AVOD on BA 777s

[Alex 009]

Just curiosly have BA started upgrading the old entertainment system on the 777s to AVOD (in particular the Trent sub-fleet)? Flew on the 747 not long ago and much improved over the older system.

[Thunderbug]

Alex

The short answer is No - (not until 2010).

AVOD is an upgrade to the Rockwell Collins system used on the 767 & 747. The 777 uses GMIS which is no longer being developed / upgraded.

The only solution is to install a completely new system. There is a plan however to invest in such a system for the new aircraft that will be purchasing from 2010 onwards. The plan is to retrofit the GMIS aircraft with this new system in parallel.

Some will be disappointed when flying on a 777 aircraft after they have experienced AVOD but BA are planning to install larger screens in Club World when new club world is rolled out onto these a/c. Also plans to upgrade tapes to digital storage (improved qualty / reliablity) are being examined

T'bug :ok:

[CandyBender]

Only the 12 777s fitted with GMIS IFE will be without AVOD. All the rest are fitted with Rockwell systems & will be upgraded to AVOD eventually.

[PAXboy]

Thunderbug Some will be disappointed when flying on a 777 aircraft after they have experienced AVODYou are correct in saying 'some'. After the trails and tribulations of AVOD systems (currently running in another thread) I would be happy to have the old play-out systems that played 'on a loop'. The AVOD systems are not, generally, ready for line service with unreliability rates that are far too high. I will not go on, as I went on (as I do :)) in that other thread.

[apaddyinuk]

Well, here is the full story!

BA have been upgrading the IFE systems in line with the New Club World Cabin. As the 747 aircraft gradually come through Cardiff for their refit they are also having the AVOD (Or as we like to call it onboard..... the AVOID system) upgrade.
Initially BA did not get certification to place the new Club World seat into the 777 due to a few problems (cr@p managers who passed a piece of rubbish basically) but apparently these have been ironed out now and the 777's should start their refit shortly. As the refit is taking place we will start to see the Rockwell Collins equipped aircraft appear with the AVOD system. However the 12 GMIS equipped aircraft will not be upgraded as this company have now gone belly up. However according to a recent statement made to crew, the GMIS system will be gone by 2010 (whether that means the aircraft will be returned to lessors or that they will in fact be gutted and upgraded is open to speculation)!

All the 767's on the Longhaul fleet have now been upgraded to AVOID and are experiencing less technical problems then the 747 fleet yet it is still troublesome.
Hope this helps!

[Curious Pax]

Which 12 777s have GMIS? The 12 oldest (ZZZA-C, RAES and VIIA-H)?

[ryansf]

VIIK has it aswell!

[Mashie Niblick]

It's more than 12.
More like 18...although I heard 19.(Don't know which is the other one?)

G-ZZZA-C= 3 (There was a G-ZZZD origionally,but was retired/returned,maybe where I heard 19??)

G-RAES =1
G-VIIA,B,C,D,E,F,G,(No "I") H,J,K,L,M,N and S = 14 O,P,R (No "Q") are LGW based and fitted with Rockwell. Total in my book= 18

G- VIIT,U V W X Y are Rockwell.There is no "Z" and all the G-YMM's are Rockwell.

[VS-LHRCSA]

Great info Mashie.

So, you're saying that pretty much all the 4 class LGW and the Middle Eastern 18F aircraft plus some others at LHR still have GMIS. Am I right?

What about in First Class. Have the aircraft that have been fitted with AVOD still have the cassette tape or has that been upgraded too?

I'm only asking as I am about to join the company and this is very much a "need to know".

Cheers