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Bombardier and Honeywell have announced the latest delivery milestone in the installation of the revolutionary Ka-band satellite broadband technology aboard Bombardier Global and Challenger business jets.
Bombardier’s award-winning Singapore service centre installed its first Ka-band system on an in-service Global 6000 aircraft. In 2016, the Singapore service centre installed the first-ever Ka-band system on an in-service Global 5000 aircraft.
“Our customers need to stay connected no matter where they are in the world, and Bombardier continues to lead the industry in offering the most advanced in-flight media experience available today on both its new and in-service aircraft,” said Jean-Christophe Gallagher, vice-president and General Manager, Customer Experience, Bombardier Business Aircraft.
“With Ka-band, passengers can remain connected across oceans, at 41,000 feet, and virtually everywhere they fly. Moreover, our OEM-owned service centres have become masters of the installation to ensure aircraft are returned to service within a minimum downtime.”
Ka-band technology features the industry’s fastest in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing passengers to browse the internet, stream live TV and movies or stage a video conference virtually anywhere in the skies and as quickly and as effortlessly as they would in their home or office.
The system leverages Honeywell Aerospace’s JetWave hardware to deliver ultra-high-speed access, consistent performance and seamless coverage worldwide.
Bombardier’s Global aircraft offer the luxurious Premier cabin and a cutting-edge cabin management system (CMS). In addition to impressive performance characteristics and advanced wing design, they provide a smooth ride and can operate in and out of certain challenging airports, all while keeping passengers connected.
“In Asia Pacific, business jet owners and operators are demanding better, faster, and more consistent in-flight Wi-Fi that is identical as what they have on the ground. With Honeywell’s JetWave hardware and GoDirect Cabin services, business jet owners and operators now have the ability to manage usage and bandwidth to be cost effective,” said Andy Gill, senior director, Business and General Aviation, Asia Pacific, Honeywell Aerospace.
“This new generation of technology is a complete step change from previous generations of airborne hardware allowing a much smoother installation process. We have been working very closely with the Bombardier team to minimize the down time for Jetwave installations, so operators can adopt this technology with a minimum amount of disruption to their flight operations, which has been key to the rapid adoption of our JetWave system by leading business jet manufacturers like Bombardier.”
In 2015, Bombardier became the first original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to announce plans to offer Ka-band technology as an option on its new and in-service business aircraft, and the first to begin deliveries in 2016, a breakthrough moment in business aviation.
The first retrofit installation on a Global 5000 aircraft was completed at the Singapore service centre in July 2016. Bombardier received certification to offer the system on its new and in-service Challenger aircraft in May 2017.
OEM-owned service centres enable operators to benefit from faster access to Bombardier’s worldwide parts and support expertise while pairing a Ka-band installation with a scheduled maintenance event.
Located at Seletar Airport, Bombardier’s award-winning Singapore service centre is one of nine service centres, six line maintenance stations and 23 Mobile Response Team vehicles that comprise Bombardier’s worldwide maintenance network.
In February 2018, it celebrated four years of impressive growth and superior customer service and is recognized today as a centre of excellence for complex retrofit work.
An acknowledged centre of excellence, the Singapore service centre provides high-quality OEM expertise to Bombardier operators in the broader Asia region, including scheduled and unscheduled maintenance and full interior refurbishment and modifications, avionics installations and aircraft on ground (AOG) support.
The Singapore service centre has more than quadrupled the number of engineers and technicians on staff since opening its doors in February 2014. In November 2016, the facility received the Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA) Icons of Aviation award for Best Maintenance Repair Organization in Asia.
