A record-breaking Citation crew are VIP guests at Universal Weather and Aviation. Matt Brooks, Fred Lohden and Tim Weber set an official class record for a westbound round-the-world flight in May, flying a Citation 501 with Garrett Aviation's FJ44 Eagle II modification kit. Universal was a co-sponsor of the project with Garrett and Williams and provided navigation and logistics support for the flight. Average ground speed was 199 mph including stops, and the Citation was the first aircraft of its size to make a westbound record attempt.
For delegates who are not payload-limited, Universal is presenting its new 2005 UVTripPlanner to anyone visiting its exhibit. Weighing in at 1550 pages, the document covers everything from airport codes to visa, health and safety regulations, and is intended as a reference tool for business aviation officers traveling worldwide. For those who arrived in an ultralight, Universal will also be showcasing its UVflightplanner.com online service and its UVDatalink satcom voice and data service, designed to work with any open-architecture flight management system.
UVdatalink representatives will be updating data link clients on new service offerings developed in collaboration with Honeywell and Rockwell Collins.
Universal is also hosting members of its UVglobal Network, comprising ground service operators in more than 50 countries that adhere to a set standard for experience, signage and appearance. Company meteorologists will be demonstrating customized weather briefings featuring scalable route-specific graphics and radar-plus-satellite composite images.
UVair will be promoting its domestic fuel purchase program, including a newly improved Web site. Online, clients will be able to get up-to-date fuel price quotes and view the company's monthly fuel price book.
