Structural Reinforcement for an Antenna System on an Aircraft

An antenna system comprising:

• an antenna adapter plate configured to receive any one of a plurality of types of antennas used to provide a communications link to the Internet;
• lugs configured to be attached to connection points on a reinforcement structure associated with an airframe of an aircraft, wherein the reinforcement structure is configured to accommodate forces from any one of the plurality of types of antennas;
• and
• a group of concentric pins configured to connect a group of the connection points to the lugs.

A method for retrofitting an aircraft, the method comprising:

• locating connection points for a reinforcement structure associated with an airframe of the aircraft, wherein the reinforcement structure is associated with the airframe during original manufacturing of the aircraft and accommodates forces from an antenna system attached to the reinforcement structure, wherein the antenna system includes an antenna selected from a plurality of types of antennas;
• attaching an antenna adapter plate in the antenna system to the reinforcement structure connected to the airframe of the aircraft during the original manufacturing of the aircraft using the connection points;
• and
• attaching the antenna to the antenna adapter plate, wherein the antenna adapter plate is configured to receive any one of the plurality of types of antennas, and wherein the reinforcement structure is configured to handle loads from any one of the plurality of types of antennas and the antenna adapter plate attached to the connection points.