The airline industry and land based tech and communications companies are joining forces 'piloting' - :) - projects for people to stay wired while over 30,000 feet - where there is a huge market for services.

Air Canada takes the lead
Air Canada, has been experimenting with what many business travelers have been dreaming of: sending and receiving e-mail and browsing the Web in-flight. The Air Canada project, jointly developed by Seattle-based Tenzing Communications Inc., allows most users to get a reply to an e-mail in about 15 minutes or less.

The test project is running through May 2001 on Air Canada's North American flights. Passengers can connect their laptop computers to existing seat-back telephones and use pre-installed software to access a server on the plane. The server periodically transfers data to and from a preselected set of web sites and caches the latest news, weather and stock quotes in addition to sending and receiving e-mail. While this pilot project does not involve true, real-time Internet connectivity it is a start.

During the test period, use of the system is free. To register and obtain the free required software, go to Air Canada's Web site (www.aircanada.ca) and click on the relevant link under ''latest news.''

It is expected that airlines will charge a fee for at least some of these wired services in the future, perhaps per flight or by  long-term subscription.

How it Connects
The secure Tenzing OnBoard™ system is installed on an aircraft where it functions just like an office local area network, providing wireless high-speed connections to a host server and gateways for automatic data exchange with the outside world.

Comsat, a business unit of Lockheed Martin Global Telecommunications, has signed a three-year contract with Tenzing to provide services over Comsat's satellite air-to-ground communications network. Comsat provides satellite communications for the airline industry and also maritime and land mobile satellite services to customers worldwide via the Inmarsat satellite system.

Comsat, based in Bethesda, Maryland, transmits its aeronautical communications services over the Inmarsat-3 series of satellites, which are in geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles above the equator. The signals connect to Comsat ground earth stations in Connecticut and California and are relayed over ground routes to their destinations.

Other Airlines' plans: SAS
Scandinavian airline SAS is working on a wireless in-the-cabin system with Tenzing. While SAS won't commit to installing serial ports in it's economy class section just yet, they make the claim to be the first airline in the world to test wireless Internet  access from onboard an flying aircraft.

SAS also plans to develop their own e-mail system, equipped with a firewall. SAS passengers during the test project on one of the specially equipped aircraft connect their laptops with an on-plane server using IEEE 802.11b wireless LAN technology.

During this year all SAS airport lounges will be equipped with a network using Telia's HomeRun technology allowing the airline's passengers to access the Web and their e-mail wirelessly inside the lounges.

Cathay Pacific plans full fleet rollout
A fleet-wide deployment of Tenzing's system is planned by Cathay Pacific(CP) in mid 2001, retrofitting all aircraft to allow the use of seat-side plug-ins rather than seat-back phones for connections. They have already conducted a successful demonstration of in-flight e-mail and Internet technology on a Boeing 747.

The demonstration was done on a Cathay Pacific Boeing 747-400 flight from Seoul to Hong Kong. The demonstration e-mail was sent by Cathay Pacific on-board staff to the office of  Director and Chief Operating Officer Philip Chen at Hong Kong International Airport. The message said "We're up here at 35,000 feet enjoying the best service in the world," and included an in-flight photograph as an attachment.

When the service is introduced in the middle of 2001, Cathay Pacific will be the first airline in the world to offer passengers in-flight e-mail and Intranet services across its entire fleet.

Tenzing will provide Cathay Pacific passengers with a range of in-flight e-services including full e-mail with attachments, and onboard cached Intranet providing "Best of the Web" surfing, and other e-Business services.

Cathay Pacific using the Primex EMPORT™ broadband high speed network which allows passengers to use their notebook / laptop computers to access the system via a standard USB connection. The inseat power system EMPOWER™  provides individual safe and reliable power outlets.

Singapore Airlines has also begun onboard testing of Tenzing's in-flight Internet content and e-mail services and other airlines are expected to form partnerships and projects with Tenzing in the coming months.