Big jets, big challenges
Installing connectivity solutions on large business jets can be complicated, but not for the obvious reasons. Words by Yves Le Marquand
LARGE BUSINESS jets are spoiled for choice when it comes to connectivity solutions, with no limiting factors such as space, size or weight.
The options then are more down to owner preference and the mission profile.
But how to integrate those connectivity solutions into larger jets can be a more complex process than with smaller aircraft.
The structural issues are similar — radomes must be installed on top of the fuselage, antennas must be stuck in them and the engineering done correctly. But where it gets more complicated is inside the cabin, according to Daniel Polkowski, senior director of Aviation Technology Partnerships at Citadel Aviation. Bizliners typically feature far more customised interiors, which often results in completion centres devising bespoke digital configurations to meet the needs of the principal.
“I might have a network for my pilots, a network for my crew and then a network for my family. How do you manage that and integrate it all?” says Polkowski, who helped both Gogo and Starlink stand up their aviation connectivity businesses.
“That’s where the complexity comes into play – not so much the actual banging rivets and putting it on the plane, that’s easy. It’s making it all play nice together.”
The basis for making it play nicely together should always be a conversation with the director of maintenance managing the aircraft, says Polkowski. “You have to understand what the experience is you want to curate here for your client and you need to understand what is on the plane today,” he explains.
Seamless experience
Citadel Aviation, which typically undertakes completion, interior modifications, nose-to-tail refurbishment and MRO work on VVIP business aircraft, then takes a full inventory of the available systems on board and what type of capabilities they have. “Once we get through that, we can usually quickly tell that these three systems are not going to work nicely, and we’ll need to upgrade if you want to have a seamless experience where all your screens can stream Hulu organically without any kind of carry-on equipment,” says Polkowski.
Then it becomes a collaborative approach of working through the limitations, deciding what can be provided and assessing options to improve capability. As always, certification for supplemental systems presents a challenge.
“There are ways to bring in Apple TVs, for example, that don’t require much certification because it’s a carry-on piece of equipment,” he explains. “But there are also ways to make a more seamless experience where I can upgrade your cabin management system, upgrade all the network in the aircraft essentially to all talk together and provide a seamless experience.”
For example, if the principal wants to upgrade VPNs on the aircraft that are integrated in the process, completion centres can set up different systems to connect them. Polkowski says they can also ingest additional data. “So if you want to pull in all your family’s information for their different logins, you can have that all preloaded and populated. There are ways to get creative to make that really feel like their living room. Generally, that is the experience we’re after,” he says. “It just takes some push and pull with the customer to understand where they’re comfortable exposing some of that data to let us curate that.”
Large jets like BBJs might have four or more routers on board.
The rule of thumb is: if it can’t be carried on and off, then some sort of approval is very likely required. Whether that is a supplemental type certificate (STC), field approval or engineering approval depends on what is being added. For example, if a principal wants to install a large 4K monitor, that will require approval. “You can’t just go to the local hardware store and get the latest 90-inch and stick it on the wall. You’d have to get engineering approval to mount that in a way that is safe. Navigating that is where a lot of the complexity comes in,” says Polkowski.
Given the bespoke nature of VVIP cabins, every aircraft will have its own approval to some extent. Sometimes there is an element of reusability on engineering work which can help cut down the complexity and cost. “But generally speaking, when I think about what makes this complex and why we are good at it, it’s that bespoke, curated, white-glove experience of designing the right solution for the client and then engineering it custom to their aircraft,” he says.
Heatmap for connectivity coverage
This is where a heat map comes up trumps for bizliners. Citadel creates a digital map of the aircraft to assess signal strength throughout. Where a Gulfstream G700 or a Dassault 7X will typically have two routers on board, BBJs and ACJs usually have four or more. They also have far more cabinets, walls, bulkheads and doors to block and disrupt signal.
“A common complaint we get is: ‘When I’m in my bedroom, I don’t have good connectivity, I have to open my door, I have to go sit in the lounge.’ You don’t want that type of experience, so that’s part of what makes this complex and how we solve that,” says Polkowski.
With four access points (aka routers) as a starting point, Citadel will then adjust based on configuration. “If you’ve got large bulkheads, maybe you put an extra router inside the bedroom. Or maybe the pilots require better connectivity so you put a forward router that you can even have on its own dedicated network to keep it more secure. That’s the kind of thing we help set up,” he says.
LEO dominates bizliner connectivity
Demand for connectivity systems in the large-cabin VVIP market largely correlates with the wider market. Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite solutions such as Starlink and Gogo Galileo have reshaped the playing field in recent years.
Stuart Davies, vice president of Programs at Comlux, which installs a broad range of in-flight connectivity solutions, tells us: “Historically, Ka-band and Ku-band satellite connectivity systems have been widely selected for large-cabin business jets and VIP airliners. More recently, customer interest has shifted strongly toward LEO solutions such as Starlink because they offer significantly higher bandwidth, lower latency and a user experience much closer to ground-based internet.
“At present, the strongest market momentum is around LEO connectivity solutions, driven by passenger expectations for seamless video conferencing, streaming and real-time collaboration while in flight.”
Polkowski believes Starlink’s popularity, particularly in the VVIP space where global travel is the norm, is down to a “huge step function change in performance”.
“I think this is the first time a system has actually been able to achieve what the marketing says it could do,” he says. “That’s where Starlink has changed the whole experience. We’re seeing people who used to plan their meetings around their flight and their travel. Now they’re leaving at normal hours because they know they’re travelling in a flying office. It’s really just changing how they use these assets.”
LEO solutions have also accelerated the trend of adopting technology first proved in the commercial airline industry. Where traditionally business aviation has acted as an incubator for new technology — from winglets to glass cockpits — when it comes to bizliners, commercial aviation has often led the way.
Comlux’s Davies says: “Commercial airlines were among the early adopters of high-capacity in-flight connectivity and have helped establish passenger expectations for continuous internet access. Many of the technologies now entering the VIP and business aviation sectors have evolved from, or been validated through, wider commercial aviation deployments.”
There is also growing interest in multi-network solutions, particularly among VVIP, head-of-state operations and customers flying globally, adds Davies.
“Some operators seek redundancy, regional optimisation or a combination of different satellite networks to maximise availability,” he says. “As connectivity becomes increasingly mission-critical, demand for resilient multi-network architectures is expected to increase.”
How are smaller business aircraft being fitted with connectivity solutions?
Bruno Mazzani, business development manager, Duncan Aviation.
Connectivity has become one of the most common upgrades for small and midsized business aircraft. In the past, these systems were mostly limited to large-cabin aircraft, but advances in technology, smaller form factors, and more supplemental type certificates (STCs) have made them practical for a much wider range of aircraft.
Technology is the biggest factor. New satellite networks, better antennas and more capable onboard equipment deliver faster, more reliable connectivity than ever before. LEO satellite networks have also changed what’s possible by offering lower latency and higher bandwidth. That makes applications like video conferencing, streaming, cloud services and real-time collaboration much more practical in flight.
Nearly every segment of business aviation is adding connectivity, from turboprops and light jets to large-cabin, long-range aircraft. As more systems become available for smaller aircraft, more operators are choosing to upgrade.
We regularly install systems on Bombardier Challenger and Global aircraft; Dassault Falcon 900, 2000, 7X and 8X models; Gulfstream G150, G200, G280, GIV/G450, and GV/G550 aircraft; Cessna Citation models, including the Excel/XLS and Latitude; Embraer Legacy, Praetor, Phenom, and ERJ aircraft; Learjet 45s; Hawker 800 and 900 series aircraft; and King Air turboprops.
