Carlisle Interconnect Technologies:

AIX is a great place to check on the status of new product projects, many taking over a year to design, develop, and certify for flying. When we first discovered the satcom adapter plate and Radome from CarlisleiT/Saint Gobain a few months back we note: “CarliseIT, in partnership with Saint Gobain Performance Plastics, now offers multiple ARINC 791 solutions for Ka-band, Ku-band and Tri-band SATCOM installations. The complete package contains the CarlisleIT ARINC 791 compliant adapter plate, provisions for Outside Airframe Equipment (OAE), and intercostal kits required for both retrofit and line fit installations on transport jet aircraft. Installation fittings on the adapter plate are adjustable to cover the complete range of aircraft frame spacing, while providing discrete interface loads to the fuselage. The aerodynamic skirt follows the fuselage curvature without requiring a large installation doubler, sealants, or additional fasteners through the aircraft skin.” The key here is ARINC 791, as it: “ …fulfills the requirement for a standardized installation, easier maintenance inspections, and overall lower cost of ownership. Conformance to the ARINC 791 standard also helps future-proofs the SATCOM installation, and makes upgrades to next generation antennas and SATCOM system equipment easier and faster with commonality across entire fleets.” At AIX 2016, we talked with Kris Samuelson, Director Sales IFE & SatCom and he told IFExpress: “Since APEX in Portland, we have been finalizing developments for line-fit products like the FlightGear, ARINC 791 Ka/Ku Universal Installation and we are looking at some 300 product sales and future installations. Further, the adapter plate and radome you saw at APEX have passed birdstrike and lightening certification tests. We plan to oversee installation mid-April and witness flight test in July. Their A320 STC will follow in August of this year. This product offers lower cost of ownership, 40% – 50% longer flight time between inspections and it is a simplified upgrade, it saves time and money. We expect the Ku installations in September of this year.” Additionally, Kris also mentioned: “The total system weight (antenna/radome) is 271 pounds,” he said, “and you will hear a lot more about this product as we will be producing an A791 adapter plate for Ku band low format antenna. The essential shape will remain similar however, we have to adjust some dimensions to accommodate that design. All in all,” he said, “There is a lot more than meets the eye with this product and we have our electrical and mechanical designers to thank for it’s flexible adaptability.”

STG Aerospace:

One of the more interesting meetings at an IFE show is always one with the folks at STG Aerospace and especially with Nigel Duncan CEO. Why, you ask? Because Nigel is probably the best salesperson we have ever seen… at the least, he knows his products as well as anyone in his company. But more importantly, he as excited about them and when we visited, we heard and discussed their new passenger oriented liteMoodLED Cabin Lighting product, the latest in photoluminescent floor path marking saf-Tglo blu, and STG liteMood, their new LED strip lighting that replaces fluorescents in planes.

Lets start off with one of the most amazing passenger lights we have ever seen – STG liteMood passenger cabin reading light. As we all know, the light over a passenger seat that can be turned off and on by passengers normally describes conical light beam that illuminates a seat and can be adjusted to adjust the light on your tray table or the book you are reading. The problem is one of filament illumination. First the shape (bulb) is circular and diffuse light travels beyond your use and usually illuminates more than the table. Further, it does that because to get enough light for your use, the conical beam is bigger than needed. This means that your light, and all the others, use more power and illuminate more than one passenger, just to solve the illumination problem. Nigel’s team decided that they could do a better job and did just that – STG made an LED light that delivers a rectangular light beam illuminating only one table top. More importantly, they are using LEDs, which can get near to the color of solar light – better on the eyes and limit brightness. The light itself fits in existing fixtures, uses one LED in a special lamp-sized replacement and works like any other bulb but does a better job, at less power. Don’t believe us, check out the demo box picture (the light itself just replaces ones in the plane) and see for yourself: STG Aerospace gives passengers a defined private space with its new passenger centric LED reading light. Designed initially for the B737NG, we expect to see a lot more planes with this product.

Next, we saw the saf-Tglo product, a blue photoluminescent floor path living strip that delivers a blue shift, different from green strips that abound today. While aesthetic are on value in this product, their brochure notes that, “In addition to optimizing the glow colour, saf-Tglo blu provides a wider, brighter colour palette in ambient due to it’s whiter base colour.” Be sure to see it for yourself!

Finally, Neil Thomas told IFExpress: “Quite frankly, any light in the cabin is one we are looking to improve,”  and thus he gave a perfect introduction to the last new product we saw, the new LED mood lighting system using LED strip lights that replace fluorescent lights and deliver an improved onboard experience. Said Nigel; “STG is trying to do things with lighting that collectively make a big difference.” Importantly, the lighting on an aircraft can affect the mood of passengers and STG realized the need for a ‘more aesthetically pleasing’ light solution and eliminate the sub-visual flickering that fluorescent lights give off. Mr. Duncan noted a Manchester University study that shows it is not the variety of colors that impacts passengers, it is the depth of color and saturation levels – features designed into their lighting solution. The liteMood LED cabin lights are presently installed on B757 and B737NG aircraft and have been flying for 16 months now. Since some 96 percent of flying aircraft today utilize fluorescent lighting the market looks quite healthy but because the STG provides a strip kit, the airlines can do the modification themselves.

Inmarsat:

The company has outlined its long-term aviation broadband roadmap to ensure that rising demand for fast, reliable and global passenger in-flight connectivity is met for the next five years and beyond. The launch of Inmarsat’s Global Xpress (GX) Aviation solution this year (Dec. 2016) creates the world’s first high-speed passenger in-flight connectivity solution with seamless, end-to-end global coverage, delivered through a single operator. Initial airline customers include Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines and Jazeera Airways. In all, they are running some 26 STC programs in parallel!

Inmarsat noted: “The GX network, which entered commercial service in December 2015 and currently includes three powerful Ka-band satellites, will provide the international bandwidth capacity needed to meet existing and near-term demand from airlines. As part of the aviation broadband roadmap, it also provides a global coverage underlay that will be built upon to meet future demand.” We note that GX is Ka Band and it employs spot beams. From their Newsroom: “The companies will manufacture 0.6 to 2.4 metre aperture terminals to deliver up to 50Mbps downlink speeds.” We also note that this should replicate data rates like ground based mobile applications. Also, keep your eye on future GX applications that support the new, flat Kymeta antenna!

Inmarsat has already committed to a fourth GX satellite, which is completing construction and testing by Boeing and will provide additional network capacity. It has also awarded Airbus Defence and Space a contract to build the first two satellites for its sixth-generation fleet, the first of which is scheduled for delivery by 2020. Uniquely for Inmarsat, the new fleet will feature a dual-payload, with each satellite supporting both Ka-band and L-band services. Based on current services and demand, the Ka-band co-payload will augment the capacity of the GX network over busy air routes and regions, while the L-band capacity supports a new generation of aviation safety services. Launch customer, Lufthansa, will install and go into service 3Q 2016 on an A320.

Another vital component in the roadmap is Inmarsat’s European Aviation Network (EAN), which will be the first aviation passenger connectivity solution across European airspace to integrate an advanced satellite network and LTE-based ground network; the latter will be operated by Deutsche Telekom. Aircraft will switch automatically between satellite and terrestrial connectivity using an onboard network communicator for optimal service delivery.

Also, Inmarsat, has signed a Heads of Terms (HoT) agreement with Beijing Marine Communication & Navigation Company Ltd. (MCN), which will lead to the creation of a joint venture (JV) to provide aircraft cabin and cockpit connectivity solutions in China’s fast-growing commercial aviation market. The Inmarsat services that would be provided through the JV include Global Xpress (GX) Aviation and SwiftBroadband-Safety (SB-S).  The final agreement is expected to be signed later this year.

Inmarsat noted also: “GX Aviation will launch this year as the world’s first broadband in-flight connectivity solution with seamless, end-to-end global coverage. Passengers will be able to browse the internet, use social media, stream online videos, download files and more using their smartphones, tablets and other Wi-Fi enabled devices, with a similar quality of service in the air as they would receive on the ground.”

Note: SB-S is a next generation cyber secure flight deck communication platform, enabling airlines to meet the ICAO mandate for sub-15 minute tracking of all aircraft, Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC)’s four-minute mandate, Automatic Dependent Surveillance and electronic flight bag updates. Combining L-band satellite connectivity with advanced avionics, it delivers speeds 10 times faster than existing Classic Aero services to provide airlines with cockpit communications for the digital age.

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OTHER NEWS

IFP/GEE:

Editor’s Note: There has been a lawsuit underway between content service provider, IFP (parent company Global Eagle) and Universal regarding licensing since 2013. The issue will go to damages trial on May 10, 2016. Below are a series of exerts from various publications that outline the history suit:

“The defendant in the lawsuit is IFP and parent company Global Eagle, a worldwide provider of in-flight entertainment from movies to songs. IFP scored a lucrative contract loading American Airlines (and later US Airways) with music playlists obtained via physical CDs and digital downloads, and in 2008 upon concern that it had licensing issues, approached the major labels for a deal.” Hollywood Reporter 4/22/16

“At issue is the discrepancy between what artists get paid for a ‘license’ of their song versus a ‘sale’ of their song. Under contracts that were written before iTunes and other song download services, artists were paid 15% per sale but 50% per license. However, many ‘legacy’ artists argued that digital downloads were licenses, not sales, and they should be paid the higher royalty rate.” Plagiarism Today March 20, 2015

“Inflight operates the entertainment consoles for various airlines, including American Airlines, which was added to the lawsuit previously. Universal alleges that Inflight did not have proper licenses to play Universal Music, especially on international flights where there may not be a single licensing body to authorize the use of music.
However, Inflight has responded saying that they had an agreement with Universal that began in 2009. Though the agreement was never finalized, Universal repeatedly assured Inflight that they were not infringing until, in 2013, Universal hit them with a surprise cease and desist letter.” Plagiarism Today March 20, 2015

“Then in November 2013 the label suddenly sent them a cease-and-desist letter, which they claim has interfered with their contractual relationships with airlines.
They speculate Universal changed its tune in response to changes in the music industry. They claim the label followed the example of Sony’s suit in 2013 against Inflight and United Airlines specifically over Irish licenses (the case eventually settled). Then they claim Universal wants money in settlements “in the wake of a substantial decline in the music business” and want to establish its own business to provide music to airlines.”Hollywood Reporter 3/19/15

“In a tentative summary judgment ruling that was adopted on Wednesday, however, U.S. District Judge George Wu writes, “At best, there is evidence that the parties discussed various terms, but never reached any final agreements,” and further, “There is ample evidence that IFP knew it had no licenses from Plaintiffs and that it could be sued for copyright infringement, and no evidence that Plaintiffs ever indicated to IFP that any such licenses were forthcoming or misrepresented any existing fact.” Hollywood Reporter 4/22/16

“Here’s the adopted tentative as well as the Wednesday ruling that also rejects a statute of limitations defense. The case is now set for a damages trial on May 10 with more than 4,500 copyrights involved. The plaintiffs are led by Jeffrey D. Goldman at Jeffer Mangels while the defendants are being handled by Marty Katz at Shappard Mullin.” Hollywood Reporter 4/22/16

“Universal Music and its co-plaintiffs are seeking maximum statutory damages of $150,000 for each work that Inflight infringed, or an award of profits and compensatory damages. They also seek restitution of Inflight’s profits, punitive and exemplary damages, and an injunction.” Courthouse News – 6/23/15

You do the math!

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EVEN MORE NEWS

• Last week’s BUZZ picture was incorrect… please note we pictured Ms. Agnieszka Jacquemot with Sara Pepic’s quote? Thank you, Alexander Preston, as you win the IFExpress prize – your name in print!
• Also, Web Barth can be reached as follows: webbarth@vts.global  – Sorry Web, didn’t know there was a ‘.global’ on the web.
• And lastly, On July 15, 2016, Boeing will celebrate its’ 100th birthday.