Inflight Connectivity: What Your Principal Passengers Need to Know

It seems like just a few years ago, connectivity of any kind in a business aircraft was a “nice-to-have.” Today, for many operators, it’s virtually mandatory. According to a survey by NBAA’s Connectivity Subcommittee, “Access to reliable internet on business aircraft is no longer considered a luxury; it’s an expected feature that passengers rely on to maximize their productivity.”

Unfortunately, the quality of the connectivity at FL410 doesn’t always live up to the speed and efficiency that’s available on the ground.

“I hear many complaints from an aircraft owner or C-suite executive in the back that their connectivity system isn’t living up to the way they expect it to,” said Summer Staninski, market

research analyst at Valour Consultancy. “One of the big problems is a lack of understanding about how their system works and what it can, and can’t, actually do.”

The tech requirements of any business aircraft are extremely complex and variable. So, let’s begin by examining the types of connectivity systems and what each can deliver in terms of quality and consistency.

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Which Is Best for Your Needs? ATG, LEO or GEO

There are basically two ways your aircraft connects to the web: air-to-ground (ATG) or air-to-satellite. Satellite-based-based internet may use either low-Earth orbit (LEO), or geostationary Earth orbiting (GEO) satellites.

As Gogo Business Aviation Chief Commercial Officer Michael Christensen explained, air-to-ground employs a network of ground-based towers that connect to a compact antenna mounted on the underside of the aircraft’s fuselage. Since ATG systems require ground-based stations, their coverage area typically ends around 100 miles offshore of the U.S.

Low-Earth orbit satellites inhabit an area that spans from around 400 miles up to 1,200 miles in space. Because of their lower altitudes, each LEO satellite can only see a small portion of the planet’s surface.

LEO satellites travel at about 17,000 mph and circle the planet every 120 minutes or so. Because of their orbital speed and limited coverage area, hundreds – possibly thousands – of satellites may be required to create a globe-covering LEO constellation.

GEO satellites orbit between 22,000 and 25,000 miles from the Earth’s surface. They’re parked over the equator, and travel at the same speed as the Earth’s rotation. Because they’re so far away, operators need fewer satellites to “see” everything – minus the North and South Poles. In most cases, three GEOs can cover more than 90% of the globe.

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Operators Should ‘Do Their Homework’

“Many executives think their cabin connectivity system will do everything everywhere,” Christensen said. “They want a consistent, robust, high-speed connection, and that’s not always possible from any single system. ATG, for example, is geographically restricted to the areas covered by the terrestrial tower system, while national regulators in a number of countries restrict access to LEO and/or GEO services in their airspace.”

“Each solution has its own positives and negatives, so what customers need to do is their homework to most closely meet their performance needs – factoring in price, hardware and support,” Staninski said. “However, keep in mind the one you pick very well may not deliver the connectivity speeds you experience in your home or office. It’s more of an exercise in optimization.”

Latency Is the No. 1 Experience Killer

The main reason why business jet Wi-Fi may not deliver the same user experience you likely enjoy at home or the office is a simple matter of physics. Even at the speed of light, the farther your aircraft is away from a ground station or satellite, the longer it takes for the signal to travel there and back again.

Typically measured in round-trip time (RTT), “latency” refers to the time it takes for a communications network to transport data from the sender to the receiver. Short latency times are critical for time-sensitive applications such as smooth video streaming connections.

Because geosynchronous satellites orbit approximately 22,000 miles above the equator, a signal must travel 44,000 miles round-trip from the satellite to the ground station and back again. The laws of physics tell us that a radio wave takes about 0.6 seconds for the total 88,000-mile round trip at the speed of light.

“With live [Microsoft] Teams or Zoom calls becoming increasingly important for business travelers today, latency can be an issue for many users,” Staninski said. “One solution you might explore is a multi-orbit, inflight connectivity system with lower latency than GEO.”

Because LEO satellites are so much closer to Earth, they exhibit RTT latency of under 100 milliseconds, which means the signal lag isn’t a significant issue. And, since ATG connections are – relatively speaking – “close” to the terrestrial towers, latency isn’t much of a problem.

However, keep in mind that while ATG and LEO networks may not typically suffer from noticeable latency issues, they also have their drawbacks. For example, an LEO constellation is made up of hundreds or thousands of tiny satellites, which means your “connection” is handed off multiple times during any session, and each of those handoffs is a chance for the signal to get dropped.

Getting Reliable Information About Connectivity Needs

Staninski explained that, while latency is currently the elephant in the connectivity room, it’s not the only variable you need to consider when selecting the right solution for your situation. Sometimes, the wide range of variables, such as antenna size, “future-proofing” hardware, coverage gaps, service inconsistencies, dealer networks, customer service offerings and pricing options can become overwhelming.

“The important thing is to decide on your particular requirements and then shop around. Talk to other operators, installation shops and service providers,” she said. “You can arrange demonstrations of the different services, but keep in mind those are done under ideal conditions – as they say, ‘Your actual experience may vary.’

“There are even instances where it makes sense to hire an outside consultant to help you pick the best solution,” Staninski said. “These installations can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and the service plans cost tens of thousands a month. And the system you select may impact the resale value of your airplane. You really can’t afford to make a mistake.”

“It’s also an excellent idea to talk to your aircraft’s OEM, or an MRO that has experience installing connectivity systems on your model,” Christensen added. “You need to fully understand what the installation process is and how it will impact aircraft downtime. Also, confirm there is an FAA [supplemental type certificate] for the system you are considering.

“No matter how you look at it, the connectivity market is complex, and choosing the optimum solution for each customer’s mission requires considerable expertise,” he said. “Believing that a modern business jet can be easily equipped for any kind of connectivity by choosing from a catalog is an easily made (and costly) error.”

Experts say it’s important to speak directly with prospective connectivity providers about how they handle customer support and training. Experts recommend getting assurance that the providers’ training and support network is truly effective and communicative, globally, 24/7.

Review related NBAA resources at nbaa.org/connectivity.