LOS ANGELES, CA - February 23, 2006 - Teledyne Controls, a business unit of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE: TDY), announced today that Czech Airlines (CSA) has ordered Teledyne Controls' Wireless GroundLink® (Wireless Quick Access Recorder - WQAR) for installation on its new A320 fleet. CSA, the leading Eastern European carrier will use Teledyne's WQAR to fully automate the recording and transmission of its flight data.
Teledyne Controls' Wireless GroundLink is designed to provide aircraft operators with an immediate, reliable, and cost-effective solution for data recording and transmission. Offering unprecedented reliability, the GroundLink system is designed to record and wirelessly transfer flight data from the aircraft to the ground, without any media handling and human intervention. Using a proprietary protocol patented by Teledyne, the raw data recorded during flight is compressed, encrypted and then transmitted via cellular technology and the Internet to the airline's or Teledyne's ground-based data center for processing and analysis. With the Teledyne Wireless GroundLink system, airlines can significantly reduce data delivery delays (the data is available within 10-15 minutes after an aircraft has landed, versus several days or weeks with manual data retrieval). Additional operational benefits are realized since human resources, equipment costs and data-loss associated with manual retrieval methods are virtually eliminated.
The Wireless GroundLink system will function in conjunction with AirFASE®, a flight data analysis and reporting software tool jointly developed by Teledyne Controls and Airbus. The WQAR will perform the recording of the data, along with its secure and seamless transmission to a ground station with AirFASE; the latter will fulfill the flight data replay, analysis and reporting functions.
"Czech Airlines has been a traditional user of solid state Quick Access Recorders since early 1990s," said Vit Komzak, Czech Airlines' Executive Director of Technical Fleet Development. "We are glad that, by implementing Wireless GroundLink® in partnership with Teledyne Controls, we can further develop our flight data processing system, a significant element in safety management and aircraft maintenance programs, to provide even better support to Czech Airlines' growing fleet."
"We are very pleased to provide Czech Airlines with the critical building blocks that are required in a successful and fully automated flight data analysis system," said Hans-Juergen Neufert, Teledyne Controls' Senior Manager of Sales and Service for the Europe region. "Teledyne's Wireless GroundLink has been successfully implemented at numerous airlines' worldwide and is now flying on over 300 aircraft. Czech Airlines is the first airline in Eastern Europe to acquire the system."
About Teledyne Controls
Headquartered in Los Angeles, Teledyne Controls is a business unit of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, and a leading manufacturer and innovator of a wide range of air transport, business & commuter aircraft, helicopter, and airport systems. Teledyne Controls supports its many airline, airframe, helicopter, and airport customers with extensive product-support bases and worldwide facilities. More information about Teledyne Controls can be found at www.teledynecontrols.com.
About Teledyne Technologies Incorporated
Teledyne Technologies is a leading provider of sophisticated electronics, instruments and communication products, systems engineering solutions aerospace engines and components and on-site gas and power generation systems. Teledyne Technologies has operations in the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Canada. For more information, visit Teledyne Technologies' website at www.teledyne.com.
About Czech Airlines (CSA)
Czech Airlines is the largest national carrier among the new EU member countries according to number of transported passengers. In 2005, the airline carried a record number of more than 5.2 million passengers.
Since 2001, it has been a member of SkyTeam, one of the leading global airline alliances. CSA currently offers connections to 119 destinations in 52 countries worldwide. The fleet contains 50 aircraft - ATR 42's/72's, Boeing 737's and Airbus A310/A320/A321's.
In December 2005, the company successfully passed an IATA (International Air Transport Association) audit, and is now ranked among the best world airlines in the field of safety.
In January 2006, CSA won the American magazine Global Traveler's (Annual GT Tested Awards) "Best Airline in Eastern Europe" Award for a second year running. The last two years Czech Airlines was also selected as "Best Airline Based in Central/Eastern Europe" by the OAG (Official Airline Guide, London) and was also on its shortlist of the eight best airlines for the year 2005.
More information about CSA is available at www.csanews.cz/en/.
Teledyne Controls Contacts:
Warren Hechinger
Director of Sales & Service Europe, Africa & CIS
Phone: +1 (310) 442-4169
Email: warren_hechinger@teledyne.com
Hans-Juergen Neufert
Senior Manager of Sales & Service Europe, Africa & CIS
Phone: +49 (0) 40-2090-9640
Email: hans-juergen_Neufert@teledyne.com
