CMC Electronics expects the first applications of its FronTier range of integrated cockpit systems to enter service before the end of 2013. The Canadian company is seeking to challenge the dominance of Honeywell and Rockwell Collins in the Part 25 business jet market segment by developing a competitor to the Primus Epic and Pro Line avionics suites.
In January CMC Electronics announced a C$149.4 million ($120 million) investment in research and development for FronTier over the next five years. This includes a C$52.3 million ($42 million) contribution from the Canadian government’s Innovation & Technology Office. CMC has identified the key goals of the new FronTier technology as reducing the cost of ownership and giving OEMs greater flexibility and control over the cockpit systems, as well as improving safety, reducing the environmental impact of aircraft and increasing airspace capacity.