Wifi on mooneys?

[pjsny78]

Does anyone know of a product to enable wifi on a mooney? I have called several avionics shops and did google searches and came up with nothing. I think this would be an extremely valuable tool to GA. Please do not think of this as someone playing a video game or replying to posts on mooneyspace while flying a plane. Rather getting information pertinent to flight ops.

I think the avionics manufacturers are missing something here and would like to get your feedback or if someone knows of a product even better. 

 

[Shadrach]

It's a price issue. It is currently not cost effective to have such a system available to most GA pilots based on cost vs usage. That's why we utilize satellite weather. Satellite broadband is available, but requires a 28" dish.  While I am sure there are systems that are smaller, I beleive they are likely inefficient from a cost standpoint.

[pjsny78]

You may be right but wifi is available on corporate and big iron. I just don't see why it would not be available in a smaller size and price for a smaller airplane. The president of aopa said once that we have better gps receivers in our car than we do in our planes. The ones in our plane cost an avg of $10k vs a few hundred. I just think this would provide many advantages.

[201er]

It's called parking in front of an FBO and leaching off theirs =p

[jwilkins]

In time it will probably become cost effective.

It's not the Wi Fi that is a challenge; it is the link between the WiFi system on the aircraft and the internet data that is difficult. 

The actual WiFi connection is apparently not difficult or expensive, my SkyRadar receiver has a WiFI output to the iPad. I think the difficulty is in getting the data into the system. SkyRadar has the ADS-B in system so the information broadcast by ADS-B is captured by the receiver than made available by WiFI.

My plane came with a Motorola Sat Talk II interface that would allow Satellite Phone voice and data in the air. If you have the data available then a box like the SkyRadar could be developed to produce a WiFi output.

I just had the Sat Talk removed as I didn't want to mess around with a Sat Phone in the plane. The Sky Radar gives me free ADS-b weather and any talking I need to do can wait until I'm on the ground.

I'll bet the guys at Sky Radar  / Radenna know exactly what would be required to make this all work.

[231flyer]

Spot Communications has a great product to get you internet/email/txt msg while you are in the air.  Cheap solution compared to the Wolfsberg sat-comm stuff out there but its does involve a monthly subscription.  I have owned one for the last year and love the portability although it is used mainly by my daughters to text their friends.  IMHO a must have EPRB if you are flying over open water with limited radio coverage.

http://www.findmespot.com

 

[Cruiser]

I think LightSquared has something in mind for WiFi and GPS ..............

just sayin'

[231flyer]

LightSquared is DOA.......RIP!

 http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/LightSquared-Claims-Government-GPS-Interference-Tests-were-Unfair-398806/

[N601RX]

It would be interesting to see how well one of the Verizon hotspots would work if mounted to the underside of a plane.

[pjsny78]

.

[231flyer]

Your hotspot would fare as well as your cell phone in the air.  Spotty coverage (ok reception over population areas) at best.