[Avionics Today 04-21-2016] Gogo has ushered in its highly anticipated 2Ku satellite-based In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) technology, announcing that the system is live on five aircraft in Aeromexico’s fleet. The first aircraft to fly with 2Ku is an Aeromexico Boeing 737-800 aircraft with Sky Interior serving several destinations in the Americas.
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| Gogo’s 2Ku satellite antenna. Photo: Gogo |
“This is a groundbreaking milestone for Gogo as it signifies that the 2Ku era has officially taken flight,” said Michael Small, Gogo’s president and CEO. “Aeromexico was the first to commit to the service and we couldn’t be more excited to have their passengers be the first to experience this game-changing technology.”
Aeromexico will offer the 2Ku service for free for a limited time. In addition to 2Ku, Gogo’s wireless in-flight entertainment solution, Gogo Vision, is now flying on 11 Boeing 737-700 and Embraer aircraft flying across Aeromexico’s regional network.
Gogo claims it has designed the 2Ku technology to be open so it is compatible with multiple satellite networks, which means the technology will be upgradeable over time without having to touch the aircraft. Small said the open-architecture technology will allow the airline to increase efficiency and throughput as High-Throughput Satellite (HTS) systems come online in the near future.