Ulrich Spranger, ceo and owner of point of sales hardware and software distributor Jarltech, has acquired a Cessna CJ1. He explains: "We are frequently required to travel to office locations throughout Germany and the rest of Europe to meet business partners and customers. It is vital that our travel does not impact productivity so in purchasing the aircraft, the availability of satellite communications was a key consideration."

The SwiftBroadband system installed aboard Spranger's aircraft is Thrane & Thrane's Aviator 200. Compact and lightweight, it provides data speeds up to 200 Kbps and a single AMBE 2 channel for voice calls. The system also features built-in Wi-Fi capability.

Spranger continues: "It makes a lot of business sense to be able to work from the aircraft when travelling from one destination to the next. While in the air, I find I have more time with minimal interruptions, so I'm free to make calls and send emails. For myself and many of my employees, this provides an added benefit that when we arrive we feel more prepared knowing that we have been keeping up-to-date."

With the launch of Inmarsat's SwiftBroadband SB200 service last year, the availability of high-speed connectivity for smaller business aircraft is now possible.

Spranger is making his CJ1 available to charter. It is operated by Jarltech Mobility GmbH with German-based operator Mach Airlines holding the AOC. He explains: "With the rise in demand for in-flight connectivity, we believe the Aviator 200 satellite communications system will make the aircraft extremely appealing to the charter market."