After more than 400 hours of flight testing the Plane Simple Ka-band terminal from Satcom Direct secured DO-160 approval. This is the latest milestone realized as the company works towards commercial availability of the in-flight connectivity hardware early in 2024.
This second iteration of our Plane Simple antenna technology is a game-changer for the industry as it unlocks the full performance capabilities of the Global Xpress network and minimizes beam and satellite switching time. We’re delivering the most powerful, reliable, and genuinely global connectivity to operators that depend on us to keep them connected during flight. – SD President Chris Moore
Satcom Direct confirms it signed the first customer for the new terminal. The company also continues in discussions with other operators regarding certification and installation opportunities.
Flight testing occurred on SD’s Gulfstream G550, validating weather, thermal and vibration qualifications for the kit. The company reports performance exceeding expectations throughout the test period. This included use of the most data-hungry applications, including high-definition video conferencing and video streaming, as well as multiple digital applications for multiple devices on board.
The Plane Simple Ka-band terminal will have access to global coverage from the GX satellite constellation via the Jet ConneX service offering targeting business aviation. The company also suggests eventual compatibility with Viasat‘s other Ka-band satellites, including the ViaSat-3 constellation. That will require an upgrade, however, and neither SD nor Viasat are offering details on what that upgrade will entail. Kai Tang, Head of Business Aviation at Viasat, confirms the terminal “will connect with our existing and next-generation Ka-band satellites.”
Whether updated LRUs or modem cards are required, or if it can be a software-only upgrade remains to be seen. Viasat has been working since the Inmarsat merger closed to determine how it can combine the constellations for subscribers, extracting the most capacity and coverage with the least additional reconfiguration effort.
The Plane Simple platform consists of just two components, a tail-mount antenna developed by QEST and two line-replaceable units. The minimal installation footprint reduces maintenance fees and provides an easy transition pathway to upgrade connectivity services.
Tang further adds, “We’re pleased to be working with SD to offer customers exceptional connectivity experiences through customized Viasat service plans, including the first-ever power-by-the-hour payment option for Jet ConneX, enabling business jet operators to pay an hourly rate for inflight connectivity.”
The DO-160 certification follows Viasat’s announcement of new service plans at NBAA23 two months ago, and the first test connection to the GX constellation from February 2022.
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