SmartSky Teams with IATA to Tackle Turbulence, Enable Safer, Smoother Flights Aboard Commercial and Business Jets
Research Triangle, NC – October 23, 2019 – SmartSky Networks, the provider of next-generation inflight connectivity solutions for aviation, today announced that it is collaborating with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to bring its open, commercial-ready digital services to IATA’s new turbulence mitigation platform, Turbulence Aware.
IATA’s Turbulence Aware platform is helping airlines mitigate the impact of turbulence, a leading cause of passenger and crew injuries and higher fuel costs each year, by pooling and sharing anonymized turbulence data from multiple participating airlines and thousands of daily flights.
SmartSky’s strong business aviation ties will significantly broaden the scope of those who benefit from IATA’s turbulence management program, as SmartSky aims to enable business jet-reported turbulence data for the first time. Business aviation flights are not currently providing automated turbulence reports, therefore, this important development will be instrumental in growing global live turbulence coverage beyond the data currently received from commercial airlines. Business aviation companies can now be alerted to turbulence for all phases of flight planning and operations.
Powered by SmartSky’s service-oriented framework, Skytelligence™, and maximized over the SmartSky ATG network, the turbulence service will enable business aviation service providers and operators to incorporate turbulence data into a variety of applications. Pilots, crew, and control centers will use the service to improve the safety of flight operations, while passengers will experience smoother, more efficient flights.
“SmartSky and IATA have teamed to expand the reach of this critical mission dedicated to tackling turbulence and providing safer and smoother commercial and business flights for passengers and crew,” said Haynes Griffin, SmartSky Chairman and CEO. “Our open framework, Application Programming Interfaces, and Skytelligence developer hub, are a catalyst for creativity and innovations that ultimately drive a better-connected air travel experience.”
“The IATA-SmartSky Networks partnership represents an important milestone in our global Turbulence Aware initiative, whose number of participating airlines is growing every week and as we broaden the scope to also include business aviation,” said Katya Vashchankova, Head of Meteorological Program for IATA.
About SmartSky Networks
SmartSky Networks, based in North Carolina’s Research Triangle, was formed in 2011 by senior telecommunications and aviation executives seeking to transform aviation through the use of disruptive communications technologies and related tools. Working with leading aerospace and technology partners, SmartSky is rolling out its innovative, air-to-ground network. The network takes advantage of patented spectrum reuse, advanced beamforming technologies and 60 MHz of spectrum for significantly enhanced connectivity. SmartSky’s network uniquely enables a productivity experience in the air similar to on the ground, including unmatched capacity for data transmissions both to and from the aircraft. This real-time, low latency, bi-directional data link makes SmartSky the best in-flight user experience and is a key enabler for new and enhanced apps, services, and hardware.
About IATA
IATA (International Air Transport Association) represents some 290 airlines comprising 82% of global air traffic. IATA constantly strives to find solutions that make a positive difference for our members and for the industry.
Media Contact: Brit Wanick +1 415-717-3899
