[Avionics Today Feb. 18, 2014] Qatar Airways has signed a five-year agreement with Boeing to upgrade the weather monitoring abilities of its commercial aircraft fleet.
The upgrade, called the Boeing Wind Updates service, provides real-time wind and temperature information to aircraft. According to Boeing, the Wind Updates improve pre-flight trajectory predictions and allow for in-flight optimization by providing "tailored wind information" for flight crews and the aircraft flight management system.
"We are pleased to upgrade our wind uplink capability by integrating the Boeing Wind Updates service into our operations at Qatar Airways to properly predict and measure current wind conditions," said Akbar Al Baker, chief executive officer, Qatar Airways. "In a highly competitive business environment, the Boeing Wind Updates service will provide us with a means to reduce fuel burn and increase routing efficiency, which leads to improved bottom line results."
The Boeing Wind Updates will be integrated across all Qatar, Boeing and Airbus aircraft.