328 Design GmbH certifies new SwiftBroadband SATCOM System

The first installation has now been successfully completed on a 328DBJ and the customer was apparently delighted with this new option allowing him to use his aircraft as an 'office in the sky'. With a total installed weight on the 328DBJ of less than 20kg, this system offers customers the opportunity to communicate both on the ground and in-flight.

Data connectivity is provided via Wi-Fi for their personal mobile phones/PDA/laptops on a highspeed data transfer of up to 332 kbps. Voice communication is provided via a single channel through one cordless phone in the cabin and corded phone in the cockpit. Major challenges for the certification included the Wi-Fi sustainability and the justification of the aerodynamic effects such as vibration and buffeting of the installed SBB antenna.

328DO can offer design and certification for the SBB systems with different antenna configurations (low, intermediate or high gain antenna) and/or different SBB terminals/modems (1 or 2 SBB channels) for all types of aircraft.

328DO Head of Design Organisation, Joerg Gorkenant said, “This is another product improvement that we can offer to our fleet of 328 customers who might find an interest for VIP, commuter as well as mission applications for live data streaming and long distance communication.”

The system offers several customised engineering solutions for SATCOM including Wifi access and other system enhancements and is not limited to the Dornier 328. The 328 group has a portfolio of over 200 STC’s (Supplementary TC’s) on aircraft types ranging from the Hawker 125 to Airbus A320, and helicopters such as the Agusta 109.