The flat-screen monitors glow all night at the new
24-hour operations center in Annapolis, Maryland, where a staff of
veteran flight coordinators is getting to know its aviation
customers. The incoming requests are mostly from corporate flight
departments or-at this time of night-from pilots seeking a little
weather advice or help with refueling.
The spacious dispatch center is the heart of ARINC Direct, the
industry's newest offering of flight services for corporate
aviation. ARINC Incorporated made news when it announced plans to
enter the corporate aviation services business. ARINC Direct
combines flight support services, communications, RVSM, and
aircraft services.
Most of the staff has previous dispatching experience, and a few
are pilots. All were specifically hired for their knowledge of
flight operations, proficiency in handling mission-critical
requests, and passion for customer service. "Everyone here has a
personal interest in flying," says coordinator Scott Clifford. "We
focus on giving a high level of response to all ground handling and
concierge requests-the kind of service we would want if we were
customers."
Customers contact the new operations center with a
toll-free phone call, or over the Internet. Most applications are
automated, but the flight coordinators are also available to handle
requests personally. Requests for domestic trip planning and ground
handling are coordinated by the ARINC staff, and international
trips are handled through Air Routing International, an industry
leader in international trip services.
The ARINC Direct suite includes a powerful flight planning tool,
text and color graphic weather services, weather briefings,
graphical flight-following, communications services, and more. Any
convenient Internet computer gives customers 24-hour access for
flight planning, 2-way air/ground messaging, destination weather
reports, and more.
"ARINC Direct is designed to meet the needs of all corporate and
private operators," says David Poltorak, ARINC's vice president of
business aviation services. "Operators with data link already have
what they need to use our full suite of services. Other operators
like our superior information tools and global access on the ground
and in the air."
ARINC Direct data link service is also suitable for selected ATC
messaging, including pre-departure clearance (PDC), digital ATIS
(D-ATIS), North Atlantic Oceanic clearance, and terminal weather
information for pilots (TWIP). ARINC Direct supports voice and data
communications on VHF, HF and satellite, for global coverage and
highest reliability.