Delta Air Lines has selected Airbus to equip its 20 new A350-1000 aircraft with an advanced in-flight connectivity solution. With this agreement, the carrier becomes the first North American customer to adopt Airbus’s factory-fit offering, utilizing the HBCplus platform as its technological foundation.
Integration of Multi-Orbit Technology and Hughes Fusion
The selected solution is the result of a collaboration between Airbus, Delta, and Hughes. The system integrates the Hughes Fusion product onto the Airbus HBCplus infrastructure, enabling robust multi-orbit connectivity.
To ensure peak performance, particularly within the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) segment, the project includes:
- Factory Installation: The HBCplus core equipment is integrated directly during the aircraft’s production phase.
- Post-Delivery Modifications: Airbus will support Delta in the installation of an Electronically Steered Array (ESA) antenna to complement LEO capacity.
- User Experience: The objective is to ensure a reliable and seamless “gate-to-gate” connection.
Strategic Value of the HBCplus Platform
HBCplus represents Airbus’s high-bandwidth satellite connectivity solution, designed for flexibility and scalability. This system allows operators to choose from various Managed Service Providers (MSPs) via a certified terminal and radome.
Furthermore, Airbus and Delta have agreed to explore the new “modular” approach of HBCplus. This next-generation technology offers disruptive capabilities:
- Antenna Capacity: It can accommodate up to two antennas simultaneously.
- Multiple Satellite Systems: Enables connection to diverse satellite constellations.
- Provider Flexibility: Facilitates provider switching through a rapid retrofit that can be completed overnight.
Industrial Collaboration and Future Vision
For the leadership of the companies involved, this project reinforces a long-standing relationship and sets new industry standards. Joseph Eddy, Director of Cabin Programs at Delta Air Lines, highlighted that leveraging Airbus’s engineering capabilities to integrate the Hughes solution provides real value to their delivery streams.
For his part, Tim Sommer, Vice President and Head of the Connected Aircraft Programme at Airbus, noted that connectivity is now a pillar of passenger expectations and a key enabler for operational efficiency. The future integration with the Delta Sync platform promises to further enhance the onboard experience and the airline’s operational performance.
This technological advancement ensures that Delta’s A350-1000 fleet is prepared for future digital demands, offering unprecedented flexibility to upgrade connectivity services as the market evolves.
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