Webcast: Industrial-Strength Internet Services Are Coming—A Boost for Mission-Critical Communications

November 27, 2006

Annapolis, Maryland—Despite continuing investments in cutting-edge technology for its jet fleets, airports, and customer services, one aspect of today’s aviation industry remains mired in the mid-1990s: business communications.

Legacy applications combined with the mission-critical nature of aviation network communications have kept many airline networks a generation behind. And because most inter-line transactions must be carried securely, with consistent performance and delivery confirmation, today’s airlines and cargo carriers—and their GDS partners—often rely on vintage message exchange technologies not far removed from the Telex.

That tradition may be about to change. Easier access to inexpensive broadband connectivity is changing the industry roadmap for wide-area networking. At the same time, the computer-friendly structure of XML and Web Services is making business applications network-friendly. Robust implementation of these Internet technologies is opening the door to much broader use of the Internet.

On November 30, Air Transport World will present an open Webcast exploring these changes for the aviation industry, "Industrial Strength Internet:  Can Mission Critical be Agile?" The Webcast will feature three industry communications experts and is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. EST. Pre-registration is required: go to www.atwonline.com.

The Webcast will focus on the lower cost, global accessibility, and flexible functionality of today’s Internet, and how these factors are expected to improve the economics of communications. Industry factors driving change will be discussed, including momentum away from legacy infrastructures, trends toward broader outsourcing of airline applications, and development of new applications in support of eTicketing, eFreight, and advanced passenger information reporting.  

“These evolutionary trends have created a perfect storm—with conditions just right for accelerated adoption of Internet technology,” states Michael McShea, Senior Director, Global Product Management, ARINC Network Solutions. Mr. McShea will be a panelist for the Webcast, along with Dr. Steven Crocker, Internet pioneer and Chair of the ICANN Internet Security and Stability Advisory Committee, and Philip Hawker, Manager, Communication Networks, British Airways. The Webcast is sponsored by ARINC Incorporated, whose global networks carry an average of 16 million airline operational messages daily across the industry.

ARINC has developed a new service portfolio to take advantage of Internet technology to meet the challenges of the current business environment. AviNet^® Broadband is a global, fully-managed Internet VPN solution now available in more countries than the offerings of any other provider in the industry. AviNet eXchange^TM is an open messaging solution that takes advantage of the XML and Web Service technology, while still meeting the air transport industry’s stringent requirements for security and message assurance.

ARINC Incorporated is the world leader in transportation communications and systems engineering. The company develops and operates communications and information processing systems and provides systems engineering and integration solutions to five key industries: airports, aviation, defense, government, and surface transportation. Founded to provide reliable and efficient radio communications for the airlines, ARINC is headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, and operates key regional offices in London and Singapore, with over 3,200 employees worldwide. ARINC is ISO 9001:2000 certified.

Release: 06-169

Corporate Communications
corpcomm@arinc.com
410-266-4652