SAA leads the global field
27 January 2015
South African Airways (SAA) will this week become the first airline globally to install
the Satellite Authorisation System (SatAuth), which will allow secure credit card
transactions anywhere in the skies.
The system, first installed on the airline's cabin trainer for testing in May, would not
only allow secure credit card transactions anywhere in the skies, but would also
provide pin-point accurate aircraft tracking services for operational purposes, SAA
said.
SAA installed the device on one of its Airbus A340-300 aircraft at the South African
Airways Technical (SAAT) maintenance facility in Kempton Park, Johannesburg on 26
January. "SAAT engineers worked closely with the developers of the solution to
ensure certification and engineering procedures, ultimately realising the usability of
the product within an aviation environment," said chief executive, Musa Zwane.
SAAT, the driving force behind the innovation,
develops testing and engineering
procedures for airline maintenance facilities around the world.
The system will allow secure credit card transactions to take place at any point and
real-time positioning of any flight, anywhere, affecting fuel saving interventions in-
flight as well as providing full visibility of actual flight paths versus planned routing at
any time. SatAuth is the first product of its kind, and was developed in South Africa.
SAAT will manufacture all major aircraft components required for installation of
SatAuth in accordance with the international Aviation Certification standards required
for installation.
"This provides SAAT with substantial commercial impetus with a new revenue stream.
The installation is the first of its kind in the world and marks a new milestone in South
African avionics engineering. It's another affirmation of the quality, skill and expertise
that SAAT offers in terms of its aircraft maintenance and
overhaul facilities," Zwane
said.
Installation of the solution can be done during a standard A-Check – a regular
overnight maintenance procedure that occurs every 200 to 400 cycles (take offs and
landings).
"SatAuth will provide an economical and secure transaction environment. As a truly
South African innovation, the solution would not have reached this milestone without
the dedicated support of the SAA Avionics engineers who took it upon themselves to
assist us in guiding the SatAuth solution through the numerous certification
requirements so endemic to the aviation industry," said Paul Roux, the founder and
chief executive of the SatAuth solution.
Source: SANews.gov
