Jet Access Maintenance becomes an authorized Starlink dealer

Low latency connectivity is quickly becoming a must-have feature for used jets and MROs have taken notice. As the roster of shops that can put Starlink on a business jet continues to grow, Jet Access Maintenance is the latest to join the club as an authorized Starlink dealer.Starlink uses a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite system for connectivity. LEO satellites fly lower than the Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) systems that serve older jets, which dramatically shortens signal latency. Starlink satellites orbit roughly 550 km up, while GEO satellites sit around 35,800 km. That shorter distance allows faster speeds that support video calls, live streaming and cloud access from the cabin.The system can be retrofitted to a legacy jet through a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC). An STC is FAA approval to modify a specific aircraft type from its original design, and it is issued per make and model. Starlink STCs cover many models from major OEMs including Cessna/Textron, Bombardier, Dassault, Embraer and Gulfstream. As an authorized dealer, Jet Access can evaluate, acquire, install and support Starlink Aviation solutions for STC-covered aircraft across its Indianapolis, Nashville and West Palm Beach facilities.Connectivity is shifting sentiment in the used-jet market, moving from a nice-to-have to a required feature for buyers. A Starlink or comparable LEO system can raise the desirability of an older jet while weakening the market position of any comparable airframe that lacks one. Jet Access and other authorized dealers will likely see more owners come in for the retrofit as more buyers screen for it.With a wider spread of authorized dealers and per-model STCs, the hurdles to LEO connectivity keep dropping. What used to be a custom avionics project is turning into a routine checklist item, which should continue to open the doors to the laggards. But for the airframes entering the market that skip the upgrade, a bargain label may soon turn into a problem label.