Consistency is King for In Flight WiFi Users

Business jet passengers have high expectations for in flight WiFi. They want lightning-fast speeds and the bandwidth to do just about anything in the air they can on the ground. But speed and bandwidth alone are not the answer.

“Having the fastest system doesn’t mean much if it doesn’t meet passengers’ consistency expectations,” said Steve Hadden, Vice President and General Manager of Services and Connectivity for Honeywell Aerospace Technologies. “Lots of people talk about high speeds and high data rates – which are critical. But from the passenger’s perspective, consistency of service is much more important than occasional bursts of speed.” 

In fact, 80% of business aviation professionals chose “It always works” first or second in the 2023 Inmarsat-Corporate Jet Investor ranking of in flight WiFi priorities, compared to 64% who chose “superfast connections.”

“Passengers crave a worry-free experience that is comparable to what they get in their office or living room,” Hadden said. “They don’t really care about megabits per second as long as they can stream live videos and download large files at 45,000 feet without interruption. Frankly, passengers just want WiFi so consistent they can forget about it.”  

Welcome to the Future of Multi-Network SATCOM

Honeywell is poised to take consistency to new heights with the third-generation JetWave X satellite communications system. JetWave X will be the first – and only – multi-network-ready satellite communications system when it launches in 2025.

JetWave X will connect seamlessly to the proven Inmarsat Global Xpress network, the legacy Viasat Ka network, the new Viasat 3 network and future Ka-band satellites. Compatibility with future Ka-band networks is built into the open architecture of JetWave X, so operators can futureproof their aircraft.

“JetWave X accesses unprecedented capacity and delivers download speeds of more than 100 Mbps in busy flight corridors,” Hadden said. “That’s up to 10 times faster than first-generation satcom systems, giving operators the speed they need to create a true office or living room in the sky experience for their passengers.”

Because coverage areas vary network-to-network, operators are unlikely to encounter dead spaces where no satcom signals are available. JetWave X will let operators switch easily and automatically between networks and services to take advantage of better connections or data rates.

“It’s the first – and only – multi-network satcom that is ready to connect to the Viasat 3 as soon as it comes online in 2025 – which is potentially years earlier than competing systems,” Hadden said.

“Unlike those offerings, JetWave is supported by Honeywell’s renowned global network of satcom experts who know the product and this industry inside and out,” he added. “JetWave set the standard for high-speed, ultra-reliable Ka-band satellite communications from the moment it was launched in 2017. More than 2,000 aircraft are flying today with JetWave systems onboard.”

For more information, visit us online or contact your Honeywell representative.