Arinc is increasing its investments in Middle East aviation infrastructure, including a major expansion of the company’s GlobalLink Acars VHF air-to-ground network.
“We’re in the process of a multiyear expansion of the VHF network in the EMEA [Europe, Middle East and Africa] region,” said David Poltorak, vice president and managing director for Arinc’s EMEA business.
Although Arinc (Stand W416), has worked in the Middle East for many years, the company’s first large contract came in 2005, when it signed a deal worth “tens of millions of dollars” for Dubai Terminal 3’s information technology system, according to Poltorak. “It touches on every part of the airport’s operation,” he said, including operations databases, flight information display systems, wide-area networks, public address systems and collecting and delivering information to the airport operator.
After the Dubai win, Arinc added airport integration contracts from airports in Cairo and Doha. Arinc maintains a regional headquarters in Dubai and runs a C-130 maintenance base in Saudi Arabia.
New network nodes in Dubai expand the GlobalLink Acars air-to-ground data communications services that Arinc has long provided to airlines all over the world. The Dubai node, said Poltorak, “provides excellent connections to customers throughout the Middle East. By the end of the first quarter of 2008, we’ll have covered all the major hubs in the Middle East.”
Arinc’s Acars network is available in two versions: a higher speed, higher bandwidth VDL Mode 2 and the legacy VHF. “We’re rolling out capability for both,” said Poltorak. Operators who still use the legacy VHF system don’t need to worry about new technology making their equipment obsolete. “It will be around for a long time…and customers can count on it,” he added.
Arinc also supports a variety of airborne communications equipment, allowing operators to tap into Acars using everything from high-frequency datalink to Inmarsat and Iridium satcom to ordinary VHF radios. “We have the ability to address all those needs,” Poltorak said.
Arinc is also highlighting its business jet handling capabilities under the Arinc Direct brand name. Services include flight planning, contract fuel arrangements, weather data delivery, flight tracking, ETOPS and RVSM compliance and Advance Passenger Information System notification for charter flights required to provide advance notice of passenger and crew manifests prior to border crossing in North America.
The flight planning product is now available on mobile devices like the RIM Blackberry. Services available on the Blackberry include creating and filing flight plans, viewing the planned route with weather radar overlays, updating departure times, retrieving text weather and viewing flight plan status.
“We think there are significant opportunities for Arinc in the Middle East in all segments of our business,” said Poltorak, “including airports, airline and business aviation and the military.
Arinc Wins Changi Contract
Arinc has won a significant contract to provide passenger handling systems for all three terminals at Singapore’s Changi Airport, including Terminal 3, scheduled to open early next year. The massive IT project consists of the installation of its iMUSE common-use check-in technology and Baglink baggage source message delivery system. It expects to finish installation by March 2008.
