October 1, 2015 – The Cobham Satcom Aviator 300D SwiftBroadband system has received a Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for installation aboard the Airbus aircraft A319, A320 and A321.
According to Cobham, operators using the system on Airbus single-aisle aircraft will enjoy improved communications, connectivity and flight safety onboard. The benefits to the cabin crew include the ability to use all personal electronic devices (PEDs) via cabin wi-fi, for credit card processing and crew voice calls, while pilots will be able to stay connected with airline operations.
The certification includes the activation of a built-in wi-fi option, which will allow any cabin crew device with wi-fi capability to be used to send real-time data to and from the aircraft for services such as real-time credit card processing, servicing premium passengers, and crew voice calls.
The STC also allows for the use of Aviator Wired or Wi-Fi handsets to contact MedAire’s MedLink Global Response Centre when a medical situation arises during the flight.
The system also enables cockpit connectivity for ACARS over SwiftBroadband on the Airbus aircraft. Using Inmarsat SwiftBroadband IP data and voice over IP (VoIP) capabilities, AVIATOR 300D provides services such as aircraft flight tracking information and Ethernet ports for connecting devices such as aircraft interface devices (AIDs) and electronic flight bags (EFBs) for pilots to obtain real-time information including graphical weather updates. Cockpit Voice is enabled by a PTA-12 dialer for pilot voice communications.
The certified Cobham system for the Airbus aircraft is a compact 2 MCU size SwiftBroadband unit with a flange-mounted Diplexer low-noise amplifier, which connects to an IGA-5001 SwiftBroadband Intermediate Gain Antenna. The STC also certifies two cabin wi-fi antennas for installation in the cabin.
