Meggitt Safety Systems receives FAA Certification for its silicon dioxide engine cables for Boeing 737NG fleet

February 16, 2004

Meggitt Safety Systems Inc. (MSSI) announced today that it has received Federal Aviation Administration certification of its engine fire warning system Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) engine cables for use on the Boeing 737 Next Generation (NG) family of commercial airplanes.

The Meggitt cables will replace the originally installed organic wire harnesses. Initial shipments of the state-of-the-art product has begun by MSSI for installation into the hot sections of the CFM56-7 engines by the launch customer. This new cable eliminates the need for frequent maintenance required to replace the organic cabling and offers extensive life cycle cost savings. These SiO2 cables have replaced standard engine wire harnesses on MD-11 aircraft, as well as several 747-400 aircraft.

Kevin Faughnan, General Manager of Meggitt Safety Systems, said: "State-of-the-art designs, manufacturing technologies and the unique silicon dioxide dielectric make Meggitt's cable systems the ultimate in hermetically sealed, inconel jacketed cable assemblies. And because we pioneered silicon dioxide cable systems in the early 1960's and hold the basic patent, our comprehensive experience is solving numerous unique application challenges."

MSSI, a unit of Meggitt Aerospace Equipment Group, based in Simi Valley, CA, is a leading provider of Silicon Dioxide solutions for a wide variety of commercial and military aircraft. The aircraft utilization of the MSSI product represents a new application for a problem that has plagued ageing aircraft -- frequent engine wire harness failures in extreme environments.

Meggitt's cables offer numerous advantages over organic engine wire harnesses, including light weight, tight bend radius, smaller diameter, and superior mechanical durability and high-quality performance under high hazard conditions. The company has supplied more of this type of cable system than all other cable suppliers in the world combined.

MSSI has further exploited the highly reliable SiO2 cable for applications that require truly fire-proof and robust performance. These applications include, but are not limited to, nuclear safety related coaxial and multi-wire instrumentation, control and power cable systems, Appendix R fire zone cables in nuclear installations, and high temperature engine vibration monitoring systems.

The company's cables and connectors cover a wide frequency range of 0.1 to 40 GHz, and operate reliably when exposed to extremely low and high temperatures (cryogenic to +2400 degrees F), gamma radiation and high power RF conditions. The SiO2 cable will withstand vibration to 45gs on earth and 110gs in space.

Meggitt Safety Systems has supplied aerospace OEMs, including Boeing, Airbus, Embraer and Bombardier, with a variety of products since 1963. Pneumatic fire and overheat detection systems are used on virtually all Boeing aircraft models. Smoke detectors and high performance engine cables are used on several Boeing commercial aircraft types. The company also produces fire and overheat and bleed air leak detection systems for many Boeing military aircraft including the F/A-18, F-15E and the AH-64 helicopter.

ENDS

US
Phil Myers
Telephone: (001) 661 288 0084
Fax: (001) 661 288 0304
Mobile: (001) 310 422 6292
phil34@earthlink.net