MUMBAI- UAE’s Flag carrier Emirates Airlines (EK) recently joined the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Turbulence Aware Platform and will be the first airline to integrate this platform with the latest version of Lido mPilot, Lufthansa Systems’ mobile navigation solution.
Likewise, India’s largest airline, IndiGo (6E) is also testing software that will help them detect turbulence that can affect the aircraft in flight.
Emirates IATA Turbulence
This integration provides pilots with extensive data and advanced technologies, offering real-time, highly accurate turbulence information and forecasts. This helps pilots to plan safer, more efficient flight paths, optimizing navigation and flight plans.
Additionally, Emirates has equipped over 140 aircraft with software to automatically share turbulence reports with other airlines on the platform.
New aircraft joining the Emirates fleet, including the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777-9, 777-8, and 787 will also be able to participate in this program.
Executive Remarks
Captain Hassan Alhammadi, Divisional Senior Vice President, Flight Operations at Emirates Airline, stated:
“By participating in IATA’s Turbulence Aware platform and equipping our pilots with advanced technologies like the Lido mPilot mobile navigation solution from Lufthansa Systems, we are committed to enhancing operational safety, efficiency, and passenger comfort on every flight.
We are proud to contribute turbulence data from our extensive Middle East network and routes across Africa, Asia, Australia, and other regions. This initiative will enhance industry knowledge for managing turbulence and evolving weather patterns with greater precision.
This is just the beginning, and we plan to integrate more cutting-edge technologies to further improve the flying experience, ensuring smoother journeys for our customers.”
Captain Hassan Alhammadi, Emirates
Frederic Leger, IATA’s Senior Vice President of Commercial Products and Services, commented:
“Mitigating the adverse effects of turbulence is an industry-wide challenge, and obtaining accurate, real-time data is essential. The collaboration between IATA Turbulence Aware, Emirates, and Lufthansa Systems will enhance the quality and quantity of real-time data available to the industry, leading to smoother and safer air travel for everyone.”
Andreas Medlhammer, Product Owner of Pilot Charting Apps at Lufthansa Systems, added:
“IATA Turbulence Aware data enriches Lido mPilot by providing pilots with real-time, accurate, and comprehensive turbulence information, enabling them to make informed decisions and navigate more efficiently. Integrating this data into Lido mpilot allows Emirates Airline to increase safety, reduce fuel consumption, and minimize passenger discomfort, ultimately enhancing operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.”
What is IATA’s Turbulence Aware Program?
IATA’s Turbulence Aware is a global, real-time resource that provides detailed and objective information to help pilots and aviation professionals manage and reduce the impact of turbulence on operations.
Turbulence, a leading cause of passenger and crew injuries, also increases fuel consumption. The platform aggregates anonymized turbulence data from thousands of flights worldwide. This data enables pilots and dispatchers to select optimal flight paths, avoiding turbulence and flying at optimal altitudes to enhance fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.
So far, Turbulence Aware has contributed to safer flights for over 700 million passengers, with more airlines joining the program continuously.
Lido mPilot, developed by Lufthansa Systems, is a comprehensive mobile navigational charting application tailored to Emirates’ specific operational needs. It provides pilots with easy access to terminal charts, a dynamically generated enroute map, and an Airport Moving Map (AMM).
The application’s data-driven, interactive maps, along with the latest weather features relevant to each flight, ensure enhanced situational awareness and provide pilots with the most pertinent information for their operations.
IndiGo Turbulence Software Testing
While pilots rely on aircraft weather radars and air traffic control inputs to avoid storm clouds, the new software provides an additional safety layer for flight operations.
IndiGo Airlines told HinduBusinessLine,
“To ensure a secure and comfortable in-flight experience, the airline is constantly exploring new technologies and evaluating in-flight safety announcements. Recently, IndiGo conducted trials on new software and plans to launch another trial for its Airbus fleet in the next two to three weeks. As the agreement is still being finalized, the airline will announce the software name based on the trial agreement developments.”
Although IndiGo has been testing the application for several months, fresh trials follow recent turbulence incidents involving Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways, which resulted in injuries to passengers.
The software measures the severity of turbulence and records its location and altitude. It is also effective in detecting clear air turbulence, which onboard weather radars cannot easily detect.
Currently, IndiGo aircraft lack internet connectivity, so turbulence data is only available after the aircraft lands, presenting a challenge.
Typically, pilots review enroute weather and wind conditions as part of their pre-flight preparations, with this information provided by flight dispatchers or sourced from iPad applications in airlines like Air India and IndiGo.
IndiGo also employs in-house meteorologists who inform pilots about weather conditions and advise on carrying extra fuel for potential diversions. Similarly, Qantas (QF) from Australia has meteorologists monitoring weather 24/7, from tropical storms to erupting volcanoes.
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