An undisclosed European cargo airline has contracted Esterline CMC Electronics to upgrade its Airbus A300 fleet to ICAO’s standards for CNS/ATM (communications, navigation, surveillance, and air traffic management). The avionics company will replace the existing flight management systems on the 21 A300s with its latest CMA-9000 FMS, including vertical navigation capability. Deliveries are due to begin in early 2016.

The upgrade will be installed under the existing Airbus A310 FMS supplemental type certificate, which covers up to around 400 other A300s and A310s. It consists of dual CMA-9000 units, providing the aircraft with multisensory-based navigational and operational capability.