Technology

Airbus to undergo digital transformation with Thales’ innovative flight management system

Thales’ connected and cyber-secure solution will improve interoperability for airlines and pilots and optimize flight paths.
Airbus’s choice of a system that is compatible with all its aircraft will enhance fleet interoperability for airlines and make it easier for pilots to make the transition from one Airbus aircraft type to another.

Thales is proud to contribute to the digital transformation of the airways with our flight management system.

Airbus has selected Thales to equip its commercial airlines particularly A320, A330, and A350 with the innovative flight management system based on the PureFlyt product. This system is specifically adapted to meet the requirements of Airbus and will process and share vast amounts of data to optimize flight operations, enhance interoperability and reduce environmental impact. Entry into service is planned for the end of 2026, with an aim to improve interoperability for airlines and pilots and optimize flight paths to help reduce the carbon footprint of airline operations.

Yannick Assouad, Executive Vice President, Avionics, Thales said, “As the only player in in-flight management technologies in Europe, Thales is proud to contribute to the digital transformation of the airways with our flight management system, and delighted to have this opportunity to continue to support our partner Airbus. Our connected and cyber-secure solution will improve interoperability for airlines and pilots and optimize flight paths to help reduce the carbon footprint of airline operations.” 

The FMS is the “brain” of the aircraft. It is used to prepare flights, calculate and provide the crew with the information they need, set flight parameters and ensure aircraft guidance throughout the flight and during approach and landing procedures, based on fuel efficiency factors and instructions from air traffic control. Designed from the outset to be connected and cybersecure, the system maximizes the benefits of access to open-world data including real-time weather information. By linking the new FMS with non-avionics systems — such as the pilot’s Electronic Flight Bag and airline operational control centers — the solution makes it quicker and easier to analyze flight plan revisions, providing the pilot with the best route and simplifying interaction with air traffic control. It will help to ease airport congestion, cut fuel consumption, decrease noise pollution and reduce pilot workload.

PureFlyt draws on 40 years of experience in flight management systems and over 100 million flight hours with Thales’s current generation of FMS systems, enabling airlines to benefit from an optimal combination of flight safety, operational efficiency, and fuel savings. This comprehensive solution includes navigation and performance databases for the precise calculation of optimal flight paths and flight times. Airbus’s choice of a system that is compatible with all its aircraft will enhance fleet interoperability for airlines and make it easier for pilots to make the transition from one Airbus aircraft type to another. The new system will also be available as a retrofit option for aircraft currently in service.

Read related storiesThales revolutionizes innovation with 100 percent sustainable ATS radar station in Chile

With its expertise in avionics, connectivity, and cybersecurity, and air traffic management, Thales is the only European company to offer end-to-end onboard and ground-based solutions that help to meet the ambitious objectives of optimizing flight operations in terms of the air transport sector’s carbon footprint.