Mega hands-on: Virgin America's Airbus A320 with Red in-flight entertainment
By Ryan Block 
posted February 10th 2007 9:06AM
posted February 10th 2007 9:06AM
Seatback consoles
- Linux-based with Tiny X
- VA developed Red in-flight interface
- 9-inch integrated touchscreen
- 1024 x 600 resolution (oh, so close to HD! but not quite)
- Dual internal flash drives for redundant storage of embedded OS
- One USB port and one ethernet port per seat
- USB can be used with a portable keyboard on seatback console (or to charge your device)
- Ethernet hooks you into a LAN with the rest of the passengers
- Two 110v outlets per 3-seat row (and one per seat in first class)
- Dual 802.11b WiFi access points in cabin (fore and aft)
- Sprint EV-DO uplink (for ground communications)
- Yet-unannounced in-air broadband uplink
- LED mood lighting throughout the craft
- Send email and SMS messages from your seat console
- In-cabin chats, either private (one on one), group (by invite), or common (whole plane)
- Dedicated chat rooms for each channel to discuss what's on TV
- Send food and beverage orders (and pay) directly from your console
- Galley inventory lists are transmitted wirelessly when the plane is stocked; customers are prompted when their order cannot be fulfilled due to no remaining inventory
- Streaming pay-per-view movies from on-board media server
- Over 3,000 MP3 tunes stored in on-board media server; persistent play lists (i.e. the playlist you make online or in your seat will follow you to future flights)
- Dish live TV with in-flight program guide
- Games! Open source titles (including Doom); VA will host an open source game dev competition, the best games will be added to the playable titles list.
- One system controller
- Three Dish receiver / tuner boxes
- Three redundant storage arrays for streaming audio and video -- during flight data (including CC transactions) is written only to encrypted flash
- Flight attendants can monitor traffic spikes from bandwidth-greedy users
- Seats 149 passengers (eight in first class)
- Lavatories have their own soundtrack, kind of like those chic hotels
- Prices should be "competitive" with some budget airlines
- Expected to take flight this summer (US Dept. of Transportation approval pending)
"Virgin America is getting screwed over by the DOT right now. "
They're not getting "screwed over". No foreign airline can fly domestic in *any* country by default - it's part of a worldwide system that all countries have signed off on. You don't see JAL flying LGA-ORD either. These permissions are always given out on a case by case basis and are never guaranteed - the airlines need to satisfy a long list of conditions to even be considered.
There are good reasons why this is the case. For one thing, the FAA has no jurisdiction over foreign airlines - they're governed by the laws in their own countries. That includes maintenance procedures, government subsidization, etc.
Here's a brief rundown of the various "freedoms" airlines have or don't have - the one in question here is fifth freedom rights: http://ostpxweb.dot.gov/aviation/Data/freedoms.htm
This is a US owned airline with US FAA oversight. They already have completed FAA certification and are waiting on DOT approval. Cabotage has nothing to do with this.
And to correct you, the US FAA does have authority over foreign airlines in the US, as well as US registered planes worldwide.
Er, sorry, I meant "ninth freedom" rights are what's in question here - I've got fifth freedom on the brain lately, as it's a more common issue than ninth freedom rights.
In the latest episode of diggnation, episode 84, they actually did the show on the new Virgin America airplane. Pretty cool, you can check it out.
Too bad these planes probably won't ever fly over Europe... bummer
That's all great, but is AVOD really worth it on an A320. I mean, you're going to be in the air for what, like three hours?
That food ordering tab is GENIUS. How peeved have you been when you fell asleep and missed your opportunity for some crappy peanuts and 1/2 can of soda??
"Water....give me Water....."
"Sorry sir....the plane is landing"
Can you imagine if they were ever able to implememt Multi-Player gaming for flights???
"BOOYAH!!!....That's right FIRST CLASS......I'm talking to you!! You suck at Halo....and you're gonna die first if we crash!!"
Hasn't anyone read about all the concessions Virgin Air made in the hopes of getting approval.
http://www.clearsparkdesign.com
are these computers isolated away form the flight computers? I'd hate to be on a flight and have some jacka$$ hacker crash the flight computers and go down.
The way they do Wi-Fi onboard is using directed Wi-fi antennas. A cell phone wouldn't wreak havoc on the plane as much as on the ground, as it tries to contact several towers at once and brings the phone grid down. Also, even if it was safe to use a phone in the plane, a passenger that doesn't know would probably tackle you or smash your cell phone. FAA has already granted permission for VA to fly but DOT hasn't, and NO, VA doesn't fly trans-Atlantic.
I think the airbus are awesome, massive, but awesome! The technology within it seems as if it takes away the pain of being on a boring airplane!
www.studio24designs.com