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"The planes in an airline’s fleet that fly trans-Atlantic, for example, will be equipped with satellite. It takes more time to install on an airplane, though — in fact, it means taking the plane out of service from four days to a week, which means the airline loses $1 million or more just to add Wi-Fi to the plane. And those domes that connect with orbiting satellites, which are mounted on the top of the plane, add enough wind resistance to increase fuel consumption by 0.3 percent — which adds up over time, and yes, is added to the cost of your ticket."
https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/why-airplane-wifi-so-expensive
imho
mj
"However, adoption of IFC by low-cost carriers in the U.S. and globally remains mixed with many airlines opting for flights with no internet access to keep operating costs down."
https://interactive.aviationtoday.com/avionicsmagazine/june-july-2021/in-flight-connectivity-remains-mixed-bag-for-low-cost-airlines-regionally/
imho
mj
On top of all of the other benefits FFLYA provides...there's this...
"Weighing in at only 6kgs, it does not create the additional fuel burn associated with heavy Wi-Fi Equipment and huge rooftop antennas and more importantly, fflya can reduce aircraft fuel burn by delivering live operational data that will optimise aircraft performance."
https://en.prnasia.com/releases/global/as-ip-tech-inc-makes-aviation-history-343212.shtml
imho
mj
from 2010...
World's First Bluetooth Access Point For Aircraft Unveiled
Promises Inflight Mobile Phone Services
ASiQ Limited announced the release of the world’s first aircraft Bluetooth Access Point Tuesday.
“Up until now passengers have only had very expensive options for in flight mobile phone communications. However, with the evolution of our SafeCell App, combined with our new Bluetooth Access Point, airlines will now be able to offer their passengers affordable SMS, MMS, voice messaging and text email on the popular device of choice, the mobile phone," said Ron Chapman ASiQ’s CEO. "Better still SafeCell eliminates GSM roaming charges, as it does not require a GSM Picocell connection to deliver its services.”
Bluetooth access points are more efficient, as they operate as a Personal Area Network (PAN) and unlike Wi-Fi do not have to connect to the internet, in order to establish a link. The SafeCell App is unique in that file sizes are so small, even a narrow band satellite link can accommodate the basic texting needs of every passenger. Plus, Bluetooth can transmit at up to 3 megabits per second, which means it can accommodate any data or media requirement.
With ASiQ’s proprietary PAN design, two access points can cover a narrow body aircraft such as a Boeing 737 or Airbus 320. Up to 192 mobiles can be logged on to each Access Point.
The SafeCell system is projected to cost as little as $10k per aircraft, compared to GSM based systems costing around $500k per aircraft and a Wi-Fi system costing around $100K per aircraft for a US domestic airline and up to $350k for an international airline.
ASiQ says several airlines have been following the progress of SafeCell which was patented in January this year, and Chapman says he expects to announce the first installation of the new access point in the second quarter of 2010.
FMI: www.asiq.com
http://www.aero-news.net/ANNTicker.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=714ea1ef-cadc-45c1-952e-a6cfca65d325
imho
mj
Talk bout vision....from 2011...
“Bluetooth To The Rescue,” Notes Ron Chapman!
First a couple of introductory notes. ONE – Approximately 7 years ago, we did a Hot Topic on an Intel test of their Bluetooth chip implementation with respect to interference levels of commonly used aviation frequencies. Bluetooth looked very promising. TWO: Approximately once each year, ASIQ’s Ron Chapman (Founder & CEO) sends us information on a new product from his down-under team in Melbourne, Australia. As of late, they have centered on in-cabin connectivity and featured Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (i.e, SafeCell). THREE: For those of you that need to refresh your knowledge of the difference between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, this link might be helpful. Suffice it to say, there is quite a power level difference in the normal usage of the relative signals… even though they are in the same ISM frequency band. Power is the key here!
Our story begins with a note from Ron:
“Hi Terry and Trish, my latest announcement attached. We are nearly at the end of a very long road, Apple being our final obstacle for aircraft usage and if you like this one (IPad), wait until you see our new iPhone version.” We haven’t stated the problem yet but, hang on readers. Ron advised that, when you install ASiQ’s iPhone Bluetooth corporate jet connectivity solution which provides Voice, SMS, MMS and Data, you will no longer need a CTU, wired handsets or Ethernet in the cabin. You can handle it all via Bluetooth with your iPhone (or iPad). This is because the ASiQ Apple Bluetooth access point links directly to the SATCOM. “The only limitation is the speed of the SATCOM,” Ron noted. “From our testing we know we can accommodate 3 simultaneous Apple devices per access point. For 6 devices we just add in another access point. First Apple aircraft installation is due in 2 weeks.”
So what does this have to do with the airline world you might ask? Ron hints to IFExpress, “Now that we have every mobile phone platform covered with a Bluetooth App, it clears the path for our airline passenger solution. The major difference with our airline approach is that it will be SMS/Email/Texting only. This is what we believe is the ideal solution for domestic/regional airlines who want an inexpensive mobile phone solution and have no interest in providing voice. As the transmission time is milliseconds and we will not have to deal with the bandwidth required for voice or Internet, each access point will accommodate a lot more mobiles. The corporate jet system is the perfect demo platform for airlines,” he quipped, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see where this is going…
For More Information, contact Ron
POSTED BY PATRICIA ON TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011 AT 3:29 PM
FILED UNDER HOT TOPICS · TAGGED WITH INFLIGHT WI-FI, ONBOARD BLUETOOTH APPLICATIONS, ONBOARD CONNECTIVITY, ONBOARD SMS, ONBOARD TEXT MESSAGING
http://airfax.com/blog/index.php/2011/06/21/bluetooth-to-the-rescue-notes-ron-chapman/
imho
mj
Some airline connectivity news out there today. Only time will tell how much sticks or how much is hype.
We likely get some updates in the very near future of our own.
https://www.engadget.com/hawaiian-airlines-spacex-starlink-free-internet-131056087.html
Hawaiian Airlines will be the first major air carrier to offer Starlink internet
Passengers will get satellite broadband for free.
A Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A330-200 taxis at San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, California, February 16, 2015. REUTERS/Louis Nastro
REUTERS/Louis Nastro
Your next flight to Hawaii might come with speedy in-flight internet access. CNBC reports Hawaiian Airlines has signed a deal to offer SpaceX's Starlink service aboard all its Transpacific flights. Fly aboard an Airbus A321neo, Airbus 330 or Boeing 787-9 and you'll have free, relatively low-latency WiFi that should be quick enough to stream media and play online games.
Hawaiian will start deploying Starlink broadband with "select" aircraft in 2023. There aren't any plans to add satellite access to the Boeing 717 airliners that provide short-hop flights between Hawaii's islands.
The agreement makes Hawaiian the first major airline to use Starlink. SpaceX signed its first airline deal earlier this month with charter carrier JSX, which operates shorter, smaller-capacity flights. Delta has conducted Starlink tests, but it's not clear if or when the company might adopt the technology.
The Hawaiian Airlines arrangement won't necessarily guarantee more in-flight business for SpaceX. Some major airlines already offer satellite internet service to passengers, and might not be in a rush to replace equipment that sometimes took years to install. The new deal gives SpaceX a significant foothold, however, and it won't be surprising if more airlines try Starlink before long.
"What led us to this point?
It has taken 28 years of creating airline connectivity solutions to refine this model. More recently 10 years of R&D, 12 months to convince Apple it would work, 4 years of flying globally and commissioning 70 business aircraft, 2 years of conversations with over 100 airlines,ground testing on an A340 and independent crew testing on B777 and Airbus A380, plus endless research and understanding of mountains of technical standards breaking down so called impossible barriers.
We appreciate it’s has been a long haul and we still have more work to do, but with Iridium Next online the path is clear. Our goal is to have our airline system operational this year, once we do the industry has
changed for good."
Iridium Program Update PDF 2018
https://www.dropbox.com/s/mlbmyt8hbcq6s1a/Iridum%20Program%20Update.pdf?dl=0]
Maybe one good thing about this float being as small as it is...not much room for market foolery and manipulation.
Zero shares available to short currently in $IPTK.https://t.co/9qNFqxp8he pic.twitter.com/v5OPEiSdEO
— Shortable Stocks (@shortablestocks) April 21, 2022
Throw back article from 2016
The Bluetooth Connectivity Solution – fflya!
In the past 25 years there has only been 2 methods of connecting via satellite in an aircraft. The first for crew via Data3, initially Windows terminal interfaces or embedded aircraft terminals like CMU’s or inseat screens. The second is browsers using Internet protocols and Wi-Fi.
In today’s App world on the ground we are always connected and that’s where a quantum leap in aircraft technology is about to happen.
This article is about a new way to connect called fflya, and what you may not know is, its already flying on business jets and an A340, plus the military are about to fly it!
Why the Internet of Things (IoT) takes the risk out of installing Wi-Fi
The general definition of The internet of things (IoT) is “The internetworking of physical devices, vehicles (also referred to as “connected devices” and “smart devices”), buildings and other items—embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and network connectivity that enable these objects to collect and exchange data”(source Wikipedia 2016).
However, in 2013 the Global Standards Initiative on the Internet of Things (IoT-GSI) defined IoT as “the infrastructure of the information society. IoT allows objects to be sensed and/or controlled remotely across existing network infrastructure, creating opportunities for more direct integration of the physical world into computer-based systems, and resulting in improved efficiency, accuracy and economic benefit” (Wikipedia 2016).
When you consider that Boeing launched commercial inflight Wi-Fi on Lufthansa in 2004. Why is it so many airlines are still reluctant to get involved in Wi-Fi twelve years later? The answer is user price!
When it comes to price, the hardware cost of inflight Wi-Fi pales in significance to the cost of an aircraft. With technology moving so fast on the ground, there is that underlying concern that installing connectivity now will lead to it becoming quickly outdated or that financial expectations and passenger needs won’t be met.
Now more than ever people rely on connectivity when they move which means it’s no longer a question of whether airlines should install connectivity, but when and how they will do it. Many airlines have spent years looking and when comparing what Boeing had in 2004 with today’s technology, it’s hard to see a quantum leap!
What’s more disconcerting is that current Wi-Fi utilization levels, even on the most affordable US domestic network, show only 6% of passengers are prepared to pay for the service; the same as what Boeing experienced. It appears that justifying the cost of Wi-Fi as viable for the general public is a real challenge. We hope technology will provide the answers but satellite speeds and cost limitations continue to soften expectations in the air.
For decades people have relied on Wi-Fi for home and the office, and 3G or 4G when on the move. The industry persist with 3G in aircraft, however, the high roaming charges and slow speeds means it is not practical or commercially viable. This leaves the airline world with only one method to connect – Wi-Fi. This is where IoT is of great importance.
Wi-Fi vendors are reluctant talk about IoT because their business models rely on big data, yet it’s small data that’s enveloping the world. Small data is utilized on Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, SMS and most emails. Small data costs are so miniscule that it seems free of charge to people using it. A societal mindset that believes small data is virtually free to use which is why 94% of passengers are reluctant to pay for connectivity inflight.
There is a Wi-Fi war in aviation pitting company KA band speeds against KU band speeds, and satellite against satellite. The intensity of this industry war makes it easy to get caught up in big data. We are lured into thinking there is no alternative given the significant size and cost of Wi-Fi platforms and the fact they all appear the same.
IoT is a paradigm shift and will change the way you think about connectivity. It creates an alternative platform that changes the way we connect, more inline with what we already do on the ground, that is, communicate with small data.
Why is it possible now?
Change is possible right now because of Bluetooth Smart, which is driving IoT faster than any other communication technology. While Wi-Fi vendors were busy launching billion dollar networks a new connectivity phenomenon was evolving. In simple terms, Bluetooth Smart capability opened up a portal for connecting devices and efficiently transmitting small data. Importantly, Apple is at the front Bluetooth advancements so it comes standard on all mobile devices.
For the first time you can now segregate aircraft bandwidth into narrowband and broadband applications by adding Bluetooth capability. This concept is similar to how airlines segregate business and economy: a standard service is delivered via Bluetooth and the premium service is supplemented with Wi-Fi.
Airlines can implement any satellite system in a staged approach by controlling the connection path with technology. This is because IoT lets you ‘shift gears’ as the demand increases. It begins as a simple no-frills messaging service and expands to include value-added services and live credit card processing that generate revenue to fund the platform upgrades as you go.
The benefit is: Airlines only need to gear up gradually and segregate live Internet for the very few willing pay, while the rest use minimal bandwidth down the same pipe. The ratio is similar to that of economy and business class: 6% of live internet passengers can be leveraged off 95% of the bandwidth, while the remaining 94% of passengers can be easily accommodated on remaining 5% bandwidth.
The objective is to control the delivery of passenger services with the ability to expand offerings as revenue dictates.
Corporate aircraft today already have this capability however it’s taken time to migrate to the realm of airlines. This is because connecting hundreds of devices simultaneously down a single link needed a revolutionary approach – this is what Bluetooth Smart delivers.
It eliminates the need to provision high bandwidth to accommodate everyone onboard. Twelve years of aircraft connectivity confirms that only 6% of passengers will pay for broadband meaning the remaining 94% expect it to be free. The provision of free services to the vast majority of passengers who expect it can only be a positive for airlines as bandwidth can be dramatically reduced. Delivering free services allows you to control the size of the pipe and what users see and do. App-based connectivity solutions still appear fast, yet it’s actually the servers managing the link that determines what you receive and when. This is the complete opposite to Wi-Fi…as once connected you are consuming bandwidth constantly, particularly in background mode.
IoT gives you a choice about what services to provide and at what charge (free or paid). The bandwidth is then staged to meet the demand. You can start with just a 200kbps link that can deliver free messaging, destination services and live credit card processing to hundreds of passengers at once. Importantly only one Bluetooth access point is required for all this to work!
How is this possible?
With the fflya solution, Bluetooth Smart keeps everyone connected and maintains a status of what devices are onboard and active. What makes Bluetooth Smart unique is that logged in devices run in parked mode meaning they are essentially offline. The link automatically activates when the user sends a message or processes a transaction, completing these events in milliseconds. As a result no one person can occupy a large portion of the bandwidth at any point in time. The security is quite unique not only for the way it switches channels, but is a closed network and when combined with encryption and proprietary protocols is more secure than open Wi-Fi as there is no external way to access it.
Imagine hundreds of passengers sending and receiving free messages or booking holiday tours at the same time – all occupying less than 10% of a 200 kbps link.
IoT takes the risk out of installing Wi-Fi as there is little or no outlay in the early implementation stages and by the time the demand for broadband increases the program is self-funding. The staged approach of the program means adding further capacity is not an issue as the revenue justifies the system upgrade.
One of the most difficult elements of managing any network is working out how to implement and how much capacity do you need. On the ground Wi-Fi access is random and bandwidth can be easily balanced. In contrast, when a crewmember announces that Wi-Fi is available inflight, you will notice the majority of passengers all log on at once regardless of whether they need it or are just curious. This is why Wi-Fi needs multiple access points, as the system can be easily overloaded. Having to reset the system when it grinds to a halt is frustrating for the crew and passengers. App-based Bluetooth messaging platforms do not have this issue, as users are not occupying bandwidth just to login. The network identifies them and parks them until they do something, which is why you only need one access point to cover an entire aircraft.
IoT leverages off bits of data using Bluetooth Smart whereas, Wi-Fi requires Kilobytes to deliver similar services. Let’s compare WhatsApp to the fflya messaging services. WhatsApp must stay online by maintaining touch with a ground network. Even if you do nothing you still consume bandwidth. So on a typical flight WhatsApp is occupying valuable bandwidth constantly. Sure you can be turn background mode off, but now you are disconnected and have the inconvenience of routinely checking in. In addition, as Wi-Fi is high power your battery will drain quicker
The fflya messaging app allows you to stay logged on for the entire flight as it consumes no bandwidth even when you are waiting for a reply. Furthermore, Bluetooth Smart uses the latest Low Energy technology so your phone battery lasts longer.
How does it work
The fflya IOS or Android App can be downloaded from the App Store via multiple means before a flight. The airline can embed fflya in their own booking App for easy access, mass-mail their frequent flyers or send the passenger a link to fflya upon booking a ticket. Since fflya is only 10Mb in size making it quick and easy to download compared to a typical WhatsApp or Facebook update that can be up to 150Mb.
Once you have the app all you need to do is to enter your user credentials for validation. You can do this on the ground or inflight.
Your credentials are your normal email address and cellphone number. We need this for 3 reasons:
Security
Like all modern messaging platforms fflya has 2 levels of verification to protect your security.
Late Delivery
Once you leave the aircraft the system automatically changes to ground mode, so any late replies are routed to you on the ground.
Destination Offers
The app hosts attractions and savings on services based on the destination you are flying too, so discounts on items of interest selected inflight are reconfirmed to your mobile or email account on arrival.
Upon opening the App inflight, the Bluetooth access point updates your destination status with any new offers and you are registered on the network at the same time. Knowing you’re onboard, the app will automatically revert to park mode, only alerting you with regular notifications when necessary.
Our product fflya is an engaging product as it targets people who are captive, bored, disconnected, and destination-focused. This sort of connectivity is precise and impossible to achieve on the ground because the person is nowhere near as attentive. It creates a major opportunity for real-time marketing with immediate impact because of passenger focus. Further, fflya generates revenue and brand appreciation when passengers download the App, thereby increasing an airlines digital reach. Furthermore, fflya flags frequent flyers creating endless interaction both inflight and on the ground. By offering the App and free messaging, passengers become brand advocates since every App downloaded and message sent promotes the airline. As the connectivity is now free passengers will access it.
Our fflya app delivers revenue from day one with AEROS
AEROS are attraction discount vouchers available in the fflya App that deliver travel savings in hundreds of destinations including the passenger’s hometown.
Once inflight, fflya displays a number of AEROS for the upcoming destination. When a passenger selects something they like, fflya uploads a message from the sponsor that confirms the discount and code.
Then fflya sends an email to the passenger’s email account showcasing the sponsor and the attraction with a booking link. Passengers can also communicate directly with the sponsor.
Upon arrival, passengers begin to save money on shows, restaurants and tourist activities. On arrival they have the opportunity to select more AEROS at the destination.
Interestingly, fflya’s AEROS enhance the airline’s reputation by giving passengers more value for money. The advantage of AEROS is that you have a captive audience who is destination focused and ready to spend. The simplicity means there is no activation required. Sponsors are incentivised to come on-board as it’s free to join the program and they only pay commission on real interactions and receive immediate passenger feedback. The AEROS systems profiles the interaction providing airlines with a unique insight into their passenger based which creates even more marketing opportunities.
What additional revenue services are offered?
With the evolution of Bluetooth Smart the promotional opportunities are endless. Note: fflya’s ability for passengers to interact directly with sponsors opens a whole new world and the airlines ability to host its own products can enhance revenue further.
What do I need on an aircraft?
The fflya system is compatible with any satellite network and all you need is a Bluetooth access point. The Bluetooth access point is flexible and can be installed on an aircraft in a variety of ways:
It latches onto any existing Wi-Fi network.
A hardwired connection to an existing satellite transceiver.
Evaluating any new service is a challenge and this is where fflya has a very unique solution that avoids any modification to the aircraft. Airlines can test the service with a fully self-contained portable system including SATCOM and custom window antenna. The system is classified as a carry on device and with supporting documentation there is no aircraft certification required, just operational approval. The following image illustrates an example of a flight test system onboard an A340 airliner.
The following image illustrates an example of a flight test system onboard an A340 airliner.
The benefit of this approach is airlines can evaluate and refine the services prior to selecting permanent hardware which removes the uncertainty of what do we need and will passengers pay to use it. Entry-level permanent hardware starts with the Inmarsat 200kbps link and it should be noted the test bed is also backwards/ forwards compatible with the new Iridium Next satellite platform that meets the same entry-level requirement. The business model is fully self funding so there is no equipment outlay.
When it comes the production level access point certification, it will be industry standard DO160, DO178 and DO294 compliance. Importantly as a low power device Bluetooth is already documented and tested as safe for use in aircraft, which eliminates the complexity associated of Wi-Fi installations.
The system requires an STC and the STC cost can be included subject to fleet size. The airline provides the installation manpower and fflya underwrites all the transmission costs including airline communications sent via the App.
System Diagram
Why haven’t we seen this before?
Bluetooth was originally designed as a one to one interface for tethered devices with its primary justification in mobile phones as Audio hands free. More recent developments saw it evolve into Personal Area Networks, Scatternets and Mesh networks but again it focused on controlling devices. The challenge and barriers of building a bidirectional communication network capable of accommodating hundreds of passengers in the aircraft environment without consuming valuable satellite bandwidth were endless. It has taken 10 years of development including 4 years of flight-testing and 4 years of working with Apple and Android to develop a proprietary BLE characteristic that connects via a custom satellite protocol to a purpose built ground based network with algorithms that manage every user by file type, flight number and aircraft.
http://airfax.com/blog/index.php/2016/10/20/the-bluetooth-connectivity-solution-fflya/
Throw back article from 2015...
Out of the Blue(tooth) Comes a New Connectivity Option for Airlines – The ASi Aviation Connectivity Solution, (Part 1)
A few weeks ago, we met Ron Chapman, President ASI (Australia) in a small town on the Washington coast and he told IFExpress of a development he has had in the making for some 20 years. We were blown away hearing what he said because it sounded like he has spent his inflight connectivity career leading up to product names that sound like they are out of the jungle… names like CHiiMP, GRRRILL, KONNG, and FFLYA. We couldn’t get them out of our mind and we even snuck them into our IFExpress conversations over the last few weeks to get your attention. If we now have it, check out our story below because ideas like these from Ron Chapman have the power to change connectivity techno-scenery around this crazy business forever!
To give our readers a better insight into the 11 hours of product discussions we had with Ron, we thought a running discourse from Mr. Chapman might better set up the latest developments in his connectivity technology solutions… so listen close. We should note that the following technology developments are not just a technical wish list, they are discussions about a product that is flying successfully on over 35 business jet aircraft. Yes, you are correct, if this develops as we see it, it is a big deal!
PART 1 (And yes readers, next week we will feature Part 2)
THE PROBLEM:
Ron Chapman: “Three generations later and 14 years since Boeing Connexion’s first flight and the world still thinks Wi-Fi is the only solution for inflight connectivity and yet, both Connexion and GOGO (GOGO Inc. SEC filing) confirm that only 6% of passengers are prepared to pay. That means 94% of passengers think Wi-Fi’s too expensive. So here’s the problem, if you are going to spend a billion dollars launching a global satellite constellation or Domestic Air To Ground service, then a free or cheap solution will never be part of your vocabulary. Add to this, the minute you transport live Internet into an aircraft using standard Internet protocols for Wi-Fi, then you are probably only getting half the usable bandwidth you are paying for, as the data loss via radio and retransmission overhead is high. On the ground, Internet is so fast, we all forget how we used to watch the small meter at the bottom of our PC screens progressively slow down as we loaded or streamed a large file because of TCP/IP. That ’s what we have in the sky today.”
Noted Ron: “Now do not misunderstand me, the achievement and commitment of today’s airline Internet companies is nothing short of amazing, but with such a massive investment, they can only continue to address those who can afford to pay, unless airlines like Emirates and JetBlue decide to foot the bill for a limited service, which on current performance seems highly unlikely. The fact is, you cannot have it both ways, if you are hungry for inflight bandwidth then you need to pay, which leaves a hole for 94% of passengers who would rather starve.”
“So back in 2006,” he said, “after the collapse of the Connexion and Tenzing Internet programs I decided to look at an alternative path to Wi-Fi, using Bluetooth, so the obvious question was why?”
Said Chapman: “There was a clear need for a sector of the airlines market that wanted some form of connectivity, while taking into account their passengers reluctance to pay. Further, Business jet operators who fly globally needed some form of control over the high cost of connectivity as they were paying even more. To meet this challenge we needed to address 7 key areas that no one within the industry had considered.”
Find a business model that was comparable to what people would expect on the ground, particularly in the area of every day communications, such as Email and SMS.
Replace the Wi-Fi protocol; Wi-Fi constantly transmits and that costs power and it must have live broadband to connect to. Further, it is not optimized for satellite transmission. ?
Reduce the equipment investment; Combine COTS technology with better techniques for certifying and manufacturing the systems. ?
Maximize the data throughput to minimize data cost; create protocols specifically optimized to existing satellites and existing avionics hardware that supports them. ?
Provide a method for business clients to monitor and control their usage and reduce pilot operating cost, including a new pricing model that would turn live Internet into a money making proposition for charter operators instead of a constant argument over a huge bill.
For airlines; find a way to underwrite the transmission cost using embedded advertising. This could ensure every message pays for itself and generates further revenue opportunities for the airline from sponsored messages.
Create an exclusive in-flight client database which can be mined, and grows as each airline comes onboard, which will simultaneously enhance the potential to attract sponsors.
“Further,” said Ron “too prove the concept we would launch our solution on business jets, as we believed our network data cost would be so minuscule that we could save them thousands of dollars. So it all began with a global patent application back in 2006. At the time what we had to work with was primitive but by 2010 the worlds first flight of a Bluetooth network took place on a Falcon2000EX. It would take another 4 years of International flight testing, cellphone app development and a global network Email and SMS Integration, before the full commercial platform was released at NBAA in 2014. One year later, 3 new Apps, plus Android, IOS and Blackberry solutions covering some 35 Bizjetet installs and the company is about to release a prototype of the world’s first airline versions, called FFLYA. FFLYA is based on the latest Bluetooth 4 technology, which is now a standard component on all modern phones.”
THE SOLUTION CONCEPT, THE APPS AND THE SERVER:
Ron aptly described the problem and now would be a good time to describe his solution. The new service, called Grrrilla, is actually a combination of both narrow and broadband systems connected to the global cell phone and Email networks (2 smart Apps called CHiiMP and KONNG) that pairs the connectivity link with your device (Apple, Android, Blackberry) via Bluetooth (as many as 12 simultaneous network connections). Grrrilla incorporates a real time monitoring satellite service that permits pay-for-use for the Internet mode. He noted, “The price of this service will put other provider’s costs to shame. Imagine if you combine the unique messaging and unlimited connectivity capability of our Iridium CHiiMP App with the real time cost control and live internet management of our Inmarsat KONNG App, and what you might end up with is the worlds most affordable and unique airline platform! We needed to come up with a solution for the 94% of people that didn’t really want to pay a fortune for Wi-Fi but still wanted the ability to check their email and send a message and also wanted something that was international. Further, the Grrrilla network can automatically serve the whole aircraft because of the many channels available in a Bluetooth connectivity solution. And that is because Bluetooth is not a shared-resource network like Wi-Fi; it does not experience degradation as users connect since each user connects with an individual Bluetooth channel link to the aircraft cell network that resides in the small, white Bizet Mobile connectivity hub. Lastly, the network device is self – starting and is ready to serve customers when power is applied.”
We should note that BizjetMobile offers two main types of portable satcom devices, to support the CHiiMP and KONNG Apps. CHiiMP uses an Iridium-based system, with devices that hook into either an existing Iridium transceiver in the aircraft or one with the Iridium transceiver included. Because of the Iridium network’s relatively low bandwidth, ChiiMP is designed for those who want to be able to send text messages (SMS) and email and make voice calls, but not access the Internet. Emails are done through BizjetMobile’s GetMail service and can’t include attachments. (Please note that the Iridium satellite solution is available worldwide and will be compatible with Iridium NEXT.)
On the other hand, KONNG works on the Inmarsat SwiftBroadband (SBB) satellite network and like CHiiMP, it works with an existing SBB transceiver. Because of the greater bandwidth offered by SBB, KONNG offers Internet access in addition to SMS, Email and voice calling. While SBB works in most parts of the world, its coverage isn’t as widespread as Iridium and it delivers its’ capability thru Inmarsat.
As we mentioned earlier, ASiQ is able to deliver these In-Flight Personal Area Networks (IPAN) at a low cost structure because of Bluetooth’s optimized protocols, expanded range and speed since its’ first limited uses years ago. And while we are on it, you might wonder about using Bluetooth instead of Wi-Fi. We should point out that we are talking about Bluetooth 4.0 or Bluetooth LE, also known as ‘Bluetooth Smart’. Read what Wikipedia says about the technology:
“Bluetooth low energy (Bluetooth LE, BLE, marketed as Bluetooth Smart[1]) is a wireless personal area network technology designed and marketed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group aimed at novel applications in the healthcare, fitness, beacons,[2] security, and home entertainment industries.[3] Compared to Classic Bluetooth, Bluetooth Smart is intended to provide considerably reduced power consumption and cost while maintaining a similar communication range. ”Bluetooth Smart was originally introduced under the name Wibree by Nokia in 2006.[4] It was merged into the main Bluetooth standard in 2010 with the adoption of the Bluetooth Core Specification Version 4.0. Mobile operating systems including iOS, Android, Windows Phone and BlackBerry, as well as OS X, Linux, and Windows 8, natively support Bluetooth Smart. The Bluetooth SIG predicts that by 2018 more than 90 percent of Bluetooth-enabled smartphones will support Bluetooth Smart.[5] Bluetooth Smart is not backward-compatible with the previous, often called Classic, Bluetooth protocol. The Bluetooth 4.0 specification permits devices to implement either or both of the LE and Classic systems. Bluetooth Smart uses the same 2.4 GHz radio frequencies as Classic Bluetooth, which allows dual-mode devices to share a single radio antenna. LE does, however, use a simpler modulation system.”
Note: In case you think Bluetooth Smart may be an issue with your communication device, here are a list of operating systems that comply: iOS 5 and later, Windows Phone 8.1, Windows and later 8, Android 4.3 and later Blackberry 10, Linux 3 and later, and Unison OS 5.2.
Notes Wikipedia: “Bluetooth Smart technology operates in the same spectrum range (the 2.400 GHz-2.4835 GHz ISM band) as Classic Bluetooth technology, but uses a different set of channels. Instead of the Classic Bluetooth 79 1-MHz channels, Bluetooth Smart has 40 2-MHz channels. Within a channel, data is transmitted using Gaussian frequency shift modulation, similar to Classic Bluetooth’s Basic Rate scheme. The bit rate is 1Mbit/s, and the maximum transmit power is 10 mW. Further details are given in Volume 6 Part A (Physical Layer Specification) of the Bluetooth Core Specification V4.0.”
But what about certification, we asked? Ron: “I think the best description of what we really have is a scatternet, rather than piconet, with random BT4 devices scattered all over the aircraft, capable of talking to each other and a master. Very excited to have someone help me tell this story as next year will be the tenth year since I embarked on this concept. Us Aussies are a bit slow. FYI The key point is Bluetooth is tested and document in the Itel report that it cannot interfere, plus DO294 has no issue leaving it on. All it means is the STC process on a Bluetooth access point is simple compared to Wi-Fi. RTCA D0-294B provides regulatory guidelines for authorities, aircraft operators and aircraft manufacturers to determine acceptable and enforceable policies for passenger and crew use of portable electronic devices. The uses of PED’s that communicate via a wireless Bluetooth PAN network are determined as T-PED’s (Transmitting Portable Electronic Device). The current edition of RTCA/DO-294B identifies a process for airlines to make a determination of acceptable use of T-PEDs. The determination of an interfering effect caused by a particular device on the navigation and communication system of the aircraft on which it is to be used or operated must, in case of an aircraft operated by the holder of an air carrier certificate or other operating certificate, be made by that operator (i e , certificate holder) In all other cases, a determination must be made by the operator and/or by the pilot-in-command (PIC) In some cases, the determination may be based on operational tests conducted by the operator without the need for sophisticated testing equipment ”
What does the RTCA say about Bluetooth? The RTCA D0-294 specific reference to Bluetooth enabled PED’s is listed below;
RTCA D0-294 (3.D.3.2) RF Considerations
Bluetooth-equipped devices occupy the same 2 4 GHz ISM frequency spectrum and utilize frequency hopping modulation schemes similar to some IEEE 802 11 WLAN devices; however, they operate at lower levels than WLAN devices
And…
RTCA D0-294 (8.A.4.3.1) Non-Critical Phases of Flight
While all PEDs should be switched OFF and fully disconnected from any in-seat electrical power supply during critical phases of flight, the operator may consider that these restrictions associated with active transmitting devices does not need to apply to low power transmitting devices that are fully compliant to the Bluetooth standard.
FLYING IN BUSINESS AVIATION TODAY:
ASi is able to provide these In-Flight Personal Area Networks (IPAN) at a low cost structure because of Bluetooth’s expanded range and speed since its first limited uses years ago, in addition to the lower certification costs compared to Wi-Fi. Bluetooth only uses 10 milliwatts of power, so it is completely safe for use on the aircraft and does not require extensive certifications like high-powered Wi-Fi networks do.
How will this be viewed by airlines? The one capability Bizjetmobile is not equally optimized for streaming live video. However, according to Chapman, most business aviation customers are more interested in email, calls, social media updates and the ability to communicate with family and share pictures through text. Leisure customers seeking entertainment are the source of high video demand. Airline customers are a bit different, and that is what we will cover in the next installment, Part 2, of The ASI Aviation Connectivity Solution
http://airfax.com/blog/index.php/2015/11/15/out-of-the-bluetooth-comes-a-new-connectivity-option-for-airlines-the-asi-aviation-connectivity-solution-part-1/
Oh wow...Pretty interesting stuff there. Yea guess I hadn't considered the plane being low hanging fruit full of passengers especially in the 1st or business class. Good post.
imho
mj
I swung the biggest bat i could swing at this one at the time...lol. Hard to believe I was buying .017's at one point. It was so thin I chased it up on myself collecting shares. But yea I'll take my chances here. I like the jockey and the horse. I feel like the right news at some point and we could see .05 or .10 gaps from a close to an open. These low floaters can get wild.
imho
mj
Agree. Not sure how they will miss but I’ll take my chances. ??
I see a few on this -planes on order- section that are likely targets of ASIP. Seeing those numbers and whats going on with WIZZ's growth...it feels like we are in the right place at the right time with the right product. If Starlink, OneWeb or any of the others pose no significant threat I think its just a matter of time. If the tech works...I don't see how they miss. But again there are surely no guarantees.
https://www.oag.com/blog/low-cost-carriers-in-pole-position-how-adversity-has-led-to-opportunity
imho
mj
Funny but true. ??
Yeah but that is usually how it works with the super low floaters. Generally no one looks at them because they don't have crazy daily volume to trade into. Then when they pop people wonder where they came from or how they missed them..lol. Just like HRBR last yr at .09. I remember just me and one or 2 other people talking about it on twitter for a while...then a few weeks or months later people starting trickling in...next thing you know $3.
The usual penny traders generally like to load up the sub pennies and ride them to a penny or few or pump and dump em. Once above a few pennies its almost like you get caught in limbo where the daily penny traders won't look at it because it too high with no volume...and obviously big board players won't look because its a pink sheet trading at few cents.
IPTK looks to have that recipe that will eventually garner some attention at some point even if this first definitive doesn't do it immediately. Have to see how all this monetizes out. But if they start landing some of the top lcc's in Europe or the world I think it will be hard to ignore. The passenger databases of each of these airlines is immense...We will feed off all that we partner with. Hopefully that value gets recognized by the markets/market makers or whoever. Get classified based on that and we could start seeing multiples on the different metrics used to produce a market cap and share price.
So yea they don't like it at .10...maybe they will start to like it at .50 or $1? lol
imho
mj
Iridium has always been pretty active on twitter. I remember reading in one of the filings that the military was interested partly because of the security. fflya is pretty much unhackable because each transmission of short burst data (in milliseconds) is on a different frequency. Unlike inflight wifi which is easily hacked, as has been repeatedly demonstrated
"But what about the security of passengers using in-flight wifi to simply check email or surf the web? This question came to light prominently a few days ago when journalist Steve Petrow was hacked in mid-air while—interestingly enough—working on a story covering the Apple/FBI data privacy showdown. He recounts his experience to USA Today, detailing how a hacker on the same flight intercepted the data of virtually everyone using the in-flight wifi service. For those intent on stealing data transmitted over in-flight wifi, commercial airline flights are rife with opportunity."
"But what makes the dangers of in-flight wifi different than those of a Starbucks hotspot? Wifi/avionics co-mingling aside, the unique qualities of mass transit and commercial air travel give hackers a plethora of high-value, low-hanging fruit. Despite delineations per seating area, first/business/economy class passengers share the same in-flight wifi connection. So while it's highly unlikely that you'd find yourself sharing a wifi hotspot with Tim Cook at the local Peet's Coffee, it's entirely possible that you could be sharing a wifi connection with a CEO/board member/insert-dignitary-here seated in first class—including Mr. Cook, on any given flight."
https://www.upguard.com/blog/revisiting-the-perils-of-wifi-on-planes
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/2016/02/24/got-hacked-my-mac-while-writing-story/80844720/
Yes...have to assume we are included in there :)
Iridium is pretty active on LinkedIn recently. Not sure if they always have been or if I'm just now noticing.
Hopefully soon we will see a post or 2 directly mentioning Asip and FFLYA.
Wonder whatever came of the gov't/military testing in AUS?
imho
mj
Doesn't mention IPTK or ASIP-Tech specifically, but this from Iridium today on twitter
"I'm continually amazed at the innovative ways in which our technology and distribution partners utilize our unique satellite network to drive growth and serve their respective markets." @IridiumBoss"
Thx. I thought so. Still very good post/news. It’s kind of funny that most investors will not eleven look at potential of this company before price of stock starts to raise significantly.
Oh yea sorry it's an older one..but one that I don't think got posted much. Just trying to circulate things for anyone that might stumble in or want a refresher. Usually they have the dates in them...I should have taken a better look.
Looking for that next pr or update very soon here.
Saw some hype around Delta testing starlink the other day.
Imho
Is this new article or old one. It doesn’t show date. ThxMJ
Thx for informative post. I feel same like you. I had stock before that they would go from pennies to dollars. I believe this one has more potential then those before. I will patiently wait.
Yeah. Maybe that last 80k or 100k order we saw is getting soaked up now at .10. I think we had back to back orders like that or one that walked down the price from .12 or .14? Maybe on the way back to those prices before news?
Ask side looking very thin again...granted we don't know exactly whats behind those 5k share asks...but in the past this one has traded pretty true. It didn't take much at all to move it to .30 on the last move.
That fact that there doesn't seem to be much of any direct competition in the lcc space is very encouraging. Based on potential alone I"m surprised one of these big time fintwit guys hasn't taken a flyer here and tried to scoop up a good chunk of whats left of the float.
Granted some things still remain to be seen but it seems like the low cost structure here might allow for profitability pretty early on in the cycle..of course we have debt on the books..but you get it...which seems to be pretty unheard of in this space. I always look back at the GOGO sale for $400M and not turning a profit. https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/1/21410368/gogo-sells-inflight-internet-business-intelsat-bankrupt
Will be interesting to see what happens once WIZZ is locked in and flying the system on some planes. With their growth plans and how much they seem to be in the news I would think some that follow the airline industry in general might find their way in here. Get one or 2 deeper pockets interested here trying to grab a chunk of shares a piece and there is no telling where we end up in the near term. At this point we may hear about the testing of the live payments etc before getting this first definitive agreement with Wizz?
I think the size and value of their potential passenger database is being overlooked. WIZZ flew 40M passengers precovid with like 110 planes. They plan to increase to 500 planes with a few yrs. Hopefully pandemics cooperate accordingly of course. But being that these passengers are captive in that plane for a few hrs...how valuable will that ad real estate be to advertisers? And that is just one airline. The numbers look like they could go into the 10's of millions of passengers per airline if they tackle the bigger of the lcc's. I don't know but this seems pretty valuable to me.
https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/air/wizz-air-confirms-500-strong-fleet-growth-plans
I am just very interested to see how all this plays out down the road especially with people like Richard Lukso floating around in the mix.
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1067873/000106787321000004/20210825exhibit99.1.pdf
He eventually sold SecuraPlane another Ron Chapman vision to Danaher Corp...check out their market cap ($200B). https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/DHR?p=DHR&.tsrc=fin-srch
There seems to be all kinds of possibilities as this thing matures. It all starts with this first one to see how it all monetizes out. I have felt from my first buy here around 1.5yrs ago that this ticker has as good of a chance as any to make that pennies to $'s move and up list to a larger exchange. No guarantees of course..but I'll likely be here to find out which way it goes...lol. Is this a Billion $ idea? Even a $250M idea looks pretty good from here. :)
imho
mj
Some buyers showed up today
Incredibly encouraging. And nothing wrong with exuding confidence when you have or believe you have that special sauce. Very excited to see the incoming updates and the details that lie within.
Not even sure what else can be said...
Thx as always for the update.
Best Wishes going forward!
imho
mj
Thank you. Can’t wait to see this rolling
Thanks! Go for it! I think you have a great approach.
That would be a nice problem to have and if you were to approach this as a conventional Wifi company that would be a very valid point however, having spent 30 years launching major airline programs, when we embarked on FFlya we set out to achieve three key objectives. Not only a new technological approach, but a new business model and corporate structure.
1. Our technology is built to be easily scaleable and operates autonomously, unlike wifi companies that have hundreds of people in a room monitoring every aircraft. The FFlya system has built in intelligence that eliminates that issue and is self supporting.
2. Our business model requires an airline to meet two important components . Commercially aggressive and technically competent. (You can’t get much better than Wizz in that front.)
3. An airline must agree to our commercial terms, implementation and strategic growth plan. We are setting a new standard on how to operate. We control not them.
In summary and I appreciate this sound arrogant, but by being selective I mean, we target a better class of client and there is plenty to pick from. Just because an airline or vendor wants our system, that does not necessary translate into what’s best for our company.
When Bill Gates was asked if he could change one thing on Microsoft, what wound it be. His answers was controlling the implementation from the start.
As this is worlds first technology, that is what we will do.
Thanks. That is a good approach. While I agree with being selective, this does raise the question of whether IPTK in fact is constrained by not having enough trained personnel to onboard and support multiple well qualified airlines at once.
As problems go, that would be a nice one to have.
Under the agreement we must launch Wizz before any other airline however, it now does allow us to move forward regarding other programs and Wizz is supporting us in that endeavour.
Regarding Indonesia, I have advised them since we have successfully completed Wizz flight tests, the current licensing arrangement is no longer suitable. So we will not be renewing.
Fact is our investment following 2 years of COVID delays and the advancements we have made on Certus, means we will be very selective on who follows Wizz. We need to ensure our highly experienced team is focused on maximum benefit.
Great to hear. Like I mentioned before what's a few weeks now in the grand scheme of things? Sounds like we are getting there. Hopefully interest with other airlines is mounting behind the scenes. Will this initial definitive with Wizz open the door to start allowing initial steps to begin with the other interested parties like CITILINK IND. and the one that was mentioned that wouldn't be a pilot program when they came on?
Is the partnership with Jalin Angkasa Indonesia (JAI) still a go as well for that region?
imho
mj
FYI, I did receive from Wizz the final amendment to the agreement by 31St March. I signed it and am now awaiting countersign by Wizz. So I think your 2 weeks is about right.
I agree. But first let’s get through Wizz air!!!
One of my concerns right now is how do things look if 3 or 4 airlines do try to come in at the same time? I takes so long to get thru the paces with just one airline and maybe with inked deals in place non dilutive financing of some sort could be an option..because they may need funds? Maybe if a 20 plane deal is announced could that bring in enough revs to begin being self sufficient? Also there was a customer mentioned that wouldn't be a pilot test when they come on...so add that customer in and maybe we can generate enough revs to support growth? Guess we will soon see what's going to happpen. It all starts with getting this first one locked up. I would guess literally any day now.
Imho
Mj
I totally agree with you. Risk is small compared to reward and it makes me think to invest more into IPTK.
Yea. For those that believe in the project it's all we can do. Back when the 31st was mentioned I figured add 2 weeks to that then reassess. I always tend stay conservative on timelines as all sorts of things can get in the way. I would Def be a bit more skeptical if we hadn't seen these 3rd parties reporting on the progress of the program over the past yr. With potential like this and an 18mill float things can change in a blink. Just gotta hope we get some favorable terms in the deals. I am maybe most excited about the contactless pymt function. Should hear something on that this month. I feel that could generate some nice revs. So many of these airlines need connectivity...just a matter of getting it out there while there doesn't seem to be much or any direct competition in the space. I still like our odds here. I believe if this all comes together it's a great shot to go from pennies to $'s in share price. How long it takes to play out is anyone's guess? But it feels like we are very close to getting the ball rolling.
Imho
Mj
I’m patiently waiting. ??
Stock price dropped again some this week...but gotta feel this first deal is extremely close to being announced...Should be hearing about telemetry and live payments testing soon as well?
Have a great weekend all...Let's see what next week brings.
Imho
Mj
Wizz Air Sees A 415% Passenger Increase In March
BY JAKOV FABINGER
PUBLISHED 17 HOURS AGO
Wizz Air reveals its performance statistics for March 2022, including the carrier's load factor.
Wizz Air Q3 2021 resultsPhoto: Getty Images
Wizz Air has released its performance statistics for March 2022. Most figures are impressive, but some concerns remain. Let’s take a look at what the numbers reveal.
Wizz Air is on the up
Wizz Air revealed that it had a strong March this year, with 2,476,105 passengers booking tickets on its flights. This is an increase of 415.6% compared to March 2021. The airline’s load factor stood at 86.2%, less than a percentage point lower than rival Ryanair’s load factor for March 2022.
In March, the Hungarian airline offered 2,871,848 seats across all the flights in its global network, up from the 768,113 it had offered in March 2021. This constitutes a capacity increase of 273.9%. Coupled with a passenger increase of 415.6%, which means that the airline has seen a markedly better March 2022 than March 2021.
SIMPLEFLYING VIDEO OF THE DAY
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The shrinking difference between seat capacity offered by Wizz Air and the number of passengers that the airline carried has resulted in a stellar improvement of 23.7 percentage points in its load factor compared to the past year. In March 2021, the load factor was only 62.5%.
The performance trend is equally positive when looking at the past 12 months. In the year up to March 31, 2022, Wizz Air saw 27,079,918 bookings against a scheduled seat capacity of 34,625,404. This gave it a load factor of 78.2%, which is an impressive figure considering that this period includes the tail-end of the winter 2020 and spring 2021 lockdowns imposed while European countries were rolling out vaccinations and also the winter 2021/2022 slump in demand caused by the discovery of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
Wizz-Air-CO2-Emissions-getty
Wizz Air is offering over 20,000 flights in April 2022, and it hopes for more growth. Photo: Getty Images.
The environment remains a focus for Wizz Air
The airline has continued to push sustainability as part of its brand image in March. It calls itself the most sustainable European airline. Driving its environmental sustainability is its young fleet and a relatively high load factor.
For March 2022, Wizz Air estimates it emitted 233,733 tonnes of CO2. This is a marked increase compared to March 2021, when the airline’s CO2 emissions were 56,366. The increase is as high as 314.7%.
However, this percentage increase is lower than the percentage increase in passenger traffic. Thus, the metric of CO2 grams per passenger per kilometer actually fell between March 2021 and March 2022. For this March, it was 56.0 CO2 grams per passenger/km. For last March, it was 72.9.
GettyImages-1229768223 Wizz Air UK Airbus A321neo
The airline has faced staff shortages in the past, and it was overly optimistic about passenger demand during the pandemic. Photo: Getty Images
The airline continues to grow, but concerns remain
In other developments last month, Wizz Air announced it would support Ukrainian refugees by offering them 100,000 free seats on all flights within continental Europe that depart countries that border Ukraine: Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania. This offer is valid until April 10, 2022.
The airline also added another aircraft to its Budapest base, for a total of 12, and one to Cluj-Napoca, for a total of seven.
However, not all is going smoothly with the airline. Wizz has been badly exposed to recent oil price rises because, up until recently, it had chosen not to hedge any of its fuel requirements.
Wizz Air’s share price has tumbled nearly 40% this year as the airline made expansionary moves in 2020 and 2021 that turned out to be too bold for market conditions in Europe that remain heavily hindered by a pandemic yet to end.
https://simpleflying.com/wizz-air-415-percent-passenger-increase-march-2022/
Wizz Air passenger traffic soars over 400% in March
The airline said the load factor rose to 86.2% from 62.5%
Wizz Air Holdings PLC - Wizz Air Holdings saw 415.6% increase in passenger traffic in March
Wizz Air Holdings PLC (AIM:WIZZ) said passenger numbers surged by 416% to 2.48 million in March, with the load factor rising to 86.2% from 62.5% in the same month last year and capacity (seats) rising 273.9%.
The month also saw an increase of 439.8% in traffic measured in revenue passenger kilometers, while available seat kilometers increased by 294.1%.
Carbon dioxide emissions in grams per passenger/km were 23.2% lower in March compared to the same month last year.
Wizz Air announced last week that it is expanding its UK service and is hoping to hire over 100 new cabin crew for its Airbus A320 fleet. To sweeten the deal, the airline said it is offering the "biggest ever pay rise for its UK crew members".
The airline said it has extended its offer of 100,000 free seats for Ukrainian refugees on all flights leaving from Ukraine's border countries (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania) until 10 April 2022.
The airline operates a fleet of 153 Airbus A320s and A321s.
https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/978664?SNAPI
Always like reflecting back to this update from 2019...
"So, to clarify, we do not have a PR firm. Been there done that and seen what premature PR results from it. Our rationale is, once we prove our system with a customer, the PR will take care of itself as we will have changed the inflight connectivity business." - Ron Chapman
That proof of concept with a customer seems to be drawing very near. Very eager for this next update.
imho
mj
Great find. Thank you!
ASIP seeks to open the window to low-cost messaging for LCCs
Long-time industry veteran Ron Chapman might be the world’s foremost authority on installing Iridium antennas in airliner windows. He started over a decade ago by installing a single-window Iridium antenna on a private jet. It was then that he realized you need an antenna on either side of the aircraft to avoid satellite blank spots.
By 2016, his company, AS-IP Tech (ASIP), laid claim to having commercialized the first dual-window antenna installation on a private jet. It scored European fractional ownership company Jetfly Aviation as a customer for its Bluetooth Smart inflight connectivity solution called CHiiMP, enabling Jetfly pilots and passengers to send and receive text messages in-flight on PC-12s.
Embarking on an airline version of the Bluetooth-based system, ASIP in October 2016 unveiled the fflya-branded solution at the APEX Expo in Singapore. Further tests of a dual Iridium platform were conducted on board an Airbus A340, supporting app messaging and e-commerce. A Bluetooth network for crew messaging – known as CrewX – was also independently live tested on an Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 operated by a major airline. Both widebodies ultimately served as testbeds for ASIP (the airline adopted a broadband cabin connectivity solution).
Now ASIP has announced the installation of the fflya Bluetooth connectivity kit on board a Wizz Air UK Airbus A321 to support messaging, payments and telemetry. A key component of the Wizz Air installation “is our revolutionary window antenna system. We wanted a certified system that was simple to install with minimal components. The installation was carried out by Storm Aviation Limited in co-operation with Wizz Air UK Technical services,” says Chapman in a statement. Storm is a subsidiary of FL Technics.
Supplemental type certification for the install was not required, as the system in this iteration is designed as a minor mod, Chapman tells Runway Girl Network.
An Iridium antenna attached to an airliner's window, from inside the cabin. The antenna is small and circular. Blue slimline seats are in view. News of the Wizz Air agreement follows ASIP’s revelation last summer (via 8-K filing) that an Indonesian licensee has entered into a preliminary agreement with Citilink to install fflya on an Airbus A320.
The next step for ASIP is ground testing to support airline operational approval at Wizz Air. ASIP will work with a top tier Iridium value added reseller if it gets the green light for a rollout.
Low-cost carriers are ASIP’s sole target for fflya in commercial aviation. “We’re not talking to any other airlines than low-cost airlines,” says Chapman, noting that “two other major programs” are underway at airlines.
To be clear, airlines don’t take ASIP’s apps. “They just take our software” and then they embed that into their own apps, explains the ASIP founder and president. “So, you can communicate by the app with anyone on the ground, on their email, WhatsApp or their SMS account on the ground and they can talk back. The same packet data [that facilitates messaging] is also ideally suited for telemetry and payment processing.”
Rotation
Using a Bluetooth access point/router and Iridium classic service for messaging obviously offers a significantly lower-cost, lower-bandwidth alternative to a traditional onboard Wi-Fi network. Chapman is an unabashed fan of this approach, noting that Wi-Fi locks onto a channel and consumes bandwidth whilst Bluetooth frequency-hops “so the way it works is it hops from channel to channel.”
In 2017, he revealed to RGN that Lufthansa Systems had effectively white labeled fflya to offer an Iridium NEXT-connected BoardConnect Portable to the market. At the end of 2019, Lufthansa Systems indicated it had cooled on the idea of hooking up an Iridium NEXT modem to its “box-in-bin” BoardConnect Portable, citing bandwidth limitations.
Chapman confirms that multiple IFE stakeholders approached him to discuss fflya technology, but ultimately ASIP decided to go it alone in 2019. “We now market direct to the airlines and no longer have any arrangements with any other vendor.”
ASIP’s programs are self funded based on a commercial arrangements. But within the fflya app framework, there are four modules – messaging, transact (for payment processing), retail and interactive advertising. Chapman says fllya has the capacity to generate revenue from the retail component – selling tourist attractions and other adventures to flyers – as well as embedding sponsors within the messaging application. For instance, a company could sponsor and customize the “delivered by” part of a message.
He confirms that ASIP is planning to use legacy Iridium speeds initially and then Iridium Certus in time, explaining:
With the compression algorithms we have, the current SBD [short burst data] service supports our initial messaging program as we can accommodate 20 messages per second. We will then upgrade to Certus based on demand and the base service should accommodate minimum 200 messages per second.
Bear in mind we are not a standard IP interface, but a proprietary packet data solution that is specific to text messaging, CC processing and telemetry.
Iridium’s nextgen Certus service may also see ASIP target real-time credit card transactions in time, but for now, the retail aspect of the system does not require live transmissions.
“Our focus is to minimize the crew impact with prepay/pre book prior to departure via the app. With the added ability to setup an account inflight, only authorizations for payment processing from an account should be sent to the ground in real-time. Return receipt via notifications. It’s really a matter of how you promote the service, as our ultimate goal is to eliminate the handling of credit cards, or at least reduce to an absolute minimum.”
https://laptrinhx.com/news/asip-seeks-to-open-the-window-to-low-cost-messaging-for-lccs-mQpwjbP/
-Wizz Air, the Eastern European low-cost carrier, has recently launched a new subsidiary based in Abu Dhabi. The new airline currently operates four A321neo aircraft and began flying in April 2021. Although the airline does not currently have IFC or IFE installed onboard, Wizz Air is currently testing a new “Wi-Fi lite” solution in partnership with AS-IP Tech. The service, should it be rolled out fleetwide, will provide Wizz Air Abu Dhabi aircraft with AS-IP Tech’s Bluetooth connectivity service, fflya, which utilises dual window antennas to link up to Iridium’s NEXT service.-
https://valourconsultancy.com/airlines-born-in-the-post-covid-world-are-embracing-digitalisation/
OTC seems to be slow on any updates. Took them quite a while to list us as current.
I appreciate your very busy currently but I was just curious as to why the share info hasn't been updated on OTCMarkets since last yr? I know the filings are current. I'm not sure what goes into updating the share structure etc. A lot of people take those numbers into consideration first when researching a company. Just some thoughts. Thx
Best Wishes,
imho
mj
Best wishes as usual to you and the team. I'm sure its all hands on deck towards wrapping up this first definitive agreement and completing this step in the journey. Whether it happens on the 31'st or a week or 2 after I'm sure your excitement is at peak levels and weeks probably feel like minutes after the years that have been put into this project.
WizzAir has set themselves up to experience some very nice growth over the next few years and they have received quite a bit of industry attention over the last few months. Asip can only benefit from this tech being trialed and approved for operation by them just as you foresaw. Any positive words spoke from WIZZ about ASIP should get a lot of positive industry buzz I would think.
Your steady approach over the years even through recent turbulent times seems to have brought your vision to the door step of becoming a reality...Now it's time to walk through and see what lies on the other side...
Truly an inspiring story.
Will be eagerly awaiting the next communication.
Best Wishes!
imho
mj
What I can tell you is, the current agreement from Wizz is to work together to sign a definitive agreement by March 31st.
We are doing everything possible to meet that timeline.
Ron
fflya opens the inflight imagination of airline passengers by delivering products and services, plus exciting tours and attraction offers relative to where they are flying. fflya also reconnects passengers with family and friends through free messaging.
Only ASIP Tech has the unique fflya network that can deliver this exclusive inflight service.
It is made possible by the integration of the latest generation App technology, Bluetooth, and Low Earth Orbit Iridium Next satellites.
Combine this with fflya’s world first window antennae and no longer do you need to install complex, heavy, fuel burning antennas on the roof of your aircraft.
LEO’s are only 600 kilometers up and the existing 66 satellites provide global coverage. Each aircraft only require 2 unobtrusive window antennas. One on either side of the aircraft and everyone is connected.
LEO’s also mean a much smaller, lighter system which is simpler to install and that translates into a fully self funding program that we guarantee will generate revenue for your airline from day one.
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