Com-Net Software, the leading information display system provider for airports, airlines and mass transit in North America, today announced a contract with the Columbus Regional Airport Authority for the installation of a multi-user flight information display system (MUFIDS) at Port Columbus International Airport. Port Columbus International Airport serves the ever-growing travel needs of central Ohio—over 6.7 million passengers traveled through the airport in 2002, a near record for the airport.
“We are pleased to have Com-Net as our partner for the FIDS/BIDS project at Port Columbus International Airport,” stated Ron Newland, director of facilities & airfields for the Columbus Regional Airport Authority. "This partnership brings the opportunity to serve our customers with enhanced flight information and also provides us with the flexibility of integrated technology to utilize display screens with a multi-functional aspect of advertising and community messaging."
The MUFIDS installation will include public displays at the entrance to Concourse B and public displays and a baggage information display system (BIDS) on the baggage claim level. Com-Net will install ECLIPSX®, its integrated family of flight information display system (FIDS) solutions, based on the Microsoft® Windows® 2000, Internet Explorer® and the latest Web display technologies. The installation will include ECLIPSX-Ad, making advertising and public service-related messaging an integrated feature of the new system.
“The Columbus Regional Airport Authority chose ECLIPSX as our FIDS and BIDS display solution based on its flexibility to generate dynamic Web pages, ease of use, ability to run on a Microsoft SQL database and support of multi-media advertising,” explained Jim Bodi, manager of information technology for the Columbus Regional Airport Authority.
“It was insightful of the people at Com-Net to design a FIDS and BIDS system that accommodates advertising,” he continued. “Given the financial climate of today's airline industry, the revenue stream from advertising on a FIDS and BIDS system is needed now more than ever.”
“This system will be the most extensive use of digital marketing technology integrated with flight information display technology in any airport in the world,” commented Doug Strasser, Com-Net’s vice president of sales and marketing. “Com-Net is very excited about working with the Columbus Regional Airport Authority and its marketing partners to design and implement this breakthrough solution.”
Com-Net will also install Com-Net-AODB™, an airport operational database application that is based on Microsoft SQL Server 2000™. Com-Net-AODB is a fully relational database that offers a proven, high-performance, scalable platform for warehousing all types of airport operational data, as diverse as flight schedules, personnel data and equipment usage, in a single data repository.
“The Columbus Regional Airport Authority requested a system that provided not only flight information and advertising, but also an airport operational database,” stated Mr. Strasser. “In response we’ve delivered a single solution—a total product suite, including our newest product, ECLIPSX-AODB.” |
