Qatar Airways’ maintenance organization has begun performing retrofits of Inmarsat’s GX Aviation global, high-throughput satellite (HTS) communications equipment on the carrier’s fleets of Boeing 777-300ERs and 777-200LRs.

Permission for the retrofits follows the award to Inmarsat of a supplemental type certificate from the European Aviation Safety Agency to retrofit the GX Aviation terminal to Qatar Airways’ Boeing 777s, along with the associated wiring and placement of wireless access points and servers.

Qatar Airways’ latest Airbus A350-900s have already had GX Aviation installations equipped on a linefit basis and the system is awaiting activation on these aircraft.

Retrofit installations have already begun on several of the airline’s Boeing 777s in advance of the service activation of GX Aviation on Qatar Airways widebody aircraft later this year, following an inflight test campaign throughout the carrier’s global route network.

Qatar Airways’ maintenance teams will perform the retrofit installations on the rest of the airline’s 777s during each 777’s next scheduled maintenance interval.