In 2023, Meggitt/Securaplane published a Field Service Letter (FSL) announcing the retirement of the Securaplane CMX, CAM, and CMZ-03 series cameras.  These cameras are installed on many aircraft by the OEM during completion and then integrated into the aircraft’s flight deck and Cabin Management Systems.  This product retirement means that no new standard-definition cameras from this line will be sold, and existing SD cameras installed on aircraft can no longer be repaired.  Aircraft with failed cameras have no other choice but to replace them with a different camera solution.

Replacing a tail or belly camera can be difficult as they are interfaced to both legacy standard-definition cabin management systems and newer high-definition systems.  Newer cameras could have a different footprint and require extensive structural and composite repairs to make them work.  HD cameras cannot integrate to an SD CMS system without additional components that step down the video quality. 

However, Meggitt/Securaplane has made this integration easier with their replacement line of CMX-HD belly and tail cameras. The CMX-HD camera series is a form-fit replacement for the CMX-SD cameras, so there is no need for structural modifications.  The High-Definition Video Control Unit (HD-VCU) has the same footprint as the legacy VCU-05 controller; easily adapts to the new camera power requirements; and has SD & HD outputs, so integrating to legacy and digital HD cabin management systems is simple.

Gulfstream 350, 450, 500, and 550 with the Securaplane CMX cameras can utilize their STC for replacing with the new CMX-HD cameras.  Other model aircraft with obsolete cameras can still upgrade to the new HD cameras by Major Alteration via FAA Form 337. 

Having recently replaced the cameras on a G550, West Star Aviation Avionics Specialists report that downtime on the replacement should range from 2–3 weeks, depending on how many cameras are being replaced and the method of replacement.