Emirates announced that it has joined the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Turbulence Aware Platform. The airline will also be the first to integrate the IATA platform within the latest version of Lido mPilot, the mobile navigation solution from Lufthansa Systems.
The airline said that bringing the platforms together will offer highly accurate turbulence information and forecasts for pilots, equipping them with the means to plot the best paths around affected areas for enhanced safety, efficient navigation, and optimization of flight plans.
Turbulence is the main cause of passenger and crew injuries and leads to higher fuel usage.
IATA’s Turbulence Aware is a global, real-time detailed and objective information resource for pilots and aviation professionals to manage and mitigate the impact of turbulence on operations. The platform pools anonymized turbulence data from thousands of flights operated around the world.
According to IATA, with objective, automated, in-situ turbulence reports, dispatchers, pilots and cabin attendants can:
- Know the location of turbulence and smooth air and take appropriate action
- Be able to reassure passengers and cabin attendants
- Optimize fuel burn
In conjunction with the IATA Turbulence Aware Platform, Emirates said it has equipped more than 140 aircraft with the required onboard software to automatically share turbulence reports with all airlines contributing data to the platform. All new aircraft joining the Emirates fleet over the course of the next few years, such as the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777-9, 777-8 and B787, will be enabled to participate in the program.
“Mitigating the adverse effects of turbulence is an industry wide challenge and obtaining accurate and live data is key in this endeavor,” Frederic Leger, IATA’s Senior Vice President Commercial Products and Services, said in a statement.
“The cooperation between IATA Turbulence Aware, Emirates and Lufthansa Systems will further improve the quality and quantity of real time data made available to the industry, allowing for smoother and safer air travel for all,” Leger said.
Lido mPilot is an all-in-one mobile navigational charting application from Lufthansa Systems and has been configured based on Emirates’ specific operational requirements. Lido mPilot provides pilots with easy access to terminal charts, a dynamically generated enroute map, and an Airport Moving Map (AMM).
“IATA Turbulence Aware data enhances the value of Lido mPilot by providing pilots with real-time, accurate and comprehensive information on turbulence, enabling them to make informed decisions and navigate more efficiently,” Andreas Medlhammer, Product Owner Pilot Charting Apps at Lufthansa Systems, said in a statement.
“By integrating this data into Lido mPilot, Emirates Airline can increase safety, reduce fuel consumption and minimize passenger discomfort, ultimately improving their operational efficiency and customer satisfaction,” Medlhammer added.
“Actively participating in IATA’s Turbulence Aware platform and equipping our pilots with a complement of the latest industry technologies such as the mobile navigation solution Lido mPilot from Lufthansa Systems are part of our commitment to ensure operational safety, efficiency, and customer comfort on every flight,” said Captain Hassan Alhammadi, Divisional Senior Vice President, Flight Operations Emirates Airlines.