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Bombardier Makes Ka-band Internet a Retrofit Option at all Service Centers

By Caleb Henry | September 28, 2016
Bombardier Global 5000

A Bombardier Global 5000 plane. Photo: Bombardier

[Via Satellite 09-28-2016] Aircraft manufacturer Bombardier has received a supplemental type certificate for its Bombardier Wireless Access Virtually Everywhere (WAVE), In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) solution, which is now available for installation on all Bombardier Global 5000 and Global 6000 aircraft, as well as previous Global aircraft models as a retrofit.

The Bombardier WAVE service leverages Honeywell Aerospace‘s JetWave hardware and Inmarsat‘s JetConneX solution for global connectivity. JetConneX uses Inmarsat’s Global Xpress Ka-band satellite constellation, which has steerable beams that can boost bandwidth in high traffic areas and direct capacity where needed.

Bombardier’s in-service Global fleet has performed nearly 700,000 landings and has logged nearly 2 million flight hours. A Global 5000 aircraft is the first customer aircraft to feature a retrofit installation of Bombardier WAVE at its Singapore Service Center. According to Bombardier, this jet can now allow its passengers to browse the Internet, stream online media and stage videoconferences in the sky.