GroupEAD to celebrate its 20th Anniversary of the European AIS Database (EAD) Operation Service

The world’s largest repository of aeronautical information was starting in June 2003 with GroupEAD as Data Operations Service Provider on behalf of EUROCONTROL. The EAD is the first aeronautical information solution providing a service that is common and standardised for all aviation stakeholders. All the aeronautical information necessary for a safe and efficient flight is stored in a common database, based on universal system’s languages for the exchange of information. This allows the final user to retrieve information needed from one single source in one single format, instead of requesting it from every single country in the world, each one applying their own specifications. After 20 years of this common service provision, hundreds of million EURO savings have been achieved in the aeronautical information multi-national client data exchange chain; and the service has also spread worldwide and enabled new standards and a higher quality of aeronautical information worldwide.

In numbers this means for the 20 years of service provision in partnership with EUROCONTROL: 41,8 million of Static Data Updates, 18,2 million of NOTAM/SNOWTAM processed, 1.300 Training Courses have been provided, 4.500 Airlines, Flight Plan Service Providers, AIS Providers and many more users spread worldwide over 56 Countries, are using daily the EAD system, and GroupEAD achieved an excellent Service Quality of 99,6% based on EURCONTROL Service Level agreement.

Christian Schmidt, CEO GroupEAD said: "GroupEAD Europe has been, and still is, responsible for running EAD operations, ensuring the quality of data and providing training to users of such an efficient, high quality compliant and future orientated system. The key role that GroupEAD Europe has played in this successful story, acting as a EAD Service Provider and supporter for all the ANSP’s in the frame of migration to the EAD, has made the company become a reference contact in the world of Aeronautical Information Management and a key player to define, face and achieve future challenges that AIM and SWIM will bring to the aviation industry. Over the past years our trusted partnership with EUROCONROL grew stronger and we are happy and honoured to provide the EAD Service on behalf of EUROCONTROL. These successful 20 years could not have been achieved without our strong and reliable partner EUROCONTROL. But a company’s success story is always also only possible with dedicated staff, whom I want to thank for their strong efforts and our clients, who supported us over the past 20 years. We are looking forward to continue our successful collaboration in support of EUROCONTROL on its path to transformation and digitalization of Aeronautical Information Management. It is our aim to operate upon the highest qualitative standards and to enable customers an improved and harmonized data use and exchange to achieve their operational needs and efficiency objectives."

Iacopo Prissinotti, EUROCONTROL Director Network Management said: "I sincerely congratulate GroupEAD on their 20-year anniversary of providing the EAD Operations Service, being one of the core components of EAD and being a key industrial partner behind the success of the EUROCONTROL EAD serving our States and clients around the world with an EASA certified service that will deliver even more digital and higher quality aeronautical information. The support of GroupEAD in the transition from the existing EAD towards the new eEAD as EUROCONTROL sets out on its Network Transformation 2030 with the modernisation programme iNM is highly appreciated and demonstrates once again the professional and trustworthy partner GroupEAD was for the last 20 years, and still is."