The first commercial aircraft to be fitted with the Intelsat multi-orbit solution, featuring the Gilat/Stellar Blu Sidewinder terminal has left the installation facility and appears to be headed towards entry into passenger service.
Satellite
Viasat rejigs financial reporting
Viasat’s new reporting structure breaks out revenue by segment much more clearly than before, exposing a couple interesting trends.
Viasat confirms connectivity plans for LOT Polish Dreamliners
Viasat will provide inflight Wi-Fi service to LOT Polish Airlines’ fleet of Dreamliners from 2026 as part of a planned retrofit for the 787s.
Stellar Blu, Fargo Jet Center team for special missions connectivity
Stellar Blu is expanding into special missions, thanks to a strategic partnership with Fargo Jet Center (FJC) to develop and certify solutions targeting the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) market.
WestJet taps Starlink for fast, free inflight internet
WestJet will make inflight internet free to all passengers, thanks to a new partnership with TELUS and Starlink.
ESAs, China, and the future of inflight connectivity
Depending on who you ask – and I asked several people at at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2024 last month – ESAs are the best way forward for inflight connectivity, or a compromise that come up short for airlines.
Thales, Spire, ESSP team for space-based ADS-B constellation
Thales, Spire Global, and European Satellite Services Provider plan to launch a new, space-based network for tracking aircraft.
Shifting install sequencing
Will airlines hit their 2025 target to replace the inflight internet services on smaller planes in North America? Probably. But the sequence and timing on those appears to be shifting a bit.
Viasat plans dual-modem modman for (eventual) constellation flexibility
Viasat finally has a formal plan for airlines to integrate access across its two satellite networks: A new dual-modem ModMan is coming as part of the standard install kit.
Increased supplier option a Plus
Should airlines be concerned that the Airbus HBCplus program limits their options for inflight connectivity? Perhaps not, as reports suggest additional supplier optionality on the horizon.