Satellite locations are commonly viewed as smaller facilities with potentially reduced capability; however, West Star Aviation is out to change this perception, and their efforts have recently proved successful.

When an opportunity to install a Starlink system on a customer G550 needed an accelerated schedule, West Star Aviation tapped the resources of its Satellite Facility network and Mobile Service Teams to meet the customer need.

When originally presented, the start date for this installation was scheduled for July 7, 2024. West Star accepted the installation and began planning. This meant they had roughly five weeks to get everything in order prior to the aircraft’s arrival. With the customer being based out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, there was initial concern with accommodating the parameters surrounding their flight schedule, allotted down time, and the complexity of the installation. In addition, the decision was made to utilize the company’s Dallas Satellite facility along with their Avionics Mobile Service Team instead of one of the full-service facilities.

As with many complex installations, most of the legwork takes place during the first week. Early communication with the customer initially revealed that the aircraft was scheduled to arrive on July 7 but was quickly revised to a June 7 arrival.

Nextant typically requires 4–5 weeks to provide a Starlink wiring harness kit for this project, adding even more pressure on the installations and delivery schedule early on.

Through diligence and communication, Nextant escalated the project and suggested a revised date of July 17 for kit delivery to KDAL. After extensive reassurance with the customer, they agreed to move the input date to July 17.

This substantially increased the importance of getting the aircraft on time, considering that originally there was a scheduled international flight for July 8, 2024 that also was shifted. There was no room for delay or error.

Next, there would be some minor STC deviations required for this installation. First, the placement of the Wireless Access Point mounting needed to be altered. Then, an existing cabin entertainment AVDS (Audio/Video Distribution System) box was currently mounted exactly where the STC showed the Starlink Power Supply Unit was to be mounted. The STC does provide an alternate location to mount the PSU, but due to lead time and additional costs of a kit that would be required, West Star engineering easily supported both STC deviations and actually provided a much more cost-effective solution by relocating the existing equipment.

In the end, it took multiple resources within the West Star Aviation enterprise working in tandem to deliver the completed aircraft on time with a system that performed exactly as advertised and an aircraft that was squawk-free. This is just another example of how West Star’s experience and resources can make all the difference when planning complex installations or projects with seemingly impossible schedules. In this case, Experience found a way.

For more information on West Star Aviation’s AOG/MRT capabilities, please contact us at 215-937-9020 or via email at aog@wsa.aero today.