Press Release

Issued by SD Avionics.

May 14, 2012

TrueNorth Avionics has announced its selection by L-3 Platform Integration division's (L-3 PID) Head-of-State Completion Center in Waco, TX, to provide its scalable Simphon e¯ OpenCabin airborne telecommunications system for one of L-3 PID's VVIP and Head-of-State (HOS) projects.

TrueNorth's Simphone¯ OpenCabin system offers such capabilities as Wi-Fi, high-speed data integration, fax, HD Voice, and corded and cordless handsets with credit card readers, along with worldwide Iridium®, Inmarsat, and high-speed Ku & Ka Satcom. The first TrueNorth system will be installed aboard a Boeing 747-8 Head-of-State aircraft.

"We're excited that such an established premium integrator as L-3's Head-of-State Completion Center has determined that TrueNorth, the global leader in HOS cabin telecommunications, and Simphon e¯ OpenCabin solutions, the most popular VIP/VVIP system, are the ideal choice for their first 747-8," said Mark van Berkel, TrueNorth's president and CEO.

A revolutionary software-centric system, the Simphone¯ (pronounced 'symphony') OpenCabin system brings an unprecedented degree of reliability, operator control and communications capabilities to business aviation. Since existing airborne telecom systems were heavy, complex, expensive to install and operate, and prone to obsolescence, TrueNorth developed a solution that addressed all those concerns, with benefits that include robust performance, an unlimited lifespan, significant long-term cost savings, and the ability to easily add a wide variety of custom features.