Business & GA

Alternative solution for MagnaStar customers

Arinc Direct is the latest to offer owners of Teledyne MagnaStar air-to-ground telephone systems an Iridium satellite communications-based solution for when US telecommunications giant Verizon shuts down its Airfone terrestrial network in December.

The service provider is offering an avionics-only upgrade using International Communications Group (ICG) hardware that allows the MagnaStar handsets - installed in some 4,000 business aircraft - to be retained, as well as a complete system with ICG avionics, PBX hub and new handsets. Arinc is offering the option of adding ACARS datalink capability for in-flight weather, light following and flight planning, and says it is the only provider that has designed and developed an ACARS capability via Iridium.

AirCell last month introduced its Axxess EZ system as a replacement for MagnaStar. Designed to use existing wiring, the system will initially utilise Iridium with an upgrade path to AirCell's air-to-ground broadband service, which is scheduled for launch late next year in North America.

Meanwhile Germany's TriaGnoSys has teamed with 3Way Networks in the UK to develop the first 3G in-flight passenger communications service for business jets designed, says TriaGnoSys, to offer "time-pressed executives the ability to stay connected to the office and customers, by making and receiving calls and using their laptops to access bandwidth-heavy 3G applications".

The equipment is compact at less than 4kg, has low power consumption and is easy to install and maintain. It is limited to a single 3G aviation cell that interconnects with the existing aircraft satellite communications system.