Modified Hawkeye Takes First Flight

NAVAIR Patuxent River, MD --- E-2C Hawkeye 849, equipped with a new glass cockpit and navigation upgrades, completed its first test flight as part of the Communication Navigation Surveillance/Air Traffic Management system evaluation Aug. 13.>> The two-hour and 20 minute flight over the air station was conducted by CNS/ATM project lead and test pilot Pete Staufenberger, Bryan Pellatt and Lt. Cmdrs. James Borghardt and Mark Asahara of Air Test & Evaluation Squadron (VX) 20 here.>> The flight could not have gone better. Overall, the CNS/ATM system and flight displays worked as expected, said Staufenberger.>> Flight testing on the Hawkeye follows the conclusion of a 10-month flight assessment of the same system on C-2 Greyhound 177.>> Because of rapid air traffic growth worldwide, the international aviation community and the Federal Aviation Administration have mandated the development and implementation of a system that will make use of assigned airspace more efficient while increasing safety. CNS/ATM includes satellite-based technology designed to enable seamless control and management of air traffic over civilian airspace in the U.S. and abroad. Without the system upgrade, Navy aircraft could be excluded from using critical airspace, decreasing the use of direct paths between locations and extending flight times.>> The Hawkeye/Greyhound program office, other Department of Defense platforms and commercial aircrafts are integrating CNS/ATM to improve communication and navigation technology, enhancing air traffic management.>> According to Lt. Cmdr. Chris Dotson, CNS/ATM project officer for the Greyhound, the system implementation will ensure that Hawkeyes and Greyhounds continue their distinctive operations without decreasing mission readiness.