MEBA10: TrueNorth points the way to lightweight satcoms

SGBB200 is based on satellite hardware from Cobham (stand C630) and complements TrueNorth’s SGBB300 and 400 products, which deliver 300kbit/sec and 432kbit/sec respectively. “SGBB200 is ideal for operators of light turbine aircraft who need data services but want to avoid the cost and weight of a standard SwiftBroadband system,” said TrueNorth president Mark van Berkel.

TrueNorth also sells a product to work with the Iridium global satellite system. Called Express, it’s designed to give business jet passengers global messaging and light email via their own WiFi smartphones by using the aircraft’s existing Iridium telephone as the off-aircraft link.

The first Express installation has been completed aboard a Dassault Falcon 900. It allows passengers and crew to send and receive email worldwide via their company-issued BlackBerries. A second installation has since been carried out on a Falcon 50.

Express is priced at $10,995 plus installation. It works with any WiFi smartphone, including the iPhone and Droid, as well as BlackBerry. TrueNorth is offering an Express module as the prize in a competition for MEBA delegates – visit the stand for details.

TrueNorth is beefing up the dealer network representing its products, which also include the Simphone OpenCabin communications passenger network. “We’re seeing a tremendous amount of interest in our systems across the eastern hemisphere so we’re placing an increased focus on Europe and the Middle East.” said van Berkel.
New dealers include AMAC Aerospace in Switzerland, Gama Holdings’ Lees Avionics in the UK, and Germany’s Ruag Aviation.

The company’s new Simphone Global Broadband 200 (SGBB200) is designed to work with satellite operator Inmarsat’s recently launched SB200 service, a cut-down version of its standard SwiftBroadband 432kbit/sec offering that supports voice and data rates up to 200kbit/sec via compact avionics and a simple omnidirectional antenna.