GRAHAM WARWICK / WASHINGTON DC
Launch customer Gulfstream will be able to provide fast internet and e-mail access
Airline telecommunications specialist Arinc is moving into the business aviation market with the introduction of broadband and datalink services. Gulfstream has become the launch customer for the company's SkyLink broadband satellite communications service, which will provide in-flight e-mail and internet connectivity.
Arinc's SkyLink service is to become operational over North America in the second quarter of next year, using SES Americom satellites. ViaSat is supplying the Ku-band transceiver, which operates at data rates of 8-10Mb/s. Flight tests were conducted late last year using a Cessna Citation X equipped with a steerable tail-mounted antenna.
The system will be substantially faster than Inmarsat's 64Kb/s Swift64 service, and will allow high-speed, two-way private networking, says Arinc. SkyLink competes with Boeing's Connexion, already installed on a number of large business jets. Gulfstream will offer the system as an option on new large-cabin aircraft and for retrofit.
Datalink services will be available in the first quarter of next year with the launch of Arinc Direct, which will compete with the Honeywell AFIS, Teledyne Controls TeleLink and Universal Avionics UniLink flight information services. Like these business aviation services, Arinc Direct will use the company's ACARSVHF datalink network.
Arinc Direct services, including flight planning, two-way messaging, weather reports and flight following can be accessed from any computer, via the internet, without special software. Arinc has teamed with Air Routing International to provide trip planning and ground hand-ling via its new datalink service.
Flight Options, the world's second largest fractional-ownership operator, is to install AirCell's Iridium-based satellite communications system across its fleet. The initial order is for 50 ST3100 systems, worth $1.1 million, for crew and passenger telephone and data communications. Systems have been installed in two Bombardier Challengers for evaluation and the remainder will be fitted over the next 12 months. Flight Options, which already uses AirCell's airborne cellular communications system, plans to standardise its fleet with the ST3100 over the next eight years. AirCell has also introduced the AST3500, a combined cellular/Iridium system. Other Iridium satcom systems include Honeywell's Airsat-1 and Blue Sky Network, which repackages Motorola's satellite telephone.Source: Flight International
