Mark Sandler, senior vice president of sales for Gogo Business Aviation, discussed the evolution of inflight connectivity technologies and available options for Citation owners during an August 14 CJP webinar presentation.
While many think of inflight connectivity’s benefits to passengers looking to stream movies or browse the Internet, Sandler noted it also offers pilots important safety advantages.
“There’s a big aspect of improving situational awareness and using connectivity as a supplement to your onboard aircraft resources for your crew,” he said. “Pilots can access weather and trip planning, in more real time than you’ve ever had before.”
For Citation pilots, Gogo offers L3 air-to-ground (ATG) coverage is available throughout the continental U.S., Canada and up the west coast to Alaska. These systems “are getting faster and faster with the advent of LTE and 5G technology,” Sandler said. “That’s going to give you up to 75 megabits per second and save you a whole bunch of money on price and services.”
Aircraft type, flight duration and budget are key considerations, along with how pilots expect to use inflight connectivity. Texting, electronic flight bags (EFBs) and controller-pilot data link communications (CPDLC) require relatively little bandwidth, but those needs grow to support inflight weather and streaming video and web browsing for multiple passengers.
“Think about how many people on board will be using the internet and how much bandwidth that you’ll actually need,” Sandler added. “My house needs a connection of around 20 megabits per second for four people living here. If you’re carrying a lot of passengers, that bandwidth need is going to go up; it’s typically just you, plus maybe one or two other people, you may not need it.”
Watch the CJP Webinar, “How Inflight Wi-Fi Enhances Safety
Passcode: ygDN%?6e
Pilots who fly outside the country to Mexico or the Caribbean should look to the number of available satellite-based options, including Gogo’s Galileo HDX available for factory installation on the upcoming CJ4 Gen3. Galileo utilizes a network of low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites and, like other Gogo products for the Citation line, is built off the company’s AVANCE tech platform.
Gogo is also leveraging its recent acquisition of Melbourne, FL-based Satcom Direct and its work in high-orbit, geostationary satellite communications for private, government and military clients. “They bring a tremendous amount of expertise in satellite connectivity [and] in the realm of cybersecurity and data centers from a ground infrastructure standpoint,” Sandler said.
Speaking of satellite constellations, Sandler weighed the pros and cons of the SpaceX Starlink LEO network, which has become an increasingly popular option for aircraft owners seeking a more economical and essentially ‘plug-in’ connectivity solution.
“There’s a lot of buzz about Starlink right now, and rightfully so,” he said. “It’s just short of miraculous in terms of the speed to market … [But] we have a culture of safety in business aviation and general aviation. We [go] through an unbelievable array of qualifications to test RF interference with every single aspect of that aircraft [and] a huge number of tests with the FAA and the aircraft manufacturers themselves.
“Sitting a [Starlink receiver] on top of your avionics may not be the best thing,” Sandler continued. “I realize and recognize that they are very cheap, and offer plans that are very cheap, but just be mindful of what you’re getting. The FAA could change their position on that kind of stuff at any point.”
Sandler encouraged CJP members to consult with Gogo personnel with their questions about which solution is best for them, and to visit the company’s headquarters “literally about 1000 yards from the runway” at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan airport (BJC) outside Denver, CO.
“We know who you are, and we know where you fly,” he concluded. “We have the ability to track every single flight everywhere in the world, and we can respond to issues and problems very, very quickly.”