Avionics
AEROSPACETESTINGINTERNATIONAL.COM // SEPTEMBER 2019 49
technology advanced we made the decision to buy a mid/
long-range jet that better represents the aircraft most of
our customers operate. It allows us to more closely
replicate their configurations for improved testing.
“It’s a 1987 GIV and facilitates testing and validation
– quality assurance –for our services, including
connectivity. Recently we validated the new
Intelsat FlexExec service, hardware and
software, and we trial our own products,
including the FlightDeck Freedom
datalink service.
“The GIV remains important as we
continue growing our portfolio in all these
areas, including antenna design and
production, and it enables us to perform
cybersecurity tests and trial the SD Private
Network configuration.”
ANTENNA TRIALS
Honeywell operates in a different market segment,
exclusively producing the JetWave antenna system for
Inmarsat’s Ka-band service. It employs the Global
Express (GX) geosynchronous equatorial satellite
constellation to provide Ka broadband connectivity to
the business aviation market as Jet ConneX (JX), and to
the airlines as GX Aviation. For its JetWave trials,
Honeywell employed its veteran Boeing 757 test bed in a
global campaign, as Joe Duval, director of flight test
operations, explains: “We have several modifications on
the aircraft, including the JetWave antenna, positioned
right next to a legacy L-band antenna. There are also FM
telemetry antennas, but since we got the high-speed
internet through JetWave, we don’t really use the FM
system any more.
“Ours was the first JetWave installation on any
aircraft, but it was done as an STC supplemental type
certificate and is therefore identical to any other 757
installation and very similar to those on other
platforms.” Soon after the JetWave antenna and
associated systems had been installed, Honeywell
embarked on a worldwide trials campaign, assessing
antenna functionality and the efficacy of
Inmarsat’s GX network.
“We started in the UK because the first
operational GX satellite was over the Indian Ocean.
We also have Honeywell ground facilities in the
UK, where they had GX connectivity to a building. As
more satellites became available, we transitioned to
flying all over the world, more than once. We also flew
towards the poles, although less so to the south, testing
the system’s availability.”
AIR-TO-GROUND
Addressing another discrete market segment, SmartSky
Networks offers 4G LTE broadband through a US
network of tower-mounted antennas. It’s unusual in
owning the network, the spectrum, and aircraft
hardware and software. Contrary to SD’s decision to
employ a larger aircraft to better reflect the machines
flown by its clients, SmartSky employs a pair of lighter
test beds, its ATG system employing smaller antennas
and being restricted to the US. As hardware size and
weight reduces, so connectivity becomes viable for
smaller aircraft. Combine this with SmartSky’s
geographical coverage and its Citation XLS and King Air
trials aircraft are sufficient to cover all bases. The
minimally-modified Citation also undertakes
demonstration flights.
But why use two aircraft of relatively similar size?
Eric Brooks, VP Product Development, says, “The King
Air is equipped with more of a flying laboratory
environment, with significant test equipment
1 // Once a test subject
itself, the 757’s Ka-band GX
connectivity has largely
replaced traditional
telemetry(Photo: Honeywell)
2 // The 757’s capacious
cabin includes a number of
test stations
(Photo: Honeywell)
5th
757 built became
Honeywell’s test bed
1
2
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