In-flight entertainment systems linked to scores of jet 'difficulties'

O
>
>That system, built by a Phoenix company now out of the airline business, was put
>on to replace an existing system and pioneered interactive entertainment at each
>seat. But, as a USA TODAY investigation found in February, it was improperly
>designed, installed and certified by contractors without adequate FAA oversight.
>The General Accounting Office and the Transportation Department's inspector
>general recently began investigating the matter.
Why would the FAA be involved? The system was not sold to a single US
carrier, nor installed in a single USA registered aircraft. If there
was an oversight failure, it was with European/Swiss authorities.
Ultimately they are responsible for regulations and control of any
equipment installed in a Swiss registered aircraft.

However there is a real problem, in that there are NO specific FAA
certification requirements for IFE. NO TSO's, no type certificates,
no nothing....

matt weber wrote:

> >That system, built by a Phoenix company now out of the airline
> > business, was put on to replace an existing system and pioneered
> > interactive entertainment at each seat.

> Why would the FAA be involved? The system was not sold to a single
> US carrier, nor installed in a single USA registered aircraft.
> If there was an oversight failure, it was with European/Swiss
> authorities.

Why would a Phoenix company be making such systems soley for over-seas
carriers?

"matt weber" <mattheww50@cox.net> wrote in message news:8egqgvcroagvo19hu0rhrfh94dvrmg0hv3@...

> Why would the FAA be involved? The system was not sold to a single US
> carrier, nor installed in a single USA registered aircraft. If there
> was an oversight failure, it was with European/Swiss authorities.
> Ultimately they are responsible for regulations and control of any
> equipment installed in a Swiss registered aircraft.

Actually, the FAA does have authority (responsibility can be argued).
The US manufacturer produces part for an aircraft with a FAA-issued type certificate,
and such the full force of Part 21 applies to him, whether the part is sold
to a foreign entity or not.

> However there is a real problem, in that there are NO specific FAA
> certification requirements for IFE. NO TSO's, no type certificates,
> no nothing....

There's no such thing as a type certificate for appliances. Many things
on an aircraft don't have a TSO either.

"Fly Guy" <Fly@Guy.com> wrote in message news:3F0D5A5A.F511B56C@Guy.com...

> Why would a Phoenix company be making such systems soley for over-seas
> carriers?

Overseas doesn't make any difference. The company is in the US making parts
for installation in FAA type certificated aircraft. That's all that is required for the
FAA to get into the game.

"Tarver Engineering" <jtarver@sti.net> wrote in
news:3f0d99d5$1@news.sti.net:

>
> "Ron Natalie" <ron@sensor.com> wrote in message
> news:3f0d9151$0$87903$9a6e19ea@news.newshosting.co m...
>>
>> "matt weber" <mattheww50@cox.net> wrote in message
> news:8egqgvcroagvo19hu0rhrfh94dvrmg0hv3@...
>>
>> > Why would the FAA be involved? The system was not sold to a single US
>> > carrier, nor installed in a single USA registered aircraft. If there
>> > was an oversight failure, it was with European/Swiss authorities.
>> > Ultimately they are responsible for regulations and control of any
>> > equipment installed in a Swiss registered aircraft.
>>
>> Actually, the FAA does have authority (responsibility can be argued).
>> The US manufacturer produces part for an aircraft with a FAA-issued type
> certificate,
>> and such the full force of Part 21 applies to him, whether the part is
> sold
>> to a foreign entity or not.
>
> No.
>
> But thanks for playing.
>

Dman those old 8 tracks, eh splaps boy?

Bertie

"Bertie the Bunyip" <A@a.aaaaaa> wrote in message
news:8aee0bb19218f961bb9ccca2625d63d9@news.cyclone ws.com...
> "Tarver Engineering" <jtarver@sti.net> wrote in
> news:3f0d99d5$1@news.sti.net:
>
> >
> > "Ron Natalie" <ron@sensor.com> wrote in message
> > news:3f0d9151$0$87903$9a6e19ea@news.newshosting.co m...
> >>
> >> "matt weber" <mattheww50@cox.net> wrote in message
> > news:8egqgvcroagvo19hu0rhrfh94dvrmg0hv3@...
> >>
> >> > Why would the FAA be involved? The system was not sold to a single US
> >> > carrier, nor installed in a single USA registered aircraft. If there
> >> > was an oversight failure, it was with European/Swiss authorities.
> >> > Ultimately they are responsible for regulations and control of any
> >> > equipment installed in a Swiss registered aircraft.
> >>
> >> Actually, the FAA does have authority (responsibility can be argued).
> >> The US manufacturer produces part for an aircraft with a FAA-issued
type certificate,
> >> and such the full force of Part 21 applies to him, whether the part is
sold
> >> to a foreign entity or not.
> >
> > No.
> >
> > But thanks for playing.

> Dman those old 8 tracks, eh splaps boy?

FAA is not the world, Ralphie.

"Tarver Engineering" <jtarver@sti.net> wrote in
news:3f0dc1b1@news.sti.net:

>
> "Bertie the Bunyip" <A@a.aaaaaa> wrote in message
> news:8aee0bb19218f961bb9ccca2625d63d9@news.cyclone ws.com...
>> "Tarver Engineering" <jtarver@sti.net> wrote in
>> news:3f0d99d5$1@news.sti.net:
>>
>> >
>> > "Ron Natalie" <ron@sensor.com> wrote in message
>> > news:3f0d9151$0$87903$9a6e19ea@news.newshosting.co m...
>> >>
>> >> "matt weber" <mattheww50@cox.net> wrote in message
>> > news:8egqgvcroagvo19hu0rhrfh94dvrmg0hv3@...
>> >>
>> >> > Why would the FAA be involved? The system was not sold to a
>> >> > single US carrier, nor installed in a single USA registered
>> >> > aircraft. If there was an oversight failure, it was with
>> >> > European/Swiss authorities. Ultimately they are responsible for
>> >> > regulations and control of any equipment installed in a Swiss
>> >> > registered aircraft.
>> >>
>> >> Actually, the FAA does have authority (responsibility can be
>> >> argued). The US manufacturer produces part for an aircraft with a
>> >> FAA-issued
> type certificate,
>> >> and such the full force of Part 21 applies to him, whether the
>> >> part is
> sold
>> >> to a foreign entity or not.
>> >
>> > No.
>> >
>> > But thanks for playing.
>
>> Dman those old 8 tracks, eh splaps boy?
>
> FAA is not the world, Ralphie.


But a bottle of T-bird is your universe.

Bertie

On Thu, 10 Jul 2003 08:21:46 -0400, Fly Guy <Fly@Guy.com> wrote:

>matt weber wrote:
>
>> >That system, built by a Phoenix company now out of the airline
>> > business, was put on to replace an existing system and pioneered
>> > interactive entertainment at each seat.
>
>> Why would the FAA be involved? The system was not sold to a single
>> US carrier, nor installed in a single USA registered aircraft.
>> If there was an oversight failure, it was with European/Swiss
>> authorities.
>
>Why would a Phoenix company be making such systems soley for over-seas
>carriers?

Because no US carrier wants to spend a cent they don't absolutely have
too spend.

"Tarver Engineering" <jtarver@sti.net> wrote in
news:3f0ef02a@news.sti.net:

>
> "matt weber" <mattheww50@cox.net> wrote in message
> news:s0gsgvc4gvrqd0jkk542p09v9pk0mh4282@...
>> On Thu, 10 Jul 2003 08:21:46 -0400, Fly Guy <Fly@Guy.com> wrote:
>>
>> >matt weber wrote:
>> >
>> >> >That system, built by a Phoenix company now out of the airline
>> >> > business, was put on to replace an existing system and pioneered
>> >> > interactive entertainment at each seat.
>> >
>> >> Why would the FAA be involved? The system was not sold to a single
>> >> US carrier, nor installed in a single USA registered aircraft.
>> >> If there was an oversight failure, it was with European/Swiss
>> >> authorities.
>> >
>> >Why would a Phoenix company be making such systems soley for
>> >over-seas carriers?
>>
>> Because no US carrier wants to spend a cent they don't absolutely
>> have too spend.
>
> Because those Chicago boys had already screwed the pooch in the US

You just have a one track mind, don't you splaps boy?

No wonder you have so much trouble gettin them 8 tracks in, huh?

Bertie

"Tarver Engineering" <jtarver@sti.net> wrote in
news:3f0f3332$1@news.sti.net:

>
> "JL Grasso" <aaa@bbb.ccc> wrote in message
> news:39cugv40fito09mpp0fpl4himgifq36j26@...
>> On Fri, 11 Jul 2003 11:22:30 -0700, "Tarver Engineering"
>> <jtarver@sti.net> wrote in disasters.aviation:
>>
>> >
>> >"Bertie the Bunyip" <s@s.s> wrote in message
>> >news:bemuth$3k1$1@blackhelicopter.databasix.com.. .
>> >> "Tarver Engineering" <jtarver@sti.net> wrote in
>> >> news:3f0ef02a@news.sti.net:
>> >>
>> >> >
>> >> > "matt weber" <mattheww50@cox.net> wrote in message
>> >> > news:s0gsgvc4gvrqd0jkk542p09v9pk0mh4282@...
>> >> >> On Thu, 10 Jul 2003 08:21:46 -0400, Fly Guy <Fly@Guy.com>
>> >> >> wrote:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> >matt weber wrote:
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> >> >That system, built by a Phoenix company now out of the
>> >> >> >> >airline
>> >> >> >> > business, was put on to replace an existing system and
> pioneered
>> >> >> >> > interactive entertainment at each seat.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> >> Why would the FAA be involved? The system was not sold to a
> single
>> >> >> >> US carrier, nor installed in a single USA registered
>> >> >> >> aircraft. If there was an oversight failure, it was with
>> >> >> >> European/Swiss authorities.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> >Why would a Phoenix company be making such systems soley for
>> >> >> >over-seas carriers?
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Because no US carrier wants to spend a cent they don't
>> >> >> absolutely have too spend.
>> >> >
>> >> > Because those Chicago boys had already screwed the pooch in the
>> >> > US
>> >>
>> >> You just have a one track mind, don't you splaps boy?
>> >>
>> >> No wonder you have so much trouble gettin them 8 tracks in, huh?
>> >
>> >Things are pretty much carte blonk for my parts, Bertie.
>>
>> As opposed to carte blanche?
>
> If you like.
>
>> >In fact, Al and
>> >George are finally getting a little break; now that the PMA assist
>> >letter
> is
>> >in from Boeing, from their 747 amended type certificate. The TSO
> packages
>> >are written and all that is left is a fine harvest of cash.
>>
>> Bwaaaahwahwahwahwahwahw!
>
> Yes indeed.
>
> I'll be laughing all the way to the bank, for years to come.

They let you clean behind the seat cushions finally, eh?

Bertie