SITA, Flight Explorer: Airlines to Test Global Flight Control Solution
June 30, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS
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SITA and Flight Explorer announced AirTran Airways will test a jointly developed integrated decision-support solution designed to provide airlines with the ability to track, manage and communicate with their flights through a single computer screen.
Prior to the integrated offering, airline flight dispatchers were able to use the Flight Explorer Aircraft Situation Display (ASD) application to track their flights, and separately use SITA AIRCOM to communicate with pilots.
The integration of tracking and data link communications on one screen is expected to increase the ability of dispatchers to maintain complete operational control of their flights, SITA said.
AirTran Airways, which already separately uses both SITA AIRCOM for in-flight data link communication and the Flight Explorer ASD, is set to carry out the first tests of the new combined solution in September.
The Flight Explorer graphical flight-following software started out by primarily using FAA radar data and is now used by more than 85% of the major airlines in North America.
The SITA AIRCOM data link network of 900 VHF stations in 160 countries and satellite links will help both partners reach each other's customers and provide airlines with a global flight control solution, according to SITA.
SITA is integrating Flight Explorer into its AIRCOM Server product, which offers airlines a turnkey solution for the exchange of messages with their aircraft cockpit computers.
The SITA AIRCOM service is used by more than 100 airlines. The 8,000 aircraft all use the VHF AIRCOM data link service and 2,000 of them also use the Satellite AIRCOM voice and data service. AIRCOM serves aircraft with data link computers that follow the Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) industry standard.
Source: SITA.