ARINC DirectSM Offers New Package of Flight Support Services for Very Light Jets

Friday 31st October, 2008

ARINC DirectSM announces an economical package of web-enabled flight support services for operators of Very Light Jets (VLJs) and other general aviation aircraft with take-off weights below 12,500 lbs, including small turboprops and other entry-level corporate aircraft.

The ARINC VLJ package includes a full suite of support services available on-line at a yearly subscription rate of $1500. It includes comprehensive flight planning, weather, aircraft tracking, runway analysis, and weight & balance applications. All applications are accessible from a standard Internet connection, PDA/BlackBerry-type device, or smartphone. Subscribers may also purchase aviation fuel through ARINC Direct at favorable negotiated rates.

“Nearly 400 Eclipse and Cessna VLJs have started flying in the last two years, and this is the first suite of flight support applications that is cost-effective for them,” states Bob Richard, ARINC Senior Director, Flight Support Services. “ARINC is happy to support this fast-growing and under-served segment of today’s business aviation market.”

Many light jet operators limit their flight support services to low-cost generic flight planning applications. ARINC’s new VLJ package provides a much more accurate and useful flight planning service, plus real-time and forecasted weather, real-time aircraft tracking, and the enhanced safety of full runway analysis and weight & balance calculations as used by many larger corporate aircraft.

The ARINC Direct VLJ package is designed for self-service use by pilots and flight departments, but real-time assistance is available 24x7 from the experienced staff of the ARINC Flight Operations Center, at a fixed rate of $25 per call.

Aircraft already in service that qualify for the new ARINC package include the Cessna Citation Mustang VLJ, CitationJet 525 CJ turbofan series, the Eclipse 500 VLJ, and the Swearingen SJ30-2. Aircraft expected to debut soon include the HondaJet VLJ, Embraer Phenom series and the Diamond D-Jet.

ARINC Incorporated, a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group, provides communications, engineering and integration solutions for commercial, defense and government customers worldwide. Headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland with regional headquarters in London and Singapore, ARINC is ISO 9001:2000 certified. For more information, visit the web site at www.arinc.com.