An apparatus, method and computer program for initiating and maintaining a virtual connection between a mobile radio and a ground station, including receiving a plurality of ground station radio signals from a mobile radio; accumulating over a time period signal quality information relative to each of the ground station radio signals; determining a signal quality parameter trend for each of the ground station radio signals as a function of the accumulated signal quality information; deciding to switch a current virtual connection between the mobile radio and a first ground station to a virtual connection between the mobile radio and a different second ground station as a function of comparing the signal quality parameter to a pre-selected minimum acceptable threshold signal quality parameter; and switching the virtual connection of the mobile radio from the first ground station to the second ground station.