Textron Aviation Offers Starlink High-Speed Internet for Hawker 700, 800, and 900 Series Business Jets

Decades-old business jets are getting a significant modernization upgrade. Textron Aviation has announced that Starlink high-speed internet is now available for the Hawker 700, 800, and 900 series aircraft. This rollout follows the approval of a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) by the Federal Aviation Administration, which was developed and approved by AeroMech. The AeroMech-developed STC focuses on the Starlink Aviation Performance Kit, a system that leverages SpaceX's low Earth orbit satellite constellation to provide connectivity over land, water, and remote areas where traditional in-flight Wi-Fi typically has no signal.

Starlink satellites orbit at an altitude of approximately 550 kilometers (342 miles) above Earth, which is much closer than the geostationary satellites that have long served older business jets, orbiting at about 35,800 kilometers (22,250 miles). This shorter distance significantly reduces signal latency, enabling the system to support streaming, video conferencing, gaming, and other bandwidth-intensive applications. According to Textron Aviation, the next-generation Starlink system installed under this STC offers download speeds of up to 1 Gbps and upload speeds of up to 100 Mbps.

With latency as low as 20 milliseconds, these figures put it ahead of the geostationary satellite systems that Hawker fleets have traditionally relied on since their service inception.

Availability of Installation Services

Operators of Hawker 700, 800, and 900 series aircraft can now schedule the installation of the Starlink Aviation Performance Kit. Optional installation services are available at Textron Aviation service centers in North America, as well as select international service centers. Brad White, Senior Vice President of Customer Support at Textron Aviation, stated that the company is continuously expanding Starlink's availability, driven by close attention to the needs of Hawker operators.

Traditionally, cabin connectivity has been offered as a factory-installed option on new aircraft and has gradually permeated older fleets, such as the Hawker series, over time.

Impact on the Pre-Owned Market

For operators and brokers operating within the pre-owned business jet market, connectivity upgrades are increasingly directly impacting resale value. Aircraft equipped with modern internet capabilities have a competitive edge when competing against newer models entering the same market. This STC continues Textron Aviation's pattern since October 2023, when AeroMech's Starlink STC first covered the Beechcraft King Air B200 and B300 series, as well as the Cessna Citation 560XL.

Textron subsequently extended similar Starlink STCs to the Citation X and X+, Citation Caravan, and Citation Latitude, with the Hawker series now being the latest addition to this expanding list.

Textron Aviation operates under the Beechcraft, Cessna, Hawker, and Pipistrel brands and has a global network of over 300 authorized service facilities and more than 40 mobile service units. The company stated that customers can directly contact their customer support team to schedule the installation of the aircraft. Textron Aviation has produced more than half of the world's general aviation aircraft over its nearly 100-year history.

Impact of Starlink on Business Jets

As business jets undergo modernization upgrades, Starlink's high-speed internet service provides crucial technological support for the Hawker series. This not only enhances in-flight connectivity but also enables these older aircraft to remain competitive in the market. Particularly in the pre-owned market, aircraft with modern internet capabilities can attract more buyers, thereby increasing resale value. Textron Aviation's expansion plans demonstrate a commitment to customer needs and signal the future direction of business aviation.