ATR has been working on connectivity to its aircraft, with them working with PMV Engineering to allow Starlink-based connectivity to be added onboard.
After successful test flights carried out on ATR’s 72-600 test aircraft in the past months, the solution has been certified by EASA.
Under the agreement, PMV Engineering has developed the necessary modifications for the certification of the Starlink aeroterminal on ATR aircraft, which is now available as a retrofit option on ATR 72-500 and ATR72-600 for all ATR operators through a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC).
This is enabled with a compact antenna size and housing which suits that ATR platform’s aerodynamics (and thus a lower fuel penalty).
A closeup of the PWV Engineering/Starlink Antenna installed on an ATR72-600 – Images, ATR
Air New Zealand is poised to be the launch customer, bringing internet connectivity to its domestic flights from 2025.
Starlink by SpaceX operates in low-earth Orbit and thus has lower latency than Geostationary or Mid-Orbit solutions. This allows the delivery of high-speed connectivity, allowing passengers to enjoy inflight streaming, video calling, and online gaming as well as creating encrypted VPN tunnels, giving an at-home experience in the air.
In addition to passenger benefits, this system will also allow pilots to connect to aviation weather services, aiming to enhance flight safety through more informed decision-making.
In Quotes
Nikhil Ravishankar, Chief Digital Officer at Air New Zealand, said:
“We’re always looking at how new and innovative technology can deliver improved customer experiences and with the world’s largest satellite constellation, exploring in-motion connectivity on our aircraft with Starlink was a no brainer. Whether travelling for work or leisure, we know maintaining seamless internet connectivity is something that will transform the travel experience for customers. We can’t wait to bring connectivity to our domestic flights. Collaborating with ATR and the PMV Engineering team has been fantastic, and their expertise has been instrumental in bringing this vision to life.”
Eric Sperazza, Chief Executive Officer at PMV Engineering, added:
“We’re honoured to be the providers of such a revolutionary technology onboard ATR aircraft, sharing our expertise and solution-led approach to open up new opportunities for ATR, its customers and their passengers.
Daniel Cuchet, Senior Vice-President Engineering at ATR, commented:
“Starlink opens up a new era for ATR, offering unparalleled levels of comfort and passenger experience in the regional market. This achievement demonstrates our dedication to staying ahead of the curve, responding to the latest travel trends in line with our customers’ expectations, and collaborating with industry-leading partners who share a vision of excellence and innovation to transform the way people experience air travel.”
Beyond Starlink
The move to the connected cabin has been slow but gradual as airlines continue to adopt connectivity solutions for their cabins across the fleet. With passengers expecting some form of connectivity, having services like Starlink on an ATR Aircraft will be important.
However, the connected cabin does stop at connectivity, as other things help deliver a connected cabin. ATR can seemingly meet these requests, with the ability to integrate USB sockets in all seats, In-Flight Entertainment systems, high-speed internet, and a whole range of high-end cabin solutions via the ATR HighLine collection which we’ve covered in this blog.
ATR expects strong interest from airlines worldwide, as well as markets where mature inflight connectivity solutions are in place. This could play well into the airframers’ advantage when progressing orders.
We’ll have to see if any airlines opt for further aircraft because of this connectivity move.
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This is cool, but with ATR’s we’re generally talking about flights that are “short hops”. I don’t know how much this helps in the competitive landscape when it comes time for someone to purchase a ticket.
That said, I know Air Tahiti runs some “long haul” ATR flights of multiple hours (taking a big weight penalty/not selling all seats) to its more remote outstations. So it would be nice there. But then again, there’s no competition on those routes.
I think the bigger use cases are on hour long flights and longer… in certain countries that need the connectivity map.
ATR has made inroads in Africa, which could be a core market. I see this however as a chance to further present the type to the USA regional market and try and pull ground over the older 50 seaters, where some sort of connectivity is “demanded”.
Some people can’t live without internet for an hour it seems..