Originally Posted by
msbbarratt
May I ask whether Fedex has a reputation for this kind of endeavour? Have they done other aircraft mods in the pursuit of worthwhile business improvements? It reminds me of the efforts Easyjet were putting in to developing volcanic ash detectors on their aircraft, so as to make their operations more immune to eruptions in Iceland.
I'm impressed by the level of effort in both companies; nice to see a clear understanding of the business benefits of technological improvements, and also to see the drive to make it happen for themselves (rather than hope the aircraft OEM does it).
Thanks!
FEDEX engineering over the years does earn respect. They initiated the attempt to achieve an EVS capability with their Magic Window program, but at that time decades ago, sensor capability to “see” through fog and present a satisfactory video overlay on the HUD just wasn’t there. And FEDEX spent a bundle getting as far as they did in that initial effort.
The current EFVS system, as used on FEDEX airplanes, was not developed completely by FEDEX but by Gulfstream and their technical partners. What is on FEDEX airplanes is an adapted version of what Gulfstream had certified.