El Segundo, CA – July 24, 2008 - Teledyne Controls, a business unit of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE: TDY), announced today that Austria-based carrier NIKI is replacing their existing Flight Data Interface Management Units (FDIMU) with Teledyne’s FDIMU on its A320 fleet of 20 aircraft. Teledyne’s data acquisition and management unit will be used in conjunction with Teledyne’s Wireless GroundLink® Quick Access Recorder (WQAR), an innovative wireless data transfer system previously installed on NIKI’s fleet, to provide NIKI with a seamless and automated solution for transmitting ACMS (Aircraft Condition Monitoring System) reports from the aircraft to the ground.
“Teledyne’s Wireless GroundLink QAR provides fully automated retrieval of our flight data. Within minutes after an aircraft has landed, the flight data is wirelessly transferred to the ground and is immediately available for processing and analysis. We wanted a similar automatic process for the transfer of our ACMS reports,” said NIKI’s Technical Director Erich Ceru. “By replacing our existing units with Teledyne’s data acquisition systems, we can now connect the FDIMU directly to the WQAR and automatically transfer the ACMS reports generated by the FDIMU to the WQAR and then to the ground-based station computer.”
“Teledyne’s FDIMU will fully leverage the wireless capability of our aircraft data monitoring system for both flight data and ACMS reports, and by having quick access to our ACMS reports after landing, we can detect events earlier, take immediate action and therefore improve maintenance operations and reduce costs," said Michael Reuther, Director of Operational Engineering at NIKI. “Connecting the WQAR to the FDIMU is only the first step in taking full advantage of the system’s wireless capabilities. Beyond ACMS, we also see the WQAR's potential to serve as a multi-purpose data link communication device for ACARS messaging, and we’re certainly looking for further integration by using the WQAR as a global communication medium.”
“Teledyne Controls is pleased to support a smooth transition from our competitor’s FDIMU to Teledyne’s FDIMU, to fit all existing and future Airbus A320 aircraft in NIKI’s fleet,” said Hans-Juergen Neufert, Teledyne Controls’ Senior Manager of Sales and Service for the European region. “Our FDIMU, combined with our Wireless GroundLink system, will enable NIKI to efficiently monitor their aircraft data and improve the performance of their fleet both in the short and long term. We hope more airlines will see the value of Teledyne’s FDIMU for streamlining their flight data management and reducing operation costs.”
The Teledyne FDIMU is a compact integrated system that includes mandatory data acquisition and a fully-programmable ACMS (Aircraft Condition Monitoring System) with recording functions and processing capability. The FDIMU offers extensive flexibility, enabling users to specify the parameters they need for flight data monitoring, maintenance and operational efficiency, without the artificial constraints typically imposed by traditional data management systems. The unit is available for installation on the Airbus Single Aisle A319/A320/A321 and Long Range A330/A340 aircraft families, allowing operators with multiple aircraft types to utilize the same ACMS technology and programming tool across their fleet.
The Wireless GroundLink Quick Access Recorder is an innovative device designed to provide operators with an immediate, reliable and cost-effective solution for transmitting data from the aircraft to their back office. The WQAR offers unprecedented end-to-end system reliability with observed data recovery rates close to 100 percent of all sectors flown. Using a Teledyne proprietary protocol, 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 solution, airlines can significantly reduce data delivery delays since the data is typically 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. Selected by more than 50 operators worldwide, the Teledyne Wireless GroundLink solution is flying on over 1,000 aircraft and has been certified on numerous aircraft types. It is available factory fit from Boeing on the B777 and B737NG, and from Airbus on their A320 family, A330, A340 and A380 aircraft types.
The FDIMU and Wireless GroundLink QAR system are an integral part of Teledyne’s end-to-end aircraft data management solutions. Designed to assist airlines with streamlining their FDM/ FOQA (Flight Operations Quality Assurance) processes, these offerings include innovative airborne data acquisition products, air-to-ground wireless data transfer systems and ground-based applications and services that fit together to deliver greater benefits to the operators and provide the total solution they need for a successful flight safety program.
About NIKI Luftfahrt GmbH Airlines
NIKI Airlines was founded in 2003 and is based out of the Vienna International Airport in Austria. Partnered with Air Berlin, NIKI flies on behalf of tour operator Neckermann Reisen to 35 leisure destinations around the European region. For more information about NIKI, visit
www.flyniki.com.
About Teledyne Controls
Headquartered in El Segundo, California, Teledyne Controls is a business unit of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated. Teledyne Controls is a leading manufacturer and innovator of a wide range of aircraft data and information management solutions for air transport, business & commuter aircraft, helicopter, and airport applications. 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.
Teledyne Controls Contacts:
Hans-Juergen Neufert
Senior Manager of Sales & Service Europe, Africa & CIS
Phone: +1 310 765 3622
Fax: +1 310 765 3604
Email: hans-juergen_Neufert@teledyne.com
