Navigation solution implemented for Ukrainian airline in just two weeks

Raunheim | August 1, 2018– Lufthansa Systems today announced that it has acquired Fan Air Ltd. as a new customer. The Ukrainian startup airline will use Lido/mPilot from Lufthansa Systems for the next five years. This navigation solution was implemented for the airline in the space of just two weeks after the contract was signed.

“A Ukrainian airline that we have a good relationship with is also using Lido/mPilot and recommended the product to us. We looked at the solution and were immediately impressed by the advantages it offers. Since the implementation, our pilots can access all the necessary navigation maps and documents on their iPads from anywhere, at any time,” said Yakovanko Oleksandr, Chief of Flight Safety Department at Fan Air Ltd.

Lido/mPilot is Lido/Navigation’s charting solution for the iPad. The application contains all important route information, such as altitude data, airways and airport data. The system can access relevant avionics data such as GPS information, speed and the aircraft’s target direction, thus enabling it to display position and orientation of the aircraft on the integrated Airport Moving Map (Lido/AMM).

The Lido charts are generated directly from the certified Lido/FMS navigation database and meet the highest standard of precision and quality. The charting standard was developed by navigation experts in collaboration with pilots, licensed dispatchers and IT specialists. The charts are to-scale and include terrain and topographical data. They also depict true-to-scale topographic information and contain standardized color coding. All these features help to increase pilots’ situation awareness.

“It normally takes around two months to implement Lido/mPilot. But due to special customer requirements, this had to go faster for Fan Air Ltd., so we implemented the solution in just two weeks,” said Marco Cesa, Senior Vice President Regional Management EMEA at Lufthansa Systems. “We are delighted that we can help this young airline digitally and efficiently control its navigation processes right from the start.”

Fan Air Ltd. was founded at the start of 2018 and is based at Kyiv International Airport (Zhuliany) in Ukraine. The airline operates scheduled flights from Kiev to Greece, as well as charter flights from the Ukraine to Turkey, Montenegro, Albania and Bulgaria.

Several Lido/Navigation solutions being used successfully

Rauheim | December 12, 2017–Lufthansa Systems today announced that Congo Airways is using several of its products, specifically the paper-based Lido/eRouteManual maps, the paperless Lido/mPilot navigation solution, Lido/FMS data for flight management systems and the Lido/FPLS flight planning service.

Congo Airways was established in 2014, with flight operations commencing in 2015. “We were looking for products that would deliver added value from day one. We were quickly impressed by the solutions from Lufthansa Systems. Thanks to their high quality and short delivery times, we were able to meet our internal schedule and successfully and swiftly establish us in the market,” said Désiré Balazire Bantu, Chief Executive Officer & Accountable Manager at Congo Airways.

Congo Airways is benefiting from several solutions: The paper-based Lido/RouteManual maps and the mobile Lido/mPilot solution help pilots with the processes involved in flight preparation and operation. The maps feature true-to-scale topographical information and meet the highest standards of precision and quality. Layout, colors and symbols are identical in the maps’ paper and electronic versions. These maps are generated directly from the Lido/FMS navigation database. The FMS database contains all important route information such as altitude data, airways and airport data for optimizing navigation and supporting autopilots on board modern aircraft.

The navigation data, which is based on global aeronautical information, are updated every 28 days according to the AIRAC cycle. The Lido/FPLS flight planning service automatically calculates reliable routes for flight operations, taking into account factors such as cost, flight time and fuel consumption.

“We are pleased to be able to support Congo Airways in growing its business. This example shows that not only large but also smaller airlines benefit from Lufthansa Systems’ solutions. This is true even if they are forced to map or build flight operations under difficult circumstances while emphasizing high levels of quality and safety,” said Marco Cesa, Senior Vice President Regional Management EMEA at Lufthansa Systems.

Congo Airways commenced flight operations in 2015. The company is based at N’djili Airport, Kinshasa, and has a fleet of five aircraft; two more have been ordered. While the carrier has mainly served cities within the Democratic Republic of the Congo up to now, this year’s schedule also includes international destinations in Africa.

Seamless integration – New generation of iOS navigation app from Lufthansa Systems includes dynamic Airport Moving Map showing aircraft position

Raunheim | November 28, 2017–Lufthansa Systems today announced the launch of a new release of its successful Lido/mPilot iOS navigation app. The highlight of the new generation is the integration of dynamic airport maps from Lido/AMM. The Airport Moving Map is now available both in the Windows-based Lido/eRouteManual app and on iOS. Lido/mPilot 3.0 can be found in the App Store.

“Dynamic maps are the future of navigation. They enable seamless navigation from gate to gate, with no limits whatsoever,“ said Igor Dimnik, Director Strategy and Market Development at Lufthansa Systems. “Lido/mPilot 3.0 enables pilots to switch seamlessly between Lido/AMM and the navigation maps during takeoff or after landing. This release is the first milestone on our path to fully dynamic navigation maps.”

Lido/mPilot 3.0 can be wirelessly connected to the avionics system installed on the flight deck. The system can then access relevant avionics data such as GPS information, speed and the aircraft’s target direction. This enables it to display the situation, position and orientation of the aircraft on both the Airport Moving Map and the Enroute Map. Hardware and software together facilitate navigation and improve the pilots’ situational awareness. Lido/mPilot currently supports the Aircraft Interface Device (AID) from Boeing ONS and will soon be integrated with the UTC Aerospace Systems Tablet Interface Module® (UTAS TIM).

To avoid a flood of information with such a wealth of data, Lido/mPilot 3.0 shows pilots only the information relevant to their current procedure. Lido/AMM highlights the gate position or access point for taxiways and runways on the map as necessary. The program always displays all information in the context of the airport environment. Lido/AMM prevents runway incursions and increases the safety and efficiency of taxiing procedures.

Around 70 airlines have already opted for the mobile Lido/mPilot navigation solution since the app was launched in early 2015. The modular app offers features such as airport maps, a dynamically generated enroute map, and a document management and distribution system that enables pilots to access documents and messages both at home and on the move. A status overview with intuitive icons guarantees a clear flow of information.

France | November 1, 2017–An evolving multi-link ACARS landscape, embracing cutting-edge cockpit connectivity and solid VHF foundations, will remain the backbone of the aviation industry for the foreseeable future. So saysSITAONAIR, global leader in aviation operational and ATC communications, in its latest white paper, ACARS: Timeless tech for the connected aircraft age.

With a staggering 7.2 billion passengers expected to take to the skies in 2035, according to IATA projections, SITAONAIR’s latest report argues that driving the evolution and diversification of its ACARS technologies is key to empowering the industry to negotiate an increasingly crowded airspace.

SITAONAIR recently announced major partnerships with Inmarsat and Teledyne Controls that illustrate the adaptability of ACARS capabilities for emerging technologies, reflecting and supporting the diverse global aviation community in the connected aircraft age.

SITAONAIR has added Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband-Safety (SB-S) to its portfolio; an ACARS-reliant next-generation flight deck communications platform giving airlines a dedicated IP connectivity service supporting enhanced safety and operational efficiency.

Working with Teledyne Controls, SITAONAIR is delivering the aviation industry’s first-ever airline-integrated ACARS datalink terrestrial cellular 3G/4G service. Employing Teledyne Controls’ GroundLink® Comm+ system, SITAONAIR is able to integrate terrestrial cellular services into its core datalink network, giving airlines the flexibility and benefit of another transmission channel for aircraft communications.

Meanwhile, VHF, VDL and legacy networks continue to be adopted, advanced, and work alongside these alternate technologies, around the world. Among these significant programs, detailed in the white paper, SITAONAIR has upgraded Europe’s primary ATC-airline communications network, delivering Europe’s first Multi-Frequency (MF) Very High Frequency Digital Link mode 2 (VDLm2) infrastructure. In March 2017 the Czech Republic’s Air Navigation Service Provider, ANS CR, appointed SITAONAIR to deliver a “communication gateway” to Prague Airport and others – through its ACARS network.

The company’s VHF/VDL network has also established an important new aircraft communications infrastructure in developing parts of the world, with more than 50 sites established in Brazil prior to the Rio Olympic Games.

Evolving ACARS landscape

Paul Gibson, Portfolio Director, AIRCOM at SITAONAIR, explains: “SITAONAIR’s ACARS network continues to evolve from its VHF origins, embracing satellite services, VHF and higher-speed VHF Digital Link (VDL), to deal with the steady rise in air traffic.

“Our recent announcement with Inmarsat on our adoption of SwiftBroadband-Safety to our wide-ranging connected aircraft portfolio will prove critical. We’re excited about the potential SB-S will bring to enable us to further innovate new, and enhance our existing, services and solutions, around a dedicated, secure IP connection to the cockpit.

“SITAONAIR is taking strides to ensure the ACARS network is evolving in tandem with the digital age, to enable message transmission using alternate technologies. Traditional ACARS and ACARS over IP will have a mutually important role to play in the ground-to-air connectivity landscape. Whether supporting the transmission of millions of ACARS messages exchanged every day, advancing Brazil’s complete VHF and VDL datalink network ahead of the Rio Olympics, or launching a next-generation flight deck IP communications platform, SITAONAIR is and will remain central to our industry’s ACARS story.”

ACARS remains heavily integrated into the ground systems of most airlines. Huge volumes of vital aircraft data come to and from aircraft via ACARS messaging, with 220 airlines now relying on SITAONAIR’s multi-link ACARS technology. The white paper highlights why ACARS, in its diversity, remains the most reliable, efficient and cost-effective ground-to-air messaging system, with SITAONAIR as its core service provider.

To find out more, download the full white paper, ACARS: Timeless tech for the connected aircraft age.

To explore the SITAONAIR connected aircraft portfolio, visit www.sitaonair.aero, speak to your local SITAONAIR contact orsubmit an enquiry form online.

Further convergence of successful Lido product lines from airline IT specialist

Raunheim | October 26, 2017–Lufthansa Systems today announced that it is developing a new generation of flight planning and navigation solutions following the slogan #takeoffwithlido. The proven Lido/Flight 4D (flight planning), Lido/Navigation (navigation solutions) and Lido/Performance (flight performance calculation) product lines will become even more integrated, providing airlines a seamless digital process across all flight operations – from flight planning to an aircraft’s parking position at its destination. Lufthansa Systems emphasizes its role as a market player that is independent from aircraft manufacturers, which enables it to offer a standardized solution for all of an airline’s different aircraft types.

“Digitalization is affecting the entire aviation industry. We see this in the flight planning and navigation process in particular. Everything is becoming increasingly dynamic and data-driven. Paper maps are being replaced by state-of-the-art apps. New technologies such as in-flight connectivity offer the opportunity to display tactical real-time data such as weather, airspace and traffic information. This is precisely where our integrated Lido solutions come in,” explained Dr. Bernd Jurisch, who took over as Head of the Lido product lines at Lufthansa Systems in October.

The mutual exchange of data is a key benefit to using Lido products for flight planning and navigation. This is because Lido provides the same information to everyone involved in flight operations – both in the air and on the ground – in situations such as an approach with poor visibility, for example. The information seen by pilots on their Lido/Navigation maps is based on the same data as the information available to the flight planner. This means the pilot and flight planner can coordinate the minimal decision height more safely and efficiently when choosing an alternate airport and make well-founded decisions in critical situations – such as whether a landing should be aborted or not.

The shared database is also used when acute meteorological phenomena demand a change to the planned route. New information can also be conveyed to pilots immediately during a flight. All of this not only saves time, it also improves safety.

During normal flight operations, too, the solutions work together seamlessly. Dispatchers can use Lido/Flight 4D to calculate the best route for a specific flight based on all flight-related data. Pilots can access this briefing information online. Thanks to the seamless integration of the products, Chart Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) can also be added to the flight plans of Lido/Flight 4D. At the same time, information from the ATS flight plan can be uploaded and displayed in the mobile map solution that the pilots use for navigation. This covers departure, destination and alternate airports, takeoff and landing procedures, and waypoints along the route.

Lufthansa Systems additionally offers solutions for calculating and monitoring flight performance. These help airlines keep track of the continually changing obstacle situation at airports so they can adapt their departure procedures accordingly and optimize their fuel consumption for flight planning. The Lido product suite thus offers the perfect portfolio for an airline’s entire flight operations.

Overview of the Lido product suite:

Lido/Flight 4D

Lido/Flight 4D – Flight planning solution

Lido/Performance

Lido/AirportObstacleData – Airport-specific obstacle database with departure procedures
Lido/TakeOff & Lido/Landing – Calculation of optimal flight performance for takeoff and landing
Lido/APM – Service for comparing target/actual performance data (aircraft performance monitoring)

Lido/Navigation

Lido/FMS – Navigation data for flight management systems
Lido/SkyData – ARINC 424 data
Lido/SurfaceData – Full-coverage obstacle database
Lido/RouteManual – Paper-based navigation maps
Lido/eRouteManual – Windows-based app for navigation maps
Lido/mPilot – iOS-based app for navigation maps
Lido/AMM – Airport Moving Map
Lido/AMDB – Geo-referenced database for airports

The “Take-off with Lido” video describes the phases of flight operations that can be controlled smartly and efficiently using Lido products. https://youtu.be/RLFvM3iJsuQ

Caption (Copyright: Lufthansa Systems): The Lido product suite from Lufthansa Systems offers the perfect solution for every phase of flight operations – from gate to gate.

More information on the Lido product suite can be found online at

https://www.lhsystems.com/solutions/flight-navigation-solutions

EASA-certified navigation data can also be used for drones and training

Raunheim, Germany | October 5, 2017– Lufthansa Systems today announced that it is expanding its portfolio of navigation solutions with Lido/SkyData. This solution consists of ARINC 424 data and includes navigation information such as airports, heliports, taxiways and runways, waypoints, navaids, airspaces and airways, and flight procedures. The data is updated every 28 days and is available both as a one-time purchase or by subscription. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has certified the data production standards for Lido/SkyData with a Type 1 Letter of Acceptance (LoA).

“Lido/SkyData is a new data service for diverse aviation applications which goes beyond the conventional navigation solutions for airlines,” said Igor Dimnik, Director Strategy and Market Development Lido/Navigation at Lufthansa Systems. “After launching Lido/SurfaceData for avionics manufacturers – the winner of the German Mobility Award – we continue to pursue a strategy of expanding our navigation portfolio with an eye to the future and taking unmanned aircraft into account as well. This enables us to address new customer groups.”

Lido/SkyData contains all ARINC 424 data in an open format so that it can be used for a wide variety of applications, including software solutions for creating simulation environments in-flight simulators or navigation solutions for drones. The data can also be used with flight planning systems from any manufacturer. The open format ensures data compatibility, enabling the data to be tailored individually to the customer’s IT system and applications.

Lido/Navigation solutions are being used by more than 200 airlines and customers of all sizes and business models, including low-cost, network, cargo and charter airlines. Based on regular exchange with customers, Lufthansa Systems continuously optimizes its solutions and works on innovative products that expand its portfolio.

• New customer presents successful project at EFB Users Forum in Hawaii

Raunheim, Germany | November 1, 2016– Lufthansa Systems today announced that Hawaiian Airlines has become the latest customer for its Windows-based Lido/eRouteManual navigation solution. Lido/eRouteManual provides electronic navigation charts for all flight phases. From 2017, the entire Hawaiian Airlines fleet will navigate using Lido/eRouteManual.

Each year, around 570 million passengers fly on planes based on navigation charts from Lufthansa Systems. Airlines around the world use Lido/Navigation solutions. Lido/eRouteManual has already been deployed by more than 50 airlines worldwide. The application for Windows-based systems comprises navigation charts for take-off and landing procedures as well as route charts including all important route information like altitude and airport data. These charts are generated directly from the Lido navigation database, which includes worldwide aeronautical information and topographical data. The app’s Lido/AMM (Airport Moving Map) module, which Hawaiian Airlines will roll out in a second step in 2017, provides precise airport charts.

Thanks to wireless data updating via the Mobile Updater pilots are no longer tied to fixed updating processes. Instead, they can update the digital navigation charts anytime and anywhere. This saves time and allows pilots maximum flexibility, because an Internet connection is all they need to update.

“We are proud to have gained this important new customer in North America and look forward to many years of cooperation with Hawaiian Airlines,” said Michael Schmidtborn, Vice President Sales & Services North America bei Lufthansa Systems.

Hawaiian Airlines will present the successful project this week at the EFB Users Forum in Hawaii. Experts from Lufthansa Systems will also be at the conference. “We are giving the attendees an exclusive preview of the new release of Lido/eRouteManual, which will be officially launched at the end of the year,” revealed Igor Dimnik, Director Products at Lufthansa Systems.

The EFB Users Forum takes place twice a year and is one of the most important events in the EFB industry. At the Forum, providers and avionics manufacturers demonstrate their latest developments and discuss the technical and operational trends surrounding the Electronic Flight Bag with airline representatives.

Captions (copyright: Lufthansa Systems): Lido/eRouteManual enables Hawaiian Airlines pilots to benefit from paperless navigation.

• Cambodian carrier Sky Angkor Airlines opts for mobile navigation charts

Raunheim, Germany | August 31, 2016– Lufthansa Systems today announced that Sky Angkor Airlines has opted for its Lido/mPilot mobile navigation solution as well as the paper-based charts of Lido/RouteManual. The two companies signed a five-year contract for the solution at the start of this year. Lido/RouteManual is already in use, the mobile navigation solution will be operational this fall.

“We were convinced by the comprehensive functionality of the Lido/mPilot navigation app, and by its reliability,” said Captain Gorazd Cerne, Training Manager at Sky Angkor Airlines. “By selecting Lufthansa Systems, we have opted for a new IT solution providing us the content and function we need by a reasonable price. We look forward to developing our successful partnership together with Lufthansa Systems.”

Lido/mPilot is a mobile navigation solution which supports pilots before, during and after a flight. Around 60 airlines have already decided to deploy Lido/mPilot since the app was launched in early 2015. The modular app offers features such as airport maps, a dynamically generated enroute chart, and a document management and distribution system that enables pilots to access documents and messages both at home and on the move.

Layout, colors and symbols are identical in the charts´ paper and electronic versions. They comprise navigation charts for take-off and landing procedures as well as airport and route charts including all important route information like altitude and airport data. These charts are generated directly from the Lido navigation database, which includes worldwide aeronautical information and topographical data.

“We are delighted to have Sky Angkor Airlines as a new customer in the Asia/Pacific region. This agreement also highlights the growing importance of digitization in the airline industry,” said Tom Vandendael, Senior Vice President Regional Management Asia/Pacific.

Sky Angkor Airlines is a regional Asian carrier based at Siem Reap International Airport in Cambodia. Established in 2011, the airline has a fleet of five aircraft serving destinations in several countries including Japan, China, Korea and Vietnam.

• Connecting innovative navigation App with onboard data to facilitate better operational decisions
• Solution makes maximum use of Aircraft Interface Device (AID) capable systems already installed

El Segundo, CA | May 19, 2016– Teledyne Controls and Lufthansa Systems are collaborating to integrate the latter’s Lido/eRouteManual navigation application with Teledyne’s GroundLink® Comm+ system with AID functionality (GroundLink® AID+) to bring further information more usefully into the cockpit.

The project, driven by customer demand, allows ground charts, departure charts, en-route maps, arrival charts and airport facility charts to be quickly and easily integrated with the aircraft’s existing onboard data systems to enable the pilot to make better informed decisions to improve operational efficiency both on the ground and in the air.

Situational awareness, whether at an airport or inflight, is of course critical; being able to combine that information with other essential flight data brings a further level of control, according to Lufthansa Systems Director Products Lido/Navigation, Igor Dimnik: “As a stand-alone product, our Lido/eRouteManual navigation gives pilots all of the navigation information they need at a glance,” he explains.

“The real benefit, however, comes from connecting our Lido/eRouteManual with other data sources; the more connected we can make it, the more intelligent it becomes, and this is now possible thanks to our work with Teledyne Controls.”

Mr. Dimnik says that the integration process has been very easy: “Typically in such collaborations there would be many cycles of product development and long periods of testing,” he continues. “In this case, however, from initial thought to implementation was a matter of days. The integration was not only quick and easy, it was also achieved at a mere fraction of the cost than might ordinarily have been expected.”

Murray Skelton, Director of Business Development at Teledyne Controls, says that with more than 8,300 GroundLink® units already flying, it is an easy transition for those with the technology already installed: “It not only protects their legacy investment but it also enables them to make even more of it,” he explains. “It means that every future customer with the GroundLink® Comm+ system installed can gain instant benefit.”

• Libyan carrier signs five-year agreement for Lido/mPilot

Raunheim, Germany | April 14, 2016– Lufthansa Systems today announced that the pilots of Libyan Airlines will now use its Lido/mPilot all-in-one navigation solution. Thanks to the innovative app they have mobile access to all of the latest charts in digital form. The two companies signed recently a five-year contract for the solution.

Lido/mPilot is a mobile navigation solution which supports pilots before and during a flight. Around 60 airlines have already opted for Lido/mPilot since the app was launched in early 2015. The modular app combines airport maps, a dynamically generated enroute chart, and a document management and distribution system that enables pilots to access documents and messages both on the flight deck and on the move. A status overview with intuitive icons guarantees a clear flow of information. Pilots receive important updates via push notifications.

Libyan Airlines has opted for the navigation solution’s latest software release, which has been available since November 2015 and includes additional optimizations: Now all general documents (the GEN part) can be viewed directly in the app in a clear, interactive table, and pilots can search for and bookmark individual files if necessary. The new change log shows the details of updates from the regular data revision cycle (AIRAC), which offers improved data transparency. The new release also makes it possible to link directly to external systems.

The app has a modern look and feel and is intuitive to use, giving pilots quick, reliable access to the information they need on the flight deck. Reducing the number of paper documents on board not only simplifies logistics processes, it also minimizes potential sources of error. The trend towards increased app usage also has a positive effect on the environment because it saves large amounts of paper in the long term.

“The use of Lido/mPilot reduces paper documents on board the aircraft of Libyan Airlines. This simplifies processes and prevents mistakes,” said Marco Cesa, Senior Vice President Regional Management EMEA at Lufthansa Systems. “We are delighted that we could simplify the airline’s logistic and we look forward to a successful collaboration.”

Libyan Airlines is Libya’s national carrier and has its headquarters in Tripoli. The airline was founded in 1964 and currently has a fleet of 10 aircraft serving more than 20 domestic and international destinations.