An “office in the sky.” It’s a concept that has existed for the better part of a decade now but has been more wishful thinking than practical reality. However, recent advancements in high-speed data (HSD) via satellite infrastructures for in-flight connectivity (IFC) have created new opportunities for private aircraft owners and operators, enabling them to transform their aircraft into true business and entertainment centers.
“Years ago, we had SwiftBroadband, which was less than half a megabyte of transported data, and that was supposedly ‘office in the sky,’” said Len Liotta, Northeast Regional Sales Director at Satcom Direct (SD). “Today, we have Ka-band and Ku-band, which are bands of satellites that can accommodate speeds up to 25 to 30 megabytes.”
With these higher speeds, travelers can easily stream live media, use their personal devices, upload content and even host virtual conference meetings while thousands of feet in the air. And where advanced IFC was once limited to flights within the continental United States, travelers now enjoy international data access, making it possible to stay connected on oceanic and cross-border flights.
It’s all made possible through the use of satellite technology. Satellite providers such as Inmarsat, Viasat, Intelsat and Iridium operate networks of geosynchronous or geostationary (GEO) satellites, which are roughly 22,000 mi in the air and orbit the equator. Each of these satellites covers a particular region (with some overlap), allowing for truly global coverage.
Private aircraft are equipped with 12 in satellite antenna systems, which typically sit on top of the tail and underneath the radome and communicate with satellites to transmit data in real time. Satellite companies partner with value-added resellers (VARs) and service providers (SPs), which then supply aircraft owners and operators with the bandwidth and redundant capacity necessary to power high-speed internet services. These VARs and SPs also provide top-tier service and support to ensure that satellite companies’ systems operate effectively.
HSD for entertainment purposes isn’t the only exciting development in the world of IFC. Executives looking to host important business meetings or access confidential documents while en route to their destination can now do so securely using a virtual private network and encrypted connectivity. These security capabilities reduce the risk of data being intercepted or accessed by unauthorized entities when it’s being transmitted from private aircraft to satellites in the sky, to satellite access stations on the ground and back again.
Operators can also utilize an aircraft’s existing data link communications system — which sits in the cockpit — to send out geofencing alerts to pilots and notify them when they’re approaching satellite access stations within restricted territories. Using the aircraft’s flight management system, pilots can notify passengers and give them adequate time to shut down connectivity (if they so choose) to keep their sensitive data safe.
For owners and operators interested in adding high-speed connectivity to their aircraft, there are a few things to consider. It’s generally easier to run wiring and install a router on a new production aircraft — provided that the wiring and router fall within the parameters of the type certificate — than on a pre-owned aircraft due to direct access to the interior of the fuselage.
“It’s like building a home,” said Liotta. “If you want to add outlets to a room, it’s a lot easier to run wires and set up electricity for a room that doesn’t have walls yet, rather than punch holes in existing walls and try to cover them up after.”
With that said, owners of existing aircraft shouldn’t be discouraged from adding IFC to their planes or updating their current connectivity systems. In fact, according to Liotta, many private aircraft owners schedule upgrades to coincide with refurbishment and major maintenance threshold projects.
“A lot of folks wait for major maintenance intervals, such as a 10-year inspection where they’re going to rip the tail off, check for corrosion, upgrade the interior and so on,” said Liotta. “They’ll also use this as an opportunity for easy access to allow for installation of any new wiring. Scheduling things this way enables owners to save costs they otherwise would have spent opening things up to run wiring and install the router.”
Speaking of costs, owners and operators who choose to add connectivity to their aircraft — regardless of whether it’s new or pre-owned — often see a return on their investment, as adding high-speed internet can increase an aircraft’s resale demand when compared against an aircraft that is not equipped with an HSD system.
So, what’s next in the world of in-flight connectivity? Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks — called constellations — such as SpaceX Starlink, OneWeb and Telesat Lightspeed have recently made headlines, promising higher bandwidth and lower latency than GEO. If there’s one thing that’s clear, it’s that as the technology becomes more advanced, the possibilities IFC offers will only continue to grow.
