FTS Announces Landmark FAA STC and CAAC vSTC for its XStreamSAT Inflight Broadband Connectivity System for Airbus A320 series of aircraft
Beijing, China – March 19, 2020 – FTS, a new exciting provider of wireless Inflight Entertainment and Connectivity solutions, is proud to announce the landmark award of FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) STC (Supplemental Type Certification) and CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of China) vSTC (Validation of Supplemental Type Certification) for its XStreamSAT© inflight broadband connectivity system installation on Airbus A320 series of aircraft.
FTS XStreamSAT is the first ever all Chinese designed and manufactured inflight connectivity system that has received double airworthiness certification from both the FAA and CAAC. The success of this project was the result of a year-long coordination effort with the different regulatory authorities and is further manifestation of FTS’ maturing capabilities under the new company slogan: Innovative Connectivity. Following the STC for the A320 fleet, FTS is also working on a STC application for the Boeing B737NG series and expecting to receive certification later this year.
XStreamSAT is FTS’ state-of-the-art flagship product that equips the aircraft with highspeed satellite broadband connectivity. The full onboard system comprises of Cabin Wireless Network, MODMAN (Modem Manager), satellite antenna system, radome and the adapter plate system. For the China market, it has been optimized to connect with China Satcom’s Chinasat-16 Ka-Band High-Throughput Satellite (HTS), offering unprecedented bandwidth of up to 150 Mbps for each aircraft.
With the successful double-award of STC, FTS expects to commence fleet-wide installation and commercial service of XStreamSAT on Qingdao Airline’s A320 fleet, in collaboration with airline and other partners. In addition to elevating Qingdao Airlines passenger inflight experience, the airline is also embarking in total digitization of airline operations enabled by FTS innovative connectivity solutions. While the current coronavirus situation is a temporary setback to airlines, it has also provided a breather window for airlines to plan for digitalization strategies and be ready for the next wave when air travel picks up again.