VIP aircraft world test flight demonstrates seamless connectivity of Inmarsat Global Xpress

Inmarsat has successfully completed its Global Xpress ‘Around the World’ test flight on a Gulfstream IV aircraft from 5-11 June 2017. The exercise covered more than 25,000 miles and demonstrated the ability of Global Xpress to deliver seamless, worldwide coverage across multiple spot beams and satellites.

While government and business users have historically had to manipulate flight plans to avoid gaps in coverage and performance, the test flight enjoyed complete flexibility in route selection – beginning in the United States with stops in the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Australia and Fiji.

A Global Xpress subscription-based data plan was configured for the Honeywell aero Tail Mount Antenna (TMA), with a committed information rate of 4Mbps forward and 1Mbps return but capable of 15Mbps or more.

Uniform coverage

Uniform coverage and service was delivered to the aircraft as it moved across 28 beams with handovers that went unnoticed by users; and three satellite-to-satellite handovers that were accomplished seamlessly.

The terminal’s global plan enabled access to the Global Xpress network worldwide without the need to pre-coordinate and receive satellite-specific option files. During the flight, Global Xpress supported mission-critical voice, data and streaming applications, including video teleconferencing, high-speed Internet access and file transfer, VPN as well as phone calls, that fully delivered or exceeded the committed information rate.

Inmarsat’s always-on worldwide capability for VIP aircraft customers is part of its global mobility-centric strategy and unique in the market. Supporting the demanding ‘go anywhere, anytime’ nature of aviation operations for decades, Inmarsat is the market leader in providing a consistent, reliable L-band connectivity experience for users around the world.

Resilience approach

Global Xpress is the first and only end-to-end commercial Ka-band solution that delivers a worldwide service. Inmarsat builds its commercial satellite systems from the ground up with mobile users in mind, thereby, augmenting military satellite resources cost effectively, for optimal redundancy, diversity, protection, scalability and global portability – the ultimate resilience approach.

Inmarsat offers Global Xpress as an end-to-end managed subscription service – SATCOM as a Service – that enables access to an always-on, worldwide network with 24/7 management, monitoring and support. With no infrastructure charges or R&D investment on their part, customers travel from one location to another, and simply ‘plug in’ to Global Xpress to get what they need, where they need it, and when they need it.

“This Gulfstream IV ‘Around the World’ test flight demonstrates Inmarsat’s ability to deliver reliable, seamless next-generation wideband connectivity for aeronautical users,” said Steve Gizinski, Vice President of Special Programs, Inmarsat U.S. Government Business Unit.

“Highly mobile, bandwidth-hungry government and commercial users can now travel the world and enjoy connectivity that allows them to conduct business as if they were in the office … even while 40,000 feet in the air.”