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Aviation History
2001
2001 - 1525.PDF
'Mobile in the Sky' service set for June or July launch EMMA KELLY/LONDON IN-FLIGHT communication service provider SITA plans to launch a mobile charging card by June/July as the first stage in a three-phase "Mobile in the Sky" programme with the ultimate aim of enabling passengers to use their GSM mobile phones onboard aircraft. The Aircom Mobile Charging Card will allow passengers to pay for in-flight telephone calls using the SITA Aircom service, provided via the Inmarsat satellites, through their GSM mobile phone accounts. Fellow Inmarsat aeronautical telephony service provider Stratos (formerly BT Aeronautical) intro duced a similar initiative in 1999 with launch customer Virgin Atlantic Airlines. SITAs airline launch customer is likely to be Singapore Airlines and launch mobile operator SingTel, according to Veronique Blanc, director of passenger and cabin communications. Phase two of Mobile in the Sky will see the introduction of ground-to-air calling, whereby passengers will register to receive their mobile phone calls on the aircraft and calls will be routed through the in-flight telephony system - a development also pioneered by Stratos with Virgin last July. The feasibility and business case for the more ambitious phase three, whereby passengers will be able to use their mobile phones on board following the installation of equipment on the aircraft to allow the safe use of telephones, is being validated with "industrial partners and operators", which Blanc declines to name. Manufacturers working on sys tems to allow mobile telephones to be safely used onboard through the installation of a pico cell include BAE Systems and EADS (France). SITA is planning to conduct tech nical trials later this year, says Blanc. "The real service that pas sengers want is to use their mobile phon^ in the aircraft," she says. Meanwhile, in-flight e-mail and internet access have emerged as the most sought-after in-flight enter- tainment/tommunication services in the SITA-led Business Requirements for Aeronautical High-Speed Multimedia Satellite Services (BRAHMSS) study. SITA was commissioned last year by the European Space Agency (ESA) to lead a European industry team, including EADS, Astrium and Thales, to examine future in-flight communications requirements (Flight International, 26 September-2 October 2000). The study is being used by ESA to determine whether the European space and aeronautical industries should mount a response to US-led next-generation airline communi cation services, such as Boeing's Connexion. SITA has completed the market research with airlines, passengers and service providers. Information and transactional services came out ahead of live television. SITA is active in in-flight e-mail/internet provision through its partnership with Tenzing, whereby SITA pro vides the air-ground satellite communication link. It is also partnering AirTV which will launch live television, e- mail and internet services in 2003/4 on Saudi Arabian Airlines' fleet. Questions about who will pay for such services did not elicit a unanimous response, says Elizabeth Young, general manager ofSITAAircraftServices. • Alpi Eagles to renew fleet and increase services ITALIAN regional airline Alpi Eagles is gearing up for a major fleet renewal and expansion. The privately owned farrier aims to finalise its plans by the third quarter. Alpi operates eight Fokker 100s from its Milan hub on regional ser vices within Italy and to points in Spain, Germany and France. One of the Fokkers is operated under a wet lease agreement by Air Sicilia. The move is planned to allow the airline to boost its capacity and range capabilities. Smallerregional aircraft types are being studied & help the airline take a largerslice of the Italian domestic market. Meanwhile, the acquisi tion of an aircraft larger than its 85-seat Fokkers will allow Alpi to serve new European destinations. Although no formal decision is due before the middle of the year, the airline is thought to be eyeing 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145s for its regional routes, and the acquisition of Airbus A320s for its mainline operations. • A320s and ERJ-145s are likely replacements for AlpVs Fokker-100s WORKSHOP ++ Qualitair Engineering Servic es has completed four Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747 Section 41 termination modifica tions for Riyadh-based Alsalam Aircraft. Work has started on a fifth. ++ Lufthansa Technik has signed a memorandum of under standing with Belgian low-cost airline CityBird to undertake maintenance on five 737-800s. ++ Cyprus Airways has contracted FLS Aerospace to provide com ponent management support for two new Airbus A320s operated by charter airline subsidiary Eurocypria Airlines. A consign ment of rotable spares will be based at Larnaca airport, Cyprus. ++ Hong Kong's Dragonair has contracted SIA Engineering for technical and inventory manage ment on two Boeing 747-300S bought from Singapore Airlines. The three-year agreement is worth S$30 million ($16.5 million). ++ TRW Aeronautical Systems has signed a 10-year flight hour main tenance and asset management contract with Continental Express, Houston, Texas, in which the airline will buy access to spare line replacement units (LRUs) from Aeronautical Systems and pay for anticipated repairs and overhauls on a cost per flight hour basis. Valued at over $80 million, the con tract is believed to be the single largest equipment supplier asset management deal in regional air craft in terms of LRU numbers. ++ Diamonite is converting a former Malev Hungarian Airlines Tupolev Tu-134 to VIP configuration for Russian oil company Luk Oil. ++ Cascade Aerospace (formerly Conair) has been contracted by Southwest Airlines to undertake a two year programme of lap joint modifications to 22 of its Boeing 737-200/300S. ++ Anglo Normandy has purchased the maintenance facilities and engi neering staffofGill Aviation, leav ing the Newcastle-based regional airline to concentrate on its sched uled services. It plans to expand the existing business, which sup ports Gill's ATR 42/72 operations, to support other operators. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 1 - 7 May 2001
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