Wednesday, October 15 … 2025 - A beautiful autumn day; I've been cruising at FL075 for nearly an hour, and this flight is a delight. Visibility is excellent, and the areas I'm flying over continue to move me with their exceptional beauty. I consider myself fortunate; I know it. Throughout the flight, SafeSky keeps me continuously informed in real-time about the presence of other aircraft in the sky. This time, SafeSky alerts me about opposite direction traffic, 500 feet lower and slightly to my left... it's still far away; the system indicates 90 seconds of cumulative speed. Informed about its position and route, I take the time to click on the screen where its position is indicated, and the image of the aircraft appears. SafeSky keeps tracking and informs me that it's now at 45 seconds; the screen displays it as "Traffic Advisory". This real-time information, made possible by low-latency satellite connection, reassures me. I now focus my gaze in the direction of the aircraft as indicated. It will take me another 30 seconds before I finally see it. Now it's at 15 seconds, about 1 nautical mile from my aircraft. I see it passing 500 feet below me on my left, exactly as announced. SafeSky truly is my reliable co-pilot since its creation in 2021. I take this opportunity to gather some information about my destination airfield... Traffic seems to indicate that runway 23 is in use, which is perfect. Oh, what's this coloured zone that was just activated on my route? Ah, drones will be present in my airspace for the next 90 minutes. This information is automatically activated and deactivated thanks to my direct to cell internet connection and the real time transmission of this information. I'll have to deviate my course slightly, but it's not a big deal. The more I fly, the happier I am. Upon arrival, I learn that a distressed fellow pilot was rescued. SafeSky's emergency response systems made possible thanks to the iOt Starlink connectivity, allowed for immediate emergency response by the Search & Rescue teams. Next week, Olivier Ronveaux is accompanying me to cross the Atlantic. A first for me, and I'll be using SafeSky again. Now that the satellite network provides global coverage, why not take advantage of it? Safety and flight tracking are my guarantees for success. It's Wednesday, October 15, 2025, 13:24 UTC... and I absolutely don't regret my new "Direct To Cell" mobile internet subscription from Starlink. It's a true revolution for safety and comfort in flight. |
The future is now.
You just read a "fictional" pilot's tale that we could publish in one of our upcoming newsletters in 2025. Today, it's 'only' October 2023, and yet, things are moving fast, very fast. This story is not pure fantasy. On the contrary, it offers a tangible glimpse of what tomorrow could bring: a future where internet connectivity transcends boundaries, and planes fly safely thanks to intelligent systems. These systems could be mixed (radio + internet) to ensure redundancy, a synonym for safety in aviation.
This future isn't as distant as one might think. Today, we already live in a world where the mobile internet is pretty ubiquitous, with an average coverage of 80% in Europe at 5,000 feet and often above. In the intricate realm of aviation, these 80% already make all the difference.A successful bet?
SafeSky made the bold move in 2021 to develop an application based on internet usage to enhance aviation safety for all pilots. This innovative initiative paved the way for the emerging reality described above.
So, was SafeSky's bet the right one? Certainly, judging by Elon Musk's recent announcements about Starlink. Other promising developments are heading in the same direction. For instance, the provision of dedicated SIM cards for drones, and probably soon for general aviation, will eliminate the complexity of roaming between European countries while optimising in-flight internet connectivity!
The be(s)t is yet to come and is on the verge of being won. We are all moving in the right direction and will continue to adhere to the 'See and Avoid' rule - today strengthened by SafeSky’s extra pairs of eyes, tomorrow without a blink of an eye.
How about that?
Happy flights!
Check also: Starlink direct to cell
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