London-based aviation IT solutions company FltCtrl has launched Flock.aero, a new, community-based global online directory of airports, FBOs, ground handlers and providers which can be accessed by the business aviation industry free of charge.

Feedback from 250 operators suggests many paid-for directories remain static, leading to an abundance of out of date information. Furthermore, it seems updating information frequently involves a laborious process relying on third party input.

Flock has been designed to avoid these common inconveniences by allowing anyone to expand, correct and update the information in its databases. The directory also includes a 'Subscription' feature, which allows users to receive notifications when something changes on a certain profile.

The new platform, which is being continuously verified, provides a comprehensive source of business information for aviation professionals, but also much more. Operators can surf all the data on Flock free of charge, but in the rare case they are unable to find the information they are looking for, they can contact Flock's dedicated support team, which is always available for all inquiries.

Suppliers are also able to claim their profiles for free, giving them the ability to manage their own content and increase their exposure among other Flock users.

"This is just the beginning for Flock," explains Issam Sultan, Managing Director of FltCtrl. "We're looking at evolving the platform into a marketplace, allowing users not only to find and share relevant business information but to quickly act on it, securing or selling services right on the spot. The aim is to save time, which can in turn save thousands of dollars."

As of January 2018, the Flock database contains information on 38,653 airports and 4,006 companies working across 9,728 locations around the globe. However, FltCtrl is keen to increase its coverage and accuracy.

Contributed by FltCtrl