AVTECH and Southwest Airlines enters into contract for full network implementation of Aventus NowCast

AVTECH Sweden AB (publ) (“AVTECH”) and Southwest Airlines (“SWA”), the largest carrier in the US in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded, operating the largest fleet of Boeing aircraft in the world, today announces that the companies have entered into a commercial agreement for a network implementation of AVTECH’s Aventus NowCast Descent offering (“Aventus”). Aventus, which uses superior winds forecasting from Panasonic Avionics Corporation’s TAMDAR-enhanced atmospheric models, will be implemented for all SWA’s 96 destinations involving approximately 94 000 flights a month. Service delivery will be managed through an AVTECH-owned server park in Orlando (US), which is collocated with Panasonic in order to streamline Panasonic’s provision of weather data into the system.

The contract has a duration of five years, with an undisclosed contract value due to contractual confidentiality and competitive reasons. Implementation will be executed in batches grouped by airport locations, starting late Q3 2014, ending Q4 2014.

“The signing of a commercial contract with Southwest Airlines represents a major milestone in the history of AVTECH, and it is with great pride that we today announce Southwest as the first major and network-wide customer of Aventus”, says Christer Staaf, CEO of AVTECH. “Southwest Airlines is not only one of the biggest airlines in the United States and world but they are also a world renowned aviation innovator. As such it is not only with great pride, but also with great enthusiasm that we now enter into this very important collaboration”, finishes Christer Staaf.

“Signing a commercial contract for implementation of Aventus in Southwest Airlines’ full network of operations has been a thorough process that has been ongoing for quite a while, focusing on proof of the excellent technical operational fit and significant benefits of Aventus”, says Lars GV Lindberg, the Chairman of Board of AVTECH. “The process has been a team effort that has involved a multitude of AVTECH employees as well as a number of persons within Southwest”, continues Lars GV Lindberg. “However an extended process, the signing of a contract with Southwest does not mark the end of the road for the commercial success of Aventus, but rather the start of a potentially truly exciting journey for AVTECH as a provider of significant benefits to the aviation industry. We very much look forward to an interesting future for aviation as a whole and for AVTECH specifically”, finishes Lars GV Lindberg.

“The Aventus product will prove extremely valuable for Southwest Airlines,” says Chuck Magill, Southwest Airlines Vice President Operational Coordination. “Not only will it reduce fuel burn and workload for our Flight Crews, it will also position our aircraft to better prepare for the continued expansion of NextGen initiatives. We are excited to begin product implementation”, finishes Chuck Magill.

About Aventus NowCast

The Aventus NowCast™ system is a unique and patented system that enables accurate wind information and/or 4 Dimensional Trajectories for flights, making use of the very best in atmospheric modeling combined with real time, high resolution weather information (AMDAR/TAMDAR) to create updated high resolution wind models and wind data packages for the different segments of a flight; a so called NowCast. Data packages are uplinked to aircraft to enable the onboard Flight Management System (FMS) to accurately calculate a flight profile and the actual time when each waypoint of a flight will be reached. The immediate benefits of Aventus NowCast are airline fuel and CO2 savings, i.e. the solution is highly environmentally friendly. Aventus is also imperative for aviation wide Time-based operations, which is an area where Aventus provides even larger overall financial and environmental benefits.

The significance of Aventus is overall demonstrated by market research and development within digital ATM unanimously pointing out that accurate information of atmospheric conditions is imperative for Time-based Operations. Time-based Operations is a must in near-term aviation to increase efficiency and punctuality of individual flights and of the air transport system as a whole.

For more information, please contact

Lars GV Lindberg, Chairman of Board, +46 (0) 8 544 104 80

Christer Staaf, CEO, +46 (0) 8 544 104 80

Jonas Saric, Business Unit Director Aventus NowCast and CFO, +46 (0) 8 544 104 80

About AVTECH Sweden AB (publ)                                                                                                                                                                                            

AVTECH develops products and services for digital Air Traffic Management (ATM). Its customers include the global aviation industry; e.g. airlines, airports, aviation authorities, technology companies and airline manufacturers. By using AVTECH’s products and services, each individual flight as well as the entire airline operation can be optimized in terms of cost, noise and emission, efficiency, punctuality and safety. The head office is in Stockholm, Sweden with subsidiaries in Toulouse, France and Dubai, U.A.E. AVTECH Sweden AB is listed on NASDAQ OMX First North and has appointed Mangold Fondkommission AB, tel: +46 8 503 01 550, as Certified Adviser.

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