LUFTHANSA SELECTS PANASONIC AVIONICS
Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic Avionics) has been selected by Lufthansa to provide its NEXT in-flight entertainment (IFE) system and enhanced connectivity solutions for the carrier’s flagship Boeing 747-8 fleet.
Panasonic Avionics’ NEXT IFE system will be retrofitted on Lufthansa’s 19 Boeing 747-8s, with the first due to be rolled out in summer 2024.
This higher performance system will provide Lufthansa’s passengers with a superior, immersive cinematic experience using the latest 4K screen technology, with faster network speeds and higher storage capacity.
Business Class passengers will enjoy an enhanced IFE experience with up to 24-inch 4K screens, a large 10-inch additional control unit, high power USB–A / USB-C, AC power and wireless charging capabilities. Premium Economy Class passengers will experience an upgraded 16-inch 4K screen, with a 13-inch 4K screen for Economy Class passengers, both with high power USB-A and USB-C charging.
The companies also announced the renewal of connectivity services offered by Panasonic Avionics. Broadband connectivity, which is already installed on Lufthansa widebody aircraft, uses Panasonic Avionics’ global network of high-speed, high-bandwidth satellites to live up to the connectivity expectations of Lufthansa’s passengers. Mobile phone connectivity will also be upgraded to 4G speeds on Lufthansa’s 747-8 aircraft.
Ken Sain, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics, said, “We are delighted to be partnering once again with Lufthansa with this upgrade of the passenger experience on their flagship long-haul fleet. Introducing our NEXT Series and latest generation connectivity on board this world-class airline will help drive greater passenger loyalty and add value to their brand.”
Paul Estoppey, Head of Product Management Cabin at Lufthansa Group, said: “We are thrilled to be joining forces with Panasonic Avionics again. Our Boeing 747-8s are an integral part of our long-haul fleet, and we’re confident that this investment in Panasonic Avionics’ in-flight entertainment will be popular with our passengers.”
TURKISH AIRLINES SELECTS ANUVU
Anuvu, a provider of high-speed connectivity and entertainment solutions for worldwide mobility markets, with its in-country partner Profen, announces the launch of commercial passenger inflight connectivity (IFC) service on Turkish Airlines’ Airbus A321 and Boeing B737NG narrow-body aircraft.
Anuvu’s Airconnect Global Connectivity system for Turkish Airlines incorporates Turkish Technic servers and wireless access points, and Profen’s Turkiye-based terrestrial infrastructure to provide Turkish Airlines’ passengers a world-class uninterrupted (gate-to-gate) inflight connectivity experience. As part of the installation program, Anuvu obtained European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approval for three internally developed Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) for the installation of its Airconnect Global Ku IFC system onboard Airbus A321, Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737-900ER aircraft. As of May 16, the system has been implemented on 13 aircraft and it is planned to complete installations on 103 aircraft by Q2 2023.
Prof. Ahmet Bolat, Turkish Airlines’ Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee, said “Our successful partnership with Anuvu, Profen and Turkish Technic has culminated in bringing our passengers the fastest and most reliable connectivity in the market. Accomplishing this great milestone through the challenges of COVID-19 is something of which the entire team is very proud. This launch of the commercial entry into service reaffirms our commitment to the partnership.”
Mike Pigott, Anuvu’s Executive Vice
Pigott continued, “We look forward to our continued work with Turkish Airlines, a leading airline in customer service maximizing passenger satisfaction, and Profen, a well-respected company who delivers innovative and high technology solutions to customers worldwide.”
Onder Havuzlu, Profen’s Chief Executive Officer said, “Combining our national engineering experience with Anuvu’s IFC expertise and Turkish Technic’s superior maintenance capabilities enables us to provide secure, high-quality data connectivity solutions for Turkish Airlines and the Turkish commercial aviation market. Our investment in local teleport facilities and terrestrial network infrastructure made the internet connectivity secure and reliable, while respecting the local regulations. We are excited to be the part of inflight connectivity service on Turkish Airlines’ narrow-body aircraft with Anuvu.”
Anuvu’s Airconnect Global Ku solution is an affordable high-speed Internet
Profen teleports and internet hosting facilities provide full redundancy and optimal systems with active services based on Ka, Ku, C, S and X band. Profen customers can co-locate their equipment, avoiding large capital expenditures and benefiting from 24-hour monitoring and security, uninterrupted power, and maintaining full control of their network and remotes through dedicated and authorized access people.
INMARSAT & HONEYWELL LAUNCH L-BAND IFEC SERVICE
Inmarsat and Honeywell are setting a new benchmark in satellite communications with the launch of SwiftJet, their latest inflight connectivity service for the business aviation industry. It will enter commercial service in the first half of 2023 and deliver the fastest ever speeds over L-band.
As one of the first new services to be introduced on Inmarsat’s ELERA satellite network, SwiftJet will offer seamless global coverage across flight routes with maximum speeds of 2.6Mbps, up to six times faster than Inmarsat’s existing business aviation connectivity solution over L-band. This will allow passengers to create a secure ‘office in the sky’ with enhanced capabilities for video calls, web browsing, email, texting, cloud-syncing and collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams. Social media and video applications such as TikTok and YouTube, which were previously challenging over L-band, will also be enabled.
As the latest addition to Inmarsat’s market-leading portfolio of business aviation inflight connectivity services, SwiftJet will be available alongside Jet ConneX (JX) and SwiftBroadband (SBB), which have been activated on thousands of jets worldwide. JX is the most popular and widely-adopted premium, high-speed solution available today, powered by a global constellation of Ka-band satellites. Additionally, SBB offers speeds of 432Kbps over L-band using smaller antennas that are suitable as a secondary system to JX or as primary connectivity for smaller or older aircraft.
SwiftJet uses advanced hardware from Inmarsat’s partner Honeywell, which can be equipped on a broad range of aircraft and also supports cockpit and safety services. Existing customers of Inmarsat’s SBB service will benefit from a natural upgrade path without needing to replace any externally-mounted aircraft equipment, while new customers will experience the same ease of installation as with any Inmarsat L-band terminal. The service also creates new opportunities in the smaller jet market, which have previously been restricted to basic voice or text connectivity that fails to meet the needs of modern day travelers. It is available to pre-order through Honeywell, with additional incentives in an early adopter campaign.
Inmarsat is launching the ground-breaking service at a critical time for the business aviation industry. Following a period of turbulence over the past two years due to the global pandemic, a recent survey by Inmarsat and Corporate Jet Investor (CJI) found that almost 80% of respondents around the world believe more frequent business aviation flights will be taken in the next year. Furthermore, a staggering 90% feel that online activities will dominate the principals’ time in the air, split between business and leisure.
Kai Tang, Inmarsat’s Head of Business Aviation, said: “Inmarsat prides itself on delivering services that meet the unique and fast-evolving requirements of our customers. As the market leader in business aviation connectivity, Inmarsat developed SwiftJet in response to customer and partner feedback for a faster, more advanced L-band offering. They essentially asked us to amplify L-band capabilities without losing its trademark characteristics of resilience, reliability and availability.
“I am proud to say that SwiftJet delivers all of this and more, unlocking exciting new capabilities in the aircraft cabin and allowing users to connect more devices, and enjoy faster connectivity speeds, whenever and wherever they fly. It comes at a time when business aviation travel is not only returning to pre-pandemic levels, but also experiencing unprecedented demand for inflight connectivity.”
Adam Sheppard, Honeywell Aerospace’s Director of Aircraft Connectivity, said: “SwiftJet represents the latest leap forward for inflight connectivity, combining Inmarsat’s commercial satellite capabilities and Honeywell’s connected aircraft expertise to provide scalable, high-speed satellite communications to passengers at 40,000 feet. With Inmarsat we have created a straightforward upgrade path for SwiftBroadband customers, giving them easy access to unprecedented internet speeds over L-band without having to change wiring or antenna hardware.”
Inmarsat’s ELERA global satellite network delivers the world’s most reliable and flexible global connectivity, with full redundancy and unique resilience in all conditions. ELERA capabilities are being further enhanced with the addition of two Inmarsat-6 satellites, the largest and most sophisticated commercial communications satellites ever built, both of which are scheduled to enter service next year and will support SwiftJet through the 2030s, reinforcing the service’s long-term value. The L-band capacity on each I-6 satellite will be substantially greater than Inmarsat’s 4th generation spacecraft, delivering 50% more capacity per beam in addition to unlimited beam routing flexibility.
The I-6 series of satellites will also play a crucial role in the ongoing growth of Inmarsat’s unique ORCHESTRA dynamic mesh network, which will bring existing geosynchronous (GEO) satellites together with low earth orbit satellites (LEO) and terrestrial 5G to form an integrated, high-performance solution, unmatched by any existing or planned competitor offering.
ONEWEB PARTNERS WITH GOGO BUSINESS AVIATION
OneWeb, a global space-based communications company, has agreed a long-term distribution partnership agreement with Gogo Business Aviation, whereby the in-flight connectivity solutions provider will market and sell OneWeb’s high-speed, low latency inflight broadband services to business aviation users globally.
The agreement, OneWeb’s first announced Distribution Partner for the business aviation market, was signed at EBACE between Ben Griffin, Vice President Mobility at OneWeb and, Jim MacDougall Vice President, Product Management for Gogo. The partnership underlines the commitment OneWeb is making to bring high-speed, global connectivity to the entire aviation eco-system which includes business aviation users.
“We’re committed to developing and deploying a high-speed, consistent and global low-latency connectivity solution for the business aviation industry, that has been developed by the business aviation community. Leveraging the experience and expertise of world class partners such as Gogo is consistent with this approach,” said Griffin.
Through the milestone agreement, Gogo will help unleash the power of OneWeb’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation which will deliver a true ‘office in the sky’ broadband experience to business aviation operators and passengers.
OneWeb selected Gogo owing to its reputation, maturity in the market and deep business aviation heritage. Gogo Business Aviation has more than 4,500 narrowband satcom systems installed and flying worldwide, and is a factory option at every major business aircraft manufacturer.
“For more than 30 years, Gogo Business Aviation has been a driving force behind the technological innovations that have connected the skies,” MacDougall commented. “This agreement with OneWeb enables Gogo to continue to disrupt and innovate to bring our customers superior connectivity solutions while expanding our service to a global audience.”
With performance comparable with terrestrial broadband services, and game-changing latency of less than 100ms – up to 10 times faster than geostationary satellites (GEOs) – OneWeb plans to open a wealth of inflight connectivity (IFC) applications beyond onboard internet delivering an in-flight connectivity experience which like business – is always open.
Aiming to launch aviation services for business aviation in 2024, OneWeb will further enrich global connectivity, capable of delivering high-quality consistent user experiences, including Polar Region coverage, at a time when cabin connectivity is a top ranked priority for private jet buyers and commercial operators.
Passengers will be able to fully participate in necessary business operations such as multiple simultaneous uninterrupted live video conferences and the ability to access cloud solutions such as Office365. It also allows access to premium entertainment including Live TV, content-streaming applications such as Netflix and Amazon Video, as well as keeping in touch with family using FaceTime, WhatsApp, and other similar services.
The headset is the most critical part of any IFE system. It defines the quality of audio delivery and its look and feel defines the quality of the Airline. The headset is probably responsible for more passenger complaints, and IFE reliability issues than any other IFE component - so why do most airlines leave its procurement to the catering department?”