El Segundo, CA - December 21, 2009 - Teledyne Controls, a business unit of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE: TDY), announced today that AirAsia X, the leading long haul low-cost airline affiliate of AirAsia, has selected Teledyne Controls' Wireless GroundLink® Quick Access Recorder (WQAR) for installation on 25 new Airbus A330 aircraft and retrofit on 2 Airbus A340 aircraft. AirAsia X also selected Teledyne's Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) Services for the replay and analysis of their flight data. Used together, Teledyne's WQAR and FDM Services will provide
AirAsia X with an efficient solution to monitor the performance of their fleet.
AirAsia X will deploy Teledyne's proven wireless technology across their entire fleet to automate the recording and air-to-ground wireless transfer of their aircraft data. The WQAR will also allow AirAsia X to transmit their ACMS (Aircraft Condition Monitoring System) reports from the aircraft inexpensively, at a fraction of the cost of sending the same information via ACARS.
A significant new feature of Teledyne's WQAR system is the new Download on Demand (DoD) capability. This function will allow AirAsia X to remotely command flight data download whenever they need earlier access to their flight data, regardless of airport destination, designated hub or gate. With the WQAR's DoD capability, the airline can collect critical flight data much faster from almost any airport worldwide and respond to potential issues in record time.
"AirAsia X is a relatively new long haul low-cost carrier with an already demanding flight schedule and growing fleet. To keep up with the demands of their fleet, the WQAR will support the secure and timely transfer of flight data from their aircraft to the ground. We have also worked closely with AirAsia X to ensure that their FDM service is optimal in supporting the characteristics of AirAsia X's operation," said Albert Yoong, Teledyne Controls' Sales and Service Manager for the Singapore and Southeast Asia region. "We are pleased they selected our solutions to support their FDM program and we look forward to supporting their growth and aircraft data management needs in the future, especially as they continue to aggressively expand their service and range even further."
"AirAsia X selected Teledyne's WQAR and FDM Services to gain quicker insight into our aircraft performance, which is critical to ensure our fleet is running as efficiently as possible and to maintain our operation's fast pace," said Anaz Ahmad Tajuddin, Head of AirAsia X Engineering. "With Teledyne's WQAR and FDM Services we can wirelessly transfer our aircraft data after every flight and analyze it almost immediately, to detect and resolve maintenance issues more rapidly, which will result in faster turn around times. With AirAsia X's growing route network, currently serving Australia, China, Taipei, the Middle East and UK, such a system is necessary to boost aircraft performance and efficiency."
Teledyne's Wireless GroundLink® QAR is designed to provide operators with an immediate, reliable and cost-effective solution for transmitting data from the aircraft to the airline's back office. The WQAR offers unprecedented end-to-end system reliability with observed data recovery rates close to 100 percent of all flights flown. 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 WQAR 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. In addition to routine data transfer, the WQAR can also transfer data in under "out-of-network" conditions with its Download on Demand (DoD) feature. DoD allows operators to send a one-time SMS text message command to the aircraft's WQAR unit to activate immediate data download from almost any airport in the world back to the airline's home base. This function allows timely retrieval of critical flight data, which can alleviate physical inspection of the aircraft and significantly reduce delays related to resolving Aircraft On Ground (AOG) issues.
Selected by 70 operators, the Wireless GroundLink QAR is the system of choice for airlines worldwide. This innovative wireless system has been certified on numerous aircraft types and is flying on over 1,700 aircraft. Additionally, it's available factory fit from Boeing and Airbus and is delivered on almost 30% of all new B737NG, B777, and A320, A330, A340 and A380 aircraft.
Teledyne Controls FDM services provide convenient, flexible and cost-effective solutions that enable aircraft operators to send their flight data to a Teledyne Data Center, where it is securely stored, processed and analyzed. Periodic reports, highlighting operations trends, are delivered back to customers, who also have the ability to access their own data remotely. Teledyne's FDM services range from basic flight data replay and archiving to comprehensive packages that include verification and validation of events, 3D flight data animation, and provisions of data export for Aircraft Performance Monitoring (APM) and Engine Condition Monitoring (ECM) programs.
The Wireless GroundLink QAR and Flight Data Monitoring Services are key elements of Teledyne Controls' end-to-end aircraft data management solutions. Designed to assist airlines with streamlining their FDM/Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) processes, these offerings include innovative airborne data acquisition products, aircraft-to-ground wireless data transfer systems and ground-based applications and services that fit together to deliver greater benefits to operators and provide the total solution needed for a successful flight safety program.
About AirAsia X
Since operations began in January 2007, AirAsia X has pursued the long haul, low-cost airline sector with high frequency, point-to-point networks of the long-haul airline business. AirAsia X currently operates a fleet of 4 Airbus A330 and 2 Airbus A340 aircraft and is an affiliate of Asia's leading and largest low-cost carrier, AirAsia. While complimenting AirAsia's extensive network of over 130 routes, AirAsia X flies from their home-base in Kuala Lumpur to Australia, China, Taipei, the Middle East and Europe. For more details about AirAsia X, kindly visit http://www.airasia.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 commercial air transport, business and commuter aircraft, as well as helicopter and military applications. Teledyne Controls supports its many customers with extensive product-support bases and worldwide facilities. More information about Teledyne Controls can be found at http://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 http://www.teledyne.com.
Teledyne Controls Contacts:
Albert Yoong
Sales & Service Manager
Singapore and Southeast Asia
Cell: +65 9622 8764
Email: ayoong@teledyne.com
Chuck Tamburo
Regional Sales Director, Asia/Pacific
Phone: +1 310?765?3636
Cell: +1 310?765?3604
Email: ctamburo@teledyne.com
