Inflight Connectivity Demand Doesn’t Have to Break Operators’ Budgets

Ever-increasing demand from corporate aircraft passengers for faster and more reliable inflight connectivity, including full “office-in-the-sky” capabilities, has resulted in a potentially costly situation for operators who are often caught unaware by the resulting high bills for data streaming and usage.

"It's definitely a significant concern for operators and directors of maintenance (DOMs)," explained John Peterson, Senior Director of GoDirect Cabin Connectivity at Honeywell Aerospace. “It’s difficult to explain a five-figure bill for inflight data to the aircraft principal, but at the same time, they simply can't sit at a desk and monitor data usage all day long.”

Peterson likened the problem to a common domestic situation. "My kids turn the lights on whenever they walk into a room, but they don't turn them off. It's not long before every light in our house is on," he explained. "That's essentially the same as a mobile device logging onto an aircraft’s Wi-Fi network, but of course the price is exponentially higher. It's vastly more efficient to only be consuming data on the device someone is actually using." 

GoDirect Access Provides Tailored Connectivity Solutions

Honeywell GoDirect Access provides a unique solution to managing inflight internet connections on either the Inmarsat Jet ConneX or SwiftBroadband networks, by allowing flight crews to prioritize network bandwidth for passengers who need it most.

Every device is logged onto the aircraft network is assigned a unique identifier, allowing flight crewmembers to use the GoDirect Access app on their iPhone to assign usage parameters. Low-priority connections may be temporarily disabled, allowing higher-priority connections to better utilize available bandwidth.

"We understand that flight crews aren't IT people," Peterson said. "By pulling up the app, they're able to quickly see the number of devices logged on and the data being consumed by each. If not all those devices need to be consuming data, they can temporarily stop data to those devices, freeing up bandwidth for the one who needs it."

GoDirect Access also allows operators and maintenance personnel to set connectivity speeds on a per-flight basis, providing a valuable cost-savings tool and helping to keep the aircraft on budget.

"We realized Honeywell could bring a broader number of tools and network control to give operators control over their services," Peterson continued. "The aircraft owner or VVIP is able to utilize the fastest data pipe onboard the aircraft, but less costly connectivity options are available when flying other personnel, for example, or in charter service."

In such cases, GoDirect Access may utilize a redirect page allowing users to log onto the aircraft's network and pay for as much data as they want with a credit card, or with valet cards provided by the operator. "It's nearly impossible in today's marketplace to offer an aircraft without data services for charter," Peterson said. "Those margins are already pretty thin, and data services can hurt profitability if you can't manage how much data will be used on the flight.

"Now, we're turning these cost centers for managed fleet operators into managed costs, or even profit centers, based on who is onboard and for what mission," he added. 

Get in the Diamond Lane

Yet another alternative for passengers requiring faster connections is what Peterson referred to as the "Diamond Lane," a specialized high-speed data streaming option available through SwiftBroadband.

"If the connection is still too slow, even after the user's device has been assigned priority, there's a possibility the satellite beam itself may be congested," Peterson said. "For an additional cost, they may be assigned a dedicated streaming pipe for a fixed amount of time, and that provides an instantaneous improvement in connectivity speeds for the passenger.

"Again, we're turning the light on only when it's needed," he continued. "Honeywell GoDirect Access is the only system to offer that capability."

Additionally, the GoDirect Access app provides information about the health of the network signal to the aircraft and the condition of the aircraft's router and other equipment, using a simple color-coded interface. This information is also available to the operator's DOM on the ground through the desktop GoDirect Access Portal.

"Should there be a problem reported with the connection, the DOM may call up the system's health and see if the system is truly down, for example, or if possibly the tail is blocking the antenna, or the aircraft is so far north it doesn't have line-of-sight to a satellite," Peterson said. "Having that snapshot readily available to everyone involved, at the same time, is extremely valuable." 

Finding the Right Solution for Each Operator

It’s understandable that operators could easily become overwhelmed by the complexity of available connectivity solutions, which is why Honeywell GoDirect offers on-site consulting services to assist DOMs with determining the best solution for their aircraft principal.

"We've been a hardware provider in this market from the beginning, so we heard a lot of feedback from operators," Peterson noted. "Most of that came down to, 'I had no idea data would cost so much and I don't know how to budget for it.' Honeywell realized we could also be a services provider and a valued partner in providing a comprehensive consulting service for them."

With more than 30 support engineers around the globe who are ready to respond to client needs, Honeywell's GoDirect team is available to meet with operators and thoroughly review their clients' needs. "We will sit down with them and cater the optimum solution around the simple question: 'What do you want to do on the aircraft?'" Peterson said. "Some only want to read their email and connect to their corporate network; others want to surf the web, post to Facebook, and stream movies.

"This level of service offers the best solution for customers," Peterson concluded. "There is a significant difference between what others may offer and what Honeywell does. We have the hardware, the network tools, and the support network necessary to provide an optimum inflight connectivity experience for passengers, and the convenience and security of a managed budget for operators."

Honeywell's Integration Labs Help Diagnose Connectivity Issues

Another critical tool in Honeywell's GoDirect Access portfolio is its network of Integration Labs, providing a complete model of an aircraft's unique inflight connectivity network to quickly identify the best solution for individual operators, and diagnose systems issues when problems arise.

 "Each Integration Lab has the complete suite of connectivity equipment for Inmarsat, JetWave, and SwiftBroadband services onboard typical business aircraft," explained Curt Gray, Honeywell Senior Director of Connectivity Support. "This allows our team to remote-in and build each aircraft's individual connectivity configuration remotely as they're setting up new systems."

Once those systems are in the field, Integration Labs also help Honeywell engineers to remedy any connectivity issues reported by operators. "With the aircraft's network already configured, this helps alleviate problems of second-guessing installation or airplane issues," Gray continued. "That really cuts down the time needed to bring the system back online."

Gray pointed to a recent situation involving a VVIP operator in the Middle East. "They came to our lab in Le Bourget [France] to validate a connectivity issue," he continued. "We found the antenna was improperly grounded. Without the lab, it would have taken at least a month or more to figure out the problem."

Integration Labs are just one part of Honeywell's expanding customer support network, which has grown threefold over the past 18 months. In addition to strategically located support personnel around the globe ready to respond to customer concerns worldwide within 24 hours, Honeywell also has teams working together with aircraft manufacturers to ensure smooth integration of connectivity solutions.

"We also have more than a dozen network engineers to ensure our connectivity networks are functioning at the highest levels, and in line with customer expectations," Gray concluded. "We aren't simply a support organization; we also understand the backend infrastructure."