- Modern IFE systems offer high-speed Wi-Fi, 4K streaming, and personalised content, enhancing passenger comfort on business jets.
- Innovations like touchscreen controls, noise-cancelling tech, and smart glass windows create a home-like cabin experience.
- Modular systems and open architectures allow easier upgrades, meeting the growing global demand for premium in-flight services.
Advances in In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) technology are transforming the cabin experience in business jets, which have historically offered bespoke systems that were often difficult to upgrade and offered limited functionality. The use of private plans is increasing globally, a trend also seen in India and private aircraft operators are increasingly having to offer the latest technologies to be one step ahead in terms of comfort and innovation.
Well-heeled business jet passengers today expect state-of-the-art IFE systems with greater personalisation and flexibility, along with other requirements such as high levels of cabin air quality and ambient lighting, which transform their personal space into an oasis of comfort. This ensures that all passengers arrive at their destination refreshed and ready to go. In-flight Wi-Fi, touchscreen controls, LED lighting systems, noise-cancelling technology, and SMART glass private jet windows are now expectations rather than nice-to-haves on business jet aircraft.
Starlink for Business
In March this year, Textron Aviation announced it would offer an additional high-speed internet connectivity solution for the Cessna Citation X and X+ following the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) issuance of AeroMech’s Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for Starlink high-speed internet connectivity. “Textron Aviation knows customers are after connectivity solutions which elevate their in-flight experience and helps them achieve their mission,” said Brian Rohloff, senior vice president, Customer Support. “Offering Starlink for the Cessna Citation X and X+ positions our customers to experience cutting-edge technology, providing them with one of the best possible in-flight connectivity and aviation experiences available today.” AeroMech’s STC utilises Starlink’s “standalone system” that consists of an antenna, power supply and router, and only requires power input from the aircraft.
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. (Gulfstream) received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) supplemental type certification to install Starlink high-speed internet on the award-winning G650 and G650ER in October 2024. “Starlink is an offering that we know is important to operators,” said Derek Zimmerman, president, Gulfstream Customer Support. “Our team has invested extensive time and resources preparing for this certification, and we are well-positioned across our service network to provide a seamless installation. Having the capability to install this connectivity upgrade at our own facilities, in the hands of our trusted team of experts, is part of our ongoing commitment to our customers.” Gulfstream is currently pursuing similar supplemental type certificates from the FAA for the G800, G700, G600, G500, G400, G280, GIV, GIV-X, GV and GV-SP.
With Starlink, passengers will have simultaneous access to a variety of in-flight services, including video calls, cloud-based offerings and data transfers, through the system’s high-speed in-flight connectivity, which delivers latency of less than 99 milliseconds and download speeds of 40 – 220 Mbps. The Starlink constellation of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites to provide more reliable connectivity over land, water and remote areas, where traditional in-flight Wi-Fi may not have service.
Comprehensive Cabin IFE
RTX’s Collins Aerospace announced this March that it was preparing the first shipments of its Venue smart monitor featuring Airshow HD. The standalone solution provides a comprehensive IFE alternative to a full cabin management system. “Airshow HD unlocks the full potential of the Venue smart monitor, allowing business jet owners increased options to upgrade and customise their cabin entertainment systems at the pace they prefer,” said Nathan Voight, vice president and general manager of Business and Regional Avionics at Collins Aerospace.
For the first time, business jet customers flying everything from light jets to super midsize and heavy aircraft will now have access to Collins’ Airshow HD interactive moving maps, streaming entertainment and brilliant 4K resolutions in a singular hardware solution, without needing to upgrade to a full Venue cabin management system.
In addition to being easy to install, maintain and upgrade as new technology becomes available, the standalone IFE system effortlessly merges with aircraft connectivity systems, allowing passengers to seamlessly switch between entertainment, information and personal content for a home-like experience from the comfort of the cabin. iOS and Android downloads will be available soon, enabling app users to interact with Airshow HD from their personal devices or cast content to a nearby cabin monitor.
Collins also commenced the first deliveries of its new Venue Cabin Management System (CMS) in October 2024. “The enhanced user interface and smart architecture not only advance Venue’s market-leading capabilities and dependability but also establish a firm foundation on which customers can seamlessly build onto their system as future technology upgrades become available,” said Voight.
Venue is the most fielded system of its kind with more than 1,700 installations on over 50 aircraft models. It now features greater technological evolution with 4K-enabled resolutions, comprehensive cabin controls and a redesigned user interface, providing a simplified, consistent user experience across its advanced touchscreens, seat controls and mobile application.
Gogo Offers New Solutions
Gogo Business Aviation announced in October 2024 that Textron Aviation became the first business aviation OEM to offer Gogo’s Galileo HDX from the factory. Gogo is a leading provider of broadband connectivity services for the business aviation market, and Textron Aviation would install Gogo’s global Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) solution, Gogo Galileo HDX, as a factory option for Cessna Citation Longitude, Citation Latitude and Citation Ascend business jets. The HDX antenna offers passengers a great inflight Wi-Fi experience and was designed specifically for small to super midsize aircraft.
In November 2024, GoGo announced that its Galileo HDX Electronically Steerable Antenna (ESA) had passed FAA-mandated DO-160 qualification testing. The Galileo HDX ESA is designed to provide access to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks for all sizes of business aircraft.
The HDX was developed by GoGo in partnership with Hughes Network Systems, LLC, an EchoStar company and will be capable of peak speeds approaching 60 Mbps. Gogo plans to deliver Gogo Galileo FDX in the second quarter of 2025 for larger aircraft, and it will be capable of peak speeds approaching 200 Mbps. “Passing DO-160 keeps us on track to receive the first-article Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) and commercially launch Gogo Galileo later this year,” said Jeremy Tyler, vice president of airborne product engineering for Gogo had said at the time.
DO-160 testing ensures the Gogo Galileo HDX antenna is safe for use in the harsh environmental conditions encountered in flight, including temperature volatility, intense vibration, radio wave penetration, lightning strike, moisture penetration and flight aerodynamics, among others.
IFE Upgrades
One of the providers of the entertainment, e-commerce and connectivity services for the travel industry, Moment is offering the Flymingo Jet, a cutting-edge IFE solution specifically designed to meet the needs of the business aviation sector. According to Moment CEO, Tanguy Morel, it enables business jet travellers to enjoy an unparalleled level of entertainment and information services during their journeys, creating a seamless and enjoyable in-flight experience.
Flymingo Jet which sets a new onboard standard with an unforgettable digital passenger experience, was launched in October 2022. Moment’s IFE offering is compatible with a wide range of aircraft – from very light jets through to long-range, large-cabin business jets. The platform provides access to an extensive content library, including movies, TV series, magazines, music, etc, that can be tailored to the needs of customers. Passengers can seamlessly access the dedicated digital platform from their personal devices and the platform features a user-friendly interface and can be easily installed on aircraft. The passenger-centric system delivers services adapted both to the specifics of the cabin and to the premium nature of the journey. The digital portal and its interface are fully customisable to operators’ requirements, and the modular services meet the needs of ultra-connected passengers who are accustomed to operational excellence and premium offerings.
Flymingo Jet delivers services adapted both to the specifics of the cabin and to the premium nature of the journey. The digital portal and its interface are fully customisable to operators’ requirements. The portal’s capacity to provide modular services meets the demands of ultra-connected passengers, who are accustomed to operational excellence and premium offerings.
A new cabin systems framework, known as modular open-source architecture in-cabin (Mosaic) was introduced into the market this April, by Aloft AeroArchitects. Mosaic is based on principles from the U.S. Department of Defence’s modular open-systems approach, focusing on modularity, interoperability, and open standards and was developed in collaboration with a group of aircraft systems and component suppliers.
The Mosaic approach proposes a shift away from closed, proprietary systems toward an open architecture that supports compatibility across multiple suppliers. It will allow for more flexible cabin configurations and incremental technology adoption. Aloft has already applied elements of Mosaic in select Boeing Business Jets projects. The company has also announced that it is preparing to open an innovation lab at its Delaware facility to support further testing and collaboration later this year.
In April, this year, Rosen Aviation introduced Celestia an operator-designed cabin management system (CMS) for VIP, business, and commercial aviation applications. It will provide enhanced component health monitoring capabilities and allow operators to create customised user interfaces and graphics with integration options for iOS and Android personal electronic device applications. The Celestia CMS features a distributed network architecture with a secondary Ethernet backbone and places a focus on reliability and redundancy.
Comfortable Cabin
The continued and rapid advances in technology will transform business aircraft by not only making them more comfortable with a far enhanced and personalised experience but also enhance their ability to act as an office in the sky. This will be enabled with high-bandwidth in-flight WiFi supporting digitally heavy applications, including video streaming, live TV, video calls, file transfers, gaming, and virtual private networks, thus ensuring that passengers remain productive in flight. The introduction of new-generation cabin management systems and smart monitors will also transform the cabin experience enabling passengers to experience a home-like experience from the comfort of their cabin.
