Q&A with Viasat’s Claudio D’Amico

ACI JetNewsroom

ACI JET MRO SERVICE PARTNER SERIES – In the first installment of ACI Jet’s MRO Service Partner Series, we interviewed Viasat’s business area director for Business Aviation, Claudio D’Amico. Read on for his thoughts on Viasat’s services, benefits, and prioritization of business aviation.


WHAT OPTIONS FOR SERVICE DO BUSINESS AVIATION CUSTOMERS HAVE WITH VIASAT?

Viasat delivers the end-to-end business aviation connectivity solution for super-mid and large cabin business aircraft, from our high-capacity satellites, the ground infrastructure that connects to the internet or to corporate private networks, through to the satellite antenna and complete terminal to the in-cabin router on the aircraft.

For in-flight connectivity service options, Viasat business aviation customers have the choice between Ka-band, Ku-Advanced and Dual band internet.

  • Ka-band features no maximum speed limit and typically connectivity speeds experienced are greater than 20 Mbps. In fact, we’ve seen test results all the way up to 90-100mbps, which is faster than many people get at their house or office! Ka-band solutions are forward-compatible to leverage new satellite capacity upon launch and even higher speeds.

  • Dual-Band offers global and high-speed coverage and provides back-up support, so you are never without service.

  • Finally, Ku-Advanced features speeds up to 10Mbps – plenty of speed to stream and have a great internet experience – and nearly global coverage.

HOW IS VIASAT’S SERVICE DIFFERENT FROM OTHER PROVIDERS?

Considering our two main classes of competitors, other satellite providers and Air-to-Ground providers, Viasat is very well-positioned. One differentiating advantage is in our satellite capacity, which allows us, for example, to uncap data and remove speed limits for in-flight connectivity (IFC) in a way that others are not able to match. Additionally, our coverage area for IFC is more extensive than some other solutions that are only available over the Continental United States.

To further that point, one major area of focus is our advanced satellite technology, used across all of Viasat’s businesses, including Business Aviation. With each generation of Viasat satellites, we add typically an order of magnitude (that is, at least 10x) the amount of capacity per satellite. As an example, our first generation Ka-band satellites that Viasat operates, such as WildBlue-1, have on the order of 10 Gbps (gigabit per second) of total throughput capacity. Our European Ka-band satellite, KA-SAT, has nearly 100 Gbps. ViaSat-2, which launched in 2017 has over 250 Gbps, and each ViaSat-3 satellite, which start launching in 2022, will have over 1000 Gbps or a terabit per second each of capacity.

WHAT IS VIASAT DOING TO PRIORITIZE BUSINESS AVIATION?

Business Aviation is a key component of the overall mobility business at Viasat, and is prioritized as such. This is particularly true as trends in business aviation continue to be positive and the demand for a seamless connectivity experience in the air as operators get on the ground is continues to see increasing demand.

We have a dedicated team to serve business aviation customers and so this business gets that team’s attention 100% of the time.

Being part of a larger organization has several benefits, too. We’re able to leverage the best innovations, expertise, resources, etc. to deliver the best experience to our customers.

WHAT DOES VIASAT DO TO ENSURE A POSITIVE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE?

We tailor our services to business aviation needs. We also listen intently to customer feedback, which is made even easier through our close relationships with channel partners like ACI Jet. We hear what our customers are saying to understand their needs and demands, and are committed to put that information to solutions that best-suit our customers’ connectivity experience.

WHAT IS COMING UP FROM VIASAT THAT YOU ARE MOST EXCITED ABOUT?

A lot! We’ve just announced Viasat Select, a first-of-its-kind direct service model for business aviation Ka-band In-flight Connectivity. The new service introduces custom IFC solutions and compelling connectivity plans that are tailored to match a business aircraft’s specific operational profile and we’re really excited about rolling this out to new customers.

The Viasat Select service plans include global and regional unlimited plans that feature uncapped data paired with Viasat’s popular “No Speed Limit” Ka-band IFC. Viasat’s ability to offer both uncapped data and no speed limits is unique because of its Ka-band satellite capacity advantage. Viasat Select also offers entry-level service plans, including a sub-$3k regional plan that delivers Ka-band connectivity at a significant value, especially when compared to current air-to-ground or other satellite-based IFC options.

So that is an exciting shift for us that the team has been working hard to make a reality.


ABOUT ACI JET

Headquartered on California’s Central Coast since its founding in 1998, ACI Jet is a recognized leader in private aviation services. Led by founder and avid aviator William “Bill” Borgsmiller, ACI Jet’s aviation ecosystem includes aircraft ground support services, charter services, and aircraft management. ACI Jet ensures its clients’ mission success through the implementation of the latest aviation safety technologies and a leadership team comprised of Aviators Doing Aviation, aviation enthusiasts who know aviation from the inside out. More information can be found by visiting us online at www.acijet.com or on social media @flyacijet.

Learn more about Viasat service options, installation and support here.