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.
Stellar Blu
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.
Alaska Airlines welcomes complexity with Hawaiian Airlines acquisition
Alaska Airlines will buy Hawaiian Airlines for $1.9 billion in a cash transaction. Unlike most other mergers, however, the company plans to embrace the complexity of multiple product offerings as it intends to keep both the Hawaiian and Alaska brands in service.
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.
Airbus, OneWeb team for biz jet connectivity boost
Airbus Corporate Jets plans to offer a new inflight internet option, delivered over OneWeb’s LEO constellation, for its line of business jet installations. Eventually. With as yet undisclosed hardware.
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.
Air Canada expands Intelsat partnership for in-flight Wi-Fi on 737 MAX, regional jets
Updated inflight internet systems are coming to Air Canada’s 737 MAX and regional jets. In total, approximately 100 planes will see Intelsat’s systems installed in the years ahead.
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?
Seeking understanding in the IFC world
No one likes to admit it, but every now and then a deal signed to deliver services for an airline turns sour. But those failures are also typically managed privately, and with minimal sniping between parties. When that veil of propriety is pierced, however, things get interesting in a hurry.
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.