Story ID: 
BendixKing AeroWave Features New Antenna and Routers
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: The low-cost satcom weighs about 12 pounds and offers service speeds of up to 200 Kbps.
Word Count: 238
Honeywell’s BendixKing division has released a new version of its AeroWave 100 Inmarsat satcom system, with a lighter Active Low Gain Antenna and two new Wi-Fi routers. The new antenna lowers system weight by four pounds and has a smaller footprint.

AeroWave is a low-cost satcom that offers flat-rate, pay-by-the-hour service, although per-megabyte rate schedules are also available. AeroWave service runs at speeds of up to 200 Kbps on Inmarsat’s Class 15 satcom network. Operators pay for service up-front, $1,999 for 50 hours, which averages to $40 per hour, but this pre-paid package is limited to 104 Kbps. “Other plans are available with the higher speed,” according to BendixKing.

The system costs $24,995 with a standard Arinc 600 tray; adding a cooling fan takes the price to $27,499. A $3,000 rebate is available for buyers taking delivery before June 1. Total system weight is about 12 pounds. Installations have been done on airplanes as small as the Cessna 421, but most have been in turboprops and jets. 

Two Wi-Fi routers are now available: a data-only unit for $3,900 and data and voice for $5,900. 

The smaller footprint is a result of integrating the power amplifier into the base of the active low-gain antenna. A GPS receiver is incorporated in the antenna subsystem’s Bias-T LRU, which eliminates the need to connect the system to onboard GPS receivers. The Bias-T also provides power through a single cable for the satcom, GPS and antenna.