When most people in business aviation talk about inflight connectivity (IFC), they do so from the passenger's perspective and how critical it is for executives to connect to Wi-Fi, respond to emails, use their smartphones, and choose from entertainment options. Not enough people are asking how you, the pilot or co-pilot, can benefit from having IFC-enabled tools at your fingertips.
Let’s face it, long gone are the days of the black rollable chart bags. The business aviation industry has evolved to more advanced technology tools and solutions. Now, every pilot has an electronic flight bag (EFB). To be effective, the EFB needs inflight Wi-Fi to download charts and access real time weather and traffic updates. Surprisingly, not all cockpits have inflight Wi-Fi. Holding the most important role on the aircraft, you should have the best of navigation, safety, logistical support, and productivity in the palm of your hand with inflight connectivity.
When you’re the Captain or First Officer, your number one responsibility is the safety of the aircraft, passengers, and crew. Flying can present countless obstacles: storms, bird strikes, instrument failures, and more; however, with today’s technology and tools, you can more aptly prevent or find a solution to many of these tricky situations.
With Gogo’s inflight connectivity in the cockpit, you can get real time weather updates with popular tools like Foreflight to alter your flight plan to avoid turbulence and storms. Likewise, you can connect via Foreflight’s ADS-B feature for up-to-the second surrounding traffic in congested airspaces. It’s simple: with more up to date information via inflight Wi-Fi, you can make better and safer decisions.
When Gogo customer Marc Dulude was aboard his Citation CJ3+, his Nexrad failed to work properly. As an easy backup, he pulled up his internet-connection and problem solved, weather handled, and safety preserved.
Without IFC, I would have been able to use only onboard radar – nowhere near as complete a set of tools.
Bad weather and gear glitches are hurdles all pilots encounter while flying, but they aren’t the only ones. Accidents and medical situations happen, and when they involve passengers on your flight or their family members on the ground, inflight Wi-Fi enables faster communication between the flight crew, dispatch, medical teams, family members, and the FBO crew.
In one real-world example, the passengers on a Gogo-connected AirSprint jet were notified via inflight Wi-Fi that there was a medical situation with a family member. The flight crew used the internet to communicate with dispatch, get approval from flight operations to land at a new airport, make arrangements for rental cars, and organize all the logistics of a new destination.
Without Wi-Fi, we wouldn’t have known about the issue until we hit the ground. It made the difference of hours or even days in getting our passengers to their loved one’s side.
As a pilot in command (PIC) or second in command (SIC), you know checklists are part of everything you do pre-flight, during, and post-flight. But what if Gogo could make some of your to-do lists easier? Well, we can. With IFC, you or your SIC can go online, file flight plans, email FBOs, check fuel prices, and schedule maintenance. There is no need for long wait times at the FBO or scrambling last-minute upon arrival for necessary reservations or plans. Gogo’s inflight Wi-Fi makes the whole experience seamless for the passengers and crew.
The instant ability to communicate is just a game-changer.
Chief pilots wear more than one hat. Although you are the master of the controls, you may also manage the fleet operations, coordinate maintenance, and oversee other team members. That means that your inbox doesn’t stop piling up while you are in transit to your next destination. Once at cruising altitude, IFC allows one of the co-pilots to check in with what matters most whether it’s receiving a schedule change from dispatch, obtaining an update on maintenance, or approving a shipping invoice.
Connectivity with Gogo has given us the opportunity to not have that downtime. You don’t know what it can really do for you until you’ve got it there at your fingertips.
As a modern aviator, flying without inflight connectivity is a disadvantage. Enhance your safety, logistics, and productivity with one of Gogo’s connectivity solutions. With Gogo AVANCE L3 and L5, you can. Harness the power of inflight connectivity for your aircraft to make every flight safer and easier.
