General Aviation Pilots Rally Against Starlink’s Speed Limit and Price Surge
General aviation pilots are rallying against SpaceX’s Starlink. The company recently imposed a controversial 100 mph speed cap on standard roaming plans, effectively making in-flight connectivity unaffordable for most GA aircraft.
The changes, implemented in early March 2026, now require pilots flying faster than 87 knots to upgrade to aviation-specific tiers. These tiers range in cost from $250 to $1,000 per month and offer only 20 GB of data. This is a significant increase from the previous $50 to $165 monthly plans that offered up to 100 GB of data.
A Change.org petition demanding the reinstatement of GA-friendly plans has already gathered over 4,000 signatures. Additionally, the AOPA and the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations sent a formal letter to Elon Musk on March 9, 2026.
“A large number of general aviation operators across the globe have used Starlink as a safety-enhancing tool. It is unfortunate that the company has now priced out the lion’s share of general aviation pilots,” said AOPA Senior Vice President Jim Coon.
The controversy continues as pilots who invested in Starlink Mini hardware feel blindsided by the retroactive policy change. Many are reverting to legacy services like SiriusXM weather.
Source: Aero News