ATTF Report to IATA for Flight Tracking Initiative

December 17, 2014
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A report has been submitted to IATA by the Aircraft Tracking Task Force (ATTF) this week, which will deliver its findings for consideration in the Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS) development.

Airline Operational Messaging Solutions ProvidersAlthough the contents of the report are not yet public, Tony Tyler, CEO of IATA said that the report ‘recommends that airlines evaluate their current tracking capabilities against the performance criteria and close any gaps within a 12 month time frame.”

According to Mr Tyler, airlines will need to complete phases in order to achieve complete, worldwide aircraft tracking capability:

Short-term – make use of the current capabilities within their fleets and operational areas

Near-term – look at the business case for upgrading equipment to meet performance criteria

Parallel – explore the possibility of making tamper-proof systems with other industry stakeholders and manufacturers

The recommendations included in the report encompass many improvements, particularly within the communications systems, such as Controller-pilot datalink communications (CPDLC) and ACARS to the space-based ADS-B, which, in the long-term is seen as the solution to seamless global aircraft tracking.

With mandatory equipage of these technologies fast approaching within European and Canadian airspace, new aircraft are already seeing these technologies coming as standard onboard installations.

For global tracking to become a certainty, technological capabilities must be installed and a ground-based ADS-B infrastructure is already in place.

“The public should be aware that there is no silver bullet solution on tracking,” said Tyler. “The industry is working to improve, but some issues such as tamper proofing, will take time to address and implement.”

Indira Ghandi Airport Launch APIS for Improved Security

December 15, 2014
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APIS & PNR Transmission Solutions ProvidersIndian airports will soon step up its efforts to control smuggling and track ‘persons of interest’ through its launch of Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) this month.

The APIS system has been developed by the National Informatics Centre with assistance from the Directorate General of Systems under the Finance Ministry and is set for launch at Indira Ghandi International Airport.

The system will operate in much the same way as the US and European APIS systems with the provision of an electronic database of all passengers and flight crew, with the addition of a manifest of all personnel entering and exiting the airport terminals.

APIS is designed to enable government and border agencies access to Advance Passenger Information which can then be screened to identify potential threats to national and international security. The system is mandatory in the US and is proving to be a great asset to agencies in the tracking of terrorist movements. APIS requirements are spreading around the globe as more and more countries take a stand in the threat of terrorism.

APIS providers have a responsibility to ensure that Advance Passenger Information is collected, stored and distributed securely, swiftly and reliably to be of the greatest use to agencies all over the world.

New Self-Service Bag Drop & Security Systems for Gatwick Airport

December 14, 2014
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Providers of Baggage Handling Systems in AirportsA £1 billion investment plan has been announced for Gatwick Airport as it marks its five-year milestone of independent ownership.

The airport has seen improvements to its South Terminal and the next investment plans are for the North Terminal, where £36 million will be spent on a brand new check-in area, featuring what is hailed to be the world’s largest self-service bag drop zone. 60 bag drop units will be expected to virtually eliminate queueing and will free up valuable terminal space while helping airlines with cost-sharing opportunities in a multi-airline bag drop facility.

A new security area will benefit from £30 million and is expected to open in 2016. Gatwick anticipate that the streamlined process of passenger screening will enable them to handle 5,000 passengers per hour with new features such as reconfigured lanes and floor wayfinding; systems that have been rigorously tested during the ‘Generation 2’ trials.

Queues are also expected to be reduced by the introduction of 15 new e-gates, effectively speeding up the passenger processing system and greatly enhancing the experience for travellers.

Stewart Wingate, CEO at London Gatwick is delighted with the new plans and said, “It’s been an incredible five years and this is just the start. Gatwick is changing for the better and the fresh £1 billion investment is a clear signal that we intend to become London’s airport of choice.”

Self Check-In Kiosks Improve Queues at Kolkata Airport

December 13, 2014
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Baggage Handling Solutions ProvidersAs one in four passengers are making the most of the recently-installed self check-in kiosks at Kolkata Airport, queuing is expected to be cut in half according to airport staff.

The six kiosks were installed last month and already, the time savings are said to have been brought down by almost half an hour during peak times for frequent fliers, who can now issue their own boarding passes in under a minute.

Now that almost a quarter of all travellers through Kolkata are using the kiosks to such advantage, the airport are planning to introduce another four kiosks over the next few months to further streamline the check-in process.

Previously, the queues at Kolkata were described as serpentine, and many of the commuter passengers were struggling to meet the flights. One passenger, Rajesh Dwivedi, who takes weekly flights in and out of the airport spoke of his previous problems with the queues. “I was twice denied boarding as the system shut down 45 minutes prior to scheduled departure,” he said. “The kiosks have come as a boon. At have been using the facility at other major airports and am glad that it’s finally come to Kolkata.”

Self-service check-in is a system that is proving itself all over the world as passengers prefer to take greater control of their journey. The introduction of the multiple airline common-bag drop also gives airlines and airports increased flexibility and offers the opportunity for cost-sharing and space saving with a better utilisation of airport personnel, particularly at peak times.

Rockwell Collins’ New ARINCDirect Fully Integrated

December 13, 2014
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Rockwell Collins' ARINCDirect New Features with IntegrationFollowing the introduction of the new ARINCDirect portfolios for cabin services and flight support services at MEBA last month, it is clear that Rockwell Collins have fully integrated the business aviation arm of its empire.

Rockwell Collins’ Ascend Flight Information Solutions division has now been merged with the former ARINC Direct services to create the new Rockwell Collins’ ARINCDirect portfolio, which is a part of the Information Management Services division.

ARINC Direct has held firm the position within the business aviation community and now promises to deliver even greater use of the latest technological developments while holding true to the key ideology of their core business practices which has made them an industry leader over the past decade.

Rockwell Collins’ ARINCDirect highlighted four key technologies at MEBA this year:

  • Integrated weight-and-balance/performance calculations in the improved iPad application
  • A new fuel tankering feature
  • Integration with Rockwell Collins’ Flight Operations System (FOS) software
  • New passenger and flight crew connectivity solutions

Combining the proven flight planning tools and flight support services with Rockwell Collins’ own solutions, the integrated services are now designed to fit every segment of the industry, offering owners and operators flexibility with solutions that can be ‘scalable to fit the mission’ according to Brian Kruger, senior director of the ARINCDirect unit.

Aircraft Tracking via Satellite with ESA Iris Program

December 12, 2014
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Providers of Aircraft Tracking Services for Business AviationThe European Space Agency (ESA) have outlined the Iris program this week in a collaboration with the Single European Sky ATM Research Joint Undertaking (SESAR JU) program, with a view to increasing the efficiency of global aircraft tracking through a satellite-based communications system.

Making improvements to future Air Traffic Management techniques is a key part of the initiative and Iris will potentially leverage a satellite-based system with current VHF ground-based communications systems that may bear the weight of overcrowded airwaves in the near future. It is planned that data link channels and ATM operations will become accessible and give new opportunities for aircraft tracking in a four-dimensional capacity – latitude, longitude, altitude and time. The system is known as 4-D trajectory management and it is hoped that it will be fully accessible by 2018.

In spite of various delays with upgrades to aircraft, the Iris program is designed to dramatically improve communications and bring the increased efficiency to operational productivity that has been sought by airlines, ATM and operators for more than 20 years.

Aircraft tracking via satellite communications will work in real time and use aircraft positioning reports, in addition to the complement of voice communications. Both continental and oceanic airspaces will be reliably covered to give truly global, uninterrupted coverage.

Business aviation enjoys the reliability of real-time aircraft tracking with providers delivering a satellite communications service over a robust system architecture, such as the Rockwell Collins’ ARINCDirect service, which provides seamless coverage via Inmarsat SwiftBroadband and Swift64 in conjunction with Iridium satellite communications. Real-time flight tracking is a sought-after service that is growing in demand, particularly since the disappearance of flight MH370 earlier this year.

As air traffic grows, demand upon the airways increases and the latest technological developments are needed to ensure utmost safety and reliability for all aircraft, both commercial and private.

Aviation Biofuel from Tobacco Investigated by Boeing

December 11, 2014
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Eco-friendly Aviation Biofuel SolutionIn a fascinating development, Boeing have announced that they will be using South African farmed tobacco plants to make sustainable aviation biofuel in conjunction with South African Airways (SAA).

Project Solaris, named after the GMO-free tobacco plant, is a collaboration between the global aviation giant, SAA, SkyNRG and Sunchem SA in a joint effort to develop an aviation biofuel supply chain.

The first test crop is due to be harvested this month in Limpopo Province, where 50 hectares of Solaris plants have been planted. Once harvested, the oil from the seeds could become biofuel during the first quarter of 2015.

Ian Cruikshank, environmental affairs specialist from South African Airlines said, “SAA continues to work towards becoming the most environmentally sustainable airline in the world and is committed to a better way of conducting business”.

With a test flight planned as soon as practically possible, the airline have high hopes for the biofuel, whose future production is scaled at 400 million litres by 2023.

“The impact that the biofuel programme will have on South Africans is astounding: thousands of jobs, mostly in rural areas; new skills and technology; energy security and stability; and macro-economic benefits to South Africa; and, of course, a massive reduction in the amount of CO2 that is emitted into our atmosphere.”

In addition to these savings, the cost of operational productivity will be vastly improved for the SAA, who currently spend in the region of 40% on fuel.

Boeing International managing director for Africa, J Miguel Santos is clearly excited to see such early progress and said, “Boeing strongly believes that our aviation biofuel collaboration with South African Airways will benefit the environment and public health while providing new economic opportunities for South Africa’s small farmers. This project also positions our valued airline customer to gain a long-term, viable domestic fuel supply and improve South Africa’s national balance of payments”.

Aviation biofuel made from Solaris plants can massively impact carbon emissions, reducing them effectively by 50% to 75%. This ensures that the sustainable solution meets the threshold set by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB).

Advanced Border Control Improvements for Zurich Airport

December 10, 2014
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Other Advanced Border Management Systems ProvidersZurich Airport has made improvements to its border management system with the installation of a new biometric Advanced Border Control System from Secunet AG. The system upgrade has given Zurich Airport an almost automated process for checking passenger documentation and has also increased flexibility for the airport, almost completely replacing the previous infrastructure for border management.

The inclusion of a fingerprint reader ensures Swiss compliance with mandatory regulations (VIS II) and electronic passport readers have streamlined the passenger processing system for the inspection and checking of identification.

The new system offers airport police the opportunity to access real-time information as the Secunet technology serves as a central interface.

“Travellers and border control staff now have access to the most state-of-the-art border control system in Europe,” said Dr. Rainer Baumgart, chairman of the board at Secunet AG. “The highly modular Secunet biomiddle solution and the new user interface, developed in partnership with the Zurich Cantonal Police, have set new standards in border control technology.”

Airport workstations have been connected to Swiss Police databases as a major part of the infrastructure upgrade process.

As airport traffic increases exponentially each year by an average of 5%, the need for streamlined automated border control processes also increases if ground delays are to be minimised and operational productivity at a high level.

Automated border control technology providers are under increasing pressure to maintain high levels of security across borders all over the world.

$4m Investment in Bangladeshi Airports

December 10, 2014
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Leading Physical Airport Security ProvidersIn a project that is to start next year, Bangladesh will be investing $4m to improve security at four airports in a bid to bring a halt to smuggling.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has issued approval for the improvements at Hazrat Shahjahal International and Hazrat Shah Amanat International Airports for the installation of primary and secondary surveillance radar in addition to a state-of-the-art security system at Shahjahal.

The project, named Bangladesh Airports Safety & Security System Improvement, will also see enhanced vehicle parking control systems, pedestrian access control, additional CCTV and baggage X-ray scanners, specifically designed to halt the gold smuggling activities that were reported earlier this year.

During the meeting, the ECNEC stated that to develop the system infrastructure for the airports would cost an additional $5m to the original estimate of $2m.

$4m will be sponsored by Denmark, and it will be left to the Bangladeshi Government to raise the additional required funds.

Physical airport security is growing increasingly necessary at airports across the globe. With the threat of terrorist movements and smuggling, airport security providers are searching the very latest technological advancements to ensure national security in addition to the safety of passengers, aircraft and flight crew.

Inmarsat and Alcatel Partner to Deliver European SATCOM Service

December 9, 2014
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Inmarsat Partner with Alcatel for SATCOM ServicesThe development of a high-speed ‘hybrid’ air-to-ground SATCOM service is being discussed in a new partnership agreement between Alcatel-Lucent and British satellite communications company, Inmarsat this week. The ATG SATCOM service will provide a new telecom network for commercial and business aviation operators throughout Europe and promises to deliver speeds of up to 75 Mbps.

Combining Alcatel’s 4G LTE S-band technology with Inmarsat’s Europasat will offer a new broadband service ‘Europe-wide’. The partnership are collaborating on the ground network and have submitted applications for licenses in all EU member states, 23 of which have already been authorised according to Inmarsat. As yet, no customers or hardware partners have been formally named, but the companies revealed that they are in ongoing discussions.

Leo Mondale, Inmarsat president, said, “These enhanced capabilities across Europe will be offered alongside Inmarsat’s GX aviation services, extending Inmarsat’s broadband service coverage for aviation passengers seamlessly.”

Commercial introduction is expected towards the end of 2016, although field trials have already been conducted of the Alcatel-Lucent system back in 2011.