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Alaska GA Flight Services System & Flight Planning Contract Awarded

February 2, 2015
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Flight Planning via iPad - Leading Providers

It has been announced that Florida-based Harris Corporation has been awarded a contract by the FAA to upgrade and manage the Alaskan GA flight services system that delivers flight planning and real time weather capabilities.

The 10-year contract, made up of three base years and seven one-year options, is worth a projected $98 million and will involve the implementation of Harris’ OASIS II program.

Under the contract, flight planning and real-time weather updates and briefing will be supplied to FAA flight service specialists in addition to handling NOTAMs messages.

OASIS II – Operational and Supportability Implementation System – will utilise System Wide Information Management (SWIM) in the National Airspace System (NAS) and will be the first consumer.

Cessna Citation Latitude Celebrations for First Rollout

February 1, 2015
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Cessna Citation Latitude RolloutCessna Aircraft Company is celebrating this week as the first production Citation Latitude is rolled out at the Kansas manufacturing facility after just three years since it was first announced to the business aviation marketplace.

FAA type certification can now proceed to the next level and is hoped for by the summer of this year.

The Latitude’s assembly has included a host of technological advancements for the industry and has been an exciting process with the latest automated robotics systems and ergonomic tooling stations.

Scott Ernest, president and Cessna CEO is delighted with their progress, “Our product investments extend beyond design and performance features of the aircraft with innovations in our manufacturing process,” he said. “The Citation Latitude team has redefined what customers should expect from a business aircraft in this segment, while also redefining the aircraft build process.”

Since making its public debut last year at the National Business Aviation Association Convention, the Latitude has been touring and making customer demonstration flights, clocking up 500 flights and 1,200 hours over the four flying aircraft.

Case for New Equipment Made by Aviation Security Officers in Nigeria

January 29, 2015
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Security Solutions Providers for Mission Critical Facilities & AirportsFollowing a recent lecture arranged by the Aviation Security Department of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, security personnel compiled a list of new operational equipment that they say is needed to improve security to a level that can help to combat threats to nationwide aviation security.

The equipment list contains state-of-the-art screening facilities including scanners, operational vehicles and communications equipment in addition to a request for the installation of closed circuit television cameras.

Speaking through Mr Wendel Ogunedo, the director of aviation security for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the aviation security officers have expressed their concern over the trend of inadequacy in the areas of personnel training and obsolete technology in the wake of a growing threat to national security that is not unique to Nigeria.

In order for them to respond adequately, the security officers say that advancements must be made to upgrade their equipment and recruit additional personnel. Mr Ogunedo agreed and said the task of securing the airport from ‘unlawful interference by unauthorised persons’ would be best carried out with the addition of 1500 security personnel.

All across the globe, aviation security is under threat. Airports and other critical facilities can ensure security only with adequate equipment and personnel to undertake what is becoming a major, worldwide concern.

Software for Passenger Reservations Selected by Alitalia

January 27, 2015
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Passenger Reservations and Aviation Messaging Solutions ProvidersItalian-based carrier, Alitalia has selected an SaaS platform as a part of its modernisation program to handle critical airline operations, including its passenger reservations system.

CEO of Alitalia, Silvano Cassano said, “We are reinventing Alitalia. In the coming years, we expect that you will see a healthy carrier with a fresh and exciting new brand. This is a significant, multi-year initiative and technology will be the cornerstone of our success.”

Alitalia, one of Europe’s largest carriers, have selected Sabre Corporation, U.S. based travel and tourism technology providers, to implement their new passenger reservations system.

Across the globe, the numbers of international travellers is increasing and airlines are seeking new ways to streamline the passenger reservations and processing system. With API requirements also increasing worldwide, it is becoming critical to ensure that reliable aviation messaging solutions are in place, not only for compliance, but also to ensure security.

Other leading solutions providers, such as Rockwell Collins’ ARINC AviNet, provide a robust system architecture to ensure that all mission critical messaging is delivered swiftly and reliably while maintaining seamless security on a global scale.

Many carriers also realise that a reliance upon the latest technology is clearly the way forward.

Real-time Weather Reporting Could Improve Safety for AirAsia

January 20, 2015
Business Aviation News
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Providers of Reliable Aviation Messaging SystemsA recent report following the AirAsia tragedy of Flight QZ8501 revealed that officials did not pick up weather reports in person, which has been hailed as a ‘missed opportunity’ by experts.

This is not to say that AirAsia violated any aviation policies, but it has highlighted an issue that meteorologists and airline officials could have detailed potentially dangerous weather conditions in real-time.

If flight operations personnel typically receive weather reporting updates, then there is time for essential decision-making to take place, including re-routing if necessary. According to CNN, the occurrence of AirAsia flight operations staff not directly collecting weather documents is not uncommon, and weather updates are generally received by email, and not in person.

Although, according to AirAsia, there is no change in the method of receiving copies of weather information, the airline has made a change in how the information is processed by its personnel.

The tragic events of the crash are still being investigated and search efforts have been hampered by severe weather and storm conditions. Of the 162 people on board the aircraft when it downed in the Java Sea, 39 have been recovered and 16 officially identified.

Weather conditions are blamed for a high percentage of aircraft accidents and it is critical that real-time weather reporting is an advantage for airlines and operators for flight planning and enhanced decision-making. Industry messaging and support services providers realise the importance of reliable, timely delivery of aviation messaging in order to maximise efficiency throughout aircraft operations and allowing real-time decision making with the implementation of flight deck weather.

New eBorders Technology Installed in Bulgarian Airports

January 18, 2015
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Other Leading Providers of eBorders TechnologyThe Bulgarian government has co-financed eBorders technology at three airports across the country in an effort to enhance border security. The new automated border control in now in operation at Fraport AG and eGates in Varna and Burgas.

Passengers with machine-readable passports can now pass through the eBorders technology and be scanned via facial recognition software. The system is designed to expedite passenger processing systems and enhance efficiency, while maintaining border security control.

Self-service technology is expanding across the world’s busiest airports and with numbers seeing an increase of an average of 5% every year, airports, governments and border security agencies are searching for solutions to speed up the process, yet tighten security across a country’s borders.

eBorders technology is intelligent and can relay information at a faster rate. Using self-service solutions also gives passengers a greater sense of control over their journey and can maximise operational productivity for airlines and airports.

German Aviation Systems Integrator Selects Industry Service Software

January 17, 2015
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Providers of Airport Management SystemsGaldos Systems, Canadian software provider, has signed a deal with a big aviation systems integration company in Germany to provide solutions that will enhance safety and efficiency through information management and offers a chance to build industry-specific systems.

Using specific solutions for airport and facility management can lead to better decision-making and gives back-office applications capacity for greater efficiency. In an airport environment this can mean enhanced passenger processing, ticketing and security.

Solutions providers can offer greater flexibility to a wide-area network, such as Rockwell Collins’ ARINC, who deliver solutions for remote access across an airport messaging environment which in turn offers comprehensive applications for DCS, flight planning, check-in platforms and even across baggage handling systems.

Nextant G90XT Takes to the Skies on Maiden Flight

January 16, 2015
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Maiden Flight for Remanufactured AircraftNathan Marker, Nextant Aerospace chief pilot and vice president of flight operations, flew the re-engined G90XT on its maiden flight on January 12th. A celebration of the marker event was held at Cuyahoga County Airport, the company’s Cleveland, Ohio headquarters.

The Nextant G90XT is a Beechcraft King Air C90A, equipped with GE H75-100 turboprop engines and follows the Beechjet 400A/Hawker 400XP as the second remanufactured aircraft in their program.

The first, 24-minute flight saw the G90XT reach a height of 8,000 ft. and around 230 knots groundspeed. The following day, a speed of 261 knots was reached out of the projected maximum capability of 280 knots with four passengers.

Sean McGeough, Nextant president and CEO, expects the flight-test program to take approximately six weeks to complete and certification to be processed during late spring. No performance figures have yet been released, but Mr Marker is said to be ‘thrilled with the performance so far.”

SESAR Business Aircraft Demonstration Project Led by NetJets

January 10, 2015
Business Aviation News
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Inflight Connectivity Solutions for Business AircraftA two-year demonstration project to test new approach and landing technology is being led by NetJets Europe for the Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research program.

The project, part-financed by the SESAR joint undertaking, incorporates 15 organisations who will take part in over 200 flight demonstrations at six European airports, including approaches to land (AAL) and 14 other projects throughout 2016 to highlight the benefits of the SESAR initiative.

Business aircraft utilisation of synthetic and enhanced vision for flights in inclement weather at small, regional airports will be examined during the projects, in addition to approach procedures for access to large hubs.

A statement issued by the SESAR joint undertaking said, “The aim of the project is to pave the way for the uptake of these technologies, which are needed to overcome the limitations of the current ILS equipment, which is costly to install and maintain, and which can only guide straightforward approaches.”

Business aviation communications services providers are helping to pave the way for the SES initiative, as operators aim to complete the retrofit upgrades in preparation to fulfil mandatory requirements for compliance.

Business Aviation Ahead with In-Flight Connectivity

January 7, 2015
Business Aviation News
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Passenger Communications & In-Flight Connectivity Solutions for the Business Jet Flight DeckAs an industry, aviation is awash with discussion about the benefits, both safety and operational, of in-flight connectivity through e-enablement.

The business aviation sector is ahead of the game in this and many other areas, as many BIZAV operators are already utilising WiFi and in-flight connectivity, not just for passenger communications, but also for keeping the flight deck up-to-date, using the latest solutions, such as connected Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) and increasing flight efficiency with real-time access to flight data and weather updates.

In the Middle East, cabin crew use the aircraft enhanced connectivity to save valuable time, one of the driving forces for business passengers. Using in-flight connectivity features enables cabin crew to send and receive updates, such as cabin maintenance requirements and aircraft status, which can lead to faster turnaround times, ultimately saving business aircraft operators time and money.

In-flight connectivity solutions providers for the business aviation sector make full use of the latest technology to ensure that operators around the world can streamline their operations. The commercial sector is sure to follow.