Collins Aerospace Systems has developed and launched the Cabin Air Recirculation high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter installation kit for use on De Havilland Dash 8 (-100/-200/-300) turboprop aircraft. The HEPA filter kit is mounted inside an aluminium enclosure along with a prefilter which, according to Collins Aerospace, together trap at least 99.97% of the harmful airborne particles that have a diameter of 0.3 microns.
These particles can include bacteria, viruses, pollen, dust, mites and other microscopic airborne contaminants in aircraft environmental control systems. To date, five separate airlines operating Dash 8 aircraft have placed orders and adopted the HEPA filter kits.
In the current Dash 8 cabin environment, air is drawn from the cabin where it is mixed with fresh air before being distributed backin to the cabin with minimal filtering. Designed as a retrofit kit for Dash 8 (-100/-200/-300) aircraft, the upgraded HEPA filter kit enables cabin air to be filtered before reaching the condenser mixer.
“Our customers are searching for partners and solutions that can provide higher air quality for their passengers as we work together through the changing aviation landscape,” said Trevor Skelly, vice president and general manager at Collins Aerospace. “These HEPA filter kits are simple to install, improve cabin air purity and provide a more comfortable aircraft environment at a low replacement cost.”
“While this specific solution is an exclusive drop-in replacement for Dash 8 operators, we’re ready and able to partner with airlines and operators of other platforms to help deliver a HEPA filtering solution to best fit their existing fleets as well,” continued Skelly.