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Textron Aviation has opened a new connectivity chapter for legacy Hawker business jets, introducing SpaceX Starlink high-speed internet as a retrofit option for Hawker 700, 800 and 900 series aircraft following recent certification milestones.
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Certification Clears Path for Starlink on Hawker Fleet
According to publicly available information from Textron Inc., Starlink inflight connectivity is now being offered for Hawker 700, 800 and 900 series jets through Textron Aviation’s customer support network after the Federal Aviation Administration approved a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) covering the installation. The approval follows a multi-year push across business aviation to adapt Starlink’s low Earth orbit satellite network for retrofit applications on older airframes.
Textron’s latest announcement specifies that Hawker operators can equip their aircraft with the Starlink Aviation Performance Kit, a hardware package tailored for high-altitude, high-speed operations. The kit is designed to integrate into existing airframes without major structural changes, enabling operators to add modern broadband capability while retaining the core characteristics of the classic Hawker cabin and flight deck design.
Regulatory databases and industry listings attribute the key STCs for Starlink installations on Hawker 700 and 800/900 models to engineering specialists such as AeroMech Incorporated, whose approvals cover a broad range of BAe 125 and Hawker variants. These certifications provide the technical and regulatory foundation that Textron Aviation can now use to roll out factory-supported retrofit options to its installed base.
North American and International Service Centers Lead Installations
Textron Aviation states that Hawker 700, 800 and 900 series owners can now schedule Starlink installations at its company-operated North American service centers, with selected international facilities also supporting the program. This positions the upgrade alongside existing Hawker maintenance, inspections and avionics work, allowing operators to combine connectivity installations with planned downtime.
The company’s broader upgrades portfolio shows that SpaceX Starlink has been progressively added alongside avionics, cabin and performance enhancements across Cessna Citation, Beechcraft King Air and Hawker fleets. Textron’s published upgrade pages describe the Starlink offering as a way to deliver broadband-class inflight internet with gate-to-gate coverage, highlighting the ability to maintain connectivity throughout an entire trip rather than only at cruise altitude.
Textron Aviation’s parts and support sites already emphasize deep inventory and lifecycle backing for Hawker 700, 800 and 900 series aircraft, with tailored spares programs and support plans for the aging but still active fleet. By routing Starlink installations through this established network, the company is effectively treating connectivity as another long-term support item for Hawker operators, rather than a one-off modification.
Performance Targets Aim at Streaming and Remote Operations
Textron’s latest Starlink-related materials describe performance figures intended to support bandwidth-intensive applications on board business jets. The Starlink Aviation Performance Kit is presented with target download speeds of up to 1 Gbps and upload speeds up to 100 Mbps, along with latency figures reported as low as around 20 milliseconds. These metrics are positioned to enable activities such as video streaming, video conferencing, cloud-based work and online gaming while in flight.
In the business aviation context, this level of connectivity is particularly relevant for operators who use Hawker jets on transcontinental or overwater routes, or who frequently access remote destinations where traditional air-to-ground Wi-Fi networks offer limited or no coverage. Starlink’s low Earth orbit constellation is promoted as improving reliability over oceans and sparsely populated areas, aligning with the mission profiles of many corporate and charter Hawker operators.
Industry coverage of Starlink’s broader aviation rollout across airlines and business jets has highlighted growing passenger expectations for home-like connectivity in the cabin. For classic Hawker models first delivered decades ago, the ability to match or exceed the Wi-Fi experience found on newer aircraft can be a meaningful factor in charter competitiveness and residual values.
Strategic Boost for Legacy Hawker Jets
Textron Aviation’s decision to prioritize Starlink for the Hawker 700, 800 and 900 series fits into a wider strategy to sustain and modernize legacy fleets it inherited through the Beechcraft and Hawker brands. Company materials emphasize that Textron Aviation continues to support Hawker models through dedicated parts programs, used serviceable material initiatives and upgrade offerings, even though new-production Hawker jets are no longer in the catalog.
For operators, adding high-speed connectivity can extend the useful life of these aircraft in demanding corporate and charter markets. Published guidance from Textron encourages owners to align connectivity upgrades with scheduled inspections, which can minimize additional downtime and simplify logistics for operators managing tight utilization schedules.
Market observers note that retrofit connectivity programs of this type also help maintain the relevance of older business jets in a competitive secondary market, where buyers increasingly look for cabins that support seamless digital work and entertainment. With a factory-backed pathway to Starlink now available, Hawker 700, 800 and 900 series jets gain an upgrade that speaks directly to modern passenger expectations, potentially strengthening their position against newer, smaller or more fuel-efficient types that lack equivalent connectivity options.
Part of a Broader Starlink Expansion Across Business Aviation
The Hawker announcement follows earlier steps by Textron Aviation and engineering partners to secure Starlink approvals for other business aircraft, including turboprops and midsize jets. Public listings of Starlink-related STCs show a growing roster of models, with AeroMech and other organizations developing installation data packages for a variety of Textron-built aircraft.
At the same time, Textron’s upgrade portals have progressively moved SpaceX Starlink into a featured position among aftermarket enhancements, signaling that satellite broadband is becoming a central element of the company’s support offering. While individual operators must weigh subscription costs and installation downtime, the availability of a standardized, OEM-supported pathway reduces the complexity that previously accompanied bespoke connectivity retrofits.
As Starlink’s aviation presence expands across commercial airlines and private operators, the inclusion of Hawker 700, 800 and 900 series jets in Textron Aviation’s Starlink roadmap underscores how even long-established airframes are being reshaped by new expectations around connectivity. For travelers on these aircraft, the experience is increasingly defined not only by performance and cabin comfort, but by what can be accomplished online at 40,000 feet.
Textron Inc. news release on Hawker Starlink connectivity
Textron Aviation aftermarket upgrades overview
FAA STC listings for Starlink installations on Hawker and BAe 125 models
Textron Aviation Hawker 700/800/900 series parts support page