FAA clears Gogo’s next-gen in-flight technology

Gogo, the Chicago-based provider of in-flight Internet and entertainment services, on Monday received final approval from the FAA for the company’s next-generation satellite service.

Gogo said it expects to launch commercial service of the its 2Ku technology later this year. The system has been installed on a 737-500 test plane and can now undergo in-flight testing.

“This is a significant milestone for Gogo and a seminal event for in-flight Internet,” Gogo chief technology officer Anand Chari said in a news release. “Clearing this regulatory hurdle brings us one step closer to enabling our airline partners and their passengers to enjoy the future of in-flight Internet.”

Seven commercial airlines have signed up for a trial or fleet deployment of 2Ku, covering more than 500 aircraft, Gogo said.

The company’s 2Ku system is expected to deliver peak speeds of 70 Mbps to the aircraft, which is more than 20 times the bandwidth of Gogo’s first-generation air-to-ground service. The 2Ku system uses satellite connections instead of air-to-ground antenna, yielding faster communication speeds.

Gogo in-flight Internet and entertainment systems are installed on nearly 2,400 commercial aircraft and more than 6,800 business aircraft.