SmartSky Networks’ high-speed, air-to-ground (ATG) broadband network is now available across the entire continental U.S.
Access to reliable Internet on business aircraft is no longer considered a luxury; it is an expected feature that passengers rely on to maximize their productivity. To meet that need, operators are increasing their search for cost-effective connectivity solutions.
Saying we live in a “totally connected world” is probably one of the biggest understatements you’ll hear. From the device in your pocket to our offices, homes, and now our cars, it seems that everything we interact with is wirelessly connected to something.
And now, as private and business aviation is experiencing its post-COVID renaissance, even your aircraft is expected to provide high-speed connectivity to you and your passengers.
“The expectation today is when you get on any cabin-class airplane, you can do the same things [wirelessly] as you can in your home or office,” explained Britton Wanick, Vice President, Marketing and Partnerships for SmartSky Networks, LLC. “It’s the same whether you are on a King Air or a Gulfstream; people take it for granted that they will be connected in the air like they are everywhere else. If they’re not, it can be a problem.”
Of course, today’s “connectivity” means much more than just streaming, texting, voice, email, and web surfing.
“Cabin connectivity is about one-third of the total capabilities operators expect from their system today,” Wanick said. “The rest is made up of real-time information for pilots, like flight-planning, en-route weather including turbulence detection, and the apps on your iPad or EFB (electronic flight bag) that help you communicate with ground operations.”
“Plus, you have the growing need for real-time aircraft health monitoring – the connected aircraft,” he continued. “There are a growing array of connected capabilities, and they all need a high-speed, low-latency connection to work.”
Survey Says…
In fact, the growing desire to have many of these capabilities in the cockpit and cabin was why Twin & Turbine recently completed surveying its diverse subscriber base on connectivity. The results were most enlightening. For example, when asked the question, “If you have/would like to have Internet access on your aircraft, what functions do you need?” The top five answers were:
- Text/Messaging at 90%
- Email/Business Applications at 48%
- Electronic Flight Bag at 43%
- Voice at 32%
- Streaming at 17%
“If connectivity is so great, why don’t more aircraft have it?”
That’s pretty impressive data considering that nearly 80 percent of the survey respondents do not
currently have Internet connectivity on their aircraft. But, wait, you ask, That’s a great question, so we asked, “If you do not have Internet connectivity on your aircraft, why not?” The top three answers were:
- Too expensive at 44%
- Don’t want/need at 20%
- No good options/nothing fits my aircraft at 14%
While those are all very valid points, it would have been interesting to ask the respondents a follow-up question, “When was the last time they shopped for a connectivity solution for your aircraft?”
One Size Doesn’t Fit All
Not long ago, a satellite system was the only game in town with its complex installation, big antenna, and even bigger purchase and access price. So, when owners think of cabin connectivity, they often think of all the reasons why they can’t get it or don’t want it.
Fortunately, though, while the variety of uses pilots and passengers have for cabin connectivity has grown exponentially over the past few years, so have the options available for the types of services available to mid-cabin and smaller turbine and turbojet aircraft.
Of course, I’m referring to air-to-ground (ATG) connectivity options. Instead of needing a big antenna to send a signal to a satellite and back again, air-to-ground systems use smaller, belly-mounted antennas to connect to a terrestrial network of receivers/transmitters, just like your cellular service.
That means these ATG systems can be smaller, lighter, easier to install, and considerably less expensive than their satellite-based ancestors. But, again, I don’t get the impression that air-to-ground is ideal for every situation. Because their terrestrial coverage areas are confined to the Continental U.S, ATG solutions obviously can’t deliver the global connectivity offered by satellites.
“We know that air-to-ground is not a stand-alone solution for many operators and as more and more midsize and large-cabin business jets travel internationally, they need satellite services,” Wanick said. “We see satellite and ATG systems as being complementary. Satellite services can keep those movies streaming while making the occasional overseas trip. And ATG provides the low latency needed to move data to, and importantly, from the aircraft. That’s a key functionality for today’s cloud-based office applications and video conference calls.”
The Tech Behind the Network
Wanick explained that from SmartSky Networks’ multi-patented LRUs, antennas, and terrestrial R/T network to its software-defined operational architecture, the company’s entire offering had been created to provide “responsive, dependable, and secure connectivity” to more aircraft and deliver it at reasonable prices.
“We started in 2011 and have spent the past 11 years obtaining patents, creating the right components, and assembling the network that connects it all together,” he said. “With our
nationwide network now live, we are seeing great results. We recently did some demonstration flights in Wichita, and the passengers were amazed by what SmartSky can deliver.”
Wanick explained that one of SmartSky Networks’ differentiators is its unique use of the untapped spectrum band in the “unlicensed” 2.4 gigahertz range.
“This gives us 20-times more operating spectrum to use for connectivity than the legacy ATG provider,” he said. “We’ve also been very innovative in our use of the 4G and 5G technologies to optimize overall performance and deliver a consistently high experience.”
“Most people don’t realize it, but getting high-speed data off the airplane is a big part of delivering the right experience,” Wanick continued. “That’s how you get the responsiveness that users require when you have multiple people with multiple devices streaming multiple gigabytes on and off the aircraft.”
He also described SmartSky Networks’ technology that provides a dedicated bi-directional beam to each aircraft. This patented “beamforming” technology means data is not jumbled in with anyone else who happens to be on the network at that second.
“Because the beam is dedicated to that one aircraft’s connection, you get faster speeds, lower latency, and greater security,” he said. “That’s key to SmartSky being able to deliver unique in-flight benefits like our SmoothSky turbulence awareness capability.”
As Wanick explained, SmoothSky compiles real-time turbulence information from IATA’s Global Turbulence Aware Platform and delivers it to a web app on your WiFi-connected iPad or EFB.
Size and Installation
As mentioned earlier, one of the significant drawbacks to satellite systems is their physical size and weight. Even if an owner of any number of turboprops or mid-sized cabin jets wanted one, there just isn’t room on or in the airplane to mount all the hardware. SmartSky Networks’ air-to-ground solution fits most six-place, cabin-class aircraft.
“We have installed our flagship system on our King Air B200 and in our Citation,” Wanick said. “From the beginning, we wanted to make sure the equipment was easy to install as possible. So, during the development of our LRUs and antennas, we worked closely with leading MROs and aircraft OEMs to get the key insights we needed.”
“The compact LRUs can be installed in unpressurized bays, so they don’t take up valuable space in the cabin. The dual antennas are mounted on the bottom of the fuselage, and their location is optimized for each aircraft type,” Wanick added. “And at only 40 pounds, the complete system is a fraction the weight of a satellite installation.”
Bringing the Cost Down to Earth
We’ve covered many of the benefits of in-flight connectivity but not the cost. It was the number one reason why Twin & Turbine readers don’t have it.
Well, there’s no getting around the fact that high-quality, low-latency connectivity is not inexpensive. Unlike your personal wireless bill, you’re not paying for one device; you’re paying to connect multiple devices onto and off the aircraft.
“On a midsize cabin aircraft, you have six premium passengers streaming Netflix or doing Zoom meetings and the pilot checking the weather or emailing the FBO to confirm rental cars simultaneously with no drop in performance,” Wanick said. “There’s a lot of capability being delivered to that specific aircraft.”
“To meet the needs of most of our customers, we offer a variety of connection packages through our service provider Honeywell. Right now, we have data packages ranging from five gigabytes up to unlimited gigabytes per month,” he added.
“Another thing to consider is that the lifespan of today’s aircraft is much longer than it was just five years ago,” he continued. “There is a growing demand for connectivity in aircraft, and adding the capability is a great way to extend the life of your aircraft while making it much more valuable.”
Whether it’s for personal use or to help expand your aircraft’s charter use, no matter why you want/ need connectivity in your aircraft, Wanick stressed the importance of understanding your goals and then clearly defining them to an experienced MRO.
“The best overall solution for any customer may be our air-to-ground network, or it may be our system working alongside a satellite package,” he said. “If the customer sets their expectations and then sticks to that plan, they will end up with a system that best meets their needs now and in the future.”
