High data rate aircraft to ground communication antenna system

1. A method for ground to air communication with an aircraft equipped with a multi-beam aircraft array antenna, comprising:

receiving a first pilot signal on a first wide beam from a first ground base station of a network by a first antenna element of the aircraft antenna array, the first antenna element covering a first range of azimuth angles from the aircraft;

receiving data on a directed data beam from the first ground base station by the first antenna element;

receiving at least one second pilot signal on a second wide beam from at least one second ground base station of the network by a second antenna element of the aircraft antenna array covering a second range of azimuth angles from the aircraft different than the first range of azimuth angles;

comparing a signal strength of the at least one second pilot signal with a signal strength of the first pilot signal;

switching reception of the data from the first antenna element to the second antenna element, in response to determining that signal strength of the second pilot signal received by the second antenna element is greater than the signal strength of the first pilot signal received on the first antenna element;

forming a directed pilot beam with phased array techniques to combine radiation patterns of the plurality of the antenna elements; and

scanning a range of azimuth angles with the directed pilot beam for a strongest pilot signal.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sequentially switching between the antenna elements to search for a strongest pilot signal.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving the data by a first receiver chain coupled to the first antenna element; and

scanning for a strongest pilot signal by a second receiver chain sequentially coupled to the second antenna element.

4. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for receiving a first pilot signal on a first wide beam from a first ground base station of a network by a first antenna element of an aircraft antenna array, the first antenna element covering a first range of azimuth angles from an aircraft;

means for receiving data on a directed data beam from the first ground base station by the first antenna element;

means for receiving at least one second pilot signal on a second wide beam from at least one second ground base station of the network by a second antenna element of the aircraft antenna array covering a second range of azimuth angles from the aircraft different than the first range of azimuth angles;

means for comparing a signal strength of the at least one second pilot signal with a signal strength of the first pilot signal;

means for switching reception of the data from the first antenna element to the second antenna element, in response to determining that signal strength of the second pilot signal received by the second antenna element is greater than the signal strength of the first pilot signal received on the first antenna element;

means for receiving the data by a first receiver chain coupled to the first antenna element; and

means for scanning for a strongest pilot signal by a second receiver chain sequentially coupled to the second antenna element.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:

means for sequentially switching between the antenna elements to search for a strongest pilot signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:

means for forming a directed pilot beam with phased array techniques to combine radiation patterns of the plurality of the antenna elements; and

means for scanning a range of azimuth angles with the directed pilot beam for a strongest pilot signal.

7. A computer program product for wireless communication in a wireless network, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having non-transitory program code recorded thereon, the program code comprising:

program code to receive a first pilot signal on a first wide beam from a first ground base station of a network by a first antenna element of an aircraft antenna array, the first antenna element covering a first range of azimuth angles from an aircraft;

program code to receive data on a directed data beam from the first ground base station by the first antenna element;

program code to receive at least one second pilot signal on a second wide beam from at least one second ground base station of the network by a second antenna element of the aircraft antenna array covering a second range of azimuth angles from the aircraft different than the first range of azimuth angles;

program code to compare a signal strength of the at least one second pilot signal with a signal strength of the first pilot signal;

program code to switch reception of the data from the first antenna element to the second antenna element, in response to determining that signal strength of the second pilot signal received by the second antenna element is greater than the signal strength of the first pilot signal received on the first antenna element;

program code to receive the data by a first receiver chain coupled to the first antenna element; and

program code to scan for a strongest pilot signal by a second receiver chain sequentially coupled to the second antenna element.

8. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory, the at least one processor being configured:

to receive a first pilot signal on a first wide beam from a first ground base station of a network by a first antenna element of an aircraft antenna array, the first antenna element covering a first range of azimuth angles from an aircraft;

to receive data on a directed data beam from the first ground base station ( 102 ) by the first antenna element;

to receive at least one second pilot signal on a second wide beam from at least one second ground base station of the network by a second antenna element of the aircraft antenna array covering a second range of azimuth angles from the aircraft different than the first range of azimuth angles;

to compare a signal strength of the at least one second pilot signal with a signal strength of the first pilot signal;

to switch reception of the data from the first antenna element to the second antenna element, in response to determining that signal strength of the second pilot signal received by the second antenna element is greater than the signal strength of the first pilot signal received on the first antenna element;

to form a directed pilot beam with phased array techniques to combine radiation patterns of the plurality of the antenna elements; and

to scan a range of azimuth angles with the directed pilot beam for a strongest pilot signal.