Aviation Connectivity from Satcom Direct Can Scale Up (or Down) to Perfectly Fit Your Needs

Aviation Connectivity from Satcom Direct Can Scale Up (or Down) to Perfectly Fit Your Needs

Aircraft manufacturers constantly focus their attention on aerodynamic improvements. After all, even minor changes to modern jets can generate tremendous returns. For example, NASA pioneered the design of the winglet, which conserves about 100,000 gallons of fuel a year for the Boeing 737-700. This single aerodynamic advancement has saved aircraft owners and operators billions of dollars in fuel costs over the last few decades. (The industry’s early fixation with streamlining their designs has led to a cultural fascination in which cars, locomotives, and even home appliances are designed to mimic the sleek shape of the era’s iconic aircraft.)

Today’s aircraft owners and operators can benefit greatly from another type of streamlining—aviation connectivity—from a single provider with a complete solution scalable to any size operation, from a single plane to an entire fleet. Of course, the four forces of flight dictate how airplanes move through the air. Just as aerodynamic improvements can reduce drag to improve airframe performance, flight operations departments can also promote efficiency by simplifying the process of supporting passengers with connectivity.

In the business world, improved efficiency also means money saved—and the SD team makes in-flight connectivity quite simple. To this end, Satcom Direct has developed its own hardware as a total solution. This means when questions arise before, during, or after a flight, there is only a single phone number to call for support.

The traditional approach to aviation connectivity is to piece together solutions from off-the-shelf equipment, turning support calls into a frustrating, not to mention, time-consuming exercise. Just as in every business solution involving multiple vendors, a common result can be the blame game with support teams pointing the finger at each other. This is an (understandably) maddening experience for flight professionals trying to maximize their passengers’ productivity, experience, and enjoyment.

Thankfully, our world-class support team never has to blame others because we control the entire end-to-end experience —except for the  satellites orbiting Earth. President Chris Moore explains just how important this approach is to SD’s ability to scale up or down to match each customer’s situation: “SD is a single resource. Whether the customer owns one plane, or is a flight department managing 10 aircraft, or possesses a fleet of business jets servicing different customers, if they need our help, they need only make a single call. No one in the industry can match this service level for customers of all sizes.”

Yet, SD’s vision of scalability isn’t limited to its best-in-class customer support. It begins with hardware tailor-made to leverage advancements in satellite services for aviation connectivity while taking up the minimum amount of precious cabin space. As all onboard hardware components in the system were developed by the same company, we achieve a harmony in operations. (Such efficiency is impossible for solutions dependent upon cobbling together disparate components from different manufacturers.) As Moore explains, “When thinking about connectivity, most of the market emphasizes ‘bits and bytes,’ but what we focus on is what the customer wants, not what the system says the customer can have. The collection, transportation, and utilization of data through a system spanning from the cockpit to the tail of the aircraft and through all phases of the flight, from before takeoff to after landing.”

SD’s infrastructure is also purpose-built for aviation. Such dedication to the specific needs of in-flight connectivity extends to security, a topic of vital importance these days. Yes, the news cycle may breathlessly focus on cyberattacks against critical infrastructure, but cybercriminals target companies of all sizes, business leaders, and government agencies every day.

There is a misconception that passengers’ data is secure aboard a moving airplane. This logic doesn’t hold up in the real world. Hackers, ransomware gangs, and other sophisticated criminals are just waiting for the right opportunity to strike high-value targets like those flying in today’s business jets. The key to stopping them is to place an emphasis on cybersecurity and to not outsource critical portions of ground infrastructure. In other words, emulating exactly how SD runs its network.

Ultimately, Satcom Direct has built its business model around providing the best aviation connectivity available in the market. It achieves this goal daily by combining hardware, software, and infrastructure that is independently owned and developed specifically for aviation use, world-class customer service, and top-notch cybersecurity practices into a single solution. Scalable to the needs of each customer, it supports them whether they operate a single aircraft or have dozens of planes in the air every day. Contact us now to learn more about how we can improve your flight operations.

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