Gogo, the global brand having an aviation connectivity business focused purely on business aviation and serving the military/government sector provides a full ecosystem to its customers. The Gogo Galileo system optimizes LEO connectivity connected with compact flat panel antennas that enables small as well as large aircraft to have high-speed broadband connectivity onboard an aircraft. In an exclusive interview, Dave Falberg, SVP Sales, EMEA&APAC, Gogo shares his insight with Vishal Kashyap, Managing Editor, Aviation World, about how the Gogo systems works and the USP that makes them the leaders in the segment. Excerpts…

Q: What products does Gogo have in its portfolio and how does it serve the market?
A: Gogo stands quite uniquely in the space with regard to connectivity around business aviation and military aircraft. We offer multi-orbit, multi-band solutions namely LEO (Low Earth Orbit) and GEO (Geostationary Earth Orbit) satellites which you can see across the market is changing the way people are using connectivity on the aircraft. The product is available within our portfolio which is designed to be agnostic. Regardless of any platform, budget and mission, our portfolio has a solution which we’ve put together and working with our partners, is best of breed.

Be it with Viasat, Hughes, Eutalsat, OneWeb, Intelsat, which is now SES, we have taken all of those different elements to create best of breed standalone solutions. When we blend those solutions it offers unparalleled redundancy, unparalleled performance, all wrapped up in our 24×7 service support. Our expert team which understands the systems onboard the aircraft is there to provide solutions to a customer’s query anytime they need it.

From a connectivity standpoint in business aviation, military and government , our portfolio is such, that regardless of what your requirement is and what technology you favour or you’re looking towards, we have that available to us, to offer to our customers.

Q: What are the primary sectors that Gogo caters to in-flight wifi segment?
A: In Business Aviation, our product is versatile and can be equipped on any category of business jets. It can range from the VVIP head of state aircraft, i.e., ACJ or BBJ or Gulfstream, Bombardier, Global, Challengers, Embraer, Dassault, all the way down to the smaller jets and turboprop aircraft like PC-12s and anything in between.

Recently, with the advent of our Galileo solutions, we’ve created the opportunity for high speed connectivity even on smaller jets, which previously either weren’t able to have it or it was cost prohibitive to put those onboard.

Q: How does this in-flight connectivity work? Can you brief me on tech details?
A: The systems onboard the aircraft connect to different satellite networks effectively, which are either LEO networks, typically comprised of multiple hundreds of satellites flying in a low orbit configuration, around 750 miles from the earth. The technology onboard the aircraft is effectively the antenna, radome and modem units, which actually connect through and then integrate with the onboard cabin Wi-Fi systems. With each of these different elements, we’re able to offer a level of control and create an experience for the customers. It’s as close to using the internet in the office or at home, but on the aircraft.

We also offer GEO technology, which are geostationary satellites and typically connect using tail mount antennas or fuselage mount antennas onboard the aircraft. They work in the same way. They’re connecting to the GEO networks, which are made up of a much smaller number of satellites, maybe five or six in number. They are situated around 22,000 miles above the earth so effectively, they have a much larger footprint in terms of their coverage.

All of them offer pros and cons in terms of availability, coverage, reliability, performance and budget. Operators can choose between either LEO& GEO technology or equip both.

Gulfstream GV and Gulfstream 550 STC to have GOGO Plane Simple Ka-band terminal

Q: Could you highlight the USP of Gogo Galileo in terms of technology and service support?
A: The Galileo hardware and our Plane Simple hardware are designed very much with protection of investment in mind, simplified installation, and ensure that we keep the number of units that are involved in that solution as low as possible. From a cost perspective, its cheaper for customers to install.

From a management perspective, if there is an issue onboard, then it’s very simple for us to be able to swap out individual units. We don’t have multiple units in there, and from a troubleshooting standpoint, it becomes much simpler for us to administer and to manage those, and that is both on the LEO side and the GEO side.

The Galileo terminal comprises a flat panel antenna and router onboard the aircraft, so there’s only two units. A number of our customers – we have over 2,000 SDR routers flying internationally today – already have half of the Galileo solution onboard their aircraft as the router is compatible with the Galileo and Plane Simple antennas.

Q: With new players coming in, do you see any competition in this segment? What factors make you dominant in this sector?
A: The main USP for Gogo is that the solutions that we provide are ‘ ours’ and that we can offer multi-orbit, multi-band connectivity globally – we are the only company that can do that right now. Last year Gogo purchased Satcom Direct and before acquisition both of those organisations were focused purely on business aviation connectivity. Gogo primarily on the air-to-ground and LEO market, and Satcom Direct on the GEO sector. The market is in a period of flux at the moment and as such is driving great innovation. There is new technology coming both on the LEO and GEO sides, and what makes us particularly unique is the added value that we wrap around the service.

We see the market expanding in terms of choice and innovation which is great for customers. We are on the leading edge as we’re able to take the best of what is coming, make a judgement as to whether our customers are going to benefit from that and repackage that and provide it in a solution which provides the best possible experience for our customers.

Q: The end users are passengers but for you, who are the customers? Is it the OEMS, owners or the operators?
A: It can be any and all. We have partnerships with OEMs where we are a line-fit option for some aircraft. For example, for the Gulfstream G600, you can select our Plane Simple solution as a line-fit option, and we have a number of other OEM options like that.

From an MRO standpoint, for aftermarket, we have a number of dealer customers globally, which are effectively taking our hardware and installing that as part of a maintenance upgrade. We have operators and management companies, which are managing aircraft on behalf of owners. We’re working quite heavily with them in terms of the actual service provision and the value adds that we put together to provide best experience for their customers.

We’re also working with the actual owners of aircraft, because they’re contacting us directly in terms of the services that are available. There is inevitably crossover between an OEM and a management company or an owner and the MRO and all of those in between.

Q: What challenges do you face while managing customers?
A: The ecosystem of customers and partners that we’ve built up means that we’re able to join all of the dots. It’s a very confusing as well as very challenging environment in terms of technology. Are you making the right decision? Are you protecting your investment? Are you making the right decisions now for five years down the line? We understand that there can be almost too many choices because you don’t want to make the wrong decision. One can get decision paralysis because of the amount of choice that’s available to you. What we’re doing with that ecosystem of customers is trying to simplify that decision making.

By understanding customers’ needs, requirements, then working with them, we can come up with a solution that best fits their mission. We work with the MROs, the OEMs, the operators, and management companies for the best interest of the owner of the aircraft ultimately.

One more issue is that in this business, customers are often HNWIs, high net worth individuals. They require privacy when they travel from the tarmac to the sky, so we are always discrete.

Q: When it comes to data security and privacy, how do you ensure it is not breached?
A:We’ve invested more in cyber security for business aviation applications than any other provider in the space. As aircraft become more digitally capable, it stands to reason that the users onboard and their devices become more susceptible to attack or to clicking on a wrong link or accessing information which could compromise that individual’s data on a device. We’ve gone to great lengths to put together a set of automated tools that sit in the background and protect and monitor connectivity onboard an aircraft so that you can browse in the safest possible environment available to you.

We’ve also put together cyber security training courses. Technology is one thing, but actually having an understanding as to how you can get yourself in trouble by clicking on the wrong links, knowing where to look, knowing what websites to visit, knowing what looks like a fraudulent email or whatever else, is essential. We train our customers so that we’re giving them the best chance of avoiding that type of scenario.

From a technology and training and behavioural standpoint, we’re doing the best that we can to support our customers to make sure that they can now protect these aircraft, which have the best connectivity possible.

Q: Could you brief on the recent MoU with Action Aviation?
A: Action Aviation is our first Middle East based customer to confirm it is installing the Gogo Galileo FDX (Full-Duplex (FDX) antenna system on their BBJ. The solution itself means that they’re going to have the most capable LEO solution available today installed in their aircraft, which will integrate with the Gogo ecosystem.

Q: How is India market for you in terms of business presence and future plans?
A: We have a huge presence in the Indian market through partners like Elektronik Lab. There is a massive underserved market in India in terms of connectivity onboard an aircraft, and we see a great opportunity for us to bring our solutions to that area on the platforms as STCs become available.

Currently, we have more than 20 Gogo Galileo STCs that have been completed on various platforms and they cover everything from Challenger 350, Falcon 2000, Challenger 604, BBJ aircraft types. There’s a wide range of aircraft that are coming through, and we’re expecting to expand exponentially, to supports maller aircraft.

We’re really excited about bringing the Gogo Galileo products to the market, making sure that customers there have access to LEO services. We’re also working with SES to make sure that our Plane Simple Ku solution and Ka solutions are available in the market as well. There is also interest in our GEO solutions, which again is underserved at the moment and we’re doing all we can to make sure that we’ve got the STCs to support that interest.

( This interview is also published at Aviation World Print Jan-Feb 2026 edition)