Banyan Air Service is completing the first installation of the SmartSky LITE air-to-ground connectivity system on an HA-420 HondaJet, the companies said late last week. The project supports the recent deal between Volato and SmartSky to equip Volato’s HondaJet fractional fleet of 20 new aircraft and paves the way for other HondaJets in service to feature the SmartSky system.
Banyan is an authorized HondaJet service center and plans to complete the installation in its facilities at Florida’s Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. The companies expect project completion during this year’s second quarter following other maintenance and updates on the aircraft.
“This exciting installation project makes the groundbreaking technology pioneered by SmartSky available for Volato," said Banyan Air Service director of avionics Danny Santiago. “It is especially exciting because SmartSky LITE brings streaming-level, no-device-limits connectivity to light jets, for the first time ever. This will elevate the flying experience for owners and operators of this class of aircraft who are seeking a high-performing, streaming-capable, in-flight ATG connectivity solution for light jets like the HA420.”
Along with the installation deal, the two companies recently signed a strategic agreement for Banyan to provide full-scale maintenance for the HondaJet fleet on-site at Volato’s primary base in St. Augustine, Florida.
“Volato is hyper-focused on delivering the best possible customer experience,” said Volato CEO Mike Pracher. “With the addition of SmartSky technology to our HondaJet floating fleet, our customers will be able to live stream sports, make video calls, send large documents, and connect as they desire.”