Have you ever seen "that guy" on the road? Have you even been "that guy?" You know, the one who feels compelled to text message while driving. What about while flying?Well, starting in the fourth quarter of this year, Avidyne will begin delivering its MLX770 two-way Datalink Transceiver. For the first time, general aviation pilots will be able to send and receive SMS text messages directly through the multifunction display to mobile phones on the ground.
Avidyne says the response from customers has been "overwhelming." The practicality - and novelty - of such a system is immediately apparent, adding a useful communication tool with people on the ground if you're arrival is delayed.
Don't expect long conversations though, Avidyne has limited the length of outgoing messages to 32 characters and they are entered by control knob, not keyboard.
"You wouldn't be sitting up there chatting like you're on a cell phone or computer," says Tom Harper, director of marketing at Avidyne.
This feature, unlike a mobile plan, does not come with unlimited text messaging, rather each text message is expected to cost between $1 and $2 to send and receive because of the bandwidth usage on the Iridium satellites that enable the datalink. For every ten hours of flying, Avidyne expects the service to run between $70-120.
As for distracting the pilot, one would hope that we'll see aviate, navigate, communicate (then text message) hold true. A passenger sitting in the right seat can just as easily use the system as well.The text messaging features are not disabled during climb or descent. Avidyne emphasizes that, "the pilot will use discretion and good judgment to acknowledge the message at the appropriate time. These messages are considered low priority (cyan) so if a higher priority Traffic Alert (yellow) or Terrain Alert (red) message comes up, it will appear on top of any incoming email message."
Text messaging for commercial pilots has been around for years in the
form of Controller-Pilot Datalink Communications (CPLDC). The system is
widely used to communicate pilot reports to dispatchers and
controllers, send and receive air traffic routing requests and oceanic
crossing clearance replacing HF communications.
Beyond text message, The MLX770 adds additional functionality to the Avidyne MFD.
The system provides the pilot datalink weather information where it wouldn't otherwise be available outside the US.
Using the two-way datalink to the Iridum satellites, the aircraft is also able to receive weather data without relying on both XM and Sirius networks that are limited to the United States.
In the event that data is unavailable from XM or Sirius, the MLX770 will provide redundancy inside the US as well.
Each Avidyne MLX770 will uplink through the Iridium satellite
constellation to the Avidyne Network Operations Center (NOC) in
Lincoln, Massachusetts. When a flightplan is loaded, the (NOC) will be
pinged and live weather data will be downlinked for a 200 mile radius
along the route, minimizing the required bandwidth of large weather
data information.
When the system is launched in the fourth quarter coverage will include the continental US, southern Canada, Western and Central Europe. Latin, South American, African, South Asian and Australian service expected by the end of the year.
Beyond text message, The MLX770 adds additional functionality to the Avidyne MFD.
The system provides the pilot datalink weather information where it wouldn't otherwise be available outside the US.
Using the two-way datalink to the Iridum satellites, the aircraft is also able to receive weather data without relying on both XM and Sirius networks that are limited to the United States.
In the event that data is unavailable from XM or Sirius, the MLX770 will provide redundancy inside the US as well.
Each Avidyne MLX770 will uplink through the Iridium satellite
constellation to the Avidyne Network Operations Center (NOC) in
Lincoln, Massachusetts. When a flightplan is loaded, the (NOC) will be
pinged and live weather data will be downlinked for a 200 mile radius
along the route, minimizing the required bandwidth of large weather
data information.When the system is launched in the fourth quarter coverage will include the continental US, southern Canada, Western and Central Europe. Latin, South American, African, South Asian and Australian service expected by the end of the year.
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