightweight and compact unit. Developed for use on military fixed wing and rotorcraft airborne platforms, the Fortress recorder’s ability to acquire additional data as customer needs evolve has helped further establish Curtiss-Wright as one of the leading suppliers of modern flight data recorders.
The Fortress flight recorder provides T-6 Texan II aircraft operators the ability to perform sophisticated flight data monitoring applications, including incident event investigation, crash investigation, military flight operations quality assurance (MFOQA), and structural load analysis. Following the successful completion of the FAA STC for the Fortress CVR25 recorder, Curtiss-Wright, in collaboration with SRC, is now ideally positioned to provide the flight recorder to T-6 Texan II aircraft operators around the globe seeking to modernize their existing flight recorder solution to take advantage of advanced features and capabilities.
Developing the Next Generation of Voice and Data Recorders
The custom Fortress recorder designed for SRC features a built-in quick access recorder that supports a removable solid-state drive (SSD) memory module. At under
11.5 lb (5.25 kg), including a 90-day underwater locator beacon (ULB) designed to TSO-C121B with integral battery to DO-227A, Fortress provides significantly more functionality and capability than the current system, with a lower ship set weight, providing operators with more data in support of training and long term operational objectives for the aircraft.
The recorder, which is a form-fit-function upgrade to the existing flight recording system on the T-6 Texan II, protects parametric flight data and 3 channels of voice communications along with an area microphone channel to crash conditions in accordance with ED-112A1. In addition to serving as a combined CVR/FDR flight recorder, Fortress will also support data acquisition and real time data processing, such as High-G event detection, used to produce the data for post-flight analysis. The data will also be used in flight safety and pilot training programs, including the U.S. Air Force’s Military Flight Operations Quality Assurance (MFOQA), Aircraft Structural Integrity (ASIP) and Aircraft Safety Program (ASAP) programs.
About Fortress Recorders
The compact and lightweight Fortress product line is designed to meet all current and anticipated regulations. Fortress CVR/FDRs enable aircraft data to be used for more efficient operations, allowing for additional predictive maintenance (PM) and real-time playback of data, and potentially voice communications and image data should regulations permit. The innovative recorders provide an ideal commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS)-based solution for post-test operational use, and include support for PM, health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS), condition based maintenance (CBM), and other data monitoring applications.
The Fortress range can be rapidly modified to meet customization requirements for particular aircraft needs. The recorder’s support for expansion makes it easier and more cost-effective to add new functionality within the unit, such as MIL-STD-1553 data links, varied integrated acquisition and data processing, all while reducing aircraft line replaceable unit (LRU) count and overall system weight.
Curtiss-Wright designs and manufactures the flight recorder products covered by this agreement at its Bournemouth, UK facility. The products are being shipped to the SRC facility in Warner Robins, Georgia for kitting before being sent to T-6 operational baes for kit installation per STC SA00219MC.
For additional information about Curtiss-Wright data storage solutions, please visit www.curtisswrightds.com, LinkedIn, and Twitter @CurtissWrightDS.
About Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Curtiss-Wright Corporation (NYSE:CW) is a global integrated business that provides highly engineered products, solutions and services mainly to Aerospace & Defense markets, as well as critical technologies in demanding Commercial Power, Process and Industrial markets. We leverage a workforce of 8,100 highly skilled employees who develop, design and build what we believe are the best engineered solutions to the markets we serve. Building on the heritage of Glenn Curtiss and the Wright brothers, Curtiss-Wright, headquartered in Davidson, North Carolina, has a long tradition of providing innovative solutions through trusted customer relationships. For more information, visit www.curtisswright.com.
###
Note: Trademarks are property of their respective owners.
1 European Organization for Civil Aviation Equipment (EUROCAE) document ED-112A, “Minimum Operational Performance Specification for Crash Protected Airborne Recorder Systems.”
John Wranovics
Director of Public Relations
John Wranovics has over thirty years of experience in managing media relations and the promotion of high technology products. He has been with Curtiss-Wright since 2003. He has a degree in English Literature from the University of California, Berkeley.