Weather Services International Introduces Global Optimized Flight Planning to Pilotbrief Optima, The Ultimate Flying Platform

ANDOVER, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Weather Services International (WSI) the most trusted name in aviation weather, today announced the launch of Global Optimized Flight Planning within WSI Pilotbrief Optima, the first application that brings together best-in-class weather forecasts and data with flight planning and filing capabilities on one platform. Available on iPad and online, WSI Pilotbrief Optima will be available to the aviation sector in February, 2013.

“This new application addresses one of the most common requests we have gotten from our users, to combine professional grade weather and optimized flight planning in one application.”

Flight Planning is a process that requires pilots to assess both their route and the impacts of weather and airspace restrictions along the route. WSI Pilotbrief Optima is able to calculate the optimal route to ensure that flights arrive on time, safely and smoothly. WSI Pilotbrief Optima, with optimized flight planning capabilities, empowers business aviation pilots to create and file flight plans to any destination in the world. WSI’s unique solution enables pilots to build confidence, improve decisions and save time by combining professional-grade weather with an optimized flight-planning engine.

“An on-time flight is the result of diligent flight planning and flawless execution by the entire flight operation,” says WSI Pilotbrief Optima product manager Jamie Zajac. “This new application addresses one of the most common requests we have gotten from our users, to combine professional grade weather and optimized flight planning in one application.”

WSI Pilotbrief Optima includes unique features for business jet operators to plan safe and smooth flight plans including performance-based navigation routings, RAIM outage calculations, fuel reserves, and flight delay risk assessments. This application is further enhanced by being available not only for U.S. flights, but for global flight operations as well.

The WSI application also displays custom forecasts in the form of WSI FPGs (Flight Plan Guidance) and WSI SIGMETs. These EWINs-certified forecasts are global and provide information on convection, icing, turbulence, volcanic ash and other aviation hazards. FPGs take the guesswork out of interpreting severe weather by providing pilots with a clear and actionable picture of areas to avoid, anywhere in the world.

WSI will be demonstrating its complete aviation solution, including WSI Pilotbrief Optima and Pilotbrief Optima for the iPad, at its Booth #1007, during the NBAA 2013 Schedulers and Dispatchers, January 22 – January 24 in San Antonio, TX. All are invited to visit the booth for presentations.

For more information and a free trial of The Ultimate Flying Platform, contact WSI directly via www.wsi.com.

About WSI Aviation

WSI, the most trusted weather decision support provider in the aviation industry, provides a proactive, aviation operation management suite ensuring common situational awareness and continuity in decisions through every phase of flight. WSI Pilotbrief^TM is an integral component of WSI’s comprehensive flight decision support solution, which includes WSI Hubcast® terminal forecasts and alerting for airport stakeholders as well as the WSI Fusion^TM dispatch application. WSI also operates a Global Forecast Center staffed by experienced aviation meteorologists that produce operational terminal and enroute forecasts globally.

Collectively, the WSI solution streamlines workflow and enables common weather situational awareness through all phases of flight, improving operational confidence, communications, flexibility and decisions among key flight stakeholders. The result is improved safety and efficiency.

About WSI

WSI (Weather Services International) is the world's leading provider of weather-driven business solutions for professionals in the aviation, energy and media markets, as well as multiple federal and state government agencies. WSI is a member of The Weather Company and is headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts with offices in Birmingham, England. The Weather Company is owned by a consortium made up of NBC Universal and the private equity firms The Blackstone Group and Bain Capital.