F3000 Flight Data Acquisition Unit (FDAU)

Why choose the F3000 FDAU?

Engineered with safety redundancy at its core, ensuring critical flight data is continuously captured even in the event of system faults. Its dependable backup architecture enhances reliability and supports compliance in demanding environments.

Designed specifically with business aviation in mind, the F3000 combines robust performance with a compact, space-saving form factor, delivering maximum protection and operational confidence without adding unnecessary weight or complexity.

Backed by 60+ years of proven reliability and strengthened by our L3Harris heritage, Acron Aviation’s F3000 Flight Data Acquisition Unit reflects a legacy of aerospace excellence. It delivers next-generation innovation while maintaining legacy compatibility, giving operators confidence in advanced performance built on decades of trusted engineering expertise.

What this means for you

Regulatory compliance and future-proofing: Stay ahead of evolving aviation mandates with a scalable platform designed to meet current and emerging data recording requirements, protecting your investment long term.

Cost savings vs. legacy systems: Reduce maintenance, replacement, and upgrade costs with a modern, consolidated solution that eliminates the inefficiencies of aging, multi-box architectures.

Easy integration without rewiring: Simplify installation with a design that works within existing aircraft infrastructure, minimizing modification time and disruption.

Operational efficiency and minimal downtime: Improve aircraft availability through reliable performance and streamlined data management that supports faster diagnostics and decision-making.

Risk mitigation and enhanced safety: Strengthen safety outcomes with dependable data capture and built-in redundancy that protects critical flight information.

Regulatory compliance

Key certifications and standards:

• FAA regulatory compliance: meets FAA CFR 14 Part 125.225 aircraft operations requirements.
• Company quality certifications: ISO 9001:2008 and AS9100:2009 Rev. C aerospace quality management.
• Industry environmental and software standards: tested to RTCA/DO-160E environmental and RTCA/DO-178B software standards.
• ARINC standards compliance: interfaces and data handling per ARINC 600, ARINC 717, ARINC 573/747/757 formats. 

Fleet compatibility

Supports broad fleet compatibility across business and commercial aircraft, integrating with legacy and modern avionics via ARINC interfaces, adaptable to popular airframes with minimal modification and preserving existing wiring where possible. Evaluators should verify specific aircraft model support with OEM installation documentation.

F3000 FDAU solutions

Available in multiple configurations, allowing operators to tailor data inputs, interfaces, and recording capabilities to specific aircraft requirements and mission profiles.

F3000 Standalone CVR Option

Aimed at general aviation operators, business aircraft owners, and unique-mission aircraft programs that need dedicated cockpit audio recording without a full combined recorder system. It serves as a flexible solution for operators requiring regulatory compliance or safety enhancements on platforms where a separate, purpose-built CVR is preferred over an integrated unit.

The stand-alone CVR configuration delivers up to two hours of high-quality audio recording across all four channels while maintaining the F3000's proven crash-survivable architecture. It converts and captures cockpit audio in a compact, lightweight package that fits within the existing ARINC 600 5 MCU form factor.

For military customers, the unit can be optionally configured for Night Vision Goggle operations, broadening its mission suitability.

Key features include:

• Up to two hours of four-channel high-quality audio recording.
• Crash-worthy design in a unit weighing approximately 7.5 pounds.
• ARINC 573/717/747, 557, and 757 compliant architecture.
• Optional Night Vision Goggle compatibility for military applications.
• 28 VDC power input with a maximum draw of 25 watts.
• Common ground support equipment compatibility with other Acron Aviation recorder systems.

The stand-alone CVR option finds particular application on business jets, turboprops, and special-mission platforms where operators need a dedicated voice recorder retrofit. It’s also used in military contexts requiring a lightweight, compliant cockpit audio solution adaptable to NVG-equipped operations.

Dedicated FDR Version

Designed for general aviation operators, business aircraft owners, and unique-mission program managers who need a purpose-built flight data recording solution without the added weight or complexity of a combined voice and data recorder. It suits operators focused on regulatory compliance, accident investigation readiness, and flight data monitoring programs.

In this configuration, the F3000 captures and stores high-fidelity aircraft performance parameters, converting digital and analog inputs into a standard ARINC 717/747 data stream compatible with all compliant flight data recorders. It records a minimum of 25 hours of flight data at selectable word rates, and its crash-survivable architecture ensures data integrity following an incident. The unit's compact ARINC 600 5 MCU footprint makes it a practical fit for retrofit and new-installation programs alike.

Key features include:

Minimum 25 hours of flight data recording at 64, 128, 256, or 512 words per second.

• Accepts digital inputs via ARINC 429/717 and MIL-STD-1553, plus analog and discrete signals.
• Crash-survivable memory unit available in standard stainless steel or lightweight titanium.
• ARINC 573/717/747, 557, and 757 compliant data output.
• Optional Night Vision Goggle compatibility for military-configured aircraft.
• Common ground support equipment shared across the broader Acron Aviation recorder family.

This dedicated FDR version is particularly suited to turboprops, business jets, and special-mission platforms undergoing retrofit, as well as military aircraft programs requiring a standalone data recording solution with MIL-STD-1553 input capability.

Lightweight CSMU

Targeted at weight-sensitive operators across general aviation, business aviation, and special-mission aircraft programs, where every pound of avionics installation carries operational consequences. It is particularly relevant for operators undertaking retrofit programs on turboprops, light jets, and military platforms where the standard stainless steel configuration exceeds acceptable weight budgets.

In this configuration, the F3000's standard stainless steel Crash-Survivable Memory Unit is replaced with an equivalent unit manufactured from lightweight titanium, delivering the same proven crash protection in a reduced-weight package. The titanium CSMU maintains full structural and thermal survivability compliance while contributing to overall aircraft weight savings that benefit fuel efficiency, payload capacity, and performance margins. The F3000 as a whole weighs only ten pounds in its standard form, and the titanium CSMU option reduces that figure further.

Key features include:

• Titanium construction replacing standard stainless steel for meaningful weight reduction.
• Equivalent crash survivability to the standard CSMU despite lower mass.
• Compatible with all F3000 configurations including combined, CVR-only, and FDR-only variants.
• Supports recording of up to 25 hours of flight data or two hours of four-channel audio.
• ARINC 573/717/747, 557, and 757 compliant across all CSMU configurations.
• Optional pairing with NVG-compatible electronics for military weight-critical installations.

This option sees primary use on military special-mission aircraft, lightweight business jets, and turboprop platforms where weight allowances are tightly managed and every reduction in recorder mass directly supports mission capability or regulatory payload requirements.

Military/NVG‑Ready Configuration

Purpose-built for defense program offices, military aviation units, and special operations forces requiring a flight data acquisition capability that is fully compatible with night vision goggle-equipped cockpit environments. It addresses the operational mandate to eliminate any avionics-generated light interference that could degrade NVG performance during low-light and nighttime combat sorties.

This configuration delivers the full combined CVDR capability of the F3000 while meeting the electro-optical emissions requirements of NVG operations, ensuring crew situational awareness is not compromised by instrument lighting bleed or display interference.

The unit retains all crash-survivable data recording functions without imposing additional mission weight penalties beyond those of the standard platform, supporting sustained operations across high-threat environments. It integrates seamlessly into both fixed-wing and rotary-wing military airframes already equipped or being modified for NVG mission sets.

Key features include:

• NVG-compatible electronics that suppress light emissions conflicting with image intensifier tube performance.
• Full four-channel CVR and 25-hour FDR capability maintained across all NVG-configured variants.
• Crash-survivable memory unit available in lightweight titanium to support weight-critical military platforms.
• MIL-STD-1553 data bus input supporting integration with military avionics architectures.
• 28 VDC power input drawing a maximum of 25 watts, suitable for military electrical bus standards.
• Common ground support equipment compatibility enabling consolidated sustainment logistics across the Acron Aviation recorder family.

This configuration supports rotary-wing assets conducting air assault, combat search and rescue, and special operations insertion missions, as well as fixed-wing military turboprops and light attack aircraft conducting low-altitude night operations where NVG compatibility is a theater-mandated requirement.

Key capabilities

1. High-resolution display clarity

Provides exceptional display clarity, delivering sharp, easy-to-read flight data across varying lighting conditions. Its advanced screen technology ensures pilots can quickly interpret critical information, enhancing situational awareness and decision-making. Compared with Garmin and Honeywell systems, the F3000 FDAU emphasizes intuitive visualization and minimal clutter, making data presentation more straightforward and reducing pilot workload during complex flight operations.

2. Seamless avionics integration

Engineered for versatile integration, the F3000 connects smoothly with a wide range of modern avionics platforms. Its compatibility with both legacy and cutting-edge systems allows operators to standardize cockpit instrumentation while leveraging existing hardware. This flexibility positions it favorably against Garmin and Honeywell, offering comparable interoperability without requiring extensive retrofits or complex adaptation procedures, thereby streamlining aircraft upgrades and maintenance.

3. Redundancy and reliability

Safety is central to the F3000 FDAU, with robust redundancy built into critical data channels and system processes. This design ensures continuous operation even in the event of partial system failures, maintaining the integrity of flight information. Pilots can rely on uninterrupted data feeds, providing confidence during high-stress or adverse conditions. Against competitors, the F3000’s layered redundancy balances reliability with operational efficiency.

4. Compact and lightweight design

A compact footprint and lightweight construction optimizes cockpit space without compromising functionality. Its streamlined form factor facilitates installation in various aircraft models, reducing overall weight and enabling easier maintenance access. Compared to bulkier Garmin and Honeywell displays, the F3000 FDAU achieves a high-performance package that fits smaller panels while still delivering full-featured avionics capabilities.

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