Where did they say that? The email I got yesterday said immediately.
Starlink speed limit nerfing
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N747JB
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I made 3 trips and m6 son used it once since November. It’s handy with passengers, especially on longer trips, like many on here, I can afford the additional $200 per month, I just don’t see the value. For $100.00 I’d probably keep it, but I don’t fly enough to get $250.00 worth of use every month.
Two of my kids have Starlink internet at home and it’s been wonderful for them! I made it 41 years without on board WiFi, I’m pretty sure I can get by another few years without it. I’m getting my 396 power issue addressed tomorrow, so at least I’ll have XM radio!
Two of my kids have Starlink internet at home and it’s been wonderful for them! I made it 41 years without on board WiFi, I’m pretty sure I can get by another few years without it. I’m getting my 396 power issue addressed tomorrow, so at least I’ll have XM radio!
The other part is no one wants to feel ripped off. If the can offer the 100mph at a decent price you just feel wronged when they decide you need to pay more for somewhat faster.
Btw just saw someone claiming they got the email in Germany on the autobahn. Now that’s a laugh.
Btw just saw someone claiming they got the email in Germany on the autobahn. Now that’s a laugh.
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nnumberorg
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can't hate the guy, I'd have done the same I think. If you can afford a tank of gas you can afford a month of internet...
So you rather have 12 tanks of gas less a year?
Hate the guy? I don't think he is making the decisions on this. Frankly Starlink's plans are design by someone with ADHD it changes every other month it feels like.
kep5niner
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I already had Starlink set up at the airport for the flying club. I was pleasantly surprised when we got the offer for the free Mini. I never had a chance to use it in the aircraft (more for passengers), before the speed limitation was reduced.
I returned the Mini yesterday.
I returned the Mini yesterday.
I have come to the conclusion that starlink doesn't understand their market here. It's easy to think "oh, pilots have money" and obviously they haven't hung out with many pilots and become aware of how cheap most of us are, but it's worse than that. I just did the math and:
$250 a month is $3000 a year
The average piston single flies 100 hours a year
So that's $30/hr for internet
Meaning: internet becomes between 15 and 30% of the total flight cost. $30/hr is more than most of us put aside for an engine fund!
Put that way, they've clearly lost their minds putting the speed limit that low. If they want to gouge business travel, a 250mph speed limit would be a much better line in the sand.
$250 a month is $3000 a year
The average piston single flies 100 hours a year
So that's $30/hr for internet
Meaning: internet becomes between 15 and 30% of the total flight cost. $30/hr is more than most of us put aside for an engine fund!
Put that way, they've clearly lost their minds putting the speed limit that low. If they want to gouge business travel, a 250mph speed limit would be a much better line in the sand.
I could be wrong, but I don't think we are their market.
Interesting theory I've seen floating around is that they were seeing them being used on kamikaze drones, hence the speed restriction and ID verification for aviation use. The abruptness of this certainly feels like it was intended to fix an immediate problem, not screw a bunch of customers.
Hopefully they'll come up with a cheaper plan that would work for GA speeds and require ID. Seems like Starlink pricing has been doing nothing but coming down, and they don't even have competition yet. Presumably they're trying to saturate the market before Bezos gets his system up & going.
Hopefully they'll come up with a cheaper plan that would work for GA speeds and require ID. Seems like Starlink pricing has been doing nothing but coming down, and they don't even have competition yet. Presumably they're trying to saturate the market before Bezos gets his system up & going.
David Loftus
Pre-takeoff checklist
This should be simple. If we were to create a coordinated campaign to influence their IPO, they would certainly understand the animosity they have created. My recent message to Starlink:
“Ahead of its IPO, SpaceX will need as many Starlink service subscribers as it can show to its underwriters, since Starlink is now the main business that finances SpaceX.”
It will be very interesting if your underwriters Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and Morgan Stanley are made to understand the highly negative image that Starlink has created with the aviation community over this change. You are at a very pivotal point in your company‘s development. Please consider what you can do to keep your customers happy.
“Ahead of its IPO, SpaceX will need as many Starlink service subscribers as it can show to its underwriters, since Starlink is now the main business that finances SpaceX.”
It will be very interesting if your underwriters Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and Morgan Stanley are made to understand the highly negative image that Starlink has created with the aviation community over this change. You are at a very pivotal point in your company‘s development. Please consider what you can do to keep your customers happy.
Nah, their product is engineered to service everyone from dirty hippies living van life to 747s. Everyone, everywhere is their market. The question is how they can extract maximum value from that investment. I don't think they achieve that with 100mph speed limit. I think they have misunderstood the market and that they will generate less revenue with the current model than they would with a 250mph speed limit that covers virtually all piston singles.
schmookeeg
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There are kamikaze drones that do 450mph? I'd have thought such drones are happily kept under 100mph.
No, that's the point. These cheap drones fly at piston GA speeds, and were (allegedly...this is all internet hearsay) using the $50 internet connections.
The speed limit doesn't because the speed limit isn't a limit, just a toll gate.
And, in any case, they have been able to do selective locking since the beginning. So, even in the absence of ID verification, they have the ability to say "if dish X is traveling from hotspot Y toward target Z then disable data" if they want to.
Fair points. I was going to argue about how they distinguish between legit users and bad actors, but it's not like they have to use the same rate plans around the world.
The more I think about it, they probably just set the 250mph speed limit as an arbitrary number to allow use in surface vehicles, and didn't even consider the existence of piston GA.
I don't know of a good way to look this up, but I feel like I remember several speed limits over time. Didn't it start at like 100mph. Then got boosted to 200. Then the floodgates opened to 450. Then tiers were introduced. And the current model is a tweaking of the tiers? I think a lot of people are bitter because they fell in love with the idea and price over the past few months, but didn't notice that it was only the latest change in a constantly changing offering because it was the first time that something existed that really fit the piston single market absolutely perfectly.
I really think this is a "ready, fire, aim" situation from a starlink perspective.
I think that's 100% correct, and one of the reasons I never jumped onto it (the main one being that I'm broke). I always kinda figured this was a loophole that was going to get slammed shut. Hopefully now that they've seen there's a market there they can come up with a more reasonable option.
Can't argue that. Feels like a bunch of autistic people led by an autistic person. I'll give them this though....Starlink is the first ISP I've ever had that actually delivers the advertised speeds.
That is a bit sad from point of view of someone sitting behind 1 Gbps bidirectional fibre that does what it says and is reliable.
eman1200
Touchdown! Greaser!
Haven’t really been paying attention but did u guys buy starlink based on advertised speeds (moving, not ul/dl speeds) then after they said nah u cant go that fast?
Ok.
Roam plan had this 100 mph moving speed limit, but it wasn't enforced very tightly.
Local Priority plan had a higher limit, cost more than Roam but was officially available at a higher speed.
Starlink suddenly imposed the 100 mph cross the board unless you pay up an enormous increase. Ok they will offer you 1 month free if you complain but that's not the point. People are willing to pay just not at the prices they seem to think is viable.
Lots of people did, yeah. It's been trending for the past couple quarters.
See the attached file for pricing comparisons. To push this above regular support tickets:
The person who owns this decision is almost certainly Lauren Dreyer. She's VP of Starlink Business Operations at SpaceX, overseeing global expansion including enterprise customer relationships, strategic connectivity projects, and crisis response. Baylor She's been at SpaceX since 2006. She was the one Elon Musk quoted on X when posting the Ukraine whitelist registration instructions. Her scope explicitly includes the kind of plan restructuring you're dealing with.
Here are your realistic channels to reach decision-makers, ranked by likelihood of actually landing:
1. Lauren Dreyer directly on X (Twitter): @LaurenDreyerShe's active there and publicly engaged on Starlink policy issues. A concise, well-framed post tagging her — especially from a group of TBM/turboprop owners presenting the "we accept identity verification, price it fairly" argument — has a real chance of being seen. She has 13.9K followers and engages with Starlink-related posts. This is probably your single best shot at reaching someone with actual authority.
2. Elon Musk on X: @elonmuskHe personally responded to the Ukraine speed limit situation and has demonstrated willingness to engage on Starlink policy when publicly tagged. A coordinated post from TBM owners with the security/whitelist framing — not just a price complaint — could get traction, especially if AOPA amplifies it.
3. Gwynne Shotwell, President & COOShotwell led negotiations on Starlink's Ukraine deployment and has publicly addressed the drone weaponization issue. Wikipedia She's harder to reach directly, but she's the operational decision-maker at SpaceX. A formal letter from an organized group of turboprop/jet owners sent to SpaceX headquarters would route through her office: SpaceX, 1 Rocket Road, Hawthorne, CA 90250.
4. SpaceX corporate emailSpaceX's general format is [email protected]. Several public directories reference Lauren Dreyer's email in that format. A professional letter with the pricing analysis, the whitelist proposal, and signatures from identified TBM/turboprop owners sent directly to her would bypass the consumer support black hole entirely.
5. AOPA as your amplifierAOPA has already published and Jim Coon has made a public statement, but they need to hear specifically from turboprop and jet owners — not just Cessna and Piper pilots. Call AOPA's Pilot Information Center (800-872-2672) and ask to be connected to government affairs. Tell them you want your specific concerns — TBM owner, willing to verify identity, need a mid-tier GA plan — included in any formal communication they send to SpaceX. If AOPA sends a follow-up letter to Dreyer or Shotwell on behalf of its membership, having turbine owners in that letter strengthens the case enormously.
The pitch to make — regardless of channel — is not "lower your prices." It's: "We understand the security imperative behind identity verification. We're willing to provide passport, tail number, and any registration you need. Build a verified GA tier at a price that reflects the actual cost of service, not the cost of a bizjet operation. The 4,000+ petition signers are your pre-built whitelist."
That framing gives SpaceX something they actually want — a security solution — instead of just asking them to give back revenue.
The person who owns this decision is almost certainly Lauren Dreyer. She's VP of Starlink Business Operations at SpaceX, overseeing global expansion including enterprise customer relationships, strategic connectivity projects, and crisis response. Baylor She's been at SpaceX since 2006. She was the one Elon Musk quoted on X when posting the Ukraine whitelist registration instructions. Her scope explicitly includes the kind of plan restructuring you're dealing with.
Here are your realistic channels to reach decision-makers, ranked by likelihood of actually landing:
1. Lauren Dreyer directly on X (Twitter): @LaurenDreyerShe's active there and publicly engaged on Starlink policy issues. A concise, well-framed post tagging her — especially from a group of TBM/turboprop owners presenting the "we accept identity verification, price it fairly" argument — has a real chance of being seen. She has 13.9K followers and engages with Starlink-related posts. This is probably your single best shot at reaching someone with actual authority.
2. Elon Musk on X: @elonmuskHe personally responded to the Ukraine speed limit situation and has demonstrated willingness to engage on Starlink policy when publicly tagged. A coordinated post from TBM owners with the security/whitelist framing — not just a price complaint — could get traction, especially if AOPA amplifies it.
3. Gwynne Shotwell, President & COOShotwell led negotiations on Starlink's Ukraine deployment and has publicly addressed the drone weaponization issue. Wikipedia She's harder to reach directly, but she's the operational decision-maker at SpaceX. A formal letter from an organized group of turboprop/jet owners sent to SpaceX headquarters would route through her office: SpaceX, 1 Rocket Road, Hawthorne, CA 90250.
4. SpaceX corporate emailSpaceX's general format is [email protected]. Several public directories reference Lauren Dreyer's email in that format. A professional letter with the pricing analysis, the whitelist proposal, and signatures from identified TBM/turboprop owners sent directly to her would bypass the consumer support black hole entirely.
5. AOPA as your amplifierAOPA has already published and Jim Coon has made a public statement, but they need to hear specifically from turboprop and jet owners — not just Cessna and Piper pilots. Call AOPA's Pilot Information Center (800-872-2672) and ask to be connected to government affairs. Tell them you want your specific concerns — TBM owner, willing to verify identity, need a mid-tier GA plan — included in any formal communication they send to SpaceX. If AOPA sends a follow-up letter to Dreyer or Shotwell on behalf of its membership, having turbine owners in that letter strengthens the case enormously.
The pitch to make — regardless of channel — is not "lower your prices." It's: "We understand the security imperative behind identity verification. We're willing to provide passport, tail number, and any registration you need. Build a verified GA tier at a price that reflects the actual cost of service, not the cost of a bizjet operation. The 4,000+ petition signers are your pre-built whitelist."
That framing gives SpaceX something they actually want — a security solution — instead of just asking them to give back revenue.
So they’re figuring out what the market will bear? As an aside, I tend to believe piston airplane owners believe they have an outsized voice relative to market share.
It would be interesting to see the internal subscriber numbers on US tiers in general and Roam by segment (RV, boat, air) specifically.
Lindberg
Final Approach
Yeah. How dare they charge more for a service that people will pay more for.
AlphaPilotFlyer
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I don’t have starlink but about to pull the trigger on the small antenna for the Camper van and sometimes using it in a c172 for some longer trips. Question, so it seems if you have just the home or portable plan the system will change your billing to aviation plan rates once it realizes your ground speed? .so it removes the residential rate and charges you the aviation rate after that, or it adds the aviation rate on top of residential rate?
Also, I’m reading about the $5 standby rate that gives you a slow rate of 500 KBS but seeing YouTube’s stating that’s it good enough for most uses like email no some browsing … will the standby mode work in an airplane over 100 kts?
I can see why starlink is testing the price elasticity in this K economy., they are not the only segmemt doing this as the margin between the haves and have not widen, especially for mostly disposable income items. Many industries catering to diverse customers are revamping elasticity models knowing that increasing price may cause them to lose lower tier customers, but that is more than offset by those willing to pay the extra costs and think little of it. It’s often a win for companies in that they can either make more $ overall, or make the same but have less customer base to maintain/support. Either way, profits up.
The airlines are removing coach/econ seats to expand fist and business class seats, as they continue to realize the premium passenger has less issue with continued fare increases. My airline even adding bigger first and business seats, with a little door to make it a pod or sorts. I have few flights with open seats, but all first and business seats are full, rarely with free upgrades. We charge $895/yr , or $595 with airline credit card for access to our airport clubs. There’s often a wait to get in as soon as many paid for hospitality.
For those that don’t think starlink doesn’t understand the market, I disagree. With the new aviation price plan, They are now charging more for less, realizing they will lose a significant number of us cheap piston owners, but charge significantly more for less to those that will not likely bat an eye at high cost or overage cost when exceeding monthly limits. Which, I expect, they calculated would more than offset the loss of the piston market.
They seem to have a monopoly for now, so we are along for the ride, for now.
Also, I’m reading about the $5 standby rate that gives you a slow rate of 500 KBS but seeing YouTube’s stating that’s it good enough for most uses like email no some browsing … will the standby mode work in an airplane over 100 kts?
I can see why starlink is testing the price elasticity in this K economy., they are not the only segmemt doing this as the margin between the haves and have not widen, especially for mostly disposable income items. Many industries catering to diverse customers are revamping elasticity models knowing that increasing price may cause them to lose lower tier customers, but that is more than offset by those willing to pay the extra costs and think little of it. It’s often a win for companies in that they can either make more $ overall, or make the same but have less customer base to maintain/support. Either way, profits up.
The airlines are removing coach/econ seats to expand fist and business class seats, as they continue to realize the premium passenger has less issue with continued fare increases. My airline even adding bigger first and business seats, with a little door to make it a pod or sorts. I have few flights with open seats, but all first and business seats are full, rarely with free upgrades. We charge $895/yr , or $595 with airline credit card for access to our airport clubs. There’s often a wait to get in as soon as many paid for hospitality.
For those that don’t think starlink doesn’t understand the market, I disagree. With the new aviation price plan, They are now charging more for less, realizing they will lose a significant number of us cheap piston owners, but charge significantly more for less to those that will not likely bat an eye at high cost or overage cost when exceeding monthly limits. Which, I expect, they calculated would more than offset the loss of the piston market.
They seem to have a monopoly for now, so we are along for the ride, for now.
No it seems like all that happens is your link gets locked out once it realized you are going "Back to the future" aka 100mph plus. And then maybe you get an email asking if you'd like to ship over some organs to pay for their fee to watch porn at faster than 100mph. Kidding on that last part there.
Potentially NSFW.
No. According to the website:
"""
In March 2026, Starlink introduced two new Aviation plans: Aviation 300MPH and Aviation 450MPH. If you are interested in switching to one of these plans, please create a support ticket including the following items:
An upload of your government-issued passport
Aircraft tail number
Aircraft type (ICAO or IATA code)
Aviation service has additional regulatory requirements; certain aircraft and identity details are required to enable reliable service across regions.
"""
What happens when you go too fast is that you get an alert saying that your service has been disabled because you're going too fast. When you slow down, it resumes working.
The point is that they could set a speed limit of 200 or 250mph, still generate the revenue from the cheap, piston single, pilots and charge more to the high rollers in their faster planes.
I wonder as some people have not seen the same locking on the much slower limit for standby mode, if the lock out is enforced at the device level.
Sure it’s cover under usage agreement, but I wonder if there is a jail break possibility here.
When I think about it I think it is most logically being enforced at the dish.
Seems pretty easy to enforce either direction. The satellite needs to know location to do beamforming, so it would be trivial to cut off dishes traveling too fast.
Somewhat academic in any case, as you got me curious enough to google and it seems that there isn't a jailbreak community out there. The only successful attempt that popped up was four years ago and required a hardware dongle.
I don't think they'd do it at the sat. It's also trying to work with hundred and thousands of devices at the same time. The dish themselves could be changing from one sat to another. The lowest hanging fruit to do this is at the dish especially if it is GPS enabled which I think it is.
Also the low 10mph limit on standby, seems some people saw it and some haven't yet. If it's at the sat everyone should. At the dish it could be because some people don't religiously update their firmware.
The dish definitely has GPS. But there is also an option to turn GPS off. I wonder if that would change any of this behavior... Seems like a loophole they wouldn't leave open, but OTOH, Elon's companies are not known for QC...
The dishes update automatically. No need for a human in the loop.
The dish actually asks (for me anyways in my setting) if I wanted to download. Then ask if I want to installed. Since I only use it in the plane it often is out of date. Should have not done the update last weekend.
I don't recall an option to turn off GPS. I'll check this weekend when I decided if it is a brick or if it is something to keep.
Are you sure that's not just a "do you want to do it right this minute" thing? My understanding is that if you ignore that, it will update itself overnight that night.
I don't remember if it's explicitly "turn off GPS" or if it's more like "use starlink for location information".