news clips z Signature Boosts EMEA Sales Team FBO chain Signature Flight Support has established a dedicated sales team to provide personalized flight support services in the European, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. “We built our EMEA sales team on the model that has worked for us in the U.S.,” said Joe Gibney, Signature vice president and managing director for EMEA. “We formulate a comprehensive, customized portfolio based on the customer’s flying profile and specific needs.” The team Steve Gulvin comprises Steve Gulvin, regional vice president sales, EMEA; Andrea Hopkins, sales manager mainland Europe; Karl Bowles, sales manager Middle East; and Julian Moller, sales manager, UK and Ireland.
z Idair Unveils Wireless IFE System Idair (Stand 783), the joint venture between Lufthansa Technik and Panasonic Avionics, is debuting Eclipsair, its wireless “infotainment” system, here at EBACE. Aimed at the VIP and business jet markets, Eclipsair delivers news, video, audio data and flight information. The company anticipates it will be available for customer installations in the second quarter of 2013. The single-box solution combines an IEEE802.11n wireless access point and a web-based media server, providing wireless distribution of streaming media to a variety of mobile passenger devices. Eclipsair will be offered as a standalone system or integrated with Idair’s global communication solution and in-flight entertainment and cabin management system. It will also be available as an integrated part of Lufthansa Technik’s “nice HD” system. “Eclipsair represents a wireless solution that has been designed not only with the consumer device user in mind, but also with the requirements of the equipment installer and operator at the forefront,” said Andrew Muirhead, Idair’s CEO. “Through our one-box solution, we are offering a unique package both easy to use and simple to install.”
z Masterjet Renews AFI KLM Service Pact French executive charter operator Masterjet has signed an agreement with AFI KLM Engineering & Maintenance to use its Vipjetsuite cabin interiors services. The Air France KLM airline subsidiary provides a range of MRO services, including cabin modifications. “They have always been able to meet our deadlines in a highly efficient and effective manner,” said Nuno Perestrelo, maintenance and engineering director at Masterjet. The company operates eight aircraft, including a VIP-configured A320. It already uses AFI KLM for maintenance support.
z Nexus, ServiceElements Team on Customer Service Nexus Flight Operations Services has announced a joint venture with U.S.-based customer service specialist ServiceElements International (SEI) to offer training courses in the Middle East and Africa. Courses will be conducted in organizational resource management and related topics focusing on the human elements and issues relating to customer service within the aviation industry. “Alongside our already well-established training program in collaboration with FlightSafety International, these organizational development programs will really bring something different to our region and allow us to raise the benchmark within the MENA [Middle East and North Africa] aviation industry even further,” said Abdullah Al-Sayed, president and CEO of Nexus, which has facilities in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Rwanda, India and France. “Our workshops are very effective but input does not simply end with the workshop, as we prefer to establish long-term relationships with our clients and assist with organizational development that provides a whole-company approach to surpassing satisfactory service and performance levels,” said SEI v-p consulting and special programs Chris Crum.
Evergreen’s Lagos FBO sees Nigerian boom by James Wynbrandt
resources, Nigeria has a reputation for having payoff-hungry officials. The company is eager to counter that perception, however. “We try to make people feel at ease. They don’t have to worry about paying off people,” said Demuren. “We don’t collect cash; we don’t collect payments. After you leave the country, we’ll send you a bill. Every single item on our services has a price, so you’re not going to get any surprises.” Here at EBACE, Demuren
Evergreen Apple Nigeria is expanding sector,” he added. The ready to support growing vol- $25 million EAN Jet Centre feaumes of business aviation traf- tures two VIP lounges, a crew fic heading to West Africa and room with WiFi access, shortwants EBACE visitors to know stay accommodation and a pentthat it can provide a secure and house restaurant atop the facility. Demuren noted that most capable port of entry for Nigeria’s capital, Lagos. Having established what it claims is Nigeria’s first purpose-built FBO–the EAN Jet Centre at Lagos’s Murtala Muhammed International Airport– last July and seeing a large increase in traffic, EAN is planning to establish new FBOs during the next year in Abuja, the capital, and at Port Harcourt, which is known as the gateway to the country’s oilfields. The number of business travelers heading for Nigeria is growing fast as commodities play an increasingly important role in the world economy, Since Lagos is the first place businesses think of when contemplating the Nigerian so remote but resource- market, it made sense for Evergreen Apple Nigeria to open a world-class FBO there. rich areas in Africa, such as Nigeria, are becoming aircraft owned and operated in is eager to meet with operaprime destinations. Nigeria are foreign registered, tors seeking an entrée to Nige“Lagos is usually the first and EAN has partnered with ria, and FBOs and handlers Nigerian city that new business Maintenance Centre Malta that can assist EAN’s Nigerianventures target, and we could (MCM Group) to provide line based clients when they take o see there was a lack of facili- maintenance for European-reg- their jets abroad. ties that international travelers istered aircraft at the FBO, and expect,” said Segun Demuren, also to provide maintenance for EAN’s managing director and Nigerian-registered aircraft when CEO. “Creating an integrated they are operating in Europe. Evergreen (Stand 1927) FBO and maintenance center was essential to support this recognizes that, besides its
Arinc Direct app connects pilots’ iPads via Bluetooth When asked, “Why an app, and why now?” James Hardie, Arinc Direct’s director for the EMEA and Asia Pacific regions, responded, “Once we realized that more than 50 percent of our subscriber base was already using the [Apple] iPad as an electronic flight bag in the cockpit, we knew that we could provide more up-to-date information, automatically, through our own app, whenever it is connected via the Internet to our servers.” Arinc (Stand 328) customers that download the free app can receive information from Arinc that was previously available
20 EBACE Convention News • May 15, 2012 • www.ainonline.com
only via aircraft avionics. The WiFi connection capability of the iPad and the true viability of the Inmarsat SwiftBroadband
James Hardie, director EMEA and Asia Pacific for Arinc Direct, demonstrates the company’s iPad app, which is free for Arinc Direct subscribers.
uplink allows adequate throughput for the data, creating a conduit for live weather radar, geo-referenced charting and constant connectivity with dispatch and flight management offices. The app has a few functions that are unique to it. For instance, two pilot cockpits can connect the copilot and pilot’s iPads via Bluetooth, so that only one pilot needs to input updates and clearances on the flight form. While connected, both iPads will display the same information simultaneously. Annotated and amended flight plans can also be saved as PDF files and delivered directly to the flight office as a complete and accurate (and immediate) record of the flight, reducing paperwork on both ends for the operator. –A.L.