Boeing 787

Boeing 787 Passenger Information and Entertainment Domain System

Matthew Kratzer

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

The benefits derived from a common network for on-board systems are responsible for increasing productivity for workers relating to the aircraft. Examples include the cabin crew who now have the capability to “upload the latest navigation charts to their devices and monitor weather in flight, adjust flight plans to optimize fuel use, use moving runway and taxiway maps for improved situational awareness.” (Boeing, 2015). The original in flight entertainment systems were heavier than Boeing’s newest entertainment system which reduces aircraft weight significantly. Also, the network impacted the ground support operators including “baggage handlers, gate agents, caterers, fuel providers, and passengers on the ground.” (Boeing, 2015)

Security issues of the Passenger Information and Entertainment Domain System caused a great deal of speculation and raised concerns for the safety of the aircraft and passengers . The article from Wired made various accusations that the system could be hacked if not properly secured. Mark Loveless, a security analyst added that “the issue is serious” and alludes to the credible chance of forced entry. (Zetter, 2008). However, multiple voices for the aviation industry denied the accusations. Multiple statements made about the Passenger Information and Entertainment Domain system by Kubicki from Dailytech reported the article to be “misleading” by adding a statement from the FAA; “the design shall prevent all inadvertent or malicious changes to, and all adverse impacts upon, all systems, networks, hardware, software, and data in the Aircraft Control Domain and in the Airline Information Domain from all points within the Passenger Information and Entertainment Domain.” (Kubicki, 2008). An FAA spokeswoman named Lori Gunter says that the networks are not fully integrated to flight systems. Instead she claims that there...