Intelsat announced that the Satcom Direct (SD) Plane Simple tail-mount terminal for the Intelsat FlexExec inflight internet solution has received DO-160 certification.
The SD Plane Simple terminal has undergone in excess of 250 trial flight hours. The DO-160 certification means the FAA conducted extensive environmental testing – including heat, weight, weather and vibration testing – confirming the terminal is approved for commercial use. The first in a series of STCs is anticipated to be confirmed in March 2022, with STCs for all major OEMs expected by the end of April 2022.
Intelsat’s global, multi-layered, high-throughput satellite (HTS) network, combined with the SD Plane Simple antenna system, is designed to meet demand for secure inflight connectivity that is always available – for example for VPN, video conferencing, streaming and uninterrupted access to cloud-based applications. It also offers dedicated network capacity for data-hungry tasks, such as streaming and sharing large files.
“FlexExec, the preferred Ku-band satellite solution for the newly launched Plane Simple terminal, raises the bar in the industry and ensures business aviation fliers have fast, reliable connectivity for every device and application onboard,” said Mark Rasmussen, Intelsat’s senior vice president of mobility. “We understand that cost-effective access to a powerful and reliable connectivity solution throughout the inflight experience is a must-have, and demand will only increase. That’s why we are building the world’s first multi-orbit, software-defined 5G network that will enable a new wave of mobility services to keep pace with evolving expectations.”
“Launching our new Plane Simple antenna system with FlexExec and rolling it out to customers worldwide introduces a new elevated standard for the business aviation connectivity experience,” said Jim Jensen, founder and CEO at Satcom Direct. “This solution, designed for and dedicated to business aviation, is an industry first and expands the possibilities for thousands of business jets. Owners and operators will benefit from the advantages of having customisable, flexible service packages, delivering high-speed broadband that is both rich in consistency and throughput.”
