Keeping a diverse fleet of business jets connected around the globe is not an easy task. To support its efforts Austrian aircraft management and charter operator Avcon Jet selected Satcom Direct (SD) to fill that role. SD now supplies all connectivity tools for the company, including voice and data services, flight deck communications and cybersecurity solutions.
BizAv
Past the bottom: Gogo sees demand returning and a potential to sell
January and February 2020 showed great promise for Gogo. New aircraft installations continued, particularly of the company’s 2Ku offering for commercial aircraft. And then the bottom fell out.
But the company sees a rebound on the horizon, and also possible a merger.
COVID crushing inflight connectivity: Part 2
Airlines have plenty of reasons to be concerned as the cashflow crunch threatens their survival. So too, however, do the many smaller suppliers that deliver services to those airlines. What was mild trepidation at the beginning of the year, generally tied to the 737 MAX grounding is now, in some cases, a full-on threat to the survival of these businesses. And, unlike the airlines, these suppliers generally do not have the luxury of bailout funding from the federal government.
In part two of this report we explore the impact on Viasat, Thales, Inmarsat and Panasonic Avionics.
COVID crushing inflight connectivity: Part 1
This was supposed to be a year of recovery and free cash flow and all sorts of other good news for an industry that spent the better part of the last decade hemmorhaging cash in search of market share. Turns out the global health pandemic cares not for borders nor those plans. Welcome to part one of a deep dive into the inflight connectivity world and the suppliers affected by this recent turn.
Scratch that ESA from the market, at least for now
With Astronics cutting exposure to the inflight connectivity antenna business some commercial aircraft products are likely looking for new partners. That’s bad news for airlines hoping to see new tech flying soon.
Final piece of Bombardier’s restructuring puzzle: Aerostructures sold to Spirit AeroSystems
The final phase of Bombardier’s aviation business restructuring is approaching the finish line. The company announced today a definitive agreement to sell its aerostructures business to Spirit AeroSystems. The deal includes facilities in Belfast, Casablanca and Dallas. Spirit will pay $500 million in cash and assume liabilities in excess of $700 million as part of the deal.
Embraer and Flexjet sign for 64 new biz jets
Embraer’s Praetor 500/600 family of jets was quick to move from announcement to certification and now to inclusion in a fractional biz jet fleet. That they are available from the factory fitted with high wpeed inflight wifi from Viasat is an added bonus.
Mitsubishi’s SpaceJet buys Bombardier’s support
We are mere months away from the production of the final CRJ passenger jet. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) announced this morning a deal to acquire Bombardier’s regional jet program, bringing it to a close as the SpaceJet will take its place.
A push for market liberalization in the Caribbean
Can cooperation and market liberalization beat out protectionist interests in the Caribbean? The 2019 Caribavia conference wasted little time in bringing that question to the forefront. With representatives from airlines, tourism boards, regulators and governments gathered together in Sint Maarten the scene was set for a lively debate. Core to the discussion was the question […]
Viasat adds 18-inch Ka-band terminal to business jet offerings
Inflight connectivity provider Viasat has a new, larger antenna now available for the business aviation market. The Ka-band Global Aero Terminal (GAT-5518) offers an 18-inch, dual axis antenna for Ka-band communications covering the company’s satellites in the Americas, Europe and Australia. The kit is future-compatible with the ViaSat-3 constellation that will provide global coverage early […]