Boeing has selected French-based Thales as the first recommended in-flight entertainment provider for the all-new 787 Dreamliner.
The new Thales system, called the TopSeries i-8000, uses a wireless network to deliver DVD-quality video to each seat on the airplane. The Thales product interfaces with the Connexion by Boeing system that provides broadband connectivity for the 787 and allows passengers to access the Internet and e-mail systems.
The company will open a new engineering laboratory in California to support the testing of the new system.
By using this wireless concept Boeing will also allow airlines to more quickly reconfigure their airplanes to meet changing demands, reducing the amount of time it takes to change seating arrangements from hours to minutes.
The 787 is a family of three airplanes, including the 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 223 passengers in three-classes of seating with a range of up to 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 kilometers). The 787-3 will carry 296 passengers in two-class seating on ranges up to 3,500 nautical miles (6,500 kilometers). The 787-9, a longer version of the 787-8, will carry 259 passengers in three classes with a range of 8,300 nautical miles (15,400 kilometers).
