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Monthly Archives: March 2013

Seal Dynamics Chooses ARINC For Type B

March 27, 2013
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Seal Dynamics, one of the world’s largest and diverse suppliers of aviation parts and components becomes one of the latest customers for ARINC’s industry-leading AviNet Mail.

Based in the U.S. and with field locations across the globe, Seal Dynamics are committed to meeting customer demand, fulfilling hundreds of daily orders of FAA PMA approved, self-manufactured parts and components from OEM-approved manufacturers for the International market.

With a focus upon reliability and timely delivery of critical parts for airlines, Seal Dynamics needed a solution that provided essential back-up for their electronic ordering system.  Their reputation depends upon excellent service and efficient processing of parts orders to ensure the continuity of airline operations.

ARINC Incorporated, with their global reputation for the provision of innovative communications solutions proved that AviNet Mail is more than capable of the job in hand. Using Type B messaging services to handle critical communications is a daily occurrence for ARINC, serving many hundreds of aviation customers with decades of industry assurance of delivery and utmost reliability.

‘We chose ARINC’s AviNet Mail because it provides us with high message reliability, ease of use, accessible support, alternative methods for accessing Spec2000 messages and on-demand traffic analysis’ said Seal Dynamics Vice President of Technology, Marc Alter.

Yun Chong, ARINC Vice President of Global Network and IT Solutions said ‘ARINC values the opportunity to serve a recognized market leader and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship.’

Easy Jet Replaces Check In With Bag Drop Desks

March 25, 2013
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Bag Drop Desks

Bag Drop Desks

Since the announcement from EasyJet of the imminent closure of their check-in desks, replacing them, instead with bag drop desks, the face of airline travel is set to change.

More than 80% of airline passengers now choose to check-in online and can do so from 30 days before departure to 2 hours before the flight, printing their boarding passes at home.

This innovation spells the end of the ritual of the queue at check-in desks at airports around the world, ultimately reducing airport congestion and speeding up the entire process of check-in, with the potential of increasing operational efficiency and productivity for airlines.

Bag drop desks do not have to be airline-specific.  ARINC have developed ExpressDrop desks, for use by passengers who have checked in online, travelling with various airlines, providing a single drop-off point to simplify, expedite and offer passengers an enhanced experience with greater control.

The idea is not a new one, by any means.  Ryanair closed their airport check-in desks in 2009, but does charge passengers inordinate fees if they forget to check-in online.

Another advantage to the introduction of ExpressDrop or other bag drop desks, is that waiting times are reduced.  This will produce great sighs of relief for travellers, who may arrive at the gate as late as 30 minutes before departure.

Infrastructure security

March 22, 2013
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Infrastructure Security

Infrastructure Security

As global demand for oil and gas increases, further pressure is placed upon resources providers in terms of infrastructure security, an industry calculated to be worth more than $28.44bn in 2013.

Many countries around the world are experiencing alarming rises in issues such as terrorist attacks, civil unrest and criminal activity linked with provocation from economic instability and the growing competition of the world markets.

It has never been more crucial time for the introduction of necessary enhanced infrastructure security to protect current and potential future expansion of company holdings.

Visiongain, working in partnership with the U.S. Federal Government, has released a detailed report, highlighting the growing opportunities for oil and gas infrastructure security providers, identifying leading companies and providing valuable insight into world oil and gas market developments.

The unique report shows a representation of leading opinion and analysis into national, submarket and indeed, global forecasts for the next ten years.

Fatal Crash Blamed on Inadequate De-Icing

March 21, 2013
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The fatal crash of a Lebanese Hawker 850XP executive jet has been blamed on inadequate de-icing before it crashed on take-off according to Iraqi investigators. The accident happened as the Lebanon registered aircraft tried to take off from Sulaymaniyah in Iraq on route to Turkey on 4th February 2011.

When the crash happened weather data for Sulaymaniyah had included snow. Snow on the upper surface of the wing was not removed prior to take off according to Iraq’s ministry of transport.

The Hawker 850XP stalled before reaching sufficient speed and crashed 2100m from the runway. No one on board survived the burning aircraft, two executives from Asiacell and three crew members were killed.

A South Korean woman tried to swallow a mouth full of tadpoles

March 20, 2013
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A great aviation story in the news today! The woman was trying to get the tadpoles though customs in Guangzhou Airport in China travelling to South Korea. Customs officers noticed and made the woman spit them out in a bucket. It’s an offence in some countries to smuggle tadpoles and could result in a full scale alert.

When the woman was questioned said she was given the tadpoles by a friend and didn’t want to lose them. Airport staff said this is not the first time a passenger has tried to smuggle amphibians through airport security.

A South Korean woman tried to swallow a mouth full of tadpoles

A South Korean woman tried to swallow a mouth full of tadpoles

Airport Security Sector still Expected to Soar

March 19, 2013
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Although US budget cutbacks effects air traffic control the airport security sector is still expected to grow, and terrorism is still a threat, analysts have said.

In the wake of the September 11 attacks screening passengers and surveillance at airports has boomed. Because airport security is one of the areas that has been hit in the US by budget cuts, the expected growth on air travel will mean an increase in spending on airport security.

Didier Brechemier, an expert at the Roland Berger consultancy said “Airport security is a market niche which is outperforming that of the aviation. It grows along with the volume of passengers which is growing itself by five to six percent per year.”

3 billion passengers will travel by air this year according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), this is nearly double the amount of people that flew in 2001. IATA also expects this number to double by 2030.

According to Philippe Nguyen, president of the IPE Investment Fund “The airport security screening market is worth some $10 billion (8 billion euros) annually” The Visiongain business information service said “If physical security at and around airports is included the market is worth over $22 billion”

Visiongain has noted that national governments are increasing spending on developing new airport facilities and expanding existing ones to meet increasing air travel, with spending on enhancing security also rising. Visiongain said “Contract sizes and financial data released by companies involved in the industry indicate this and would suggest that the market will continue to expand”

Europe and the US have the largest airport security markets while the Asia Pacific region is on course for the largest growth in the aviation sector.

In the next 10 years China is expected to construct 70 new airports.

Other boosts for security companies include changing the restrictions on carrying on board planes certain items, and the change of the rules of liquids should also boost this sector.

At a recent security conference IATA chief Tony Tyler said “that a right balance needs to be struck between risk and regulation. If we don’t find the right balance soon we will lose the goodwill of our passengers and shippers, clog our airports, slow world trade, and bring down the level of security that we have worked so hard to build-up”

Plenty of commercial opportunities are expected as growth will rest on new technologies. Better target screening is expected by use of information on travellers available to border control agencies will rely heavily on technology and data gathering. Many companies are now offering a full suite of airport security and passenger processing solutions.

India Hands Over APIS

March 17, 2013
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India has handed over an advanced passenger information system to the Maldives.

The Maldives biggest source of revenue is from tourism and the authorities there have been handed an Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) providing a safe and efficient immigration service to travellers.

The system was installed at the Male’s Ibrahim Nasir International Airport and according to authorities marks a ‘giant step’ for the country to provide a much better service to travellers.

The APIS will give the Border Control System advanced information about people travelling to and from the country. The population of the Maldives is about 350 000 and has around 1 million visitors per year.

Dnyaneshwar M Mulay the High Commissioner of India to the Maldives handed over the APIS to Maldives’ Controller of Immigration & Emigration Mohamed Ali.

For more information on APIS please see this link.

Avfuel FBO’s make History

March 16, 2013
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The installation of the world’s first GE H80 800 HP fuel-efficient engine in a King Air C90 has caused much excitement in Nashville, as Drumm and Lakeshore Aviation teamed up with Avfuel Fixed-base Operator (FBO) Smyrna Air Center.

‘Having flown King Airs for years, I’m excited to see this program take off,’ said Greg Ryan, GE Aviation Sales Director.

The impeccably restored King Air C90 is latest addition to the Lakeshore Aviation charter fleet and features the new engine, developed by GE Aviation following their acquisition of Czech-based Walters Company.  The H80 is a combination of the Walters’ M601 engine and GE’s 3D wizardry to produce a more powerful, durable engine with the all-important advanced fuel efficiency.

‘We’re seeing faster speeds, yet we’re burning less fuel.  The extended service live of 3.600 flight hours between overhauls will result in a significant reduction in maintenance costs,’ said Curt Drumm, President of Lakeshore Aviation, commercial rated pilot and the organization’s charter captain. ‘This is GE’s first engine for being used on business turboprop aircraft and the improvements it brings to the turboprop flying experience are incredible. Pilots love it because it’s just fun to fly.’

ARINC Successful Bid to Provide Nuclear Security

March 15, 2013
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Infrastructure Security

Infrastructure Security

ARINC has, for more than 20 years, provided essential, industry-leading nuclear security solutions to the U.S. nuclear power industry.  Using its innovative command, surveillance, control and communications technologies, ARINC furnishes the industry with reliable protection and performs systems integration functions.

Energy Solutions Inc is the latest addition to the company’s respected customer family.  Based in Salt Lake City, Energy Solutions Inc is responsible for the decommissioning project in Illinois over then next ten years.  ARINC have been successful in their bid to provide nuclear security and information management software.

The Advanced Information Management System will be seamlessly integrated by ARINC’s Security Solutions Project Team, with the existing security system of the (spent) nuclear fuel silo, constructed for the Zion Nuclear Power Station by Energy Solutions Inc.

Frank Koren, ARINC product director of security systems said, ‘We are excited to work with Energy Solutions on this important project.  Our AIM SCS technology is widely used for security command and control applications at over 42 nuclear plants throughout the U.S. and Canada.’

In fact, ARINC’s proven nuclear security system solutions are used in 50% of all the nuclear power plants in North America to date.

ARNIC Direct close to switching on Connect Service

March 14, 2013
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Connect - providing airborne communications addressing and reporting system

Connect – providing airborne communications addressing and reporting system

ARINS Direct hope to launch its Connect low-cost business aviation communication service before the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) convention this October in Las Vegas. They have just a few regulatory hurdles and technical issues to resolve.

Designed to provide airborne communications addressing and reporting system (ACARS) messaging via an Apple iPad application, the service is the future of ACARS’s communications traditionally provided by the like of the ARINC AviNet service.

James Hardie ARINC Direct director said “We were looking at having the box ready for the second quarter of this year, but we’re a little bit behind with some of the things we’ve had to do to refine things, We’re very confident that by NBAA we’ll be in full production offering it up to customers, and in between we’ll be looking to do some trials as well”

“Connect” currently is only a working title for the product and fresh branding will be announced at the EBASE show in May.

At the 2012 NBAA convention the product was announced and a pre-production version will be available for demonstration at the EBASE show.

James Hardie added  “It is designed to provide airborne communications addressing and reporting system (ACARS) messaging via an Apple iPad application, high quality voice communications using an iPhone or Android device, and email. We’re looking to enable connectivity into new markets and also into existing markets with this box. If they’ve got an Iridium phone system then this box can take the place of some of that, using the antenna infrastructure. We’ve had an awful lot of interest from all sorts of operators, from medevac to charter. They might buy this equipment and put it on board a charter aircraft that they are managing for another individual.”

Connect is also being offered as a low-cost enabler for on-board services. “We think there’s an opportunity there to enable across a much wider range of aircraft because of technological developments in terms of miniaturisation of equipment and better understanding of interference issues, a lot of those issues that were around at the top of people’s agendas a few years ago are very much resolved. The next iteration will be looking at developing a user interface for the data link in the cockpit, which would be done through the iPad and connecting to the Arinc Direct box.”

James Hardie added the Connect iPad app is “essentially an electronic flight bag providing a paperless cockpit capability”.

At the request of their customer various new features have been added including “Cloud” connectivity for continuous synchronisation.

Carrying on James hardie said “If you write something down on your iPad it’s appearing on the co-pilot’s iPad, and as long as the aircraft has got a connection to the ground then we can provide data back to our cloud servers. They’ll store that information so if there are any problems with it, it can be regenerated and the content of your flight plan is accessible in flight and after the flight by everybody.”

Other  features to be included shortly include ad hoc flight planning within the app, as well as “just before flight” activities such as weight and balance sign-off.