Archive

Tag Archives: passenger communications

Inflight Connectivity May Come Direct to Airlines from Inmarsat

November 3, 2014
Business Aviation News
Leave a comment

Inmarsat Satellite Communications Systems for Business AviationInmarsat, British satellite communications network is considering the possibility of becoming a direct provider of its integrated air-to-ground (ATG)-S band inflight connectivity service, soon to be launched in Europe. Currently, Inmarsat partners with resellers for its services.

Leo Mondale, Inmarsat president of aviation said, “Going direct is not a strategy or goal of ours per say, but we’re looking at a pretty dramatically changing environment when giant name brands in telecommunications are entering the business, and so there is much higher interest in adjacent markets like mobile communications to cause us to want to study the right way to go to the market.”

Although no fixed plans have been settled, Inmarsat are considering an industry sector that is consistently selling bundles, and following ViaSat’s decision to sell directly to airlines, partnering with Thales/LiveTV, the satellite giant is looking at the sector with a different set of eyes.

“We are actually just a connectivity provider,” says Mondale. We don’t build equipment, and we don’t want to sell content. Our bundle is multiple connectivity platforms, given to the right geography, irrespective of what type of aircraft or how big a fleet. That makes us different because we’re not saying ‘buy IFE and we’ll give you connectivity for free’. We say ‘you decide, and we want to give you the best connectivity.”

Inmarsat are in no hurry to make a decision, and are considering all their options. Current reseller partnerships will not be affected.

Middle East & Africa Airlines to Boost Plans for In-flight Connectivity

November 2, 2014
Business Aviation News
Leave a comment

Inflight Connectivity Providers for Business AviationMiddle Eastern & African airlines are exploring solutions to boost passenger numbers, while making improvements to operational productivity, efficiency and connectivity across all areas of operations.

Throughout the region, the market is coming into its own with Wi-Fi connectivity at the top of the list for passenger satisfaction. Consequently, this sector is becoming competitive as companies vie for the best connections at the best prices.

WirelessG, a South African-based Wi-Fi telecommunications provider has made claims to have launched the world’s first mobile service offering customers a 3G/4G data bundle that can be used on the ground or in the air – 3G, ADSL, Wi-Fi and In-flight Wi-Fi – on a single online platform. There are still technical issues, according to their CEO.

“The Ku-band satellite service we received was relatively very stable. Our airline partner did an excellent job in supporting the service onboard,” says Mr van de Merwe. “Our major problem for two years was that we could not get our in-flight Wi-Fi services out of the ‘beta’ stage in order to meet the telecommunications uptime standards we are used to when providing Wi-Fi on the ground. In our specific case, we have had too many in-flight Wi-Fi hardware problems over our first two years.”

“You cannot fix a plane while it is flying,” he continued. “You have to wait for a suitable time at minimum opportunity cost to the airline. That can take between one week and one month. A new benchmark for in-flight Wi-Fi technology solution providers is therefore to provide and support onboard in-flight telecommunications solutions that support a telecommunications carrier grade model with reliability standards that at least match aviation operation service schedules. Maybe our standards and expectations are too high at this point in time, but we refuse to take our service out of beta until it meets our standards.”

Across the world, the demand for in-flight connectivity is increasing and not just in the cabin. Applications for real-time information on the flight deck also enhances the experience for the flight crew. Swift decision making can be facilitated by reliable connectivity, yet to be completely effective, the system required seamless connections with smooth band-switching.

Business Aviation & Evolving Connectivity

October 18, 2014
Business Aviation News
Leave a comment

Providers of Inflight Connectivity Systems for Business AviationWith the onboard Wi-Fi revolution firmly underway and becoming increasingly standard on today’s business aircraft, maintenance personnel and connectivity providers are finding that their workloads are becoming more complex. According to NBAA Maintenance Committee Chairman, Jim Sparks, nowhere is this more of an issue than in the business aviation community, with technicians having a different ‘need to know’ than their counterparts in general aviation.

“In business aviation, technicians have a somewhat different ‘need to know,'” said Sparks. “In our case when you talk about an [Airframe and/or Powerplant] A&P you speak of an all-purpose technician — meaning you have to service tires or diagnose slow Internet access. … You get into the world of the airlines [and] yes, in many cases they have the technology and they have the specialists who deal with it. They’re not necessarily A&Ps, they’re more network specialists because they don’t have to have the return to service authority that an A&P technician does.”

Inflight connectivity in the modern business jet has evolved at an astonishing pace. Business passengers are able to operate at 45,000 feet as effectively as they can in their ground-based offices. It is becoming clear, according to Mr Sparks, that training standards have not been as fast to evolve and demand is growing for skilled technicians in the industry.

“The current requirement for the need to know of A&P technicians was established by the FAA and is pretty much based on technology from the 1960s or earlier; it just has not evolved over the years,” said Sparks. “There are some A&P schools, some affiliated with colleges or universities that have stepped it up where they provide more knowledge than is required. But the basic requirements for an A&P, they have not changed. If you go to an A&P school to get an A&P license that’s all you’re going to get, and you’ll have a basic understanding of ‘60s and ‘70s technology equipment.”

The NBAA and the FAA are beginning to work towards to evolution of training standards for A&P technicians. Nextech for NextGen is a program that includes formal development called ‘Project Bootstrap’, providing guidance to the FAA in the revision of basic requirements.

The phases of the program will address the need for filling the gaps in these areas and also for the physical installation and maintenance of advanced IFE systems.

4G Internet for Business Jets

October 11, 2014
Business Aviation News
Leave a comment

Other Providers of Business Aircraft Passenger ConnectivitySmartSky are ready to announce the launch of their new 4G Internet service for business jets, after developing in secret for three years.

Ryan Stone, president of SmartSky Networks is pleased to finally share the news with the aviation world and will conduct an official ‘airing’ of his new product at this month’s NBAA exhibition.

High-speed internet access on business jets is not a brand new concept, with many other communications solutions on the market, such as the end-to-end solutions delivered by industry-leader, ARINC Direct, but SmartSky 4G is being launched as ‘the nation’s first airborne 4G LTE-based technology’ and promises speeds up to 10 times faster than current systems.

Utilising air-to-ground datalink, the network will access 60MHz of spectrum, which compares with 4MHz in most in-flight internet provision.

“This is going to be really, really important,” said Stone. “We’ve been developing this in stealth mode for three years. It feels good to finally be able to share.”

SmartSky is currently selecting test clients to begin its beta testing program next year, with a view to general release to the business aviation sector in 2016 on a subscription basis. Ultimately, Mr Stone wants to see his system in commercial airliners in the future.

Rockwell Collins Plan for One-Stop-Airline-Shop with Cabin Connect

October 5, 2014
Business Aviation News
Leave a comment

Cabin Connect for Comprehensive SolutionsRockwell Collins, through its acquisition of ARINC Inc. last year plan to become a one-stop-shop for airlines for IFE and on-board connectivity solutions.

Cabin Connect, operating over Inmarsat SwiftBroadband, provides Wi-Fi and inflight connectivity on a global scale. Next year, via its recently-finalised agreement with Inmarsat to become a Value Added Reseller for Global Xpress – GX Aviation – Rockwell Collins will focus on Cabin Connect retrofitting, urging customers to begin now with Cabin Connect on the lower bandwidth of L-band SwiftBroadband and upgrade to Ka-band ‘when you and your customers are ready’.

Cabin Connect, with its cabin connectivity solution, plus avionics and ACARS datalink services for the flight deck, could deliver a complete package to airlines. Huy Tran, director of marketing and business development for Rockwell Collins said, “There’s many companies who have a single product line, not many companies actually have the full breadth. The companies that are going to be successful are the ones that have all the product lines, because airlines don’t want to shop around for various components.”

Rockwell Collin effectively dropped out of the IFE marketplace in 2006, but the introduction of their new PAVES system and subsequent MoU with Hubei Ali Jiatai, Chinese aircraft seat-makers to include PAVES in next-gen Boeing 737’s for Chinese carriers has placed them firmly back in action. The plans for the ARINC Cabin Connect suite will cement their stake in the current and future market of IFE.

In a market where there is close competition, Rockwell Collins is confident that Cabin Connect will fulfill IFE connectivity promises and deliver a comprehensive solution for global airlines.

Bombardier Deliver High-Speed Connectivity Hardware

September 17, 2014
Business Aviation News
Leave a comment

Providers of In-Flight Connectivity & Business Aviation ServicesBombardier’s business jet aircraft will be the first to deliver Honeywell’s JetWave Ka-Band satellite connectivity system, exclusively supporting Inmarsat’s JetConneX service which is set to go live in 2015. The system will bring business passengers global in-flight connectivity at high speeds and will allow for video-conferencing, large file exchange and content streaming capabilities.

Inmarsat and Honeywell signed an agreement two years ago which gave Honeywell the exclusive provision of hardware for the Ka-band GX Aviation service, branded as JetConneX for business aviation customers. The service promises connectivity in the air as seamlessly reliable and fast as that of ground-based offices and thus appealing to the business aviation market for executive aircraft.

“With JetWave securing the backing of a leading business jet manufacturer in Bombardier, we celebrate a major milestone in the evolution of business aircraft connectivity,” said Brian Sill, president, Business and General Aviation, Honeywell Aerospace. “The industry is showing a clear desire for high speed, global, consistent in-flight connectivity and is turning to Honeywell and Inmarsat to deliver it.”

“Our customers want to be online everywhere they go. They will now experience the same level of connectivity in the air that they have come to expect on the ground without a drop in connectivity performance once they leave their homes or offices,” said Eric Martel, president, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “The introduction of this technology allows us to further strengthen the industry-leading cabin experience that we are offering to our customers.”

Honeywell is also the prime distributor of airtime for the business aviation sector, working with ARINC Direct, Satcom Direct, Satcom1, Aircell and OnAir.

ARINC Cabin Connect Suite Enhanced by Rockwell Collins

September 16, 2014
Business Aviation News
Leave a comment

Enhanced Cabin Services with Rockwell CollinsFollowing a recent GX Aviation Added Value Reseller deal with Inmarsat, Rockwell Collins have announced enhancements to their ARINC Cabin Connect suite, the company’s leading in-flight connectivity for cabin services platform. The enhancements will benefit both passengers and airlines as the latest Ka-band services bring greater possibilities to the aviation industry.

Rockwell Collins will use the increased bandwidth and high-speed connectivity to offer real-time TV and TV on-demand in addition to the launch of a new capability that will give passengers the opportunity to use mobile phones onboard to send and receive, where approved, SMS messages and make voice calls over the internet.

Airlines will notice an immediate benefit with Cabin Connect, as the elimination of the need for separate on-board cell phone and Wi-Fi network equipment will significantly reduce weight and installation costs, while allowing extra potential for value-added services.

“Our knowledge of how communications platforms work, combined with our systems integration expertise, enables Rockwell Collins to create solutions that meet the specific needs of our global aviation customers,” said Michael DiGeorge, vice president of international and global airports for Rockwell Collins. “Expanding our ARINC Cabin Connect capabilities through Inmarsat’s high-speed service will provide airlines and their customers with new services designed to meet the ever-growing demand for accessing information and in-flight entertainment.”

Another benefit in addition to passenger connectivity using Cabin Connect will be the new tools designed to enhance airline efficiency. Rockwell Collins’ information management capabilities feature a dashboard that will allow airlines to access monitoring for system-critical elements including cabin applications utilisation and fleet information.

“Because we offer nose-to-tail solutions, we have a tremendous amount of valuable information we can provide to airlines about their aircraft,” said DiGeorge. “With this dashboard, we are putting that information into an easy-to-use format that helps airlines to improve their operational decision making.”

In-flight Connectivity Reseller Deal for Inmarsat and Rockwell Collins

September 11, 2014
Business Aviation News
Leave a comment

The Face of In-Flight Connectivity to Change with Rockwell Collins & InmarsatIt has been announced that Inmarsat, British global satellite communications providers and aviation giant Rockwell Collins have signed a deal that could change the face of in-flight connectivity, as Rockwell Collins will be a value added reseller for the commercial air transport market sector.

GX Aviation is the latest generation of Inmarsat services and will provide connection speeds of up to 50Mbps on a global scale. Scheduled for release to the commercial air transport sector in the first half of 2015, GX Aviation will offer airlines the opportunity to deliver value added services to passengers that promises connectivity such as that found on the ground.

“By combining GX with our current L-Band services, we’ll also be able to provide our airline customers with a complete portfolio of connectivity options for a full range of applications from the cockpit to the cabin,” Jeff Standerski, Rockwell Collins’ senior vice president of information management services said, adding that new possibilities could be brought for their ARINC Cabin Connect suite.

GX Aviation will enable faster speeds and expandable bandwidth for in-flight entertainment, including real-time TV and video, web browsing and to accommodate future devices and applications.

The deal is a key building block for Inmarsat in their mission to deliver high-speed connectivity for passengers and for the flight deck.

Inmarsat president of aviation, Leo Mondale said, “Rockwell Collins is a key partner for the full portfolio of existing Inmarsat Aviation services, and will be one of the first to bring the new, exciting GX Aviation service to its large airline customer base. We have built the very best team of aviation companies to ensure airlines have excellent access to GX Aviation. Our Ka-band solution enables us to meet the rapidly growing demand for passenger connectivity”

Aircell Business Aviation Services Rebranding

September 2, 2014
Business Aviation News
Leave a comment

Other Leading Providers of Business Aviation ServicesIt has been announced that Aircell, Gogo Inc’s business aviation communications provider, has been rebranded to firmly define the company’s two divisions – commercial and business aviation – and will now be known as Gogo Business Aviation.

Business aviation service providers bring aircraft communications services to the business aviation sector exclusively. Many providers have two divisions, as the requirements differ hugely in each sector.

Aircell has been trading since 1991 and are well-known for in-flight connectivity and Wi-Fi solutions using satellite network availability.

“Gogo’s mission is to advance aviation by connecting every aircraft with the most trusted communications services on and above our planet. Having our commercial and business aviation divisions share a brand will make more people aware of the full breadth of our business,” said Gogo’s president and CEO, Michael Small. “The rebranding will also help travellers recognize their favourite Gogo services, whether they’re aboard an airline, corporate, fractional or charter aircraft – anywhere in the world”.

“We’re thrilled to introduce Gogo Business Aviation as the next evolution of our brand,” said Gogo Business Aviation’s executive vice president and general manager, John Wade. “The past five years has seen a remarkable menu of in-flight capabilities emerge for business aircraft operators, including Internet, e-mail, voice, texting, personal smartphone usage, movies, TV episodes, news, weather, cockpit data and more. And at the same time, the onboard equipment has become orders-of-magnitude smaller, lighter and more affordable. These truly are exciting times.”

The rebranded division will also be relocating its headquarters to larger premises a short distance away to fully appreciate the focus of its market, while continuing to share expertise and technology, in addition to the brand name.

Aviation Data Mining Looks for Passenger Opinion for On-Board Experience

August 13, 2014
Business Aviation News
Leave a comment

Superior Cabin Services Solutions ProvidersIn a bid to look at new ways to improve passenger experience and maximise revenue, multiple companies are now data-mining to find out what passengers really think of aircraft cabins, cabin services In-Flight Entertainment, connectivity capabilities and more.

The creation of a ‘passenger experience’ database is seen by many as a real asset to airlines in terms of potential cabin add-ons and for designers when looking at the future of aviation travel. A comprehensive database will tell the industry leaders exactly what is required.

“I can see why a ‘passenger experience’ database would be a big benefit. It would give valuable feedback to airlines, and to suppliers in the end,” says aircraft interiors and IFE integration specialist Kosta Gianakopoulos. “Look at the experience of buying a car. Before you had the Internet, you’d simply go to the dealership to learn about a new car. But now you can do all the research on the Internet, read reviews, and go to the dealership and educate the sales guy. Why not book a flight armed with the same type of detail?”

Looking at the in-flight connectivity sector data is interesting stuff. “Anyone who flies knows that some connectivity is better than none,” says John Walton, Routehappy’s director of data. “But with the flood of approvals for satellite Wi-Fi following the FAA birdstrike testing, the wave of increasingly better Wi-Fi is cresting. We know what the maximum bandwidth and transfer speed are for each technology, so we’re explaining it to everyday flyers in ways that are easy to understand and familiar to them. People have experienced glacial speeds with older technologies, and it’s time to explain that if connectivity is important to you, you have some really good options out there.”

Data mining is in every other sector of industry and public opinion really does count in a world of competitive pricing and budget airlines. What better way to gain an edge on the competition than by giving the customer what he wants? Cabin services matter to passengers and a grasp of public opinion is vital in this consumer age.