Story ID: 
Universal upgrades EFB trip planning
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: Universal Weather and Aviation is demonstrating its new electronic flight bag CD-ROM and online editions of its UVTripPlanner airport information database 
Word Count: 321
Universal Weather and Aviation is demonstrating its new electronic flight bag CD-ROM and online editions of its UVTripPlanner airport information database at Booth No. 1420. The online and EFB versions offer more information than the company’s traditional printed UVTripPlanner, which lists only airports with runways longer than 3,900 feet due to space limitations.The new versions provide information on more than 25,000 airports, heliports and seaplane bases, 8,900 FBOs and handlers, 16,500 hotels near airports, 2,100 caterers and 8,000 ground transportation providers. More than 1,050 airport diagrams are also provided, showing locations of FBOs and handlers.The EFB version runs in two modes, normal Microsoft Windows portrait mode and in landscape EFB mode. Both modes allow touchscreen control when used on EFBs. In the EFB mode, an electronic keyboard can be used to type in search terms. UVTripPlanner is now preloaded on Advanced Data Research EFBs. Current EFB owners can get a free copy of UVTripPlanner from Universal Weather.A useful feature of the online and EFB UVTripPlanner is the curfew information on airports. This provides users with airport closing information and other restrictions, something that isn’t available from other airport information sources, according to Randy Stephens, director of product management. Other features include a handy great-circle distance calculator, an alternate-airport search function that allows users to set filter criteria for searches and user-selectable data for printing. Filters include runway length, ILS approaches, fuel availability and more. Data with addresses is linked to Mapquest’s mapping service. Universal Weather includes Adobe’s Acrobat software on the EFB so users can print to Adobe pdf files if they don’t have access to a hard-copy printer. The fuel quote function is customized to each user, in that it provides fuel prices based on the user’s negotiated pricing with Universal Weather.The EFB UVTripPlanner costs $79.95 per CD-ROM, although Universal offers one free CD for trial purposes. An annual subscription with 28-day renewal cycle costs $149.95. The UVTripPlanner book is $39.95.