Rockwell Collins Pro Line

Rockwell Collins Pro Line
Name	Pro Line
Maker	Rockwell Collins
Type	Integrated flight deck avionics suite
Introduced	1980s
Status	In service

Rockwell Collins Pro Line is an integrated avionics suite developed for transport and business aircraft by Rockwell Collins. It provides flight management, navigation, communication, and display systems for regional airliners, business jets, and turboprops. The suite has evolved through multiple generations, influencing cockpit commonality across platforms produced by manufacturers such as Bombardier Aerospace, Embraer, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, and Dassault Aviation.

History

Development began in the 1980s as part of Rockwell Collinsʼ efforts to modernize cockpits for Boeing and McDonnell Douglas derivatives and to compete with systems from Honeywell International Inc. and Thales Group. Early adopters included regional manufacturers and corporate airframers seeking integrated flight decks compliant with evolving standards from Federal Aviation Administration and European Union Aviation Safety Agency. Upgrades and generational shifts paralleled advances in digital displays, flight management from suppliers like Garmin, and databus architectures influenced by ARINC 429 and later ARINC 629 standards. Mergers and acquisitions involving Rockwell Collins, including transactions with United Technologies Corporation and industry consolidation trends affecting Aerospace industry suppliers, shaped aftermarket support and development partnerships.

Design and Architecture

The Pro Line architecture centers on modular, redundant avionics line-replaceable units (LRUs) interconnected via industry-standard buses. Core elements include multi-function displays, attitude and heading reference systems, and flight management systems developed to interface with autopilots from vendors such as Honeywell and UTC Aerospace Systems. Human-machine interface design reflects ergonomic studies used by NASA researchers and cockpit resource management principles advocated by ICAO. The suite integrates navigation sensors like Global Positioning System, inertial reference units similar to products by Northrop Grumman and Collins Aerospace, and communication radios compatible with Very High Frequency and HF bands used in long-range operations. Architecture emphasizes partitioning for safety, drawing on certification guidance from RTCA, Inc. and the European Aviation Safety Agency.

Variants and Models

Multiple Pro Line generations exist, commonly designated by suffixes indicating capability tiers. Earlier models served regional turboprops built by ATR (Aerei da Trasporto regionale) and corporate conversions of De Havilland Canada DHC-8 airframes. Mid-life variants were selected for business jets from Bombardier Challenger and Cessna Citation families, while later digital implementations targeted new-build platforms by Embraer and Textron Aviation. Retrofit kits and model-specific LRU sets were offered for types certificated under FAR Part 25 and FAR Part 23. Specific avionics stacks were tailored for operators such as FedEx Express, NetJets, and governmental customers including air forces and civil aviation authorities.

Avionics Capabilities and Features

Pro Line suites provide integrated flight management with VNAV/RNAV capabilities, airborne collision avoidance modes compatible with Traffic Collision Avoidance System standards, and weather radar linked to datalink services like those operated by XM Satellite Radio affiliates and regional ATC providers. Flight displays support synthetic vision features similar to systems influenced by Lockheed Martin research and enhanced vision concepts trialed with FAA programs. Communication packages include VHF/DFDR interfaces and SATCOM options interoperable with networks run by Inmarsat and Iridium Communications. Navigation performance supports Required Navigation Performance (RNP) procedures promulgated by ICAO and regional air navigation service providers. Redundancy and monitoring functions integrate with on-board recorders used by investigative authorities such as the National Transportation Safety Board.

Certification and Regulatory Compliance

Certification of Pro Line installations follows criteria established by Federal Aviation Regulations and EASA certification processes, including compliance with RTCA DO-178C for software and DO-254 for hardware complexity. Electromagnetic compatibility testing references standards from RTCA and EUROCAE, while functional safety assessments align with guidance from ASA and industry best practices. Specific aircraft installations required supplemental type certificates or amended type certificates reviewed by national authorities like the Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom) and Transport Canada. Operational approval for advanced navigation features necessitated performance validation in procedures managed by regional Air Navigation Service Providers.

Operators and Applications

Operators range from regional airlines and corporate flight departments to military transport wings and specialized operators in aerial surveying and medevac services. Notable users include operators of Bombardier Dash 8, Embraer ERJ series, and executive transport fleets owned by multinational corporations and fractional ownership firms. Applications span passenger transport, cargo operations for logistics companies, and missionized roles such as maritime patrol platforms operated by national navies and coast guards. Integration into rotary‑wing conversions and special-mission turboprops extended use to agencies like border services and emergency response organizations.

Maintenance and Upgrades

Support strategies include maintenance, repair, and overhaul services provided by OEM support centers, independent maintenance organizations certified under EASA Part‑145 and FAA Part 145. Upgrades encompass software rehosting, glass‑cockpit retrofits, and hardware rejuvenation to meet evolving navigation performance and datalink mandates. Life‑cycle management leverages spares pools, avionics health monitoring, and avionics modernization programs co‑ordinated with airframers and aftermarket suppliers such as AAR Corporation and specialist integrators. Continued airworthiness relies on service bulletins, airworthiness directives issued by authorities like the FAA and EASA, and avionics shops following procedures published by industry bodies including SAE International.

Category:Avionics