Flexjet selected SpaceX’s Starlink service for inflight internet across its fleet, with the G650 first to be certified and installed. The company’s in-house engineering arm Nextant Aerospace coordinated the certification work to enable the installations on the Gulfstream jets, with plans to extend the effort across the rest of the fleet.
Internet access is as indispensable to modern life as electric power, and providing seamless high-speed access is vital for a superior travel experience.
– Jay Heublein, head of Flexjet’s Global Maintenance and Product division
Installation on the company’s Gulfstream fleet is the current priority. Once those planes are fitted (including G400, G450, and G500 types) Nextant will expand its scope to manage installs to Flexjet’s super-mid (Praetor 600 and Challenger 350/3500), mid (Embraer Praetor 500) and light jet (Phenom 300) fleets. In total, more than 100 business jets from Flexjet’s growing fleet are expected to be fitted with the SpaceX Starlink gear.
As with other areo-focused Starlink implementations, passengers are online from gate-to-gate, and without a complex login process.
“As the first global business jet operator to adopt Starlink, Flexjet is leading the way in bringing a truly reliable high-speed internet solution to its aircraft owners,” said Chad Gibbs, SpaceX’s Vice President of Starlink Business Operations. “Our focus from day one was to solve for the shortcomings of existing in-flight technology and ensure that Flexjet could offer a seamless connectivity solution from ground to flight and back.”
Because the STC was developed by Nextant Aerospace rather than Gulfstream directly, the manufacturer has disavowed some maintenance responsibilities, according to a maintenance memo reviewed by AINOnline. But the G650 also happens to be the type Elon Musk flies on, so having the type be the second certified makes a certain amount of sense. Just what terms Nextant/Flexjet might require for licensing of the STC to outsiders remain unclear. So that’s still a potential challenge for other Gulfstream owners/operators.
Also of note, most of these aircraft were previously promised to Viasat for an IFC upgrade. Shifting that to Starlink is something of a coup for the LEO network operator.
A favor to ask while you're here...
Did you enjoy the content? Or learn something useful? Or generally just think this is the type of story you'd like to see more of? Consider supporting the site through a donation (any amount helps). It helps keep me independent and avoiding the credit card schlock.
Leave a Reply