Solving the connectivity conundrum
Making sense of business jet connectivity is like peeling an onion. There are many layers to it, but a grasp of the fundamentals will stand you in good stead in this fast-evolving space. Words by Rob Hodgetts
SO YOU want connectivity on your jet. That seems like a given these days. The jet, after all, is a business tool and to do business you need to be connected.
But where to start? You could just hand it over to the experts and say, “Make it work like my office”.
Equally, you might want to make informed decisions on your connectivity solution, both for operational and investment reasons.
Consistency, reliability and high speeds are the three most important factors jet owners and operators consider, according to research by Corporate Jet Investor.
To achieve these goals you will need to start with the connectivity fundamentals: do you go for satellites or air-to-ground or a combination of the two? What bandwidth should you choose? Which providers are best for you?
Solving the connectivity conundrum
Making sense of business jet connectivity is like peeling an onion. There are many layers to it, but a grasp of the fundamentals will stand you in good stead in this fast-evolving space. Words by Rob Hodgetts
SO YOU want connectivity on your jet. That seems like a given these days. The jet, after all, is a business tool and to do business you need to be connected.
But where to start? You could just hand it over to the experts and say, “Make it work like my office”.
Equally, you might want to make informed decisions on your connectivity solution, both for operational and investment reasons.
Consistency, reliability and high speeds are the three most important factors jet owners and operators consider, according to research by Corporate Jet Investor.
To achieve these goals you will need to start with the connectivity fundamentals: do you go for satellites or air-to-ground or a combination of the two? What bandwidth should you choose? Which providers are best for you?
You’ll need to weigh up the type of jet you’re operating, the likely missions to be flown and the itineraries involved, the use requirements on board and who will be connecting (eg is it video conferencing for the CEO or gaming for the kids), the budget, in terms of upfront installation costs as well as ongoing operating costs and maintenance, the customer service experience and the scalability in terms of ease of upgrades and impact on investment.
“First, consider how you’ll be using the aircraft,” says Marty Rhine, chief customer officer, West Star Aviation. “Then, it’s all about checking out the different options available. You have satellite systems, air-to-ground set-ups, or a mix to choose from. Make sure you investigate coverage, speed, reliability and cost to find the best fit.
“I’ve also realised the importance of future-proofing your set-up. You want something that can keep up with the latest tech and adapt to your changing needs. Compatibility is key.”
Jay Heublein, president of Flexjet global maintenance and product support, says his advice is “pretty simple”. “If you’ve made a financial decision to utilise business aviation, the minimal incremental cost associated with this technology is almost insignificant when you consider the overall ROI and impact it has on your ability to stay productive in flight.”
It’s easy to get dragged into the weeds on the detail but an overview of what is on offer will help you to realise your connectivity goals.
Types of connectivity:
Connectivity on a moving jet comes from either satellites or air-to-ground (ATG) systems. Or a mix of both. Satellites, at least for business aviation, are generally either GEO (geostationary Earth orbit) or LEO (low Earth orbit).
GEO satellites are positioned at about 36,000km (22,000 miles) from the Earth and orbit over a fixed location on the ground, ensuring stable, consistent coverage to about 80% of the planet. The poles may suffer from blackout because of the curvature of the earth. Viasat’s new-generation ViaSat-3 constellation will have just three satellites covering a third of the planet each.
The distance of GEO satellites from Earth means the signal has a relatively long time lag, known as high latency. This can affect real-time applications like video conferencing and gaming.
Traditional GEO satellites use wide beams to cover a large area, but the signal is spread more thinly and the capacity for data transmission is lower. Some satellites use multiple spot beams to focus the signal on smaller regions, increasing data throughput. ViaSat-3, for example, will use a combination of both wide and spot beams to offer broad coverage across a region while focusing more resources in areas with higher demand.
GEO systems require high-power directional antennae which must always point towards the satellite. Although the signal is less susceptible to atmospheric and geographic interferences, it can still be affected by heavy rain (rain fade) and line-of-sight challenges. The smarter, more complicated antennae also mean more expense and maintenance costs as well as larger units, which will limit the type of aircraft that can support them.
LEO satellites, seen as the next generation, orbit about 160-2000km (100-1200 miles) above the Earth, moving constantly around the globe. Their relatively short distance from the ground – 30 times closer than GEO satellites – means the latency is lower. This ensures an almost real-time response in communications and data transmission.
Providers typically operate interlinked constellations of satellites, with each satellite handing on the signal as it passes out of range. There is a risk of signal drops and gaps but the technology is evolving fast and the goal is to offer complete global coverage, even over the poles. Starlink, for example, has about 4,000 LEO satellites with more to come, while Eutelsat OneWeb is planning about 650. The International Space Station (ISS) is in low Earth orbit.
A LEO connectivity solution requires smaller, less powerful equipment which is a consideration for business aviation, but the units can still be complex, which increases maintenance costs. The expense of deploying and maintaining a vast LEO fleet can also add to service costs for the user.
Air-to-ground connectivity is the simplest and cheapest way to connect your aircraft. Like cell phone masts, it operates from ground-based towers which provide overlapping signals to and from antenna mounted on the jet’s belly. ATG systems switch between ground stations about every 10-15 minutes as the aircraft travels down its route. High data speeds can be achieved because of the relatively short distances the signals have to travel, but the system is limited in geographic location. International travel and flights over remote locations without ground infrastructure would also require a satellite solution. One major player now occupies the ATG space in the US and Canada: Gogo. Its long-time rival Smartsky ceased operations in August 2024, blaming a lack of additional financing. The European Aviation Network is a hybrid terrestrial and satellite network built by Deutsche Telecom and Viasat for short-haul commercial flights. Business aviation in the region would therefore still need satellite connectivity.
ATG systems are easy to install and upgrade, with small hardware which can be carried on most airframes.
Bandwidth:
Speed might be the poster-boy of internet connectivity, but bandwidth dictates the amount of data that can be transmitted at any one time. The higher the bandwidth, the more data that can be sent and received quickly, which is key for activities such as streaming, video conferencing, gaming and other real-time, data-heavy functions. Imagine two pipes of different diameters. The speed of flow may be the same in both, but the larger one will have greater capacity to transmit more material, in this case, data. In other words, higher bandwidth. Most connectivity these days is either Ku-band or Ka-band and can be used with either GEO or LEO satellite solutions.
Ku-band, which refers to lower frequencies from 12-18 GHz, is the more established network and offers reliability and lower costs, although specific performance can differ with technology and provider. It is suitable for general browsing, email and voice calls.
Ka-band refers to high frequencies between 27-40 GHz which offer higher data transfer suitable for even the most data-heavy applications. It requires smaller antennas than for Ku-band systems, bringing a practical advantage to business jets but its higher frequencies make it more susceptible to atmospheric conditions such as rain fade.
L-band (1-2 GHz) offers reliable global coverage but at lower speeds and is suitable for basic communication such as voice calls, text messaging and simple data functions. It is less affected by the weather than Ku-band or Ka-band systems.
Some providers offer dual band solutions which can switch between bands depending on the need. An increasingly popular option is dual dissimilar solutions which employ two different connectivity technologies to ensure there is redundancy (or cover from back-up systems) if there are technical issues or a degradation in performance. For example, an owner might install a satellite-based Ka-band system and an ATG solution to leverage the strength of both and ensure consistent connectivity. However, the cost of installing and maintaining these two systems, combined with the increased sophistication and weight of equipment, should be taken into account.
Providers: Leading players in the business aviation connectivity space can be split broadly into those which provide the signal and those which package that service. Gogo is the leading light in ATG, while Viasat, Iridium, SES-Intelsat, Eutelsat-OneWeb and Starlink operate satellite constellations. Honeywell, Satcom Direct and Collins Aerospace, alongside Gogo and Viasat, are the leading value-add providers.
Software and hardware: Most service providers offer their own technology platform to manage the connectivity service onboard. Each comes with a fancy name, and understanding what they do can help can clarify the whole connectivity conundrum. For example, Gogo’s Galileo is a backend network management platform that harnesses OneWeb's constellation of more than 580 LEO satellites, optimising the signal and switching across different networks when required. Gogo Avance is a front-end solution which delivers in-fight connectivity and entertainment throughout the cabin. Jet ConneX is Viasat’s software service, while Honeywell’s Jet Wave X will connect aircraft to Viasat’s Ka-band network from 2025. Satcom Direct’s Plane Simple is a modular satellite antenna system designed to be used with different networks and bandwidths. Intelsat’s FlexExec and Collins’ LuxStream are other examples of connectivity solutions that provide the hardware, satellite networks and services for high-speed internet.
