Boeing [NYSE:BA] subsidiary Continental DataGraphics and the International Airlines Technical Pool recently expanded their 25-year relationship with a five-year contract for enhanced Web-based data hosting and support services.
The contract calls for Continental DataGraphics (CDG) to provide International Airlines Technical Pool (IATP)-member airlines with enhancements to a Web-based resource-sharing system that stores and disseminates data on pooled airplane parts. The contract follows a 1998 agreement for CDG to develop the Web-based system. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
"The online system has significantly improved airlines' ability to quickly locate and pool spare parts by updating the online data as pooling changes occur," said CDG President David Malmo. "This ensures that the content is always up to date."
Under the new contract, CDG will develop increased system functionality in the areas of ground support equipment, technical expertise, facilities pooling and airplane recovery. In addition to engineering services, CDG provides Web-site technical assistance to IATP-member airlines. CDG has hosted the IATP database since 1977.
IATP is a 54-year-old association whose members share airplane parts, recovery kits, tooling, ground-support equipment, technical expertise and facilities. IATP meets twice yearly to discuss the sharing of resources and cost reduction issues, as well as how to improve operational efficiency and promote safe and reliable operations. Board members are elected by their peers and currently include representation from Austrian Airlines, Cargolux Airlines, Lufthansa, Thai Airways and United Parcel Service.
Continental DataGraphics is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company. It offers a comprehensive suite of products and services for the creation, conversion, management and delivery of parts and maintenance information. It is the aviation industry's largest producer of illustrated parts catalogs and parts provisioning data. Other CDG offerings include technical authoring and illustration, engineering offload services, imaging services, and Internet-based content hosting. For more information, visit the CDG web site.