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Eyes on the Sky: How Next-Gen HUDs Will Transform Cockpits in 2026

Global Avionics Round-Up from Aircraft Value News (AVN)

Cockpit of an Embraer E-Jet with Head-Up Displays. (Image: Embraer)

As we approach the cusp of 2026, one of the most significant avionics trends set to reshape the cockpit isn’t artificial intelligence, it’s the evolution of Head-Up Displays (HUDs). Once a specialized feature for fighter jets and select business aircraft, HUD technology is now moving into commercial airliners and regional aircraft at scale.

Next-generation HUDs promise to improve safety, situational awareness, and operational efficiency while redefining the pilot experience.

At its core, a HUD projects critical flight information directly into the pilot’s line of sight. This allows pilots to maintain situational awareness without shifting focus to traditional cockpit instruments.

The benefits are clear: faster reaction times, reduced workload, and enhanced safety, particularly in challenging conditions such as low-visibility approaches, night operations, or congested airspace.

In 2026, HUDs are likely to continue their transition from simple symbology to fully integrated systems that overlay navigation, terrain, weather, and traffic data directly onto the outside view.

Advances in optical waveguide technology and high-resolution displays mean that HUDs can now deliver richer, brighter, and more dynamic visuals without obstructing the pilot’s natural view. HUDs are becoming the stuff of science fiction.

From Fighter Jets to Commercial Airliners

Historically, HUDs were primarily used in military aviation, where situational awareness in high-stakes environments is critical. Today, avionics manufacturers like Collins Aerospace, Elbit Systems, and Rockwell Collins are adapting these technologies for commercial and regional aircraft.

The trend is clear: major airlines and business jet operators are increasingly specifying HUDs as standard or optional equipment, rather than a niche luxury.

For instance, Boeing’s 737 MAX and Airbus’s A320neo families are now seeing HUD options for low-visibility operations and precision approaches. Regional jets, including Embraer E-Jets and Mitsubishi SpaceJets, are expected to adopt next-gen HUDs in 2026, providing smaller carriers with military-grade situational awareness at a commercial scale.

Safety and Operational Efficiency

One of the key drivers for HUD adoption is safety. Research consistently shows that pilots can execute complex maneuvers more accurately when critical information is projected in their forward field of view. HUDs reduce the need to shift attention between instruments and the outside environment, minimizing the risk of spatial disorientation.

Next-generation HUDs are expected in the coming years to be integrated with Enhanced Flight Vision Systems (EFVS) and Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS). EFVS uses infrared and other sensors to create a “see-through” effect in low-visibility conditions, while SVS generates a real-time 3D representation of terrain and obstacles.

When combined with HUDs, these systems allow pilots to land safely in fog, heavy rain, or darkness, conditions that previously required instrument-only procedures.

Operational efficiency is another benefit. HUDs can display optimal glide paths, real-time wind and weather data, and taxi routing, allowing airlines to reduce delays, save fuel, and minimize wear on engines and brakes.

For commercial operators, this translates directly into cost savings and more predictable schedules, two factors that influence lease rates and aircraft valuations.

HUD technology is increasingly seen as a value driver in the aircraft market. Aircraft equipped with next-generation HUDs are likely to command higher lease rates and residual values, particularly for fleets operating in challenging environments or on high-traffic routes.

Airlines are also exploring retrofits for mid-life aircraft, allowing operators to upgrade situational awareness and operational efficiency without replacing the entire fleet.

Next year is poised to mark a tipping point where HUDs transition from a specialized optional feature to a broadly adopted cockpit enhancement. Manufacturers that provide scalable, upgradeable HUD solutions stand to gain a competitive edge, as airlines seek to maximize both operational safety and asset value.

The Future of HUDs

Looking beyond 2026, HUD technology will continue to evolve. Eye-tracking integration, augmented reality overlays, and full-color 3D symbology are on the horizon, creating cockpits that are increasingly intuitive and immersive.

The ultimate goal is a cockpit where pilots can access all critical flight information without ever losing focus on the sky—a cockpit where situational awareness and operational efficiency are seamlessly fused.

For passengers, the benefits may not be immediately visible, but they are significant. Safer, more efficient operations reduce delays and improve reliability, while the ability to operate in a wider range of weather conditions expands route flexibility and network resilience.

By integrating advanced optics, enhanced flight vision, and synthetic overlays, HUDs are transforming the way pilots interact with the sky. This technology improves safety, enhances operational efficiency, and drives value in both new and existing fleets.

This article first appeared in Aircraft Value News.

John Persinos is the editor-in-chief of Aircraft Value News.

The post Eyes on the Sky: How Next-Gen HUDs Will Transform Cockpits in 2026 appeared first on Avionics International.

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MAXed Out: How Boeing’s Production Boost Could Rewire Cockpits and Avionics Trends

Global Avionics Round-Up from Aircraft Value News (AVN)

737 MAX Flight Deck. Image: Boeing.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) gave Boeing the green light in October to raise 737 MAX production from 38 to 42 aircraft per month, ending nearly two years of tight scrutiny.

The FAA’s decision is exerting a profound impact on the aircraft’s cockpit technology, avionics systems, and the trajectory of digital modernization across Boeing’s fleet.

For Boeing, the FAA approval is a milestone in a journey that has tested the company’s production discipline, quality assurance, and regulatory credibility. The production cap, first imposed in early 2024, was an unprecedented measure that reflected concerns over manufacturing consistency rather than the MAX’s flight systems or avionics.

The interplay between manufacturing oversight and onboard systems is subtle but important. Avionics, the cockpit brain of any modern airliner, relies heavily on the integrity of aircraft structure and systems integration.

Any structural anomaly, even external to the cockpit, triggers a cascade of review protocols in flight management systems, sensors, and safety monitors.

As production ramps to 42 aircraft per month, operators and suppliers alike are watching closely for signs that this increased tempo will influence avionics availability, configuration consistency, or software deployment cycles.

Every new MAX rolling off the line brings with it a standardized suite of cockpit electronics, from flight management computers to heads-up displays, that must be calibrated precisely.

Lessons from the Past

In Boeing’s case, lessons from past scrutiny have already led to tighter checks on wiring harnesses, avionics bay access, and sensor integration. A higher production rate intensifies the need for these procedures to be both repeatable and resilient.

One notable impact is on flight deck software updates and the broader ecosystem of digital tools pilots rely on. Boeing has historically maintained a rigorous schedule of cockpit software revisions to optimize navigation, autothrottle, and envelope protection systems.

Faster production amplifies the stakes: each aircraft must incorporate the latest certified software without creating bottlenecks for delivery or maintenance. Leasing companies, which often rotate aircraft between operators, value this standardization highly.

Any variation in avionics packages or software levels can affect not only operational efficiency but also the aircraft’s residual value and lease rate.

The FAA’s move also indirectly pressures Boeing’s avionics suppliers. Companies producing integrated modular avionics (IMA), flight management systems, and electronic flight bags now face tighter turnaround expectations. This ripple effect has the potential to accelerate trends toward automation in cockpit testing and predictive maintenance.

If Boeing can maintain quality at the higher production rate, it will reinforce the viability of AI-assisted avionics diagnostics, which can detect inconsistencies or component fatigue before they manifest in service disruptions. For operators, this translates into lower downtime, more predictable performance, and a subtle but tangible boost to asset value.

From the cockpit perspective, pilots may not notice a drastic change at first glance, but incremental improvements are likely. Standardized avionics installation ensures that each MAX features consistent display symbology, flight guidance behavior, and alert logic.

For airlines that operate mixed fleets, this consistency simplifies training and reduces the likelihood of procedural errors. A production increase is not just a matter of more airplanes; it’s a test of whether Boeing can deliver a predictable, high-fidelity cockpit experience repeatedly and at scale.

The Effects on Leasing and Appraisal

The implications for leasing and aircraft appraisal are also significant. The MAX has long been a popular workhorse, with strong demand in domestic and regional markets. As production accelerates, analysts will monitor whether this supply surge exerts downward pressure on lease rates or whether continued demand for reliable, updated avionics keeps valuations buoyant.

Aircraft equipped with the latest software and avionics packages are often more attractive to lessees, particularly as airlines increasingly prioritize operational efficiency and predictive maintenance capabilities.

A steady production ramp that maintains avionics quality could reinforce the MAX’s position in secondary markets, mitigating concerns that higher output might depress asset values.

Beyond immediate operational and financial considerations, Boeing’s production increase underscores a broader trend in the aviation industry: the integration of manufacturing discipline with digital cockpit evolution.

The FAA’s confidence signals that the company’s quality assurance and oversight mechanisms are maturing, setting the stage for the next generation of cockpit technology to be deployed reliably.

Lessons learned from MAX production could influence future designs, particularly in areas such as sensor redundancy, modular avionics upgrades, and real-time system monitoring.

Yet, questions remain. Will the pace of production compromise the meticulous checks required for cutting-edge avionics? Can Boeing’s supply chain sustain both aircraft output and the high standard of cockpit integration that airlines expect?

The answers to these questions will shape not only the MAX’s market perception but also the trajectory of avionics trends across narrowbody fleets worldwide.

This article first appeared in Aircraft Value News.

John Persinos is the editor-in-chief of Aircraft Value News.

The post MAXed Out: How Boeing’s Production Boost Could Rewire Cockpits and Avionics Trends appeared first on Avionics International.

How Avionics Are Driving the Next Wave of Air Freight Efficiency

Global Avionics Round-Up from Aircraft Value News (AVN)

Modern air cargo fleets are leaning heavily on advanced avionics systems to extract every efficiency gain. Enhanced navigation systems, such as Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) and Required Navigation Performance (RNP), allow freighters to access more direct routes, reduce fuel burn, and meet stricter slot and environmental constraints.

This capability directly affects asset economics: aircraft equipped with advanced navigation and flight management systems command higher lease rates and retain value more effectively than older, non-RNP-certified models.

Digital flight decks that integrate predictive maintenance and real-time performance monitoring are becoming a differentiator. Airlines using aircraft with these systems can schedule preventive maintenance more precisely, reducing Aircraft on Ground (AOG) events and improving aircraft utilization. For the lessor community, this translates to higher lease returns and shorter downtime, which feeds into valuation models.

Communications avionics are also reshaping operations. With increasing regulatory demands for continuous flight data reporting and environmental compliance tracking, aircraft outfitted with automatic dependent surveillance–broadcast (ADS-B) Out, satellite communications (SATCOM), and next-generation datalink solutions can satisfy these requirements more efficiently.

In effect, avionics compliance is now a direct line item in asset valuation, rather than an operational afterthought.

Aircraft Delivery Delays and Fleet Flexibility

Airbus and Boeing delivery schedules continue to influence cargo markets in 2025. Delays, particularly in the A321P2F conversions and 737-800 freighter deliveries, are putting pressure on capacity in North America and Asia. Here, avionics-equipped flexibility matters.

Aircraft with advanced avionics can operate across congested airports, handle complex approach procedures, and even fly in low-visibility or noise-restricted environments. Such capabilities allow carriers to mitigate the operational impact of delayed aircraft or limited airport slots.

Moreover, next-generation cockpit systems simplify the pilot workload when integrating into mixed fleets.

For example, modernized avionics suites allow crews to operate multiple aircraft types with minimal differences training, helping carriers deploy freighters dynamically in response to demand swings. This operational adaptability is increasingly reflected in lease rates, as lessors recognize the value of avionics-equipped aircraft in volatile markets.

Environmental Reporting and Compliance

New environmental rules are coming into force globally, including mandates for more granular CO₂ and NOx reporting and, in some regions, emissions-based landing fees. Aircraft with integrated performance monitoring and avionics-enabled fuel optimization systems are better positioned to meet these requirements.

Beyond compliance, the data enables carriers to actively manage fuel consumption and emissions across routes, further optimizing cost per tonne-kilometre and enhancing market competitiveness.

For aircraft valuations, environmental compliance is no longer optional. Planes without the requisite avionics for automated reporting risk lower residual values, slower lease uptake, and even operational restrictions in environmentally sensitive airports. Conversely, aircraft equipped with cutting-edge monitoring, reporting, and navigation systems are increasingly treated as premium assets.

Looking Ahead

The outlook for 2026 suggests modest but steady growth for air cargo, with e-commerce and time-critical industrial freight continuing to anchor demand. Carriers and lessors that prioritize avionics-equipped aircraft will likely outperform peers in terms of asset utilization, lease pricing, and operational flexibility.

As airports reach capacity limits and environmental regulations tighten, the ability to fly optimized routes, integrate advanced reporting, and maximize aircraft uptime will become decisive.

The air cargo market’s growth may be uneven, but avionics are providing a stable lift. From route efficiency to regulatory compliance, from fleet flexibility to predictive maintenance, advanced flight systems are increasingly the invisible engine driving aircraft value and lease rates.

This article first appeared in Aircraft Value News.

John Persinos is the editor-in-chief of Aircraft Value News.

The post How Avionics Are Driving the Next Wave of Air Freight Efficiency appeared first on Avionics International.

YFQ-44A Has First Flight, Anduril Planning for Weapons Shot Next Year

Pictured is a U.S. Air Force photo of Anduril Industries’ YFQ-44A prototype in flight.

Anduril Industries‘ YFQ-44A Fury prototype drone for the U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program had its debut flight Oct. 31 at a California test site, according to the Air Force.

Jason Levin, Anduril’s senior vice president for engineering, air dominance, and strike, told reporters on Oct. 31 that “we’ve already begun integrating weapons with YFQ-44A, and we’ll execute our first live shot next year.”

Photos of the first flight appear to show a pod under the aircraft, but, asked about this, Levin replied, “I can’t talk about any of the mission systems and sensors or load-out specifics of the YFQ-44A.”

In its statement, the Air Force said, “Developmental flight activities continue across both vendor and government test locations, including Edwards Air Force Base, where envelope expansion and integration work will inform future experimentation. The Air Force’s Experimental Operations Unit, located at Nellis AFB, will be instrumental in evaluating operational concepts as the program transitions from testing to fielding substantial operational capability for Increment 1 before the end of the decade.”

The General Atomics YFQ-42A Gambit CCA prototype began flight testing in August. The General Atomics and Anduril aircraft are competing for CCA Increment 1. Next year, the Air Force is to pick one and to begin CCA Increment 2 development.

“All of our taxi and flight tests have been and will continue to be semi-autonomous,” Levin said in a company statement. “To achieve the scale we need at the speed that the threat demands, we are building and testing a new type of production system for YFQ-44A. Through the employment of a common software backbone called ArsenalOS, our production system multiplies the effects of the thousands of design-for-manufacturing decisions made during the development of YFQ-44A.”

Newly minted Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach said in October that CCAs may have their own squadrons.

“We’re thinking that they’re not going to be embedded in current fighter squadrons, but rather they’re gonna be their own squadrons, and there will be a strategic basing process with these,” Wilsbach said at his Senate Armed Services Committee nomination hearing.

CCAs are to exchange target information with manned fighters and possibly KC-46A Pegasus tankers, built by Boeing.

At Wilsbach’s nomination hearing, Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) referenced reports that Ukraine is making 200,000 drones per month at an average price of $500. “We don’t have remotely that capacity here, and I believe we’re missing the major lesson of Ukraine, which is the importance of drone warfare,” he said. “We’ve gotta have a major initiative in this area, in my view. Do you agree?”

“I do, senator,” Wilsbach replied. “We’ve come to the same lessons learned that you have, that this is a tactic that would be useful for us, and it creates massive dilemmas for your adversary because they have to honor those 200,000 a month. They don’t know what they’re up to. They might have a weapon on them. They might just be a decoy, but they have to honor them, and you end up overwhelming their defenses, and then you eventually get one to the target and you achieve objectives. We’re learning that lesson. And, by the way, you can 3D print one-way attack drones at scale so we should invest in that, I believe.”

A version of this story originally appeared in affiliate publication Defense Daily.

The post YFQ-44A Has First Flight, Anduril Planning for Weapons Shot Next Year appeared first on Avionics International.

Electronic Warfare and Air-to-Ground Missions Focus of GA-ASI Gambit 6 Design

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) said on Nov. 4 that it is developing the Gambit 6–the company’s latest version of the Gambit series drones–for electronic warfare and air-to-ground operations.

The latest Gambit will be “a collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) that adds air-to-ground operations to its already proven air-to-air capability,” GA-ASI said. “The multi-role platform is optimized for roles such as electronic warfare, suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD), and deep precision strike, making it a versatile option for evolving defense needs.”

“Air forces throughout the world are looking to air-to-ground-capable CCAs to enhance operational capabilities and address emerging threats in a denied environment,” according to GA-ASI. “Airframes will be available for international procurement starting in 2027, with European missionized versions deliverable in 2029.”

Last month, the Dutch joined the U.S. Air Force CCA program and are teaming with GA-ASI to build a new, small drone for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.

GA-ASI said that the new drone is to fly before the end of this year and that low-rate initial production is to start next year in the U.S. and the Netherlands.

The Gambit versions announced by the company in the last three years include the Gambit 1 long endurance sensing aircraft, the Gambit 2, which adds the air-to-air mission, the Gambit 3, specializing in adversary air, the tail less, swept-wing Gambit 4 for combat reconnaissance, and the Gambit 5 ship-based CCA–a version GA-ASI said it developed last year and the latest, Gambit 6.

GA-ASI’s YFQ-42A CCA prototype, based on the Gambit 2, is competing against Anduril Industries‘ YFQ-44A Fury CCA for Increment 1 of the Air Force CCA program. The YFQ-42A began flight testing in August, and the YFQ-44A had its debut flight On Oct. 30.

Next year, the Air Force is to downselect to one and to begin CCA Increment 2 development.

A version of this story originally appeared in affiliate publication Defense Daily.

The post Electronic Warfare and Air-to-Ground Missions Focus of GA-ASI Gambit 6 Design appeared first on Avionics International.

GE Aerospace’s F110-GE-129 Engine To Power Shield AI X-BAT

Pictured is a Shield AI graphic of future X-BAT fighter drones on their vertical take-off and landing stands.

GE Aerospace‘s F110-GE-129 engine with the Axisymmetric Vectoring Exhaust Nozzle (AVEN) is to power Shield AI‘s future X-BAT drone fighter jet, according to a Memorandum of Understanding between the companies.

U.S. Air Force Block 50 and above F-16 fighters by Lockheed Martin and F-15EXs by Boeing have the F110-GE-129, which provides up to 29,500 pounds of force.

“The GE Aerospace F110 engine has more than 11 million flight hours under its wing, the most thrust in its class, and recently celebrated a milestone of 40 years of continuous production and improvement,” according to the company. “The AVEN for X-BAT provides thrust vectoring capability for vertical flight and enhances maneuverability in horizontal flight.”

Shield AI said last month that it plans to conduct initial vertical takeoff and landing demonstrations of X-BAT “as early as fall 2026, followed by all-up flight testing and operational validation in 2028.”

X-BAT is to have a more than 2,000 mile range and to be guided by Shield AI’s Hivemind artificial intelligence software for expeditionary and maritime operations when military forces lack GPS and communications.

The drone is to operate from “ships, remote islands, or austere sites — no runways or tankers needed,” the company said. “This removes reliance on traditionally vulnerable infrastructure, and ensures forces can respond swiftly, even in the most challenging conditions.”

Shield AI said that X-BAT will fit a number of roles, including strike, counter air, electronic warfare, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.

“Up to three X-BATs fit in the deck space of one legacy fighter or helicopter, multiplying sortie generation and tempo,” according to Shield AI, adding that X-BAT will be a “fraction of the cost” of traditional fighters.

The development of X-BAT follows Shield AI’s V-BAT, a vertical takeoff and landing autonomous drone which is a program of record for the Marine Corps and is used on Coast Guard National Security Cutters to replace that service’s ScanEagles by Boeing’s Insitu subsidiary.

Shield AI said in June that the V-BAT has flown more than 170 sorties in Ukraine.

The U.S. Defense Department and NATO have not released any reports on the performance of U.S.-built systems, including V-BAT, during the more than three and a half year war in Ukraine.

A version of this story originally appeared in affiliate publication Defense Daily.

The post GE Aerospace’s F110-GE-129 Engine To Power Shield AI X-BAT appeared first on Avionics International.

Embraer’s Avionics Upgrades Signal the Ascent of Regional Aviation

Global Avionics Round-Up from Aircraft Value News (AVN)

Embraer Phenom 300 aircraft.

Embraer is steadily redefining what pilots and passengers expect from smaller aircraft. Thanks to cutting-edge cockpit/avionics innovations, especially in its regional and business jet lines, the Brazilian manufacturer is helping to shift the center of gravitas in aviation toward regional operators.

Here’s a look at the latest avionics advances in Embraer cockpits. They’re more than just tech innovations; they’re emblematic of regional aviation’s rise.

What’s New in the Cockpit

ROAAS & Stabilized-Approach Systems

The new Phenom 100EX introduces a Runway Overrun Awareness and Alerting System (ROAAS), a feature that predicts whether the aircraft can safely stop on an available runway by analyzing speed, altitude, attitude, environmental conditions, and runway length. Alongside ROAAS, there’s a stabilized approach monitoring system standard on the 100EX. For single-pilot jets especially, these tools act like a second set of eyes during one of the flight’s most critical phases.

Autothrottle for the Phenom 300E

Building on its Prodigy Touch flight deck (which uses the Garmin G3000 avionics suite), Embraer is adding an autothrottle option to the Phenom 300E. This reduces pilot workload, smooths out transitions between phases of flight—climb, cruise, descent—and enhances safety by helping manage speed more precisely. It’s especially valuable in challenging airspaces or for operators who fly many short legs.

Predictive Safety and Maintenance Tools

Embraer’s AHEAD (Aircraft Health and Event Analysis & Diagnostics) system is now more mature, offering predictive maintenance across its executive (and commercial) jets. Real-time data from sensors and health monitoring systems helps spot potential failures before they ground an aircraft or cause delays.

Embraer is installing Universal Avionics’ KAPTURE Cockpit Voice & Flight Data Recorder (CVFDR) system on its E-Jet 170/175s. This upgrade increases voice/data recording capacity to 25 hours, captures data-link communications, and provides some backup power to preserve critical flight data in the event of power loss.

Better Connectivity, More Informed Decisions

Newer models like the E-Jets are getting enhanced weather radar systems, improved data transfer solutions, and multi-band satellite connectivity (Ku and Ka band) options. For regional operators, that means flights that are safer, more predictable, better connected, and more resilient in the face of adverse weather or air traffic constraints.

When small-jet or regional operators often fly single-pilot or small-crew configurations, automation and decision-assistance tools become disproportionately valuable. ROAAS, stabilized-approach alerts, autothrottle—each reduces human error risk at the margins, increasing safety without overburdening the crew.

Regional aviation often means many short flights, tight turnarounds, lots of takeoffs/landings—every element of inefficiency counts. Improved avionics help here: autothrottle improves fuel efficiency and speed management; predictive maintenance reduces unplanned downtime; weather/radar upgrades reduce delays or diversions.

Upgrades like the 25-hour recorder, compliance with newer FAA/EASA/EUROCAE standards, and advanced safety tools position Embraer operators to meet evolving regulatory requirements with less retrofit cost, making fleets more future-proof.

These cockpit innovations are not happening in isolation; they are part of, and helping to fuel, a broader expansion of regional aviation. Embraer itself forecasts demand for 10,500 new aircraft under 150 seats over the next 20 years.

As aircraft get smarter, more efficient, and safer even in smaller platforms, the case for scaling up regional networks becomes stronger.

This article originally appeared in Aircraft Value News.

John Persinos is the editor-in-chief of Aircraft Value News.

The post Embraer’s Avionics Upgrades Signal the Ascent of Regional Aviation appeared first on Avionics International.

The FAA Mandate for 25-Hour Cockpit Voice Recorders: An Under-Reported Story

Global Avionics Round-Up from Aircraft Value News (AVN)

FAA logo

In the whirlwind of headlines about NextGen surveillance, 5G interference, and ADS-B, one U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirement has been creeping under the radar, yet it could reshape safety, retrofit schedules, and costs across the aviation industry: the recently legislated mandate for 25-hour Cockpit Voice Recorders (CVRs).

As of May 2025, the FAA mandate requires that newly manufactured U.S.-registered aircraft be equipped with CVRs that can record for at least 25 hours, a significant upgrade from the old standard of two hours.

For existing aircraft, the regulation demands retrofitting: all aircraft subject to the rule must be updated with 25-hour CVRs by 2030.

These changes stem from the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, adopted at the recommendation of the NTSB, aligning U.S. rules more closely with ICAO and EASA standards.

Many aircraft operators, especially in general aviation, small commuter, and business aviation, may not yet be aware of just how broad, costly, and safety-critical this mandate is. Here are the major reasons why it deserves more attention:

· Better Data for Investigations and Safety Improvement

Longer CVR recordings mean more context. Accidents or incidents often evolve over dozens of minutes, particularly those involving stalled approaches, system failures, or human factors like fatigue or distraction.

With only two hours of recording capacity, critical earlier events may have been lost. A 25-hour record gives investigators and safety analysts access to much more of what was happening before something went wrong. That leads to more robust safety recommendations.

· Heavy Cost and Retrofitting Burden

While large airlines might have already been planning for such changes, many operators of smaller, older aircraft will now face nontrivial cost burdens. Retrofitting CVRs is not just plugging in a new unit; installation often involves fitting wiring, structural mounts, possibly modifying panels, ensuring power supply backups, integrating into other avionics systems, and getting certification or supplemental type certificates (STCs).

These all add up—both in money and aircraft downtime. Because it’s a regulatory requirement, it can’t be deferred without potential operational penalties.

· Manufacturers, Maintenance, and Supply Chains Will Be Stretched

Parts, qualified CVR units with sufficient capacity and reliability, STCs, test facilities, and certified installers are all required. As with other large mandates (e.g. ADS-B Out, altimeter filtering for 5G), existing supply chains may be stretched. Demand will escalate as the 2030 retrofit deadline approaches, and some operators might face delays in getting airplanes back from the shop.

· Regulatory and Operational Impacts

Beyond cost, there are operational risks. Failure to comply could affect aircraft insurance, oversight, eligibility for certain types of operations (FAA or international), or even cause grounding in low-visibility operations or situations where data recording is essential.

There’s also an alignment issue: operators flying across international borders may need to meet both U.S. and foreign requirements, so harmonization helps. However, in cases where the U.S. is late to adopt, other jurisdictions may already impose similar or stricter CVR mandates.

What’s the Timeline and Who’s Affected

New aircraft built after May 16, 2025: Must have 25-hour CVRs installed from the factory.
Existing aircraft: Subject to retrofit by 2030.
Scope: Generally applies to U.S.-registered aircraft subject to requirements that already demand CVRs. The regulation is less likely to affect ultralights or some experimental aircraft unless they fall under the CVR requirements.

Challenges and Considerations for Stakeholders

Here are several factors that operators, maintenance providers, fleet managers, and regulators should consider:

Scheduling shop time ahead of the deadline will be vital. Some shops may get backlogged as 2030 draws near.

It’s not just about capacity. The device must meet technical performance standards, environmental qualifications (vibration, temperature), reliability, backup power, and data integrity. For some smaller operators, budgeting for both parts and labor will require careful financial planning. Incentives, grants, or shared retrofit programs will prove useful.

Structural, electrical, and avionics system limitations might complicate fitting new CVRs in legacy aircraft, another reason to start early. Ensuring proper documentation, certification, inspections, and demonstrating compliance under FAA rules will be essential.

Why It Has Stayed Under the Radar

A few reasons this mandate hasn’t grabbed as much attention:

For starters, the mandate doesn’t affect all airspace operations; only those that already required CVRs. Many smaller aircraft that don’t fly certain kinds of commercial or IFR operations might assume it doesn’t apply to them and thus aren’t watching.

Compared with ADS-B, NextGen, or 5G altimeter interference, this mandate isn’t flashy or high-profile. Upgrading something “behind the panel” doesn’t make for good headlines, even though it’s foundational for safety.

The long-retrofit timeline (through 2030) makes it feel distant for many operators, reducing urgency in the short term.

Also, because the requirement is embedded in the FAA Reauthorization Act rather than in an immediately enforced rule change, many haven’t realized that the compliance clock is already ticking.

The 25-hour CVR mandate might not be as visible as ADS-B or 5G concerns, but it’s arguably one of the most fundamentally important avionics upgrades on the near-term horizon. It forces an upgrade of the “memory” of the cockpit: what pilots, investigators, and safety systems can know when things go wrong.

This article originally appeared in Aircraft Value News.

John Persinos is the editor-in-chief of Aircraft Value News.

The post The FAA Mandate for 25-Hour Cockpit Voice Recorders: An Under-Reported Story appeared first on Avionics International.

Soft Value: Why Software Defined Avionics Will Become the Biggest Hidden Premium in 2026

Global Avionics Round-Up from Aircraft Value News (AVN)

Forget fuel hedges and production backlogs. The next major re-rating of aircraft values and lease rates will not come from engines or wings. It will come from software. Over the past two years a technical shift has been building momentum.

Aircraft with modular, software defined avionics architectures and modern flight management systems are becoming easier and cheaper to upgrade, easier to certify across jurisdictions, and more valuable to operators who want data, efficiency, and regulatory resilience.

For lessors, financiers, OEMs, and appraisers, this is under-reported today but poised to accelerate in 2026 into a clear pricing axis for the global fleet.

Avionics are moving from fixed, hardware-bound boxes to modular, software-defined systems that can be updated, patched, and functionally extended without replacing avionics racks.

That movement toward modular open systems architectures and software-defined avionics is already measurable in market forecasts and industry coverage. The global avionics sector is expanding sharply as connectivity and digital services become part of aircraft economics.

Airframers and suppliers are responding with partnerships and products. Funded cooperation between OEMs and embedded software firms is becoming routine.

In mid-2025, Airbus signed a letter of intent with an embedded software specialist aimed at accelerating avionics software development. That kind of deal is exactly the kind of upstream consolidation that makes software-first architectures credible at scale.

A Valuation Premium

There are three linked economic mechanisms that make software-defined avionics a value driver.

First, upgradability lowers retrofit cost and time out of service. Instead of needing a shop visit to swap circuit cards, there is a software patch or an over-the-air configuration update. That reduces downtime and total cost of ownership.

Second, modular architectures enable interoperability across fleets and better commonality between types. A lessor with mixed A320neo and A321neo aircraft can market the same avionics baseline to more lessees with smaller transition friction.

Third, modern avionics unlock operational savings and new revenue streams through better flight planning, more precise navigation, fuel economy improvements, predictive maintenance, and data services.

Those quantifiable savings are the rationale that underwriters and lessors will use to justify higher base values and premium lease rates. Aviation trade analysis this year already links next generation FMS and avionics suites with demonstrable value uplifts.

Who Pays and Why Now

Historically, airlines paid for avionics upgrades only when necessary for compliance or route requirements. That calculus is shifting. Airlines now see avionics as a platform for operational performance and ancillary revenue.

Lessors are learning to price that into base values because the pool of potential operators for an aircraft depends on how easily that aircraft plugs into modern operational systems.

Financiers see lower residual risk when an aircraft can receive security and software updates that keep it certified and marketable across regions without major hardware change.

External forces will accelerate adoption in 2026. Regulators are tightening expectations around software change management and cybersecurity. The combination of clearer regulatory pathways and OEM-backed software roadmaps reduces certification friction that might otherwise stall value recognition.

At the same time the avionics supplier market is scaling, making module-level upgrades cheaper and faster than past avionics retrofits. Those cost and certification improvements are the catalysts that will make 2026 the year lessors begin to price software-upgradability as a line item in appraisals and lease schedules.

The strongest, fastest premiums will show up in high-volume narrowbodies and newer regional types where the delta between legacy and software-enabled avionics is largest and the secondary market is deepest.

This article originally appeared in Aircraft Value News.

John Persinos is the editor-in-chief of Aircraft Value News.

The post Soft Value: Why Software Defined Avionics Will Become the Biggest Hidden Premium in 2026 appeared first on Avionics International.

Official: T901 Engine Testing On Black Hawk ‘Very Successful,’ Program’s Future Still TBD

Sikorsky receives the first two GE Aerospace T901 engines at its West Palm Beach, Florida facility for integration on a UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter. (Photo: Sikorsky)

A lead Army official said testing to date of the GE Aerospace-built T901 engine on a Black Hawk helicopter has been “very successful,” while the engine program’s future is still to be determined.

Brig. Gen. David Phillips, program executive officer for aviation, said potential production of the T901, developed under the Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP) which had been targeted for a potential cut as part of the Army Transformation Initiative (ATI), will be informed by how future funding shapes out.

“That testing is ongoing. And in this coming year, and resourcing dependent, we’ll execute based on Army senior leader guidance and Congressional appropriation,” Phillips told reporters last week following a briefing at the Association of the U.S. Army conference in Washington, D.C.

GE Aerospace was awarded a $517 million contract in February 2019 to develop the T901 engine for ITEP, with an aim for it to eventually power the Army’s AH-64 Apache and Black Hawk helicopters and the since-cancelled Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA).

Sikorsky conducted the first hover test of a Black Hawk with the T901 engine in May.

The fate of the ITEP program has faced uncertainty after it was included as a proposed cut under the ATI plan, while Sikorsky officials have said that funding included in the previously passed reconciliation bill has allowed testing to continue.

“That funding has been provided to us by the Army to continue the testing of the ITEP program. And we are currently working, along with GE, to shape and accelerate the test program,” Rich Benton, Sikorsky’s vice president and general manager, told reporters recently. “We want to go faster. We want to deliver capability. And so, we’ve been working tightly with the Army on how can we move at a faster pace to drive affordability into that test program and to get it out to the field faster.”

“I think success [with testing] is the number one thing we can do to keep that money going forward and push that program forward,” Benton added.

Phillips said the Army has tasked PEO Aviation with conducting an analysis of alternatives for different paths ahead on the ITEP program.

“We were looking at ways to shift that testing left should additional funding become available, looking at every possible opportunity to accelerate,” Phillips said. “As we’ve talked [about] the transformation initiatives, it’s very important to us to get these capabilities to the field.”

In testing to date, Phillips said the Black Hawk outfitted with two T901 engines has flown up to almost 6,000 feet and speeds “upwards” of 160 knots.

The Senate’s pending fiscal year 2026 defense appropriations bill restores $175 million in funding for the ITEP program, with a senior Senate GOP aide citing it as a “critical program to increase power and efficiency” on Army helicopters.

A version of this story originally appeared in affiliate publication Defense Daily.

The post Official: T901 Engine Testing On Black Hawk ‘Very Successful,’ Program’s Future Still TBD appeared first on Avionics International.

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