Slimmer SKYLinkSM Antenna Will Bring Satellite Broadband to Many More Business Jets
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Annapolis, Maryland, USA, May 21, 2007-ARINC Incorporated today announced a new, slimmer Ku-band antenna design for its SKYLinkSM satellite broadband service-the first satellite broadband communications service for business jets.
The new slimmer antenna package is currently undergoing DO 160E testing which is expected to be complete in June. The narrow base design now fits a wider range of airframes and will enable many more operators to take advantage of the SKYLink communications service. The new antenna unit fits radomes in Dassault airframes and Bombardier Global and Challenger airframes.
No operational changes are associated with the new design, which has the same connection speeds as the highly successful first-generation SKYLink antenna.
"We intend to use the new antenna on all future SKYLink installations," stated Joe Inglisa, Director, ARINC SKYLink Program.
ViaSat Inc. (Nasdaq:VSAT) supplies the avionics for the SKYLink system and is conducting the modification and certification. Only structural changes were made to the existing design, which has been used successfully for more than two years. The base mount footprint and support arm profiles were minimized, leaving performance specifications unchanged.
As the world's first satellite broadband communications service for business aircraft, SKYLink gives business leaders ultra-high speed networking capability, for in-flight Internet and private network access speeds comparable to fast terrestrial connections.
SKYLink recently introduced a new Voice over IP (VoIP) telephony service and a fully-managed Fax over IP (FoIP) service to the SKYLink portfolio of applications.
Aircraft that will benefit from the slimmer antenna design include the Dassault Falcon 50 series, 900 series, and 2000 series, as well as the Bombardier BD100, Challenger series, and Global series.
ARINC Incorporated is the world leader in transportation communications and systems engineering. The company develops and operates communications and information processing systems and provides systems engineering and integration solutions to five key industries: airports, aviation, defense, government, and surface transportation. Founded to provide reliable and efficient radio communications for the airlines, ARINC is headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, USA, and operates key regional offices in London and Singapore, with over 3,200 employees worldwide. ARINC is ISO 9001:2001 certified. For more information, visit the web site at www.arinc.com.
