Avionica's satLINK Iridium(TM) Communications Module First to Be Qualified by SITA
MIAMI, Nov. 6 -- Avionica is pleased to announce that satLINK, the Iridium(TM) satellite-based data communications module, has successfully passed SITA's VAQ process in several tested configurations and has been qualified for operation on the SITA ACARS network.
satLINK is the first Iridium(TM)-based communications product qualified on the SITA network. The importance of this achievement cannot be overstated. With satLINK, aircraft now have truly global messaging coverage in addition to voice communications. "No other system can provide equivalent worldwide coverage and reliability", states Raul Segredo, president of Avionica, "Terrestrial VHF and HF radio-based networks are unreliable in remote locations and over water, and Inmarsat has no coverage near the poles, leaving pilots without updated weather, traffic, emergency medical assistance, and technical support - sometimes for hours. They're basically on their own."
Avionica's satLINK communications module augments or replaces existing VHF/HF and legacy satellite communications capabilities in new or existing aircraft. "The Iridium(TM) constellation is the ATC messaging backbone of the future," notes Raul, "satLINK is designed to fully integrate into existing and future commercial avionics suites. The Iridium constellation's architecture requires a much smaller antenna and far less expensive equipment and installation costs than an Inmarsat(TM) solution. The resulting system is approximately 1/10th the price of an Inmarsat(TM) installation."
"SITA is fully committed to expanding our AIRCOM(TM) service, which already provides VHF ACARS service to over 9,000 aircraft, to support aircraft access via the Iridium(TM) network," says SITA's Carlos Triana, Product Manager for Cockpit Solutions, "Our major airline customers are demanding Iridium(TM)support, and we are working with them and industry leaders like Avionica and Boeing to ensure that aircraft using Iridium(TM) to access our AIRCOM(TM) service meet all the performance requirements before making that link operational in the coming months."
Current satLINK customers already include Miami Air, Continental Airlines, Avianca, the Boeing 787 test fleet, and others soon to be announced. "We expect a majority of SITA's long-haul commercial customers will eventually transition to an Iridium(TM) solution," says Raul, "and we believe satLINK is the only product that addresses the specific integration and redundancy requirements of the commercial aviation marketplace."
Avionica, Inc. specializes in complete flight data management solutions. Other products include secureLINK, the secure airborne wireless gatelink, the miniQAR, the world's first miniature quick-access flight data recorder, the RSU II, a handheld flight-data recorder monitoring and download tool, AVSCAN.flight, a commercial and military flight data analysis tool, USB429win, a USB ARINC 429 data bus analyzer, and LOAD615win, the USB-based ARINC 615 / ARINC 615A portable data loader. Avionica is located in Miami, FL, USA.
SITA is the world's leading service provider of integrated IT business solutions and communication services for the air transport industry. SITA manages complex communication solutions for its air transport, government and GDS customers over the world's most extensive communication network, complemented by consultancy in the design, deployment and integration of communication services. Its broad range of airline and airport IT applications and services includes airport operations and integrated baggage services, common use and desktop services, flight operations and air-to-ground communications and end-to-end airline distribution and fares services. SITA covers 220 countries and territories and the head office is in Geneva, Switzerland. SITA had consolidated revenues of US$1.481 billion in 2006.
Source: Avionica, Inc.
CONTACT:
Stylian Cocalides
Vice President of Avionica, Inc.
+1-786-544-1138
fax, +1-786-544-1110
Web site: http://www.avionica.com/
