Honeywell is introducing its next-generation cabin connectivity service, JetWave X, and upgrading its Cabin Sentinel software suite for business jets to provide enhanced connectivity and better service for all JetWave customers, the company announced this week at NBAA-BACE.
Cabin Sentinel, which Honeywell introduced in May, is a cabin connectivity monitoring and support service intended to “improve the passenger experience by better optimizing and securing JetWave’s connectivity link,” said Steve Hadden, v-p and general manager of services and connectivity at Honeywell Aerospace.
The upgraded Cabin Sentinel software suite, available this quarter for all JetWave customers, provides more robust data security by using quantum-encrypted keys to protect user data. An advanced data control feature reduces network bottlenecks while giving customers the ability to prioritize bandwidth for specific devices and users.
“Most importantly, the real-time monitoring of the health of the system will provide early warnings of hardware or network issues to help prevent the loss of connectivity onboard the business jet,” Hadden said.
JetWave X, Honeywell’s next-generation satcom hardware system, builds on the original JetWave hardware used by airliners, military aircraft, and business jets. The upgraded JetWave X system is designed specifically for business jets, with more service network flexibility and new hardware that is easier to install.
With JetWave X, customers also have the option to tap into Viasat’s Ka-band network, which includes the planned ViaSat-3 global satellite constellation, as well as the Global Xpress satellites that Viasat inherited through its recent acquisition of Inmarsat. Honeywell said JetWave X will consistently deliver download speeds of at least 30 Mbps, although it can reach speeds of up to 100 Mbps “even in the busiest flight corridors.”
Jason Wissink, president of services and connectivity at Honeywell Aerospace, said customers of the first-generation JetWave platform “will also experience a performance boost with the existing systems being able to support the higher speeds of new JX Evolution plans.”