Airbus Corporate Jets has won its first work to retrofit two widebody ACJ aircraft with Ka-band satellite communications, which will improve internet connectivity.
The work comes from two customers, Charter firm Comlux and an undisclosed customer, says ACJ. The airframer revealed the two projects at last week’s ABACE private jet gathering in Shanghai.
ACJ says Ka-band requires a larger antenna to be installed on the aircraft. Speeds are sufficient to support real-time television, audio, and video streaming at up to 50 megabits per second.
“Corporate jet customers for the ACJ320 family, as well as VVIP widebodies, invariably request satellite communications - being connected is part of the ACJ Flying experience - and generally want to benefit from the latest personal devices, including tablets and mobile phones,” says Benoit Defforge, managing director of Airbus Corporate Jets.
“We are quickly bringing to market an innovative approach that delivers faster and better internet access, via the latest Ka-band technology, complementing what we already provide in the cabin, which is the best comfort and space that money can buy,” he adds.
Separately, Airbus Corporate Jets added Xiamen-based HAECO Private Jet Solutions and Singapore-based ST Aerospace to its service network.
This adds the pair to a network that also includes Airbus Corporate Jet Centre in Toulouse, Comlux America in Indianapolis, and Sepang Aircraft Engineering in Malaysia.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
