Linux takes a seat on Qantas’ new superjumbo

Linux will be a passenger in every seat on Qantas’ Airbus A380s aeroplanes. All of the airline’s superjumbos – the first of which will commence flying next week – will have their in flight entertainment systems powered by the operating system.

The A380 is the first Qantas aircraft to utilise the Panasonic eX2 Inflight Entertainment System (IFE).

All of Panasonic’s X Series of IFE systems run on Linux.

And Qantas is not limiting it to the A380s. The systems will feature in Qantas’ next batch of B737-800 aircraft (which will use the Panasonic eFX system) for both its Business and Economy customers, due in March 2009; its B787 or ‘Dreamliner’ aircraft also due next year; and on some of its older but soon-to-be revamped B767-300 fleet.

More Here