Universal Avionics’ ClearVision enhanced flight vision system is preparing to enter formal flight testing for certification on a Boeing 737NG. The STC marks the first large transport aircraft to be certified with a full dual pilot EFVS solution featuring head wearable displays.

The 737NG ClearVision installation includes dual SkyLens head wearable displays and a single EVS-5000 multispectral camera. The solution, marketed as AerAware, is the result of a partnership with AerSale Corporation. It has provided the prototype aircraft and led the engineering, design, modification, installation and now the necessary certification flights.

“AerAware will serve as the only commercially viable retrofit solution for thousands of 737NG, including the Boeing Business Jet, that substantially increases situational awareness during low visibility operations and reduces natural visibility requirements on approach, increasing safety. Designed for EFVS operations all the way to touchdown and rollout in low visibility conditions, ClearVision improves accessibility to most airports, a key for business aircraft operators, and more broadly, improves approach capacity at congested airports leading to fewer delays,” says Dror Yahav, Universal Avionics CEO.

Nicolas Finazzo, AerSale’s chief executive officer, comments: “We are excited to soon begin final FAA flight testing and are progressing well toward certification of AerAware. Driven by the underlying technology developed by Universal, we are able to improve airline safety, reduce the cost of adverse weather impacts and enable more efficient management of airport congestion, all of which are stated objectives of the FAA’s NextGen air traffic control system.”

ClearVision is a complete enhanced flight vision system (EFVS) solution providing head-up capability to overcome low visibility conditions both day and night. The ClearVision solution on the B737NG encompasses synthetic vision (SVS) and enhanced vision (EVS) systems, a user-controlled combined vision system (CVS) to showcase the best of SVS and EVS at any given time, displayed on pilot and copilot SkyLens HWD along with 737 tailored symbology.

As a compact and lightweight head wearable display, it offers an unlimited field of regard, allowing pilots to comfortably turn their heads side to side while retaining critical flight information and maintaining continuous terrain awareness with SVS. When the selected, the pilot has a 3D and 180 degree panoramic view of the outside world showing terrain, obstacles, airports and runways, greatly enhancing situational awareness during reduced visibility or nighttime operations.

UA’s high-resolution EVS-5000 multispectral camera is composed of six sensors for a comprehensive and unprecedented multispectral coverage. When paired with SkyLens, it says it enables EFVS operations to touchdown and rollout under FAR 91.176 in a reported visibility as low as 1,000 feet, with a visual advantage of 33% or more, even at airports solely equipped with a LED lighting system.