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Filing a flight plan n the last twenty years, business has Ibecome digitized â€" computers and PDAs have replaced paper trails and phoâ€" tocopies, allowing for business to rely on fast and efficient data sharing. And soon, thanks to Waterlooâ€"based airâ€" line software developer Navtech, airplane pilots can expect the same. o Navtech has already become one of the global leaders in airport software that helps airlines perform tasks such as flight planâ€" ning and aircraft performance measureâ€" ments. _ "When you go on a flight, you see pilots carrying huge bags onto the plane," said Navtech CEO David Strucke. Waterloo‘s Navtech receives chamber award for innovation Now they‘re looking to expand into the growing electronic flight bag market. _ "Those bags contain flight plans, charts, and things like that. What‘s happening now is that all that information is getting digiâ€" tized and installed in a computer in the cockpit. "We‘re hoping to break into that field." â€" David Strucke CEO Navtech The technology would work like a perâ€" sonal computer installed in the cockpit of an airplane. . â€" â€" â€" "The hardware is connected to the cockâ€" pit, and an operating system is used to browse through all the content," Strucke said. We can have it all in the cockpit." It‘s not much of a stretch to imagine Navtech being a strong player in the elecâ€" tronic flight bag industry, since their current products are the industry standard, Strucke Navtech‘s products‘ strength and creativiâ€" ty recently netted the company an award for innovation from the Greater Kâ€"W Chamber of Commerce. The awards, handed out in a gala event in February, aimed to reward the best and brightest companies in Waterloo, said Todd Letts, president of the chamber. And Navtech certainly fits that bill, he added. Over the past five years, Navtech has seen profits soar from $6â€"million a year to "When you go on a flight, you see pilots carrying huge bags onto the plane ... that information is getting digitized and installed in a computer in the cockpit. We‘re hoping to break into that field." By GrEG MACDONALD Chronicle Staff David StTuckg CEO of Navtech, is hoping to lighten the load for airplane pilots with his company‘s innovative data sharing technology. The Waterlooâ€"based company won an innovation award from the Chamber of Commerce for its work. aree macbonaup roto almost $50â€"million and has released revoluâ€" tionary products, the chamber president "Navtech has a fleet of innovative prodâ€" ucts and a presence all over the world and it‘s all come from folks who built the idea right here in Waterloo region." _ Navtech was conceived in the midâ€"80s when an Air Canada pilot saw the need for electronic flight planning. . _ "When deciding the winner, we tried to match innovative nature with business perâ€" formance," Letts said. He turned to his wife, who was a software engineer, to design and build a program. Dorothy English, the original software developer, still works for the company, which has expanded its holdings and now has offices in London, England and Stockâ€" holm, Sweden. Navtech has 300 employees worldwide, with about 100 stationed here in Waterloo. In 2006, the company moved from its office at the intersection of Phillip and Columbia streets to the Accelerator Centre BUSINESS CHRON Their new office houses a kitchen and cafeteria, multiple board rooms and will help the team meet the needs of its cusâ€" tomers, Strucke said. building at the research and technology The company‘s first client was Ward Air, a now defunct air carrier. Today they provide software to a variety of airlines, both cargo and passenger based. "Our vision is to provide all the flight plan software a company needs," Strucke said. Strucke and his team are proud of the innovation award and feel that their comâ€" petitive nature fits in well with the Waterloo business community. The other important factor of Navtech‘s location is the proximity to the University of Waterloo. "There‘s an entrepreneurial and innovaâ€" tive mentality in Waterloo. We started here and it‘s a part of our company," Strucke said. "We‘re a software company so it‘s imporâ€" tant in terms of talent. Obviously UW is the biggest school in terms of WATERLOO CHRONICLE + Wednesday, March 5, 2008 * 17 The company is looking to expand into other locations around the world, through acquisitions and organic growth.. 8 But Waterloo currently is the heart of the operation, which is why the chamber award was such a compliment, Strucke said. talent," Strucke said "Navtech is just a really neat company that understands innovation and brings a lot of it to the region," Letts said. _ ___ _ Other award winners included RBC Royal Bank for volunteer of the year and Waterâ€" loo‘s Brentwood Livery for new member of the year. The annual awards are a chance for local businesses to celebrate their accomplishâ€" ments, Letts said. "There are a lot of really hard working business people and employees in the workâ€" force," he said. "It‘s an opportunity for one night in 365 days a year for us to take a moment to celeâ€" brate the achievements of all the people who are working hard and eating a sandâ€" wich at their desk every day at 2 p.m."