Embraer has entered into a buyer-furnished equipment (BFE) agreement to offer Viasat’s in-flight connectivity (IFC) system as a line-fit factory option on the E2 family of aircraft. Viasat is the first Ka-band IFC supplier to have a line-fit IFC system available on the E2.
According to Viasat, several airlines, including Azul Airlines, have opted for line-fit Viasat systems on the E2 direct from the factory, avoiding costly down-times associated with taking aircraft out of service for post-production IFC retrofits.
The latest customer for line-fit Viasat IFC is Toronto-based Porter Airlines, which has ordered the system for its 30 new Embraer E195-E2 aircraft, expected to enter service in the second half of 2022. Porter is preparing to grow beyond its current regional eastern Canada- and US-focused network to include routes to the west coast, southern U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean.
Don Buchman, Viasat’s VP for commercial aviation said the system will enable Port’s passengers “to benefit from the speeds, capacity and coverage offered by our ViaSat-2 satellite today, as well as our next-generation satellite constellation, ViaSat-3, in the future”.
