Constant Aviation's Bombardier Challenger 604 flight deck upgrade has been validated by Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA). The upgrade replaces the Challenger 604's factory installed CRT displays with a package of high-resolution Pro Line Fusion touchscreens from Collins Aerospace. With this STC, Constant is approved to install the upgrade on Canadian-registered aircraft. It is also the first step toward further international growth for the programme, which is on track to be validated by the EASA later this year.

“Transport Canada validation opens up an important market for the Challenger 604 Pro Line Fusion upgrade,” says David Davies, Constant Aviation CEO. “There are more than 20 Challenger 604 aircraft registered in Canada, and their operators now have access to an unmatched avionics solution that modernises these aircraft for many more years of use. Based on the response we have seen since launching this programme in the United States, we expect Canadian-based operators will move quickly to install the Pro Line Fusion package on their Challenger 604 aircraft.”

Constant Aviation has completed 25 Pro Line Fusion installations on US-registered Challenger 604s since the programme began in 2018, and it will induct three more in the coming months. The MRO expects that 15 percent of the Challenger 604s in use across the US will receive this upgrade by mid-2021.

Challenger 604 operators are choosing the Pro Line Fusion system for several reasons; Pro Line Fusion's three widescreen displays provide 35 per cent more glass than the aircraft's stock CRT displays. This enhances data presentation for pilots and provides exceptional situational awareness. The package also comes with next generation communications technologies like synthetic vision, data link, ADS-B Out, WAAS/LPV and the option to add Safe Flight AutoPower and FANS-1/A. These technologies are essential for future operations of the Challenger 604 worldwide, and they can greatly improve the aircraft's resale value.

“One important element about the Pro Line Fusion package is that it is future-proof,” states Blake Hogge, director of avionics sales for Constant Aviation. “The open and scalable architecture is designed to comply with all foreseeable regulatory mandates and technological evolutions. This gives operators peace of mind that their asset, the aircraft, will better retain its value in the long-term. US-based operators have recognised how important this is for the future of their organisations, and we are excited to bring the same benefits to Canadian aircraft.”