The family of AVIATOR SwiftBroadband solutions, newly-formed Cobham plc Strategic Business Unit (SBU) Cobham SATCOM signals for attention in the aeronautical communications sector at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo (Stand 6E74) April 9-11 at Messe, Germany.

Cobham SATCOM was formed in October 2012 after the July 2012 acquisition of Danish satellite telecommunications group Thrane & Thrane by British defense equipment manufacturer Cobham plc. The SBU’s aeronautical group now consists of the experts and engineers behind the established AVIATOR and Omnipless brands.

Company chiefs have predicted that the converging of two progressive satellite communication manufacturers in the aeronautical industry will make a big impact, as Cobham SATCOM invests in product and market development to respond to new regulations and the surge in demand for connectivity within the air transport, business aviation and defense sectors.

“The opportunity to join these two businesses creates the engineering platform to really make a leap in the kind of satellite systems available to the airline industry,” said Kim Gram, Vice President Aeronautical Business Unit, Cobham SATCOM.

“Our combined experience, expertise and global operations will make it easier for customers to choose communications equipment and integrated solutions that are right for them.” Cobham SATCOM’s already well-established core portfolio of SwiftBroadband solutions, ranging from the AVIATOR 200, 300 and 350 to the AVIATOR 700 and 700D, provides in-flight connectivity to support a host of advanced applications including cockpit voice dialing in addition to in-flight calling, email and Internet browsing for passengers.

Approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the AVIATOR 700D is the first FANS 1/A compliant system in the AVIATOR portfolio of SwiftBroadband solutions. It is already certified to fulfil the RTCA DO-178b Level-D software and DO-254 Level-D hardware requirements, which will make the system compliant to the newest generation of air traffic control system, FANS 1/A and voice safety service operations via the system’s cockpit data and H+ voice channels.

The Cobham SATCOM aeronautical product roadmap, driven by the combined AVIATOR and Omnipless organizations, is in place, with the new SBU confirming its commitment to dedicating resources to future solutions and product development plans which focus on the air transport market.