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.
Stellar Blu
Gilat to acquire Stellar Blu
Gilat will acquire ESA-maker Stellar Blu, continuing the consolidation trend in the inflight connectivity world.
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.
Intelsat, JAL partner on LEO/GEO connectivity
Japan Airlines will continue its inflight connectivity partnership with Intelsat, adding service on its 737 MAX fleet from 2026. This deal, however, comes with a multi-orbit twist.
Talking terminals: Multi-beam options for multi-orbit support
LEO-based Iis still in its early days, but the era of truly multi-orbit, multi-constellation services beckons. That next generation of services will require a new generation of hardware to unlock its full potential.
Intelsat’s CR7 completes certification flights, returns home
After six weeks in Texas the Intelsat CR7 flying test bed is back home, suggesting the certification work for its new LEO/GEO hybrid solution is ready for prime time.
Back in the air: Intelsat’s CR7 test plane flying with production ESA on board
Intelsat’s CRJ 700 returned to the skies on Sunday with the production ready-version of the Stellar Blu Sidewinder terminal installed, enabling certification of the kit for access to both GEO and LEO satellite networks.
ALOFT confirm first OneWeb BBJ installation
ALOFT AeroArchitects will activate OneWeb’s LEO satellite inflight internet service on a 737 BBJ via a services contract with Satcom Direct and an antenna provided by Stellar Blu.
Stellar Blu Sidewinder terminal certification slips, production ramps up
Certification timing slipped a bit for the Stellar Blu terminal, leaving Intelsat waiting for installation on its test aircraft. But no one seems to be worried yet.
Rumor has it…
With a major IFC contract ready to be awarded, could a dark horse score an unexpected win?