Satcom Direct has received approval by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the first Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the SD Plane Simple® Ka-band tail mount terminal for a Gulfstream G650. Equipping the Gulfstream GVI-type with the advanced technology represents a significant milestone in the SD Plane Simple antenna series rollout.
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. collaborated with SD to obtain this STC. The antenna complements existing SD hardware, which includes a Satcom Direct Gateway Router and WiFi hub to distribute high-speed broadband to all passenger and crew devices. SD Plane Simple Ka-band hardware is now available for installation through authorized Gulfstream and Jet Aviation Service Centers.
Connecting immediately with existing Viasat GX satellites, which power the Jet ConneX service, the SD Plane Simple Ka-band antenna is the first terminal in business aviation that will optimize compatibility with Viasat next-generation GX satellites. The upcoming satellites transmit dual polarity signals, which more than doubles the amount of data being transmitted and received and delivers more capacity than the existing GX satellites put together. 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.
Further STCs are anticipated to be confirmed in July 2024 for more aircraft models and other OEM airframes.
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 is the default datalink system for in-production Gulfstream G500, Gulfstream G600, and Gulfstream G650ER aircraft.
