Jeppesen Signs Five-Year Electronic Charting Service Contract with Saudi Arabian Airlines

Jeppesen EFB, digital charting and NavData services to help Saudi Arabian Airlines transition from paper to digital flight information solutions

Englewood, Colo. | 25 Mar 2010 | By Jeppesen

Saudi Arabian Airlines, a valued Jeppesen customer for nearly 40 years, has again chosen Jeppesen for its digital charting navigation service. Jeppesen solutions provided in the five-year agreement include electronic flight bag (EFB) software, tailored digital charting and multiple NavData services for use with in-flight applications and the airline’s flight planning system.

Saudi Arabian Airlines, a leading air carrier of the Middle East region, continues its progression from paper to digital navigation information with the solutions provided by Jeppesen. As part of the agreement, Jeppesen will deliver EFB Class 2 software solutions for the airline, which includes the Web-based e-Link tailored charting service, presented in a Windows operating environment.

“Saudi Arabian Airlines is now moving to a new era of the paperless cockpit vision,” said Capt. Talal Ageel, vice president, Saudi Arabian Airlines Flight Operations. “It is the long standing relationship between the two companies that will realize this transition. Saudia has foreseen great cost savings with this implementation. The components that Jeppesen will be supplying Saudia will indeed add quality to the paperless vision that is being envisaged by Saudia.

Jeppesen’s industry-leading expertise with delivering navigational data in ARINC 424 format provides Saudi Arabian Airlines with timely data that is critical for maintaining airline flight management and flight planning systems. Jeppesen delivers ARINC 424 NavData services on a 28-day update cycle, which contains thousands of global aeronautical changes that are analyzed and verified by Jeppesen flight information experts.

“Jeppesen’s expertise with digital charting and navigation information delivery provides customers such as our long-standing partner Saudi Arabian Airlines with flight-critical data that helps to streamline operations and reduce costs in a challenging business economy,” said Thomas Wede, Jeppesen senior vice president and general manager, Aviation. “With a diverse fleet of aircraft in operation, we are pleased to provide data continuity for Saudi Arabian Airlines, delivering accurate and timely flight information.”

Saudi Arabian Airlines maintains a fleet of more than 81 aircraft currently, including several Boeing 747 models and the Boeing 777. The airline’s fleet also includes McDonnell Douglas MD-90, Embraer 170 and Airbus 320 aircraft. Future plans include adding Boeing 787 and Airbus 330 aircraft to the fleet. Saudi Arabian Airlines serves more than 76 destinations in Africa, Asia, Europe and North America.

For more information on the industry-leading navigation information solutions provided by Jeppesen, please visit our commercial aviation navigation information solutions site.