Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

Contributor

Mark Huber

Satcom Direct (SD, Booth X101) is offering customer demonstration flights of its Plane Simple satcom terminal and antenna system aboard the company’s Gulfstream G550 at EBACE 2022. The system includes two line replaceable units (LRUs)—the tail-mounted SD Plane Simple antenna and the SD modem—and it operates on Intelsat’s global FlexExec Ku-band satcom network.

 


Last month, the FAA approved supplemental type certificates (STCs) for installation of the Plane Simple system in the Gulfstream G550, G450, GV, and GIV.&nbsp;In parallel, EASA has approved an STC for Bombardier’s Global 6000, 5000, Express, and XRS. SD collaborated with Germany’s Alamo Engineering to develop the first EASA STC for the Global airframes.

 


A Global Express is the first aircraft equipped with the Plane Simple system outside of the U.S., with the installation completed by ACC Columbia Jet Service in Hannover, Germany. Additional approvals from the FAA, EASA, and Transport Canada are expected by July, and formal launch of FlexExec service commences in the third quarter.&nbsp;

 


“One of the challenges that many aircraft owners are facing is that the lifetime of their aircraft is longer than the technologies that are on board,” said SD international v-p Michael Skou Christiansen. “Plane Simple addresses that by simplifying the terminal for lower production and installation costs.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

 


SD estimates about 2,500 business aircraft are candidates for Plane Simple satcom installations. For now, the smallest jets that will be STC’d for Plane Simple are 600-series Challengers, but SD is looking at being able to provide a system for aircraft as small as Beechcraft King Airs.

 


A Plane Simple system&nbsp;costs about $235,000, not including installation or a router. Installation takes about 600 person-hours. Airtime is available on a per-hour, pay-as-you-go basis, with packages starting at 200 hours per year, and there is no limit on the amount of data consumed. System weight is 26 pounds for the antenna and 13 pounds for the SD modem LRU. System speed is up to 15 Gbps.

 


Intelsat’s FlexExec network runs on 16 high-throughput Intelsat 33e satellites in geostationary orbits, with dedicated bandwidth for business aviation customers. The company is adding more satellites to the network. To maximize service to business aviation users, Intelsat provides multiple spot beams to make more bandwidth available where traffic is higher, according to Mark Rasmussen, Intelsat senior v-p of mobility. “We can pile one beam on top of another,” he said, “so it’s an additive network and puts the right beam to the right airplane.”

 


During a demo flight from Geneva Airport held on Sunday, SD’s Gulfstream G550 flew a dozen EBACE media and Intelsat and SD executives who used 38 connected devices that consumed 4 GB of data during the flight. This reporter ran three devices simultaneously during the flight: a MacBook Air sending and receiving emails and downloading and uploading Adobe InDesign graphics files; an iPad Pro running a Netflix movie; and an iPhone FaceTime call. All worked smoothly with no issues due to bandwidth limitations.

New developments and products in avionics, specifically about aircraft electronics in the cockpit.

Satcom Direct Demos Intelsat FlexExec Satcom

EBACE attendees can learn more about Satcom Direct's Plane Simple Intelsat FlexExec satcom system during a demo flight at the show. 

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Matt Thurber

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.

Billund, Denmark-based company will also offer dealer coordination for European customers

Scandinavian Avionics To Support Legacy Nighthawk Systems

Curt Epstein

AIN readers rate avionics, cabin management, and airborne connectivity manufacturers

AIN Product Support Survey 2026: Avionics

Kerry Lynch

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

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.

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.

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

Experts gather to discuss the problems and solutions surrounding GNSS interference

AIN Roundtable—Readying for Potential Navigation Spoofing, Jamming

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Product enables aircraft to work together with no need for satcom or cellular communications

Ciconia C&CAS Demos Coordination, Collision Avoidance

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

New release adds missed approach climb gradient table and climb gradient values on departure procedures

Garmin Expands SmartCharts Reach to Canada and Mexico

Charles Alcock

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

More In Avionics

Scandinavian Avionics To Support Legacy Nighthawk Systems

Billund, Denmark-based company will also offer dealer coordination for European customers

AIN Product Support Survey 2026: Avionics

AIN readers rate avionics, cabin management, and airborne connectivity manufacturers

AIN Roundtable—Readying for Potential Navigation Spoofing, Jamming

Experts gather to discuss the problems and solutions surrounding GNSS interference

Ciconia C&CAS Demos Coordination, Collision Avoidance

Product enables aircraft to work together with no need for satcom or cellular communications

Garmin Expands SmartCharts Reach to Canada and Mexico

New release adds missed approach climb gradient table and climb gradient values on departure procedures

Autoland-equipped Phenom 300EV Gets Trio of Approvals

Light jet now approved by Brazilian, U.S., and European regulators

Klatt Works Adds Gulfstream as Approved SAVED Supplier

Expands availability of company's oxygen-mask head-up display system

Honeywell Expands Guided Visual Approach List to 120

Improves safety when flying into challenging airports

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN