On th heels of changing its name from Aircell in early September, Gogo Business Aviation is positioning itself as a one-stop shop for all business aviation connectivity needs, while showcasing here at the NBAA Convention in Orlando new products announced at last year’s gathering in Las Vegas. The airborne communications provider, established in 1991 to bring voice telephone service to general aviation aircraft, changed its name to take advantage of the brand recognition of its Gogo commercial aviation airborne broadband Internet service, launched in 2009.
“Twenty-three years ago Aircell took an idea on napkin and made a promise, that we would make the skies connected to the world and take on the task of creating technology that lets business professionals take their life, work and tools with them when they fly,” Andrew Geist, senior v-p of Business Aviation Solutions, told AIN. “Now, with the future in sight, is the right moment for Aircell to change and become Gogo Business Aviation and combine the two specialized divisions into one brand.”
Products that the company is highlighting at its exhibit (Booth 2059) here in Orlando include the UCS 5000 router/media server; its Gogo Vision IFE content package; and the OnePhone dedicated handset announced at the AEA show two years ago. On a recent flight aboard the company’s Challenger 604, Geist and marketing director Tom Myers demonstrated the suite of Gogo onboard communication solutions, including SwiftBroadband Internet and voice service; Iridium voice service; Gogo Text & Talk, which enables passengers to use their own smart phones onboard; and all of the new products.
While airborne, I surfed the Web on my iPad using the SwiftBroadband Internet and voice service, at speeds that seemed comparable to my Internet service at home. (Admittedly, I wasn’t streaming movies.) After downloading Gogo’s Text & Talk app on my iPhone (presenting a different interface than the resident phone screen), I made a phone call to an associate, who expressed surprise when I identified my location due to the transmission’s high quality. I also called my home answering service and then called my service using the new OnePhone dedicated handset, leaving a message each time. (After review, I found both messages of good quality.)
Displaying the OnePhone, Geist declared that dedicated aircraft handsets “are not going away.” They remain useful when a passenger’s smartphone is out of juice, for example. The handsets have a comfortable heft and size and are designed to be heavier and larger than necessary to create a better user experience. The handsets can be installed wirelessly or hardwired. Some buyers of wireless handsets request a tether for them, concerned the phones might disappear from the aircraft, Geist said.
On an iPad carried on the aircraft we streamed a trailer for Disney’s Frozen, one of the titles currently on the Gogo Vision IFE package, which features first-run movies and current TV shows, hosted on the GSC 5000. The screen interface is clean and intuitive and the Vision IFE package includes an automatic update feature that refreshes the content at select facilities, or in the operator’s hangar.
Signature Flight Support was the launch FBO for the automatic content refreshment service, and currently 10 to 12 of its facilities provide the updates, with that number expected to grow to 15 by year end. As an equipped aircraft taxis onto the FBO ramp, the content is automatically refreshed in a matter of minutes. Meanwhile, Gogo is finalizing details of its in-hangar content update program for operators to use in their own hangars.
Aftermarket Installation
STCs for aftermarket installation of its new products “are happening” Geist said, although choices of onboard communication systems and options can seem overwhelming, it’s actually relatively simple. “When you buy a cellphone, you pick the hardware, then pick the service,” he said. “In aviation, it’s backward: You start with the network services and then choose the equipment.” With only three networks–Iridium, Gogo and SwiftBroadband–accounting for 95 percent of all network service, the choice becomes clearer, he said. “Think network first, then equipment, and everything’s dramatically easier to understand.”
Gogo Business Aviation now has deals with Iridium and Inmarsat (for SwiftBroadband) that enable it to sell those network services, along with warranty service and support, hence the company’s new “one-stop shop” positioning. “We’re the only company in business aviation that sells all three of those networks together,” Geist said.
Gogo calculates the airtime charges “a little differently” than SwiftBroadband or Iridium, but according to Geist, prices are essentially the same whether purchased through Gogo or directly. For Part 135 operations, Gogo can provide usage records to bill charter customers for access charges, but Geist said most operators absorb the cost, compensated by the increased revenue generated by greater demand for Wi-Fi/IFE-equipped aircraft.
For some owners and operators, the optimum communication solution lies in having multiple networks. “After all these years, there’s still no one network that does everything; the choice is driven by what you do and where you fly,” Geist said. That’s especially true for aircraft that fly in both North America, the only airspace that offers Gogo’s ground-based network service, as well as internationally, where aircraft depend on the global coverage of the Iridium and Inmarsat satellite constellations.
The company has no plans to expand its air-to-ground service into Europe, primarily because of the complex regulatory environment. As for building a network in China, “We wouldn’t turn it down, if it made sense,” Geist said when asked.
Gogo’s business aviation products are now OEM installed in almost 40 aircraft models. This year the company’s revenues will be about $400 million, with a 60/40 split between commercial and business aviation income. The company invites attendees with any questions about airborne communication solutions for business aircraft and current customers to visit its booth.
