I had a chance to speak with Honeywell about their breakthroughs in technology and get a glimpse of what their Flight Support Services team does. Nathan “Nate” Turner works as the manager for this division and he graciously offered and interview about his experiences as a pilot, working with Honeywell, and about what he sees as the future for the aviation industry.

Nate Turner, Honeywell Pilot and Developer

Nate Turner, Honeywell Pilot and Developer

MT: What is your background, and how did you get started with aviation?

NT: I have been flying since I was a kid. My grandfather would take me on his airplane as a child, I started flying lessons as a teenager, and soloed on my 16th birthday. At 17 I had my pilot’s’ license. I enrolled in Arizona State University’s flight program in college, and graduated with a degree in aviation management. After graduation, I went on to a flight instruct,and taught in a Beechcraft Bonanza and Baron. After two years there, I was hired by American Eagle, and flew as a pilot along the East Coast for around a year. For the sake of family, I decided to settle down and returned to school to obtain a degree in Electrical Engineering. After that, I was hired by Honeywell, where I have worked in programing and as a software engineer. I have worked on a variety of different programs and aircraft platforms for next generation avionics and innovative pilot services.

 

MT: Which is your favorite aircraft to fly?

NT: The ERJ-145, it’s a smooth aircraft and it’s very easy to manage.

 

MT: How did you prepare for your flights as a pilot?

NT: When flying to new airports, I would use a program called GoDirect Flight Preview to visualize and simulate the airport surroundings. It would help me familiarize with the approaches and the environment around the airport. I would also use Honeywell’s Weather Information Service app that would allow me to account for turbulence and other hazardous weather conditions.

 

MT: What apps have you worked with?

NT: I helped develop the prototype of the GoDirect Flight Preview, and was in contact with the team who developed the Weather Information Service app. For GoDirect Flight Preview, it took us six months from prototype to app store, and I consider that to have been a major success.

Flight Preview Honeywell

Flight Preview Honeywell

MT: What is your favorite technology available right now?

NT: I really like SmartView synthetic vision system, available on platforms such as Gulfstream and Pilatus. It creates a sort of “breadcrumbs” trail in order for pilots to avoid mistakes such as the Harrison Ford landing on a taxiway. It allows for more situational awareness and less margin for error.

 

MT: What is the next big step in aircraft technology?

NT: Aircraft connectivity is the future. The ability to allow data to be transferred from pilot to pilot and pilot to tower seamlessly has enhanced the experience of flying a lot. The connected aircraft allows a pilot to be more aware, stay in contact and has created better situational awareness (as mentioned before) for pilots. This has made flying even safer, and made the pilots’ jobs easier.

Honeywell Aircraft

Honeywell Aircraft

MT: Finally, where do you see the next development in consumer aviation technology?

NT: For me, the biggest thing right now is inflight connectivity. Not only has it helped pilots, but it also allows passengers to stay connected, and even stream their own media. The notion of connected aircraft will shape the future of aviation and will play a great role in the passenger experience.

 

Many thanks to Lindsay Sloan, Nate Turner and Nicole Stuart for making this interview possible.

Honeywell Logo

Honeywell Logo

Landing Thoughts:
It’s pretty cool to get to talk with a pilot-programmer-manager. I hope you all found out a bit more about inflight technology, what it means to be a pilot, and how industry executives see the industry evolving.

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