After a few false starts the AirFi LEO inflight connectivity offering has entered service. Company executives confirm multiple airlines have deployed the hardware across more than a dozen planes, with a strong order backlog still to be filled.
inflight wifi
OneWeb activation slips, dragging Eutelsat revenues
Deployment of the OneWeb network continues to slip, but new parent Eutelsat remains confident in the longer-term revenue potential.
Starlink flying on SpaceX’s new 737-800
SpaceX has a new private jet, and it appears to be flying with the Starlink inflight internet services on board.
Another IFC upgrade underway
Another long-awaited inflight connectivity upgrade appears to be underway, this time in Asia.
Swiss, Lufthansa, Austrian set for EAN inflight internet installs
It is a move more than eight years in the making: Lufthansa Group is set to install Viasat’s European Aviation Network (EAN) inflight connectivity solution on its fleet.
Dragging the competition
Bolting a radome atop an aircraft means more weight, more drag, more fuel burn, and higher emissions. Those are all things airlines typically try to minimize. Which makes some recent conversations about drag differences all the more interesting.
STCs show signs of progress
When it comes to tracking connectivity installations, sometimes regulators share the most useful insights. Taking a look at which STCs have (and have not) been issued lately offers up some details on a few key programs across the industry.
Going offline? Viasat targeted for Chinese sanctions
Viasat is a target of Chinese sanctions, which could knock some airlines offline in and over the region.
Alaska Airlines takes first 737 MAX 8, plans further cabin retrofits
Alaska Airlines took delivery of its first 737 MAX 8 this week, adding additional range and flexibility to its fleet. In an unusual twist, the interior of the new plane is not what the carrier expects to fly longer term.
SD’s Plane Simple Ka-band terminal passes DO-160 milestone
After more than 400 hours of flight testing the Plane Simple Ka-band terminal from Satcom Direct secured DO-160 approval, moving it closer to commercial availability of the in-flight connectivity hardware early in 2024.