Cessna Citation Encore+ Aircraft Conversion Exterior Modifications Completed by Fargo Jet Center, with Stellar Blu Solutions Sidewinder Antenna Installation

Panasonic flight tests Sidewinder and Eutelsat OneWeb LEO

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Panasonic Avionics is putting the Stellar Blu Solutions Sidewinder electronically steerable antenna (ESA) through its paces aboard a Cessna Citation, as part of a flight-test program of the Ku-band multi-orbit capable kit that will support its next-generation inflight connectivity service.

“Our Fargo, North Dakota-based test aircraft successfully performed multiple flight tests, connecting to and validating the Eutelsat OneWeb network of LEO satellites,” the Lake Forest, California-based firm states on LinkedIn.

“This marks the latest significant step towards delivering our next-gen connectivity solutions and bringing our multi-orbit network to market.”

Panasonic has long provided Ku-band geostationary (GEO) satellite-supported IFC to airlines using a traditional gimbaled antenna. Offered linefit across Airbus and Boeing platforms and via retrofit, the eXConnect-branded solution has been fitted to more than 3,400 aircraft in the world fleet.

But the inflight entertainment giant sees low-latency Low Earth Orbit (LEO) connectivity as a game-changer for IFC and has committed to offering a multi-orbit IFC solution inclusive of Eutelsat OneWeb LEO service plus service from its own GEO network, which represents a patchwork quilt of agreements with GEO satellite operators around the globe.

Late last year, it sought experimental ‘special temporary authority’ from the Federal Communications Commission to ground-test the performance of Sidewinder, including the ESA’s ability to connect with either GEO (in this instance, satellites operated by SES, Eutelsat and Intelsat) or Eutelsat OneWeb LEO satellites and to switch seamlessly between them while in use.

Now it has taken to the skies for the flight-test portion of the program aboard a Sidewinder-fitted Citation, operating from Fargo. (Fargo Jet Center and Stellar Blu have also been analyzing the satcom terminal’s capability of supporting Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) activities.)

The business jet features the branding of Fargo Jet Center, Stellar Blu Solutions, Eutelsat OneWeb and Panasonic on its livery, as well as the words: “a new dawn for inflight connectivity.”

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Celebrating the flight-test program, Hernan Abbes, who serves as vice president of global sales at Panasonic Avionics, says on LinkedIn that his sons “are all about ‘latency, latency, latency’ when it comes to Wi-Fi…. They are big online gamers! [The] LEO network will allow them, as well as other current and next generation of passengers to experience connectivity in-flight as they do on the ground.”

Intelsat, which is in line to be acquired by SES, is also bringing a Sidewinder-based multi-orbit IFC solution to commercial aviation, and has secured several customers including Air Canada, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Japan Airlines and Aerolineas Argentinas. Panasonic has not yet disclosed its launch customers for multi-orbit IFC, but with the APEX Global EXPO slated to open its doors later this month in Long Beach, California, it’s possible that such announcements are being timed for the show.

Intelsat and Panasonic’s work to bring LEO/GEO connectivity to market comes as SpaceX has made meaningful gains in commercial aviation, recently snatching up United Airlines and Air France as full-fleet IFC customers for its LEO-specific IFC service, which will displace incumbents Panasonic and Intelsat in both instances, as well as Viasat at United.

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Featured image credited to Fargo Jet Center/Stellar Blu Solutions