Abstract: A communications system for an aircraft carrying at least one person having a personal electronic device (PED) for wireless data communications outside the aircraft includes a communications network, at least one access point in the aircraft for providing a wireless local area network (WLAN) for data communications with the PEDs, and a transceiver in the aircraft cooperating with the at least one access point for data communications with the communications network. A data traffic controller is for selectively allocating data communications channel capacity between the PEDs and the communications network based on a data communications channel capacity usage of the PEDs. The data communications channel capacity usage corresponds to bandwidth of the data communications with the PEDs, and when the bandwidth of the data communications for a given PED exceeds a predetermined portion of the data communications channel capacity, then appropriate action is taken.

Abstract: A communications system for an aircraft carrying at least one person having a personal electronic device (PED) includes an aircraft server in the aircraft for determining airborne validation of a ground server address entered via a corresponding PED, and a transceiver in the aircraft cooperating with the aircraft server for communicating using the airborne validated ground server address. A ground server on the ground is for determining ground validation of the airborne validated ground server address, and provides ground access for the corresponding PED for which the entered ground server address has both airborne and ground validation.

Abstract: A video file system for an aircraft carrying a person having a personal electronic device (PED) for displaying video files includes a ground-based video server and an aircraft-based video system. The ground-based video server stores video files, with each video file being updatable from an available status to an unavailable status. The aircraft-based video system copies video files from the ground-based video server while the aircraft is on the ground. A determination is made, via communications with the ground-based video server and while the aircraft is on the ground, whether a given video file has been updated from the available status to the unavailable status. The PED is permitted to display the given video file if it has the available status, and is not permitted to display the given video file if it has the unavailable status.