Photo: Boeing

[Via Satellite 12-10-13] Honeywell Aerospace and Inmarsat‘s GX Aviation program are one step closer to providing travelers with wireless connectivity at 30,000 feet by the year 2015 after the successful launch of Inmarsat 5 F1, the first of three satellites in the Global Xpress constellation network.

“[GX Aviation] will be the world’s first global Ka-band network, specifically designed to provide connectivity to aircraft, and will enable a whole range of new services for both passengers and crew,” said Miranda Mills, Inmarsat president, aviation.

In September 2013, Honeywell released a survey of more than 3,000 global airline passengers that showed increased customer desire for in flight connectivity. According to the survey, more than three in four fliers think wireless access should always be available on airplanes, and almost 90 percent of fliers would give up an amenity on their flight — preferred seats, extra legroom and more — to be guaranteed a faster and more consistent wireless connection.

Beyond passenger comfort, avionics and hardware developed by Honeywell for GX Aviation will more effectively enable new services for aircraft operators and airlines, such as predictive maintenance and better aircraft communications that will take advantage of fast, consistent and global connectivity, essentially creating a truly “connected aircraft.”