Gogo demonstrates business jet Wi-Fi as it plans faster speeds and easier upgrades

Gogo demonstrated its Galileo satellite Wi-Fi service aboard a Pilatus PC-24 in Las Vegas on October 19, 2026, giving journalists attending NBAA-BACE 2026 a chance to try streaming, video calls and online gaming, as the company also outlined plans to make future upgrades less costly for business jet owners.

With about 16 devices connected simultaneously, the Galileo HDX system worked much as a home or office connection would. Netflix videos loaded instantly and played without buffering. Online gaming with players halfway around the world was demonstrated on a Nintendo Switch, and a speed test during the demonstration showed about 50 Mbps download throughput.

The demonstration took place on the ramp at Harry Reid International Airport (LAS). A planned flight had to be canceled after air traffic control advised of a two-hour departure wait and potentially a similar delay returning to land. The session therefore demonstrated the service on the ground, rather than in flight.

Gogo CEO Chris Moore said the company wants owners to benefit from faster connectivity over the coming years without repeatedly paying for extensive installation work.

“The wiring is actually the bit that everybody overlooks,” Moore said. “Because if you have to take the entire interior out, that’s a massive cost.”

Future upgrades will require some hardware and software changes. But Gogo is designing them to retain antenna mounts, fairings and wiring wherever possible, reducing the work needed and the time an aircraft spends out of service.

In a development plan announced October 19, Gogo outlined performance upgrades approximately every two years over the next six years, targeting download speeds five times current levels and upload speeds 10 times current levels. The improvements would come from changes to both onboard equipment and satellite networks.

The PC-24’s HDX system uses a low-profile antenna mounted atop the fuselage. The antenna assembly measures about 24 inches long, 11.8 inches wide and 2.1 inches high, and weighs 21.6 pounds. It steers its beam electronically to communicate with satellites and connects by cable to a Gogo AVANCE or Satcom Direct SDR cabin system.

Aircraft already fitted with compatible cabin equipment can retain it when adding Galileo. Gogo advertises HDX download speeds of up to 60 Mbps.

The HDX antenna has a published list price of $120,000, excluding the cabin unit and installation. The total installed cost depends on the aircraft and the equipment already aboard.

Galileo uses Eutelsat’s OneWeb network of more than 600 satellites orbiting approximately 1,200 kilometers, or 746 miles, above Earth in 12 orbital planes. The satellites connect aircraft terminals with ground infrastructure, providing low-latency internet access suitable for video calls, gaming and other applications that need quick responses.

Published monthly HDX plans with a three-year price lock start at $3,500 for 25GB of data, rising to $7,000 for 50GB and $10,500 for unlimited data. The capped plans carry a $215-per-GB overage charge. Hardware and installation are separate.

Customer support is another part of the company’s pitch to business aircraft operators. Gogo acquired satellite communications specialist Satcom Direct in December 2024, combining the companies’ connectivity businesses and support capabilities. Gogo offers round-the-clock assistance and says its global support network can dispatch a technician to an aircraft within 24 hours anywhere in the world.

Gogo serves business aviation and military and government customers. It sold its commercial airline connectivity business to Intelsat in 2020.The post Gogo demonstrates business jet Wi-Fi as it plans faster speeds and easier upgrades appeared first on AeroTime.

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