diff --git a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
index 8c5c644842..2e14edff3a 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 // -*- tab-width: 4; Mode: C++; c-basic-offset: 4; indent-tabs-mode: nil -*-
 
+#include "GCS_Mavlink.h"
+
 #include "Plane.h"
 #include "version.h"
 
@@ -636,7 +638,7 @@ bool Plane::telemetry_delayed(mavlink_channel_t chan)
 
 
 // try to send a message, return false if it won't fit in the serial tx buffer
-bool GCS_MAVLINK::try_send_message(enum ap_message id)
+bool GCS_MAVLINK_Plane::try_send_message(enum ap_message id)
 {
     if (plane.telemetry_delayed(chan)) {
         return false;
@@ -975,7 +977,7 @@ const AP_Param::GroupInfo GCS_MAVLINK::var_info[] = {
     AP_GROUPEND
 };
 
-float GCS_MAVLINK::adjust_rate_for_stream_trigger(enum streams stream_num)
+float GCS_MAVLINK_Plane::adjust_rate_for_stream_trigger(enum streams stream_num)
 {
     // send at a much lower rate while handling waypoints and
     // parameter sends
@@ -988,7 +990,7 @@ float GCS_MAVLINK::adjust_rate_for_stream_trigger(enum streams stream_num)
 }
 
 void
-GCS_MAVLINK::data_stream_send(void)
+GCS_MAVLINK_Plane::data_stream_send(void)
 {
     plane.gcs_out_of_time = false;
 
@@ -1110,7 +1112,7 @@ GCS_MAVLINK::data_stream_send(void)
   handle a request to switch to guided mode. This happens via a
   callback from handle_mission_item()
  */
-bool GCS_MAVLINK::handle_guided_request(AP_Mission::Mission_Command &cmd)
+bool GCS_MAVLINK_Plane::handle_guided_request(AP_Mission::Mission_Command &cmd)
 {
     if (plane.control_mode != GUIDED) {
         // only accept position updates when in GUIDED mode
@@ -1132,7 +1134,7 @@ bool GCS_MAVLINK::handle_guided_request(AP_Mission::Mission_Command &cmd)
   handle a request to change current WP altitude. This happens via a
   callback from handle_mission_item()
  */
-void GCS_MAVLINK::handle_change_alt_request(AP_Mission::Mission_Command &cmd)
+void GCS_MAVLINK_Plane::handle_change_alt_request(AP_Mission::Mission_Command &cmd)
 {
     plane.next_WP_loc.alt = cmd.content.location.alt;
     if (cmd.content.location.flags.relative_alt) {
@@ -1143,7 +1145,7 @@ void GCS_MAVLINK::handle_change_alt_request(AP_Mission::Mission_Command &cmd)
     plane.reset_offset_altitude();
 }
 
-void GCS_MAVLINK::handleMessage(mavlink_message_t* msg)
+void GCS_MAVLINK_Plane::handleMessage(mavlink_message_t* msg)
 {
     switch (msg->msgid) {
 
diff --git a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.h b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..453ed0b019
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.h
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <GCS_MAVLink/GCS.h>
+
+class GCS_MAVLINK_Plane : public GCS_MAVLINK
+{
+
+public:
+
+    void data_stream_send(void) override;
+
+protected:
+
+private:
+
+    float adjust_rate_for_stream_trigger(enum streams stream_num) override;
+    void handleMessage(mavlink_message_t * msg) override;
+    bool handle_guided_request(AP_Mission::Mission_Command &cmd) override;
+    void handle_change_alt_request(AP_Mission::Mission_Command &cmd) override;
+    bool try_send_message(enum ap_message id) override;
+
+};
diff --git a/ArduPlane/Plane.h b/ArduPlane/Plane.h
index c54a0ed968..0f4d000ff7 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/Plane.h
+++ b/ArduPlane/Plane.h
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@
 #include <APM_OBC/APM_OBC.h>
 #include <APM_Control/APM_Control.h>
 #include <APM_Control/AP_AutoTune.h>
-#include <GCS_MAVLink/GCS.h>
 #include <GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.h>    // MAVLink GCS definitions
 #include <AP_SerialManager/AP_SerialManager.h>   // Serial manager library
 #include <AP_Mount/AP_Mount.h>           // Camera/Antenna mount
@@ -90,6 +89,7 @@
 #include <AP_Parachute/AP_Parachute.h>
 #include <AP_ADSB/AP_ADSB.h>
 
+#include "GCS_Mavlink.h"
 #include "quadplane.h"
 #include "tuning.h"
 
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ protected:
  */
 class Plane : public AP_HAL::HAL::Callbacks {
 public:
-    friend class GCS_MAVLINK;
+    friend class GCS_MAVLINK_Plane;
     friend class Parameters;
     friend class AP_Arming_Plane;
     friend class QuadPlane;
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ private:
     // GCS selection
     AP_SerialManager serial_manager;
     const uint8_t num_gcs = MAVLINK_COMM_NUM_BUFFERS;
-    GCS_MAVLINK gcs[MAVLINK_COMM_NUM_BUFFERS];
+    GCS_MAVLINK_Plane gcs[MAVLINK_COMM_NUM_BUFFERS];
 
     // selected navigation controller
     AP_Navigation *nav_controller = &L1_controller;