Honeywell is developing a number of operational improvements for airlines using the enhanced levels of connectivity promised by Inmarsat’s forthcoming GX Aviation Ka-band network.
Inmarsat placed the constellation’s second satellite into orbit earlier this year and a series of tests using Honeywell’s Jetwave hardware have since proved the robustness of the network. A third satellite will be lofted to join its two sister spacecraft later this year, ahead of the official launch of GX Aviation in the third or fourth quarter.
GX Aviation promises faster and more consistent in-flight connectivity across the globe and Honeywell believes it can use the higher bandwidth promised to drive airline efficiencies.
Several initiatives are currently being pursued says Jack Jacobs, vice-president of marketing, safety and information systems at the manufacturer, as it looks to work with data produced by different Honeywell-made aircraft systems.
These include the auxiliary power unit (APU), brakes, and weather data, with test flights of its Smart Weather equipment installed on a Boeing 757 performed in mid-2014.
GX Aviation will debut later this year on an Airbus A350 for Vietnam Airlines. Although much of the initial focus has been on the new Airbus twinjet, a similar offering for Boeing’s 787 will follow in late 2016 or early 2017, says Jacobs.
He stresses that, although passenger demand will drive take-up of GX Aviation, payback will come elsewhere.
“[Passengers] will really drive adoption, but as time goes on and airlines start looking for bottom-line payback, they will look at other uses for the pipe," he says.
If Honeywell is "smart enough" in developing other operational or commercial uses for the product, he adds, "it pays for the passenger to get free connectivity".
Source: Flight Daily News
