January 11 2023  |  Connectivity & Satellites

Viasat receives CAAC VSTC for 737 series

By Alex Preston


Sichuan Airlines is China’s first domestic carrier to partner with Viasat

Viasat Inc. has been awarded a Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) Validation of Supplemental Type Certificate (VSTC) to install its advanced Ka-band satellite connectivity system on the Boeing 737 aircraft series.

Following the validation of the A320 series in April 2022, this latest approval for the 737-NG series further allows Chinese airlines to install and deploy Viasat’s In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) system, including antenna, radome, modem, server and WAPs.

In a January 10 press release, Don Buchman, Vice President and General Manager, Commercial Aviation at Viasat, stated, “Receiving CAAC validations is a great honour as we continue to invest in China for the long run. Incredibly, our current CAAC certifications allow us to serve over 75 percent of aircraft in China. We are grateful to our partners and excited to support the digital transformation of Chinese airlines both domestically and for international flights.”

In cooperation with China Satellite Communications, Co. Ltd. (China Satcom), Viasat’s IFC system connects with the Ka-band ChinaSat-16 satellite system to enable video streaming, browsing, messaging, social media scrolling and more to every connected device on Viasat-equipped aircraft operating over China. Viasat’s IFC system can also connect to its global network outside of China.

In December 2022, Sichuan Airlines became China’s first domestic carrier to partner with Viasat’s In-Flight Connectivity Solution and China Satcom’s Satellite System. Sichuan Airlines has multiple aircraft delivering the service currently.


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