Aircraft

Rockwell Collins has finalised a deal to acquire Arinc's SkyLink broadband terminal products and customers, enabling it to reintroduce its Exchange connectivity package for the corporate aviation market more than four years after the product launch.

In 2003, Collins announced installation of its high-speed internet and email package on two Samsung Techwin Bombardier Global Express XRS business jets using Connexion by Boeing for connectivity. But plans for those and other aircraft were scuppered in 2006 when Boeing decided to discontinue Connexion.

In June 2007, Collins said it would team with Arinc to provide Ku-band satellite service for Exchange as a replacement for Connexion. At the time, Arinc's SkyLink was a competing product, offering uplink rates as high as 3.5Mb/s. The system uses a tail-mounted dish antenna ideal for larger Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault and Gulfstream business jets, and has been installed on more than 60 Gulfstreams.

But now Collins will become the "channel to market" for all SkyLink hardware - rebranded as Exchange - and will take over the support function for more than 60 units in the field.

SkyLink hardware includes a tail-mounted antenna subsystem, antenna control unit, aircraft integrated transceiver and router, all made by ViaSat Broadband Systems group, as well as Arinc's mobile access router and, if installed, Arinc's voice-over-IP system, says Andrew Mohr, Collins' director of marketing for cabin systems. Mohr says Arinc will continue to provide the Ku-band satellite service for Exchange.

Collins is discussing upgrades with Bombardier and other customers who installed the original Exchange systems, says Mohr.