Airborne communications specialist Aircell (Booth No. 390) is here offering a new SwiftBroadband connectivity solution for the business aviation market, claiming that reduced size and cost are making it available to light jets and turboprops.
Aircell
The Aircraft Electronics Association’s annual convention doesn’t rank as the biggest or most heavily attended trade show on the aviation event calendar, but for those who work in the avionics industry the time spent at AEA often proves more valuable than what can be gained from traveling to larger shows like the NBAA Convention and Ebace.
ACC Columbia Jet Service, formerly known as Aviation Center Cologne, is at EBACE (Booth No. 290) promoting its maintenance capability. The German company also has a new facility at Hannover Airport as a result of its recent merger with Columbia Jet Service.
The three business units that comprise EMS Aviation, a newly formed subsidiary of U.S. conglomerate EMS Technologies, have wasted no time in pooling their resources to create a company with a diverse range of expertise in cabin communications.
Stevens Aviation last month said it has gained an STC for installation of Honeywell’s runway awareness and advisory system (Raas) in the Learjet 60, adding another element to a major cockpit and cabin upgrade program for the model. The Raas software is part of the airplane’s enhanced ground proximity warning system.
Aircell announced the first installation of its ATG 5000 high-speed Internet system aboard a California-based Gulfstream G200 operated by charter provider FlightWorks. Gulfstream’s Dallas service center performed the hardware installation, which added a stand-alone ATG 5000 unit and two antennas on the aircraft belly.
Following supplemental type certification of its Simphone OpenCabin airborne telecommunications system for Bombardier’s Global business jet line, TrueNorth Avionics says it is experiencing a run of orders and installations for its software-centric packages.
For at least a decade, the business aviation industry has looked forward to a seamless transition from the office or home to the private jet, with all the same electronic amenities, in particular high-speed Internet connectivity.
By anybody’s measure, the last year has been a big one for Aircell. The number of airline passengers using the company’s Gogo in-flight Internet service grew at an exponential pace (Aircell is about to celebrate the two millionth passenger logon) just as the first business jet passengers started getting their first taste of a truly fast data connection, available anywhere over the continental U.S.
ExecuJet Middle East is now an Aircell-authorized dealer. It is the company’s first appointment in the Middle East as part of a planned expansion. John Wade, senior vice president and general manager for Aircell, said, “We’re pleased to have ExecuJet join our global dealer and distributor network.