Austrian Airlines, part of the Lufthansa Group, has become the first airline in the world to use, as a single device, the GroundLink Comm+ system from Teledyne Controls, to collect and manage flight data and enable the Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) system connectivity and ACARS over IP, by implementing the new GroundLink AID+ feature.
The GroundLink system, which is an Airbus/Boeing certified solution, has recently been upgraded to include the Aircraft Interface Device (AID) capability, which means that no additional AID device needs to be installed, thus giving Austrian Airlines a tremendous competitive advantage.
And because the device uses cellular media to transmit data, including EFB and ACARS data, no additional communication costs are involved.
Hans-Jürgen Neufert, Regional Director, Sales and Service for Teledyne Controls, says that Austrian Airlines is the first to adopt GroundLink AID+ for its full capabilities and for all the right reasons, “It takes the challenge of connectivity and communication across multiple devices and effectively solves it,” he says.
Austrian Airlines has only recently begun implementing a new EFB regime, central to which is the use of a consumer Tablet that is mounted in the cockpit. The Teledyne system connects via Ethernet with the airline’s chosen EFB Tablet (the Microsoft Surface Pro 3), giving pilots a range of new capabilities including access to aircraft avionics data and data store as well as interface with aircraft ACARS systems and cockpit printers direct to their Tablet.
“In particular, this applies to critical phases such as take-off and landing,” says Dr. Philipp Haller, A320-Captain and EFB-administrator at Austrian Airlines.
“Our EFB system enables us to synchronize a wide range of the latest data, information and flight-related documentation prior to flight, meaning it is then available offline during flight. The immediate availability of manuals, charts or checklists enormously increases the ability to take action in the air.”
Hans-Jürgen Neufert, says that GroundLink AID+ will help take EFB functionality to another level: “Not only does our system add essential EFB support services to the GroundLink Comm+ unit, but it also gives pilots a level of functionality and support that could help dramatically improve flight operations.”
The GroundLink AID+ function extends the airline’s investments already made in the GroundLink® Comm+ provisions and hardware for applications such as automated wireless Flight Data download and wireless distribution of software parts across the fleet. Enabling the AID+ functions is very easy as it only requires a software upgrade to the GroundLink Comm+ Unit. Additional information regarding GroundLink® AID+ can be found at http://www.teledyne-controls.com/productsolution/groundlinkaid/overview.asp.
The first installation will commence on the Airline’s fleet of A320 aircraft in 2015.