ICG described a new in-flight connectivity system for business aviation Monday, combining Inmarsat and Iridium in a comprehensive nose-to-tail package. The system, called “Sora” for the Japanese word for fly, combines an Iridium system from ICG with an Inmarsat SwiftBroadband system from Cobham Antenna Solutions that are tied together with ICG’s NxtMail server.

The system, which provides global voice and data capabilities, weighs less than 39 pounds and has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $164,500. According to ICG, the system is 42 percent smaller, 30 percent lighter and 20 percent cheaper than Aircell’s SwiftBroadband product.

Jeff Saucedo, ICG vice president of Sales and Marketing, said the system is available now, but would not elaborate on potential customers. ICG first made the announcement of a collaboration with Cobham in June, saying it had successfully developed an interface between its NxtMail Server and Cobham’s SDU-7300 Swift 64 and SDU-7320 Swift Broadband Satcom systems.