LAS VEGAS—Inflight connectivity provider Gogo reports that an expanding portfolio of business aircraft have been certified or are nearing approval to fit satellite communications terminals for its new Galileo broadband service.
Gogo announced at NBAA-BACE that MRO Standard Aero has completed a supplemental type certificate (STC) to install its FDX satcom terminal, comprising the larger of two flat-panel, electronically steered antennas the company offers for Galileo service. StandardAero now has two STCs to install the FDX and smaller HDX on Bombardier Challenger 600-series business jets.
A Gogo Galileo dealer, StandardAero has generated the first pair of STCs for both the FDX and HDX terminals. Earlier this month, the FAA issued an STC to Aloft AeroArchitects to install the FDX on Boeing 737-based business jets.
The fuselage-mounted FDX for super-midsize and larger business jets and HDX for smaller aircraft, manufactured by Hughes Network Systems, work in conjunction with Gogo’s Avance or SDR Gateway router platforms to connect with the Eutelsat OneWeb constellation of low earth orbit Ku-band satellites.
Gogo says 19 STCs have been completed to install the HDX antenna on 24 aircraft types, with another 21 certifications being developed. More than 150 of the smaller antennas have been shipped.
In addition to Aloft AeroArchitects and StandardAero, eight other STC agreements are in process for the FDX antenna, covering a total of 24 aircraft types.
Gogo also is advancing its new 5G air-to-ground (ATG) system, which will enter service years later than initially planned. System testing will transition from terrestrial validation to on-wing trials “in the coming weeks” to confirm all aspects of the ATG network, the company says.
More than 400 owners have pre-provisioned their aircraft for the belly-mounted MB13 antennas and Avance LX5 smart router required for 5G reception, Gogo says. For customer aircraft equipped with Gogo’s classic or legacy ATG 1000, 2000, 4000, 5000, or 8000 systems, the company has designed a form-fit C1 unit “to directly replace legacy equipment when the network cuts over in May 2026.”
Gogo says it is presenting a new face at this year’s NBAA convention. Soon after last year’s convention, Gogo completed the acquisition of Satcom Direct, an inflight connectivity equipment manufacturer, service provider and reseller.
“NBAA-BACE 2025 will be the first time the new Gogo will be presented to the important North American business aviation sector, and we are pleased to be exhibiting with so much good news for our customers,” said Gogo CEO Chris Moore. “We have worked extremely hard since the merger of Satcom Direct with Gogo to evolve an expanded, streamlined multi-orbit, multi-band connectivity ecosystem.”
