Airbus Launches Airspace Link HBCplus
June 14, 2022 | Business WireEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Airbus has launched Airspace Link HBCplus, its new flexible satellite connectivity solution that will be offered as an SFE* line-fit catalogue option and also for retrofit on all Airbus programmes. HBCplus, which initially encompasses Ka-band services, will enable airlines to connect to a choice of Managed Service Providers (MSPs) via a new certified terminal and radome built as part of the aircraft. In the future it is planned to extend HBCplus to include MSPs which offer Ku-band services.
Andre Schneider, Airbus VP Cabin & Cargo Programme said: “We are excited to offer airlines a new connectivity service solution that will provide improved speed and reliability for passenger experience and more flexibility. Together with our leading industry partners we are pleased to enable future connectivity business opportunities in the context of the Airspace Link open ecosystem.”
To this end Airbus has selected connectivity satcom leader Inmarsat as the first MSP, contributing its GX Aviation inflight broadband solution which offers reliable and seamless passenger experience with global coverage and capacity for future growth. Additional MSPs will join the HBCplus offering in due course.
Philippe Carette, President of Inmarsat Aviation, said: “We are honoured that Airbus has chosen Inmarsat as the first Managed Service Provider for this transformative connectivity catalogue solution and is putting its trust in our award-winning GX Aviation service across all of its aircraft programmes. Inmarsat looks forward to working closely with our partners Airbus and SPI to deliver continuous innovation for airlines and their passengers worldwide.”
Meanwhile Safran Passenger Innovations (SPI) has been selected as the terminal provider and hardware integrator of ThinKom’s proven antenna technology - targeted for Ka-band services which delivers high data throughput and reliability combined with aircraft fuel savings thanks to the antenna’s lower drag radome.
Matt Smith, CEO, Safran Passenger Innovations, said: “Safran Passenger Innovations is delighted to be selected as the equipment supplier for Airbus’ Airspace Link connectivity solution. We are excited to be a part of the next evolution in the IFC industry by providing the technology for airlines to select the connectivity services most suited to their needs. We look forward to working with Airbus and our partners on this industry-changing endeavour.”
Airspace Link HBCplus thus provides satcom based off-board connectivity for the Airspace Link open ecosystem representing an end-to-end Airbus offer. This solution, which enables the exchange of data as one seamlessly integrated aircraft system, is ideally positioned to unlock future digital services capacity and demand growth, allowing airlines to deliver a best in class passenger connectivity experience, in an exponentially growing market.
Suggested Items
Connect the Dots: Best Practices for Prototyping
09/21/2023 | Matt Stevenson -- Column: Connect the DotsPCB prototyping is a critical juncture during an electronic device’s journey from concept to reality. Regardless of a project’s complexity, the process of transforming a design into a working board is often enlightening in terms of how a design can be improved before a PCB is ready for full production.
The Drive Toward UHDI and Substrates
09/20/2023 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamPanasonic’s Darren Hitchcock spoke with the I-Connect007 Editorial Team on the complexities of moving toward ultra HDI manufacturing. As we learn in this conversation, the number of shifting constraints relative to traditional PCB fabrication is quite large and can sometimes conflict with each other.
Asia/Pacific AI Spending Surge to Reach a Projected $78 Billion by 2027
09/19/2023 | IDCAsia/Pacific spending on Artificial Intelligence (AI) ), including software, services, and hardware for AI-centric systems will grow to $78.4 billion in 2027, according to International Data Corporation's latest Worldwide Artificial Intelligence Spending Guide.
Intel to Sell Minority Stake in IMS Nanofabrication Business to TSMC
09/13/2023 | IntelIntel Corporation announced that it has agreed to sell an approximately 10% stake in the IMS Nanofabrication business to TSMC. TSMC’s investment values IMS at approximately $4.3 billion, consistent with the valuation of the recent stake sale to Bain Capital Special Situations.
RAF Invests in BAE Systems’ Most Advanced Fighter Pilot Helmet
09/13/2023 | BAE SystemsThe UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has awarded BAE Systems a contract to develop its Striker II Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) for the Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon fleet. The contract, valued at £40m, will create and sustain more than 200 highly-skilled jobs at BAE Systems’ sites in Kent and Lancashire working directly on the Striker II programme. In total, the Typhoon programme sustains more than 20,800 jobs across the UK.