The Satcom Direct Plane Simple Ku-band tail-mounted Antenna System has received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) supplemental type certification (STC) approvals for Falcon 7X aircraft.
Satcom Direct worked directly with Dassault Aircraft Services in Little Rock, AR., to obtain the STC, releasing the corresponding Plane Simple Ku Service Bulletin for the Falcon type in April 2023. The SD Plane Simple Ku-band antenna variant is now available for installation through the Dassault factory MRO and Dassault Aircraft Services network.
The latest STC gives all Dassault Falcon 7X operators access to the power, versatility, and convenient management of the SD Plane Simple advanced antenna technology, which is powered by the Intelsat FlexExec high throughput satellite network to deliver consistently reliable high-speed data access for government, corporate and private customers.
“We are proud that Dassault recognizes the advantages delivered by the Plane Simple system and how it can enhance connectivity on the Falcon airframes. The STC makes the full Satcom Direct ecosystem of hardware, software, ground infrastructure, cybersecurity, and award-winning customer support immediately available to this set of Falcon owners,” said SD Founder and CEO Jim Jensen. “We are raising the connectivity bar with this whole new class of antenna hardware that has been purpose-built for the business aviation sector. More importantly, it gives customers greater flexibility, cost-effective connectivity options, and a single resource to fulfill every connectivity need.”
The simplified antenna installation requires fitting just two-line replaceable units, the tail-mounted antenna and the SD modem unit, simplifying upgrade pathways, reducing aircraft downtime, and optimizing maintenance budgets. The latest certification complements the existing Dassault Falcon 2000LX/LXS/S approvals and 900EXy/LX obtained earlier this year.
“Falcon aircraft are known for being technologically advanced, and the SD Plane Simple antenna system is the perfect complement to our aircraft. The system has already demonstrated its capabilities by performing flawlessly on our Dassault Falcon 2000LX/LXS/S aircraft, and we’re pleased to add the new STC to our customer offering. We’re confident our operators are going to be delighted with the reliability, performance, and the added value of SD customer service,” said Geoff Chick, Sr. Vice President of Dassault’s worldwide service network.