New Idea for V:Port

[mitchja]

I was driving home from work this morning and suddenly had a thought about V:Port. How about the addition of memory card slots (MMC or some other type) so you can plug in your own memory cards and listen to your own MP3 tracks [?]

My MP3 player is attached to my mobile phone so therefore I'm unable to use it inflight. If I were able to remove my MMC card from it and plug it into V:Port this would be a great addition

James

Leading on from that idea (which sounds good):

1) How about an iPod dock? So that you could plug your iPod or iPod mini directly into the IFE system?

2) One airline (I think it's Cathay Pacific) has a camera under each aircraft pointing straight down, which can be accessed from IFE in a similar way to the skymap. How about that? Wouldn't it be cool to flip over and get a realtime view directly at what you were flying over?

TJ

[mitchja]

Yeah a nose cam on each aircraft would also be a fantastic idea. I beleive it's quite an experience watching it as you take off and land

[RichardMannion]

Great ideas! One small problem - cost.

V.Port costs c £3m per plane and VS have invested £50m already in the new Upper Class Suites

Couple that with the $3.4m they've just spent on the new JFK Clubhouse, and the £12m that is allocated for the new LHR Clubhouse.

Then there is the cost of phasing out the A340-300's and new planes are not cheap at $125m+ a piece.

Imagine how much money it would be to retrofit the MMC idea across one plane, the software upgrade costs etc - how many people would make full use of it?

Thanks,
Richard

Mitchja, if your phone has built-in MP3, are you sure you don't have the option of "flight mode" in the profiles? My phone also has MP3 but I can select the flight mode to cut the phone signal but still use all other features in the air. (It's an SPV E200)

All good points but what is the purpose of plugging your IPOD into the IFE??? Cant you just listen to it in the normal manner???


And Rod, have you actually tried explaining 'flight mode' to the polite but technically challenged cabin crew that comes along insisting that all mobile phones must be switched off inflight!!!

On TJ's point about cameras I believe several airlines have these - certainly Emirates, and Mytravel on their A330s accessible via the IFE and also the forward facing one is shown on a "big" screen at the front of each cabin section when taking off and landing. I was a bit surprised to find Virgin don't have these.

The forward facing camera when landing can show nice views particularly at night. It can also be a little alarming if landing in windy conditions. I recall landing at Male once in the monsoon season with the plane coming in sideways and rocking from side to side - there's probably a technical term for this! - and slamming on the anchors with some gusto when eventually getting on the ground halfway down the short runway with the sea at the end. Without the forward view we would not have been as graphically aware of what was happening.

The onward journey to our resort on a Maldivian Air Taxi was interesting too. No need for a camera to see what's going on - just look over the pilot's shoulder - but no need to fret about the length of the runway.

Thought i'd just provide this link to a BBC News story about the cameras on Emirates flights. Seems some VERY silly people think it's an invasion of privacy!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/southern_counties/3489304.stm

[Nottingham Nick]

Several airlines have the camera, they were on Gulf Air when we flew to Dubai and I am sure British Midland have them on their Transatlantic routes.

Given the VS reputation for innovative IFE, I too am surprised that they are not fitted to the VS fleet - at least those with V:Port

Nick

It would be kinda nice if you could see the map while listening to music, that shouldn't be too difficult.

David

Even if your phone has flight mode VAA policy is it cannot be used at anytime inflight as it has not been approved by the CAA!!!

Mobile phones should not be used at any time on the arcraft even if in flight mode!

Nottingham Nick what were Gulf Air like?Been meaning to try them to BKK but read lots of -ve feedback so have not bothered.Best view out of an aircraft was on a little hop in Jamaica straight through the floor pan of some sort of cessna rot box.

Yeah, I'd also be interested in what Gulf Air are like. Not for myself though. My dad is flying with them to Nepal in April (charity expedition) and no one we know has used them before!

TJ