Melbourne, Florida-based Satcom Direct has received an FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) for its SD Plane Simple Ka-band tail mount terminal on the Gulfstream G650. Gulfstream Aerospace collaborated with SD to obtain the STC.
The system’s antenna complements existing SD hardware, namely a Satcom Direct gateway router and Wi-Fi hub to distribute high-speed broadband to all passenger and crew devices. Satcom Direct has authorized Gulfstream and Jet Aviation Service Centers to install the Ka-band hardware.
Connecting immediately with existing Viasat GX satellites, the antenna is the first terminal in business aviation to optimize compatibility with Viasat's next-generation GX satellites. The upcoming satellites transmit dual polarity signals, more than doubling the amount of data transmitted and received and delivering more capacity than all the existing GX satellites combined. With the SD Plane Simple Ka-band terminal, Gulfstream G650 operators benefit from video streaming, live TV, video calls, file transfers, gaming, and virtual private networks.
“The latest STC in our growing portfolio gives Gulfstream G650 owners and operators access to more speed, more data, and more service plan flexibility,” said Satcom Direct president Chris Moore. “This is complemented by the added value delivered by our SD ecosystem, which provides access to industry-leading, genuinely global customer support, unparalleled cybersecurity services, and a connectivity system designed to maintain pace with the changing connectivity landscape.”
The installation and FAA approval also triggered the launch of an expanded range of service plans for Jet ConneX, made exclusively available to Satcom Direct operators and including the first-ever power-by-the-hour option for the JX service. Satcom Direct expects to secure further STCs for more aircraft models and other OEM airframes this coming July.
SD is a preferred provider of cabin connectivity service plans on both in-production and in-service aircraft for the Gulfstream Connectivity Service program. The SD FlightDeck Freedom (FDF) flight deck communications platform serves as the default datalink system for new-production G500s, G600s, and G650ERs.