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For Immediate Release
CONTACT: Jim Veihdeffer
(602) 436-2203
jim.veihdeffer@cas.honeywell.com
HONEYWELL, SWISSAIR SIGN AGREEMENT TO TEST DISCUSS "SKYLINK" GROUND/AIRBORNE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM
System to allow ground-based high-speed, wireless data transfer and onboard paperless manuals, calculation and "in-flight entertainment" capabilitiesoperations as well as additional passenger services
FARNBOROUGH, ENGLAND, SEPT. 7, 1998 PHOENIX, AUG. XX, 1998 — Honeywell Aviation Services and Swissair have signed an agreement to undertake a joint project involving development and flight testing of a system for airline administrative and operational data communications.
The project, known as "SkylinkSkyLink," will encompass both on-ground and airborne communications capabilities using a Swissair Airbus A321 airplane. The project will initially be implemented at the Zurich Airport.
The on-ground portion will comprise a high data rate RF (radio frequency)-based ground data link communication path operating while the aircraft is operating in the terminal areaon ground in the gate area. (Terminal area is an ATC term referring to a particular airspace around an airport)
The in-air portion will comprise a SATCOM-based airborne data link between the aircraft and the ground. The aircraft equipment will include a Honeywell airborne server router (ASR), cockpit and cabin display terminals, onboard wiring, an Airborne Wireless LAN Unit (AWLU) and antenna pair, and interface to the existing Honeywell/Racal SATCOM system and aircraft avionics.
The agreement calls for an in-service evaluation and subsequent purchase of systems for Swissair’s MD-11 and Airbus fleet.
"SkyLink will greatly enhance today’s air-to-ground communication capabilities. In the near future, passengers and crews won’t be as isolated on-board as they have been so far in the past but will have the same access to their desired information and to communication channels as they are used to at their offices, homes or hotels.," said Beat Schaer, Swissair executive vice president for operations.
"As an airline, this enables us to seamlessly offer individualized and innovative services to our customers—not only on ground but throughout the whole flight. Crews will be able to accomplish their tasks more efficiently using the latest flight planning data, with updated electronic manuals and passenger service instructions always available."
Total Aircraft Information System (TAIS)
The recently developed Honeywell Aircraft Wireless LAN (Local Area Network) Unit and Airborne Server Router (ASR) comprise the core hardware of a Total Aircraft Information System (TAIS) which is at the heart of the proposed Skylink SkyLink system.
The AWLU provides a wireless, high-speed connection between airline fleet the aircraft and airline operations networks, operating during taxi and turnaround at the gate. This wireless connection allows high-speed file transfers of operations and maintenance data.
The ASR provides on board information storage, applications data processing, communications routing and interfaces with the existing avionics and in-flight entertainment systems. It uses Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) technology and "open," Windows NT tm architecture to allow third party development of additional applications.
About Aviation Services
Aviation Services is a new business unit within Honeywell created to further establish Honeywell as a leading supplier of services to airline and business aircraft operations. The unit is focused on providing communication/information-based solutions to improve flight operations, maintenance and cabin operations. The approach is to provide integrated, end to end solutions which connect the airplane to ground based applications which will improve operational efficiency and provide enhanced services to passengers.
Initial offerings include a maintenance diagnostic solution called AMOSS (Airline Maintenance and Operations Support System) and the TAIS onboard network being used for Skylink. Both are designed to yield significant operational savings by providing the right information to the users in a timely fashion.
Applications
Applications of the TAIS include transmission a wide variety of airline operational and administrative needs such as:
- Aircraft performance calculations
- Weight and balance information
- Weather updates
- Electronic manuals and charts
- Software program uploads
- Maintenance data collection
- Weight and balance information
- Weather updates
- Information for passengers
- Flight crew reports
- Financial tracking
- Maintenance logs
- Flight quality management
- Passenger data lists
Honeywell is the world's leading provider of control technologies for buildings, homes, industry, space, and aviation. The company employs 56,500 people in 95 countries, and had 1997 sales of $8 billion.
Honeywell Inc.
Air Transport Systems
P.O. Box 21111
Phoenix, AZ 85036
www.cas.honeywell.com
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