[Avionics Magazine 11-10-2016] Western Economic Diversification Canada has selected Calgary-based aerospace manufacturer Flyht Aerospace Solutions to receive a $2.35 million interest-free Western Innovation Initiative (WINN) loan. WINN is a Canadian federal government program designed to stimulate greater private sector investment in western Canadian commercialization activities. It helps businesses with less than 500 employees commercialize innovative technology-based products, processes or services by providing an interest-free loan of up to $3.5 million.
The Flyht AFIRS data management unit. Photo: Flyht Aerospace.
Flyht first applied for the WINN program in the Spring this year, to invest in technological development of the air and ground components of its satellite/aircraft communications systems. Flint Walters, a program manager at Flyht, said the company plans to use the funds to “upgrade the Automated Flight Information Reporting System (AFIRS) and commercialize the Company’s cloud-based UpTimeT software which includes functionality to better support new and current customers.” The WINN funding will be used for Flyht projects occurring between Sept. 5, 2016 and Dec. 10, 2018.
AFIRS operates on multiple aircraft types and provides functions such as safety services, voice and text messaging, data collection and transmission, and on-demand streaming of flight data recorder (black box), engine and airframe data. AFIRS sends this information through the Iridium Satellite Network to Flyht’s UpTime ground-based server, which routes the data to customer-specified end points and provides an interface for real-time aircraft interaction.