Emma Kelly / Perth
Airservices Australia is warning the three major aeronautical data redistributors that it will take legal action against them unless they comply with the service provider's new licensing arrangements.
On 1 September, Airservices introduced a process requiring commercial redistributors of its aeronautical data to be licensed. During a six-month consultation period there will be no charge for the licence. While seven small Australian companies have already signed up, Airservices says the three major data providers in the business - believed to be European Aeronautical Group (EAG), Jeppesen and Lido - have criticised the service provider's new policy and not complied with the process.
Airservices is the first service provider to introduce a licensing arrangement for aeronautical data. Eurocontrol plans to follow suit and others are expected to follow. Airservices says the major three data companies have accused it of breaching International Civil Aviation Organisation policy and have called for a global meeting to discuss it. Airservices argues that service providers in ICAO states have the right to protect intellectual property.
Airservices says it would prefer to resolve the issue without going to court. A series of teleconferences with those companies that have yet to sign are planned in coming weeks.
Licensing is being introduced to address safety concerns, says Airservices, because "on a number of occasions errors in the way base aeronautical data was repackaged by commercial redistributors has resulted in incorrect data being supplied downstream".
Source: Flight International
