Avionica's integrated Onboard Network Server, called aviONS, has been granted FAA approval for Cyber-Secure Connectivity and Application Hosting. The Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) amendment now provides operators with a secure connection for internet browsing over cabin broadband systems and enables secure application hosting.

The approval is key to Avionica's open architecture design of aviONS, which enables the system to host any function securely by partitioning through containerization, firewalls and secured OS. The secure connection also provides a configurable, priority-based gateway with secure routing for internet and a strict, but dynamic, firewall for browsing.

In addition, an operator can now use aviONS to bridge the three Aircraft Domains. An operator can use an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) - typically only used in the Airline Information Services Domain - to securely access the KA/KU band within the Passenger Domain, while at the same time, retrieve GPS information from the Control Domain, connecting all Domain's together seamlessly.

aviONS' STC Amendment was approved after extensive development and testing performed to the FAA standards, including RTCA/DO-326A, RTCA/DO-355, and RTCA/DO-356. The Approved Model List (AML) STC covers all variants of Boeing B737, B747, B767 and B777 aircraft, as well as MD-10s/11s and DC-10s.

"The Avionica team worked hard to set this new industry standard," said Mrs. Simone Drakes, Engineering VP and Avionica's Designated Engineering Representative (DER). "The approval allows our customers to securely leverage our open architecture to quickly add and update software applications using the dynamic connection, as well as bridge the domains within the aircraft."

aviONS is a compact, lightweight product with up to 1 Terabyte of solid-state drive capacity that can provide file storage and management services. aviONS supports applications such as distribution and loading of software for EFB operations. avWiFi is easily updated through ARINC 615A protocol, which can give real time aircraft data via ARINC 834 protocol while maintaining flexibility for the airline in working with their data.