PANASONIC AVIONICS’ MULTI-ORBIT CONNECTIVITY SELECTED BY AIRBUS FOR HBCplus

Panasonic Avionics announced that it has been selected by Airbus as a managed service provider (MSP) for its Airspace Link HBCplus ​solution​. This selection firms up an earlier MoU phase which was revealed at Aircraft Interiors Expo in June this year.

As an MSP for HBCplus, Panasonic Avionics will be able to integrate its multi-orbit connectivity service, a blend of LEO (low earth orbit) and GEO (geostationary equatorial orbit) satellite constellations, onto Airbus aircraft, using an electronically steered antenna (ESA) with a multi-beam operation that can ​simultaneously ​access Panasonic Avionics’ LEO and GEO networks.

Panasonic Avionics’ in-flight connectivity services are powered by its global network of high-speed, high-bandwidth satellites, and have been selected by more than 70 of the world’s leading airlines. The company’s dedication to a multi-orbit strategy will offer airlines more choices, with top-tier products that support high-speed and low-latency connectivity solutions.

In 2022, Panasonic Avionics announced an agreement with OneWeb that enables Panasonic Avionics to market, sell​ ​ and support its high-speed, low-latency LEO in-flight broadband services to commercial airlines worldwide. Latency, the responsiveness of a network which impacts all activities online, is reduced on LEO to below 100 milliseconds, delivering a much more responsive in-flight connectivity experience to passengers when connected to this satellite constellation. Panasonic Avionics offers OneWeb’s global service stand-alone or paired with its award-winning GEO service, which covers 99.6% of the world’s flight routes.

Panasonic Avionics is the first to enter into an agreement with OneWeb to make its connectivity available through HBCplus.

The coverage and performance of Panasonic Avionics’ connectivity solutions will improve the in-flight browsing and streaming experience for passengers on board Airbus ​a​ircraft and will open the door to new, low-latency airline passenger experiences.