Page 32 - World Airnews September 2020 Edition

AVIONICS

MULTILINK AIRCRAFT

COMMUNICATIONS

By Andy Hubbard, head of cockpit communications
portfolio, SITA FOR AIRCRAFT

direction we’ve been taking for our aircraft maximizing the benefits of the connected

communications portfolio. Alongside aircraft and connected applications.

efore COVID-19, we’d been con- our ongoing upgrades to mission-critical Be it with our own EFB Weather Aware-
Bcentrati ng all our aircraft commu- VHF/VDL networks worldwide, we’ve ness Service (eWAS) or other connected

nications efforts on delivering the services actively evolved our core offering to EFB applications, such as fuel or dynamic

flight plan optimization, there are efficien-

commanded by a 21st century air transport encompass new generation IP links, such cies and savings to gain from connecting

industry. as SwiftBroadband-Safety, which provide cockpit applications inflight.

Sita For Aircraft experts from Rio de secure, globally available and high-through- Amid operational uncertainty, Unified

put channels for aircraft data exchanges.
Janeiro to Riyadh were working to pro- Aircraft Communications provides the

vide the coverage and capacity needed We’ve launched AoIPConnect, the industry’s underlying, multilink communi-

to support overcrowded airspaces, and industry’s first ACARS over cellular service cations layer, designed and ready and able

data-driven, new generation connect- and helped airlines to optimise the use of to respond to particular airline needs in an

ed aircraft. Together with air navigation cellular and in the near future cabin link, ever-changing operating context.

service providers and technology partners, capacity for non-critical data offloads. By identifying and giving airlines the

we’ve been paving the way for an expected We are also readying to support Iridium's ability to better control their aircraft

doubling of passenger numbers by 2037, so new Certus connectivity solution in time communications data transfer preferences,

operators can fly safely and efficiently for for full commercial airline service launch. we can unlock the benefits of data that, to

years to come. All this has already enabled us to build date, has been left on the aircraft, due to

Our Unified Aircraft Communications greater flexibility, responsiveness and transmission challenges and communica-

(UAC) portfolio of globally-managed, overall data bandwidth into our services for tion costs. Our UAC approach helps airlines

fault-resilient connectivity services is here different aircraft communications domains. to seamlessly manage costs, serves varying

to underpin the industry’s response to the In a post-COVID-19 operating context, the priorities, and gives added assurance of

'new world' challenges. As airlines manage industry is likely to accelerate its plans for service resilience, failover and business

a careful restart under tighter margins, UAC migrating aircraft communications to a conti nuity.

can give them the flexibility to choose the more multilink environment, which is why
best-fit solution for them and their stake- we’re redoubling our focus to meet this NEW OPPORTUNITIES

holders now and in the future. expected demand. Airlines continue to express an interest in

As our customers focus relentlessly

FLEXIBILITY AND RESILIENCE on their recovery, we see an increased our innovative ACARS terrestrial cellular

option as part of their overall aircraft

A dynamic aircraft operator environment appetite for leveraging new and existing communications strategy. Indeed, almost

calls for a diverse multilink communications technology to drive efficiencies. We see every conversation we are having

ecosystem, and this is precisely the this focus playing out particularly around with airlines touches on the topic. Our
World Airnews | September 2020
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