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Web Manuals nears full saturation of Icelandic aviation market

Web Manuals AB is celebrating the win of Bluebird Cargo, a Reykjavik-based cargo charter operation. Bluebird Cargo is now the sixth Icelandic company to sign with Web Manuals, a fact this is not lost on Web Manuals Customer Success Manager Paul Sandström, “in a smaller country, when one company implements our product, the rest find out through word-of-mouth rather quickly. This has absolutely been the case in Iceland, although all of them have presented us with unique challenges. Bluebird had an extremely tight deadline, targeting only four weeks from initial demo to a live site. That was a huge challenge, but one Web Manuals able to achieve”.

Hjördís Ólafsdóttir, Supervisor Operations Quality Control for Bluebird Cargo spoke about the motivation behind choosing Web Manuals, “Bluebird Cargo was looking for a user-friendly system to be implemented in our EFB environment. Web Manuals is user friendly and easily accessible both offline and online”.

Ólafsdóttir also discussed the Web Manuals compliance library tool as a solution to a difficult problem “Maintaining manuals in compliance with regulations by using Web Manuals compliance library is easy. With constant changes in today’s aviation, the need to stay up-to-date with regulatory requirements has never been more important.  Web Manuals allows us to maintain up to date documentation and gives us an efficient and effective way to communicate the changes to our team all over the world”.

Lufthansa Cargo milestone: fuel efficiency info in the pilot briefing system

April 28, 2016 – Lufthansa Cargo fuel efficiency team met with its Honeywell Aviaso customer care and support teams to discuss the successful completion and next steps for an important milestone in the airline’s fuel efficiency program: the introduction of fuel efficiency info in the pilot briefing system.

All Lufthansa Cargo pilots will benefit from actionable fuel efficiency recommendations that are customized and specific to the aircraft type and the route being flown. The breakdown by flight phase: climb, cruise, and descent data provides guidance for fuel, time, and distance.

In addition to the pilot briefing, Lufthansa Cargo also had a hands-on workshop with the latest version of the application which now includes full navigational information: airports, waypoints, nav aids, airspaces, etc. The detailed navigational data allows airlines to setup detailed reporting and even alerts for events like waypoint crossing or time spent in airspace.

GigSky Enterprise Manager Helps Companies Streamline Management of International Mobile Data

Strategically manage mobile data consumption with GigSky Enterprise Manager

PALO ALTO, Calif., April 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-iReach/ — International wireless carrier and mobile technology company GigSky, today announced the release of GigSky Enterprise Manager (GEM). GEM is for businesses that have a need for global data connectivity management. It provides convenient, centralized control to support global business operations, and enables mission critical connectivity for the global workforce.

As SMB and enterprise organizations rely more on mobile data connectivity to keep their employees and devices connected worldwide, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for IT managers to implement a unified mobile data policy within the enterprise. This leaves the enterprise exposed to unforeseen costs, spotty service, security breaches, and poor connectivity.

“Companies need visibility into their mobile data usage, so they can strategically manage consumption and stay on top of costs,” said CEO Ravi Rishy-Maharaj. “GEM brings always-on connectivity and insightful analytics to the enterprise, anywhere in the world.”

Norwegian Airlines has been using GigSky mobile data for many years and is adopting GEM technology. “We initially chose GigSky for high quality mobile data to support our Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) deployment, and ensure our pilots could stay connected across our worldwide destinations,” said Klaus Olsen, Norwegian Airlines EFB Manager. “GEM makes detailed tracking and monitoring easy, so we can control and optimize mobile data usage.  We now look forward to expanding our GigSky deployment beyond flight crews to our many other highly mobile employees.”

GEM is delivered on a secure cloud-based platform and works on any PC, Mac or mobile device browser.

More information on GigSky Enterprise Manager, and global mobile data solutions can be found at: https://enterprise.gigsky.com/

Aeroflot pioneers new Sabre analytics technology to achieve one version of the truth

New software addresses data and analytics challenges to help maximize revenue and extend competitive advantage

SOUTHLAKE, Texas and MOSCOW, Russia, April 27, 2016 – Russia’s flagship carrier, Aeroflot, is the world’s first airline to achieve a single view of all its commercial data, using AirVision Commercial Analytics, developed by Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR).

The pioneering analytics solution from Sabre addresses one of the airline industry’s biggest challenges – obtaining a consolidated and accurate view of data generated from across the commercial planning division of airlines.  By bringing that data into one place, Commercial Analytics is able to provide airlines with unique and actionable insights that create competitive advantage and empower employees from across multiple commercial departments to make more informed decisions.

“Sabre continues to significantly invest in solving the most challenging industry problems, including revenue stream diversity,” said Darren Rickey, vice president of AirVision, Sabre Airline Solutions.  “Partners such as Aeroflot are looking to make the complex transition towards becoming more customer-centric retailers. We are focused on helping them cross that bridge by providing one version of the truth and a continuous stream of insights that can be quickly actioned to help drive maximum revenue while clearing a path to faster and smarter decisions.”

“We are proud to be working with Aeroflot to develop and launch new technology that will help it capitalize on an increasing number of new revenue streams,” said Dino Gelmetti, vice president EMEA, Airline Solutions. “Aeroflot operates a vast and complex network of flights in the region and we are committed to working with the airline to develop new, industry-leading technology that can help it to continue its steady growth.  By expanding our strategic relationship with Aeroflot through developing new customer-centric technology, Aeroflot can make a significant impact on continually enhancing the travel experience.”

Commercial Analytics has been designed to help airlines optimize revenue per passenger instead of revenue per seat, a key enabler of achieving total revenue optimization. The solution provides insight into historical and forward-looking revenue trends while offering a sophisticated analytical approach to customer segmentation, and partnership and alliance analysis.  Featuring integrated market metrics and predictive intelligence, it is also the only solution in the market to measure the impact of passenger behaviour on an airline’s revenue, helping airlines become true retailers.

“Identifying new revenue streams and improving efficiencies across our vast partnership network is a key business priority for Aeroflot,” said Kirill Bogdanov, Chief Information Officer, Deputy CEO of Aeroflot.  “Commercial Analytics is a breakthrough in airline specific analytics and will give us true visibility into forward-looking interline revenue and codeshare opportunities that would otherwise be missed.  This supports our growth goals and our commitment to innovating using the latest technology.”

Commercial Analytics builds on Sabre’s already formidable suite of data and analytics solutions and highlights the company’s commitment to investing in solutions that address the needs of airlines and the travel industry today, tomorrow and in the future.

Gogo Business Aviation Completes Initial Phase of Flight Testing for Gogo Biz 4G

Gogo Biz 4G will usher in a new generation of connectivity for business aviation; remains on schedule for delivery in early 2017

ORLANDO, Fla., April 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Gogo Inc. (NASDAQ: GOGO), the leading provider of in-flight connectivity and wireless in-flight entertainment solutions to the global aero market, last week successfully completed the initial phase of flight testing for its Gogo Biz 4G service, marking a significant milestone in the company’s development of a new generation of connectivity and enhanced capabilities for business aviation.

“Gogo Biz 4G will deliver a true 4G in-flight experience on a robust, reliable network that business aircraft operators can count on,” said John Wade, Gogo Business Aviation’s executive vice president and general manager. “Flight-test performance has exceeded our expectations to date. Market interest is high and we remain on track for first shipments in early 2017.”

During a recent four-hour flight-test sortie aboard the company’s Challenger 600 testbed, multiple streaming video and streaming audio sessions were conducted simultaneously on a variety of devices – including laptops, tablets and phones. To see it in action, check out this video of the flight test.

Gogo, known for its rigorous testing protocols, designed the initial phase of testing to put Gogo Biz 4G through its paces in the harshest real-world conditions including testing air and ground congestion. Testing was conducted at full range from the respective ground sites – up to 150 miles – at typical business aircraft cruise altitudes (30,000-34,000 feet) in a live commercial environment with a plethora of other connected airline and business aircraft traffic in the vicinity. Specifically, flight profiles covered both rural and congested urban areas – including the departure and arrival corridors for Chicago O’Hare, the nation’s second-busiest airport and the fifth busiest in the world. Flight testing was conducted using fully certified hardware on Gogo’s advanced air-to-ground network.

Created specifically for the business aviation market, Gogo Biz 4G is a specially designed application of Gogo’s latest air-to-ground technology that leverages its existing air-to-ground network and technology that has already flown hundreds of thousands of hours aboard thousands of business and commercial aircraft. The Gogo Biz 4G equipment package will incorporate dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi service and a host of other features – all from a single, lightweight box.

New Gogo Biz 4G Capabilities
Network speed and performance is important, but it’s only the beginning of the Gogo Biz 4G solution which now includes the following additional capabilities:

• Integrated Gogo Vision service. Provides a complete, turn-key in-flight entertainment system with the latest Hollywood movies, TV, flight tracker, destination weather, etc.
• Integrated Gogo Text & Talk service. Allows passengers to call and text with personal smartphones and passengers’ own mobile numbers.
• Smart cabin capabilities. Provides rich capabilities such as multi-network management, data compression, connectivity on the ground in more than 120 countries via integrated 4G terrestrial modem, seamless CMS (Cabin Management System) integration, and much more.
• Customer loyalty program. Special hardware and airtime incentive programs with pre-installation provision kits for existing Gogo Biz customers to upgrade to Gogo Biz 4G in early 2017.
• Gogo Biz 4G upgrade program. Allows business aircraft operators to install a complete Gogo Biz connectivity package today with seamless upgrades to Gogo Biz 4G in early 2017.

Gogo Biz 4G Features

• Reliable 4G performance on a proven network in the continental U.S., and large portions of Alaska and Canada
• Streaming video and audio from services like Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, Pandora, and Spotify
• Face-to-face conversations with your favorite applications
• E-mail with attachments
• Web browsing
• Voice
• Advanced air-to-ground technology operating on licensed spectrum
• VPN support

From an installed customer base of more than 9,000 aircraft worldwide, Gogo has done more than 100 million in-flight wireless sessions across business and commercial aviation. With more than $1 billion of in-flight technology investment to date, Gogo’s track record of delivering high-performance in-flight connectivity solutions is unmatched across business and commercial aviation.

The company’s existing range of Gogo Biz solutions will remain available after Gogo Biz 4G shipments begin.

Eye Tracking – Support for operations controllers

Apr 21, 2016

Lufthansa Systems develops innovative feature for NetLine/Ops ++ operations control solution

Lufthansa Systems today announced the new Eye Tracking feature for its innovative NetLine/Ops ++ operations control solution powered by eye tracking technology leader SensoMotoric Instruments (SMI). Analyzing eye movements can support the complex work of operations controllers, improve the quality of their decisions and help airlines save time and money.

The operations control center is responsible for monitoring flight operations and managing schedule changes – both planned and unplanned – in a way that minimizes their effect on passengers. Operations controllers may have to keep an eye on six monitors at a time which show current flights and information about potential disruptions. This is a huge challenge, and intelligent software solutions such as NetLine/Ops ++ provide substantial support here.

Thanks to its Management by Exception approach, NetLine/Ops ++ generally only displays flights that have encountered organizational problems and require a decision to be made. In these cases, the system also sends alerts and makes the user aware of the problem. This is where the eye tracking technology comes in. It analyzes the eye movements of operations controllers to determine whether they have noticed important messages or require an additional alert, such as a sound.

“NetLine/Ops ++ from Lufthansa Systems is already a leading operations control solution. Thanks to the new Eye Tracking feature, we can further improve the quality of our customers’ operations control centers,” said Daniel Stecher, Senior Product Manager Operations Control IT Solutions at Lufthansa Systems. “In order to provide our customers with the highest standard of quality, we are relying on the expertise and extensive experience of SensoMotoric Instruments.”

Eye tracking offers other advantages as well. For one thing, it can help novices learn by showing them extra alerts. This gets them up to speed more quickly and guarantees consistently high-quality decisions regardless of an employee’s level of experience. Furthermore, Lufthansa Systems can evaluate how operations controllers are using NetLine/Ops ++ and then make specific improvements and enhancements to the solution based on the findings.

“SensoMotoric Instruments has been a world leader in eye tracking technology for more than 25 years and we are delighted our robust and trusted technology is set to optimize the use of NetLine/Ops ++,” said SMI Managing Director Eberhard Schmidt. “It is further proof of the value our eye tracking platform provides when used to enhance operator and application performance in industry verticals such as flight operations management with Lufthansa Systems.”

The operations control solution from Lufthansa Systems is now being used by 69 airlines around the world, 31 of which have already deployed the new-generation solution, NetLine/Ops ++. Many airlines which according to a current OAG (Official Airline Guide) report have the best on-time performance worldwide are using NetLine/Ops or NetLine/Ops.

This video shows, how NetLine/Ops ++ with Eye Tracking supports operations controllers and improves the quality of their decisions:
https://youtu.be/ThPpQjZIeXM

Caption: NetLine/Ops ++ with eye tracking technology (Copyright „SensoMotoric Instruments“)

ENAC Selected RocketRoute as Their Primary Flight Planning Solution

Friedrichshafen, Wednesday 20th April 2016

The prestigious Ecole Nationale de l’Aviation Civile  (ENAC) has selected RocketRoute as their primary flight planning solution.

ENAC was founded in 1949 in Paris-Orly, moving to Toulouse in 1968 and merging with the SEFA (Service d’Exploitation de la Formation Aéronautique) on January 1, 2011. The Ecole Nationale de l’Aviation Civile (ENAC) is a unique example : it is the only aviation-oriented university in France, operating from eight locations around the country. It offers about 25 courses, including aerospace engineers, technicians, Masters, Mastères Spécialisés, airline pilots, air traffic controllers, managers and flight instructors.

Laure Gelminger, ENAC: “RocketRoute will allow us to save time in flight preparation and allow crews to be more independent. Our instruction pilots are required to file multiple flight plans per day. The iPad application and website are very efficient and very fast to file, remove and modify a flight plan. The reception of ACK by SMS is a real operational tool.



The software includes various tools for the preparation of flights that will allow a significant time savings: providing NOTAM, weather and weight and balance”

Steven Morgan, Global Sales Manager for RocketRoute said “We look forward to supporting ENAC and teaching the next generation of pilots to use our state of the art system. The versatility of our service will allow ENAC to use RocketRoute for all aspects  of their flight planning, both IFR and VFR, whilst reducing their reliance on out-dated systems and the cumbersome support they often require. We are delighted to be associated with such an august institution.”

Air BP Acquires a Stake in RocketRoute

Endorses digital technology in flight planning

20th April 2016

International fuel supplier Air BP announced today at the Aero Friedrichshafen Show in Germany that it has formalised its relationship with RocketRoute by taking a minority stake in the global flight planning business.

The move strengthens the existing relationship between the two companies which will enable them to jointly continue developing new technology solutions that simplify the complexity of flight planning and fuel purchasing for private pilots, owners, operators and flight departments. In the coming months, RocketRoute, supported by Air BP, will be announcing more exciting new solutions for customers.

Air BP and RocketRoute will co-host at Aero Friedrichshafen, 20 – 23 April, booth numbers A4-211/A4-205 respectively. Both parties will demonstrate the full capabilities, ease of use, and benefits of the flight planning and fuel uplift tool on smartphones and tablets throughout the event.

“Air BP is an integral part of the aviation supply chain so we want to be able to offer our customers tools that enable them to operate more efficiently. The decision to invest in RocketRoute demonstrates the importance we attribute to the ability of technology to support this. We are delighted to be working even more closely with RocketRoute. Together we hope to create a product that will become a “must have” in the aviation market,” said Norbert Kamp, Chief Commercial Officer, Air BP.

“We are delighted to have Air BP as an investor in our business. We now have the resources to deliver the full potential of our company, and have access to a truly international network of airports through Air BP,” said Kurt Lyall, RocketRoute, Co-Founder and CFO.

Air BP started working with RocketRoute in 2014 to incorporate information about Air BP’s worldwide fuel network. RocketRoute is a cloud-based solution that works online, and via the RocketRoute app, on personal electronic devices. It smartly integrates, into one service, a number of features including flight planning, fuel purchasing, crew briefing, flight plan filing, dispatch and flight tracking. Both Air BP and RocketRoute offer 24-hour support to customers to further bolster the service.

Sabre grows Airline Solutions portfolio with acquisition of Airpas Aviation

19.04.2016 – Sabre Corporation today announced its acquisition of Airpas Aviation, a leading provider of real-time route profitability and cost management solutions for the commercial airline industry.

Based in Braunschweig, Germany, Airpas Aviation is a proven leader in helping airlines improve profitability and better manage operational costs with solutions to calculate the cost of each flight, starting from the time the flight takes off through the aircraft landing at the destination. By analyzing the fluctuating operating costs of individual routes such as fuel costs, airport and navigation charges, ground operations, catering and crew expenses, carriers can adjust routes, aircraft and schedules during daily operations to optimize profitability.  With the integration of Airpas Aviation’s solutions into the Sabre portfolio, airline customers will benefit from the efficiency of a cohesive commercial planning solution and working with one provider that fully understands and helps meet their commercial planning needs. In addition, the acquisition will open the Airpas solutions to Sabre’s global customer base.

Cirrus Aircraft and RocketRoute Introduce New Service – Flight Concierge

Duluth, Minn. (19 April 2016)

Cirrus Aircraft and RocketRoute® today introduced Flight Concierge in collaboration with Cirrus Aircraft, a new customer amenity service. Flight Concierge will commence operations in June, offering services to both Cirrus and non-Cirrus aircraft owners across Europe. This partnership is being formally announced today at Aero Friedrichschafen, a global general aviation gathering in Friedrichschafen, Germany.

“We are excited to work with RocketRoute to expand upon our global Cirrus brand and represent the high level of customer service expertise that has come to define our company,” said Todd Simmons, President of Customer Experience at Cirrus Aircraft. “Working with RocketRoute means working with a company who knows general aviation travel in Europe, and who will be able to take the stress of flight planning, tracking, and destination service and arrangements off the hands of the customers. Flight Concierge will be an invaluable tool and asset for pilots and travellers of all skill levels,” he continued.

RocketRoute was founded in 2010 and has expanded to encompass a team of more than 50, with flight planning, operations and administrative capabilities that aim to ensure easy and straight-forward flight planning for all. Flight Concierge membership builds on RocketRoute’s renowned flight planning software, helping pilots and aircraft owners manage all aspects of a flight, from ground transportation to catering to booking accommodation to securing overflight and landing permits and much more. With Flight Concierge pilots can simply tell their personal concierge when and where they wish to fly and the concierge will take care of the rest.

Furthermore, membership to Flight Concierge will include RocketRoute’s pro flight planning software, including the mobile app, for flight planning on-the-go.

“We are honored to be working with Cirrus Aircraft,” said Uwe Nitsche, CEO of RocketRoute, Airline Transport Pilot, Flight Instructor and regular pilot of a Cirrus SR22. “I am a commercial pilot instructor, but also regularly fly a Cirrus SR22, so am familiar with the sophistication of the aircraft that Cirrus produces as well as the level of customer service that Cirrus Aircraft exemplifies. We are looking forward to offering the very best concierge services to Cirrus and non-Cirrus customers alike and promise to make all the details of personal or business travel feel effortless, from destination to destination – not just airport to airport,” he concludes.

Flight Concierge in collaboration with Cirrus Aircraft will be available beginning June 1 and will offer full benefits through RocketRoute’s Pro Membership package. Learn more and sign up to be part of the early release at rocketroute.com/FlightConcierge.