FLIGHTLINK™ FIBER OPTIC CABLE FROM OFS MEETS ARINC 802 SPECIFICATIONS FOR COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT

AVON, CT, April 5, 2010 —OFS, Specialty Photonics Division, announces commercial availability of its new FlightLink™ cable for the air transport industry.  The cable is a 62.5 micron multimode, graded-index, tight-buffer construction with temperature performance of -55 to 125°C, ideal for In-Flight Entertainment systems, In-Flight Networking systems, and Display systems.  ARINC 802 was created by the ARINC standards committee and defines “performance requirements, dimensions, quality assurance criteria and test procedures for fiber optic cable suitable for use on commercial aircraft,” according to the committee’s parent company, ARINC Incorporated.  This cable meets or exceeds the ARINC 802 specification, including size, weight, smoke, toxicity, and flammability.  Meeting the ARINC specs allows this robust cable to be used in a wide variety of aircraft applications, in both pressurized and non-pressurized areas of the aircraft.

“Some advantages of this cable are its light weight, an important consideration in all aircraft, plus its stability over temperature and shock.  OFS FlightLink cable is flexible and durable, and the tight-buffer design eliminates ‘kinking’, a common problem with loose tube constructions,” says Cathy Ciardiello, Market Manager for OFS.  “OFS’ FlightLink cable incorporates our own high quality 62.5 micron graded index optical fiber. Around it we designed and constructed the cable, selecting from our large portfolio of specialty materials, the right buffers, strength members and outer jacket to preserve the performance of the fiber in this challenging environment,” adds Ms. Ciardiello.

FlightLink cables can be ordered directly from OFS’s Specialty Photonics Division in Avon, CT.

About OFS
OFS is a world-leading designer, manufacturer and provider of optical fiber, optical fiber cable, FTTX, optical connectivity and specialty photonics products.  Our manufacturing and research divisions work together to provide innovative products and solutions that traverse many different applications as they link people and machines worldwide. Between continents, between cities, around neighborhoods, and into homes and businesses of digital consumers we provide the right optical fiber, optical cable and components for efficient, cost-effective transmission.
 
OFS’ corporate lineage dates back to 1876 and includes technology powerhouses such as AT&T (NYSE: T) and Lucent Technologies (now Alcatel-Lucent, NYSE: ALU). Today, OFS is owned by Furukawa Electric, a multi-billion dollar global leader in optical communications.
Headquartered in Norcross (near Atlanta) Georgia, U.S., OFS is a global provider with facilities in Avon, Connecticut; Carrollton, Georgia; Somerset, New Jersey; and Sturbridge, Massachusetts, as well as in Denmark, Germany and Russia.

For more information, please visit www.ofsoptics.com.
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PR Contact:                                       Technical Contact:
Julie Rodriguez                                   Cathy Ciardiello
OFS, Specialty Photonics Division      OFS, Specialty Photonics Division
(860) 678-6531                                 (860) 678-6520
js162@ofsoptics.com                         crc7@ofsoptics.com