General Atomics and AEE Partner on New Avionics for Do228 NXT Aircraft

The collaboration addresses a critical supply chain challenge while introducing technical upgrades to the special mission aircraft. The EIU serves as a vital link between the aircraft’s engines and its management systems. It processes and relays essential data, including engine performance metrics, fuel levels, and flap positions, to the cockpit displays. The CAWS is designed to ensure the reliable delivery of warning notifications to the flight crew. AEE also supplies various other smaller components for the Do228 platform.

This partnership continues a long-standing business relationship. AEE was the original developer of the EIU for the Do 228 NG model, which was introduced around 2010. According to the companies, the current redevelopment was necessitated by the fact that key electronic components for the original unit are no longer in production. This requirement for a redesign provided an opportunity to incorporate new functionalities.

“With the launch of the production of the Do228 NXT, it is of extreme importance to us to collaborate with reliable local partners and ensure a stable supply chain to serve our customers effectively,” said Erik Bollen, Managing Director of GA-ATS. “We are pleased that, after decades of successful cooperation with AEE we can continue to build on this partnership and jointly drive the restart of the Do228 forward.”

The new EIU and CAWS are being developed in accordance with Design Assurance Level (DAL) B, a standard used in aviation to classify the criticality of software and hardware.

“As supplier for more than 30 years for the Do228, we’re proud to continue and enhance this successful partnership, now with General Atomics AeroTec Systems as new Type Certificate holder,” stated Lukas Hamm-Riff, AEE’s Accountable Manager. He confirmed that production and maintenance of the components would be performed under the company’s EASA Part 21G and Part 145 certifications.

The redevelopment introduces several technical updates. The new EIU will include an additional ARINC 429 data bus input, a technical standard for avionics data transfer. This is intended to support the future integration of a new fuel system and to manage pressure refueling logic.

Furthermore, the unit will internally emulate the function of speed switches, which are used during automatic engine start and ignition sequences. This change eliminates the need for separate physical speed switch components, which is expected to simplify the aircraft’s assembly and maintenance. Another feature is the new capability for calibrating analogue sensors, a function intended to reduce the potential for data miscomparisons and prevent signals from deviating from factory tolerances.

For aircraft operators, these technical changes are expected to translate into several operational and economic benefits. The redesigned EIU is designed to be fully backward compatible, serving as a “form-fit-function” replacement that does not require modifications to the existing aircraft wiring. This compatibility, combined with its readiness for future fuel system upgrades, is aimed at providing a long-term solution.

The removal of the physical speed switches is projected to lower costs associated with both the components themselves and ongoing maintenance. The added flexibility in sensor calibration is expected to improve adaptability when modifying or replacing sensor components, contributing to the aircraft’s overall operational reliability.

The Do228 NXT is a multirole aircraft platform known for its short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities and robust construction, allowing it to be configured for special mission flights and light transport operations. The agreement between GA-ATS and AEE is a step in the broader program to modernize the aircraft with updated technology.