Power line communication system on aircraft

A method of transmitting power and providing digital communications for a vehicle and a power and digital communication transmission system is provided. The method comprises the steps of: communicatively coupling a broadband over power line, BPL, interface unit to a power conductor of a power cable; communicatively coupling the BPL interface unit to a network access point; electrically coupling the power conductor to a vehicle power receptacle associated with a vehicle; detecting a BPL communication link through the power conductor; switching an in-progress communication occurring between a ground system and the vehicle from an established wireless connection between the ground system and the vehicle to the BPL communication link; and transmitting network data between a network through the network access point and the vehicle through the power conductor via the BPL communication link while simultaneously providing power to the vehicle through the power conductor.