by Matthew Beres, Airborne Retrofit & Modernization Analyst, Forecast International.
Gogo recently announced that its AVANCE L5 has been selected for installation on Falcon and Embraer airframes. The AVANCE L5 offers live streaming video and audio, on-demand movies, and use of personal smartphones. Dassault will offer the technology on new-production Falcon 2000S, 2000LXS, 900LX, 5X, 7X, and 8X airframes. AVANCE L5 will also be available for installation at Dassault-owned service centers.
The first Falcon Jet equipped with the system will be delivered later this year. AVANCE L5 will be available on Legacy 450 and 500 business jets starting in the first quarter of 2018.
Reliable, high-speed, inexpensive Wi-Fi has become a necessity for many airline passengers. As line-fit installation of Wi-Fi increases in the coming years, charter operators and airlines without high-speed, reliable Wi-Fi will be forced to make retrofits in order to meet customer demand and match competitors.
Wi-Fi retrofits will therefore see strong demand for the foreseeable future, as many world airlines are not yet connected. More than 80 percent of European aircraft and more than 90 percent of Asia-Pacific and Chinese aircraft are not yet connected.
It is probable that by the time latecomers begin to install Wi-Fi, the market for such systems will have evolved with the introduction of faster, more convenient, or cheaper technology. Such a shift will undoubtedly be followed by a new set of airborne connectivity upgrades. The types of retrofits that could be introduced span the range from connectivity speed & quality and reliable data management upgrades to creative user interfaces and security enhancements. What can be guaranteed is that the Wi-Fi retrofit market will remain one of the strongest forces in the overall retrofit industry over the next decade.
Forecast International’s Airborne Retrofit & Modernization Forecast provides operators in the military and commercial aviation sectors with the information they need to maximize their current investments rather than expand their fleets, a trend that is opening up multiple opportunities for the expansion of retrofit and modernization programs. It offers a one-stop service for tracking the status of commercial and military R&M programs in progress worldwide, and pinpoints key developments in the aviation industry that will impact the market in the future.
A military history enthusiast, Richard began at Forecast International as editor of the World Weapons Weekly newsletter. As the Internet grew in importance as a research tool, he helped design the company's Forecast Intelligence Center and currently coordinates the EMarket Alert newsletters for clients. Richard also manages social media efforts, including two new blogs: Defense & Security Monitor, covering defense systems and international issues, and Flight Plan, which focuses on commercial aviation and space systems. For over 30 years, Richard has authored the Defense & Aerospace Companies, Volume I (North America) and Volume II (International) services. The two books provide detailed data on major aerospace and defense contractors. He also edits the International Contractors service, a database that tracks all the contractors involved in the programs covered in the FI library. More recently he was appointed Manager, Information Services Group (ISG), a new unit that encompasses developing outbound content for both Forecast International and Military Periscope.
