CARGO MANAGEMENT

Alaska Air Cargo selects IBS Software's iCargo for its Air Cargo business

IBS Software | March 10, 2022

Air Cargo Business
IBS Software, a worldwide leader of SaaS solutions to the travel industry, has signed a long-term agreement with Alaska Air Cargo to transform and modernize its air cargo IT ecosystem. IBS Software will implement its full suite cargo management solution across the air cargo business of Alaska Airlines.

iCargo will digitally transform Alaska Air Cargo's sales & inventory, cargo terminal operations, air mail handling and revenue accounting, and mobile applications. Additionally, iCargo will enable the airline to have an end-to-end view of its air cargo value chain activities and provide important operational insights across the entire network.

The enhanced messaging and communication capabilities of iCargo will also ensure that Alaska Air Cargo can connect seamlessly with customers and partners in near real-time for better collaboration, resulting in faster decisions and better business outcomes.

"Selecting IBS Software's iCargo was a strategic decision, and part of our digital transformation program. This fully integrated solution will allow us to re-imagine and deliver a truly digital air cargo ecosystem of solutions to our employees, while creating a seamless business experience for our customers."
Adam Drouhard, managing director, Alaska Air Cargo
 
"IBS Software is proud to partner with Alaska Air Cargo and be part of its digital cargo transformation. We welcome Alaska Air Cargo to the growing iCargo family of airlines and ground handlers and believe it's the start of a great journey for both of our companies," said Sam Shukla, Vice President of The Americas Region at IBS Software.

About IBS Software
IBS Software is a leading SaaS solutions provider to the travel industry globally, managing mission-critical operations for customers in the aviation, tour & cruise and hospitality industries. IBS Software's solutions for the aviation industry cover flight & crew operations, aircraft maintenance, passenger services, loyalty programs, staff travel and air-cargo management. IBS Software also runs a real time B2B and B2C distribution platform providing hotel room inventory, rates and availability to a global network of hospitality companies and channels. For the tour and cruise industry, IBS provides a comprehensive, customer-centric, digital platform that covers onshore, online and on-board solutions. IBS Software is a Blackstone portfolio company and operates from 15 offices across the world. 

iCargo is an industry leading integrated solution that supports end-to-end business functions such as cargo reservations, rating, manifesting, import & export operations, warehouse management, revenue accounting, air mail handling and revenue management of cargo carrying airlines and ground handlers. iCargo follows the air cargo industry best practices and is fully compliant with global industry standards and initiatives such as Cargo iQ, C-XML, ONE Record, e-AWB and e-Freight in general.

About Alaska Air Cargo
Alaska Air Cargo serves over 100 destinations in North America with an extensive network and more than 1,200 daily flights. Providing a variety of reliable shipping services, Alaska Air Cargo utilizes a fleet of 737 freighters serving 20 communities in the state of Alaska as well as offering belly cargo service on a fleet of over 300 passenger planes serving the Continental U.S., Canada, Hawaii, Mexico and Costa Rica.

Spotlight

Airbus has confirmed a sizeable yet significant order for aircraft from Icelandair for its A321XLR. In today's video, I take a look at why the airline decided to announce its intent to order such a plane and how Boeing's decision to not move forward with an NMA of its own really set the tone for the airline's decision to move from Boeing to Airbus for its medium to long-haul needs.

Spotlight

Airbus has confirmed a sizeable yet significant order for aircraft from Icelandair for its A321XLR. In today's video, I take a look at why the airline decided to announce its intent to order such a plane and how Boeing's decision to not move forward with an NMA of its own really set the tone for the airline's decision to move from Boeing to Airbus for its medium to long-haul needs.

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AIR TRANSPORT

Honda Aircraft Company Earns the AMT Employer Diamond Award for 2022 by FAA

Honda Aircraft Company | March 09, 2023

On March 08, 2023, Honda Aircraft Company, a manufacturer of aviation components, announced it has been awarded AMT Employer Diamond Award for 2022 for one more time. This is the highest level of the William (Bill) O'Brien Aviation Maintenance Technician Awards program developed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The significant award recognizes the unique skills and knowledge of the Honda Aircraft Company's maintenance team and the company's dedication to fostering and promoting adequate technical training programs that exceed FAA regulatory requirements. After fulfilling all the eligibility and following FAA standards of excellence, AMTs of the Honda Aircraft Company maintenance team earn individual AMT Certificates of Training for the calendar year. This accomplishment demonstrates Honda Aircraft's ongoing dedication to the aviation maintenance team and its commitment to the support and develop its maintenance workforce. Honda Aircraft Company has been leading the aviation industry with technology and innovation since its first delivery of the HondaJet in 2015 while maintaining an unmatched focus on customer support. The expansion of the Flexible Phased Maintenance Program and HondaJet's new Authorized Service Centers are some of the company's recent improvements toward improving customer satisfaction. In January this year, the global HondaJet fleet flew for over 160,000 hours and had the best dispatch reliability at 99.7%. In addition, by getting the FAA AMT Employer Diamond Award, Honda Aircraft Company once again showed that it is committed to excellence in all parts of its business. About Honda Aircraft Company Honda Aircraft Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., established in 2006 and based in Greensboro (North Carolina). The company enhances people's lives through innovative aviation technology intending to advance humanity. It has been a worldwide symbol for efficient and innovative technologies contributing to constant human progress and increasing personal mobility globally. It aims to continue developing its aircraft's most advanced and low-emission technologies, which is only possible with the help of ambitious, big-hearted dreamers. In addition, the company's dynamic team is addressing contemporary mobility challenges and designing aircraft at the intersection of art and science.

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AEROSPACE

Alaska Airlines and ZeroAvia developing world's largest zero-emission aircraft

PRnewswire | May 02, 2023

Alaska Airlines today presented a Bombardier Q400 regional turboprop to ZeroAvia that will be retrofitted with a hydrogen-electric propulsion system in an effort to expand the reach and applicability of zero emissions flight technology. At an event, held at ZeroAvia's Paine Field research and development site, the companies were joined by high school students from Raisbeck Aviation High School, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene and Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers to participate in the formal handover of the 76-seat Q400 aircraft that will be developed by ZeroAvia, the U.S.-headquartered leader in designing and building zero-emission, hydrogen-electric aircraft propulsion systems for aircraft. When Alaska Airlines' regional carrier Horizon Air retired its Q400 fleet, it reserved one of the aircraft for research and development purposes to further advance zero emissions technology for the aviation industry. The aircraft was repainted with a special livery to highlight the innovative mission of this partnership. ZeroAvia also debuted its breakthrough multi-megawatt modular electric motor system in a 1.8MW prototype configuration at the event - demonstrated with a propeller spin aboard the ZeroAvia's 15-ton HyperTruck ground-test rig. Combined with higher temperature PEM fuel cells and advanced power electronics - both technologies that ZeroAvia is developing in-house - the leading-edge electric motor technology is one of three key building blocks for enabling commercially-relevant hydrogen fuel cell engines for larger aircraft. "This is a great step forward in aviation innovation, to help create a new future of flight – right here at home," said Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci. "Alaska Airlines has defined a five-part journey to achieve net zero carbon emissions long-term, but we can't get there alone. New technologies are required to make that future possible, and we're thrilled to partner with industry leader ZeroAvia to make new zero emissions options a reality." Aligning ZeroAvia's powertrain with the Dash 8-400 airframe will represent a commercially viable zero-emission aircraft with fuel cell engine technology around five times more powerful than what has been demonstrated anywhere to date. "Demonstrating this size of aircraft in flight, powered entirely by novel propulsion, would have been unthinkable a few years ago," said Val Miftakhov, founder and CEO of ZeroAvia. "Launching this program puts us on track for a test flight next year, and accelerates our progress toward the future of zero-emission flight for Alaska Airlines and for the world at large." ZeroAvia's recent advancements clear the way for a potential flight of the Q400, also recognized as the Dash 8-400, but also demonstrate rapid progress toward certification of the ZA2000 propulsion system. ZeroAvia has already demonstrated a track-record of world-first flight testing. In January, ZeroAvia flew a retrofitted 19-seat aircraft with its prototype 600kW hydrogen-electric engine (ZA600). This followed the demonstration flight of a 250kW system in 2020, which at the time of flight was the world's largest aircraft flown using a novel zero-emission power source. ZeroAvia's hydrogen-electric engine uses fuel cells to generate electricity from hydrogen fuel, before using that electricity to power electric motors which turn the aircraft propellers. The certifiable ZA2000 system will include ZeroAvia's High Temperature PEM fuel cells and liquid hydrogen fuel storage, integral to delivering the necessary energy density for commercial operations of large regional turboprops. The company has already established an engineering partnership with De Havilland of Canada, the original manufacturer of the Dash 8 family of aircraft to enable exchange of data and expertise with the airframe. In 2021, Alaska Airlines launched a partnership and invested in ZeroAvia to support the development of zero emissions propulsion technology for regional aircraft. As the fifth largest U.S. airline with a large regional network, Alaska has a unique opportunity to support the development of zero-emissions propulsion technology for regional aircraft. By establishing the viability of regional-sized aircraft, both companies will help advance zero-emissions technology across the industry. Washington State Governor Jay Inslee said: "Our state has a rich history of leadership in aerospace and we're proud to be at the center of a technological revolution in zero-emission flight. Through innovation and partnerships like the one demonstrated today, we can help write the next chapter of aviation history right here in Washington State." Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) said: "As we work to meet our emissions reduction goals, we must prioritize decarbonizing the commercial transportation sector. Washington state is leading the nation in developing and deploying clean energy technologies and the Alaska Airlines-ZeroAvia partnership is a prime example. This collaboration could revolutionize the aviation industry to make our planes greener and our skies cleaner." Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers said: "As a leader in supporting innovative industries, and as the center of aerospace manufacturing in Washington state, Snohomish County is proud to support this partnership and the development of the next generation of aviation technology, driving both job growth and environmental sustainability." HyperCore Motor The 1.8MW motor configuration demonstrated today consists of two "HyperCore" motor modules, each a high-power, high-speed 900kW permanent magnet radial flux machine which operates at 20,000 rpm, matching the typical turbine engine power turbine speeds, providing an unprecedented 15kW/kg motor power density. Crucially, HyperCore's modular design enables the technology to address applications ranging from 900kW up to 5.4MW, meeting a number of regional turbo-prop and regional jet requirements. The HyperCores were successfully integrated with the stock Dash 8-400 engine gearbox and propeller, which dramatically simplifies integration into the aircraft as a replacement for a stock turbine engine. The development and testing program will enable the understanding and measurement of system dynamics, calibration of physical and electrical models, and validation of thermal management systems. The company is concurrently developing world-class silicone-carbide power electronics and the matching hydrogen fuel cell systems, which convert hydrogen to electricity, powering the electric propulsion system. These systems will be brought together to create the full hydrogen-electric propulsion system, tested on the ground and then in the air. About ZeroAvia ZeroAvia is a leader in zero-emission aviation, focused on hydrogen-electric aviation as the initially targeting a 300-mile range in 9–19 seat aircraft by 2025, and up to 700-mile range in 40–80 seat aircraft by 2027. Based in the US and the UK, ZeroAvia has already secured experimental certificates for its three prototype aircraft from the CAA and FAA, passed significant flight test milestones, secured a number of key partnerships with major aircraft OEMs, secured $10B in pre-orders from a number of the major global airlines, and is on track for commercial operations in 2025. The company's expanding UK operations are supported by grants from UK's Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK, and ZeroAvia is part of the UK Government's Jet Zero Council. About Alaska Airlines Alaska Airlines and our regional partners serve more than 120 destinations across the United States, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico. We strive to be the most caring airline with award-winning customer service and an industry-leading loyalty program. As a member of the oneworld alliance, and with our additional global partners, our guests can travel to more than 1,000 destinations on more than 25 airlines while earning and redeeming miles on flights to locations around the world.

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AIR TRANSPORT

Umbra and Ursa Space Empower Global Market with Advanced SAR Analytics through Strategic Partnership

PRnewswire | May 19, 2023

Ursa Space Systems, a leader in satellite intelligence, and Umbra, a leader in advanced space radar technology, today jointly announced that they are partnering to bring advanced synthetic aperture radar (SAR) analytics to a global market through Ursa's suite of subscription and custom intelligence products. The two companies first teamed up to serve customers in late 2022 when Umbra initially began offering high-resolution SAR imagery for commercial use, and Ursa signed on as its first commercial customer. Umbra data has played an integral role in several of Ursa's core global monitoring capabilities, including global oil storage assessment and vessel detection. Ursa is also using Umbra's data to provide their customers with flood analytics — which are critically important to provide situational awareness for emergency responders on the ground. Flood data is also being used by Ursa customers to speed up the insurance claim process for those impacted by severe weather events. "Umbra's high-resolution data allows for more accurate analysis, and by offering data with a wide range of processing levels, they enable development and evaluation of advanced analytics and techniques that wouldn't otherwise be possible," said Eric Cote, Director of Geospatial Partnerships, Ursa Space Systems. Ursa cited data quality, API maturity and documentation, and open licensing as primary reasons why they chose to partner with Umbra. The data provided by Umbra adds additional capacity to Ursa's Virtual Constellation, the world's largest database of satellite imagery from the most-trusted SAR, optical, and Radio Frequency data vendors around the globe. Ursa also credits Umbra's Compensated Phase History Data (CPHD) for providing an even more raw form of the data than is typically provided by other vendors, giving Ursa the ability to develop novel derived products through ongoing research and development efforts. Umbra satellites are equipped with a powerful SAR payload, capable of seeing both day and night and through all weather conditions. The satellites enjoy an uncommonly large field of regard, which enables them to collect an unprecedented volume of images over densely clustered targets in high-demand areas. "Ursa has been on the forefront of multi-INT products; their platform and insights are incredible," said Gabe Dominocielo, Umbra's co-founder and president. "Ursa is truly a mission partner for us." Umbra is supporting a growing number of inspiring and innovative organizations monitoring the Earth in unprecedented fidelity. Umbra's data can identify and monitor surface-level changes globally and be used for a variety of efforts including remote wildlife habitat protection, pollution and plastic waste tracking, oil spill detection, military intelligence gathering, live flooding estimation during storms and more. Ursa Space leverages the world's most comprehensive and progressive virtual constellation from multiple commercial sources and advanced data fusion capabilities, providing insights into physical changes on Earth. Ursa's platform orchestrates satellite imagery and analytic services at scale, to rapidly deliver to customers insights when needed. About Umbra Umbra is a technology company that offers intelligence data as a service to commercial and government customers. Our cutting-edge products help customers solve complex business and security challenges. Umbra is a U.S.-owned and operated company headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, and has a presence in Austin, Texas, and Washington, D.C. About Ursa Space Ursa Space is a global satellite intelligence infrastructure company that provides business and government decision-makers access to on-demand analytic solutions. Through our radar satellite network and data fusion expertise, Ursa Space detects real-time changes in the physical world to expand transparency. Our subscription and custom services enable you to access satellite imagery and analytic results with no geographic, political, or weather-related limitations.

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