I just read that article… the author makes some very good points, including the suggestion that aviation apps should have a “Starlink Mode” to allow in flight weather and such while disabling bandwidth hungry database and chart downloads while connected to Starlink. I hope Garmin and ForeFlight are listening!
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Did we ever figure out if local priority works in Canada or if you need global priority for that?
Roger,
Great article.
He nailed how I feel about flying:
“I didn’t learn to fly so I could be alone with my thoughts, but I quickly discovered it was a nice side benefit. Flying forces you to leave your everyday worries on the ground and focus on the job of pilot in command, the way a good book or concert can make the outside world disappear temporarily.”
His closing comment:
“An even simpler idea is to schedule a tech-free flight once in a while, one where you turn off the autopilot, Starlink, and maybe even the GPS, and remember how to look out the window. This is a great way to refresh your stick and rudder skills, practice old fashioned situational awareness, and (no less importantly) have fun. That is why most of us fly, isn’t it?”
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I put my iPad and iPhone into “Low Data mode” to control that. So far it is working but I agree with the author.
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Also curious… and would it work over the St Lawrence River or Hudson’s Bay?
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I created plastic hard cards (have an ID card printer at my office) with a QR code to join the Starlink Wifi network for passengers. I really wish that iOS/Android had a way to default a network to low data mode when configuring a network via QR. As a (somewhat) workaround, I notated that instruction on the card they’re looking at to set up the connection… A reminder for me to tell people to do so as much as for the user (as they always ask “how do you enable low data mode?”
Really the only time you really “need” low data mode is if someone has iCloud Photo Sync enabled. That’s the real data killer. I just let mine run full throttle as I like background activities such as email to arrive in real time. Never have hit the 50gb despite a lot of air time. Granted, I also don’t stream/watch movies/etc.
Excuse the off-the-wall color scheme… went with an all “volt” color to match the plane but didn’t work well went printed. Swapped to a blue and black scheme for some elements. Now it’s just kind of a crazy mix of colors 
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That is a great idea. Love it.
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You could also do this:
Captive Portal Message (like hotel Wi-Fi)
You can configure your Wi-Fi to show a welcome/login page when users first connect — this is called a captive portal. (Like in Hotels).
Requires:
- A router or access point that supports captive portals (many do, like UniFi, MikroTik, pfSense, OpenWrt).
- Custom portal content that says:
“Please enable Low Data Mode in Wi-Fi settings for this network.”
Bonus: You can make them click “I agree” or just display it once before granting access.
I have to check if the little router i bought to integrate all devices in the plane can do this
Good idea, Alexis. In the plane I’ve avoided any additional pieces of hardware, yet in many other applications I’ve used the Gl.iNet units (Mango and Beryl) which are fantastic. I don’t see native captive portal capabilities but likely could flash with a DD-Wrt or install a package to do so.
I do see there IS however a setting on these units to make their WAN connection using “Low Data Mode”. This is an interesting though in that the router itself would control that aspect vs. each individual device. I’m not sure however how that works, seems like clients would still be able to make connections but just have slower speeds which wouldn’t accomplish much. Would require testing to see how this mode works in reality.
Got me thinking of another solution as well… with one of these routers you could potentially identify iCloud’s IP’s / domains and firewall off access to these or other high traffic volume sites. Just nix them at the router source so they’re never accessible by any device.
All this being said, given the current pricing at $25/50gb - let’s say you have a passenger who doesn’t enable low data mode and blows through your whole data bucket… You’re out $25 which in the scheme of flying expenses is negligible. I’m frugal and like to eliminate unnecessary expenses, but it’s really not a big deal if once in a blue moon something like this occurs. Doesn’t seem like the juice is worth the squeeze to go through adding another device (and failure point) into the powering/connection flow unless you’ve got another reason for adding a router to your setup. The built-in Starlink router is already really solid handling multiple devices on a shared network.
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Hi Brad, that roiuter I bought is about half the size of a pack of cigarettes and can be attached to the wall with Velcro. Costs about $25 and can be set up with a GUEST NETWORK (“EACY_Guests”) … Everybody who connect to it will get the Welcome screen and the reminder!
But I have not set it up yet. Will show when ready!
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Thats my MO too. No one really flies in my plane that I don’t know so I think I can handle either 1) not giving the password or 2) the info with a request they run LDM when they sign in along with not watch any 4K videos.
I did not enable automatic increases of data packages in my subscription so I will know if that happens. Of course I would then go in a buy an increase AFTER checking what happened because that extra cost is inconsequential.
Or if they were complete jerks and purposefully did not comply with my request I would be inclined to say it must have broken, I better turn it off and check it out on the ground. Problem solved 
After all, I do have a switch 
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My exact same thought process in why I didn’t enable automatic increases either.
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isn’t easier to NOT give out the password and set it up for them? That case you put the Low Data at the same moment.
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Low battery mode also reduces data and seems more “generous”….
The closer we get to the sun the more power your iPhone uses so for your own protection please switch to low power mode!!
Curious - I have thought about a router in front of the starlink router, but I can’t really justify why I would need it. What other devices are you using that otherwise couldn’t just connect to the starlink built in router directly? I remember a post in a thread a few thousand posts ago with some good thinking, but now I’m forgetting why this light be beneficial.
I bought this tiny WIFI router for $ 25 and it can do all of the above: Integrate all devices into one WIFI network, set up a GUEST network for STARLINK with a welcome page, etc.
I want to integrate the following devices:
- IFD440 #1
- iPad mini
- ADL190 (external AHRS, ADSB-IN)
- iPhone
- guest devices
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Just as an FYI, these little GL.iNet Mango devices are pretty amazing and wildly reliable. I’ve used them for years in specialty applications. For instance, you can use one of these to turn a cellular MiFi unit into a wired WAN connection (to connect to a Unifi router for instance). Also great for sharing internet when you have a hotel that limits devices (Atlantis in the Bahamas for instance only allows 4 devices). I also use them in conjunction with VoIP phones to automatically tunnel into an office VPN when powered on which is much more reliable than built-in phone VPN connections (on units like Avaya handsets).
Great for your use case in the plane of course, but wanted to mention the overall robustness and utility of these in a wide variety of applications. They’re impressive as heck for the cost/size!
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I thought it’s a good idea, because with the router i can integrate all the devices and setup a guest network and “welcome page” – but especially I can also take the Starlink out to use it somewhere else - and the IFD440, iPad mini and the ADL190 will STILL work in that network without a change, only no internet.
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Alexis, this is an interesting solution. How will the ADL 190 connect to the router? I’ve never heard of that box, but it looks pretty cool.
I’m using a Stratux for ADS-B in. I’ve been wondering how to get live ADS traffic when I add a Starlink. Maybe internet traffic will be adequate. I’ve also got live traffic on my R9.
I’m also not a guru on networks, so much of what Brad is saying is over my head.
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Hi Roy,
the ADL190 (and the other ADL devices developed by my friend Sebastian in Berlin) are not very popular in the USA, because what they MAINLY do is to download weather data (radar images, METAR) via IRIDIUM satellites.
Sebastian devloped these boxes for European pilots who other than in the USA have no NEXRAD or ADSB weather! He also compresses the weather data on his server so that the download is a bit faster. For years now the ADL boxes by “Golze Engineering” (his company) were very popular among European IFR pilots. IRIDIUM is pretty slow but sufficient for a radar inage every 15 minutes and sone METARs.
NOW that STARLINK can be used for a similar monthly rate I fear that this will damage Sebastian’s ADL business a lot … and at one point that will be over, I am pretty sure.
BUT the ADL190 and ADL200 have some more features, and that’s why I keep mine installed (it is under an aluminum plate in the center console): It also receives ADSB traffic (ADSB-IN) and it has an AHRS! The ADL box is connected to the iOS or Android device via WIFI.
MY own app “iEFIS PRO” (weather radar and METARS via Internnet) also has a back Attitude Indicator, and that works pretty well with the AHRS data from the ADL190.
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