Eutelsat starts OneWeb Aviation services. Photo: Getty Images, Greg Bajor, via Eutelsat

Eutelsat’s OneWeb LEO services for commercial and business aviation are now live and operational, as the operator targets more revenues from this lucrative and increasingly competitive market for satellite players.

There are now over 100 certified antenna installations completed and the first commercial and business aircraft now flying using OneWeb LEO connectivity, Eutelsat announced on April 2. Air Canada is the first commercial airline to deploy the multi-orbit GEO/LEO service, by working with Intelsat.

Eutelsat is working with Intelsat, Hughes Network Systems, and Panasonic Avionics to deliver LEO and multi-orbit solutions to the commercial aviation market. In business aviation, Eutelsat has partnered with Gogo, to equip the first Embraer Phenom 300 with LEO services, while aircraft manufacturer, Textron, will be installing solutions on the Cessna Citation Longitude, Latitude and Ascend models as well as Airbus Corporate Jets on all Airbus ACJ types.

Altogether, Eutelsat’s aviation services have a combined backlog of over 1,000 aircraft scheduled for installation.

“With a robust backlog and expanding reach across both commercial and business aviation, we are confident in the long-term growth of our aviation services. We believe that a fully integrated IFC ecosystem will transform in-flight connectivity, providing airlines with flexible, responsible, and scalable solutions that enhance the passenger experience and support the future of air travel worldwide,” Cyril Dujardin, president of the Connectivity Business Unit, Eutelsat, said in a statement.

Read more: Valour Consultancy analyzed Eutelsat’s go-to-market strategy for business aviation in the April/May edition of Via Satellite Magazine.