This page covers the practical aspects of installing a Starlink Mini in a general aviation cockpit — where to place it, how to power it, and what to be aware of legally. For information about which Starlink service plan to choose for WXStar, see Which Starlink Plan Do I Need?

Where to place the antenna

The Starlink Mini needs a clear view of the sky, ideally toward the north in the northern hemisphere. Placement options:

Rear window (Cirrus SR20/22, Cessna 172, etc.) — the best placement for most aircraft. People use suction cups, Velcro strips, or custom mounts. The DIY element is unavoidable here.
Glare shield — works if your front windows are not electrically heated. In practice the connection quality is acceptable, but store the device for takeoff, approach, and landing, and make sure forward visibility is not compromised.
Side windows — only reliable if the window faces roughly north. Works on some headings but not a dependable solution in general.

How to power the Starlink Mini

The Starlink Mini ships with a 110V/230V wall adapter only. The device itself accepts 12–48V DC directly, which makes aircraft installation straightforward. Specifications say up to 60W; in practice it draws 30–40W at startup and settles to around 20–30W during normal operation.

A cigarette lighter socket at full aircraft voltage (14V or 28V) is the simplest solution. Check the amp rating of the socket — at 14V you need at least 3A continuous.
If your aircraft has a 12V converter (common in some Cirrus models), verify it can supply sufficient amperage before connecting.
Connect directly to the aircraft supply if possible. Do not add a USB-C adapter in between — these introduce additional losses and increase the load.
Standard USB-A sockets cannot supply enough power. Do not use them.
Power banks can work but tend to be heavy and are not ideal for regular use in flight.

WXStar connects between the aircraft power supply and the Starlink Mini, so with WXStar installed you only need one power connection for both devices.

Where to buy

Buying from a local electronics retailer often works out better than ordering directly from Starlink. You can sometimes get a small discount, and more importantly you can typically select the correct service plan immediately. When ordering through Starlink's own website, new accounts are often placed on the wrong plan for the first billing cycle before the switch can be made.
Current retail prices for the Starlink Mini are typically in the 300–350 EUR range including taxes, though this varies by country and retailer.

Starlink vs. Iridium GO

Starlink provides far higher bandwidth than any Iridium GO device. However, Iridium GO and GO Exec installations have significant practical advantages in some aircraft:

An external hull-mounted Iridium antenna eliminates placement challenges entirely.
No groundspeed limit — relevant for fast aircraft or with strong tailwinds.
No geographic restrictions — worldwide coverage including open ocean.
Works regardless of window type, glare shield space, or cockpit layout.

If your aircraft has heated front windows and no rear window, or if you fly regularly over open water, an Iridium-based solution may remain the better practical choice. The two systems can also be combined — WXStar uses Starlink for weather, and an ADL device provides Iridium fallback.

If you have any questions, contact us.

Last updated: April 2026