ARINC Direct is getting graphic at NBAA by adding a powerful new flight planning capability - graphical route manipulation - to its service for business aviation.
Also known as rubber-banding, graphical route manipulation simplifies route selection and allows pilots to easily modify waypoints on a flight plan to accommodate airspace closures, thunderstorms and other contingencies.
The new feature is included in the latest release of ARINC Direct's flight planning service at no additional cost to users.
"We have implemented the ability to dynamically modify flight-plan routes, using our popular SkyVector mapping application," said director of flight operations Gary Gambarani. "By simply stretching and dropping a route line on the map, the pilot can obtain a new waypoint for computing and filing a flight plan. This greatly reduces tedious manual entry and minimizes the possibility of errors."
In auto mode, the system automatically snaps to a drop point and inserts the nearest Navaid or waypoint into the flight plan. In prompt mode, the pilot is asked to confirm the selection of each waypoint before it is inserted.
In addition to graphical route modification, ARINC Direct has introduced a range of other enhancements including a new cockpit application for the Apple iPad, and applications for Direct TV, Flight Risk, VoIP and Call Signs.
Source: Flight Daily News
