Understanding the ‘connectivity urge’, business jet operators have factored in ICT on board, giving a competitive edge to the high-flying executive. The market is only opening up now and call rates will find its keel, like the way mobiles did over years.

Tablets, iPads, Blackberries, laptops , mobiles, etc have changed not only social mores, but also the way business is done. Whether it is on land, water or skies, connectivity has become crucial for businesses to thrive. The worldwide web, which can be accessed fast and quick from anywhere, has made information crucial in today’s highly competitive world.

For the modern-day executive, time is money. Whether he or she is on a train, in a car, on a ship, or 30,000 feet plus high, the need to be ‘connected’ to one’s office, to one’s community, and to one’s family and friends has been fulfilled, thanks to information and communication technologies (ICT).

Understanding the ‘connectivity urge’, business jet operators have factored in ICT on board, giving a competitive edge to the high-flying executive. A Ku-band satellite connection provides relatively high-speed Internet voice and data transfer at 512 kbps per channel and 64 kbps integrated service digital network (ISDN) on board a business jet, albeit the service pricing may be ‘sky-high’. The market is only opening up now and call rates will find their keel, like the way mobiles did over years.

There are several business jet operators in India who have transformed their cabins, understanding the requirements of the globetrotting executives. For instance, Poonawalla Aviation, which has a Falcon 900 EX and a Cessna Citation Excel, has invested additional $3 million ( Rs. 75 crore) in customising the Falcon with satellite communication (Satcom), convertible bed, dining table, DVD player, fax machine, king-size baggage compartments, etc. It can carry 14 passengers who can conduct business conference or meetings on board. Similarly, the company has invested around $1 million ( Rs. 5 crore) in its Citation aircraft with facilities such as DVD player, Aircell (airborne telephone with intercom). It has a capacity of eight seats for conducting business meetings.

So are many players equipping their aircraft with the latest in communication and also in a host of other facilities, including cuisine, that go to make flying a ‘pleasurable business experience’.

ARINC which is a world leader in aerospace and defence solutions has passenger communications for business aviation. With the fastest broadband connections possible and the lowest rates in the industry, ARINC Direct Satcom are the obvious choice to keep passengers connected—just like they are at home or in the office. Reading and writing e-mails, making voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) phone calls, surfing the Internet, sending and receiving faxes, and video conferencing are just a few of the things made possible by ARINC Direct’s passenger communications solutions.

Inmarsat Services

Since not every flight department needs the speed of a Kuband broadband Internet connection, ARINC Direct offers a full array of Inmarsat (L-band) services enhanced by features like seamless Ku/L-band switching, automatic fax detection, and an online interface to view real-time traffic.

Inmarsat services are available for the following connection types: Swift 64; Swift Broadband / BGAN; Aero-H/H+/I Mini-M; and Iridium Services.

With the business aviation industry moving towards Iridium connectivity as the standard in satellite communications and the replacement for Magnastar, ARINC Direct customers are benefiting greatly from the cost-effective, highly reliable service.

Yonder Wonder

With the introduction of ViaSat ‘Yonder’ service, unlimited high-speed connectivity for business aircraft has become a reality. Yonder service delivers cable-like performance plus seamless connections around the globe, in-flight and on the ground, and without the worry of being disconnected.

Yonder service is “always on” and available while idling, taxiing or in full flight. Unlike competitive services, there are no service limitations on the ground or below 10,000 feet. ViaSat’s experience shows that as much as 40 per cent of service usage for a typical aircraft occurs while on the ground. What’s more, Yonder service is on whenever the aircraft is powered up; there’s no special login required to connect.

Simple Service Plan

For a fixed monthly fee, business aircraft passengers can use their laptops, smart phones, tablets, and PDAs to enjoy a true high-speed Internet experience as often and as much as they want. Service is delivered over multi-purpose Ku-band satellites, making it more affordable than services based on special satellites that support only limited markets. Yonder service truly enables the business aircraft office-in-the-sky for the first time.

ViaSat has developed VMT-1500 communications shipset specifically for large cabin business aircraft. It is in daily service today on hundreds of aircraft under STCs developed specifically for the Gulfstream G500/G400/GV/GIV series, Bombardier Global Express and Challenger series, the Cessna Citation X, Boeing BBJ, and others.

The VMT-1500 system is the lightest, smallest-footprint Ku-band terminal for high-speed Internet access via satellite to aircraft. The system is sold exclusively through aircraft manufacturers and ViaSat-authorised maintenance repair overhaul (MRO) resellers: Bombardier Aerospace-factory option on Global 5000 and Global XRS; Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation-factory option on G450 and G550 aircraft; Duncan Aviation—all US locations; Innotech Aviation— Montreal, Canada; Jet Aviation—all facilities worldwide; Lufthansa Technik- Europe, Asia-Pacific, USA; and Standard Aero—all facilities worldwide.

Skylogic Up Ahead

Skylogic, Eutelsat’s broadband affiliate, has teamed with ViaSat, producer of innovative satellite and wireless communications products, to provide in-flight communications to business jets flying over Europe. The new service has already been selected by ARINC, a world leader in aviation communications, which announces that passengers on over 40 business jets flying over European airspace are now benefiting from satellite-based in-flight communications. ARINC provides users with European coverage through Ku-band capacity on Eutelsat’s Atlantic Bird 2.

The service supplied by ViaSat and Skylogic, called D-Star aero, provides business aviation passengers with office-inthe-sky communications, including access to e-mail, Internet, voice over IP (VOIP), fax over IP (FOIP) and corporate intranets. On-board access to users through laptops is provided via a Wi-Fi hotspot installed inside the aircraft. Full service can work during taxi, take-off, flight and landing.

The full avionics system weighs less than 20 kilos, including a 30 cm circular antenna which is tail-mounted and fits on larger business aircraft including Gulfstream GIV, GIV-SP, G400, GV, G500, G550, Cessna Citation X, Dassault Falcon 900, and Bombardier Global Express and Challengers.

ARINC supplies the service under its SkyLink brand to business jet manufacturers and is also working to make this high-speed broadband service a standard option on new business aircraft. Dassault Falcon has already received more than 90 orders for the Falcon 7X between 2007 and 2010.