Esterline CMC Electronics (CMC) has received Technical Standard Order (TSO) approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its Cockpit 4000 integrated avionics system as installed on the Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) T-6B Texan trainer aircraft. The FAA TSO was issued following civil certification by Transport Canada of the Cockpit 4000 on June 12, 2009.

The Cockpit 4000 encompasses the full suite of primary flight, engine and navigation displays. It comprises new-technology equipment that integrates CMC key product lines such as flight management systems, global positioning systems, head-up displays, navigation and mission processors, multi-function displays and control panels.

Jean-Michel Comtois, CMC's vice-president, military aviation, said: "This tremendous achievement is our first civil cockpit certification. The cockpit is entirely comprised of our own products which provide a cost-effective, advanced military aviator training solution to air forces around the world, and position CMC to capture the lion's share of the basic trainer global market and promising opportunities in other developing markets."

Salim Ramji, CMC's director of airworthiness, added: "This certification was a team effort between CMC, HBC, Transport Canada and the FAA. Early involvement and active engagement with Transport Canada and the FAA were the cornerstones of our success in achieving the appliance approval and TSOs for the Cockpit 4000."

With two T-6B aircraft ready for delivery in fall, 2009, CMC is on schedule to deliver its cockpit avionics suite for HBC full rate production in the fourth quarter of this year. CMC received the order in November 2008 for the first 35 production aircraft after completing all necessary program requirements.

The T-6B Texan is based on the successful Beechcraft T-6A, already in service as the U.S. military's Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) aircraft, and is also the primary trainer for the NATO Flying Training Canada (NFTC), and the Hellenic Air Force of Greece. Through the introduction of the CMC advanced avionics upgrade, the T-6B aircraft retains all of the inherent training and flying characteristics that have made the T-6A the most successful primary trainer in the world, while introducing a state-of-the-art open architecture advanced avionics suite that mirrors the systems and capabilities of today's front-line military aircraft.