Telecom Lead America: Aircell, a provider of in-flight
connectivity for business aviation, announces that Jet Aviation AG Basel, a
member of the company’s dealer network, has received a new Supplemental Type
Certificate (STC) from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for the
AVIATOR 200 system aboard the Falcon 2000LX.
The AVIATOR 200 enables near-global email, light Internet
and voice capabilities via Inmarsat’s satellite-based SwiftBroadband service.
Passengers and crew can send and receive e-mail with
attachments, surf the web, access a corporate VPN and more, using their own
Wi-Fi-enabled laptops, tablets, electronic flight bags, and smartphones.
They can also place and receive voice calls using
integrated cabin handsets. Customers can use the system’s voice and data
functions simultaneously.
Aircell’s SwiftBroadband solutions are powered by Thrane
& Thrane.
A complete AVIATOR 200 equipment package costs
approximately $60,000, plus installation. Of particular note, the system uses a
small, low-gain antenna, which serves to ease overall certification
requirements and reduces installation complexity.
Jet Aviation is making the new STC available to other
service facilities, enabling affordable follow-on installations for other
Falcon 2000 operators seeking connectivity services for their aircraft. The STC
is designed for maximum applicability to other Falcon 2000 models and the most
common avionics configurations in the field.
“We had noted strong customer demand for affordable
communications and connectivity services, particularly for e-mail, and
recognized the cost-saving benefits to our customers in not having to wait for
EASA certification. With our new STC, passengers and crews are able to use
their own Wi-Fi devices to stay productive as they travel,” said Tobias
Franke, Jet Aviation’s Director of Sales and Revenue Management.
“With light Internet, e-mail and voice capabilities
in a single, affordable equipment package, we believe the AVIATOR 200 is an
extraordinary value,” said John Wade, Aircell’s executive vice president
and general manager.
