FAA doesn’t understand Wi-Fi for bizav, say suppliers

With the increasing use of BlackBerrys, iPhones and other personal electronic devices, business aircraft operators now have several options for full-time a

By Harry Weisberger • Contributor

August 2, 2010

With the increasing use of BlackBerrys, iPhones and other personal electronic devices, business aircraft operators now have several options for full-time air-to-ground communication using smartphones in the cabin. But geting the FAA to sign off on a Wi-Fi installation can be a major undertaking, equipment makers complain.
Several manufacturers offer aviation-grade Wi-Fi systems of varying complexity and price to accommodate wireless use in the cabin. They range from e-mail-only products such as EMS Aviation’s Forté AirMail to multi-use products such as Thrane & Thrane’s (using the Inmarsat network), TrueNorth’s, ICG/Cobham’s and Aircell’s network-based systems.

Iridium-based Wi-Fi systems from EMS Aviation and ICG, for example, offer lower costs for service and on-aircraft hardware but limited capability. With those choices also come issues of obtaining FAA certification to operate smartphones like the iPhone and BlackBerry aloft. The concern is how to help providers and users of Wi-Fi personal devices to reduce the cost and complexity of certifying their in-flight use.

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