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Advance Passenger Information Data Row

February 16, 2012
Business Aviation News
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AviSec Advance Passenger Information
AviSec Advance Passenger Information

This month we heard that the US and European Governments are disputing a deal on passenger data sharing – put together to fight serious crime and terrorism.

Advance Passenger Information (API), is obligatory in the USA and all EU member states. Increasingly it is being required by governments around the world. Combined with Passenger Name Records (PNR), this information must be sent to the destination country’s border security department for passenger screening, crucial for effective border management. Failure to supply API can land airlines with fines of up to $5,000.

One Dutch parliament member has spoken against the new deal, and if enough support is gathered the EU could vote against the deal in April. A rejection by the Parliament could leave major commercial airlines serving trans-Atlantic routes in a form of legal limbo – as airline would be obliged to supply the information to the US – but face legal action from EU passengers.

The dispute over passenger name records (which can include names, addresses, phone numbers, itineraries and credit card numbers) demonstrates the differing priorities of the US and EU.

Carriers looking to improve their Advance Passenger Information provision and remain in line with the latest legal requirements can turn to the industry leaders ARINC. The AviSec Messaging service has served the air transport industry’s need for secure, reliable messaging for over 50 years. Secure delivery is paramount for airlines which must transmit API in the form of batch flight manifests to border control agencies in the destination country.

Interactive API requires a fast and efficient query-response environment. AviSec leverages ARINC’s travel industry messaging service and supports a broad spectrum of IP protocols and legacy airline protocols.

For more information please visit www.avisec-messaging.com.

FAA Approves Use of ARINC’s HFDL Network for Air Traffic Control Data Link Communications

February 14, 2012
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ARINC Flight Deck Communications Services

ARINC Flight Deck Communications Services

Last week we heard that following a recent trial, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has prepared the way for data link Air Traffic Control (ATC) communications over the global High Frequency Data Link (HFDL) network of ARINC Incorporated.

This decision means that aircraft already using HFDL for operational communications will be capable of using the ARINC service to communicate with controllers as well.

 “By offering customers maximum diversity in media, including Satellite, VHF and HFDL, ARINC is in the unique position of delivering the most robust communications package possible,” stated Bill Doyen, ARINC’s HFDL Program Manager. “The aviation industry has already embraced HFDL, as evidenced by its two largest airframe makers providing HFDL forward-fit on all new long-range aircraft coming off their lines.”

HFDL is a unique global data communications service available only through ARINC. Ground stations located around the world provide overlapping, redundant HFDL coverage everywhere on the planet, including the north and south polar regions. ARINC’s HFDL service has experienced consistent double-digit growth year after year.

This is just one of the many flight deck communication and flight support services available through ARINC. More information can be found at http://www.business-flight-support.com/.

Could aviation Biofuels be competitive?

February 13, 2012
Business Aviation News
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Today we heard that Bloomberg New Energy Finance have published forecasts suggesting that the cost of some biofuels could be similar to that of conventional jet fuel by 2018.

The International Air Transport Association stated that by 2020, 6% of jet fuel should be made up of biofuels. However, airlines might end up using only a modest proportion of biofuels in their fuel mix in the next few years due to limited availability of low cost, certified bio-fuel.

Harry Boyle, lead bioenergy analyst at Bloomberg New Energy Finance said ‘If governments want airlines to burn a significant proportion of non-fossil fuel before 2020, they will have either to subsidise advanced-but-not-yet-economic biofuels or, more likely, introduce mandates requiring carriers to use a certain percentage of sustainable biofuels in their mix, and put up with complaints that this is driving up ticket prices.’

Biofuels made from non-food vegetable oils like jatropha or camelina, or from the pyrolysis of cellulosic feedstocks, should be the first types to become competitive after the move to large-scale production. Jatropha, for example, has the potential to produce jet fuel at $0.86 (€0.65) per litre by 2018.

While European carbon credits at the moment are so cheap they have negligible effects on ticket prices, biofuels will be competitive within a decade,’ says Michael Liebreich, chief executive of Bloomberg New Energy Finance. ‘However, available volume is going to be limited and airlines will be in competition for it, so those airlines which move now are likely to have an advantage later.’

Faster, friendlier AviNet Mail

February 13, 2012
Business Aviation News
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AviNet Mail is the Web-based face of ARINC’s industry-standard Type B messaging service. In a recent survey of nearly 200 users no fewer than 72 per cent said they were very satisfied with the service, more than 60 per cent reported that their Type B bills had fallen after they had adopted it, and nearly all of them said they would be glad to recommend it to others.

Flexibility is one of the key strengths of AviNet Mail. Messages can be read all over the world on wireless Internet-enabled handheld devices like the iPhone and Blackberry. And the service’s infrastructure has “any-to-any” interoperability built into it, allowing customers to select the user interface that best suits their applications without having to worry about compatibility with their business partners.

The new version is even faster and more user-friendly than the one already in full operation with more than 550 customers. They use it for a wide variety of functions, including monitoring flight departures and arrivals, load control, passenger and cargo handling, and arranging ground transportation, wheelchair assistance and special in-flight catering.

“We’re intent on helping our customers to achieve still more cost savings and improvements in efficiency,” says Laura Petrozziello, sales and business manager for aviation solutions at ARINC EMEA. “We listened to their views and have taken them into account in this further development of AviNet Mail.”

The new features include a very powerful desktop client that synchronises customer PCs with ARINC’s Webmail and has additional templates to help users to send the more labour-intensive standard messages quickly and accurately.

“Some of these message formats are very complicated,” says Petrozziello. “Our templates make the customer’s life a lot easier.” The new desktop also has a built-in customer care capability supported 24×7 by a call centre.

“This client is a full ARINC product that we manage end-to-end,” says Petrozziello. “It has all the rules you would expect from a corporate email client like Outlook, so that it’s very straightforward to filter, forward and manage messages.

For more information on Type B Messaging and to calculate if you could save money on Type B Messaging please visit typebcheck.com.

Leading Greek Handling Provider Switches to ARINC’s Type B Messaging Service

February 5, 2012
Business Aviation News Introduction
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Type B Messaging Services
Type B Messaging Services

Last week we heard that Goldair Handling has contracted ARINC to handle its Type B messaging. Goldair has migrated 28 addresses to ARINC’s user-friendly messaging solution AviNet® Mail. ARINC completed the installations in less than a month.

The AviNet Mail service offers low-cost Type B, e-mail and SMS messaging over a secure network. With its single interface from any internet connection, and a simple message-formatting template, AviNet Mail is ideal for airlines, cargo operations, flight dispatch operators and caterers, as well as ground handlers.

AviNet Mail sales manager, Carlos Fernandes, was stated The decision was based on ARINC’s superior technical support and straightforward billing system.”

ARINC’s AviNet Type B Messaging service is used for GLOBALink ACARS®, passenger reservations, aviation weather data, flight planning and more.

Developed for reliability, security and consideration of the economic considerations of business aviation, AviNet Type B Messaging Service handles over 20 million messages every day.

For more information please visit: www.typebmessaging-avinet.com.

 

Government delegations and aviation industry leaders to come together

February 4, 2012
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This week has been full of anticipation of the Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit (SAALS), returning this year as a part of the Singapore Airshow.

SAALS and the Business Forums offer an opportunity for government delegations and aviation industry leaders to discuss key challenges in the business aviation industry.

Held on 12-13 February 2012, the summit will bring together airlines, manufacturers, airports and governments, and a mix of speakers and delegates who will provide both depth and insight into the discussions.

Under the theme ‘Driving Change, Overcoming Challenges Together’, the summit will address long-term growth and sustainability in the aviation business, security and climate change.

Mr Yap Ong Heng, Director-General, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), said: “This year’s theme is particularly pertinent, coming at a time when global aviation is facing a period of significant change and uncertainty which must be addressed through global collaboration. By bringing key global aviation leaders together for collective dialogue, we hope to shape new perspectives that can take the industry forward.”

Following their resounding success in 2010, another highlight of Singapore Airshow 2012 will be the Business Forums. Presented by top aerospace buyers, government officials and industry leaders, the Business Forums will give trade visitors and exhibitors the opportunity to understand procurement trends and strategies to tap potential business prospects and joint ventures in key Asian markets.

Singapore Airshow, Asia’s largest and one of the top three aerospace and defence shows in the world, returns from 14-19 February 2012 at the Changi Exhibition Centre. It has consistently drawn strong attendance from high-level military delegations, senior government officials and leading industry players. With the strong participation this year, the event looks set to be bigger and more spectacular, presenting the finest in aviation technologies and systems from some 900 companies across 50 countries.

ARINC vMUSE at Berlin Brandenburg Airport

February 4, 2012
Business Aviation News
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ARINC vMUSE Airport Common Use Systems

ARINC vMUSE Airport Common Use Systems

 

This week we wanted to look at the ARINC vMUSE product. We heard in January that ARINC won a contract with Bradenburg contract in Berlin to supply and install the passenger check-in and departure systems for 31 airlines and handling agents, with capacity for 27 million passengers each year, with room for further expansion.
ARINC will install its common use passenger processing system (CUPPS) – vMUSE ¬– as well as its BagLink baggage information distribution system. vMUSE includes self-service kiosks and baggage drops.
 
54 workstations have already been implemented on a live test environment, the hardware installation is expected to be completed in February, and at full operation ARINC will have rolled out vMUSE on 153 workstations for check-in and back office desks, and on 188 boarding gate workstations.
ARINC have also installed its AviNet Airport service at the gateway, allowing for airlines to connect to the host systems immediately.
vMUSE Enterprise, the latest version of ARINC’s well-known MUSE® (Multi-User System Environment) common use platform, combines the security and reliability of vMUSE with advanced virtualisation technology to provide seamless, multi-airline check-in without having to install and manage on-site servers and platform software. This puts the power of common use systems within reach of airports and airlines whose passenger volumes may be too small to justify the investment in traditional CUTE (Common Use Terminal Equipment) infrastructure.

For more information please visit vmuse-enterprise.com.

ARINC Offers Cabin WiFi and Diversifies Data Applications

January 17, 2012
Business Aviation News
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ARINC In Flight Broadband Technology

ARINC In Flight Broadband Technology

ARINC has already joined the crowded market for wireless Internet access in airline cabins with the unveiling of its new Cabin Connect suite of products, using Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband connection. The service allows passengers to connect online with their own portable electronic devices, through either free access provided by the airlines or prepayment when they buy their tickets.

Other projects at Arinc–a long-established flight-planning and data specialist–include integrating electronic flight bags into the cockpits of Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific’s airplanes, as well as introducing new self-service check-in kiosks at smaller airports such as Belfast City in Northern Ireland, and expanding its GlobaLink VHF datalink network, concentrating on boosting coverage in Asia.
ARINC’s Cabin Connect offers:

  • Next Generation Passenger Connectivity
  • Personal Electronic Device Support

Thanks to the enhanced bandwidth offered by SwiftBroadband and ARINC’s Cabin Connect Solution, airline passengers can now surf the internet, send and receive email, and use universal messaging all through their own portable electronic device, be that laptop, tablet computer eg iPad or Playbook, smart phone or portable gaming devices.

Supporting various commercial models, ARINC works with airlines to find the best unique solution, creating differentiation and increased value that can help to promote passenger loyalty.

More information on Cabin Connect can be found at http://www.cabinconnect.aero/.

VistaJet Expansion Plans

January 17, 2012
Business Aviation News
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VistaJet, the luxury aviation company for private jet charter and private jet ownership released plans this week to double in size by 2015 across Brazil, India, Nigeria, China and other rapidly growing countries, FlightGlobal reported this week.

VistaJet said China and West Africa will be priorities for 2012, and it is currently the largest international business aviation operator flying into a number of key Russian destinations.

Thomas Flohr, chairman of VistaJet, said: “We have reached a major stage in our development and strategic expansion. We have the opportunity to build on our established position as the world’s leading luxury aviation company, with the largest fleet of business jets outside of North America.”

The company has boosted its Bombardier fleet to 30 aircraft – comprising Global 6000, Challenger 850 and 605, and Learjet 60XR types – with a further $2 billion on backlog, including a pair of Airbus ACJ319s, due to an increase in long-haul demand.

The fleet will double by 2015 to 60 mid- and large-cabin types, VistaJet said.

FAA: US Business jet activity continues to rise

January 13, 2012
Business Aviation News
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Business Jets Activity Increasing

Business Jets Activity Increasing

2011 saw an increase in business jet activity we heard this week from FLIGHT. Starting in 2009 numbers have continued to rise the US Federal Aviation Administration’s enhanced traffic management system reported.

As of the end of November, the FAA counted 3.6 million business jet operations for the calendar year.This tally would appear to be on track to break the 2010 yearly total of 3.8 million operations by about 3% if December figures follow trends from previous months. The December 2010 to November 2011 operations total was up more than 4% compared with the previous year tally.

The top three business aircraft models in terms of usage since December 2010 were the Cessna Citation XLS family, with more than 320,000 operations through the end of November, followed by the Hawker 750/850/900 series at nearly 300,000 operations, and the Cessna Citation Ultra/Encore line.

Teterboro airport, near New York city, continued to be the top US airport for business jet activity, with more than 123,000 operations in the same period, followed by nearby Westchester County, at 60,000 operations, and Dulles international, at 57,000 operations.