Story ID: 414
SmartSky Resurrected as Apcela ATG
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: The restored air-to-ground connectivity network has new cybersecurity features
Word Count: 505
Apcela, the network systems developer that built and operated the air-to-ground airborne connectivity system created by SmartSky Networks, has relaunched the service and rebranded it as Apcela ATG. The move follows Apcela’s purchase of the ATG network from SmartSky earlier this year and enabled operators that installed SmartSky systems to switch their systems on again after the network abruptly shut down in August 2024.
After years of delays, SmartSky launched the ATG service at the end of 2021 and into early 2022, eventually operating more than 300 ground stations in the U.S., providing full coverage in the continental U.S. and up to about 100 miles offshore.
Last October, Apcela announced an agreement to acquire the SmartSky network. “It was essentially an acquisition and restructuring agreement,” said Apcela CEO Mark Casey, “to benefit all the former SmartSky creditors, and that is structured with SmartSky principal debtholder BlackRock. We worked with SmartSky and BlackRock to come up with a solution that could benefit all.”
During the shutdown, Apcela kept the dozens of former customers who had original systems installed informed. They were excited, he said, and eventually became beta testers for the revamped ATG network, which relaunched not all at once but from east to west as ground stations came back online over the summer.
The rebranded ATG systems that Apcela is offering include the Apcela One and Dual ATG systems. The One is a single-antenna system designed for smaller aircraft, and Dual provides higher performance with two antennas. Both systems are on display at Apcela’s NBAA-BACE exhibit, and Apcela is offering “Sign and Fly” incentives for new installations, similar to the way consumers buy smartphones or cars. These include dealer incentives and rebates on the hardware, according to Casey, and low-interest-rate financing. “Essentially, we are making it very low cost out of pocket to reduce friction for ATG upgrades,” he said.
Apcela ATG has relaunched its dealer network, and three preferred dealers are co-exhibiting at its NBAA-BACE booth: Altus Aerospace, Brunswick Aviation Services, and Davinci Jet Services. “Our clients demand the same speed and reliability in the air that they enjoy on the ground,” said Davinci Jets CEO Eric Legvold. “Apcela’s next-generation ATG technology delivers exactly that—streaming, communications, and real-time data without interruption and at a tremendous value.”
Skyward Aviation has selected Apcela ATG and will install the One ATG system in its fleet of 11 Learjets by early 2026. The installations will be done by Brunswick Aviation at Skyward’s Washington, Pennsylvania maintenance facility using Apcela’s Hybrid Installation Program. This streamlines installations by combining the expertise of the dealer and local maintenance resources and by scheduling the installation during regular maintenance events.
Apcela ATG is ready for an influx of new customers, Casey said. “It was built originally to be infinitely scalable. It’s been a long and difficult road, working with large creditors to get this thing restructured and relaunched and upgraded. We’re super excited.”
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