Currently on trial with LAN Airlines, at Santiago Airport, it provides passengers with on-demand rich content straight to their own devices. This includes music, movies, news, TV series, PC games, interactive shopping, destination and flight information, all streamed within the cabin. SITA provides connectivity for aircraft on the ground via Wi-Max, Wi-Fi, or cellular service and, through its subsidiary OnAir, in-flight connectivity through satellite-based broadband services. By using SITA’s network to deliver its in-flight entertainment (IFE), Thales avoids shipping hard drives and the need for manpower to upload content, while allowing frequent updates. SITA’s delivery of information is fast, secure and cost-effective, and it can handle other airline data, such as non-safety-critical operational aircraft communications, as well as the IFE content.

This innovative trial from Thales and SITA rapidly accelerates the delivery of high speed Gatesync™ wireless ground connectivity for airlines, putting in place the building blocks for seamless e-enabled aircraft operations. With the evolution of aeronautical wireless communications and mobile devices, and the growth of new generation aircraft, such as the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787, the Thales/SITA project demonstrates not only sophisticated on-demand IFE services for passengers, but new ways of operating aircraft. Airlines can reduce costs and accelerate turnaround time because time-sensitive data can be transmitted wirelessly to, and from, an entire airline fleet. This automates the labor-intensive and time-consuming processes of retrieving and loading large volumes of aircraft systems’ data.

The ground-based infrastructure, which SITA has installed and manages, uses SITA’s existing private backbone network for the secure deployment and management of data among airports, airlines and third parties to the e-enabled aircraft ecosystem around the world. It is fully integrated into SITA’s Command Centers, which provide round-the-clock monitoring and support services. Onboard the aircraft, Thales provides GateSync components and integrates the system with onboard servers and avionics equipment.