Rockwell Collins has delivered the first scaled-down version of its Tailwind tail-mounted television-antenna for super mid-sized business aircraft and is pursuing several supplemental type certificates (STC).
The Tailwind 500 is a 290mm (11.5in) -diameter satellite television antenna, able to receive the same signal as the 725mm-diameter Tailwind 550, used on airliner-class business jets, says Chris Sanchirico, Rockwell Collins technical manager for business and regional systems.
The system was installed on a Bombardier Challenger 604 aircraft at JetCorp's St Louis, Missouri facilities last month and is expected to fly by the end of this month, with an STC scheduled by July. Rockwell Collins has sold the dish, jointly developed by military antenna provider AeroSat, to operators of several other types of large business jets and expects up to four additional STCs this year.
Source: Flight International