As part of efforts to make air travel enjoyable, Lufthansa German Airline has equipped its entire wide-body aircraft, including the A330-300 deployed on the Nigerian destinations with broadband Internet on board.
The carrier also stated that from October this year, the first short- and medium-haul aircraft would take off with broadband Internet on board. Lufthansa’s entire A320 family fleet is expected to have the innovative technology installed by mid-2018.
One key milestone has already been reached- Lufthansa Technik is the first MRO company in Europe to have received the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from EASA to install a Ka-band antenna on the A320 family, i.e. the A319, A320, and A321 models.
The STC serves to verify that the modifications to the aircraft (hardware or software) conform to the design specifications stipulated by EASA.
The first aircraft was equipped with the technology in June. In the coming weeks, the on-board system will be tested for functionality and stability. Lufthansa passengers will likely be able to use the new Internet service from October. Other airlines in the Lufthansa Group will follow at a later date.
The future service from Lufthansa and its technology partner Inmarsat is based on the latest broadband satellite technology (Ka-band) and offers seamless, reliable coverage on short- and medium-haul flights through Inmarsat’s Global Xpress network. Passengers will be able to access the Internet using their own mobile devices via Wi-Fi.
In addition to basic surfing and email, other more sophisticated applications will be possible, including video streaming. At a later date, passengers will be able to use their cellphones for SMS and data transfer via their own mobile accounts.
With its many years of experience in the aircraft modification sector, Lufthansa Technik is responsible for installing all systems and components as well as for the works required to comply with aeronautical and statutory regulations.
In Europe, this was the first successful installation involving the GX communications network and the Honeywell-designed Ka-band antenna.
The installed components were integrated in the cabin infrastructure in such a way that they are virtually invisible for passengers and easy to operate by the cabin crew.
Ifeoma Okeke
