Tech Bytes

Oct. 26, 2007

www.atcsd.com
American Technology Corpora-tion (ATC) announces the availability of LRAD-R®, a highly directional hailing, warning, and deterrent system, to the public and private security markets. LRAD-R was originally developed for military force protection.

LRAD-R uses its directionality and focused acoustic output to transmit critical information, instructions, and warnings well beyond 500 meters. Through the use of powerful voice commands and deterrent tones, large safety zones can be created while determining the intent and influencing the behavior of an intruder.

LRAD-R can be operated remotely across an IP network, enabling system operators to respond to potential threats from a safe environment while creating a complete unmanned perimeter security solution. LRAD-R accepts intruder position information from other IP-enabled sensor systems to automatically find and track potential threats.

www.honeywell.com; www.sensis.com
Honeywell International and Sensis Corporation, in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, have demonstrated a technology that can detect and communicate potential runway incursions directly to an aircraft cockpit, alerting the flight crew of a potential incident and addressing a concern that has been on the National Transportation Safety Board’s most wanted list since 1990.

The cockpit advisory technology sends potential ground, arrival, or departure conflicts directly to pilots as an audible alert using a Mode-S data link and an existing modified TCAS unit in the aircraft. The audible alert in the cockpit is provided to pilots at the same time that ASDE-X transmits the information to air traffic controllers. The runway incursion cockpit advisory technology uses existing ground and avionics systems, limiting the likely equipment changes to only software modifications.

Through the use of ASDE-X — which fuses multilateration, primary radar, and Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) — controller situational awareness is increased with the frequent update of positions of all planes in the vicinity of the airport and on the ground. Leveraging this data, ASDE-X Safety Logic provides detection of potential and actual runway incursions and simultaneously transmits alerts to controllers and the pilots of the potentially affected aircraft.

“The functionality and performance of this demonstration — which leverages currently deployed systems — proves that the technology exists to help address runway incursions,” says Tony Lo Brutto, vice president and general manager of Sensis Air Traffic Systems.
“With the adoption of an open standard, FAA commitment for signal in space, test and certification, and approved procedures, this capability can be made available at the 35 high-traffic density airports where ASDE-X is currently being installed, as well as future installations.”
FAA is in the process of installing 35 ASDE-X systems at some of the busiest airports across the country. Nine are currently operational.

www.flyclear.com
Clear® opens an enrollment station and launches fast security lanes at LaGuardia Airport’s Central Terminal. With the addition of LaGuardia, travelers at all three New York-area airports will be able to access Clear’s fast pass lanes.

Clear has enrolled over 59,000 travelers nationwide. It provides members with access to a separate, faster line through airport security checkpoints by using an identity card containing their encrypted fingerprint or iris images.

Clear says that within the first 30 hours of enrollment station launch at San Francisco International, 1,000 travelers signed up.

LaGuardia joins Clear’s growing national network that includes Albany, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, JFK, Newark, Orlando, San Francisco, San José, and Westchester.

www.primeflight.com
PrimeFlight Aviation Services introduces a new proprietary software program to track wheelchair traffic and usage for its airline customers. Developed by PrimeFlight programmers over a three-year period and tested in Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport, the program, called EPush, uses GPS tracking and automated dispatching software, to enable PrimeFlight to track every wheelchair in an airport at any given time.

EPush is being implemented in PrimeFlight’s recently announced expansion with Continental Airlines at George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport.

www.satcomdirect.com
Satcom Direct launches a new datalink service, FlightDeck Freedom, which gives aircraft operators access to a menu of flight information content. This content includes pre-departure clearances (PDC), digital ATIS (DATIS), text and graphical weather, flight plans, flight tracking, and text messaging.

Satcom Direct is also teaming with Flight Explorer to offer flight tracking capability to Satcom Direct customers. The new service will be implemented through Satcom Direct’s newly revamped Plane Simple™ website, an interactive tool that also allows flight departments to troubleshoot satcom communications problems on a 24-hour basis. Flight tracking will be offered free of charge for the initial service login to customers who subscribe to Satcom Direct’s new FlightDeck Freedom™ service, with additional tracking requests and enhancements — such as weather overlays — available for a fee.

www.skire.com
The City of San Jose, California, has chosen the Skire, Inc. Unifier® capital program and project management platform for construction at the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport.
Skire Unifier is a business process automation platform for managing programs, projects, resources, and assets. The platform centralizes comprehensive management capabilities and makes them available to everyone who needs them through a standard web browser.

www.smiths.com
Earlier this year, Smiths Group plc (Smiths) and General Electric Company (GE) announced that they had conditionally agreed to form a joint venture to provide screening of baggage at airports. Smiths and GE now announce that they have decided not to proceed to form the joint venture as they believe the interests of both businesses are best served by remaining independent.

* * *
(Tech Bytes are compiled by assistant editor Anna Stanley; reach her at [email protected].)