ANDREW DOYLE / ON BOARD BA175
Boeing is preparing to take its "e-enabled aircraft" concept a stage further by consulting with airlines on ways to use air-to-ground internet connectivity to boost operational efficiency.
A large part of development work by the US manufacturer's Connexion unit has focused on passenger services, culminating in the launch of cabin internet access trials by Lufthansa (Flight International, 21-27 January) and, last week, British Airways.
In late February up to 25 airlines are expected to attend Connexion's fourth "working together" meeting to discuss using internet protocol satellite communications to perform functions such as real-time engine and systems monitoring.
The manufacturer believes aircraft prognostic health management technology could reduce aircraft turnaround times. Other possibilities include transmitting detailed weather information to pilots and automatically updating electronic flight bag applications.
"The market is telling us operating cost is king," says Stanley Deal, Connexion vice-president global network sales, speaking on board BA flight 175 to New York on 11 February during a demonstration the company's cabin internet system. "What we need is a consistent view out of industry on what the real priorities are," he adds.
"The question is: How do we make the aircraft a more efficient product in the market?"
BA has launched a three-month trial of Connexion's passenger internet access system on a single Boeing 747-400 operating daily between London Heathrow and New York Kennedy airports.
Introduction of the first operations-related applications is due to coincide with the availability early next year of a next generation satellite antenna being developed by Mitsubishi Electric of Japan.
Connexion will announce by early March its choice of a network hardware supplier to provide a "core box" comprising a server, router switch and security interface which will be mounted in aircraft to host the new applications.
Connexion and Boeing Air Traffic Management (ATM) conducted a test flight from Seattle on 13 February demonstrating the transmission of aircraft position data to ground sites as part of ATM's global communications, navigation, and surveillance system contract with the US Federal Aviation Administration.
The Connexion 737 flying testbed's crew also received uplinked radar weather images, and the aircraft transmitted operational, voice and video data to the ground using broad and narrowband satellite links.
Source: Flight International
