Satcom Direct Offers New SmartBox

Satcom Direct, the Melbourne, Florida-based satellite communications and equipment provider, is here at EBACE with three key announcements relating to its SmartBox for IFE content; a new contract with Air Alsie; and a new FANS data link unit. SD is also celebrating its 20th anniversary at EBACE this year. “We’re proud of that,” Michael Christensen, managing director Satcom Direct EMEA, told reporters at a press briefing the company held earlier this month at TAG Farnborough Airport in the UK, where the firm has its international HQ On Wednesday, the company will be holding an event at its booth (S80).

Busy Last Year

“A lot happened in 2016,” said Christensen. “We announced SD Pro at EBACE. SD Pro is an integrated flight operations management platform.It ties everything together, with Trip Support by Universal Weather & Aviation.

“In 2016 we also added two new networks; Inmarsat JetConneX (JX) and Panasonic Ku-band. So we went from Kb to Mb [speeds].” JX has the potential for 15 Mb/s in and six Mb/s off, and “price per Mb going drastically down.” With the Panasonic partnership, he said, “We’re the only provider to private aviation, but they have [their systems in] 1,500 airliners with a 3,000-aircraft backlog. Private aviation will have preferred access over the commercial airlines.” To provide the tail-mounted antenna preferred for corporate jets, Panasonic partnered with Astronics.

SD also made three key acquisitions over the past couple of years: First, COMSAT–the Airbus government satcom company. “It has two teleport facilities in the U.S., which means we now have a ground segment in our portfolio,” said Christensen. Second, AircraftLogs, offering scheduling software, finance and tax reporting and integration with SD Pro. “We will also partner with other third-party providers of scheduling software. We won’t force customers to use ours,” said Christensen. And third but not least, TrueNorth Avionics, which was already manufacturing the SDR unit (400 of which are in the market already) and was strong in the VIP/head-of-state market.

“We have an enhanced product roadmap as a result of combined business and a larger R&D team for the future… so SD/TN tech can always be first to market and far in advance of competitive offerings,” said Christensen. “Adding TrueNorth allows us to cover everything from the smallest aircraft that can fit equipment on board to the largest VIP/head-of-state aircraft. Software ties it all together, so whoever sits on ground and is monitoring the airplane can see everything.” He further noted that, “It doesn’t matter if your fleet is a mix of Bombardier, Global or whatever. The network  [works for all of it]."

The future lies in faster data connections, said Christensen. “Customers want more speed. They want their WhatsApp to work in the airplane.” To achieve this, SD offers the SDR, SD WiFi Hub and TN Optelity cabin gateway. SD Hub and LTE will serve as a WiFi access point. For example, if the router is in back and the client is in front and there’s no signal, SD can now extend the Wi-Fi signal to every corner of the airplane.

In September, SD will start delivering its new LTE Hub. An enhancement of its current Wi-Fi hub, it will enable LTE connectivity in-flight. It's the smallest aircraft router, but uses the fastest 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard. Christensen said SD has already secured “a couple of orders in for the LTE hubs, in widebody installations, where they have the earlier hub installed.”

Cybersecurity

The growing importance of cybersecurity has not gone unnoticed at SD. Christensen said, “For a very long time, a corporate flight department would have IT compliance within their department, for example, with a VPN…but that didn’t extend to the airplane. The problem with that is the top [members] of the company hierarchy are in the airplane, and their information is highly delicate. So there is a risk of having no control over the data. That makes it a no-go many times.” So he suggests, “Whoever can live up to [clients’] IT requirements has an advantage.”

At EBACE 2017 the company is offering complimentary compliance consultations to visitors. “So if a company wanted to come and sit down and see how we can extend their IT infrastructure to their airplane, we can look how we can fulfill those requirements,” said Christensen.

SD has expanded globally in recent years and now has “strategically-placed” offices close to aircraft OEMs, such as Savannah, Georgia (Gulfstream), Little Rock, Arkansas (Dassault), Seattle, Washington (Boeing), and São Paulo, Brazil (Embraer). It also has offices in Moscow, Dubai, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Australia. Christensen said that when he was in Asia, the aim was to “be within three hours’ flying time of all of our customers.”

SD EBACE Announcements

SmartBox

At its booth, Satcom Direct is demonstrating how its new SmartBox will allow access to the Lufthansa Technik nicemedia premium content service on all IFE/CMS platforms. It has also created the SD Entertainment brand to go with the launch.

The joint service was launched at MEBAA 2016 in Dubai for aircraft equipped with LHT’s niceHD cabin system. The move expands the number of aircraft types that can benefit from the nicemedia SmartBox system, which delivers Hollywood blockbuster movies and contemporary TV shows to the cabin.

At EBACE, SD has a special promotion for the unit, one months’ free service (with a 12-month subscription), or two months free with a 24-month subscription.

The content can be viewed on cabin monitors, or can be streamed to personal electronic devices including iPhones, iPads, Android phones and tablets. Multiple devices and users are supported, allowing passengers to watch different content on PEDs and cabin monitors at the same time.

Automated monthly content updates can be downloaded to the SmartBox while on the ground, avoiding additional data usage onboard. Up to 450 movies and TV shows per year will be available.

Christensen said the carry-on box is unique and means no STC is required. He said it just needs an Ethernet connection to the router, which finds the nicemedia device by itself.

The unit measures five inches by seven inches by two inches and weighs 2.3 pounds (1.04kg). Deliveries will begin at the end of May.

Air Alsie

Satcom Direct is also announcing here that it has signed an exclusive-provider agreement with Air Alsie to supply a range of connectivity services across the Air Alsie fleet. The Danish charter company also provides air-ambulance and aircraft-management services.

The arrangement will initially see SD providing voice and data services, as well as flight deck communication functionality. SD will also be the provider for Air Alsie’s future planned connectivity solutions, including Inmarsat’s Ka-band JetConneX.

SD will also upgrade the operator’s Falcon aircraft with the Satcom Direct Routers (SDRs).

Air Alsie operates one of Europe’s largest executive fleets including Hawkers, Citations, two ATR72-500s, Gulfstreams, and a fleet of 14 Dassault Falcon aircraft, eight of which are Falcon 7Xs. It represents Europe’s largest Dassault Falcon fleet. “Our mixed fleet necessitates partnering with a company that can create and adapt its product range to fulfill our diverse connectivity requirements, from the smallest to the largest of our jets, worldwide,” said Tom Carstensen of Air Alsie.

FANS Unit

The final announcement that SD has for EBACE is that its subsidiary TrueNorth Avionics’ FANS-1/A Data Link Unit, which interfaces with an Iridium antenna (so it will work at the poles), will be available in the third quarter of 2017. Christensen said it meets all the necessary mandates and has the same size and footprint as the TSO C-159a DLU. It has single-channel voice plus data for safety services. “Right now we are getting Transport Canada certification and EASA and FAA will follow after that,” said Christensen.

SD’s Timeline Highlights

1997    Founded by Jim Jensen

2002    Became Inmarsat reseller

2004    Designated Iridium service provider

2008    ViaSat reseller for Yonder

Acquired Honeywell OneLink

2009    Became SwiftBroadband reseller

Launched AeroV VoIP

OneView (DirecTV)

SD Flight Tracker

2012    Started international expansion

            Opened offices in Farnborough, Dubai, Montreal and São Paulo

2013    Opened Hong Kong office

            SDR certificated

            Distribution partner for Inmarsat JetConneX

2014    Opened Offices in Ottawa, Geneva and Moscow

            GlobalONE IP, aeroXR

            SmartSky SP

            SDR selected for Gulfstream new aircraft forward fit

2015    Opened Denver Office

            New World HQ opened in Melbourne, Florida

            Global VT launch

2016    Launched live TV streaming on SD Live at NBAA