Lufthansa Technik has developed a two-in-one tail-mounted radome that houses both Ka-band satcom and satellite TV antennas, as well as an HD camera. The solution—which provides onboard high-speed internet, TV connections and a tail-view video feed—has received STC approval for the Boeing BBJ1 and BBJ2 from the U.S. FAA and EASA. Lufthansa Technik has also registered a patent for its new radome housing design.

In combination with the installation of the antenna system in the rear fuselage of the aircraft, the radome package not only saves space but also reduces the weight by up to 220 pounds/100 kg. “The special aerodynamic design and the installation on the vertical stabilizer mean that the radome reduces drag and has a positive effect on the aircraft's center of gravity,” noted Andrew Muirhead, head of Lufthansa Technik’s original equipment innovation division.

The company has offered a two-in-one radome for Ku/L-band antennas since 2000. However, that radome was not suitable for Ka-band frequencies with high data rates, so Lufthansa Technik developed a material layer structure that allows frequencies in the Ka band to pass through, which “provides double speed data transfer for passengers," it said.