Hamburg/Buxtehude, 31 March 2009 – KID-Systeme, the leader in aircraft cabin electronics, today announced at the Aircraft Interiors Expo that its GSM on Board inflight passenger communications system, used by OnAir, has received European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) supplement type certification for Boeing 737 aircraft. The Boeing 737, is operated by more than 500 airlines including Ryanair, the first airline to commit to a full fleet deployment of Mobile OnAir. EASA supplement type certification for the B737, in service for Ryanair, follows certification for the OnAir mobile telephony system on the whole Airbus A320 family of single-aisle aircraft.

Ryanair currently has over twenty aircraft flying with the KID-Systeme’s GSM on Board equipment and OnAir’s inflight passenger GSM voice and data services. Ryanair is in the process of retrofitting the equipment to the rest of its B737 fleet.

The Boeing retrofit installation design and Supplemental Type Certification (STC) process was managed by KID-Systeme with its partner ECS. A key feature of the STC retrofit design is the use of
an innovative distributed Line Replacement Unit installation concept, allowing the GSM on Board equipment to be installed during an aircraft’s regular maintenance check. The design of this system
enables activation during an over-night stop, meaning the aircraft does not have to be taken out of passenger service.

The GSM on Board equipment has been designed to minimise weight and space usage, particularly in areas designated for passenger use. The GSM server is located in the electronics bay under the cockpit; the leaky-line cable runs along the inside ceiling of the cabin; and the satellite communications equipment, picocell and onboard control equipment are located above the ceiling panels in the aft fuselage.

Patrick Schrot, Managing Director of KID-Systeme, said, “This EASA certification demonstrates the excellence of the programme run by KID-Systeme and ECS. It has also paved the way for Ryanair’s inflight passenger connectivity services and we have no doubt it will prove to be the tipping-point for the technology’s wide-spread adoption.”

KID Systeme’s GSM on Board airborne equipment has already been in commercial use on Air France, bmi, Royal Jordanian, TAP Portugal and Wataniya Airways, with further airlines signed up to start the
service in 2009 and 2010. It is unique in that it uses Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband technology, providing passengers with the widest range of inflight communications services currently available.

About KID-Systeme
KID-Systeme is the world leader in providing in-seat power solutions and is at the forefront of providing passenger connectivity solutions.

SKYpower was the world’s first 110V AC In-Seat Power Supply System. It has now been installed in over 200,000 seats by over 80 airlines, making SKYpower the single biggest In-Seat Power Supply System in the world.

GSM on Board is the technology behind the first inflight GSM/GPRS passenger mobile service on international flights. GSM on Board started flying in 2007 and will soon be available on a range of airlines across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

As well as being headquartered in Buxtehude near Hamburg in Germany, where all design and manufacturing takes place, KID-Systeme also has Service Centres in Beijing, Buxtehude, Dallas, Dubai, Sao Paulo and Seattle. These Service Centres provide full servicing, combined with a 24/7 Aircraft on Ground support and spares service.

KID-Systeme supplies the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers, including Airbus, Boeing and Embraer. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Airbus but operates as an independent company.

For further information: www.kid-systeme.de

About ECS
ECS is a manufacturer and global supplier of proven electrical and structural products for the installation of avionics systems on-board aircraft. ECS offers advanced engineering services and certification support with in-house FAA designated personnel to provide approved design data packages, STCs with PMA approvals, and product conformity inspections.

Acknowledged as an industry leader for providing efficient and economical solutions for both retrofit and forward fit programs, ECS has worked closely with KID-Systeme to develop the critical components and certification engineering that makes the installation of GSM technology on-board Ryanair’s fleet possible. In addition, ECS has been selected by Airbus to provide certification engineering and installation provisions for incorporating their GSM technology on-board Boeing aircraft; as well as to develop integrated racks to install GSM systems on the A318, A319, A320, and A321.

ECS is also well known in the aviation industry for their leadership in developing the necessary provisions for the installation of GPS, EGPWS, TCAS, MODE S, Iridium, SATCOM, IFE, Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), and many other avionics systems for air transport, general aviation, and military programs.

Headquartered in Franklin Wisconsin-USA, ECS has satellite offices in Minnesota, Washington State, California, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, London-UK, and Toulouse-France to help better serve aircraft operators and manufacturers worldwide.

For further information: www.ecsdirect.com