The Global Link - Arinc
The Global Link - Arinc
The Global Link - Arinc
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November 2011 | #43<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Global</strong> <strong>Link</strong><br />
ARINC in Asia<br />
AeroConnx TM and Cathay Pacific Take a Big Step<br />
Together Toward e-Enablement<br />
Contact the Author<br />
Robert Lentz<br />
Senior Manager,<br />
Aviation Solutions,<br />
ARINC<br />
tel: +1 410.266.4636<br />
robert.lentz@arinc.com<br />
ARINC and Cathay Pacific’s e-Enabled Aircraft Partnership began in 2004 with a simple<br />
request for an electronic document viewer. Within six years, it had changed a Cathay Pacific<br />
B777 into a flying node on the carrier’s enterprise network, running half a dozen major new<br />
productivity applications. ARINC’s AeroConnx solution answers the question, “How many<br />
benefits can an airline derive by using an electronic flight bag?” Last March, following years<br />
of development and flight testing and months of operational evaluation, ARINC and Cathay<br />
Pacific declared their AeroConnx project an unqualified success. AeroConnx will play a key<br />
role in advancing Cathay Pacific’s initiative for e-Enablement, because the data it delivers<br />
will cut across all divisions of the company.<br />
ARINC and Cathay Pacific formed a technical partnership, working toward an EFB definition<br />
that would meet the airlines objectives. It had to present “one common look—a standard<br />
interface” on any Cathay aircraft. When the system was fully defined, it was a flexible,<br />
integrated aircraft/ground end-to-end IT infrastructure. <strong>The</strong> companies proved their concept<br />
viable by using an A330 simulator. <strong>The</strong>n the architecture was refined and key vendor<br />
relationships were established.<br />
In November 2008, ARINC and<br />
Cathay Pacific agreed to move<br />
forward with a full trial program of<br />
their solution, using a Cathay B777-<br />
300. <strong>The</strong>re would be three EFBs<br />
installed in the cockpit, and one<br />
in the cabin. Also included in the<br />
solution are ARINC’s GateFusion SM<br />
gatelink service and GLOBA<strong>Link</strong> Sm , ACARS ® and Iridium services. In 2010, a successful flight<br />
test and certification from the FAA and Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department occurred. <strong>The</strong>n<br />
Cathay and ARINC performed a six-month operational evaluation before declaring their trial<br />
an unqualified success. Now, Cathay and ARINC are working together to implement the<br />
e-Enabled solution fleet-wide.<br />
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