Rockwell Collins has seen its upgrade and retrofit market business on the rise in Latin America as operators seek to comply with the numerous equipage mandates, such as ADS-B Out, not only in their own country but also in countries throughout the Americas and in Europe. The company is eyeing numerous opportunities in the region for both Pro Line 21 and Fusion-equipped aircraft in the face of the international mandates, according to Benjamin Gambrell, senior marketing manager for Business and Regional Systems in Canada and Latin America.

These included the 2020 ADS-B Out requirements in the U.S., Europe, and Colombia, along with a publication pending of the 2020 ADS-B mandate in Mexico. On top of that, upgrades are occurring, at a lesser pace, for the TCAS Change 7.1 mandates that began in 2015 in Europe and parts of the Caribbean; and later has encompassed Bolivia, Ecuador, and Panama. Mexico recently published the mandate for 2020.

This comes in addition to other airspace modernization, such as PBN procedures, that are requiring much greater FMS capabilities, Rockwell Collins added.

The company recently obtained ADS-B Out Part 25 approved model list supplemental type certificate (AML-STC) from the FAA, covering a range of jets. Further validations are anticipated from EASA and Mexico’s Directorate General of Civil Aeronautics (DGAC).

In February, the Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based avionics and electronics manufacturer announced ADS-B Out AML-STC approval for Part 23 aircraft.

Similarly, for TCAS 7.1, the company has obtained AML-STC approvals in the U.S. and Europe for different options, including the TTR-2100 and TTR-4100.

The company has worked with its dealer network, as well as the aircraft OEM service center networks on various packages that combine different upgrades to single solutions to drive down costs and bring the aircraft into compliance.

“We have been seeing a lot of quoting activity in our dealer network, with many upgrades being scheduled or already completed,” according to the company. Gambrell believes that the U.S. mandate, in particular, is driving the majority of this activity. This should pick up further, once the Mexico mandate is published, he added.

The same true for the TCAS 7.1 in Mexico. Demand has slowed on this front—with many already coming into compliance or the mandate taking effect in countries without a large business aviation population. But with the rule recently published in Mexico for larger-cabin aircraft, the company said it expects this to pick up.

Even without these mandates, the economic recovery in key markets such as Mexico and Brazil has been helping to drive business.

Aside from the upgrades in the cockpit, Rockwell Collins sees a draw for the cabin upgrades, including areas such as high-speed Internet—and has developed a range of connectivity options, high-definition entertainment, and onboard licensed movies and TV programs.

The company has developed a full plate of connectivity options with Inmarsat Jet Connex and Swiftbroadband, along with Iridium and ViaSat Mobile based-systems. These are paired with tools such as its ArincDirect cabin usage app, which helps operators manage their data to better coordinate cabin operations.

Along with these comes an array of flight operations support from ArincDirect. Rockwell Collins will highlight its flight planning and international trip support offerings during LABACE. At the core of this is its services designed to help operators navigate with a globally integrated VHF and satcom datalink network, it said.