Direct Flight Planning, Automated Reports, Graphical Weather All Incorporated

Jeppesen’s JetPlan flight planning service and Satcom Direct’s FlightDeck Freedom cockpit communications services can now be accessed by customers for a fixed annual cost. Jeppesen and Satcom Direct have announced a teaming relationship that allows each company to sell a bundled solution to their customers combining flight planning services and cockpit communications.

The agreement enhances Jeppesen’s JetPlan flight planning service by providing direct cockpit communications capability via Satcom Direct’s FlightDeck Freedom (FDF) service. FDF supports flight deck communications via Inmarsat, Iridium, and SITA VHF and transmits flightcritical data to the flight crew, including pre-departure clearances, Digital ATIS, oceanic clearances, current airport weather, graphical weather, and flight plan routes.

Dispatchers and maintenance personnel can monitor the aircraft through automated takeoff and landing reports, e-mail messages to and from the aircraft, and can see aircraft position at any time with Satcom Direct’s new SD Flight Tracker. Flight crews also have direct access to cabin and satellite network monitoring and performance tools while en route.

Jeppesen’s Flight Planning solution includes JetPlan flight planning and flight plan filing services accessed via the JetPlan.com web interface. Customers can also access the JetPlan databases that include en route text weather briefings, en route navigation fees, online user manuals, worldwide aviation weather maps, text weather reports, worldwide NOTAMs, FAA Approved RAIM Prediction Reports, and coming next month, graphical flight tracking.

"The partnership between Jeppesen and Satcom Direct brings additional value plus a one-stop solution for our mutual customers. Combining the best-in-class flight planning service and aircraft communications is a natural fit to enhance efficiency and provide economic benefits for Business Aviation operators," said Thomas Wede, Jeppesen senior vice president and general
manager, Aviation.

Jeppesen has plans to enhance the JetPlan flight planning service to include EU ETS calculations for all flight plans filed for European travel. It is anticipated that this capability, and other enhancements including integrated weight and balance calculations, will become available in the first quarter of 2010.

FMI: www.jeppesen.com