Avionics Update: AirCell to market cockpit weather service

Airborne cellular communications provider AirCell has announced a partnership with Control Vision, a Pittsburg, Kan. developer of airborne weather information products. The agreement calls for Control Vision to provide graphical weather data downloaded to a pilot’s personal digital assistant (PDA). AirCell said its ground cellular network is now compatible with Control Vision’s Anywhere Wx software. The additional hardware required for the service costs $3,500, and monthly service–including voice, data and weather updates–is $39.95. The monthly fee includes five minutes of airtime. Additional minutes are $1.99 each. According to AirCell, a pilot can upload a Nexrad image of the continental U.S. at 9,600 bps in less than one minute.