Fully integrated (framed) cockpit canopy system

Equipment

Fully integrated (framed) cockpit canopy system

Keywords: Military aircraft

GKN Aerospace's first integrated canopy system for the F-15C aircraft was recently delivered to the US Air Force. This pioneering contract covers the first supply of a complete integrated military aircraft canopy system.

First delivery was completed by GKN Aerospace following an ambitious work schedule which resulted in delivering the assembly 6 months ahead of the contract due date.

The integrated canopy brings together the transparency, frame and associated hydraulics into a complete package enabling the OEM to have a single point of contact for the entire activity.

Jim Dauw, CEO, Special Products Division, GKN Aerospace, comments: “On this programme, we have undertaken complete canopy system development,manufacture and integration. This is the first time this complex task has been completely outsourced to an independent supplier. It is our goal to implement this strategy across the broader military and civil market to become the`supplier of choice' that brings together an integrated solution involving complex framed transparency systems”.

In fulfilling this contract, GKN Aerospace has worked very closely with Boeing to establish the requirement and to create a new “fast- track”design/development process. This has included week-long multi- functional Kaizen rapid improvement workshops in order to lay out the shop floor and finalise the tooling and processes. The company has also established and managed a supplier network of over 22 companies across five US states, responsible for manufacturing some 350 detailed parts in under 6 months.

Details available from: GKN Aerospace, Tel: +44 (0)1983 283649.