Empire Aviation Group has become the first operator in the UAE to deploy Satcom Direct’s advanced technology Plane Simple Ku-band terminal. The two line-replaceable unit system consisting of a tail-mount antenna and SD modem unit is currently being installed by ACC Columbia Jet at its Hamburg, Germany, facilities on a Bombardier Global XRS.

The power and flexibility of the technical solution and SD’s OEM relationships with a growing roster of STCs across major airframes were all critical factors in Empire’s decision to begin equipping its fleet with the advanced technology solution. “As a leading management company, our clients entrust and empower us to deploy solutions that deliver reliability, commercial value and, of course, passenger satisfaction. For us, the SD Plane Simple option just made sense,” says founder and managing director Paras Dhamecha. “Satcom Direct offers a highly attractive single resource for all our connectivity needs. From cockpit to cabin, the system provides leading-edge technology backed by a network of top MRO partners and access to expert support 24/7/365 to keep us connected. This approach gives us peace of mind, minimising the risk and pain of deploying new technology.” The Global XRS will be re-delivered to Empire Aviation in late November, where the SD Dubai team will ensure a seamless entry into service and handover.

Since the commercial introduction of the compact SD Plane Simple Ku-band terminal just over a year ago, it continues to be adopted worldwide and has clocked up over 10,000 flight hours to date. Purpose-built for business aviation, it delivers reliable, high speed connectivity via the Intelsat FlexExec service, which is committed to providing airtime to the business aviation sector.

SD VP international David Falberg says: “We are extremely proud to partner with Empire Aviation Group on this first deployment of our Plane Simple solution in the UAE. This deal is testimony to our continued success in delivering innovation to the market, particularly in the Middle East, and customers’ confidence that our solutions will protect their investment and ambitions. As a business, we value long-term working partnerships that allow us to deliver success to our customers and support their competitive advantage now and in the future.”