ARINC Expanding Ku Link for Airborne Broadband Access
ARINC's new Skylink satellite broadband link is proving
popular at Gulfstream, where half of all the customers buying new large-cabin
aircraft are selecting this option, according to ARINC officials. Meanwhile,
ARINC is expanding coverage from North America to include Europe, the Middle
East and Africa by the end of the year.
So far ARINC has delivered 25 ship sets of the avionics
equipment for Skylink to Gulfstream aircraft. A ship set includes a
tail-mounted antenna, a transmit/receiver unit and an antenna control unit. A
mobile access router is also required.
The system is available now on the G350, G450, G500 and G550
business jets and can be retrofit in all large-cabin Gulfstream aircraft
currently in production.
Robert Thompson, ARINC senior director of satellite
services, says his company is also talking to Dassault, Bombardier and Cessna
about equipping some of their jets with Skylink, but as yet there are no
agreements. He says he expects the affordable broadband capability that allows
multiple users in the cabin of a business jet to connect to the Internet and
use voice and fax capability for a single monthly or yearly price should gain
wide acceptance. He expects that within two years about 70% of customers who
can purchase the system for new jets will do so. Skylink provides 128 Kbps data
rate from the aircraft to the ground, and up to 3.5 Mbps from the ground to the
aircraft.
The new service was launched over North America in April,
and early next year ARINC plans to add coverage over the North Atlantic flight
tracks.
