Digital Messaging System suits smaller airports.
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Press Release Summary:
Digital Automatic Terminal Information Service offers pilots digital weather and airfield information. It broadcasts voice radio messages containing weather, runway conditions, and other notices and includes natural-sounding text-to-voice translator. For controllers, system offers pull-down menus and templates for entering text information on runway and airfield conditions, Notices to Airmen, and local weather data from Systems Atlanta IDS-5 service.
Original Press Release:
ARINC Introduces a Digital ATIS Package for Smaller Airports
Annapolis, Maryland, USA, July 15, 2003-Small to mid-size U.S. airports and military airfields will soon be able to offer pilots the same digital weather and airfield information larger airports provide. ARINC Incorporated today announced a new Digital Automatic Terminal Information Service (D-ATIS) system that makes the popular D-ATIS service cost-effective for smaller airfields. The new system has already been deployed successfully at McGuire and Wright-Patterson Air Force Bases.
All airports must broadcast ATIS messages-voice radio messages containing the weather, runway conditions, and other notices. Recording and updating these ATIS voice messages is a burden on controllers, and copying the messages is a chore for pilots.
D-ATIS technology-introduced at large airports over a decade ago-eliminates manual voice recording and copying, and provides automated text messaging to the aircraft. The FAA provides D-ATIS service at North America's 57 busiest airports, but the system's high cost has inhibited implementation at smaller fields.
Now, in partnership with software developer STR-SpeechTech of Victoria, B.C., Canada, ARINC has engineered a compact, integrated D-ATIS package for a fraction of the cost of the traditional systems. The new technology features a natural-sounding text-to-voice translator, and added features for ease of use by controllers.
These include "pull-down" menus and templates for entering text information on the runways, Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs), airfield conditions and local weather data from the Systems Atlanta IDS-5 service. Completed text messages are converted to clear voice for the automated ATIS broadcast. The text is also sent by data link over ARINC's GLOBALink(TM) air/ground network to any requesting aircraft, anywhere in the world.
"The new D-ATIS system has been a great addition to our tower," states First Lieutenant Stephen Yantko, Airfield Operations Flight Commander at Wright-Patterson AFB. "Reducing distracting and repetitive tasks associated with manual ATIS updates has improved controllers' efficiency and overall situational awareness. We've also received many compliments from the flying community on the quality of the voice broadcast."
"That's what D-ATIS service is all about-improving flight safety and improving tower operations," adds Peter Wright, ARINC Product Manager for the new D-ATIS system. "More pilots today are asking for D-ATIS service, and hundreds of mid-size fields and military bases will benefit from this cost-effective system. It's a win for everybody,"
STR-SpeechTech is an industry leader in text-to-speech technology and supplies broadcast software for the D-ATIS sites in Canada. STR's StarCaster®- technology accepts digital text or code from industry-standard air traffic control systems, and is easily configured for individual airports. An on-line demo is available at www.speechtech.com.
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 3,000 employees worldwide. ARINC is ISO 9001 certified. For more information, visit the ARINC web site at www.arinc.com.
