At the upcoming Aircraft Interiors Show in Hamburg, one of the must visit booths is KID-Systeme (Hall B6, booth # 6C40) – their SKYfi and SKYpower displays are not to be missed. What piqued our interested was the melding of information, media and entertainment – “mediatainment”.

Mediatainment is a made up word but in the case of KID-Systeme, it has the combined utility of providing airlines with pre-loaded content, flight information, connectivity and telephony solutions (independent and/or combined). SKYfi is an onboard connectivity platform for commercial and corporate aircraft that delivers a plethora of onboard communication options, entertainment applications and passenger and airline services; the SKYfi Lounge.

SKYfi delivers passenger’s connectivity needs – GSM telephony and data, Wi-Fi with streamed content on any device they choose to bring onboard… all driven by an airline branded app.

SKYfi is a modular on board system which can be easily customized to the airline specific operational requirements and requested functionality

The story here is ancillary revenue and service, with the airline customization at the heart of the solution. By making the system modular, the airlines can choose features based on their service offerings, and since almost any type of aircraft can be retrofit, fleet commonality is a non-starter. Today’s traveler wants seamless connectivity to network with their phones, tablets and laptops – all  can be accommodated by the system. Social networks, entertainment, connectivity, and most important information, are all within reach via SKYfi. “We firmly believe the BYOD [bring your own device] trend is unstoppable and passengers expect the same access to the internet, telephony and media in flight as they have on the ground. Airlines need to ensure their passengers can receive streaming media, connect wirelessly with social media, watch movies or play games, and SKYfi provides a seamless transition,” said Peter Schetschine, Vice President Customer Affairs.

Now, a bit about the system: It is comprised of the following components: a) one server can cover all services for Wi-Fi connectivity, b) each WAP can serve roughly 50 PEDs, c) connectivity to the ground is provided by Swift Broad Band and (future) Ka-Band technology.

SKYfi can be easily integrated with the airline preferred billing system provider without impacting existing airline infrastructure.

The hardware will be completely supplied by KID-Systeme, using commercial off the shelve equipment which will be upgraded to satisfy the strong aviation requirements.

As we noted earlier, the SKYfi Lounge can provide the following telephony, Wireless Streaming (AVOD), and based on seats/users, airlines just add more WAPS. We asked about a moving map application and KID answered straight away with a solution. This will be available soon but we cannot say more yet.  KID is now offering a full regime of mediatainment services for PEDs. KID will provide comprehensive Digital Right Management which has been approved by the Hollywood studios for streaming of their licensed content.

The app-based entertainment includes movies, music (pax can establish their own play lists), newspapers and magazines, and passenger survey opportunities. The system also allows passenger to listen to music and read a newspaper simultaneously – nice touch. KID is ready for an STC and boxes are certified and flying today. We were also told that both line-fit and retrofit applications are the target market for this product. You might want to check out the SKYfi Brochure.

Full Connectivity System

SKYfi is relying on hardware that has been developed for the KID connectivity system. 500 Shipsets have been delivered so far with an order book exceeding 700. The first system was rolled out in 2007 breaking the wall for GSM telephony on board of commercial airplanes and the system features Mobile OnAir and Internet OnAir.

Full Power with SKYpower

Lastly, we should mention one of the other reasons to visit the KID-Systeme booth is the SKYpower system. SKYpower offers the flexibility to work with the latest cabin and consumer technologies and can be accessed via USB and 110 volts AC. The patented, state-of-the-art safety system allows fast and simultaneous recharging of multiple devices. The system’s scalable, modular architecture and functionality mean it is fully adaptable to customer requirements. The system is designed and manufactured by KID-Systeme, which constantly examines and anticipates new market trends and developments to ensure a long and dependable service life for its products.

Be sure to visit the website for more information.

(Editor’s Note: Some of the components of the Airbus ALNA system are comprised of SKYfi sub systems, which we saw last year at APEX.)