Meet Joe Leader, new Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX), Chief Executive Officer. IFExpress asked the very busy Joe Leader to answer a couple questions about the future of technology and APEX, and he was kind enough to scribe his response while on a recent flight. Here is what he had to say:

IFExpress: Please give our readers your feelings about the importance of technology for future cabin upgrades in entertainment and communications. Any examples?

Leader: Future cabin upgrades in entertainment and communications will center upon automation and individualized personalization. Airlines have an incredible wealth of data about their customers to provide more individualized service. In-flight entertainment and connectivity solutions provide an amazing opportunity to further enhance passenger experience while boosting airline ancillary revenue. Google recently publicly presented an IFE mock-up. Their philosophy is one of answer, anticipate, and enable. That aligns perfectly with my philosophy of enhancing passenger experience via individual passenger preferences. Delta also unveiled their hand-held solution for flight attendants that shows all key information about every passenger. Advances will allow passengers to be remembered so that any charges for Wi-Fi, their favorite drinks, and food.

IFExpress: At this time, how do you see APEX as a ‘positive force’ in affecting the improvements you noted above?

Leader: APEX has been a steadfast airline passenger experienced focused association for nearly 40-years, but we need to shift gears to a thought-leadership organization that quickens the industry. I have listened to airlines, suppliers, service companies, and studios starved for common standards in our areas of responsibility. We will provide them as APEX bears the highest responsibility to advance these causes. Standards hasten industry adoption of new products. Taking proactive interaction now will make certain that in-flight entertainment does not become the Android Auto versus Apple CarPlay type competitive environment. I should not have to check device compatibility when I purchase my car or airline seat. Airline passengers should be able to leverage any smart phone and smart device with their airline of choice in the future. APEX holds an educational responsibility to enlighten our airlines on how to maximize ancillary revenue in a connected world that places the highest value on insights and returns. Finally, APEX should serve as an educational force for its supplier members so that their steps are more surefooted as they advance.

IFExpress: Portland, Oregon APEX is near, is there a message you have for the attendees?

Leader: We are entering an incredible age renaissance in passenger experience. My fellow CEO at A4A recently highlighted that airlines are spending half of their profits on enhancing passenger experience. APEX will provide the education and technological bridge to more quickly advance our $10 billion a year upgrade industry alongside the billions more in new aircraft passenger experience purchases. With more than 3500 attendees for APEX EXPO, there is no better venue in the world for advancement. We only allow members into EXPO that have been fully vetted. It stands as an appointment-driven show focused upon results. As our industry flies forward, APEX will serve as a beacon to maximize return on investment for all of our members and airlines.

Lastly, we strongly encourage our readers to introduce themselves to Joe at the APEX Conference in Portland – we think you are going to like him. We also note that the world of inflight entertainment is changing, as he eloquently notes in his short interview. Undoubtedly, we think it is going to be a real interesting challenge to develop entertainment and connectivity solutions when today’s passenger brings a big part of the technical connectivity solution onto the plane. APEX may have just gotten it right – the industry will need a new ‘Leader” to adapt to the new environment.

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PORTLAND PREVIEW
1. Carlisle – On the heels of the Paris Air Show in June, the launch of the FlightGear Ka/Ku Universal Installation has generated a flood of interest from OEMs, connectivity providers and airlines alike. Carlisle Interconnect Technologies (CarlisleIT) has partnered with Saint Gobain Performance Plastics to design and engineer an industry first and is proud to present the only end-to-end ARINC 791 solution for Ka-, Ku-, and Tri-band SATCOM installations. Its installation made simple; by providing a platform-independent and system-agnostic ARINC 791 solution, CarlisleIT and Saint Gobain are helping airlines and system providers improve their speed-to-market and deliver enhanced next generation SATCOM connectivity to today’s airline passengers. This robust and versatile package contains all of the components required for either retrofit or forward-fit installations on large or regional jet aircraft. Installation fittings are adjustable to cover the complete range of aircraft frame spacings while optimizing the interface loads to the fuselage.

A variety of available radomes tuned to Ka-, Ku-, or Tri-band frequencies fit interchangeably on the same adapter plate. Adapter plates customized to use existing radomes fit interchangeably on the same fuselage structural fittings. Aerodynamic fairings follow the fuselage curvature for each aircraft model without requiring large installation doublers, sealants, or excessive modifications to the aircraft skin. The design creates easier maintenance inspections, longer inspection intervals and lower long-term cost of ownership. Conformance to the ARINC 791 standard also helps future-proof the installation and makes upgrading to next generation multi-axis or low profile antennas easier and faster with commonality of key components across entire fleets.

CarlisleIT’s booth at the APEX Expo at the Oregon Convention Center (September 29-October 1) will feature a flight ready display of the Ka/Ku Universal Installation. Visitors to the booth will have the unique opportunity to discuss system options and sketch customizations on an adapter plate with a team of technical experts. Let’s un-complicate things. Visit Booth 1405 at APEX Expo and let CarlisleIT help you do just that.

2. APEX – APEX sent us a list of Opening day speakers (Sept. 28) and they include new APEX leader – Joe Leader, Sandy Stelling – Managing Director Customer R & D, Alaska Airlines, Werner Lieberherr – CEO, B/E Aerospace, Rainer von Borstel – CEO, Diehl Aerosystems, Devin Liddel – Principal Brand Strategist, TEAGUE, Rajan Datar – Presenter, BBC World News.

3. IFPL – In Portland, you might also want to see the following at IFPL’s booth 1408: “Cost and reliability have been a main focus in our new Breakaway jacks series which delivers a revolutionary cost neutral solution for both the jack and the headset, whilst providing high availability as it leverages our proven and popular Long Life audio jacks plus our new MagSignal technology which prevents broken headsets and jacks with our MagSignal connector. The module is fully compatible with existing headset connector types and our Long Life jack is tested to over 100,000 insertions.” We didn’t know: “Research shows that up to 10% of headsets coming off long-haul flights are not re-usable due to damage, which often results with broken pins left in the sockets rendering the IFE experience useless.” Check it out.

4. Pre-show, and while you are online, check out the New York Times bit about Portland sent to us by a fan. We note the video in the link and it should give our readers a rough idea what Portland is all about. As one speaker noted: “Portland is real serious about being casual.” Check it out!

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Lufthansa Systems presents new Lido/eRouteManual product release – A mobile updater will allow wireless data updates to mobile devices, enabling pilots to update their Lido/eRouteManual digital navigation charts anytime, anywhere. This feature is part of the new product release which Lufthansa Systems unveiled at the annual Lido/Navigation User Conference in Zurich. Various Lido navigation solutions are in service worldwide with approximately 100 airlines, around 50 of whom have sent one or more delegates to this year’s conference. The new mobile updater represents a further, significant simplification for using the digital chart solution on mobile devices.

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STG Aerospace has secured a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for its liTeMood Light-Emitting Diode (LED) cabin lighting system on the B737NG.

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If you are wondering how Airbus will assemble A320’s in Alabama, watch this movie.

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Worried about Internet security on the go? Check out Invisibox.  Stay secure online on the go. The device is a “sponsored Kickstarter campaign” and will be available starting Feb. 2016 for backers. It features masked Tor traffic, GeoIP, exploit vulnerabilities cancellation, unique device passwords, add blocking, and a free VPN. It also will charge your phone – get in line, it’s about the size of your phone.

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“The Martian’ is one of the year’s best movies. Told you so!

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A special IFExpress Adios to Ken Lew (UAL, SONY, Rockwell, Boeing, Thales) who retired recently and who will probably be on his way to a European vacation when you read this. Ken wanted to say goodbye to his friends in the IFEC business at APEX but will not return till after the event has finished. Or, wish him the best yourself via email – ken_lew@ieee.org, and you might like read this ‘Olympic Tale’ from his IFE history.