Abstract: A system for providing services to remote airports includes a backbone network, an antenna assembly and a remote services module. The backbone network operates using first assigned RF spectrum and is configured to provide backhaul services and network control to operably couple one or more base stations of the backbone network to the Internet. The antenna assembly is disposed at a remote airport to define an airport cell and is configured to communicate wirelessly with an aircraft located in the airport cell via second assigned RF spectrum. The antenna assembly is operably coupled to the backbone network for backhaul to the Internet or an intranet. The remote services module is accessible by the aircraft both in flight and on the ground within the airport cell via the antenna assembly. The remote services module includes processing circuitry configuring the remote services module to provide the aircraft with access to obtain airside or landside services associated with the remote airport.

Abstract: A method of providing a cloud-based flight management system (FMS) may include receiving an input to a flight management computer (FMC) client in an airborne aircraft indicative of a need for FMS data, communicating a request for the FMS data to a FMS management module located remotely from the airborne aircraft via a wireless communication network, receiving a response to the request at the FMC client of the airborne aircraft via the wireless communication network, and, based on the response, generating an output on the airborne aircraft via the FMC client.

Abstract: A unified radio system for providing wireless communication to a communication device on an aircraft regardless of aircraft altitude may include a terrestrial network including a plurality of terrestrial base stations configured to communicate primarily in a ground communication layer below a first altitude, an ATG network including a plurality of ATG base stations configured to communicate primarily in an ATG communication layer above a second altitude, an air-to-air mesh network for data relays through connected aircraft, and an aircraft with an onboard antenna assembly and a unified radio. The unified radio may be configured to monitor network parameters of the terrestrial network and the ATG network and switch between a currently serving network and a non-serving network based on the network parameters.