Gogo is migrating its Gogo Biz air-to-ground (ATG) network to LTE technology and anyone operating an aircraft that currently has a “legacy” Gogo system (ATG 5000, 4000, 2000 or 1000) installed will be impacted and needs to act quickly.
Gogo expects to transition to the new LTE (long-term evolution) network at the beginning of 2026, and at that time anyone with a legacy Gogo system on board their aircraft will lose their inflight connectivity unless they upgrade to an AVANCE L3, L5 or LX5 system.
And while 20 months from now might seem like a long time, demand for shop space at MROs is already becoming limited, and with approximately 3,000 aircraft that need to be upgraded to AVANCE, it’s important for the upgrade to be scheduled soon before space gets even tighter.
Those who wait and don’t act sooner than later are at risk of losing their Gogo service before they complete the upgrade to AVANCE.
“The migration to LTE technology for our network is great news for our legacy customers,” said Sergio Aguirre, Gogo’s president and COO. “When operators put an AVANCE system on board, they’ll see an immediate impact, and when the LTE network is turned on, they’ll see another boost in performance. The key here is to get the upgrade done as soon as possible and we’re offering significant incentives to make it affordable and as easy to complete as possible.”
The incentives available to customers who upgrade to AVANCE are significant: $50,000 for an upgrade to AVANCE L5 and $25,000 for an upgrade to AVANCE L3 (MAX and PLUS configurations).
“The incentives will expire, though, and we’re already starting to see limitations on dealer availability,” Aguirre explained. “Getting the upgrade completed sooner than later ensures you’ll get space at a participating MRO. The closer to the deadline we get, the less likely you’ll get a dedicated slot.”
As it relates to aircraft downtime, Aguirre says that the company’s engineers have worked hard to develop installation guidelines for AVANCE systems so that upgrades can be completed as quickly as possible.
“It’s not a difficult installation in most instances,” he says. “For the majority of AVANCE L3 installations, you change the LRU and add some additional I/O, and that’s it. In some limited cases, you may also need to change some cabling. AVANCE L5 upgrades require a change to the fuselage-mounted antennas to bidirectional units.
“The simplicity of the installation is a big reason why we are encouraging customers to upgrade when their aircraft is in for routine maintenance or inspections. It’s not extensive; it just takes planning,” Aguirre continues. “And then once the AVANCE hardware is installed in the aircraft, future upgrades will be as simple as downloading new software.”
Gogo dealers offering slot programs
To help complete the AVANCE upgrades more swiftly, several of Gogo’s authorized dealers have recently announced they are dedicating floor space and specialized staff to the project.
One of those is Banyan Air Service which recently announced a dedicated program to complete AVANCE installations on small- to large-cabin aircraft with minimal downtime.
Banyan has arranged a specialized crew at its master technician facility at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE) in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to meet the increased level of upgrade demand for AVANCE system installations. The Banyan complex offers service options 24 hours a day for near-immediate availability to meet virtually any schedule.
“With dozens of AVANCE installations under our belt on aircraft ranging in all sizes and models, we have extensive experience with Gogo system upgrades,” said Danny Santiago, director of avionics for Banyon Aviation. “Operators can turn to us for competitive pricing, minimum downtime and for exceptional service.”
StandardAero has also designated capacity across its entire enterprise to facilitate AVANCE upgrades as Gogo readies for its network migration. StandardAero has installed more than 455 Gogo systems during the 19 years of its partnership with Gogo.
To facilitate impending demand, StandardAero has established a slot program in which Gogo legacy ATG customers can reserve a scheduled slot for installation at one of four U.S.-based facilities where StandardAero executes Gogo work, including Augusta, Ga., Houston, Texas, Springfield, Ill., and Van Nuys, Calif.
“As we balance the increased levels of installation interest with anticipated lack of available floor space capacity, we are committed to minimizing maintenance downtime and mitigating interruptions for Gogo operators,” said, Tony Brancato, president of business aviation for StandardAero. “The slot program allows customers to rest easy knowing their Gogo inflight connectivity upgrade needs will be taken care of with timely care and attention.”
And Stevens Aerospace and Defense Systems recently announced it also will designate capacity across its four MRO locations to facilitate AVANCE system upgrades. With Stevens’ dedicated capacity program, customers can expect the upgrade to be completed with limited downtime and minimal disturbances to flight operations.
“As Gogo operators navigate busy maintenance schedules and race against deadlines to plan their upgrades, Stevens’ expert avionics staff is ready to guide them through the process, and ultimately, get them back in the air sooner to enjoy the benefits of their new AVANCE system,” said Phil Stearns, director of sales and marketing for Stevens.
Stevens is one of Gogo’s leading installation centers and is recognized as an industry expert in Gogo AVANCE installations. Stevens MRO facilities are located in Dayton, Ohio, Greenville, S.C., Nashville, Tenn., and Atlanta, Ga.
Gogo built AVANCE anticipating new technologies, like LTE, 5G and global satcom
Gogo has been planning for the move to LTE for a few years now, it’s something the company’s been working toward.
“About seven or eight years ago, we recognized that a few things were going to happen that would have a big impact on our industry,” said Aguirre. “We recognized that our ATG network was getting a little long in the tooth and we were going to need to plan for an upgrade to Gogo to LTE.”
Gogo says the transition to LTE was necessary because the global telecommunications industry has moved to the newer LTE technology as older technology becomes obsolete. Today’s AVANCE systems come equipped with an LTE air card already installed so they’re already set to operate when the new network goes live.
In addition, AVANCE enables new capabilities the legacy ATG systems do not including Gogo Vision – the leading inflight entertainment system for business aviation, and over-the-air software updates to keep the system current.
AVANCE is also the path to the latest innovations in inflight connectivity including Gogo 5G and Gogo Galileo, the company’s new global broadband solution using Eutelsat OneWeb’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation.