Connectivity for a Venerable Platform

Duncan Aviation’s Engineering & Certification Services has developed a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) covering the equipment upgrade from Gogo Business Aviation’s legacy Air-to-Ground (ATG) systems to the newer AVANCE L3 Wi-Fi system for operators of the Hawker 800XP (HS-125/800XP) business jets. Subject STC was completed on such an aircraft at Duncan Aviation’s satellite facility on Chesterfield, Missouri’s Spirit of St. Louis Airport (SUS). 

The upgrade allows passengers and crew aboard Hawker aircraft equipped with Gogo’s AVANCE L3 system to retain in-flight connectivity once Gogo’s newer Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network is available. The LTE network is slated to replace the extant Gogo Biz network. 

Ed Reeve, manager of Duncan Aviation’s satellites in St. Louis, Missouri, and Nashville, Tennessee, stated: "We were pleased to accommodate our customer's Wi-Fi needs by installing the AVANCE L3 in his Hawker 800XP. Now that we have this STC, we are able to provide a reliable in-flight system to our Hawker customers. As long as you're upgrading from one of the Gogo legacy ATG systems originally installed with a Duncan Aviation STC, we can prepare the aircraft and install the AVANCE L3.” 

Downtime for the upgrade is advertised as “five business days in most cases,” during which host aircrafts’ existing ATG Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) are removed and replaced with newer AVANCE L3 LRUs. Antennas installed with legacy systems require no replacement and provide access to Gogo’s LTE network. 

Gogo’s legacy ATG systems (ATG 8000, 5000, 4000, 2000, and 1000) are incompatible, regrettably, with the LTE network, and will not facilitate connection to such. In the absence of an AVANCE upgrade, aircraft equipped with Gogo’s legacy ATG equipment will cease to support in-flight connectivity.

Gogo, for purpose of improving access to the AVANCE L3 Wi-Fi system, is offering financial incentives to customers seeking to so upgrade their aircraft. Incentives include $50,000 rebates for AVANCE L5 systems (upon service activation) and $25,000 rebates for AVANCE L3 (MAX and PLUS only) systems (again, upon service activation).

Aircraft owners interested in learning more about or upgrading to Gogo’s AVANCE L3 Wi-Fi or AVANCE L3 MAX/PLUS systems are encouraged to contact their nearest Duncan Aviation location.

In addition to the extensive catalog of STCs Duncan Aviation has secured, to date, for Gogo equipment, the company is currently developing STCs by which Falcon 2000/2000EX aircraft equipped with classic ATG architectures may be upgraded to Gogo’s AVANCE L3 system.

Moreover, Duncan Aviation is considering developing connectivity STCs for additional business jet models.

Founded in 1956 as a brokerage selling surplus U.S. government aircraft, Duncan Aviation is a family-owned aircraft maintenance and refurbishment company serving private and government owners and operators of, primarily, business aircraft. Duncan’s services include: major and minor airframe inspections, engine maintenance, major retrofits of cabin and cockpit avionics systems, full paint and interior services, and pre-owned aircraft sales and acquisitions. Duncan’s complete service facilities are located in Battle Creek, Michigan; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Provo, Utah. The company also maintains numerous satellite locations.

FMI: www.duncanaviation.aero