In-Flight Entertainment

As much as I have flown in the past 2.5 years back and forth from East Coast to West Coast to visit Trendy, it was not until my recent flight on United Airline's 767 from D.C. to San Francisco that I got to experience the ultimate in-flight entertainment: a display unit for each passenger with real-time flight tracking, movies, and music. I know this is not new. I have heard about it from various people over the years; however, this is the first time I got to experience it hands-on. It appears that this feature is only available on larger aircrafts that are used for international flights. Personally, I think they should implement this technology for all planes, small or large. It simply makes the whole flying experience that much more enjoyable. The unit provides real-time information of speed, outside temperature, altitude, distance travelled, and distance to location. As you can see from the picture, it is pretty cold outside at 35,000 feet. The highest speed I saw was around 480 mph. I was hoping to see the plane break 500 mph. The real-time map is really nice as well. It lets you know where you are and the path the plane has taken. There were several different map displays such as the one you see above, one that shows the whole continental U.S., and a close-up 3D map. Additionally, each passenger can use the display unit to watch movies and other programs available. Each passenger can choose up to 4 featured films they were offering and also 15 other channels of programming. And the headphone is provided free of charge!