Duncan Aviation has installed and tested a Gogo 5G connectivity system on its own Citation Excel (N1KD), running video calls, virtual private network (VPN) access and streaming applications in flight.
Gogo’s 5G air-to-ground (ATG) network offers coverage across the contiguous United States and parts of Canada.
The aircraft is used to shuttle the company’s VPs, managers and other team members among Duncan Aviation’s facilities. Several Duncan Aviation team members flew the aircraft from Lincoln, Nebraska, to Houston, Texas, enabling them to evaluate the system before recommending it to customers.
Kramer Lyons, VP and general counsel at Duncan Aviation, used the system to work for the entire flight. “I logged into our Virtual Private Network (VPN) and downloaded documents, sent and received emails, and listened to an audiobook,” said Lyons. “The wi-fi worked great and allowed me to stay connected to my team while we were working on several projects.”
Bruno Mazzani, business development manager for Duncan Aviation satellites, tested the system on an Android phone. “I tested it using YouTube, Instagram and Netflix among others, and everything worked smoothly without glitches,” said Mazzani. “I also had a couple of voice and video calls on WhatsApp, which worked well. Email functioned normally, and I was even able to share large PDF files via WhatsApp and email without any issues.”
Nate Klenke, manager of Duncan Aviation’s Lincoln completions and modifications service sales team, said 16 devices were connected to the network during flight. “With a full plane and a high number of devices connected, I wanted to put as much pressure on the system as possible,” said Klenke. “During the flight I was also able to be in constant contact with Gogo representatives to share my experiences and get feedback on any question as I put the pressure on. This type of customer service has been a staple in our relationship with Gogo which extends well beyond us as an MRO and to all of the Gogo system users.”
Klenke added: “I completed several FaceTime calls during the flight, and I feel that my overall experience and that of the other passengers yielded acceptable results. The Gogo 5G connectivity system met and, in many cases, exceeded our expectations.”
PK Duncan, fleet programme manager at Duncan Aviation, used N1KD for both legs of a two-hour commute. “During that flight, I used the Gogo 5G system to answer emails, update schedules, and itemise my Microsoft To-Do applications through Outlook,” said Duncan. “I was even able to bounce back and forth from Outlook to our internal myDuncan system and our internal company platform, allowing me to fully utilise my computer during both legs of the two-hour commute. The speed and connection were stable throughout the flight and exceeded my already high expectations. It was refreshing to know that a flight would not affect my busy work schedule, but rather it made my busy travel day feel more like a normal workday, which is greatly appreciated in this fast-paced environment of aviation.”
The Gogo 5G system can be installed at Duncan Aviation’s satellite shops throughout the USA. The company said equipment is available and many business jet models have certification paths for the installation today.
