Photo: Gulfstream
Ever since it came about in 2019, the Starlink managed to change the world. Granted, it didn't do so by bringing high-speed internet to impoverished people who need it (have you seen how expensive the service is?), as was Elon Musk's promise, if I remember correctly, but it opened up the doors to new possibilities when it comes to travel (and even warfare).
In the time that has passed since Starlink's arrival we’ve seen the tech being deployed on overlanding vehicles, on seafaring ships, and on airplanes. Soon, the solution will also power space missions, so yes, having Starlink around is a clear advantage.
Despite its success and almost constant presence in the news, Starlink is not yet as widespread as it should be. But it's getting there, and it just made a huge step in the right direction at the hands of aircraft maker Gulfstream.
You see, the Internet solution is most of the time added in business jets by the planes' operators, but Gulfstream managed to get approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to integrate it directly, right in its factories.
The first two plane models that have been approved for the upgrade are the G650 and G650ER. Once equipped with Starlink, the planes will offer their passengers access to space internet-powered video calls, cloud access, and data transfers. And they all come at pretty impressive speeds: between 40 and 220 Mbps download speeds, and less than 99 milliseconds latency.
The Gulfstream G650 and its extended range sibling are some of the most impressive jets of their kind. The family holds no less than 125 speed records (they top at just below the speed of sound) and can travel for distances of up to 8,631 miles (13,890 km) when talking about the ER version.
There are presently some 500 of these planes in operation around the world, and one of them managed to set the record for farthest flight in business aviation history, achieved in 2019. Back then, a G650ER traveled from Singapore to Tucson, Arizona, a total distance of 9,642 miles (15,518 km), without stopping. And it set speed records in the process, traveling at an average speed of 597 mph (960 kph).
The G650 will not be the last plane in the Gulfstream fleet to get the Starlink system. The aircraft maker says it is presently in the process of getting FAA certification to install it in the G800, G700, G600, G500, G400, G280, GIV, GIV-X, GV, and GV-SP.
For the rest of you living in the U.S., Starlink internet comes at a price. The company is asking $120 per month for residential customers, plus $349 for the hardware. The service is recommended for "RVs, nomads, and campers, and working on the go."
Despite its success and almost constant presence in the news, Starlink is not yet as widespread as it should be. But it's getting there, and it just made a huge step in the right direction at the hands of aircraft maker Gulfstream.
You see, the Internet solution is most of the time added in business jets by the planes' operators, but Gulfstream managed to get approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to integrate it directly, right in its factories.
The first two plane models that have been approved for the upgrade are the G650 and G650ER. Once equipped with Starlink, the planes will offer their passengers access to space internet-powered video calls, cloud access, and data transfers. And they all come at pretty impressive speeds: between 40 and 220 Mbps download speeds, and less than 99 milliseconds latency.
The Gulfstream G650 and its extended range sibling are some of the most impressive jets of their kind. The family holds no less than 125 speed records (they top at just below the speed of sound) and can travel for distances of up to 8,631 miles (13,890 km) when talking about the ER version.
There are presently some 500 of these planes in operation around the world, and one of them managed to set the record for farthest flight in business aviation history, achieved in 2019. Back then, a G650ER traveled from Singapore to Tucson, Arizona, a total distance of 9,642 miles (15,518 km), without stopping. And it set speed records in the process, traveling at an average speed of 597 mph (960 kph).
The G650 will not be the last plane in the Gulfstream fleet to get the Starlink system. The aircraft maker says it is presently in the process of getting FAA certification to install it in the G800, G700, G600, G500, G400, G280, GIV, GIV-X, GV, and GV-SP.
For the rest of you living in the U.S., Starlink internet comes at a price. The company is asking $120 per month for residential customers, plus $349 for the hardware. The service is recommended for "RVs, nomads, and campers, and working on the go."
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