Mobile Bag Tracing

SITA enables its WorldTracer baggage tracing service to be used by agents on mobile devices at airports allowing airline staff to proactively assist passengers, filing claims in arrival halls, at baggage carousels, and in customs areas. SITA WorldTracerWeb Mobile gives baggage agents the option to query, in real-time, a timetable that provides all the direct flights and logical connections to any destination worldwide, says the company; www.sita.aero.

AOPA, Forbes Online Partnership

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) has teamed with Forbes Custom Solutions to show business leaders the value of general aviation the nation’s economy. Forbes Custom has created forbesbusinessaviation.com, a website for which AOPA is providing content. AOPA Online has added a special landing page where Forbes visitors can learn more about business aviation. The Forbes website features a travel cost calculator at the top of the home page; www.forbesbusinessaviation.com.

Tampa Goes Mobile

Tampa International Airport announces that its website is now available as a mobile website.  The new mobile site is a travel version of TampaAirport.com and is specifically designed for smartphone users looking for airport information such as: flight information; parking options and rates; shops and restaurants; and ground transportation. More features are expected to be added in coming months to accommodate the growing trend of customers using smartphones to gather information on the go, says the airport. The site is currently accessible over a variety of smartphone operating platforms including iPhone and Android; additional smartphone operating platforms will be available soon; www.tampaairport.com.

Cessna iPad App

An updated version of Cessna's flight information and planning application for the Apple iPad is available for all single-engine aircraft manufactured by Cessna Aircraft Company. The Cessna iFlite 3 is an iPad app that allows pilots to instantly access up-to-the-minute weather images, plan routes, and have access to a dual screen moving map disply. iFlite 3 also includes the ability to view Cessna pilot operating handbooks, calculate aircraft weight and balance, and calculate take-off and landing performance numbers. Cost of Cessna iFlite is initially $9.99 with a $139.99 annual subscription and an additional $39 to add an aircraft POH; www.cessna.com.

Hosted Check-in

ARINC Incorporated announces it has been awarded a contract for a new passenger check-in system at George Best Belfast City Airport, a regional airport in Northern Ireland (UK). The company has started installation of its vMUSE Enterprise hosted check-in solution, which reduces airport IT costs, power consumption, and space requirements while delivering the efficiency of a modern common-use passenger system, says the company. The hosted approach provided by ARINC’s vMUSE service enables ‘thin client’ devices (user workstations without hard drives or moving parts) to be used in place of conventional computers at service desks, and eliminates the need for on-site servers and associated infrastructure. It also allows for additional workstations to be added more quickly than in a conventional installation, and the extended MTBF (mean time between failure) rate allows for lower service costs; www.arinc.com.

Mobile FuelerLinx

FuelerLinx launches FuelerLinx 4.0, a networked version with mobile accessibility, allowing users to manage their fuel prices while on the road. FuelerLinx 4.0 allows flight departments to research their contract fuel and FBO direct prices, request fuel quotes for multiple ICAOs, and reconcile invoices in real time.  The transactions are now synchronized - allowing pilots, dispatchers, and the accounting team to work together to manage fuel prices more effectively. In addition, FuelerLinx 4.0 pulls live ramp fee information from 550-plus participating FBOs.  The information includes the posted retail price, ramp fees and minimum gallon requirements to waive the ramp fees; www.fuelerlinx.com.

Social ‘Check-in’ at DFW

DFW International Airport launches a new program integrating the ‘Foursquare’ and ‘Facebook Places’ location-based mobile applications with the airport’s concessions offerings.  Customers who check-in via social networking at any of DFW’s five passenger terminals will have access to concessions deals and discounts. The program is one of the first of its kind in the airport industry. A recent DFW survey shows that 84 percent of a airport passengers use smartphones, and 36% of smartphone users are utilizing location-based social networking apps to ‘check-in’ at certain locations; www.dfwairport.com.

Flight Planning App

Aviation headset manufacturer Sennheiser announces it has partnered with iFlightPlanner.com to develop a flight planning application specifically designed for use on the Apple iPad and iPad 2. iFlightPlanner for iPad enables pilots to seamlessly download flights planned using the iFlightPlanner.com Flight Wizard into an iPad for use in the cockpit. This approach provides pilots the ability to plan flights from their home desktop, laptop, or any web browser and download flight information into an iPad. Once downloaded, pilots may view flight details, including navigation logs, VFR and IFR charts, as well as approach plates while in flight and without a data connection. iFlightPlanner for iPad will also feature a gateway into news, information and other communications provided by Sennheiser; www.iflightplanner.com.

Web-enabled Rewards

National Air Transportation Association's (NATA) Safety 1st launches 18 new online safety and health training modules. The modules were developed using the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) standards and regulations and are specifically designed to train employees at aviation businesses. NATA's 18 modules include back safety, bloodborne pathogens, cold stress, ergonomics, fall protection, fire extinguishers, forklift safety, hazard communication, hearing conservation, heat stress, ladder safety, lockout tagout, machine guarding, office safety, personal protective equipment, and respiratory protection. Companies can buy only those modules applicable to their job. Each module averages 30 to 45 minutes in length and all 18 modules can be completed in approximately 10 hours; http://nata.aero/plst/osha_curriculum.html.