COVINGTON, La., March 24, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Globalstar Inc. (NYSE MKT:GSAT) announced today the awarding of a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from the FAA for its Part 23 Light Aviation Aircraft Antenna. The issuance of the STC validates that all quality and safety requirements of the FAA for the product have been met through rigorous testing and evaluation which took place over the past year. The initial issuance was obtained on a Beechcraft Baron with an additional 700 models expected to be added to the Approved Model List (AML). A market consisting of hundreds of thousands of General Aviation Pilots can now practically and affordably make calls, send emails and text messages and browse the internet from the cockpit, without the need for cellular access.
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“This announcement comes on the heels of the recent announcement to partner with Avidyne to provide new communications solutions for the higher-end aviation market,” commented Dave Kagan, President and Chief Operating Officer, Globalstar. “With the newest mobile satellite communications network available today, we want to leverage our industry-leading voice capabilities and fastest data speeds to provide innovative communications solutions to a market where until now, reasonably priced hardware and service options were virtually non-existent.”
The FAA-certified antenna will be paired with Globalstar’s STC’d cradle and sold alongside devices like the GSP-1700 mobile satellite phone and Sat-Fi®. The GSP-1700 voice and data package will be sold with the accompanying, STC-certified cradle, SPOT Trace® tracking device, which tracks the plane’s location down to every 2.5 minutes and the 9600 data interface. The Sat-Fi voice and data package will include the antenna and SPOT Trace. Both packages will give pilots and passengers the ability to make and receive calls, update travel times, change flight plans, arrange for services upon landing and simply stay in touch with family, friends and colleagues via voice, text, email, tracking or all of the above. According to Ryan Deck, Avionics Sales Manager for Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co., “This is the most exciting development in General Aviation Avionics in a very long time.”
The GSP-1700 package will retail at $1,600 and the Sat-Fi package will retail for $1,700 (airtime plans and SPOT Trace activation fees not included). Both packages will be available from specialty dealers around the nation and Globalstar anticipates its new aviation kits will be ready for shipment in early summer. For more information, visit the Globalstar booth at one of the upcoming Aviation shows (Sun n’ Fun, Great Alaska Aviation Gathering or EAA Airventure) or visit Globalstar.com/Aviation.
About Globalstar, Inc.
Globalstar is a leading provider of mobile satellite voice and data services, leveraging the world’s newest mobile satellite communications network. Customers around the world in industries like government, emergency management, marine, logging, oil & gas and outdoor recreation rely on Globalstar to conduct business smarter and faster, maintain peace of mind and access emergency personnel. Globalstar data solutions are ideal for various asset and personal tracking, data monitoring and SCADA applications. The Company's products include mobile and fixed satellite telephones, the innovative Sat-Fi satellite hotspot, Simplex and Duplex satellite data modems, tracking devices and flexible service packages. For more information, visit www.globalstar.com.
Note that all SPOT products described in this press release are the products of SPOT LLC, which is not affiliated in any manner with Spot Image of Toulouse, France or Spot Image Corporation of Chantilly, Virginia. For more information, visit www.globalstar.com.