Apcela and Liberty Partners have introduced a structured upgrade programme aimed at operators of legacy business aircraft facing the planned shutdown of the Gogo Classic ATG network in late 2026.

The initiative is designed to provide a faster and more predictable route to modern in-flight connectivity across select Learjet, Citation, Hawker, Falcon and Gulfstream aircraft without requiring operators to wait for full supplemental type certificate (STC) programmes.

Apcela ATG, the company's air-to-ground broadband Wi-Fi platform for business aviation, operates through a network of more than 300 cell sites across the continental United States. Its Apcela ONE ATG and DUAL ATG systems deliver more than 30 Mbps connectivity, supporting streaming, real-time communications and multiple connected devices for passengers and crew.

The programme arrives after the US Federal Communications Commission extended the sunset of the Gogo Classic ATG network to November 8, 2026, giving operators additional time to plan upgrades for older airframes.

Under the arrangement, Liberty Partners provides FAA-approved engineering data packages and standardised PMA-manufactured installation kits, while operators can complete installations through in-house maintenance teams, preferred MROs or hybrid on-site approaches.

Martha Diaz, president at Liberty Partners, says: “Combining approved engineering data with PMA installation kits lets operators and installers avoid unnecessary customisation and cost. “Just as important, the major alteration approval process is designed to conform to the STCs Apcela expects to pursue as fleet adoption grows. Operators that upgrade now won't be stranded on a one-off approval — their installations are built to migrate cleanly into the subsequent STC.”

The companies say the programme uses FAA major alteration approvals as a near-term pathway to installation while allowing aircraft to migrate onto future STCs as adoption expands across each airframe family.