The story of FADEC [1/3]

For over 40 years, Safran Electronics & Defense has been designing and manufacturing FADEC systems for the engines of the Dassault Mirage 2000 and Rafale fighter aircraft (respectively M53 and M88).

In the 2000s, for commercial aircraft, our company partnered with BAE Systems to develop and manufacture the FADEC 3rd generation or FADEC3, a calculator designed at the time for the CFM56 engine powering the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737.

This collaboration gave birth in 2002 to the joint venture FADEC International.

FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) continuously monitors and adjusts the performance of the aircraft's engine during flight. Directly installed on the engine's blower housing (the coldest part of the engine), this computer can withstand harsh environments (thermal, vibration, lightning).

Initially, the FADEC system was a specific architecture concept (Full Authority Dual) for electrical engine control systems.

Today, it refers, abusively, to all electronic LRU (Line-replaceable units) equipment with similar engine control functions (engine control electronic boxes, Electronic Control Unit, Engine Electronic Control, or even Engine Monitoring Unit, etc.).

FADEC International has built on 40 years of development to produce computers that guarantee high safety, reliability, and performance for optimum engine operation.

This 3rd generation of FADEC equips numerous commercial aircraft: Airbus A318, A319, A320, A321, and A380, the Boeing 737NG, 747-800, 767, 777, and 787 Dreamliner, and is also used on military applications such as the Airbus A400M.

The FADEC family continues to grow, and FADEC International has become the world leader in engine control computers for civil aviation.