Universal Weather & Aviation recently completed a major overhaul of its online presence, including a new software interface that allows schedulers and dispatchers using Computing Technologies for Aviation’s (CTA) FOS scheduling application to submit trip data directly from FOS to Universal.
“CTA users enter their trip information into FOS and then click a button to submit to Universal,” said Universal product manager Guido Groeschel. “Their trip requests are then received directly into Universal’s trip management system, saving time and increasing efficiency and accuracy by eliminating the client’s need to call, e-mail or fax their information to trip support services.”
Users will also be able to view the status of their trip from inside the FOS application without having to log in to the Universal Web site. Groeschel said that while CTA was the first vendor to work with Universal on the hookup, his team is currently talking to other scheduling software providers about developing a similar interface.
Demos of the new system, which is free to Universal clients, are available at Universal’s booth (No. 7666) here at NBAA. Visitors can also check out the newly redesigned Universal home page on the Web, www.univ-wea.com, which features several flight planning tools that are free and available to nonsubscribers. The goal, of course, is for guest users to eventually sign up. A one-year online subscription to Universal’s UVTripPlanner costs $199.95.
Some of the free services available include the Point to Point Trip Planning Tool, which is accessible by entering either the destination airport identifier in the box on the home page labeled Airport Lookup. Then, enter the departure airport in the box on the right side of the page to view a great-circle route map with a basic weather radar overlay and links to weather reports, flight restriction notices, airport diagrams and FBO information.
For paid subscribers, the UVTripLink Trip Status page on the Web site was redesigned to include a new View Status link, which takes the user directly to a summary page for the entire trip, not just each individual leg.
Universal also announced today that it can now provide clients with runway analysis services through an agreement with Aircraft Performance Group. Runway analysis is the calculation of safe takeoff parameters based on aircraft weight and type and actual runway conditions. This information will be integrated into Universal’s online flight planning package.
