B/CA Show News - NBAA 2007 - September 27, 2007 - (Page 30)

N B A A 2 0 07 Honeywell and Sensis Testing Runway Incursion Warning Technology Honeywell has partnered with Sensis to demonstrate technology that would warn pilots and controllers simultaneously of a potential runway incursion. The partners have equipped two Honeywell test aircraft to show how warnings can be datalinked to the cockpit when the Sensis ground-based Airport Surface Detection Equipment Model X (ASDE-X) system detects a runway incursion incident developing. ASDE-X is designed to warn controllers of such a conflict. The ASDE-X safety alert is data linked via a Mode-S message to the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) on the aircraft. An audio alert warns the pilots at the same time the air traffic controller is alerted. Honeywell and Sensis are demonstrating the technology with FAA at the Syracuse Hancock International Airport, near Sensis’ headquarters. ASDE-X is deployed at eight other airports, but only Syracuse is involved in the cockpit warning tests. The proof-of-concept demonstration is designed to show that the concept of simultaneously warning pilots and controllers is feasible. Honeywell (Booth 2201) says it has more system engineering work to do and the RTCA needs to develop industry standards for manufacturers. Inmarsat Readies Global Broadband With two fourth-generation satellites up over the Americas and Europe-Asia, only the Pacific coverage is left to go, and that will be filled in when the third bird lifts off in 2008, says Lars Ringertz, head of marketing, aeronautical business for Inmarsat (Booth 1321). The London-based satellite operator provides the only near-global broadband services with its current Swift64 generation systems. ARINC Direct offers limited regional coverage in Ku-band, while Iridium offers global voice and data but no broadband as yet. And AirCell broadband will be limited to the domestic U.S. via air-ground link, not satellite. “We live with the technology for a long time,” Ringertz says with a smile. He points out that the second-generation satellites from the early 1990s—the day of the 56K modem—are still in use. Ringertz adds that while people change their cell phones every two or three years, satellites have a design cycle of four to five years and a service life of up to 20. With the 2005 launch of the first of the new generation, they moved from circuit-switched telecom to packet-based links that share the unused gaps in human speech. Ringertz says maritime use is still their biggest market, with aeronautical gaining steadily and now at 7%. In this year’s first half, all market segments combined have generated 44% growth in the first half alone. He says the avionics to handle SwiftBroadband are now being approved and first revenue should start to flow in October—at the same time customers begin to realize a savings with background always-on service for e-mail and nonstreaming applications. The company serves 500,000 terminals and 9,000 aircraft. Ringertz says “Alpha Bus” is the term used within Inmarsat for the next generation of satellites already on the drawing board. Worldwide Aeros’ Aeroscraft boasts a whopping 5,000 sq ft of cabin space. Orders are not yet being taken. Large Cabin? Jets Don’t Come Close In a world of aviation where being the fastest or the lightest is instrumental to winning, one company is doing things a bit differently. Aeroscraft is the lighter than air (LTA) ship that boasts 5,000 sq ft of cabin space. It’s designed for the business seeking a unique way to travel. The aircraft lumbers at a top speed of 120mph but requires no length of runway due to its vertical take off and landing abilities. At a length of 210 ft and girth of 91 ft, Aeroscraft can operate from a standard sized LTA base. Worldwide Aeros Corp (Booth 7359) plans to use this year’s NBAA show to establish who exactly their customer base is, so they can tailor Aeroscraft to better suit their needs. “We don’t plan to take any orders at NBAA this year, but we won’t turn them away,” Edward Pevzner said. “Next year we plan to be in a position to take on customers.” “In a business configuration, we see Aeroscraft 30 costing between $38 million and $50 million.” While the aircraft is still in development stage, the company is looking to a first flight in 2010. It envisages the aircraft being used as essentially a yacht for business meetings, fitting six to seven people. Aeroscraft also sees potential of airlines using it in a commuter role, carrying about 30 passengers. There will be an FAA-certified broadband satellite similar to that used on fixed wing business aircraft. This would be ideal for a company seeking to use the aircraft as an airborne conference center, a configuration that they say would be able to seat 60 to 70 people. Aeroscraft isn’t designed to operate in a cargo role, but the company does suggest it could be used as a utility vehicle. “We could see this being used to survey oil pipelines or things of that nature,” Pevzner said. —Evan Sweetman September 27, 2007 www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews

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Why Buy Columbia? Too Much of a Good Thing? The User Fee Fracas Big Toys for Big Boys Honeywell for RNP High Miles Air Taxi Bombardier at Your Service NARA Names Officers Learjet’s Racier Image ILA 2008 in Berlin Gulfstream Hangar Opens Anti-Runway Incursions Like ReallyLarge Cabins? Sentient-Jet Direct

B/CA Show News - NBAA 2007 - September 27, 2007

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