Clay Lacy Aviation has completed its first five installations of SpaceX’s Starlink low-earth-orbit satcom terminals in Gulfstream and Bombardier ultra-long-range business jets. In March, the California-based aviation services provider announced that it had become a dealer for the airborne connectivity platform, which offers download speeds of up to 220 Mbps and upload speeds up to 25 Mbps on its global network. The Starlink constellation—with more than 4,700 satellites in orbit—can support video calls, streaming, online gaming, and virtual private networks.
Among the first aircraft installations at the company’s MRO facilities at Van Nuys Airport (KVNY) and Waterbury–Oxford Airport (KOXC) in Connecticut were a trio of Gulfstream G550s, a G650ER, and a Bombardier Global 6000.
Also supported among the STCs are installs on the Gulfstream G450 and GV, as well as the Bombardier Global 6500/7500, Express, and XRS. By the end of the year, the company expects to add the Bombardier Challenger 300/350/3500 and Global 5000; Gulfstream IV; Embraer Legacy 600/650, Praetor 500/600, and Phenom 300, among others.
“There has been high demand for this transformative, connectivity technology,” explained Edward Diaz, Clay Lacy’s avionics operations and sales manager. “Our team is moving quickly to provide low-downtime, expertly completed installations so that owners and operators can get the most out of their aircraft.”