On the Airbands

 Qantas has for some time had a special Flight Service Director (FSD) workstation installed in one of its Boeing 747-4388, VH-OJK. It was actually fitted for the Queen’s most recent visit to Australia following manufacture by ASI Industries of Melbourne.

This console is a full Cabin Management System, the Flight Service Director to do his or her paperwork while in flight on the workstation’s “386” MS. DOS format computer. The system also works through ACARS, with the messages being stored and sent after flightdeck messages are passed, within a strict priority protocol.

As from May 1 this year, passengers on VH-OJK have been sending faxes from the aircraft, either through ACARS stations, or through the In Mar Sat satellite system when the aircraft is flying oceanic sectors. At this stage, it’s one way only, with ground-to-aircraft faxes not being han- dled.

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