Honeywell has achieved final certification from Inmarsat for JetWave, its package of exclusive hardware that will allow pilots, passengers, operators and maintenance personnel to connect to GX Aviation, the new inflight broadband service from Inmarsat.
The final type approval certificate confirms that the system functions as designed and completes the process to bring GX Aviation to the aerospace market. The certification centers on operation in all environmental conditions with Inmarsat’s Global Xpress (GX) satellite network, which comprises three satellites already launched and functioning. JetWave has also been certified by the FAA and EASA for safety, environmental and installation standards.
“GX Aviation is the ultimate broadband solution for the skies. It is a truly global service that has been engineered with aircraft mobility in mind, ensuring that airlines, business aviation operators and leading aircraft companies can offer high-quality connectivity even at 40,000ft, using a single network from a single provider,” said Leo Mondale, Inmarsat Aviation president.
“We are delighted with the performance of Honeywell’s JetWave terminals, which have been designed for ease of installation and maintenance to ensure the lowest downtime for any cabin connectivity solution in the market. This final certification is an essential part in opening the doors to this exciting new era of inflight broadband, available to our customers anytime and anywhere, with absolutely no limits in terms of deployment to their fleets.”
The service is powered by the new GX constellation, which entered commercial service in December 2015. Inmarsat is committed to building additional network capacity, with plans already announced to increase its dedicated Ka-band payloads to seven.
The JetWave terminal includes dual receivers, enabling ‘make before break’ handoffs between satellite beams. Honeywell says JetWave delivers full performance across Inmarsat’s global coverage, including at northern and southern latitudes above 40°.
August 24, 2016
