Sherpa Air MRO authorised as Starlink dealer and installer

A Starlink terminal fitted atop a business jet fuselage. (credit: Starlink)

Sherpa Air MRO is now an authorised Starlink Aviation dealer and installer for Starlink.

The company said it is prioritising dedicated Starlink installations and “rapid-turn” schedules of a few weeks designed to minimise aircraft downtime. 

“Starlink is the standard for aviation connectivity. The question for operators isn’t whether they want it—it’s how quickly they can get it installed,” said Paul Handakas, president of Sherpa Air. “We are prioritising Starlink installations, creating dedicated capacity and focusing our operation on rapid turnaround. Our job is to get the installation done right and get that aircraft flying again.”

Through its FAA-certificated Part 145 repair station in Georgetown, South Carolina, Sherpa Air will support Starlink installations on eligible aircraft utilising approved STCs and installation data.

For operators already planning scheduled maintenance, Sherpa Air can also integrate Starlink installations with inspections, avionics upgrades, modifications and other maintenance requirements. Alternatively, operators can schedule a dedicated Starlink installation with“minimum” downtime, said the company.

This authorised Starlink Aviation dealer status represents another step in Sherpa Air’s expansion of its maintenance and modification capabilities, said the company.

Starlink raised its business aviation prices in early August. The SpaceX company has replaced its $10,000 a month “Unlimited Plan” with a $20,000 “Aviation Global Unlimited Plan”. This offers download speeds of up to 1Gbps with a Starlink performance antenna or 500Mbps with earlier generation antennae. 

The price increase has raised eyebrows among industry leaders. NJ Correnti, founder and CEO, NICHOLAS AIR said the rise “lacks any reasonable ethical process” and could be considered “reckless”.