Wifi aboard GA airplanes

[RussR]

I was asked this by one of my clients who would like to be able to do work on his laptop while I'm flying him around. The cell service is not reliable enough where we fly to allow him to just hotspot to his phone.

What is the latest for on-board internet connectivity options? This is for a 6-seat piston GA airplane, if it matters. However please do not filter out any suggestions due to presuming it not being cost-effective.

Thanks!

 

[Bell206]

What is the latest for on-board internet connectivity options?

In the past several years I helped install 2 Flight Cell systems and one SkyTrak system which both used Iridium satellite. The FlightCell also had cell capability. Both models had Wifi and Bluetooth if I recall. But I don't remember the data limitations. There are a few other systems as well like the Aero Wave but they are on the high end and the owners preferred the smaller/lighter Flight and Sky systems due to they were installed in helicopters. A quick call to either one will get you better answers.

 

[kshaw]

If you are a Ham, you can send and receive email messages, text messages, your current location, and photos to friends on the ground using APRS. That requires a cheap $35 Chinese Ham radio and an android tablet running the aprsdroid app. The system transmits to the APRS network which is interfaced with the internet. If you have a hotspot, it may work periodically.