VENICE, Italy---Aeronavali, an Alenia Aeronautica/Finmeccanica Company, signed an agreement with Boeing Airplane Services for the ACF (Advanced Common Flightdeck) modification of up to 52 DC-10Fs, including options.
Along with the modification a maintenance inspection will be also carried out on the aircraft.
The aircraft, a mix of DC-10-10Fs and DC-10-30Fs, are operated by FedEx Express.
The value of the modification agreement is worth 83 Million Euro (73 Mil.$), including options, and with the inclusion of the additional maintenance activities the total value will exceed 100 Million Euro.
The ACF modification uses Honeywell's VIA 2000 computer architecture to drive the liquid-crystal displays (LCDs), the flight management system and other cockpit functions of the MD-10. The new avionics features are similar to those found in newer Boeing aircraft such as B777 and B717.
The new cockpit is designed for a two-person crew, from the three-person crew required to fly original DC-10s.
The modification includes a new electrical power system, the enhanced GPWS, predictive windshear detection with the weather radar and a one minute" upper deck smoke or fire detection system.
After the modifications to a two-pilot advanced glass cockpit, the aircraft is renamed MD-10F.
""Creating value by working together - that's how I see our partnership with Aeronavali,"" said Mike Stewart, vice president of Boeing Airplane Services. ""This new agreement demonstrates the great work we have and will continue to do together.""
""This agreement confirms the role of Aeronavali as preferred partner of Boeing Airplane Services as well as the outstanding relationship with FedEx,"" said Mr. Pompeo Sorice, Aeronavali's Chief Executive Officer. ""Aeronavali has once again the opportunity to demonstrate its value in operating in high technology sectors like electronics and avionics systems with an high level of quality, developing new opportunities for both commercial and military applications.""
Boeing Airplane Services is a unit of the Boeing Commercial Aviation Services organization and, as part of The Boeing Company, has access to all the experience and technical capabilities of the world's largest aerospace company. More than 11,500 Boeing airplanes are in operation today around the world.
With revenues in the year 2000 for 226 Million of Euro, Aeronavali employs approximately 1,700 people at its Venice, Naples and Brindisi facilities in Italy. For more than 50 years, the company has performed maintenance and modification work on military and commercial aircraft, including the DC-8, DC-10, MD-11, 727, 707, A300, ATR, Atlantic, G222, C130 and NATO E-3A ""AWACS.""
Since 2001 the Company is also involved in the passenger to freighter modification programs of B767 and ATR aircraft.
