Speedwing - Press Releases

	Press Releases

	British Airways' Speedwing deploys Park Air Systems radios to support its worldwide VHF communications network

	Speedwing, the wholly owned subsidiary of British Airways that provides operational mobile communication services for the air transport market is refurbishing its ground-based VHF radio infrastructure across the world with the installation of new equipment from Park Air Systems - T6 multi-mode radios. The radio system, which supports both 25kHz and 8.33kHz channel spacing, will be used for Airline Operational Communications by British Airways and other Speedwing clients. Speedwing has selected an infrastructure based around the T6 for its worldwide operation, with an initial deployment to the new Athens Spata airport in Greece, followed by the rest of the European programme starting this month.

	The replacement programme comes ahead of IATA regulations, due towards the end of the year, for reduced channel spacing from 25kHz to 8.33kHz on the VHF airmobile spectrum. Clive Heathcote, Speedwing Product Manager confirmed, "The implementation of Park Air T6 radio infrastructure has allowed us to update equipment worldwide to meet the proposed regulations. Once the roll-out of systems is complete, we shall be in the position to switch our customers onto the revised frequency environment as soon as it becomes mandatory."

	Many of the radio base stations will be located at existing radio sites already populated with multiple transmitters and receivers. With multiple radio channels operating simultaneously, care must be taken to ensure that interference between channels does not become a problem; the radios therefore have to meet very stringent co-site requirements. Traditionally this was achieved by the use of costly external signal filtering equipments. The Park Air T6 radio however utilises specially developed digital signal processing techniques, causing the radio to ignore interfering noise signals while allowing genuine speech traffic to pass This technique is realizable today through new software radio technologies. The T6 also allows local or remote switchover between 25 and 8.33kHz channel spacing, ensuring that users incur no additional costs during system transition.

	The importance of good quality communications from the ground offices to the flight crews cannot be overstated and is a significant factor in achieving operational efficiency. Speedwing’s early roll-out programme will enable its customers to suffer no service disruption through the implementation of the new IATA regulations.

	[ends] /1] Technical notes... /2]Notes for editors...

	1] Technical notes... The introduction of reduced channel spacing (from 25kHz to 8.33kHz) began in seven European countries in October 1999 as a means to reduce voice communications spectrum congestion. It is anticipated that 8.33kHz operations for airline communications within Europe will shortly be mandated by IATA, causing a surge in demand for radios with a flexible architecture. The migration to 8.33kHz channel spacing releases valuable spectrum for other applications such as VHF Data Link (VDL). Over the coming months, VDL operations will commence within Europe, with Park Air’s T6 family of multi-mode digital radios providing the ground radio communication element in this new network.

	2] Notes for editors... Park Air Systems supplies Communication, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) systems for air space operations worldwide. The Company unites the long-standing professional skills of Navia Aviation and Park Air Electronics. Park Air Systems is part of the Electronic Sensors and Systems Sector of Northrop Grumman Corporation. Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $15 billion, global aerospace and defence company with its worldwide headquarters in Los Angeles. Northrop Grumman provides technologically advanced, innovative products, services and solutions in defence and commercial electronics, systems integration, information technology and non-nuclear shipbuilding and systems. With 80,000 employees and operations in 44 states and 25 countries, Northrop Grumman serves U.S. and international military, government and commercial customers. Speedwing has over 30 years experience in providing operational radio communications to the airline industry. Speedwing is British Airways' technical authority on mobile communications. Speedwing manages and supports the mobile communications requirements at a large number of international airports for British Airways and other airline based customers. Speedwing provides company VHF radio at over 110 locations worldwide.

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