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Monthly Archives: September 2013

NextGen Implementation of Data Link Moves Forward at Aviation Week

September 29, 2013
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data linkThe Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) will move the aviation industry forward with the implementation of advanced data link communications by 2020.

At Aviation Week, hosted in Washington, leaders from airlines, industry providers and government agencies held discussions and shared critical facts and data in order to reinforce the implementation of the future of air travel with the proposed data link mandates.

At the show, the NextGen Showcase was aimed to help airlines find the right providers, simplifying the selection process and highlighting where the smartest investments in technology would lie.

The showcase was all about imparting the industry with the changing rules within NextGen, making sure that advances in technology in the cockpit can be embraced and used to their full potential as NextGen approaches.

NextGen will help to improve safety with data link communications, in addition to creating more fuel efficient routes, less congestion and increased operability solutions for airlines.

Industry leading data link providers bring many solutions to the table, with retrofit avionics, data link packages and cost effective innovations, such as ARINC’s HFDL solution.

Data link technology is widely used in today’s busy skies, helping to create a safe and secure airspace across the globe.  NextGen will reinforce the use of data link communications with the issue of mandatory rules and specific routes for carriers of data link.

By 2020 data link communications mandates will be imposed under regulatory conditions.  Air carriers are advised to look at the possibilities now, for retrofitting.  All new aircraft off the production line are being fitted with data link technology in preparation.

Upgrade of Airport Management System at Ten Airports in India

September 27, 2013
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Airport Management System ProvidersAirport Management System provider, SITA, has been awarded a seven year deal with Airports Authority of India (AAI) for the implementation of their systems in 10 airports in the country.

In partnership with NIIT Technologies, the company will also provide airport operations control centres as a part of the $130 billion airport modernisation programme.

The airports involved in the programme are Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Calicut, Jaipur, Mangalore, Pune, Trichy, Trivandrum and Guwahati, whose combined annual passenger numbers are expected to rise to 450 million over the next six years.

The airport management systems will help with the implementation of collaborative decision making (CDM) to increase efficiency and in turn, more cost effective overall.

The AAI intend to install and run Common User Terminal Equipment across 38 airports, with automated baggage handling solutions, further streamlining operations through the airport management system.

Other airport management systems providers include ARINC, who offer a fully integrated suite of services with their industry-leading AviNet Airport system.  The company, who have recently been bought by Avionics manufacturer Rockwell Collins for $1.39 billion, bring innovative and cost efficient communications solutions for airport management systems, CUTE technology and automated baggage handling with AviNet Airport.

ARINC & PowerTrunk Partnership to Upgrade GLOBALink Ground Radio at LAX

September 24, 2013
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GlobalinkLos Angeles International Airport (LAX) have been using ARINC’s GLOBALink ground radio services since 2001 for the delivery of mission critical messaging information to airline passenger services, ground handlers and security teams, ground support staff and airline ramp personnel.

ARINC has partnered with PowerTrunk, a subsidiary company of Teltronic, who design, manufacture and implement digital and analog land mobile radio on a global scale.  Together, they will install Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) as a part of the ARINC GLOBALink upgrade for mission critical transmissions of airline and ground-based communications.  This will be the first North American deployment of the TETRA technology in the industry of aviation.

“TETRA is an ideal communications technology for airport and airline use,” said Carlos Fernandez, VP of Business Development for PowerTrunk. “It uniquely combines telephone-like voice and data services with dynamically configurable group call capability in a single, privately operated radio network platform”.

The TETRA platform will bring improved voice clarity and RF spectrum efficiency with multiple conversations capability.  ARINC leads the way with the recently approved TETRA platform, testing new products and operational behaviour in a fully functional demonstration environment.

“We are pleased to provide our valued customers at LAX with the latest technology which is currently deployed for airports and airlines globally,” said John Monto, Director, Radio Technology Solutions at ARINC. “We believe this upgrade, and the associated benefits it brings for ground communications, will enable ARINC’s customers at LAX to get their jobs done in a more timely and efficient manner.”

Papua New Guinea Air Services Receives Aeronautical Message Handling System

September 23, 2013
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message handling systemPort Moresby, as the main site for Papua New Guinea Air Services, is to serve other airports in Papua New Guinea and in Brisbane, Australia as a message hub with its new, fully operational and ICAO compliant message handling system.

The message handling system, deployed by COMSOFT will bring Papua New Guinea Air Services, (PNGAS), provider of air navigation services, the ability to reinforce the aeronautical message handling system connections with other countries, such as New Zealand, Australia, Fiji & Indonesia who also operate the COMSOFT message handling system.

This is great news for PNGAS, who have been eager to introduce the message handling system technology in Papua New Guinea as, due to the nature of the terrain, air travel is key to the country’s economy.

With the message handling system, operators will be able to access critical flight information; NOTAMs, weather data and flight plans.

Aviation message handling system operations are crucial to safe and efficient flight management and offer solutions to airlines of all sizes.  Aviation messaging providers, such as COMSOFT & ARINC can bring these key solutions closer for compliance with ICAO regulations.

ARINC, industry-leading aviation message handling system providers have been bringing the answers to aircraft communications for 80 years.

 

Revised Format of NOTAMs by the FAA

September 20, 2013
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In a bid to harmonize the US system of NOTAMs with the ICAO standards, a new and revised format of the delivery of NOTAMs is expected on 1st October.

Improvements will include the definition of numbers to removed the ‘guesswork’ when it comes to units of measurement in the case of FT, LB & NM.  Altitudes will be defined with upper and lower limits and changes to the usability of runways and declared distances will be clear.

The changes come as a part of the 2012 Pilot’s Bill of Rights, which has highlighted and authorized the improvements to the NOTAMs system in the US.  Pilots will be able to access necessary information about their route of flight, prioritizing will filters in alignment with their flight profile.

Field Condition (FICON) NOTAMs will be listed amongst the biggest changes.  Pilots and flight crews will be able to file a Pilot Reported FICON with a list of runway contaminants reportable in the situation of an unmonitored field.

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) have an active role in the evaluation of the current NOTAMs system and the recommendation of improvements as a member of the RTCA Tactical Operations Committee.  Another goal is to introduce an improved, user-friendly format for the system delivery of NOTAMs, enabling access with tablets and smart phone technology.

Burmese Airports Physical Security Upgrades

September 19, 2013
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The demands placed upon the aviation industry in Burma are increasing year on year as passenger numbers continue to rise with the volume of cargo.  This has led to a direct need for upgraded airports physical security in the region of Myanmar’s busiest airports – Yangon, Mandalay, Nyanung U, Heho, Thandwe and Dawei.

Airport physical security is one issue for improvement, and to satisfy the ICAO safety standards, some of the named airports are scheduled for the installation of a new air traffic control system.

airports physical security

Projects and contracts have been awarded to Sumitomo Corporation, Toshiba, Morita and the NEC Group to provide equipment for the improvement of the safety standards.

There will be Doppler VHF radio range beacons, distance measuring equipment, aeronautical lighting systems, communications control units and flight procedure design systems.  Physical security equipment, such as intruder and explosive detection systems will also be installed.

The project will enhance safety and security within the region and will allow for an expansion of capacity enabling the airports to handle more passengers with minimal delays.

The funding for this project has been the result of an agreement between the government of Myanmar and the Japanese government and a grant was issued by Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Enhanced airport capacity is a requirement that is spreading around the world.  As more and more passengers take to the air each year, the need for greater border control and physical security is inevitable.  Providers such as ARINC take airport physical security into the next generation with their suite of solutions.

Heathrow Tackle Delays with Electronic Border Management Solutions

September 19, 2013
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Electronic Border Management Solutions ProvidersAll over the world, airports have been wrestling with the notoriously difficult and time-consuming aspects of inner-terminal processes – departures.  The entire check-in process is laborious and exhausting for both passengers and airport staff and is the biggest cause of ground delays, queuing time and missed revenue.

It has to be said that the introduction of electronic border management solutions has made leaps and bounds on the road to improving this procedure.  Online check-in and bag drop kiosks are helping to streamline the check-in process and is bringing down waiting times.

London Heathrow has led the way in this field for a number of years, being the first to trial self-service check-in operations and multiple airline baggage handling and check-in solutions.  Passenger processing is fast-becoming ultra-efficient, reducing waiting times and significantly improving the entire experience for both passengers and airlines.

Mark Walker, Heathrow Airports Leader of the Passenger Processing Program says, “We’ve been taking quite a rigorous approach to exploring what good ideas we’ve got in-house or with our airlines, or indeed with industry best practices that are emerging, trialling some of those to really understand whether it is what our passengers want here at Heathrow, and then selectively deploying those technologies.”

Electronic Border Management encompass not just check-in and baggage handling, but also Advanced Passenger Information System solutions to allow government departments access to critical passenger data ahead of the scheduled departure.  Border Control Agencies are then able to spot high-risk passengers and expedite low-risk passengers, which also helps to streamline the process of check-in and boarding, minimising the risk of ground-delays.

Airport Information Infrastructure System at Al Maktoum, Dubai

September 18, 2013
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In a move towards the NextGen Airport Operations System initiative, Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central has awarded the contract for a comprehensive airport information infrastructure system to Dubai Technology Partners LLC and UFIS Airport Solutions.

The critical solution will help in the interim during the work involved in the implementation of the NextGen initiative and will reinforce the airport information infrastructure for Dubai Airports.

The first passenger terminal, due to open in October of this year, will have the capacity for over 5 million passengers annually, with that figure expected to rise to 160 million passengers per year upon its completion within the next 10 years.

The contract includes implementation of Flight Information Processing System, Resource Management System, Airport Operational Database and Flight Information Display System.

Integrated airport information infrastructure encompasses flight information and passenger data through to perimeter security solutions and vehicle identification.  Industry leading providers of advanced information management, such as ARINC, offer a complete suite of solutions for airport information infrastructure with its innovative ARINC AIM.

ARINC AIM gives facilities across the world cost-efficient solution for access management, physical security and airport information infrastructure management.

EU Parliament Vote to Put Safety First in Aviation

September 17, 2013
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Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers all over the European Union today welcome the Parliamentarian decision to vote positively on the new Occurrence Reporting Regulation.

The agreement about improvements to current procedures for the reporting of incidents regarding aviation safety is supported by the European Parliament Transport Committee and sets the scene for a new framework to strengthen air safety across Europe.

The Transport Committee wanted to ensure that pilots and air traffic controllers are protected when reporting mistakes and that the information they provide is not misused or misrepresented.

“Europe’s airline pilots and air traffic controllers warmly welcome the adoption of this report”, said Nico Voorbach, President of the ECA. “The pro-safety stance developed by the EP rapporteur Mrs de Veyrac – and vigorously supported by her colleagues within the Transport Committee is remarkable. A true safety culture is one that recognizes that it can always improve. MEP’s have understood this and introduced valuable improvements to an already good proposal by the EU Commission.”

ARINC Begin Work on Data Communications Network Services Portion of NextGen

September 17, 2013
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Data Communications Network Services The data communications network services (DCNS) forms an essential portion of the FAA’s NextGen initiative, which will help to reduce congestion of the airways over the busiest global cities, improve flight safety and increase the efficiency of real-time communications with the replacement of voice with digital data transmissions.

The data communications network services contract is a portion of the 7 year, $150 million that was awarded to the Harris Corporation last month.  The entire contract for data communications integrated services, of which DCNS is a part, was awarded last September to Harris.

ARINC is providing data communications network services under DCNS that will assist the FAA with the integration of its end-to-end data communications system.  ARINC’s services will include the enabling of Communications Service Provider (CSP) network access and the provision of professional services for test, engineering integration and implementation of DCNS into the Data Communications System.

ARINC and the FAA go back a long way, with a working relationship that has been in place for over 50 years.  The industry-leading communications providers pioneered the now standard ACARS messaging system and have been involved in data link technology since as early as 1978.

John Belcher, Chairman  & CEO of ARINC Inc said, “Our DCNS work will tackle some of the most crucial issues in the aviation industry—saving fuel, reducing flight times and increasing air traffic capacity. We are proud to be building on our industry-leading legacy by providing solutions that have met the aviation needs of the past and will help solve the challenges of the future.”