Duncan Aviation has installed a Gogo 5G Air-to-Ground (ATG) connectivity system on its Citation Excel, registration N1KD, and completed operational testing of the system during company flights.
The aircraft is used to transport Duncan Aviation employees between its full-service facilities and satellite locations. The installation provided the company with an opportunity to assess the system under normal operating conditions before recommending it to business aviation customers.
Gogo 5G ATG provides higher speeds than earlier ATG connectivity systems and offers coverage across the contiguous United States and parts of Canada.
Duncan Aviation conducted additional testing on a two-hour flight between Lincoln, Nebraska, and Houston, Texas, with multiple employees using the system simultaneously. The evaluation covered business applications, video and voice calls, file transfers, streaming services, and VPN access.
Duncan Aviation Fleet Program Manager PK Duncan used the system for email, scheduling, and internal company applications during the flight. He stated, “During that flight, I used the Gogo 5G system to answer emails, update schedules, and itemize my Microsoft To-Do applications through Outlook. 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 utilize my computer during both legs of the 2-hour commute,” Duncan added. Further highlighting, “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 work day, which is greatly appreciated in this fast-paced environment of aviation.”
The testing involved 16 connected devices, allowing Duncan Aviation’s team to assess system performance under a higher passenger and device load.
VP and General Counsel Kramer Lyons tested VPN access, document downloads, email, and audio streaming. “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.”
Business Development Manager for Duncan Aviation Satellites, Bruno Mazzani tested streaming, social media, and communications applications from an Android device. I tested it using YouTube, Instagram, and Netflix among others, and everything worked smoothly without glitches. 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,” added Mazzani.
Nate Klenke, Manager of the Lincoln Completions/Modifications Service Sales team, said the testing was conducted with a focus on performance under a high device load. “During the flight, we had 16 devices connected to the Gogo 5G network, so we feel our testing was pretty thorough,” highlighted Klenke. “With a full plane and a high number of devices connected, I wanted to put as much pressure on the system as possible. During the flight, I was also able to be in constant contact with Gogo representatives to share my experiences and get feedback on any questions 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.”
The installation and testing also provide a reference for Duncan Aviation’s completion and modification activities. The company said equipment is available for installation, with certification paths already available for several business jet models.
