The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has certified the use of Starlink internet connectivity onboard ATR 72 aircraft, following successful test flights carried out on ATR’s 72-600 test aircraft during 2024.
Air New Zealand is poised to be the launch customer of the technology on ATR aircraft, bringing internet access to its domestic flights this year. Nikhil Ravishankar, chief digital officer at Air New Zealand said that the airline “can’t wait” to bring internet connectivity to domestic operations.
Under the agreement, PMV Engineering has developed modifications for the certification of the Starlink aeroterminal on ATR aircraft, which is now available as a retrofit option on ATR 72-500 and –600 for all operators of the aircraft type through a supplemental type certificate (STC).
In a statement ATR said that it expects “strong interest” from airlines worldwide, including in markets such as Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the United States, where they see demand for in-flight connectivity as “growing rapidly”.