A second Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft has been sent to Canada for the beginning of modifications to extend its life until 2017.

The modifications include a centre wing refurbishment, a major rewire, new flight deck instrumentation and replacement of the aircraft’s communication and navigation systems with more modern systems. Only one avionics system from the legacy aircraft which will remain in the Modified Aircraft and even that system is being updated so it can communicate across a databus with the central Flight Management System (FMS). The cockpit upgrade includes the installation of an Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS), digital Engine Instrument Display System (EIDS), Digital Fuel Quantity and Gauging System (DFQGS), the addition of Traffic Collision Alert System (TCAS), the introduction of an Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS), integrated navigation sensors, and fully upgraded digital internal and external communications.

The aircraft will be the second of the Air Force’s fleet of five Hercules to be upgraded by L-3 Communications Spar Aerospace in Edmonton, Canada. The remaining three Hercules will be upgraded by Safe Air Limited, based in Blenheim.

The first upgraded C-130 is expected to return to New Zealand in mid-2008 while the last C-130 upgrade is due for completion in 2011.

The Hercules Life Extension Project is part of a major aircraft modernisation programme for the RNZAF. More than 30 new or upgraded aircraft will be introduced into service by the end of 2011.