Marisa Garcia Airbus has selected Inmarsat SwiftBroadband-Safety (SB-S) service for cockpit communications on its A320 and A330 aircraft families.
Inmarsat credits the size, weight and cost of its equipment for earning this latest Airbus contract.
The IP-based broadband communications platform will be available with Cobham’s AVIATOR 200S and 700S equipment.
Kim Gram, Vice President of Aero Satcom at Cobham Satcom, said: “Inmarsat has made an immense contribution in the forward progression of our industry, from the development of the original idea of smaller and lighter satcom hardware, continuing its influential work in industry standardization groups, to the ultimate deployment of services on its global satellite network.”
Flight Tracking and Black Box Streaming
Inmarsat’s SB-S communications use Inmarsat’s global L-band satellite network to exchange data and voice communications at higher speeds and with higher capacity than other cockpit communications systems in the market, Inmarsat states.
SBS-S will also facilitate continuous flight tracking, black-box data streaming, and electronic flight bag applications for pilots that include graphical weather displays.
“In the past, these services were almost exclusively utilised by airlines travelling in areas not served by traditional radar, such as routes over the ocean or remote locations. However, with growing aircraft congestion and the need for increased data security, Inmarsat is engineering a new generation of satellite communication services to provide a wider range of benefits,” said Captain Mary McMillan, Inmarsat Aviation’s Vice President, Safety and Operational Services.
“SwiftBroadband-Safety will introduce unprecedented new capabilities, allowing airlines to significantly improve flight safety operations and provide a more efficient service to passengers. Airlines also benefit from continuous monitoring of aircraft performance and fuel usage,” she added.
