V-Flyer

i recently flew on vs005 and 6 and on both flights the i:map crashed my system when i tried to look on it. plus on vs005 the aircraft was g-vyou, which was the newest a/c in the fleet at that point. i:map also crashed all the screens around me.[V]

And?

sorry. i didnt make myself clear. i was just stating and has this happened to anyone else? does anyone know why it happens?

I have to say that I've had 2 flights on VYOU recently and there were problems with v:Port on both occasions; at least two reboots on the first because over 50% of the screens were not working and on the second a fall-back system with about 20 channels of Video and no menu, moving map, games or audio channels. [:(] I don't know enough about the hardware and software behind the system but it does surprise me that it takes as long as 40 minutes to reboot. The system on Emmeline Heaney clearly does have some glitches though; is she teething, I wonder? [:?]

The reboot can take upto 40 minutes, the problem is that pax carry on trying to use the handset when the system powering up. As you can imagine 200+ pax inputting their requests seriously puts a load on the system.

Originally posted by g-vred
sorry. i didnt make myself clear. i was just stating and has this happened to anyone else? does anyone know why it happens?

Ah, OK. Actually I've been reasonably lucky with V-Port, it's 'only' crashed on me a couple of times but for some reason my partner's always seems to lock up permanently!

Can't they have the system so that it boots up ready before take-off, but doesn't allow access. Then once seat belt signs turned off they can allow access to the system. Maybe on a zone by zone basis to avoid overloading the system.

Originally posted by g-vred
i recently flew on vs005 and 6 and on both flights the i:map crashed my system when i tried to look on it. plus on vs005 the aircraft was g-vyou, which was the newest a/c in the fleet at that point. i:map also crashed all the screens around me.[V]

iMap crashed my session on G-VGOA (A346) the other week, and the CC said that iMap was doing this on several of her recent flights.

Thanks,

David.

Something has changed with iMap on V:Port recently, as when I flew at the weekend and I used iMap on both G-VOGE and G-VFOX, you are no longer able to zoom in or do anything with it like you used to be able to other than look at the map and the flight stats.

Regards

yea i noticed this as well coming back from SFO some features seem to have been removed anyone know why?

On VS it's all or nothing. EK using the same system (MAS 3000) have resets by zone.

I noticed on my last flight from SFO, the i-map software had been changed, and had some new views, like a 3D track view, from something like a 3/4 view, with terrain features, etc.

I also noticed there were two animated planes displayed on the map, one in flight in the right place, and the other stuck somewhere off the coast of Ghana (at 0N 0W)!

I guess this new software might be a bit unstable...

I too wonder if the vport system would be more stable if it was left running, but in some "inhibited" mode, rather than shut down and started up all the time? At least it would stop the sudden hit of access while the system is still starting up. It seems SQ can do this with their MAS 3000 system - they show the safety video, all the seatbacks are then put into "map" for takeoff, with interactive mode available about 10 minutes after takeoff.

Cheers,
Mike

i:map didn't work on my outward trip to HKG on G-VFIT. Going home later today and should be getting G-VOGE, hope it works.

There are obviously some problem with i:map. Just been on G-VOGE and i:map doesn't work.

They should do a couple of things;

1) Disable imap until its working reliably across the fleet.
2) On "problem V-Port" aircraft they should completely delete and then reinstall the software and programmes. Anyone who knows anything about s/w knows that once you start getting major malfunctions on "live" or "production" systems, you have to bite the bullet and re-load. This will often clear our corruptions, bugs etc.

The general level of problems with V-Port I don't believe is acceptable as it's a major selling point for Virgin, and more often than not there are problems with it on flights (certainly in my recent experience). NOT GOOD ENOUGH![V]

Originally posted by vizbiz

The general level of problems with V-Port I don't believe is acceptable as it's a major selling point for Virgin

I agree with this as I was flying out to HKG last month that the passenger behind had a malfunction V:Port system. The CC tried to reset his system but to no avail. Overhearing his conversation with the CC and he quoted that the reason he chose Virgin was because of the entertainment system. In the end he had to make do with a personal DVD player.

Generally I never had any issues with V:Port except for the i:map which isn't a significant problem.

vizbiz, this isn't a 5 minute job & not quite as easy as your PC.

I noticed that only the regular moving map, with no i:map features, were available on G-VWOW last week on the way to SFO.

If that makes the system more stable while the new software is debugged, I'm all for it.

The revised software I think is actually better, because it actually shows the flight route you've taken, rather than a great-circle arc to your destination.

So, when it works, it should be good .

Cheers,
Mike

On VWOW last night/this morning, as mike said above all you could do was look at your speed/altitude etc. and it seemed to take quite a long time to load. However on VFAB last week, all features seemed to be working, including the 3d view.

The last couple of times I have flown VS with Vport its only slow at the begining but sorts itself out once - I would go mad without IFE on a long flight - 2 yrs ago while flying back to Uk in F on SIA my IFE stopped working with 3 hrs to go - the FA could not fix same and gave me £180.00 to spend on the duty free - not bad as there was only 3 hrs to go.

Recall a few years ago that an A340 operated JFK-LHR with no IFE or power to "J" class seats due to an electrical component failure. Unfortunately Ruby Wax was one of the pax and gave VS a good slagging two days later on Parkinson!!!!