Inmarsat partner with Lufthansa Systems for use on SB-S platform

JAKARTA (IndoTelko)- Inmarsat announced Lufthansa Systems, a leader in aviation IT solutions, as the latest partner for its Aviation Certified Application Provider (CAP) Programme.

The Aviation CAP Programme provides a catalogue of connected safety and operations applications. With third-party applications tested, optimised and certified for use on Inmarsat’s SB-S platform, airlines can focus on the benefits of digitisation without having to worry about integration risks.

SB-S entered commercial service in April as the first and only global aviation broadband solution for operations and safety communications, providing airlines worldwide with unparalleled, secure visibility into their operations.

Inmarsat has accredited Lufthansa Systems’ Lido charting applications, which are already being used by over 120 airlines around the world for their flight operations. These provide pilots with digital navigation charts, documents and messages, and are available on both Windows and iOS.

All this information will be delivered to Inmarsat SB-S customers in real-time to simplify flight preparation, streamline cockpit processes and enhance pilots’ situational awareness during flights, reducing the workload that pilots currently face trying to manually find this information through existing non-connected systems.

Lido charting applications use a worldwide aeronautical navigation database, including navigation aids and approach and departure procedures for individual airports. Coloured navigation charts give pilots access to true-to-scale information, such as the height of mountains and course of rivers, and tactical data including weather updates that can be updated throughout the duration of the flight.

John Broughton, Vice President, Safety and Operational Services, at Inmarsat Aviation said: “The introduction of this navigation software to the SB-S platform is a great commercial advantage for our customers, who can now use the application to drive decision making in the cockpit. It is another example of the value that SB-S brings to our customers.

“Our Aviation Certified Application Provider Programme provides airlines with cutting-edge operational technologies and assures the highest levels of safety in the skies. Lufthansa Systems’ Lido charting applications boast richness of information, reliability and an unrivalled customer base.”

Dr. Bernd Jurisch, Head of Flight & Navigation Products & Solutions at Lufthansa Systems, said: “The Inmarsat Aviation CAP Programme certification demonstrates our commitment to making real-time total mission optimisation a reality for airlines. We have been working closely with Inmarsat to ensure our current and future applications are perfectly suited to airlines using Inmarsat’s SB-S to drive operational improvements via real-time data feeds, closing the gap between cockpit and ground, and opening up significant cost-saving opportunities for our shared customers.”

SB-S is in commercial operation with Hawaiian Airlines and is in in-flight evaluations with United Airlines and Shenzhen Airlines. It has also been selected by Airbus as a Light Cockpit Satcom (LCS) solution on its A320 and A330 families.

The platform is available through a global network of leading distribution partners including Rockwell Collins, SITAONAIR, and China Transport Telecommunication Information Group Company Limited (CTTIC) / Aviation Data Communication Corporation (ADCC) in China. A range of terminal equipment is available from Cobham SATCOM and Honeywell.(es)