An Introduction to Certus

Welcome back to Jump Seat. This week we discuss the newest addition to the selection of Satcom services offered by ARINCDirect. Iridium Certus™ is our latest cost-effective cabin connectivity solution, allowing business jet operators of all cabin sizes to keep their passengers connected while in the air.

A History of Iridium 

Iridium has established itself as the reliable, inexpensive, easy-to-install option for voice and data link safety services across both business and commercial aviation customers. Recently, Iridium has replaced their legacy GEN 1 constellation with the new Iridium Certus satellites.  The Iridium satellite system is the only player today offering pole-to-pole coverage, broadening the reach of connectivity solutions for operators around the world. 

Figure 1: A map of the Iridium satellites

What is Certus? 

Certus is a new service offering that is layered on top of the existing Iridium network to provide speeds enabling high-quality voice calls, video streaming, full internet access, and file, photo, and video transfers. Because it is available globally with no polar gaps, it is a great addition to existing Iridium voice and safety services. In fact, the service supports up to three Certus HD voice channels, allowing multiple calls to occur simultaneously. For operators looking for reliable, efficient satellite communications, Iridium Certus provides clear advantages in L-band speed, latency, and reliability for primary, or backup connectivity. 

Installing Certus 

Installation of Certus is swift and affordable – in fact, the hardware costs can provide up to a 50% savings when compared to other connectivity solutions. To install Certus, the new IRT NX SATCOM system from Collins Aerospace is required. Installation is possible via your manufacturer or Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) dealer processes. 

More on the System 

Collins Aerospace designs and manufactures the entire IRT NX SATCOM system – including the SATCOM data unit, SATCOM configuration module and HIGH GAIN antenna – to provide a cohesive, seamless experience for its customers. Additional benefits associated with the Collins IRT NX SATCOM system for Iridium include lower weight and smaller antenna footprint than legacy SATCOM systems, allowing for minimum drag and lower power usage for operators. 

As the first-to-market service provider for the Iridium Certus 700 product, the Collins solution taps into a global constellation of more than 70 satellites, providing business aviation passengers with a best-in-class broadband offering, enabling real-time access to news, productivity, and voice calls over IP, matching customer demand for seamless connectivity.  

The Certus service is available a la carte, with a monthly access fee. It is also available as a back-up plan for those with existing services. For more information, please reach out to your ARINCDirect sales representative.  

Figure 2: The IRT NX Satcom System 

• The distance to Iridium satellites is 483 miles, or 966 miles round trip. Other systems necessitate a 46,000-mile journey, creating a greater latency.   
• Antennas do not need direct alignment with Iridium satellites to work efficiently. This was incorporated into the design of the IRT NX Satcom system.  

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