SD Government gets FAA green light for Gogo Galileo installations on Pilatus PC-12

SD Government in partnership with Pilatus and Pro Star Aviation has received FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) approval for the installation of the Gogo Galileo HDX on the Pilatus PC-12.

The approval covers multiple variants, including for special missions.

Möhl Oliver, CEO and president of Pilatus Aircraft USA said: “This certification marks another important step in expanding the capabilities of the PC-12 for government, defence and special missions operators worldwide. 

“Through our collaboration with SD Government and Pro Star Aviation, we are pleased to offer a proven connectivity solution that further enhances the versatility, effectiveness and operational value of the PC-12 platform for customers operating in even the most demanding environments.”

The first PC-12 modified by Pilatus to include Gogo Galileo in accordance with the Pro Star STC is expected to return to service soon. The aircraft is part of a previously announced SD Government federal contract for multi-orbit, multi-band airborne global satellite communications to a US government agency.

Subsequent European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) approvals are expected as Gogo Galileo HDX becomes available as both a retrofit for in-service PC-12s and a line-fit option for new aircraft.

Jeffrey Shaw, director of sales and marketing at Pro Star Aviation said: “Working directly with Pilatus and Gogo during the preliminary planning phase allowed us all to develop an installation design that is flexible and compatible with the entire in-service fleet as well as new aircraft production.”

Gogo Galileo harnesses Eutelsat OneWeb’s low earth orbit (LEO) satellite network to deliver high-speed, low-latency connectivity globally. The Galileo HDX electronically steered antenna (ESA) that delivers the service is a low-power solution which is minimally invasive to install, according to Gogo.

Ben Massey, SVP of Government Sales for SD Government said: “We are excited to bring Gogo Galileo HDX to government, defense and special missions PC-12 operators, enabling them to securely stream mission-critical data from the aircraft to connected users, anywhere in the world. The PC-12 is an incredibly popular special missions aircraft – aside from our US Government launch customer, we’re already experiencing high demand for this upgrade from a variety of global operators.”