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ARINC Direct adds graphical route modification to flight planning capabilities
ARINC Direct has added a powerful new flight planning capability - graphical route manipulation - to its popular flight planning service for business aviation. Graphical route manipulation, also known as “rubber-banding,” greatly simplifies route selection and allows pilots to easily modify waypoints on a flight plan to accommodate airspace closures, thunderstorms, or other contingencies. The new feature is included the latest release of ARINC Direct flight planning service at no additional cost to users. “We have implemented the ability to dynamically modify flight plan routes, using our popular SkyVectorTM mapping application,” said Gary Gambarani, Director of Flight Operations. “By simply stretching and dropping a route line on the map, the pilot can obtain a new waypoint for computing and filing a flight plan. This greatly reduces tedious manual entry and minimizes the possibility of errors.”
In Auto mode, the system automatically snaps to a drop point and inserts the nearest Navaid or waypoint into the flight plan. In Prompt mode, the pilot is asked to confirm the selection of each waypoint before it is inserted. When combined with ARINC’s comprehensive map overlays including SIGMETS, weather radar and turbulence, the new dynamic route modification feature makes ARINC’s powerful flight planning tool even easier to use. “Last year, we added the SkyVector global aeronautical charts with zooming and scrolling to provide a powerful alternative to paper charts for ARINC Direct subscribers,” continued Gambarani. “The introduction of dynamic route manipulation this year takes our flight planning and re-planning service to a whole new level of convenience.” In addition to graphical route modification, ARINC Direct this year introduced a range of other enhancements including a new cockpit application for the iPadTM, and applications for Direct TV, Flight Risk, VoIP, and Call Signs. Flight Execution App for iPad ARINC Direct demonstrated its new full-featured cockpit application for the iPad at NBAA 2011 in Las Vegas last week. Developed at ARINC, the new App gives pilots streamlined access to flight plans, weather information, charts, and NOTAMS through the ARINC Direct portal. It updates and stores all flight-relevant information automatically each time a pilot logs on.
Pilots can update flight plans using the iPad touchscreen, and e-mail uploads using “sign and send” technology available with SwiftBroadbandSM connectivity. A number of corporate and pilot-owner operators have commented favorably on the new ARINC App. Jerry Sudimick of GE Corporate Air Transport commented, “The App so far has been a home run, and it has become one of my primary apps inflight. The nice thing is having the weather info right there with the flight plan info, internally." ARINC’s next release will feature background processing and downloading for streamlined operation, as well as access to D-ATIS, EADS Charts, and the ARINC Direct Feeedback page. The user-friendly design of the ARINC App includes a full-function iPad display with a scrolling searchable flight list on the left and a scrolling searchable flight information library on the right. “We have gauged the high level of interest in this App from the hundreds of user requests we received in recent months,” continued Hanley. “Access to the ARINC Direct web site from iPad users is already approaching ten percent. It now gives us great pleasure to deliver the iPad solution our customers have been asking for.” Fast VoIP service on SwiftBroadband ARINC Direct has announced a new high-speed Voice over IP (VoIP) service for business and corporate aircraft using Inmarsat SwiftBroadbandTM connectivity. Unlike standard VoIP offerings, the new ARINC SwiftBroadband VoIP service is designed to take maximum advantage of SwiftBroadband architecture by carrying both accelerated data and VoIP traffic together without a conflict. This capability is unique. “We listened to the marketplace, and we have made a sizable investment to host the correct VoIP solution ourselves,” said Bob Richard, ARINC Direct Senior Director. “This is the VoIP service most of today’s corporate jet operators have been waiting for.” ARINC installed a complete hardware infrastructure earlier this year to host the new VoIP service at its Annapolis, MD headquarters. The company became an Inmarsat Distribution Partner in 2010. The new VoIP service is available immediately to ARINC Direct customers with proper equipage. Inmarsat SwiftBroadband is the aviation industry’s fastest growing form of satellite connectivity, and has become standard on many corporate jet airframes, continued Bob Richard. “We promised our OEM partners and customers a very strong VoIP offering for SwiftBroadband, and we are now happy to deliver it.”
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