Viasat Inc., a global communications company, announced it has been awarded a Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) Validation of Supplemental Type Certificate (VSTC) to install its complete, advanced Ka-band satellite system on Airbus A320 series of aircraft. This CAAC validation, Viasat’s first in China, lays the foundation for Chinese airlines to install and deploy Viasat’s industry-leading In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) system, including antenna, radome, modem, server and WAPs, on Airbus A320s.
The CAAC VSTC was awarded based on an Airbus A320 STC previously certified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). It joins a portfolio of STCs that has been applied globally on 1,800+ commercial aircraft installed with Viasat’s in-flight connectivity system. In total, the Company’s current IFC solution has accumulated more than 16.5 million flight hours.
Don Buchman, Viasat’s vice president and general manager, Commercial Aviation, stated, “Achieving the CAAC validation milestone in China is significant because Chinese-based airlines, using our best-in-class equipment, are now a step closer to delivering an on-the-ground internet experience to their passengers while in-flight. We’re grateful to our partners in China for their support and are committed to continuing to invest in this important market — where we have operated since 1994 — for the long run.”
Viasat’s IFC system will enable full video streaming, browsing, messaging, social media scrolling and more to every connected device on a Viasat-equipped aircraft. In addition to optimizing passengers’ connected experiences when in-flight, Viasat’s IFC solution will enable airlines to enhance passenger loyalty, improve operating efficiencies and increase revenue generating opportunities through ancillary content and application programs.
For more information on Viasat’s Commercial Aviation services, please visit Viasat online at Viasat.com.
About Viasat
Viasat is a global communications company that believes everyone and everything in the world can be connected. For more than 35 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the world communicate. Today, the Company is developing the ultimate global communications network to power high-quality, secure, affordable, fast connections to impact people’s lives anywhere they are—on the ground, in the air or at sea. To learn more about Viasat, visit: www.viasat.com, go to Viasat’s Corporate Blog, or follow the Company on social media at: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or YouTube.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbors created under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements include Viasat’s ability to install and deploy the IFC system on Airbus A320s; and benefits to airline customers and passengers. Readers are cautioned that actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements