The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) to SmartSky Networks’ radio and antenna manufacturing partners, enabling full-rate production of the SmartSky 4G LTE aircraft system and catalyzing STC projects on numerous popular business aircraft. Avidyne secured a PMA for the production of the airborne radio, while AeroAntenna received PMA for the manufacture of SmartSky’s aircraft antennas.
“SmartSky has examined every aspect of airborne connectivity, seeking better ways to deliver Wi-Fi performance and capacity to customers,” said Joe Klein, founder and CEO of AeroAntenna. “As their many demo flights have confirmed, SmartSky 4G LTE represents a quantum leap improvement over the incumbent air-to-ground system. Whether it’s through their advanced technical capabilities as evidenced by SmartSky’s 32 granted patents, or utilizing our highly innovative, customized, and active antennas that are now ready for full-rate production, SmartSky is raising expectations for ATG capabilities and consistently delivering.”