Being a part of today’s world means being connected to the digital space in more ways than one. No matter where one is or what they are engaged in, staying connected is a priority. The pandemic proved even further how much the world needs digital technology to stay on top of their work and personal lives.
This is precisely why Gogo Business Aviation is one of the leading aviation and aerospace solution providers to look up to. Since its inception 30 years ago, Gogo Business Aviation has not stopped innovating. Conceived as Aircell, a company that aimed to make air-to-ground (ATG) cellular service a reality, Gogo has never stopped innovating and today is building the first 5G network dedicated to business aviation.
In fact, Gogo 5G will be the fourth ATG network that the company has built in the past 15 years. The revolutionary network will be launched in the continental US in 2022, and expand into Canada and Alaska soon thereafter.
Sergio Aguirre, the President of Gogo Business Aviation explains, “For those who don’t know us, Gogo is the world’s largest provider of broadband connectivity services for the business aviation market. We offer a customizable suite of smart cabin systems for highly integrated connectivity, inflight entertainment, and voice solutions.”
Today, Gogo’s systems operate on the Gogo AVANCE platform. AVANCE is a software-centric modular platform – or the brains onboard the aircraft that operate all of Gogo newest systems, namely, AVANCE L3, AVANCE L5, and SCS. It’s an important distinction when comparing systems because AVANCE enables a suite of capabilities in one LRU (line-replaceable unit): internet, voice, entertainment, cockpit apps, self-service tools and remote support. AVANCE systems also have a bult-in router and bearers that can connect to Gogo’s ATG network or even other satellite networks.
No other inflight connectivity provider offers a system that delivers more than one of those capabilities in a single LRU like AVANCE does, and AVANCE is built for the future to support 5G and other emerging technologies.
“With AVANCE, we’ve taken an entire network rack of equipment and put it into one LRU,” Aguirre added. “We intentionally designed the AVANCE software and hardware to be scalable across all AVANCE LRUs, creating efficiencies that drive lower costs and reduce downtime for system changes or upgrades.
“To understand AVANCE as a platform, consider other technologies like those from Apple or Tesla,” Aguirre continued. “The value of AVANCE is similar to those platforms because it’s the central technology that drives everything. It’s a complete paradigm shift from the way traditional LRUs are designed.”
AVANCE has also been designed so that it can be leveraged by third-party developers. Since it enables customers to install this aviation-certified hardware, they can get access to the APIs and SDKs that Gogo provides. This also lets the customers build their own innovative products with Gogo’s partnership.
“Gogo’s products and services are installed on thousands of business aircraft of all sizes and mission types from turboprops to the largest global jets, and are utilized by the largest fractional ownership operators, charter operators, corporate flight departments and individuals”, claims Aguirre. So far, Gogo Business Aviation has delivered more than 2,000 AVANCE systems that are installed and flying on business aircraft throughout North America.
The post-pandemic world requires services to mold themselves into more adaptable and flexible versions of themselves. Since business aviation is being used almost as much by mid-level executives as it is by the C-Suite, the need for an office in the air that is connected is higher than ever before. And Gogo aims to help its customers to do more than just check emails and stay on top of their social media.
In addition, many of these individuals don’t intend to stay over at their destinations. The agenda is to fly in, conduct a meeting or complete the task, and fly out while staying productive on the go. Such tightly packed schedules need the quality air and ground-level connectivity that Gogo Business Aviation has always strived to provide.
As a matter of fact, statistics show that there is an increase of almost 94% in the productivity of a business, all thanks to video conferencing. And people aren’t just conducting video conferences on the ground – they’re also doing so from their business jet. In the face of such clearly stated facts, Gogo Business Aviation’s latest solutions, such as the AVANCE L5 today and Gogo 5G in 2022, ensure that its customers can remain productive with video conferences and Facetime calls, even during flight.
With improved safety protocols in place following the downtime in business aviation, novel and flexible solutions are also increasingly important. From using real-time and predictive analytics to help operators, monitoring aircraft to make smarter business decisions, and providing insights like turbulence reports, inflight connectivity is beginning to help the aviation industry operate more efficiently.
Gogo also pioneered the inclusion of cloud and smart systems in its services. Last year introduced Cloudport, an in-hangar router that automatically updates Gogo Vision content which includes the latest Hollywood releases, TV programs, digital magazine titles, and a 3D moving map – ensuring users onboard can stream the latest entertainment content.
To top it off, Gogo Business Aviation also is actively working to ensure the security of the data going to , and coming from, the aircraft. Gogo ensures that all communications occurring on the network are secured, including any data transferred between the aircraft, network ground stations, and Gogo’s two data centers.
“For Gogo, cybersecurity is something that we build into our systems,” Aguirre explains. “It’s not an afterthought or something we bolt on from a third party. It’s something our engineers consider and build into everything we do, from the start.”
To secure the network for safe air-to-ground communications, Gogo uses a licensed spectrum with proprietary link-layer encapsulation. Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology, which is utilized by two of the largest wireless networks providers in the U.S., plays an unparalleled role in safeguarding the customers of Gogo Business Aviation.
“We have a track record of innovation and industry disruption through technological advancements, and we have a proven and reliable service,” says Aguirre. “With 5G we are continuing to push the industry to new heights and will remain on the leading edge of technology. We have the people with the expertise to build networks and systems to meet the needs of our customers not just today but well into the future.”
With their products and services, Gogo Business Aviation aims to deliver a cohesive solution that is future-ready and has everything needed for a complete inflight connectivity and entertainment experience. Considering the new normal that has emerged, and is still evolving, business travelers who need to stay on top of their lives on the ground – be that work or their personal lives – have found that Gogo’s solutions and products offer the best way to adapt comfortably.