Bradley Hennis, Aviation Maintenance Manager at a Fortune 1000 company operating in the beverages industry, speaks to the value of inflight connectivity to keep corporate executives connected to the office even when they fly.
When I first came on as the aviation maintenance manager for the corporate flight department, I was tasked to provide high-speed inflight Wi-Fi for a new corporate aircraft, a Dassault Falcon 2000. I needed to deliver two things:
I had a lot of experience with Gogo connectivity from my previous role at another company, so when it came to choosing an internet solution at my new company I knew where to start. But, to be sure I had a realistic understanding of what the executives wanted in their “office in the sky,” I asked them for examples.
While inflight Wi-Fi can be great, I knew that the experience wouldn't necessarily match what the executives were used to on the ground. I wanted to be sure I could set expectations and provide an onboard internet system that would meet their needs.
The executives’ answers: be accessible and connected by email, text, or phone; upload and display PowerPoint presentations or other files on bulkhead monitors; and, have seamless access to the internet no matter where they traveled worldwide.
I installed the Gogo ATG 5000 inflight connectivity system because I knew it would offer the experience that the executives needed – based on what they wanted to accomplish and the number of passengers typically on each flight. Plus, the ATG 5000 offers multinetwork management, which integrated with our SwiftBroadband system for global connectivity.
We also subscribed to Gogo Text & Talk to provide audio support from our own smartphone devices. This service comes in handy when planning for conference calls during flight. Through the app interface, I can confirm the status of our network connection to make sure we are ready to go. And, when it’s time for the conference call I can use the mobile device like a speaker phone and set it on a table. It works great.
Gogo inflight connectivity has been well received by all our teams. We help our executives stay productive when they fly, and they land better prepared than they would have been if they’d flown without connectivity.
My advice to others who may be on the fence regarding whether to invest in inflight connectivity: Have the leadership consider the possibilities of doing much of what they do at their corporate office in their aircraft cabin. Once they experience the benefit of onboard internet, I bet they’ll be convinced.
