Gulfstream Aerospace’s Gulfstream G650. Photo: Gulfstream

Viasat revealed on Aug. 26 that its business aviation In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) system received Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., certifying the use of its Ka-band IFC system on the Gulfstream G650 and Gulfstream G650ER business jets. When combined with its prior FAA STC for the Viasat Ku-band system, Gulfstream operators get a tail-mounted Dual-band (Ka and Ku) service offering.

Viasat’s Ku-band system has been available across both aircraft types since 2015, but now when combined with Viasat’s FAA-approved Ka-band system, Gulfstream G650 and G650ER operators will be able to take advantage of Viasat’s Ka-band system along with the reach of its global Ku-band network. This allows aircraft to leverage the ability to shift between networks, utilizing Ku-band to supplement Ka-band services.

“Combining our Ka- and Ku-band solutions will allow passengers aboard the Gulfstream G650 and G650ER to experience the fastest cabin internet speeds available in business aviation,” said Claudio D’Amico, business area director for Business Aviation, Viasat. “As a result, Gulfstream’s longest-range jet passengers and crew will be able to simultaneously experience high-speed internet connections for streaming high-quality content and accessing critical business and entertainment applications. We believe that Viasat’s industry-leading connectivity combined with Gulfstream’s performance standard creates tremendous value.”