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.
phased array
American taps Intelsat for high speed Wi-Fi on regional fleet
American Airlines will upgrade the inflight internet on its regional jet fleet over the next two years. The carrier selected Intelsat to provide high-speed satellite-based service to just under 500 of the smaller jets.
Aerolineas Argentinas taps Intelsat for LEO/GEO inflight internet
ESAs are not just for regional jets. That is one of the key messages coming out of Argentina this week, as Intelsat and Aerolineas Argentinas team up to add inflight connectivity to part of the carrier’s fleet.
In search of the optimal curves for drag performance
Aircraft generally adhere to the “less is more” principle, with smaller and lighter components winning out for installation. So hearing that a larger radome might reduce drag on their aircraft relative to smaller options definitely piqued my curiosity.
CesiumAstro ESA successfully connects in SES, Hughes tests
CesiumAstro successfully tested its active phased array antenna terminal solution with SES’s geosynchronous satellite network, a key milestone as the company works to deliver hardware to the government and commercial aviation sectors.
Hanwha Phasor, OneWeb formalize ESA terminal development efforts
Another antenna option will soon join the fold for OneWeb’s aero customers. Hanwha Phasor announced it has signed a User Terminal Development Agreement, enabling the two companies to collaborate on an in-flight connectivity solution. A certified solution is anticipated in 2025.
Telesat Lightspeed secures government funding for LEO launch
Telesat appears finally ready to deliver its LightSpeed LEO constellation. But is it too little, too late?
Testing the next step for LEO-based IFC
On Monday afternoon a CRJ700 landed at Rocky Mountain Metro Airport near Broomfield, Colorado after more than four hours en route from Portland, Maine. Fortunately, no passengers found themselves enduring the “comfort” of that long ride in a little jet. But, thanks to the work happening on board, millions of travelers annually will soon have access to a better inflight Wi-Fi experience.
ThinKom Plus launches, with hybrid LEO/GEO offering
After teasing the details a bit in March, ThinKom formally launched its ThinAir Plus product line at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2023, integrating an ESA into the footprint of its Ka2517 solution. The system touts multi-constellation, multi-orbit, multi-beam connectivity support. The ThinAir Plus terminal is also the first to offer concurrent, multi-band connectivity in a single package.
Stellar Blu secures Boeing line-fit agreement
Stellar Blu just secured a significant boost for its Sidewinder electronically steered antenna (ESA) platform. The company executed an Technical Services Agreement with Boeing that will see the terminal kit as an option for line-fit on the 737 MAX, 787, and 777X types, likely before the end of 2024.