New flight tool simplifies flight preparation and raises safety
SkyLiberty, a new electronic flight bag for pilots of light aircraft, is being developed by the Belgian ESA Business Incubation Centre start-up company ESNAH.
Started by entrepreneurs Nicolas Hanse (pictured) and Aurélie Simon, ESNAH (Etude pour la Sécurité de la Navigation Aérienne Hanse: Hanse Air Navigation Safety Study) was created to simplify procedures for light civil aircraft at the same time as reducing fuel consumption.
SkyLiberty is an application for iPad and Android tablets, enabling users to prepare their flight paths quickly, taking into account all aeroplane, weather, airspace situation and airport factors.
The outcome of three and a half years of research and development, it is the first full, professional European flight navigation support system for general civil aviation tailored for small aircraft.
SkyLiberty is an electronic flight bag that helps crews to perform flight management tasks more easily and efficiently.
It reduces or replaces paper-based reference material for pilots, such as aircraft operating manuals and navigational charts.
It also automates other functions normally done by hand, such as the time-consuming performance takeoff calculations.
“Our approach uses weather information, pilot qualifications, realtime data from the plane and satellite-based localisation data for aircraft navigation to support the pilot,” explains Nicolas Hanse.
“It helps the pilot to prepare for takeoff faster and more reliably, and to focus on the flight rather than the navigation systems.”
During flight, SkyLiberty displays all the information on a moving map for the pilot at the required time.
Designed by a pilot for pilots
It is simple, modular, comprehensive and cost-effective. ESNAH’s tablet app helps pilots to cut their preparation time for flights by up to 98%, while still guaranteeing flight safety by using official and reliable data.
ESNAH is developing their SkyLiberty with the support of ESA Technology Transfer Programme’s Business Incubation Centre Redu.
Being hosted at ESA’s incubation centre has helped ESNAH to be at the forefront of technology and to develop a reliable product.
