A Gilat teleport. Photo, courtesy of Gilat Satellite Networks
AirMedia Group revealed that Gilat Satellite Networks, a strategic partner of the company’s subsidiary, Air Esurfing (ARE), has achieved DO-160 certification for Gilat’s Ku-/Ka-dual-band aero terminal.
AirMedia Chief Operating Officer (COO) Grant Zhou commented that ARE and Gilat have built a strategic collaboration upon ARE’s ability to integrate Gilat’s dual-band terminal into the commercial in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) solutions in China. Bolstered by Gilat’s success, ARE’s current efforts on getting its IFEC solutions supplemental type certificate (STC) and VSTC certified for Boeing 737NG and Airbus 320 airplane families will be accelerated.
DO-160 is a standard that includes both both environmental and electromagnetic capability (EMC) testing to be considered capable of performing safety critical airborne applications such contributing to avionics functionality on commercial passenger carrying aircraft. The EMC testing portion of DO-160 features 26 different sections, including voltage spike, radio frequency susceptibility and electrostatic discharge. DO-160G, the latest version of the standard, was published in 2010 by RTCA’s special committee on environmental testing.
Zhou further commented that once they were STC and VSTC certified, ARE would become the exclusive provider of the solutions globally.
Mr. Herman Guo, CEO of AirMedia Group commented that as an official endorsement of performance, Gilat’s becoming DO-160 licensed would further accelerate ARE’s march to get IFC and IFEC solutions STC and VSTC certified for Boeing 737NG and Airbus 320 airplane families.