Avionics hardware and satcom connectivity solutions provider Latitude Technologies has received a TBO extension STC for both the ENode engine data acquisition unit (DAU) and IONode digital data recorder (DDR). This certification will enable the installation of Latitude's DAU and DDR on board Cessna 550 (Citation II), S550 (Citation S/II) and 560 (Citation V and Ultra) aircraft models utilising Pratt & Whitney engine models. This adds to a previous STC for the Hawker 400A/XP aircraft using Latitude Technologies data equipment.

This latest STC permits Latitude's ENode DAU and IONode DDR to function as a key component of the TBO extension's time interval extensions for business jet operators. According to Latitude Technologies' director of sales, David Thomas, this approval is a great benefit for operators seeking to update their fleet management capabilities and extend the life of their aircraft's engines overhaul interval by 2,000 hours.

“We are very excited about these latest STCs for Cessna operators,” says Thomas. “Our ENode DAU and IONode DDRs will certainly provide operators with powerful opportunities to to maximise cost efficiencies for their Citation jets. The overall TBO extension programme is a small investment that could save business jet operators millions on required engine upgrades.”

Latitude's ENode DAU is designed to provide a cost-effective and future-proof alternative to traditional data acquisition units and provide a complete analysis and detection tool to monitor aircraft engines' health and stability. The system enables state-of-the-art engine condition trend monitoring (ECTM), FDM and fuel management programmes that automate engine data transmission and correct atmospheric conditions for improved safety and fuel management.

The IONode DDR provides a lightweight flight data collection system for developing automated data-driven FDM and FOQA management programmes to complement this system. By recording and transmitting data, the IONode DDR's highly configurable digital and analogue inputs allow operators to analyse data to fulfil fleet-specific programme goals with extreme accuracy. Data uploading from onboard programmes to fleet management is also streamlined through built-in WiFi offloading capabilities, which provide regular data transmission to Latitude's servers without pilot or technician action, reducing error and improving efficiency.