Crane Aerospace & Electronics has received a number of new product approvals and selections on a variety of business jets. Crane’s FAA-approved SmartStem wireless tire pressure monitoring system now allows Part 135 pilots to check tire pressures on all certified aircraft. “There are presently no other products on the market that allow a Part 135 pilot to check his own tires,” the company noted.
The SmartStem installation process involves replacing the current tire-pressure stem with a special battery-free version containing integral sensors. SmartStem then sends tire pressure, temperature and other stored information wirelessly to a handheld reader. Using the SmartStem system means no gas is lost during routine tire checks. SmartStem is certified for use on the Cessna Citation Sovereign and X, Dassault Falcon 50 and the Learjet 40, 45 and 60. SmartStem was a standard feature on later-model Learjet 60s. The price for a SmartStem system for the Learjet 60 is $7,999.
Snecma chose Crane to supply fuel flow transmitters on that company’s new Silvercrest engine series. Crane’s fuel-flow transmitters measure mass, not volume, for improved accuracy. The new engine–expected to receive certification in 2014–is designed for large and long-range business jets, and Cessna’s Longitude will be the first jet to be powered by the Silvercrest.
Crane will also provide brake control systems for the new Cessna Citation Ten, M2 and Latitude. Crane’s Mechloks seat actuators were chosen for executive seats made by Iacobucci HF Electronics, an Italian interiors specialist. Crane said its Mechloks–together with the latest “AC” series of mechanical control cable–“will enable motion control of the executive seats…to provide a premium flying experience balancing comfort, style and superior quality.”