Canadian flight operations software provider Navtech is to begin offering worldwide chart coverage to airlines by the end of the year, a move that will help bolster its presence among US airlines.
The Waterloo, Ontario-based company is in the midst of expanding its electronic chart coverage, which will eventually cover 99% of the runways over 1,520m (5,000ft) long worldwide used by commercial airlines, says Navtech president and chief executive Mike Hulley.
Altogether, up to 2,500 aerodromes will be covered.
Navtech signed up Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways as a customer for the product in 2012 and aims to announce more customers soon, says Navtech.
Of particular interest to Navtech are airlines in the USA, which are predominantly served by US-based rival Jeppesen. With Navtech set to offer worldwide electronic chart coverage by end-2013, US operators will soon have an alternative. "We are going to provide them with that choice by the end of the year," says Hulley. "We have received indications of interest from major airlines."
To help win more business in the USA, Navtech aims to open a US office this year, likely to be in Denver. Besides its headquarters in Canada, Navtech has offices in London and Stockholm. The company employs about 300 staff and 90 contractors, and Hulley does not rule out bringing more staff on board as it expands its chart coverage.
While most airlines worldwide are still using "some kind of paper" charts, Hulley expects almost all of the major international airlines to move to electronic charts in about two to three years. Offering worldwide electronic chart coverage has been a top priority, says Hulley, adding that the company has been working on this new product for about four years. "We believe we are in a position to take advantage of the shift to an electronic cockpit," he says.
More than 600 aircraft operated by several airlines, such as Finnair and Norwegian, already use Navtech's electronic charts.
Besides charts, the company also provides other products including electronic flightbags and crew planning software. US operators Delta Air Lines and JetBlue Airways, for example, use Navtech's crew planning software, says Hulley.
Source: Flight Daily News
