SEA partnership to certify Boeing 737NG Cobham Satcom System, fitted with Inmarsat SwiftBroadband Safety capability

SEA has partnered with China Trancomm, Cobham, Inmarsat and Delta G Design to certify the Cobham Aviator 300 system, fitted with Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband Safety capability for Airline Operational Communications (AOC) messaging, on Shenzhen Airlines’ Boeing 737-800 fleet. This system will make Shenzhen Airlines compliant with the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC)’s four-minute mandate. The mandate, more formally known as the Satellite Communications Implementation Plan for Airline Operations Control, requires airlines to operate and control voice communications independent of Air Traffic Control within four minutes. The system will also interface to the airplane’s existing Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS), allowing the flight deck data messages to be carried over Inmarsat SwiftBroadband, which is a significant advancement using this newer technology.