Gogo is the new familiar face of business and government aviation connectivity. Offering air-to-ground, LEO and GEO services, building antennas and ‘boxes’, and delivering industry-leading support, Gogo is taking its brand of excellence global, as CEO Chris Moore confirms
A handful of journalists gathered in a room on the Gogo Business Aviation booth during the 2024 NBAA-BACE show learned that the company was acquiring agnostic connectivity provider Satcom Direct (SD). The latter’s wide-ranging expertise, combined with Gogo Business Aviation’s North American air-to-ground (ATG) and forthcoming low-earth orbit (LEO) Galileo satcom product, would make for a connectivity powerhouse, the journalists were told. No company name, brand identity or leadership structure were suggested since negotiations were ongoing.
The acquisition process had been completed by December 2024, however, when Chris Moore, former president of Satcom Direct, was announced as CEO of the new entity. In February 2025 the newly unified company was revealed simply as Gogo, abandoning Gogo Business Aviation’s red for a new brand based on the blue and white previously associated with SD. The SD Government brand remains active in the government and defence markets, reflecting the respect garnered by Satcom Direct over many years serving and supporting the needs of these most sensitive customers.
Combining the portfolios of two quite different but complementary companies, Gogo offers a comprehensive range of in-house products in addition to the agnostic connectivity provision for which SD was renowned. Gogo Business Aviation was best known for its ATG system. It had already begun a complete network modernisation, replacing its legacy provision with an 850MHz licensed Gogo Biz LTE network plus a new 5G network. In addition, having previously sold third party satcom services to ATG customers occasionally operating outside North America, Gogo Business Aviation was expanding its satcom offer by developing Gogo Galileo. Through a choice of two electronically steered antenna (ESA) types, Gogo Galileo HDX and FDX, the service connects with Eutelsat OneWeb’s Ku-band LEO constellation.
Satcom Direct, meanwhile, had been growing its family of Plane Simple (PS) antennas, including Ka- and Ku-band terminals compatible with the Viasat JetXP and Intelsat FlexExec geostationary orbit (GEO) services, respectively. Both terminals are available as alternatives to systems from other manufacturers. Development of the Plane Simple ESA, begun between SD and Gilat, has also continued. This antenna is now a primary offer for government and defence customers seeking LEO connectivity.
AVANCE
Gogo’s AVANCE ‘boxes’ are central to its ATG offer. AVANCE is a software and hardware platform that sits between the ATG antenna and cabin services. The AVANCE L3 and more capable AVANCE L5 will see performance improvements of 40% and 10%, respectively, when the ATG network upgrades to the new LTE standard in May 2026.
The new, 5G-optimised AVANCE LX5 offers a fully integrated 5G solution and, in common with AVANCE L3 and L5, requires only a new antenna and subscription for connection with Gogo Galileo. Furthermore, several aircraft, many of them outside North America, are equipped with the AVANCE SCS (Smart Cabin System) box, which delivers a moving map and Gogo Vision, a streaming, licensed inflight entertainment (IFE) platform, but no external connectivity. That is now changing, since AVANCE SCS owners have access to the same simple pathway to Gogo Galileo, requiring only a new antenna and subscription for the leap into high-speed LEO services.
In future, Moore says an ongoing software simplification programme will consolidate standards across the AVANCE portfolio. He also predicts a more distant future in which new internals are created for a box fitting the form factor of AVANCE and what were the Satcom Direct Routers (SDR), completing the hardware and software integration process between Gogo Business Aviation and SD.
Meanwhile, after ‘switching on’ its LTE network upgrade, Gogo will terminate its legacy ATG frequencies in May 2026. Achieved at little more than the throw of a virtual switch, the change will leave legacy customers without connection. Gogo and Gogo Business Aviation before it, have long been offering incentives to encourage owners of aircraft equipped with the legacy ATG 1000, 2000, 4000, 5000 or 8000 systems to upgrade to AVANCE. A more recent alternative offers a box dubbed C1 as a replacement for those legacy boxes that will keep them connected but without the improvement in service promised to AVANCE users.
Customers are being encouraged to book their upgrade before year end, when the incentive schemes end. There has been a reluctance to commit, perhaps in part because of the delays Gogo has been forced to weather in its 5G development. But the switch to LTE is dictated by the US Federal Communications Commission and Gogo has stated that the event will therefore definitely go ahead in May 2026 and any aircraft left only with a legacy system will instantly lose ATG connection as a result. With MRO slots at a premium, incentives going away and a last minute rush for hardware likely to stress the supply chain, owners are being encouraged to commit as soon as possible.
Platforms and cybersecurity
The unified Gogo, like its forebears, is about more than hardware and an ATG tower network. Available through the AVANCE platform, Gogo Vision continues to provide streaming media, including movies, TV shows, eMagazines and a moving map, without affecting data consumption or bandwidth.
Customers using the SDR box associated with PS and other antennas have access to Gogo’s flight deck and operations tools, and it is worth noting that Gogo recently finished the work required to make AVANCE and SDR ‘speak to one another’.
Long respected as an industry staple, SD Pro employs whatever connectivity option the customer chooses to deliver key information to flight departments, including carbon emissions reporting. Flightdeck Freedom (FDR) is another widely respected tool. An SD/Gogo-developed datalink platform, it combines cabin and flight deck communications with trip planning services to deliver streamlined operations.
These significant value-adds are in addition to Gogo’s industry-leading support, built upon the legacy of its founding companies. An enduring concern under the support umbrella, cyber security is a key Gogo provision. The company employs encryption and secure network design, plus constant data behaviour monitoring that frequently defeats cyber attacks before the victim realises they have been targeted.
Gogo’s cyber security blocks approximately 10,000 attempted malware attacks on customer assets every day, as artificial intelligence (AI) takes on an increasingly sophisticated role in the cyber landscape, both as a threat and defensive tool. Applied by Gogo’s experts, AI can detect threats early, and initiate a rapid response and remedial action, while behavioural analytics can identify anomalies in flight data and network traffic. Combining that AI-generated data with human expertise creates a powerful defence mechanism against cyber attack.
Gogo also enables operators to better understand online threats through cyber awareness courses for aviation IT professionals, crew and passengers. Customers may additionally choose between three levels of cyber security service. The entry-level actively monitors threats by observing live flight data behaviour. Human experts working with AI and refined machine reading technology at Gogo’s Network Operations Centers (NOC) evaluate data transmission and take remedial action if discrepancies are detected. Taking a step up, Gogo’s Advanced Encryption service applies proprietary technology through its router platforms and infrastructure, creating a secure, accelerated tunnel through which encrypted, anonymized data passes between the aircraft and ground, protecting the aircraft network. Finally, the third level creates a Private Network, transforming the aircraft cabin into a secure corporate workspace. Transmitted data never touches the public Internet, effectively making the aircraft as safe as an office while also giving visibility into the network for threat monitoring.
Expert support
There is inevitably a degree of overlap between cyber security and traditional support. Connectivity can be taken for granted until it fails, and for many operators, failed connectivity is now an AOG situation. Gogo promises 24/7/365 expert support globally, meaning a customer can call in with a problem at any time and speak with an engineer capable of generating a solution.
Diagnostic assistance and even solutions may be available over the air, allowing Gogo engineers to fix issues remotely, while at the very least the data available from onboard systems speeds the achievement of a successful resolution.
When there is a problem, aircraft crew are often the first to hear about it. The root cause is frequently something as simple as a misunderstanding over how a device functions, but a lack of knowledge about a specific system or a problem with a third party are also regular culprits. Properly trained crew are more likely to solve the issue without reference to Gogo and, should a call be required, better equipped to discuss the issue with the experts. Gogo therefore offers Aviation IT training courses that equip crew with the language, technical knowledge and confidence to achieve a resolution quickly or communicate more effectively with the support team.
Access to Gogo service is available to all customers, but levels of service are also guaranteed to customers subscribing to one of its connectivity packages. The Signature package typically includes connection either via Gogo 5G ATG for North American customers or Gogo Galileo; North America ATG includes Gogo Biz ATG or 5G with a wide range of service plans ranging from hourly to unlimited; and Ultimate includes customised combinations of Galileo, GEO and ATG.
Multi-orbit resilience
With ATG and satcom on offer, Gogo has truly become a one-stop shop for connectivity solutions on everything from the smallest business aircraft to VVIP bizliners. It also offers fascinating possibilities for multi-orbit or combined ATG/satcom installations on larger aircraft.
Gogo Galileo is available with two antenna options. Especially suitable for smaller aircraft, the half-duplex HDX is lighter and smaller than the more capable full-duplex FDX but still delivers exceptional service for smaller passenger loads. It also makes sense for larger aircraft as a secondary service but on super mid-size and above jets, carrying more passengers using additional devices, FDX lifts the experience.
When an aircraft has space and capacity for a second antenna, significant benefits are realised by combining Gogo Galileo with a GEO connection. Thanks to the Gogo Plane Simple terminals, the company can offer its own Ka and Ku GEO antennas in combination with Galileo, a genuine one-call solution unlocking the advantages of multi-orbit, multi-band connectivity, or satcom and 5G ATG.
Moore explains: “Since no network is 100% reliable, customers who want 100% connection need a backup system. If they operate a mid- to large-cabin aircraft and do a lot of US domestic flying, then installing 5G ATG as a backup to satcom is a good move. If the aircraft then flies globally, it relies on LEO or GEO. Meanwhile, with LEO coming in, GEO is being redefined as a potential global back-up.”
With two satcom systems in play therefore, operators are more likely to avoid blackouts over territories where connecting via one system is forbidden, while a Plane Simple tail mount Ka-band antenna combined with a Gogo Galileo HDX naturally provides resilience across GEO and LEO, Ka- and Ku-band, ensuring uninterrupted global connectivity regardless of location, serviceability and weather. The enterprise grade services available through Gogo are already more resilient to reduced service in busy airspace compared to consumer grade products available on the market, and with more than one system installed, the problems associated with congestion are barely a concern at all.
Multiple options also enable optimised connectivity for cabin zones or individual users; the principal might enjoy a dedicated Ka-band connection, while other passengers connect via Ku-band, for example. Alternatively, the principal or primary guests might simply receive the connectivity best suited to their online activity.
It is also interesting to take a step back from large jets and multi-orbit connectivity to consider the possibilities that Gogo Galileo HDX unlocks for smaller aircraft. Genuine broadband connection has the potential to transform operations for machines operating in underserved or non-traditional business aviation markets, not only for passengers and pilots, but also for special missions payloads. But how does Gogo expect to reach, say, an operator in Africa, working far outside the MRO and dealer networks encompassing the company’s traditional customer base?
“There are two aspects to that,” says Moore. “First, you have to tell them about the product and then you have to make the service affordable. That means changing the model. A few years ago, SD launched a product where the equipment could be paid for like a cell phone, monetised over multiple years. It requires good relationships with the OEMs, who are keen to offer connectivity, but also needs us to recognise that many potential customers are operating older airframes, and that means you need an easy install. Then you need to understand that the operator might only need the service for certain missions because they don’t have passengers streaming movies or working. It’s challenging adapting to offer alternative service packages for operators in places like Africa and South America, but we’ve already built an international community and that helps lay the foundations.”
Indeed, in spring 2025, JBJ Agropecuaria became the first customer in Brazil to sign up for Gogo Galileo HDX. The company’s Phenom 300 upgrade will include Gogo AVANCE SCS and Gogo Vision 360, with the Galileo system installed under an Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC; National Civil Aviation Agency) validation of an EASA STC.
The possibilities for Gogo are great, but at the same time, the complexities are perhaps greater. Accepting the reality that the terms FDX, GEO, HDX, Ka, Ku, LEO and PS really do not matter to customers who care only if their connectivity delivers the experience they want and works reliably and consistently, or is quickly fixed if it does not, Moore says: “Bringing two companies together has given us a big portfolio and we’re trying to be smarter about how we explain our products. Instead of talking about LX5 or L3, we’ll say ‘air-to-ground broadband’, for example. Because ATG has been around a long time there is a lot of product and lots of portability from one service to the next, and upgradeability too. None of that really matters because what we’re doing is providing high-quality broadband to the aircraft. Equally, we’ve started talking about LEO broadband and GEO broadband, without getting into the product specifics.”
For now, Gogo Galileo HDX is in the early stages of service, with more STCs coming to market regularly, while work on the first FDX STC, for the BBJ 737, is complete. For ATG customers, there are many C1 STCs, while the challenges of 5G are almost over and AVANCE LX5 will soon be providing 5G connection over North America. The previous 12 months have been challenging for Moore and the Gogo team, but with the new company structure established, the focus is now on simplifying the portfolio and delivering the connectivity experience customers want, backed up by global, expert human support.