Airbus Chooses New Honeywell Flight Management System

The new product will combine multiple current FMS models for Airbus into a “single standardized hardware and software platform” designed for Airbus A320, A330, and A350 airliners, the company said, with expected entry into service by the end of 2026. 

“Importantly, the new FMS hardware is 15 times more capable than current hardware and enables a path to future enhancements without hardware changes,” said a released statement by Jim Currier, president of electronic solutions for Honeywell Aerospace. 

The announcement comes in the wake of Honeywell’s improved 2022 profit forecast released in April, partly driven by increased commercial air travel. 

According to the release, Honeywell’s new FMS will include “enhanced modularity, advanced functionality, and a multi-core processing platform. At the completion of development, the new FMS will be a standalone federated system, making it easier for operators to support the fleet.”

The new FMS also will incorporate external connectivity including electronic flight bags (EFB), “to ease pilot workload and enhance fuel savings with the use of real-time data.”

Also in the pipeline at Honeywell: A retrofit solution based on the same core hardware and common software that can be used on A320s and A330s.