The engineering arm of Flexjet, Nextant Aerospace, has added the certification of the Bombardier Global 5000/5500 Starlink Inflight Connectivity STC Installation Kits to its growing list of approved STC kits. The system can now be installed via Starlink Authorized Dealers which include Bombardier Service Centers worldwide. This latest release adds to the rapidly growing portfolio of already approved certifications for some of the world’s most popular large cabin business jets including the Bombardier Global 7500, Global 6500/6000, Global Express, Global Express XRS, Gulfstream G650, G550, G450, and GIV aircraft.
Developed by SpaceX, the Starlink system enables passengers and crew onboard the aircraft to access high-speed internet that mirrors the best terrestrial-based connectivity solutions.
Unlike legacy technology, private jet passengers can for the first time expect an incredibly reliable, high-speed connectivity experience from the moment they step on board until the time they land regardless of the flight segment including long-range, over water legs.
“Reliable high speed internet connectivity for all phases of flight was one of the last significant technology challenges that our industry needed to solve for,” said Jay Heublein, president of Flexjet Global Maintenance and Product Support. “We recognized early on that the technology developed by Starlink represented an evolutionary step forward for in-flight connectivity and as an industry, we could finally offer a solution that was consistent with the expectations our owners have. The feedback from every single person that experiences it has been nothing short of spectacular.”
Starlink provides high-speed, low-latency internet worldwide, utilizing an advanced constellation of more than 6,000 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. This state-of-the-art system ensures reliable connectivity over land, water, and remote areas. The system uses a phased-array antenna that has no moving parts and dramatically improves the overall reliability of the hardware compared with legacy technology that.
Certification efforts have now shifted to the super-mid and mid-size aircraft categories. Nextant plans to release installation kits for the Bombardier Challenger 3500, 350 and 300 as well as the Embraer Praetor series of aircraft in early the first quarter of 2025. They will immediately follow up with certified installation kits for the Embraer Phenom 300 and 100 series of aircraft by early Q2 of 2025.