FUTURE-PROOFING YOUR CONNECTIVITY INVESTMENT

In a multi-orbit offering landscape the SD terminals, operators are assured that as their usage evolves, so will the terminal. With airframes designed and manufactured to last thirty years or more, and technology advancing at a rapid rate,

Airborne connectivity represents a significant investment for an aircraft owner or operator.

Satcom Direct is introducing a new generation of networkagnostic terminals designed with future-proof technologies for optimized connectivity investment.

As any owner will attest to, installation and upgrading of connectivity equipment requires significant investment.

As the appetite for data continues to grow, it is vital to operational efficiencies and passenger experience that suitable connectivity solutions are selected. Connectivity users frequently compare the terrestrial experience, an experience characterized by a persistent, high bandwidth, low latency connection, with their aerial expectation. Replicating this experience in an aircraft at 45,000 feet flying near 0.9 Mach is a technical challenge. The aircraft is maneuvering frequently, the antenna and satellite are both in motion, and there are clouds and rain in between both, all of which affect latency depending on which orbit the satellite is on.

The Satcom Direct Plane Simple®, Ku-band tail-mounted antenna, the first in a series of antennas which, as the name suggests, simplifies the connectivity ownership experience, was commercially introduced in February 2023. The advanced technology antenna has numerous advantages over many existing options. Flexible pricing plans, uncomplicated installation, easy upgrade paths, only two LRUs (line replaceable units). It’s network agnostic and purpose-built for the business aviation sector.

Today operators require multiple connectivity solutions to achieve their performance and resilience requirements, and the right selection protects the investment in an evolving network provider landscape. There are a host of considerations when evaluating which solution to select and install. This is further complicated by the growth of opportunities delivered by multi-orbit options. No longer is it a case of choosing a single frequency, Ka or Ku-band, but more than ever, it requires analysis of usage, destinations, passenger numbers and airframe type.

Equipping the right aircraft antenna is also essential for data transmission to and from the aircraft. Two main technologies support antenna functionality. The gimbaled antenna physically moves to point the antenna to the connected constellation, and the electronically steered flat panel antennas, ESA, steer the beam electrically with limited or no moving parts. The challenge with aircraft antennas relates to the limited amount of space on which to install them. This is one of the motivations for the SD Plane Simple series to offer two formats, the compact tail mount or the flat panel fuselage mount, which is a scalable ESA.

The good news is that all constellations can provide nearglobal coverage as long as they can see a ground station, and the right mix of satellite networks can deliver unbroken coverage. “We anticipate that in the very near future, the multi-orbit offering will become the norm for aircraft that frequently fly around the globe, so it is essential to research all the variables. This is why we focus on putting the customer at the center of everything we do by providing a consultative approach to their needs,” explains Moore. Dependable, high-performance airborne global connectivity is now an expectation. With the Plane Simple modular, upgradeable terminals, customers can harness the different frequencies and orbits via multiple network operators to assure the reliability and longevity of the airborne connection.

“Our solutions are designed to operate with existing and future network constellations. The current Plane Simple Ku-band terminal is connecting with the Intelsat FlexExec network, which has been purpose-built for the business aviation community, and our Ka-band solution is already connecting over the air with Inmarsat Jet ConneX. However, as new constellations come online, data demand heightens, customer expectations grow, and airframes generate more data than ever before, we can upgrade the system to leverage the most suitable network,” adds Moore.

Satcom Direct is already successfully showcasing the multiple orbit technology with the trialling of its Dual Dissimilar offering. The Dual Dissimilar technology equips an aircraft with the Plane Simple Ku- and Ka-band tail mount antennas (Dual) to support two different satellite constellations (Dissimilar), enabling Satcom Direct customers to leverage the best aspects of each network to deliver full redundancy and ensure uninterrupted consistent global connectivity. With owners of large cabin long-range or executive airliners already demanding double or sometimes triple redundancy, the Dual Dissimilar option increases the amount of data that can be transmitted to and from the aircraft and, consequently, the bandwidth available. This enhances digital communications, aircraft performance monitoring, and crew operations support for both the avionics and cabin WiFi. Data can also be prioritized to chosen passenger devices, ensuring principals and key stakeholders always maintain the required connection, even when data demand in the cabin is high.

Scan the QR Code, to download the latest White Paper on Multi-orbit connectivity from Satcom Direct,

We recognize that the choice is bewildering which is why we always start by figuring out exactly what the customer needs from the connectivity. Our vision is to deliver dependable, high-performance, airborne global systems that enable the digital transformation of flight operations and raises industry standards. We want to make managing connectivity and operations more efficient, more simple, and more convenient. Achieving this vision requires continuous innovation, collaboration with key partners, and a dedicated focus on delivering our customers added value every step of the way. No single satellite network or proprietary technology can deliver on such ambitions, which is why we’re creating technology that can adapt and be modified to meet dynamic, demanding customer expectations.