Collins Aerospace and ACCEL announced that, from June 2019, ACCEL would be Collins’ sole designated representative for visual system service and support in China. The arrangement covered technical advice, operation and maintenance training, component repairs, spare parts orders, rotable exchange services, on-site support and product upgrades.
Collins and ACCEL signed a memorandum on visual system service and support at the 12th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai on November 6, 2018. The companies spent the following six months implementing a new support model and its operating procedures. ACCEL established the capacity to install visual systems, conduct customer testing, support qualification and train customers. It also set up a visual system spare parts inventory in Tianjin. The companies said Collins’ technical expertise and ACCEL’s local team would allow them to provide comprehensive support in China.
Collins said its EP®-8100 uses real-time graphics hardware built for simulation and software designed for operational scenarios. The company contrasted this with image generators based on video game graphics cards and cited a procurement cycle of five to eight years and lifecycle support of more than 15 years. Laser projectors integrated with the image generation system provide a wide range of colors, high brightness and detailed imagery. The report described Collins as having the largest share of the global flight simulation visual system market at the time and noted the system’s reputation among professional users.
About Collins Aerospace
At the time of the announcement, Collins Aerospace was a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation (NYSE: UTX). It was formed in 2018 through the combination of UTC Aerospace Systems and Rockwell Collins. The company supplied technology to the global aerospace and defense industries, drawing on its product portfolio and engineering expertise to address customer needs and changes in the market.