EMS Aviation, a division of mobile connectivity leader EMS Technologies,
Inc. (NASDAQ: ELMG), today announced that its Aspire family of
satellite-based, in-flight connectivity systems — which includes the new
Aspire Portable AirMail product, a portable Iridium-based e-mail
product, and a color touch screen handset — will make its Latin American
debut at the Latin American Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition
(LABACE) in Sao Paulo, Brazil, August 11-13 (booth #2016).
“This is a great opportunity for us to present our Aspire in-flight
connectivity solutions to the Latin American business jet market,” said
John Jarrell, Vice President and General Manager, EMS Aviation. “Staying
connected while in-flight is an essential element of aircraft operation
and the Aspire system’s small installation foot-print, ease of upgrade
and pricing structure make it a perfect solution for small- to
medium-sized aircraft.”
The Aspire 200 LG system began shipping in North America in May. It was
introduced in Europe earlier this year and was also chosen for a Cessna®
Sovereign for Anderson Air, a Canadian business jet operator.
Installations on other platforms, including the Hawker® 4000,
Hawker 800/850/900 Series, Citation X, Citation XLS/XLS+ and the
Challenger® 300, are expected in the coming months.
Designed to deliver feature-rich voice and data connectivity to owners
and operators of small- and medium-sized business aircraft, Aspire
products use standard wiring configuration and interfaces to support
either Iridium or Inmarsat components. Users can easily change or
upgrade systems without rewiring the aircraft or changing out the
avionics racks. Options include the Aspire CSU Iridium (voice and
low-speed data) transceiver, the Inmarsat HDU (voice and high-speed
data) transceiver, and a higher gain Inmarsat antenna. Aspire’s Inmarsat
system data rates range from up to 200 kbps with a low-gain antenna, to
as much as 330 kbps with an intermediate-gain antenna and to as high as
432 kbps with a high-gain antenna. Additional Supplemental Type
Certifications (STCs) for several other aircraft types, including the
Bombardier Challenger 300, Gulfstream® GII and GIII, and
Dassault Falcon® 2000 are also being pursued.
“Our Android™-based handset solution is a key feature of the
Aspire line,” said Timothy Roberts, Director, Aspire Global Solutions,
EMS Aviation. “Instead of using commercial, off-the-shelf components, we
have developed an aviation-grade voice solution that will not only allow
passengers and crew to make calls with the quality of a landline
connection, but also provides the ability to check e-mail and to control
the cabin management system. This is business aviation’s pioneering
Smartphone platform and it offers significant and unique functionality.”
About EMS Technologies
As one of the world’s leading providers of wireless connectivity
solutions, EMS Technologies, Inc. keeps people and systems connected —
on land, at sea, in the air or in space. EMS offers industry-leading
technology to support Aero Connectivity and Global Resource Management
markets through a broad range of cutting-edge satellite and terrestrial
network products; helping businesses, assets and people stay connected
and promoting universal mobility, visibility and intelligence. EMS
(NASDAQ: ELMG) serves customers through operations in 12 countries.
www.ems-t.com
EMS Aviation, a division of EMS Technologies, Inc., is a leading
supplier of connectivity and in-cabin infrastructure equipment for a
broad range of commercial and military aircraft. EMS Aviation’s products
and services are designed to enable reliable worldwide Internet
connectivity and in-flight entertainment, satellite-based messaging and
tracking, rugged data management and storage, and data record and
replay. The division is a leader in Inmarsat®, Iridium, Ku band and
air-to-ground mobile connectivity solutions, with proven commercial
off-the-shelf (COTS) systems.
www.emsaviation.com
NOTE TO EDITORS: EMS Aviation will be exhibiting at LABACE in
booth 2016 and will be presenting “Aspire: A Revolution in Airborne
Connectivity” on Friday, August 12, at 18:00 – 19:00 in the Santos
Dumont Auditorium on site at the Congonhas Airport, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release regarding the Company’s
expectations for its financial results for 2011 and the potential for
various businesses and products are forward-looking statements. Actual
results could differ materially from those statements as a result of a
wide variety of factors. Such factors include, but are not limited to
economic conditions in the U.S. and abroad and their effect on capital
spending in our principal markets; difficulty predicting the timing of
receipt of major customer orders, and the effect of customer timing
decisions on our results; our successful completion of technological
development programs and the effects of technology that may be developed
by, and patent rights that may be held or obtained by, competitors; U.S.
defense budget pressures on near-term spending priorities; uncertainties
inherent in the process of converting contract awards into firm
contractual orders in the future; volatility of foreign currency
exchange rates relative to the U.S. dollar and their effect on
purchasing power by international customers, and on the cost structure
of the our operations outside the U.S., as well as the potential for
realizing foreign exchange gains and losses associated with assets and
liabilities denominated in foreign currencies; successful resolution of
technical problems, proposed scope changes, or proposed funding changes
that may be encountered on contracts; changes in our consolidated
effective income tax rate caused by the extent to which actual taxable
earnings in the U.S., Canada and other taxing jurisdictions may vary
from expected taxable earnings, changes in tax laws, and the extent to
which deferred tax assets are considered realizable; successful
transition of products from development stages to an efficient
manufacturing environment; changes in the rates at which our products
are returned for repair or replacement under warranty; customer response
to new products and services, and general conditions in our target
markets (such as logistics and space-based communications) and whether
these responses and conditions develop according to our expectations;
the increased potential for asset impairment charges as unfavorable
economic or financial market conditions or other developments might
affect the estimated fair value of one or more of our business units;
the success of certain of our customers in marketing our line of
high-speed commercial airline communications products as a complementary
offering with their own lines of avionics products; the availability of
financing for various mobile and high-speed data communications systems;
risk that unsettled conditions in the credit markets may make it more
difficult for some customers to obtain financing and adversely affect
their ability to pay, which in turn could have an adverse impact on our
business, operating results and financial condition; development of
successful working relationships with local business and government
personnel in connection with distribution and manufacture of products in
foreign countries; the demand growth for various mobile and high-speed
data communications services; our ability to attract and retain
qualified senior management and other personnel, particularly those with
key technical skills; our ability to effectively integrate our acquired
businesses, products or technologies into our existing businesses and
products, and the risk that any such acquired businesses, products or
technologies do not perform as expected, are subject to undisclosed or
unanticipated liabilities, or are otherwise dilutive to our earnings;
the potential effects, on cash and results of discontinued operations,
of final resolution of potential liabilities under warranties and
representations that we made, and obligations assumed by purchasers, in
connection with our dispositions of discontinued operations; the
availability, capabilities and performance of suppliers of basic
materials, electronic components and sophisticated subsystems on which
we must rely in order to perform according to contract requirements, or
to introduce new products on the desired schedule; uncertainties
associated with U.S. export controls and the export license process,
which restrict our ability to hold technical discussions with customers,
suppliers and internal engineering resources and can reduce our ability
to obtain sales from customers outside the U.S. or to perform contracts
with the desired level of efficiency or profitability; our ability to
maintain compliance with the requirements of the Federal Aviation
Administration and the Federal Communications Commission, and with other
government regulations affecting our products and their production,
service and functioning; and costs associated with a recent announcement
by one of shareholders that it intends to nominate four directors to our
Board. Further information concerning relevant factors and risks are
identified under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form
10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010.
