Flexjet picks Viasat to upgrade BizJet connectivity

Fractional jet ownership leader Flexjet will add Viasat‘s in-flight connectivity products to portions of its fleet, bringing high-speed internet service to its owner/passengers. The deal is two-fold, bringing different services to different aircraft types, showing off the flexibility and breadth of Viasat’s offerings.

When we began evaluating IFC partners to improve our existing connectivity, it became clear that Viasat’s products and services would enhance it on more devices across more of our fleet—which will boost the value of our Owners’ flight experiences. We also appreciated their satellite roadmap—which would ensure the IFC investments we’re making today will meet the increasing data demands of tomorrow.

– Flexjet Chief Operating Officer Megan Wolf

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Ka-band service on the Praetor 600

Viasat’s high-speed Ka-band IFC service will be installed on Flexjet’s Embraer Praetor 600 super-mid cabin fleet. The company ordered the 600 as part of a 64-aircraft deal announced in 2019. The aircraft generally operates for Flexjet within Europe and on Transatlantic routes. Those markets are covered by Viasat’s Ka-band satellites, including Ka-SAT and ViaSat-2.

Read More: Viasat delivers inflight connectivity on Embraer Praetor 600

Viasat was the initial company to announce IFC offerability on the Praetor 600. The very first aircraft off the line carries the Viasat Global Aero Terminal 5510 in its tail-mount pod, allowing for connectivity to the Ka-band satellite network.

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With the Ka-band service Viasat and Flexjet provide office- and home-like connectivity from takeoff to touchdown, at speeds typically greater than 20 Mbps. The company recently removed speed caps from its Ka BizAv connectivity packages, boosting the on-board experience.

Ku-band for global coverage

Flexjet’s G450, G650 and Global aircraft are upgrading to the Viasat Ku Advanced IFC solution. This offers faster speeds than Flexjet’s prior system, enabling passengers and crew to enjoy an enhanced connectivity experience across the world’s most heavily traveled flight routes.

Read More: Skip the speed test: Viasat removes caps for BizAv connectivity

As the ViaSat-3 constellation comes online, boosting Ka-band coverage to the global route network, these aircraft also have a path to upgrade. The companies describe it as “an efficient option to evolve the connectivity experience for Flexjet customers.”

Read More: Gogo secures AVANCE L5 certification for Embraer Phenom 300 Business Jets

“By working in close partnership with Flexjet, we tailored our solution so they could gain advantages from both our Ku- and Ka-band solutions,” said Claudio D’Amico, Viasat’s business area director, Business Aviation. “We felt it was critical to work closely with Flexjet to create an IFC solution that was both economically sustainable and technically strong for their long-term commitment needs. We have confidence this deal will lead to a long-standing relationship that will continue to grow as we bring on more global capacity to serve more of Flexjet’s aircraft—in both Europe and the U.S.”