De Havilland Canada selects Universal Avionics InSight display system for Dash 8 cockpit upgrade

Universal Avionics (UA) has announced an agreement with De Havilland Aircraft of Canada to supply avionics for flight deck upgrades on the Dash 8 series 100 & 200 aircraft.

De Havilland Canada, the manufacturer of the Dash 8, selected Universal Avionics InSight display system to modernize the aircraft while increasing operational efficiency and digital capabilities with connected solutions.

This upgrade brings enhancements to increase navigation capabilities, safety with improved situational awareness and connected analytics for proactive insights. Automated database delivery helps technicians save 45 minutes on aircraft updates each month, while extensive fleet and aircraft data reporting is recorded in real-time for every flight. Norwegian-based Widerøes Flyveselskap AS (Widerøe) will be the first customer for the new system, enabling its fleet of Dash-8 regional operations to continue well into the next decade.

“The selection of InSight for yet another aircraft platform, and within the airline market, highlights the versatility of the system,” says Dror Yahav, Chief Executive Officer of Universal Avionics. “The growing adoption of this modernized flight deck across more than 10 unique platforms signifies its success as an industry standard for today’s flight operations and builds on our collaboration with other exciting De Havilland programs.”

“Partnering with Universal Avionics to upgrade our Dash 8 100 & 200 aircraft reinforces De Havilland Canada’s commitment to investing in the fleet and delivering modernized and reliable solutions to our customers. The new avionics provides a good solution to replace components difficult to replace and repair,” said Jean-Philippe Côté, Vice-President of Programs and Business Improvement at De Havilland Canada.

“Their proven track record in avionics innovation and deep understanding of the complex operations of our DHC customers make them an ideal partner as we continue to enhance the performance and capability of our aircraft and is aligned with our plan to keep our fleet flying.”

Universal’s InSight flight display system installation on the Dash-8 adds five high-resolution LCD displays with improved synthetic vision and digital engine indication, replacing aging CRT equipment to remove unnecessary weight and increase available payload.

Precision navigation is enabled down to RNP AR 0.1, with enhanced terrain awareness warning systems for enhanced situational awareness. Dual touchscreen controllers and KAPTURE recorders streamline pilot and maintenance workflows, complemented by UniLink data communications and UA FlightPartner & FlightReview applications.

Following the agreement signed earlier last year, the project is expected to be completed by early 2026.

BlueSky Business Aviation News | 10th April 2025 | Issue #791

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