MELBOURNE, FLORIDA - GE Harris Aviation Information Solutions, LLC, a joint company of General Electric Company and Harris Corporation, and Comair, Inc., the world's largest, independently-owned regional airline, have signed an agreement to demonstrate a unique high-speed, wireless data communications link on Comair's Regional Jets.
The new system, which will be installed on two Comair Canadair Regional Jets, will demonstrate GE Harris Aviation's automated "Out, Off, On, In," (OOOI)* data link. OOOI is a valuable flight operations tool which assists in managing and monitoring the progress of all airline flights. Currently, many airlines depend on ground crew or gate agents, keeping track of an aircraft manually, to monitor the location of aircraft in their fleet.
With the new wireless GE Harris Aviation OOOI link, Comair will automatically receive real-time information on aircraft location at any given moment. A wireless transfer system will send this information from the aircraft to a database where it can be accessed on-line in real time, or at a later date, retrieved by criteria such as flight number, tail number, location, date, and time.
The first aircraft will be modified in mid-November, 1999, followed by the second aircraft modification in December. Once installation is complete, a 1,000-flight GE Harris Aviation demonstration begins, and is expected to last approximately three months.
GE and Harris Corporation formed GE Harris Aviation Information Solutions in 1998 to provide unique information systems and services to enable airlines to monitor and analyze valuable data easier and faster, helping to improve airline efficiency.
While airlines currently have to capture, and later review, aircraft information from a variety of systems, GE Harris Aviation's robust, state-of-the-art systems and solutions use one system to analyze various onboard components while the airplane continues in revenue service. An airlines' ability to capture, transmit and receive a wide variety of information-including aircraft and engine data, cockpit data, and cabin services-directly to and from aircraft improves its efficiency in such areas as flight safety, flight operations, maintenance and engineering, cabin services, and airport services. This can directly impact operating costs and cost management for operators.
General Electric-through GE Power Systems and GE Transportation-has formed two other successful joint companies with Harris Corporation, introducing similar wireless data technology to the electric utility and railroad transportation markets.
With sales of $1.7 billion, and sales and service facilities in nearly 90 countries, Harris Corporation is an international communications equipment company providing product, system, and service solutions for commercial and government communications markets.
GE Engine Services, which anticipates revenues of more than $5 billion dollars in 1999 after record revenues of nearly $5 billion in 1998, provides comprehensive overhaul and repair of aircraft engines, components, and accessories of GE Aircraft Engines; the engines of CFM International, the 50/50 joint company of Snecma of France and General Electric Company; and engines produced by other manufacturers.
Founded in 1977, Comair serves more than 6.4 million customers annually and offers 700 daily departures to 85 cities in 30 states and three countries. Its net income for fiscal 1999 was a record $132.9 million on revenues of $763.3 million.