Midcoast Offers the BlackBerry Connection

Midcoast Aviation in East Cahokia, Ill., is offering customers BlackBerry connectivity. The company, based at St. Louis Downtown Airport, has already installed equipment to allow in-flight BlackBerry use in a Gulfstream IV and two Bombardier Global Expresses. According to Midcoast engineers, the system requires minimal user interaction and “is as simple as plugging in the BlackBerry device to the supplied aircraft cabin connection.” An on-board pen-tablet computer serves as the interface between the BlackBerry and the aircraft’s high-speed data satcom. Once connected, the user can send and receive e-mail and synchronize contacts, calendars and tasks. It does require that the aircraft satcom be equipped with high-speed-data service, and an upgrade is available from Midcoast, said senior v-p of completions Rodger Renaud.