OpenSkies to Install Wingspeed's Communications Platform and EFB
OpenSkies, a new wholly owned subsidiary of British Airways, will install Wingspeed's communications system and EFB (electronic flight bag) on each of its B-757s to provide long-range communications and a migration path to future paperless operations.  (More) 05-28-08

New Delhi's Indri Gandhi Airport Expands Its A-SMGCS
The Airports Authority of India is expanding its A-SMGCS (advanced - surface movement guidance and control system) at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport to provide coverage for a new terminal and runway project.  (More) 05-28-08

Philippine Airlines Orders Teledyne/Airbus Flight Data Monitoring System
Philippine Airlines has ordered a flight data monitoring system, jointly developed by Teledyne Controls and Airbus, for its fleet of A319, A320, A330, A340 and B747-400s.  (More) 05-27-08

AMT Enhances Jeppesen EFB with Additional Applications
AMT says it has leveraged Jeppesen's open architecture and licensed software to create a new user interface that is fully compatible with Jeppesen's EFB (electronic flight bag) while offering an enhanced suite of onboard applications.  (More) 05-27-08

FAA Names Vicki Cox to Oversee Its Modernization Efforts
The FAA has named Vicki Cox to a new position of senior vice president of NextGen and operations planning, where she will oversee the modernization efforts of the agency.  (More) 05-27-08

FAA Certifies L-3's Integrated Flight Controls and Display System on SR22
The FAA has granted L-3 Communications Avionics Systems' SmartDeck integrated flight controls and display system a STC (supplemental type certificate) for its Cirrus Design's SR22 G2 installation.  L-3 was also awarded a TSO (technical standard order) for the system.  (More) 05-26-08

China Eastern Airlines Demonstrates RNP into Lijiang
A China Eastern Airlines B-737-700 completed a flight into China's Lijiang Airport last week to validate the capability and benefits of RNP (required navigation performance).  (More) 05-20-08

Swissport UK to Provide Central Load Planning for Virgin Atlantic
Swissport UK will provide Virgin Atlantic Airways' central load planning beginning this month for all of the airline's flights worldwide.  (More) 05-12-08

Sabre Study Asserts "Hybrid" Airlines Edging out Traditional LCCs
According to a new study from Sabre Airline Solutions, a new breed of "hybrid" carrier is quickly overtaking traditional LCCs (low-cost carriers).  (More) 05-12-08

AvMarkets Introduces New Version of Its Web-Based Aviation Marketplace
AvMarkets has launched a new version of a Web site that offers members a place to buy and sell aircraft, engines, parts and supplies, and solicit bids for aviation services.  (More) 05-10-08

SITA Report Highlights How Baggage Handling Can Be Improved
A new SITA report says baggage handling can be improved with better use of technology, such as RFID (radio frequency identification).  (More) 05-10-08

Vancouver to Complement QinetiQ Debris Detection System with Cameras
Vancouver International Airport (plans to enhance its QinetiQ Tarsier runway-debris-detection system with new cameras, also developed by QinetiQ.  (More) 05-10-08

Skyservice Airlines Opts for SITA's International Passenger Vetting Service
Canadian-based Skyservice Airlines will use SITA's APIS AQQ (advance passenger information quick query) application to simplify the processing of its international passengers traveling to the U.S.  APIS AQQ was approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in February.  (More) 05-08-08

EDS to Use Microsoft Tools to Modernize Airline Applications
EDS has signed a comprehensive agreement allowing it to use selected Microsoft tools, software and resources to modernize its airline reservations, flight planning and flight operations products.  (More) 05-07-08

First Business Jet Equipped with Rockwell Collins' Broadband Internet Service
Rockwell Collins and ARINC Direct have installed their eXchange high-speed Internet communications system on a customer's Cessna Citation X that will enable ARINC Direct's SKYLink broadband service.  (More) 05-07-08

New A350 XWBs to Have Rockwell Collins' Communications and Landing-Systems Packages
Airbus has selected Rockwell Collins' to supply the Communication Global Work package, Avionics Data Network, and landing systems for its new A350XWBs. These awards come in addition to Airbus' previous selection of Rockwell Collins' THSA (trimmable horizontal stabilizer actuator).  (More) 05-05-08

Sloan Helicopters to Use SkyTrac's Satcom and Flight Following
Sloan Helicopters will install SkyTrac's satcom and flight following on its fleet of Eurocopter EC120B and Robinson RH44 Raven II helicopters to enhance operational safety while operating in remote locations.  Sloan is based in Lesser Slave Lake, Alberta, Canada.  (More) 05-05-08

Aeroflot Selects Teledyne Controls' EFB for A320s and B-767s
Aeroflot Russian Airlines has selected Teledyne Control's (electronic flight bag) for its A320s and B-767s, encompassing 56 aircraft.  (More) 05-05-08

FAA Certifies ERJ 190 for 120-Minute ETOPS
The FAA has certified the Embraer ERJ 190 for 120 minute ETOPS (extended-range twin-engine operations).  Brazil's National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) previously certified this third member of the E-Jets family in February.  (More) 05-05-08

EASA Approves Gulfstream's Synthetic Vision and RNP SAAAR
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has approved the retrofit of Gulfstream's SV-PFD (synthetic vision-primary flight display) on European Union-registered G550s, G500s, G450s or G350s.  EASA also approved these in-production Gulfstream models to fly RNP (required navigation performance) SAAAR (special aircraft and aircrew authorization required) approaches.  (More) 05-05-08

Chelton Flight Systems and S-TEC are Merging
Chelton Flight Systems (CFS) and S-TEC, both of which are within Cobham PLC's avionics and surveillance division, are merging as part of what is described as "Cobham's drive to develop a fully integrated cockpit and improve its customer focus."  (More) 05-03-08

FAA Qualifies Jeppesen to Provide RNP Consulting Services
The FAA has approved Jeppesen to provide RNP (required navigation performance) services to the aviation industry as one of its qualified consultants.  (More) 05-03-08

SRA to Acquire Era Corporation
SRA International, Inc. is acquiring Era Corporation.  SRA provides technology and strategic consulting services to government organizations, and privately held Era provides surveillance technologies for the air traffic management, airport operations, military, and security markets.  (More) 05-03-08

Flight Explorer's Latest Pro Edition Has New Collaboration and Delay Tools
Flight Explorer (FE) has released a new version of its Professional Edition ASD (aircraft situation display) system that includes collaboration, airport delay filtering, and quick zoom tools.  (More) 05-03-08

Eurocontrol Simulates Airspace Reconfiguration Scenarios
Eurocontrol conducted a large scale multi-center real-time simulation to validate new FAB (functional airspace block) airspace and route scenarios in April.  (More) 05-03-08

FAA Considering Expansion of New York Terminal Airspace
Acting FAA Administrator Robert A. Sturgell told U.S. Senators last week that the FAA is considering expanding terminal airspace in the New York metropolitan area to take advantage of its closer spacing criteria in order to increase its capacity. The agency also wants to use RNP (required navigation performance) and other technology to gain similar benefits.  (More) 04-29-08

Robert Tarter to Head FAA's ATO Safety Services
The FAA named Air Force Reserve Brigadier General Robert O. Tarter vice president of safety services for the Air Traffic Organization (ATO).  (More) 04-28-08

Westchester County Department of Public Safety Implements PASSUR
PASSUR Aerospace, formerly Megadata Corporation, says that New York's Westchester County Airport Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has implemented a PASSUR program that monitors all aircraft in its airspace in real time and provides playback and analysis of any pertinent abnormal events.  (More) 04-28-08

ARINC to Offer Attila Arrival Management System to Airlines
ARINC will offer ATH Group's Attila airport arrival management system to airlines under an exclusive agreement.  (More) 04-27-08

Avidyne Extends Weather Detection System Capability to More Displays
Avidyne Corporation is offering a "compatibility mode" for its TWX670 tactical weather detection system that allows its monochromatic lightning strike and storm cell information to be presented on a number of existing displays from other manufacturers.  (More) 04-27-08

Nextant Aerospace Gets Exclusive Pro Line 21 Retrofit Contract for Beechjet 400As
Rockwell Collins agreed to give Nextant Aerospace an exclusive contract to provide a Pro Line 21 major retrofit program for 40 Beechjet 400As.  The initial aircraft order is placed against a planned production requirement for 436 aircraft with a total value of $62 million.  (More) 04-27-08

Honeywell Will Market Mercury Computer Systems' Synthetic Vision
Honeywell will assume sales and support of the Mercury Computer Systems' situational awareness products under an exclusive licensing agreement.  (More) 04-26-08

Two Airline Companies Select Ramco Maintenance and Engineering Software
EL AL Israel Airlines and Republic Airways have selected Ramco software for their maintenance and engineering requirements.  (More) 04-26-08

Wingspeed and Novo Ivc Introducing Real-Time Inflight Credit Authorization
Wingspeed Corporation and Novo Ivc are introducing a real-time, inflight credit card authorization capability for airlines that eliminates the need to store transaction data until the aircraft reaches the ground.  (More) 04-26-08

L-3 Completes Acquisition of Electro-Optical Systems
L-3 Communications says it has completed the acquisition of Northrop Grumman's Electro-Optical Systems (EOS). The acquired business, renamed L-3 EOS, provides night vision technology and electro-optical products for military, commercial and public safety customers.  (More) 04-26-08

FAA Taking Steps to Correct DFW Operational Error Misclassifications
The FAA says it's taking steps to strengthen the reporting system designed to classify airspace errors, after a report by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Inspector General (IG) revealed there have been intentional misclassifications of operational errors at Dallas-Fort Worth's TRACON (terminal approach control).  The action will include new reporting automation.  (More) 04-26-08

TSA and Continental Expanding Paperless Boarding Passes to Three More Airports
Continental Airlines is working with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to rollout paperless boarding passes at Washington's Reagan, Newark and Boston in the coming weeks.  (More) 04-25-08

ATA Says U.S. Airline Industry Is In Serious Decline
Pointing to record-high fuel prices, the Air Transport Association says the U.S. airline industry is in "serious decline," and is losing its aviation leadership.  (More) 04-25-08

Thirteen Air Transport Organizations Sign Declaration on Climate Change
Thirteen air transport industry organizations, including Boeing, Airbus and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) signed a commitment to tackle climate change at the 3rd Aviation and Environment Summit in Geneva, Switzerland this week.  (More) 04-25-08

RTCA Annual Symposium Coming in May
RTCA's Annual Symposium will be held May 13-14, 2008, at Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles Hotel in Chantilly, Virginia, outside of Washington, D.C.  (More) 04-24-08