Satcom network provider Inmarsat (Booth X107) is planning to introduce its European Aviation Network (EAN) in-flight Wi-Fi service to the business aviation market by January, the company announced on Monday at EBACE 2018. The service integrates satcom connectivity from Inmarsat with an LTE-based ground network operated by Deutsche Telekom, covering all 28 EU member states, as well as Switzerland and Norway. The combination offers fast connectivity and low-latency performance over land or water, providing the bandwidth for data-rich Internet use, such as working with remote business desktops and streaming hi-def videos at speeds comparable to ground-based mobile broadband.

The satellite and ground network is fully operational, an undisclosed large business aviation company has signed as launch customer, and planning for the first supplemental type certificate (STC) is under way. Several flight trials with partners Cobham, Thales, and Nokia have been successfully completed using a Cessna Citation II provided by Dutch company NLR.

EAN’s planned rollout follows its successful introduction in the commercial airline market, with major customers already announced “and ongoing discussions with other interested carriers across the continent,” said Philip Balmaan, president of UK-based Inmarsat.

Aircraft can connect using small, lightweight, low-drag hardware that is cost-effective to install and operate, making EAN “a game changer for the business aviation market,” said Balmaan.

“Our projections show that the European business aviation fleet will grow beyond 5,000 aircraft in the coming years,” said Balaam. “We expect a strong uptake for EAN by offering a variety of data plans to meet every budget.”