Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&amp;P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.

Editor-in-Chief

Matt Thurber

Satcom Direct held its 9th annual conference in early February, bringing together not only its own customers but also a variety of hardware manufacturers and other companies that benefit from and provide services via satcom. The conference grows every year and is evidence that the steady pace of satellite communications development has led to a greater variety of airborne telecom services–and even some reductions in pricing–for aircraft operators.
“We’re in violent expansion mode,” said Curt Gray, Satcom Direct vice president of satcom technologies and development. A service provider for satcom users, the company has grown to more than 100 employees and recently purchased a 13-acre campus where everyone will be working together in one consolidated facility. Next to that, Satcom Direct is building a new 25,000-sq-ft data center that meets compliance standards that apply to highly secure and reliable data centers such as those that underlie Google’s infrastructure. “We’re going from 16 big-rack servers to 132 in phase one,” Gray said. “That’s phase one of four, so huge growth [is coming].”
International Reach
Last year Satcom Direct added local support around the world, opening new offices in Farnborough; São Paulo, Brazil; and Dubai. In the second quarter this year a new office opens in Hong Kong, and more international offices are planned. “These offices are available when you’re traveling internationally,” said David Greenhill, co-founder and president, “if you ever need anything.” 
“It’s all about customer reach,” said Chris Moore, vice president of international sales. Without facilities near where customers fly, it’s harder to hear feedback on their satcom experiences, he explained, and more difficult “to develop customer relationships and make sure we’ve got the right level of services for them.” An important part of this effort is also hiring satellite experts who speak the local language and understand problems faced by customers. 
“Hong Kong is a massive hub for Asia,” said Moore. “The Asia market is rapidly expanding, so [we’re] making sure we’ve got a good presence there and the right people in that office.” Satcom Direct plans to hire Mandarin speakers for that office, too, because the China market is also growing quickly. 
With offices all over the world and lab facilities in Farnborough and Dubai, Satcom Direct is able to provide 24/7 service. “If you have any issues, we can test them on the bench,” Moore said. Satcom Direct also offers regular seminars and training for customers, pilots and technicians. A new training program involves a partnership with FlightSafety International, for training Gulfstream pilots and technicians at FlightSafety’s Savannah, Ga. learning center. The classroom setup can also be used as a lab to troubleshoot satcom problems, and Satcom Direct hopes to mimic this setup with other aircraft platforms. 
New Services and Capabilities
At the conference, Satcom Direct highlighted new services and capabilities. A new agreement with Aircraft Performance Group (APG) will enable APG customers to access runway analysis and weight-and-balance data from the aircraft via satcom, instead of relying solely on ground-based Internet access. 
The 10-digit Global One Number that Satcom Direct offers customers has been improved, so users can select a local number and country code to match where the aircraft is based. Global One numbers are available for more than 50 countries and 4,000 cities.
Operators with satcom-equipped aircraft often complain that modern mobile devices, which passengers forget to switch off, inadvertently use expensive bandwidth during flights. Satcom Direct’s SkyShield applies filters to block unwanted data from being delivered to the aircraft. Three preconfigured filters are available, and Satcom Direct can also help customers develop custom filters. 
The newest version of Satcom Direct’s FlightDeck 360 iPad app was released just before the conference. FlightDeck 360 “brings datalink capabilities to the iPad,” according to Scott Hamilton, vice president of business and strategic development. For a satcom-equipped aircraft without datalink capabilities, FlightDeck 360 allows pilots to use the iPad to view flight plans and upload them to the ForeFlight moving-map app and receive pre-departure and oceanic clearances and digital ATIS messages. The app also can be used for emailing, communicating with Satcom Direct support personnel while in flight and viewing coverage areas for satcom and Sita VHF networks. “If you have Internet access and no datalink,” Hamilton said, “it’s a great way to get those functions.”
The two days of the Satcom Direct conference were filled with more than enough information to satisfy anyone wanting to learn about satellite communications for aviation. Updates were provided by key aviation telecom service and equipment providers, including Inmarsat, Iridium, ViaSat, Aircell, Rockwell Collins, Universal Avionics, International Communications Group, Cobham and Honeywell. And many of the presentations offered in-depth information on upcoming mandates that will affect international travelers, such as controller pilot datalink communications (CPDLC), future air navigation system (Fans), automatic dependent surveillance-contract (ADS-C) and VHF datalink mode 2 (VDL2).
Satcom Direct introduced its first certified hardware product at the conference, the new Satcom Direct Router. The router will work with any satellite constellation, including new ones such as Inmarsat’s Global Xpress, seamlessly switching between networks. Operators will be able to split network traffic, for example, setting the router to allow a VIP passenger to access the fastest and most expensive satcom system, while other passengers could use a lower-cost channel to keep expenses in check. The router operates on both 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi frequencies and offers two sim card slots for access to ground-based 3G/4G cellular networks. 
First deliveries of the new router–retail price is $27,000–are slated to begin next month. Satcom Direct plans to obtain supplemental type certificate approval for installation of the router in most aircraft types.

News, issues, personnel, equipment and developments about air traffic management.

Satcom Direct Conference Answers Satellite Questions

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Curt Epstein

New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

The project wrapped two weeks early after 24/7 effort

Conclusion of KEWR Runway Rehab Could Ease Traffic Woes

Charles Alcock

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Aircraft operators will be charged a new fee to support the work

Redesign of UK Airspace Will Start with London Airports

Kerry Lynch

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

Bolen said system needs addition $18.5 billion over three years

ATC Modernization Becomes Urgent Focus of FAA Reauthorization

Amy Wilder

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Predictive engine designed to support tower situational awareness

NoamAI Launches Artificial Intelligence ATC Assistant

Hanneke Weitering

News and issues relating to civil and military unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) of all kinds and sizes, including those used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), combat (unmanned combat air vehicles, or UCAVs), law enforcement, research and other applications. Of particular focus is the FAA's planned integration of UAS into the U.S. national airspace system.

More In ATC

Conclusion of KEWR Runway Rehab Could Ease Traffic Woes

The project wrapped two weeks early after 24/7 effort

Redesign of UK Airspace Will Start with London Airports

Aircraft operators will be charged a new fee to support the work

ATC Modernization Becomes Urgent Focus of FAA Reauthorization

Bolen said system needs addition $18.5 billion over three years

NoamAI Launches Artificial Intelligence ATC Assistant

Predictive engine designed to support tower situational awareness

EASA Certifies First U-space ATM Service Provider For Uncrewed Aircraft

Anra Technologies is ready to launch U-space services across Europe

FAA: Newark ATC Failures Prompt Controller Trauma Leave

Agency reiterates need for tech upgrades after Newark failures

New FAA-NATCA Deal Adds Bonuses To Bolster ATC Ranks

NATCA calls new pact “a meaningful step” toward solving controller shortage

WWII-era North Atlantic Blue Spruce Routes Removed

Blue Spruce involved airspace between Iceland and Greenland

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN