SAFRAN

Safran Passenger Innovations, ThinKom Solutions, Inc. (ThinKom) and Astronics Connectivity Systems and Certifications (Astronics), today announced agreements to provide next-generation Ka-band aero satellite terminals. Safran Passenger Innovations is embarking down a path of providing the next evolution in Inflight Connectivity (IFC) terminal solution to the market, one that allows airlines to have flexibility when it comes to choosing a service provider.

Under the agreements, ThinKom will supply its ThinAir® Ka2517 phased-array aero satellite antennas for Safran Passenger Innovations’ Ka-band commercial IFC terminal in both retrofit and linefit installations. Safran Passenger Innovations is an authorized terminal integrator for the next generation of aero broadband services across multiple providers and a key supplier for connectivity solutions to Airbus. The ThinKom antenna will be packaged with a newly designed adapter plate, installation kit and in-cabin connectivity solution.

Astronics has been selected to deliver its new Dual-modem Modem Manager (Modman) and a new Outside Aircraft Equipment (OAE) support structure. The Modman integrates multiple third-party aero modem cards in a 4MCU enclosure. The launch version of the Modman will include the iDirect iQ800 modem with multiple additional configurations available to provide flexibility for Safran Passenger Innovations and Airbus customers. The OAE installation kit is comprised of a radome, adapter plate, skirt and associated wiring to complement ThinKom’s antenna with a simplified installation design and novel use of quick disconnect fittings to improve serviceability.

Safran Passenger Innovations selected the ThinKom Variable Inclination Continuous Transverse Stub (VICTS) antennas based on their unmatched record of reliability and performance. VICTS antennas have over 28 million accrued operational hours of service on more than 1,600 commercial aircraft. ThinKom’s phased-array antennas provide industry-leading spectral efficiency that is two to eight times higher than other competing designs. The VICTS antennas also offer the beam agility needed to switch seamlessly between geostationary (GEO) and non-geostationary (NGSO) satellite constellations. The low-profile design minimizes drag and maximizes fuel economy, and the low power consumption results in very little heat generation inside the radome, enabling uninterrupted gate-to-gate operation even with full solar loading in hot climates.

“Our partnership with ThinKom and Astronics strongly supports SPI’s connectivity vision and supports our continued growth in the IFC market. The Ka2517 antenna solution, along with a MODMAN that supports multiple modem providers, are key pieces in supporting our customers and providing them with the best systems available today, and for the future” said John Andrews, Safran’s VP, Connectivity.

More From Safran

Safran is a major supplier for ITA Airways’ new cabins. ITA Airways, the new Italian flag carrier, has kicked off a vast program to revamp the interiors of its fleet, comprising Airbus A220, A319ceo, A320neo/ceo, A321neo and A330neo jetliners.

Safran Seats will provide all economy and premium economy class seats for this new fleet. The company worked intensively to give these seats a premium look, especially by using Italian fabrics and leather.

Safran Cabin is also a fleet supplier, especially the exceptionally comfortable cargo bay rest areas for flight crews.

Safran Cabin also offers galleys, cooking equipment and food and beverage carts to ensure top-flight service quality.

Safran Passenger Innovations was also selected by ITA Airways to provide in-flight entertainment and connectivity systems: RAVE wireless for a dozen Airbus A320neo twinjets, and RAVE Centric for nine Airbus A321neo and 17 Airbus A330neo jetliners.

“Safran is very proud of its selection to outfit ITA Airways’ new interiors with a wide range of seats and galley equipment, which enhance the interior design, comfort and service quality,” said Olivier Andriès, Chief Executive Officer of Safran. “Our aircraft interior staff have developed an integrated cabin and seat solution, reflecting the excellence of this new airline.”

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Airbus

Airbus has launched Airspace Link HBCplus, its new flexible satellite connectivity solution that will be offered as an SFE line-fit catalogue option and also for retrofit on all Airbus programs. HBCplus, which initially encompasses Ka-band services, will enable airlines to connect to a choice of Managed Service Providers (MSPs) via a new certified terminal and radome built as part of the aircraft. In the future it is planned to extend HBCplus to include MSPs which offer Ku-band services.

Andreì Schneider, Airbus VP Cabin & Cargo Program said: “We are excited to offer airlines a new connectivity service solution that will provide improved speed and reliability for passenger experience and more flexibility. Together with our leading industry partners we are pleased to enable future connectivity business opportunities in the context of the Airspace Link open ecosystem.”

To this end Airbus has selected connectivity satcom leader Inmarsat as the first MSP, contributing its GX Aviation inflight broadband solution which offers reliable and seamless passenger experience with global coverage and capacity for future growth. Additional MSPs will join the HBCplus offering in due course.

Philippe Carette, President of Inmarsat Aviation, said: “We are honored that Airbus has chosen Inmarsat as the first Managed Service Provider for this transformative connectivity catalogue solution and is putting its trust in our award-winning GX Aviation service across all of its aircraft programs. Inmarsat looks forward to working closely with our partners Airbus and SPI to deliver continuous innovation for airlines and their passengers worldwide.”

Meanwhile Safran Passenger Innovations (SPI) has been selected as the terminal provider and hardware integrator of ThinKom’s proven antenna technology – targeted for Ka-band services which delivers high data throughput and reliability combined with aircraft fuel savings thanks to the antenna’s lower drag radome.

Matt Smith, CEO, Safran Passenger Innovations, said: “Safran Passenger Innovations is delighted to be selected as the equipment supplier for Airbus’ Airspace Link connectivity solution. We are excited to be a part of the next evolution in the IFC industry by providing the technology for airlines to select the connectivity services most suited to their needs. We look forward to working with Airbus and our partners on this industry-changing endeavor.”

Airspace Link HBCplus thus provides satcom based off-board connectivity for the Airspace Link open ecosystem representing an end-to-end Airbus offer. This solution, which enables the exchange of data as one seamlessly integrated aircraft system, is ideally positioned to unlock future digital services capacity and demand growth, allowing airlines to deliver a best-in-class passenger connectivity experience, in an exponentially growing market.

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SITA

Skyports, a best-in-class owner and operator of vertiport infrastructure for the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) industry, and SITA, an IT provider for the air transport industry, today announced a partnership that will see SITA provide its digital solutions at Skyports vertiport locations.

SITA technology will first be implemented at the Skyports Cergy-Pontoise vertiport testbed in Paris, planned for completion in September 2022 to demonstrate the full passenger journey, from arrival at the vertiport terminal to eVTOL aircraft departure. The partnership aims to highlight the ease with which passengers will be able to navigate the AAM ecosystem.

SITA will apply its expertise in airport technology to the emerging AAM industry to develop bespoke biometric and vertiport technology in line with Skyports’ vision for the passenger experience. The technology being developed through the partnership will be a fundamental component of the future passenger journey through a vertiport. It will demonstrate for the first time how customers will interact with the ecosystem.

Passenger autonomy, ease, and convenience are central to the success of the industry and the widespread adoption of AAM. Through the integration of SITA’s biometric solution Smart Path, electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft passengers traveling with Skyports will experience a seamless, technology-driven experience at all stages throughout the journey.

Passengers will be able to book and reserve flights on eVTOL aircraft via a mobile app powered by SITA’s biometric capabilities. Upon arrival at the Skyports vertiport, SITA face pods will be used to identify and verify passengers.

Duncan Walker, CEO of Skyports, said: “Advanced Air Mobility has presented an opportunity to reimagine the entire travel experience, from the vehicles we use and energy sources we rely on, right down to the way passengers book and check-in to flights. We are partnering with SITA to move into this next crucial stage in the planning and development of the AAM industry – defining the experience for end-users. Everything we do at Skyports is underpinned by the belief that there is a faster, smarter, more streamlined way to travel. Our work with SITA will demonstrate how that translates to the passenger journey.”

AAM aircraft will provide a cost-effective and quicker alternative to traditional rail or land transport links. Walker added: “However, to make AAM work, there needs to be a demonstrable benefit to the end-user. Hence the passenger experience is fundamental to our success.”

Much of the magic in streamlining the passenger journey occurs behind the scenes. SITA will provide an automated scheduling solution to support Skyports’ airside operations. So, once a passenger requests a booking, a flight slot will automatically be secured at both departure and destination, ensuring the aircraft is operationally ready and waiting when the passenger arrives. It will also ensure that all the resources needed to support that flight are in place to ensure an on-time departure.

Sergio Colella, President of Europe at SITA, said: “With Skyports, we have the potential to use existing airport technology to totally redesign the passenger journey, with a light-touch process using just your mobile or facial biometric to complete the various steps in the journey. Together we will also work with existing airports to support Advanced Air Mobility solutions in the future.”

Skyports will, in the coming months, begin passenger experience trials at its Cergy-Pontoise vertiport testbed facility, Europe’s first operational testing site for AAM, which is being developed in partnership with Groupe ADP. The implementation of SITA’s innovative technology will be a focal point of the testing.

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Anuvu

Anuvu, the leading provider of high-speed connectivity and entertainment solutions for demanding worldwide mobility markets, has won a Crystal Cabin Award for its newly-launched connectivity solution, Dedicated Space™ in the IFEC and Digital Services category. The industry-leading innovation addresses today’s connectivity challenges and meets rapidly evolving consumer demand for more consistent and stable inflight internet experiences, maximizing the bandwidth performance of existing connectivity networks.

Designed by Anuvu exclusively for mobility customers, Dedicated Space merges state-of-art modem technology with an AI-driven dynamic Network Management System (NMS) to optimize network performance. The benefits include reduced satellite handover times to under one second, significantly faster than any existing connectivity satellite provider today, as well as increased upload performance up to five-fold and reduced latency overall.

The technology is already operating today on certain Southwest Airlines flights, enabling the airline to provide, for the first time, a truly uninterrupted connectivity experience for passengers and eliminate critical overhead costs associated with the provision of inflight satellite internet.

“The way we use the internet has changed. Passengers demand more stable, higher-performing internet service when traveling. While we are on the cusp of a future of new networks, Dedicated Space is available today to solve for what passengers want right now,” said Mike Pigott, EVP Connectivity at Anuvu. “We are thrilled to win the prestigious Crystal Cabin Award in partnership with Southwest Airlines and remain committed to creating innovative solutions that bring a modern approach to inflight connectivity.”

Through Dedicated Space, Anuvu delivers the best GEO network performance available today by designing technology that addresses airlines’ critical pain points. The modems and ground equipment are easily upgraded and customized to eliminate unnecessary costs and streamline business for airlines. Anuvu’s innovative technology is beneficial to all airlines, is band and orbit agnostic, and requires the simple replacement of modem hardware. For passengers, it means fewer internet outages, more reliable Wi-FI, and high-performing upload and download speeds

The Crystal Cabin Awards, an initiative of the Hamburg Aviation cluster, is presented in eight categories: “Cabin Concepts,” “Cabin Systems,” “Health & Safety,” “IFEC & Digital Services,” “Material & Components,” “Passenger Comfort,” “Sustainable Cabin,” and “University.” For each category, the 28 expert members of the jury select three finalists, who are invited to pitch their concepts to the jury in person at Aircraft Interiors Expo.

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OneWeb

OneWeb, a global space-based communications company, together with commercial aviation terminal partner Stellar Blu Solutions achieved a significant milestone on May 28, when it successfully delivered high-speed, low-latency inflight LEO satellite connectivity to a commercial airliner.  Stellar Blu, has partnered with antenna technology provider Ball Aerospace to incorporate its electronically steered arrays (ESA) into the terminal solution. This collaboration realized breakthrough performance on OneWeb’s low earth orbit (LEO) network.  The new Stellar Blu platform, known as “Sidewinder”, will continue flight testing through the remainder of 2022, with a target for certification and availability in mid-2023.

This first test flight was conducted aboard a Boeing B777-200LR and took off from Fort Worth Alliance Airport (KAFW), in Texas on May 27th at 15:20 UTC and flew for just over one hour delivering the game-changing connectivity experience.

This test flight validates not only the installation and integration of the aircraft terminal, but underscores the performance of the antenna technology, and verifies the reliability of the connectivity during taxi, take-off, landing and typical aircraft flight maneuvers. As with any test flight, the assessment of performance reviewed expected parameters against vendor specifications, while also instrumenting and verifying on-aircraft impact and operating characteristics.

The Test Flight Crew simultaneously demonstrated the ability to connect Teams calls, 4K YouTube streaming, Netflix, online VR gaming and Nintendo Switch gaming, among other structured performance tests. Maximum speeds of 260Mbps download/80 upload and file transfer scenarios of 5GB demonstrated in approximately 20 seconds. All while operating at well under 100ms of network latency.

Commenting on the successful test flight, Ben Griffin, vice president Mobility said: “This test flight represents a fantastic milestone for OneWeb. Broadband in-flight connectivity, delivered to a commercial aircraft via low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites and an electrically steered antenna (ESA) is now – finally – a reality. Together with our partners Stellar Blu and technology from Ball Aerospace, we are now well and truly on our way to delivering consistently reliable, game-changing, affordable inflight connectivity to commercial aviation users everywhere.

“This successful flight test demonstrates the power, not only of the OneWeb network, but our industry focused and partnership-led approach to the design, development, and deployment of ground-breaking technologies to connect commercial aviation. A solution designed for the aviation industry, by the aviation industry”

This maiden flight represented the culmination of several months’ collaboration between Stellar Blu, OneWeb and Ball Aerospace including ground trials and flight tests.  Their goal is to achieve certification in mid- 2023.

The Sidewinder terminal is ARINC 791 compliant to ease integration on commercial aircraft, with a smaller form factor option for installation on regional jets and single-aisle airliners.

Tracy Trent, Stellar Blu CEO, highlighting the achievement commented: “This initial testing is more about the integration of the components and accomplishing a safe installation on the aircraft, versus proving the connectivity functionality. That said, we are delighted by the performance of the terminal during the test flight. OneWeb is changing the reality of inflight connectivity now and for the future. Our antenna will harness the power of OneWeb’s Low Earth Orbit constellation to deliver high-speed, low latency, globally consistent and reliable connectivity for every passenger, without conflict or compromise. We are very confident the Sidewinder terminal will present operators with a purpose-built aviation solution, delivering new breakthroughs for passenger experience, and redefining aircraft operating expectations for reliability and maintainability.”

Based on the electronically steered antenna technology developed by Ball Aerospace, the terminal is significantly, lower profile, lighter and smaller than existing aviation antennas.  It will enable airlines to connect their aircraft, passengers, and crew over OneWeb’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communication network.  OneWeb expects this to be a key differentiator as airlines initially embrace and become confident in the benefits and performance of its new LEO technologies.

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