iPad Mini Passed by FAA for Operational Suitability

April 13, 2014
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Other Providers of iPad Applications for the CockpitThe iPad Mini with retina display will soon become a feature on the flight deck after being issued with a letter of Operational Suitability by the FAA for use with Jeppesens’ electronic flight bag (EFB).

‘We are pleased with the findings of the FAA evaluation team confirming the use of iPad mini and Jeppesen mobile EFB solutions,’ said Tim Huegel, director of Jeppesen Aviation Portfolio Management, ‘iPad mini and iPad mini with Retina display offer pilots the incredible detail and ease of use they need when leveraging our valuable data-driven apps and flight information in the cockpit’.

U.S. operators and air carriers must gain formal FAA authorisation for the use of electronic flight bag applications on the flight deck and Jeppesen will issue copies of the letter to those customers that express an interest in the use of the iPad Mini for specific use in their authorisation application.

Other providers of EFB solutions include ARINC Direct, recently acquired by avionics giant, Rockwell Collins. EFB solutions, such as iPad pilot apps, can minimise weight in the cockpit and bring a significant reduction of the pilot’s workload, offering sharing capabilities for flight information, changes to the flight plan and real-time weather updates, graphics and maps.

The advent of the iPad and now the iPad Mini on the flight deck moves the industry another step closer to the sought-after paperless cockpit.

Air Safety to be the Focus of IATA Meeting After MH370 Disappearance

April 11, 2014
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Solutions for Advanced Passenger Information SystemFollowing the disappearance of flight MH370, the focus of the Annual General Meeting of IATA this key will be enhancing security and finding ways to prevent the recurrence of such an incident.

Tony Tyler, Director-General and CEO of IATA stressed that speculation on the aircraft cannot be a guide to move forward, he said, ‘We need to base our efforts on evidence and conclusions that will come out of investigation. When an incident or accident occurs, our thoughts go to the families and friends of all those on board, and we rededicate our efforts to make this industry even safer.’

Mr Tyler added that the air transport industry is safe, with a low accident-flight ratio, but the ‘world cannot afford to leave the unprecedented missing of such a large aircraft as an aviation mystery’.

Among the issues to be addressed will be the length of time it is taking to locate the missing aircraft and to ensure that adequate flight tracking can be put into place. The issue of airport security and passenger screening has also been highlighted by the fact that two passengers were able to board with stolen passports.

The AGM, scheduled for early June, will focus upon improvements to passenger safety and will discuss the urgency of countries to provide advanced passenger information.

FANS Upgrade for Falcon Jets Offered by Rockwell Collins

April 11, 2014
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Providers of CPDLC CommunicationsRockwell Collins, recent acquirers of ARINC Inc, has announced an expansion on its Future Airspace Navigation System (FANS) 1/A capability and is offering an upgrade to Dassault Falcon 50EX, 2000 and 2000EX that are currently equipped with their avionics and flight management systems. The upgrades will be available during 2015.

The FANS a/A upgrade will bring operators savings of both fuel and time, helping to reduce the pilot’s workload with CPDLC capability and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Contract (ADS-C) and offering enhanced clarity of communications in remote oceanic and Polar Regions of the globe.

Rockwell Collins’ Pro Line Fusion Avionics for Bombardier’s Latest Business Jet

April 10, 2014
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Business Jet Connectivity ProvidersBombardier’s latest addition to the family is the Learjet 85, a beautiful single-aisle business jet with a capacity for up to 8 passengers. The aircraft will include Rockwell Collins’ award-winning Pro-Line Fusion avionics and the horizontal stabiliser trim system (HSTS) for superior flight deck connectivity.

The HSTS helps to control the pitch of the horizontal stabilizer, which can reduce drag and trim the aircraft to improve efficiency for the entire flight. With two placement point in the aircraft frame, safety is optimised, as the Learjet features thinner cabin walls to maximise space inside, improving passenger experience and comfort.

Pro Line Fusion is the latest award-winning offering from Rockwell Collins, featuring the largest LCD displays in the industry at 15.1 inch and a suite of capabilities including, but not limited to:

• Dual Flight Management System
• Localised Performance with Vertical Guidance
• Integrated Flight Information System,
• Synthetic vision
• Intuitive electronic checklists
• Electronic Circuit Breaker display and control

Bombardier’s Learjet 85 took its first flight this week in Wichita, Kansas and will be ready for the first deliveries in early 2015.

Global Business Environment Encouraged by Language Training for Cabin Crew

April 8, 2014
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Cabin Services Providers for Enhanced Passenger ExperienceCabin services are set to be enhanced for global business awareness as Japanese airline, All Nippon Airways announced a partnership with EF Education First to provide language training via a cloud-based school.

The plans come in the wake of the recently-released corporate strategy for the airline as it plans to increase passenger operations by 45% over the next two years. Global expansion is a key factor and ANA believe that highly-trained and prepared personnel can contribute to their plans.

ANA was last year awarded the Skytrax 5-star Airline ranking for the quality of cabin services, airport operations and enhancements to the service provided for international passengers.

President and CEO of ANA, Osamu Shinobe has high hopes for his airline, ‘As a full service carrier that is aiming to become the world’s leading airline, we want to further enhance the level of service that is provided by our employees. EF has an excellent track record in providing quality language training programs and this partnership will boost our improvement efforts. I have high expectations that this partnership will lead to even better services for our customers.’

President of EF Education First, Mr Peter Burmann said, ‘We are extremely proud to partner with ANA and support them in reaching their English goals. Our industry-specific expertise makes us well-suited to deliver the necessary customised training to ANA and we are looking forward to starting the training and seeing outstanding results.’

Santiago International Airport Upgrade Baggage Handling System

April 8, 2014
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Leading Baggage Handling Solutions ProvidersChilean Santiago International airport has announced the order for an Explosive Detection Scanner (EDS) as part of an upgrade to security. The contract has been awarded to Smiths Detection, through its regional authorised partner, Aerotech. The airport expansion plans are due to a rise in air traffic, noticeable throughout the world.

The order is the first for Smith Detection for the new HI-SCAN 10080 XCT EDS and was won after public tender application. The system was chosen, according to the airport, because it best met the needs for the expansion plans. Based on dual-energy, dual-view x-ray technology, the EDS has a large central opening and capacity for 1800 bags per hour at 98 ft per minute.

Many airports around the globe are upgrading baggage handling systems and looking at a more automated approach to streamline the passenger processing system as passenger demand increases.

Low Altitude Data Link Testing in UK

April 8, 2014
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High Frequency Data Link - Find out more...Research is being conducted into the use of data link communications on low-altitude flights between UK’s Bristol and Edinburgh this week by the National Air Traffic Services (NATS).

CPDLC will eventually completely replace European-wide voice communications and streamline flight deck communications under the SESAR European Single Sky Directive, run and managed by EUROCONTROL.

The UK trials are being conducted at low altitudes to assess the impact of the system for the provision of the same benefits at flight levels as low as 10,000 feet. The current European mandate will cover altitudes of over 28,500 feet.

In the U.S. the datalink directive is already in place, modernised by the Data Comm Air Traffic Management program (ATM). In the North Atlantic tract datalink is mandatory and access to these valuable routes saves time and fuel for operators.

In addition to these current datalink flight trials, NATS will also perform trials between Bristol and Rome and Scotland and Scandinavia.

Aircraft Internet Possibilities Widened by Ka-Band

April 7, 2014
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Aircraft Internet to Go Beyond Passenger CommunicationsExpanding communications bandwidth may soon broaden the horizons for aircraft internet that pass way beyond passenger connectivity. With increasing computer technology, greater bandwidth and storage capacity, the ability for aircraft to use data sharing and facilitate decision-making with web-based applications brings it all a step closer.

Inmarsat, a British satellite network operator, is a huge name already in aviation, using the far-reaching capabilities of the network for aircraft communications in L-band services. Honeywell is currently working with Inmarsat on the development of the avionics for the new generation of Global Xpress satellites that will operate in Ka-band. Ka-band will bring faster data rates and widen the possibilities for streaming and allowing operators to think ahead of passenger communications.

Honeywell have completed the critical design reviews for Global Xpress and will begin testing this month. The first of three Inmarsat-5 satellites was launched late last year and the rest are expected to be in place by early next year.

Radio Blackout Could be Caused by Recurring Solar Flares

April 6, 2014
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224332-flareScientists have warned that a recurrence of the solar flare that appeared last week could cause further radio blackouts over the coming days to aviation and communications systems. The solar flare was captured on video by the NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory on Saturday.

The intense bursts of radiation that solar flares emit, although not causing damage to the Earth, can affect communications as they disturb the layer of the atmosphere that carry signals.

“Though people on the ground will not be affected, satellite systems may be affected and this would likely have an effect on the aviation and communication systems for a while. This may last for up to a few hours,” said Dr Mayank Vahia, cosmic rays scientist at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.

As the Sun is at is peak of an 11-year cycle, it had been warned by the Indian Centre for Space Physics that there could be ‘dire consequences’ to the satellite systems around the planet, depending upon where they are positioned at the time of the activity.

Suhas Naik-Satam, programme co-ordinator (scientific) at the Nehru Planetarium in Mumbai, said, “The effect on the satellite system cannot be ruled out and therefore all sectors heavily dependent on such communications systems will have to stay alert.”

International Telecommunications Union Call for Real-Time Flight Tracking in the Wake of MH370

April 5, 2014
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Global Flight Support Services ProvidersThe entire aviation industry have scratched its proverbial head in the mysterious disappearance of flight MH370. It has led to a call from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) for improvements to the 50-year old ‘black box’ system, using advancements in technology to produce a real-time flight tracking system.

According to ITU, there ‘should be a mechanism to ensure that aircraft can be tracked in real time using state-of-the-art cloud computing’.

The black box recorder is mandatory on all flights, to record vital aircraft data regarding flight operations, aircraft systems, performance parameters, magnetic heading, positioning and other critical information. It is today being argued that this information should be available in real-time, with no possibility of being manually disconnected or the need for the recorder to be physically located in the event of an incident.

There is little doubt that the strength of feeling is running high at this stage. The industry as a whole is being urged to find solutions for flight tracking that cannot be manipulated.