 |
| Flight attendant using tablet. Photo: Emirates |
[Avionics Today 04-14-2015] Gogo has launched its crew messaging service: Crew Connect for Airline Operational Services. The new application-based service is a dynamic messaging platform that allows flight crews to communicate by voice or text messaging with each other and with ground crews while the aircraft is airborne. The app is available on Android, Apple and Microsoft devices that offer group messaging, event-based alerts, multi-media messaging and message tracking.
Crew Connect is based on IP messaging platform technology and will include features such as dynamic call grouping, which allows the airline to send communications to an entire aircraft, fleet or region; status notifications such as “message read” and “on aircraft;” and hot-button calling to airline-designated sites such as dispatch, scheduling and maintenance. The new system is designed to improve operational efficiency for flight crews by maximizing the communications value of any available broadband link for the airline.
“Today, numerous airlines are issuing their flight attendants and pilots Wi-Fi-enabled tablets and smartphones, which are capable of utilizing aircraft connectivity. Crew Connect leverages that trend,” said Ash ElDifrawi, Gogo’s chief commercial officer. “The only other way for cabin crew to communicate off the aircraft is through traditional flight deck voice or datalink systems, which have historically been difficult and expensive to utilize for in-flight cabin crew communication.”