European Aviation Network chooses Gore vapor-sealed assemblies to improve wi-fi on short-haul commercial flights

PLEINFELD, Germany. Officials at the European Aviation Network (EAN), a multi-national initiative formed by Inmarsat and Deutsche Telekom, have selected W. L. Gore & Associates Inc.’s GORE Microwave/RF Assemblies, 7 Series for installation in commercial aircraft. Gore’s vapor-sealed assemblies were chosen to deliver continuous, high-quality signals for improved wi-fi Internet access on European short-haul flights.

EAN combines high-capacity satellite coverage from Inmarsat and a 4G LTE ground network from Deutsche Telekom to provide high-speed connectivity across all 28 European Union states, plus Switzerland and Norway. The cellular network uses 300 LTE towers that pair with Ka-Band, Ku-Band, and S-Band satellites to supply Internet connectivity to aircraft at high data rates.

The EAN next-generation mobile satellite and ground network platform is designed to offer millions of passengers traveling across Europe a true in-flight broadband experience. “Passengers will benefit from this integrated approach by getting the speed that a ground network can deliver and the continual coverage that only a satellite can provide,” officials say.

Data transmission between satellites, ground towers, and commercial aircraft must work seamlessly for this approach to be successful. To help ensure high-quality signal transmission, Gore’s vapor-sealed assemblies reliably connect the antenna located on the underside of the aircraft to the transceivers located on the ground.

GORE Microwave/RF Assemblies, 7 Series are engineered specifically to prevent the ingress of water vapor, jet fuel, and harsh contaminants that naturally flow to the lowest point in the fuselage where the antenna is located. Shielding protects against electromagnetic interference that can compromise signal integrity and reduce the quality of signal transmission. These robust assemblies routinely maintain low insertion loss, low return loss, and excellent phase stability for superior electrical performance over the aircraft's lifetime, officials say.

W. L. Gore & Associates is a global materials science company dedicated to transforming industries and improving lives. Founded in 1958, Gore has built a reputation for solving complex technical challenges in the most demanding environments — from revolutionizing the outerwear industry with GORE-TEX fabric to creating medical devices that improve and save lives to enabling new levels of performance in the aerospace, pharmaceutical, and mobile electronics markets, among other industries. Headquartered in Newark, Del., Gore employs approximately 9,500 Associates and generates annual revenues that exceed $3 billion.

Gore Performance Solutions Division develops products and technologies that address complex product and process challenges in a variety of markets and industries, including aerospace, automotive, pharmaceutical, mobile electronics, oil and gas, and more. Through close collaboration with industry leaders across the globe, Gore enables customers to design their products and processes to be safer, cleaner, more productive, reliable, durable, and efficient across a wide range of demanding environments.