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SwiftBroadband–Safety (SB-S) is a satellite communications service offered by Inmarsat plc (LSE: ISAT), a British satellite telecommunications company. It provides global, high-speed, secure IP connectivity for commercial aircraft cockpits[1]. It delivers voice and data link communications, allowing for the use of applications designed to improve flight safety, airspace capacity, and airline operational efficiency.[2] SB-S supports Air Traffic Services and Airline Operational Centre operations in oceanic and remote airspace, including Future Air Navigation System operations, while capable of supporting Air Traffic Services in other airspaces, including long and short range operations over continental airspace.

SwiftBroadband-Safety is the cockpit segment of Inmarsat's Complete Connected Aircraft[3] solution, which aims to provide a connectivity service for each of the three aircraft domains, as stipulated by ARINC 664 Part 5.

Aircraft can access the SwiftBroadband-Safety service via installed hardware: a terminal inside the airplane and an antenna on the fuselage. This equipment connects to Inmarsat's global I-4 satellite network and provides data speeds up to 650 kb/s.[4] The service will also be available on the Inmarsat's I-6 satellites, projected to launch by 2020.[5] 

Purpose

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The aircraft cockpit has traditionally been a realm of slow technological advancement. SwiftBroadband-Safety was designed to provide robust connectivity solutions for aircraft in the digital age, as data consumption rates of modern aircraft are skyrocketing and increasing global aircraft is creating busier and busier skies. The A350 has close to 6,000 sensors across the entire plane and generates 2.5 TB of data per day.[6] The B787 produces approximately 500GB of data per flight.[7] This big data has immense value if airlines can process it efficiently and in a timely manner. SwiftBroadband-Safety was designed to accelerate and enhance connectivity to and from the cockpit, in order to deliver safety, efficiency, and operational performance benefits for airlines and airspace authorities. 

Details

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SwiftBroadband-Safety offers the following capabilities:

  • Aircraft position reporting service, which regularly reports latitude, longitude, altitude, speed and true heading
  • IP channel – voice and data communication channel for use of Airline Administrative Control and Airline Operational Center applications:
    • Providing passenger details to the destination
    • Exchange of passenger transfer information by the airline
  • Prioritized IP channel – a connection that provides additional availability and assurance on IP data throughput for voice and data Air Traffic Safety and Airline Operations Centre applications
    • Electronic Flight Bag connectivity[8]
    • Flight data streaming or “Black Box in the Cloud” functionality[9]
    • Meteorological and environmental information
    • Aircraft performance data downloaded in real time to the airline maintenance department or to the aircraft or engine manufacturer
    • Support for real-time medical emergency applications such as remote diagnoses

Terminals

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SwiftBroadband-Safety terminals are being produced by Cobham, Thales, and Honeywell. All terminal types will support global coverage down to 5 degrees elevation, and provide voice and ACARS data performance exceeding Classic Aero and ground-based radio, while also supporting Prioritised IP data communications to the cockpit, as well as the position reporting service. Specifically, SB-S hardware weighs about 8 kilos (about 18 pounds) as compared some current systems that can weigh approximately 120 kilos (about 265 pounds). SB-S antennas are about the size of a tablet computer, compared to the older satellite communication hardware that is the size of a surfboard. In many cases, SB-S terminals can replace existing terminals with the ease of ‘plug and play.'

Evaluations

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SB-S performance is currently undergoing commercial in-service evaluations. An Inmarsat / Hawaiian Airlines / Cobham Satcom partnership was announced in 2016, using SB-S on the Hawaiian Airlines’ Boeing 767-300 fleet. The evaluation has been successful, with demonstrated speed and quality of SB-S applications,[10] including EFB connectivity.[11]

Beginning May 2017, Shenzhen Airlines will launch its in-flight evaluation of SwiftBroadband-Safety (SB-S). The SB-S platform will be installed on Shenzhen’s Airbus 320 aircraft using Cobham avionics’ AVIATOR 300D hardware, will deliver in-flight communications and secure, real-time, in-air information to enhance Shenzhen’s safety, security and operational capabilities.[12]

United Airlines is to take part in a technology evaluation of SwiftBroadband-Safety (SB-S). SB-S will be evaluated on four United Airlines’ Boeing 767 aircraft, which will be installed with Inmarsat manufacturing partner Cobham SATCOM’s AVIATOR 300D satcom system.[13]

SwiftBroadband-Safety and Next Generation Air Traffic Management

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The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is a new National Airspace System due for implementation across the United States in stages between 2012 and 2025. NextGen proposes to transform America’s air traffic control system from a radar-based system with radio communication to a satellite-based one. SwiftBroadband-Safety is designed to support next generation air traffic management, with capabilities like real-time EFB data and flight data streaming.[14]

Availability

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Airbus recently announced[15] it will outfit their aircraft fleet with Inmarsat SB-S from 2018 onward, and Boeing announced a signed Technical Service Agreement with Cobham for SB-S in early 2017[16].

Hawaiian Airlines (HAL) has selected SwiftBroadband-Safety (SB-S) for installation on its new Airbus A321neo (new engine option) fleet.[17]

Notes

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  1. ^ "SwiftBroadband-Safety - Inmarsat". Inmarsat. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  2. ^ "The Future of Airline Communications" (PDF). inmarsataviation.com.
  3. ^ "Complete Connected Aircraft".
  4. ^ "World premiere of BGAN High Data Rate streaming service at IBC - Inmarsat". Inmarsat. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  5. ^ "Inmarsat awards contract to Airbus for two sixth-generation mobile communication satellites - Inmarsat". Inmarsat. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  6. ^ "That's Data Science: Airbus Puts 10,000 Sensors in Every Single Wing!". www.datasciencecentral.com. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  7. ^ Finnegan, Matthew. "Boeing 787s to create half a terabyte of data per flight, says Virgin Atlantic". ComputerworldUK. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  8. ^ "EFB Forum: The evolution of the Electronic Flight Bag". Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  9. ^ "The Black Box in the cloud". Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  10. ^ "Hawaiian Airlines to install Inmarsat's next-gen SwiftBroadband-Safety for its new Airbus fleet". Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  11. ^ "Cobham and Inmarsat solutions enable in-air Electronic Flight Bag connectivity for the first time with Hawaiian Airlines - Inmarsat". Inmarsat. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  12. ^ "Shenzhen Airlines Begins Evaluation of SwiftBroadband-Safety, Inmarsat and Cobham's Next Generation Connectivity Platform for the Flight Deck".
  13. ^ "United Airlines to evaluate SwiftBroadband-Safety service".
  14. ^ "Flight safety takes a giant leap forward".
  15. ^ "Airbus Buys Into Inmarsat's New Cockpit-Safety Satcom Vision". aviationweek.com. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  16. ^ Gardner, Nick. "Cobham plc :: Boeing Sign First Contract for the AVIATOR S Product Family". www.cobham.com. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  17. ^ "Hawaiian selects SB-S".
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