In flight cellular connectivity options

[Boatguy]

When I did long distance sailing, I paid for the equipment and subscription for Iridium to have guaranteed connectivity. It works everywhere.

Flying around the U.S., typically at 10,000' - 15,000', I always get intermittent cellular coverage. I'll pickup my iPhone, see it has no connection, but I have 4-5 email messages, maybe a text. I can reply and the messages and mail will get sent, maybe immediately, maybe not for 20min. I use Virga for PIREPs and even with a picture I'm frequently surprised at how often they get sent within 10-30min of when I post them. At the larger airports I usually have no problem receiving the D-ATIS which comes in over text/email. I get enough connectivity on long flights without having my nose in the phone the whole trip. I think you'll find some discussion of this in other threads.

Unless you must have a continuous connection, I wouldn't waste $20K on out of date technology from Diamond / Garmin. It's pretty safe bet that by the time Diamond gets anything certified, it's out of date. Make some flights and see if your standard cellular is enough. If not, I agree with Michael and others, there are better after market solutions.

[Fred Claus]

Thank you, Dave and Bryce. Could be an interesting option to try out if I don't go all in from the get go. I'm out of Chicago so there is corn in basically all directions with little to no service at cruising altitudes.

[Fred Claus]

When I did long distance sailing, I paid for the equipment and subscription for Iridium to have guaranteed connectivity. It works everywhere.

Flying around the U.S., typically at 10,000' - 15,000', I always get intermittent cellular coverage. I'll pickup my iPhone, see it has no connection, but I have 4-5 email messages, maybe a text. I can reply and the messages and mail will get sent, maybe immediately, maybe not for 20min. I use Virga for PIREPs and even with a picture I'm frequently surprised at how often they get sent within 10-30min of when I post them. At the larger airports I usually have no problem receiving the D-ATIS which comes in over text/email. I get enough connectivity on long flights without having my nose in the phone the whole trip. I think you'll find some discussion of this in other threads.

Unless you must have a continuous connection, I wouldn't waste $20K on out of date technology from Diamond / Garmin. It's pretty safe bet that by the time Diamond gets anything certified, it's out of date. Make some flights and see if your standard cellular is enough. If not, I agree with Michael and others, there are better after market solutions.

Thank you - your replies are always incredibly helpful. I'll cross off the Diamond iridium install. I'll do my regular 90 minute missions to see what coverage is like at 10K' and evaluate from there. I don't need constant service by any means. I think the Iridium GO! Exec seems like a really good option for me if I determine that I need coverage more often than what I'm getting. I'll probably try to align that purchase with black friday...

[yl472401]

Thank you, Dave and Bryce. Could be an interesting option to try out if I don't go all in from the get go. I'm out of Chicago so there is corn in basically all directions with little to no service at cruising altitudes.

Which airport are you based at?


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[RookieFlyer]

Hi all, I am in the final stages of ordering a DA62 and was hoping to get insight on potential options for cellular connectivity in flight other than dropping down to 3'000 AGL.
Thanks in advance for any input.

By the time you & I receive our 62's ex-factory, I'll take a bet that low earth orbit constellations like 'Starlink' will have become the commonly established broadband data and voice communication option for GA. Starlink is already well on track toward implementing Starlink direct-to-Cellular using off-the-shelf phones.

The question then will be whether Diamond has pulled it's socks up with timely certifications for the requisite roof-mounted phase-array antennae.

[robert63]

Golze can do this at very little cost https://golze.tech/

[Fred Claus]

Thank you, Dave and Bryce. Could be an interesting option to try out if I don't go all in from the get go. I'm out of Chicago so there is corn in basically all directions with little to no service at cruising altitudes.

Which airport are you based at?


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I'm actually quite close to you! I did my training out of KARR. I live in downtown Chicago, so KPWK is my closest option but I'll likely hangar it in Kenosha due to taxes.

[steve_falconer]

Another budget messaging only option is Zoleo (https://www.zoleo.com/en-us/global-coverage) which uses the Iridium network.

[michael.g.miller]

Does iMessage work through Apple's native messages app? Or do you need to text through the Iridium Go's app interface?

Yep, the Iridium Go Exec provides a wide open (well.. as open as your profiles allow!) IP pipe. So any application using data will work, albeit slowly. Your iMessage and WhatsApp work through your normal accounts. That's a big selling point for me.

I do feel obligated to say that the data currently doesn't work well, and the unit tends to overheat on the glareshield. But I will also say that the CEO of Iridium is a TBM pilot and is sending me a loaner antenna to try out. Really good group of people.

[michael.g.miller]

Golze can do this at very little cost https://golze.tech/

Very true. And Golze can leverage an Iridium Go Exec for data connectivity as well. Its license fee of €400 per year is a bit steep, but it is supposed to be a very nice tool.