Satcom Direct was founded in 1997 by Jim Jensen, when he created Global One Number®. The patented Global One Number (GON) technology was the first solution to enable direct dialing to reach an aircraft in-flight, regardless of location, using its own unique telephone number. GON is still in use today on over 7,000 aircraft!
SD provides communications solutions on over 7,000 aircraft today!
In 2003, Jim Jensen and David Greenhill founded the military and government business unit, Satcom Direct Communications. Today, SD provides communications solutions to military/head of state aircraft in more than 20 countries, including 100% of US Government Senior Leadership Aircraft.
For 16 years running, SD has hosted a technical training summit and customer appreciation event, called CwC (Connecting with Customers). CwC provides customers with industry updates, product training, continuing education programs – plus networking events and activities. More than 300 select customers and partners attend each year!
Satcom Store, SD’s Land & Mobile division, provides a variety of reliable mobile satellite communications solutions to industries such as Emergency Response, M2M, Maritime, Media, Military/Government, Oil & Gas, and a growing list of others who depend upon reliable, global communications.
In 2007, SD launched its flight deck datalink communications service FlightDeck Freedom® (FDF). FDF integrates with over 20 trip planning providers, and is the only datalink service to integrate flight deck and cabin communications.
SD entered the hardware sector in 2013 when it certified the first Satcom Direct Router (SDR®), which quickly became the most popular router in the industry. In fact, there are more than 1,500 Satcom Direct Routers (SDRs) flying today!
SD is dedicated to training and education. In 2015, SD developed the industry’s first IT certification developed specifically for aviation, aeroIT. More than 800 students have received a training certification since its launch.
SD began international expansion in 2012, with the opening of the Farnborough, UK office. It now has offices in 9 countries - United States, Brazil, Canada, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Russia, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Australia – with more than 350 people worldwide!
2000 - 2005 | Military Expansion
Customer Support is a core value at SD. The SD Support team provides real-time troubleshooting and assistance 24/7/365 in a variety of languages, so there is always a real person standing by ready to assist. Our team has earned the #1 ranking in AIN’s Customer Support Survey for 6 years in a row!
CWC | Connecting with Customers
SD Land & Mobile
1997 | The Early Years
NOC | Network Operations Center
2007 FlightDeck freedom
Tier III Data Center
First Aviation IT Certification
COMSAT Teleports
In 2016, SD made major moves toward expansion, acquiring three companies: COMSAT (previously Airbus DS SatCom Government, Inc.), AircraftLogs, and TrueNorth Avionics.
SD owns and operates two Land Earth Stations via COMSAT, including the Southbury and Santa Paula Teleport - the world’s first earth station to pass Inmarsat satellite traffic for voice communications. The COMSAT Teleports are the ONLY Teleports in North America to receive Tier 4 ranking by the World Teleport Association, and they received the 2020 Teleport Operator of the Year award.
The 45,000-sq-ft SD World Headquarters building, opened in 2015, is Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certified. LEED is the internationally recognized standard for measuring building sustainability; LEED-certified buildings are resource efficient, using less water and energy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Launched in 2016, SD Pro® is the first integrated flight operations management platform to deliver a centralized data management ecosystem that automates and enhances flight department communications and operations.
SD Pro
EIS | Entry Into Service
SD began its Entry into Service (EIS) program in 2016, offering professional on-site instruction and support for new and existing customers to ensure the best possible user experience with SD products and services.
SD operates its own flight department. Understanding the industry’s needs and changing demands from the perspective of a customer has been integral to the evolution of product development; plus, the flight department supports product trials and validation to ensure optimal performance and user experience.
Inmarsat JX
SD was the first company to provision its services and transmit data over Inmarsat’s Ka-Band Jet ConneX network. SD is also now the largest Inmarsat Ka-Band Jet ConneX Distribution Partner to date.
PreFlight to PostFlight
SD’s patented PostFlight service, a module within SD Pro®, is the first electronic flight log solution that auto-captures flight times and cycles, reducing pilot workload, minimizing human error and improving operational efficiencies. Its latest evolution of the SD Pro data management platform includes PreFlight scheduling, 3rd party integration, dynamic reporting and more – making SD Pro the most powerful integrated data platform in the industry.
Did you know?
SD Beachside Office
Did you know?
SD holds more than ten technology patents!
With its wholly-owned Tier III Data Center, SD is the first and only company in the industry to offer a full end-to-end, military-grade cyber security network.
Did you know?
More than twenty SD employees are licensed pilots, including the majority of the Executive Leadership Team.
for aviation, by aviation
23 Years of Dedication
Learn more about our next generation of aviation solutions
SATCOMDIRECT.COM
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Scroll to experience 23 milestones in SD history
SD Beachside
Jim Jensen & David Greenhill
SD WHQ
Plane Simple Antenna
This year, SD announced development of the Plane Simple™ Antenna Series, which includes multiple modular systems for operation in Ka-band, Ku-band, and L-band. With SD’s software and hardware in the cabin and flight deck, ground infrastructure and data security services, and now the Plane Simple antennas, SD is the only connectivity company that provides a single-source solution, purpose-built for business aviation operators.
Thank you to all our customers,
partners and employees.