Private jets are, for many, an office in the sky. So perhaps it is no surprise that the business aviation world’s innovation focuses today more than ever on the most critical business need: internet connectivity. While suppliers continue to tweak offerings to support the smaller aircraft, manufacturers are heavily focused on making the in-flight internet services available on board.
Maybe it is a radome or an antenna or something else, but the vast majority of what we’re working on is connectivity-related.
– Ray Rennert, New Product Development Manager, Gulfstream Aerospace
Speaking at the Connected Aviation Intelligence Summit in Denver earlier this month, Natalia Vargas Bejarano, Bombardier‘s Director for Aftermarket Product and Digital Strategy & PMO, noted, “The rate of innovation in our connectivity [offerings] is far faster than the rate of innovation on other ideas.” That idea was echoed by Ray Rennert, New Product Development Manager at Gulfstream Aerospace. He shared that customers repeatedly prioritized connectivity above all else. “We survey our customers about what they want,” Rennert explained, “and the biggest complaint is Wi-Fi. People want it. They’re so addicted, for better or worse, to connectivity.”
Those implementations come with an array of challenges, however. The smaller footprint of an electrically steered antenna (ESA) for connectivity to a LEO satellite constellation is compelling to the industry at first blush. But Rennert also called attention to several critical limitations for such implementations. Most noteworthy, “the older [planes] may not have the available extra power to run phased array antennas, so they may not be able to do that without an engine change, and that makes it much more expensive.”
Similarly, Bejarano remarked at the pace of change from vendors, and shift in technologies available to aircraft owners. “Connectivity is really driving our innovation, because of the evolution of the technology and the demand. And nowadays as an OEM one choice to offer is not enough; the customer wants multiple choices.” Power becomes an even greater challenge for multiple systems installations, joined by space constraints on board.
As for other creature comforts, progress does continue. Rennert cited options like lighting modes for the interior to help adjust circadian rhythms while crossing time zones. Bejarano highlighted new upholstery options and designs that her company is pursuing. And development will occur. But all of that comes as secondary considerations today.
Consumers are far more willing to overlook older furniture or fixtures if the Wi-Fi signal is strong.
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