International Communications Group Granted PMA for NXTlink 120A and 220A Flight Deck Communications Systems

NEWPORT NEWS, VA – International Communications Group (ICG) has received Parts Manufacturer Authority (PMA) for its NxtLink ICS-120A and ICS-220A communication systems which offer flight deck voice and DataLink services over the Iridium satellite network. The approval also covers the Configuration Identity Module (CIM), which is associated with both devices.

Single channel ICS-120A and dual-channel ICS-220A are the first ICG devices developed and certified to equally serve the Air Transport and Executive Jet markets with flight safety communications capabilities. The PMA comes on the heels of a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) granted to L2 Consulting Services, an authorized reseller based in Dripping Springs, TX, for the installation of the systems in a Boeing 737-700 aircraft owned by a major airline. L2 Consulting and ICG collaborated on the STC.

"Granting of this PMA provides ICG with the opportunity to directly control the quality, availability and consistency of the NxtLink system components," says Armin Jabs, ICG Chief Operations Officer. "It means that our Air Transport and business aviation customers can have the confidence that what they’re putting on their airplanes meet the industry’s highest standards for quality, reliability and performance."

ICG's ICS- 120A device incorporates a single Iridium transceiver (LBT) and a Short Burst Data (SBD) modem and provides connections to customary and standard flight deck voice and data systems. The NxtLink ICS-220A is a three-transceiver device, which combines dual LBTs providing two channels of global voice with an SBD modem dedicated to DataLink services. Both systems support Future Air Navigation System (FANS) and Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) as well as Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) requirements. Both devices also operate with ICG’s new external CIM (Configuration Identification Module) which contains the Iridium SIM cards as well as the system configuration information, making them a true Line Replaceable Units (LRUs).

For more information visit www.icg.aero.