US regional Comair has committed two Canadair Regional Jets (CRJs) to test a high-speed wireless datalink system developed by General Electric-Harris joint venture GE Harris Aviation Information Solutions.
GE Harris Aviation's automated On, Off, On, In (OOOI) datalink will be installed on the first CRJ in mid-November. The second will join the trial in December. A 1,000-flight demonstration is expected to last about three months.
OOOI - out (away from the gate), off (take-off), on (landing), in (at the gate) - is an operations tool that allows flight monitoring. Airlines send OOOI reports via the ACARS airborne communications addressing and reporting system, or rely on groundcrew to monitor location of aircraft. GE Harris Aviation's wireless transfer system will send OOOI information from the aircraft to a database.
• United Airlines has selected Rockwell Collins to provide datalink upgrades for 52 Airbus aircraft on order. The upgrade will allow communications, navigation and surveillance/air traffic management operations.
Source: Flight International
