RE: Star Navigation files amended patent infringemButch...how nice of you to 'dissect' my post.
I'll apologize in advance for this lengthy post....but some of you thinkers might find a few kernels of it worthwhile.
You dispute my reference to ARINC ( delusional...I think you said )...... when the contention from Fire was that I was connected to, or worked for, ACARS. Well Butch....if I was working for ACARS...I'd be working for ARINC.
'ACARS' is a product my friend, a piece of communications technology, designed, owned, and fostered by ARINC and brought to market in the late 70's.
Does that clear up that one for ya'...or would you prefer that a person who works for Kellogg's could be rightly described as working for Corn Flakes....your choice.
I know who AMA's 'purported' Chinese customers are...I'm just dissappointed that they see fit to be less than transparent with their long suffering shareholders. You're correct...they're under no obligation to disclose their customer list...but they're not ducking for confidentiality purposes.....they're selective and secretive. Sometimes you get names and numbers, sometimes only names ( eg: Aloha and SkyService ), sometimes only numbers ( eg: part of the China contract ). Most reputable companies are a little more forthcoming. These Venture guys operate under the umbrella of 'Safe Harbor' and 'Forward Looking Statements'...the fine print of those will dazzle you. Basically they can forecast or project just about anything they like and are not at all responsible to explain or address the situation when their preditions and projections fall through...but it's all legal. Is the deck stacked in their favor ( for all of them ) or what??
Fire stated that they were training 'Crews'...'crews'....plural. I asked who was training them, where, and why ...when at this point they've yet to acknowledge shipping any AFIRS units to China. They have acknowledged they've been paid for 2 whole units....to be shipped late September....how many 'crews' do ya' need for two units. How do ya' train them when the units and the aircraft are in different locations....or is this purely academic training...no hands on dirty work with the wiring harnesses all exposed. And which aircraft are they training on....the installs will all be unique to the age, onboard technology, desired parameters, and type of manufacture and model of each aircraft. So fill us in as to who's training who....and where....and on what!
You say AFIRS is a 24/7-365 day technology....well I've never seen anyone dispute that on this board....and I, personally, have never maligned the product. Your problem isn't with the technology...it's with finding enough operators who will buy and use the technology. That's been the dilemma from the get-go......many of you folks have convinced each other that AFIRS is a better mouse trap. Well....you'd best do your homework!! By Mr Tempanys own admission..it's a ''niche' product looking for a spot in a rather narrow 'niche' market.
You note Butch, that Iridium satellite usage is up markedly in recent years. Quite correct....and do you know why?
It's up because ARINC has been using it now for a couple of years ....in conjunction with its VHF, and HF, and Inmarsat technology. You suggest operators want AFIRS because ARINC with its ACARS, datalink, globalink technology is ''outdated''. That my friend, is not only a sad observation...it's downright laughable. Best do some more homework Butch.
You refer to the costly potential of ACARS having to install VHF towers all through China to match AFIRS....well hardly necessary with Iridium satellite ...right!
But....and a BIG BUT...... just in case....and to update your knowledge bank....years ago ( 7 or 8 ) ARINC were working diligently and partnering with the Chinese to bring their commercial aviation out of the dark ages.....ARINC provided over 100 VHF air-ground communication stations to China through the ADCC who were mandated to operate the network. And what did ARINC get in return.....in order to ensure that the infrastructure was used, the CAAC's Airwothiness Department mandated that the entire Chinese commercial fleet install ARINC's data link equipment. So would it be fair to suggest you're a little late with your misguided reference to costly VHF communication and infrastucture in China?
''WHOOPS''...datalink in all Chinese commercial aircraft....already!!
You assert great knowledge of AMA's Chinese clients....I hope you know them all...and what they're up to.
Let's look briefly at one of the largest acknowleged publicly by AMA....China Eastern.
.. May/2005 ... AMA announced an agreement with China Eastern for AFIRS on 180 aircraft...installs start Aug/Sep '05
.. Sept/05...AMA no longer dealing directly with the Chinese Airlines but through ADCC.
.. Sept/05...all agreements in China now through Sky Blue Aviation..subsidiary of ADCC.
.. Nov/05...first installation planned for China Eastern this month....''all approvals have been received from
the necessary regulatory bodies in China''
.. Feb/06...AMA ' HAS SHIPPED' 5 AFIRS units to China Eastern to be installed Feb/Mar 2006......65 more units
to be shipped by August 2006.
I could go on......but it would become tedious...the point is made. ''So What'' you say.....they ran into some bureaucracy and red tape. Yes they certainly did....the big question is ....how well did they understand their market in China...and how'd they get blindsided making all these install projections that proved to be dead wrong? I'll leave each and everyone one of you to draw your own conclusion on that one...could they simply be ''forward looking statements'' ??
Well...a little review of history will reveal that while AMA were making all these grandiose statements and ultimately pleading their case that the beaurocracy was getting in their way......and that China was temporarily an impenetrable fortress for them....all was not quiet at China Eastern.
On November 17/2005...review the AMA dates above.... China Eastern announced that it had contracted with ARINC ( you've heard of them and their antiquated technology ) to supply Globalink VHF, HF and Inmarsat based satcom services for all their passenger and operational applications. Of course, I might remind you that the satellite technology has now been upgraded to Iridium.
The Managing Director of Operational Control for China Eastern stated that the growth of air transport in China had placed great pressure on the Airlines to deliver improved services and enhanced safety. He added that ''AIRINC's Globalink Services have the flexibility to meet our communications requirements at a price we are comfortable with''.
Well...son-of-a-gun....China Eastern ....AMA's flagship Chinese customer with all that ARINC technology on board. And whether you'd like to acknowledge it or not....there's nothing AFIRS does that ARINC's products don't do equally as well. ...and haven't been doing for years. AFIRS, by their own testimonials, do have a weight advantage when comparing hardware. And you might be surprised to find just how deeply that ARINC has penetrated the Chinese market ....they're light years ahead of you lads.
So ...dispute it all you want....refer to it as ''Blah...Blah''...but it's all public information...it's the reality of the day. If AFIRS is going to get all these China installs that it's touting, it would seem highly likely that a lot of ARINC equipment is going to be removed....I wouldn't hold my breath on that one.
At this point the only thing 'disruptive' about your technology is that it has disrupted the sleep, dreams, and pocketbooks of a lot of investors. And yes...maybe it is a good buy....just depends on how well informed one is and what ones risk tolerance is. Well- informed is subjective lads.......some are more so than others.
Like the man from Missouri...I say ''Show Me''.
Be interesting to see how the China market unfolds going forward