[strgrd]

Are there no aerodynamic concerns for that installation? The VHF instruments pictured on top of the fuselage make this thing look like a plow that would be better fit on top of a Sprinter van... they couldn't have gone for a dome?

[ShakataGaNai]

The Ku/Ka band antenna's used by other providers are quite significant in size.

https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/gogo-2ku-inflight-wi...

https://twitter.com/jonostrower/status/466228743522893824

[londons_explore]

If I was an airline considering this, I'd want to see $/km fuel costs from the extra air resistance in the sales brochure...

[jmacd]

Manufacturers are very good at these calculations.

One interesting example is that for the initial IFE systems that were deployed, the heat generated by the displays was significant enough that the largest cost to the installation was the required upgrade to the cabin air conditioning systems.

[esskay]

It's vastly smaller than what most airlines have installed right now for KU band. Those things are huge.

[borissk]

It will be a lot less than the percentage a radio antenna increases the fuel consumption of a car.

Modern planes like the 787 are made to a big degree from composites and the antenna can be installed inside the fuselage - leading to 0% increase in air resistance.

[Pasorrijer]

This is not accurate. I don't know of a single installation within a fuselage, because the composite has enough metal in or around it to cause interference.

The fuel concern is a significant one, as well as performance. Enough fuel or performance impacts and you can restrict the airports flown with these antennas. It's not as big a problem on widebodies, but it's the reason you haven't seen WiFi on small regional or the smallest narrow bodies until recently.

[londons_explore]

The pictures on the site show a roof mounted one... It's raised like 4 inches off the body, so it's gotta cause quite some drag at 500 mph

[walrus01]

there are plenty of ku/ka-band geostationary VSAT systems that already exist, which mount as a bulge on the upper fuselage, which are larger and less aerodynamic than this.

in addition to antenna systems for iridium and inmarsat L/S-band stuff.

there is a lower limit to the size of aircraft that can accommodate something like this, of course.

for instance: https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2021/09/panasonic-next-gen-ku-...

https://www.getsat.com/products/milli-sat-ex/

[carabiner]

Barely any... the fuselage is non-lifting and this will add a bit of parasite drag. Same with rain, dirt buildup on surfaces.

[katrotz]

Was wondering the same, but taking into account the planes are flying with its nose lifted a bit, most of the drag should be created by its lower part

[dreamcompiler]

It's thinner than the fat bump on top of Southwest planes which is not a phased array AFAIK.