Every once in a while we all go to a meeting, see a presentation, or visit an industry show that is a significant event in our industry’s persona… this year it has to be Aircraft Interiors in Hamburg, Germany. Obviously a lot of our readers could not attend and we are aware of that fact. We planned to talk to as many folks as we could to provide some of the experience but the job is becoming so bigger than the IFExpress team… much bigger. From a numbers perspective, there were over 135 vendors (out of 500+) who featured inflight entertainment and/or connectivity. With the cabin interiors market growing at almost 9% per year, it’s no wonder that the IFEC portion of the show saw some 13% increase in space. We fully expect the final total number of show visitors to reach 10,000+ this year as a new best.
One of the first things that struck us was the preponderance of iPads. They were in the products, they were in the hands of the product demonstrators, and they were in the hands of visitors. They were everywhere. Yes, there were tablets too, and phones… but the world of mobile connectivity is here, but of course, you knew that. But it was obvious this year that the vendors and the airlines now know it as well. About the only thing we did not see with an iPad was a mechanical drop down frame for an iPad retractable IFE system. Wait till next year!
And speaking of trends, wireless connectivity is what the inside of the cabin is all about. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, data communication and cell frequencies will flood the cabin with information in forthcoming cabin solutions. This means that there is a huge amount of data about you and your preferences flying in every direction in the plane. We are quite interested in who owns that data, and believe us, everyone has a different answer about who does. We asked there and we will keep this question alive in future issues.
The first day of AIX (before the booth opening on day 2) holds a very interesting Passenger Experience Mini Conference. This meeting consists of a morning general session and splits into 4 afternoon plenary sessions.
Of particular interest in the morning session was Teague’s (Devin Liddell) presentation on “Co-Making”…the process of a brand (an airline in our case) collaborating with a like-minded brand in a different industry. What makes this interesting is the fact that they are not about traditional co-branding and more about breakthrough innovations. Here are some quotes that we found interesting:
- “Partnerships are our most powerful currency.”
- “The capacity to partner has a big impact on influencing the passenger.”
- “We need to go beyond – we must make things together.”
- “The old philosophy was co-branding = co-marketing. The new philosophy is co-branding = co-making. The concept is more about innovation together.”
- “An example of a co-making scenario that exists today is JW Marriott and TSA.”
Editor’s Note: The above example places TSA approved and checked luggage in a secure storage at Marriott, thus providing more for Marriott customers.
If you made it to the Break Out Sessions the first day of PAXEX, you got a valuable inside to the connected passenger and the coming PED environment as well. In fact there is good and bad in the approach! First the good: The four Breakout Sessions were one of the best things at AIX and were titled: 1. Inflight Entertainment and Connectivity: A Voyage of Discovery and Opportunity, 2. Hospitality and Service – Making the Onboard Experience Memorable, 3. The Cabin: Getting Smarter about Space and Comfort, 4. Protecting the Brand: Cabin Maintenance. Which one would you go to? And that’s the Bad… one can’t go to them all, but there is an answer. The presentations are available here (they will cost you 50 Euros) and you can find them here: http://www.pexconference.com/Presentations/
And yes, we do have one story about the sessions. In Breakout Session 1, Angela Vargo of Southwest Airlines spoke about their use and focus on the value of gate-to-gate connectivity. After her presentation IFExpress asked if Southwest realized that with satellite connectivity, there was no antenna “shading” by buildings that ground-based connectivity towers face, a fact that was not mentioned in the presentation. “Boy do we,” she said emphatically! We guessed that was a marketing yes!
Next week we will start the booth coverage in detail and by then we hope to have Flicker images online (Just click on the Flicker image at the top right of IFExpress)… that is, if our bag arrives!
- The Crystal Cabin Award 2014 goes to DIEHL Aerospace, B/E Aerospace, Schott, ZIM Flugsitz, Lufthansa Technik, Paperclip Design and Delft Tech. University
Aircraft Interiors, Hamburg | April 8, 2014– This year’s winners of the world’s most famous and highly regarded prize for aircraft interiors have been decided. DIEHL Aerospace, B/E Aerospace, Schott, ZIM Flugsitz, Lufthansa Technik, Paperclip Design and Delft Technical University were amongst the seven winners to raise the glowing white trophies in the Ball Room of the Hotel Atlantic Kempinski on the banks Hamburg’s Outer Alster lake this evening. Just yesterday, each of the 21 finalists appeared in person before the 24 international experts of the Judging Panel for final questions. Initially, 54 submissions from 12 nations made it onto the shortlist. The Crystal Cabin Award, an initiative of Hamburg Aviation, was presented in 2014 for the eighth time during the “Aircraft Interiors Expo” cabin trade fair.
Prof. Dr Peter Vink of the Delft University of Technology, Chairman of the Judging Panel, was clearly taken with the innovation bandwidth of the winners’ concepts, commenting, “This year’s Crystal Cabin Awards winners are international role models for the industry. They have more than earned their trophies. They are impressive proof that, year after year, we keep seeing innovations in the aircraft interiors market.” The crowning of the winners in Hamburg took place in the presence of 180 selected international guests at a gala dinner.
The first Crystal Cabin Award of the evening, in the “Greener Cabin, Health, Safety & Environment” category, was presented by Judging Panel member and founder of Bishop GmbH Aeronautical Engineers, Peter Bishop, to DIEHL Aerospace. The German cabin fitting specialist has developed DACAPO, a power-saving, self-sufficient cabin system using rechargeable and replaceable battery trolleys. The trolleys can simply be swapped and the battery systems recharged during aircraft ground time.
The trophy for “Industrial Design & Visionary Concepts” was presented by Judging Panel member Michael Kaye of Germanwings. Celebrations were in order for US-based cooperative partners B/E Aerospace and Teague. Their Advanced Lavatory in a particularly slimline toilet module which allows for six additional seats to be integrated into an aircraft without sacrificing space or comfort within the toilet cabin and without restricting the space for passengers in other seating rows.
Dr Bernd Egert, Secretay of State in the Department of Economic Affairs, Transport and Innovation, crowned the victor in the “Material & Components” category, won by German glass manufacturer Schott with an innovative lightweight glass structure for cabin windows, made out of glass composites with a foil coating. The new structure is not only more robust and easier to clean than conventional window plastic; it also allows for significantly larger cabin window panes. Another major advantage is the significant reduction in both fuel consumption and emissions thanks to the enormous 40 percent weight saving.
The trophy for the “Passenger Comfort Hardware” category was presented by Ingo Wuggetzer, Vice President Cabin Innovation & Design at Airbus and member of the Judging Panel. The prize here went to ZIM Flugsitz for the short-haul and medium-haul EC-00 seat, with a new, patented backrest concept. It includes, for example, a new folding table structure, a new backrest itself, and an innovative connection between the backrest surface and the upholstery to make cleaning easier.
Katie Murphy from Reed Exhibitions, organiser of the Aircraft Interiors Expo, presented the Crystal Cabin Award for the “Passenger Comfort Systems” category to Lufthansa Technik. The Hamburg company’s acWAP is a high-speed WLAN router that even supports such data-intensive applications as video streaming and online games throughout the cabin. The new system will already enter into operation this summer on board 20 Lufthansa Airbus A321 aircraft.
Ian Barbizon from the British trade magazine Aircraft Cabin Management announced the winner in the “Premium Class & VIP” category. The Crystal Cabin Award for this exclusive category was won by Paperclip Design from Hong Kong. The company’s victorious Convertible Long Haul Seat Concept is an innovative solution, a seating area that can be converted from Premium Economy to a Full-Flat Business Option in next to no time. This allows airlines to adapt the allocation of Business and Economy seats on a long-haul flight based on load factors.
The seventh and final award of the evening was present by the Chairman of the Judging Panel, Prof. Dr Peter Vink, for the “University” category. His was the honour as he presented the trophy to his very own TU Delft. Three students who convinced the twenty-four members of the Judging Panel with “Sense the Transitions”, an innovative in-flight entertainment concept where videos are projected onto the backrest of the seat in front, showing information about the culture, history and natural environment of the land area currently below the aircraft. Informative, interactive pop-up menus and audiovisual info graphics on a flexible OLED touchscreen display can also be integrated to add to the depth of the experience.
It’s no secret that AIX is the worlds biggest Aircraft Interiors show (perhaps up to 10,000 visitors this year) and we wanted to give you a quick look at a few show-goers who have contacted us with booth and product information. Of course IFExpress will be there searching for new products and product improvements, new services, and interviews with the folks who bring you IFExpress. You can reach us via email: plwiseman@gmail.com, Mobile/Text: +1 206 229 7899, and we will have the Fire Chat app turned on (TerryW).
Aircraft Cabin Systems:
Booth #: 6C37
ACS will feature IFE Displays (10.4”-65” and 9.7”) as well as their recently patented 12” Retractable monitor at AIX this April. Additionally, ACS is collaborating with TEAC during AIX. TEAC is introducing their new video player at the Expo.
Contact: Charles Reerink
Mobile: + 33 608 907 746
Contact: Rick Routly
Email: rroutly@aircraftcabinsystems.com
Contact:Yukio Sugimoto
Email: sugimotoy@aircraftcabinsystems.com
Contact: Richie Sugimoto
Email: rich@aircraftcabinssytems.com
Armstrong Aerospace
The Armstrong Aerospace PowerBox™ and PowerBar™ are revolutionary off-seat power solutions that are available today. PowerBox™ and PowerBar™ attach to the floor seat tracks and do not touch the seats they are installed to support. This greatly eases the installation and risk for upgrading your cabin, and it ensures no new seat TSO activities or seat recertification efforts are required. PowerBox™ and PowerBar™ are capable of being used with any outlets and electrical distribution on the market today, making them the most flexible for installation. The simplicity of this design ensures they can be installed rapidly, typically in less than one day for a narrow body, and two days for a wide body.
The Armstrong Aerospace BirdStriker™ is the bird deflector device that is available TODAY to meet your bird strike certification needs.
BirdStriker™ ensures operators can benefit by:
• Finding Compliance with 14 CFR 25.571e1
• Improving aerodynamic efficiency of existing radomes by up to 30%
• Maintaining RF integrity of existing radomes
• Avoiding expensive and heavy installations due to the BirdStriker™ lightweight, composite material design
• Installations can be performed in less than 10 hours
Furthermore, Armstrong Aerospace was actively involved in the recent ARC recommendations to the FAA. (Note: Armstrong Aerospace will be walking the 2014 AIX floor.)
Contact: Kevin Weppner
Email: kevin.weppner@armstrongaerospace.com
Mobile: +1.630.280.9295
Astronics Corporation
Booth #: 6B30
Astronics Corporation (NASDAQ: ATRO) is a leader in advanced high-performance lighting, electrical power, specialized avionics products and automated test systems for the global aerospace and defense industries. Astronics Corporation, and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, AeroSat*, Astronics Advanced Electronics Systems Corp.*, Ballard Technology, Inc., DME Corporation*, Luminescent Systems Inc.*, Max-Viz, Inc., PECO*, and PGA Electronic*, have a reputation for high-quality designs, exceptional responsiveness, strong brand recognition and best-in-class manufacturing practices. For company news and other important information, visit the website at www.astronics.com. (* – Exhibiting at AIX)
Contact: Dennis Markert
Email: dennis.markert@astronics.com
Mobile: +1.425.442.8195
digEcor
Booth #: 6B11
digEcor provides a low-cost, end-to-end cabin technology and inflight entertainment solution by specializing in personal media and AVOD platforms, mobile cabin crew applications, and being a global content service provider. We’ll be showcasing the GLIDE IFE embedded system, the next generation of digEplayer, Engage mobile cabin crew and passenger experience solution, as well as in seat power and the latest content services. Our focus is on increasing traveler satisfaction while creating easily executed customized solutions and generating ancillary revenue for clients. We are enabling airlines to create extraordinary travel experiences.
Contact: Ben Fuller
Email: Ben.Fuller@digecor.com
Phone: +1-801-691-7225
IFPL
Booth #: 6C10
IFPL will be showcasing their latest designs at AIX 2014 and will be demonstrating how you can BREAK FREE, CHARGE, PAY UP and GO!
IFPL is an established design and manufacturing company well known for its industry standard IFEC products. Their success is built on meeting passenger needs for multi-media connectivity and reliable access to the in-flight entertainment.
BREAK FREE! IFPL’s Breakaway Jack solves the problem of broken headphone plugs. Leading on from the Single Pin Jack, the Breakaway Triple Jack (1272) is an exciting new concept for use with powered noise cancelling headsets. The use of the 1272 Triple Jack requires no physical modification to the seatback.
CHARGE! IFPL have listened to their customers and are pleased to present a Stand-Alone USB outlet that will provide 2A output.
PAY-UP! IFPL’s Contactless Retail System uses NFC technology to allow passengers to pay using their contactless card. This payment system has shown an increase of up to 15% of sales in the vending market.
GO! IFPL’s Self-Testing jack enables quick and easy visual system audio check, verified with just a glance.
Contact: Neil Thomas | Business Development Manager
Email: neil.thomas@ifpl.com
Mobile: +44 (0) 778 698 7454
Contact: Mark Reed | Business Development Engineer
Email: mark.reed@ifpl.com
Inmarsat
Booth #: 6E31
Inmarsat will talk about the developments in its global satellite services, in particular with GX Aviation developments.
Contact: Paula Ferrai
Email: Paula.Ferrai@inmarsat.com
Mobile: +41 79 874 06 08
KID-Systeme
Booth #: B6C40
KID-Systeme will be exhibiting at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, from 8-10 April 2014, to demonstrate its two ground-breaking cabin systems: SKYpower, the internationally trusted seatpower system, and SKYfi, a revolutionary modular onboard connectivity platform. With a new design and an innovative product development, KID is looking forward to welcoming their customers on their booth in hall B6.
Contanct: Maren Müente
Email: maren.muente@kid-systeme.de
Mobile: +49 171 5660630
Lufthansa Systems
Booth #: Hall B6 6B47
Lufthansa Systems will be showcasing additional new products for its award-winning infotainment platform BoardConnect, presenting the solution as a fully-featured integration platform for the first time. Visitors to the company’s booth will be able to experience the user-friendly, versatile and innovative IFE solution using their own tablets, smartphones and laptops – as they would do on board. The appropriate apps for Android, iOS and Windows 8 are available for downloading from the app stores.
New features like chat, an online shop and a moving map with points of interest (POI) on different topics will add even more variety to the passenger’s in-flight experience. Passengers can find out about events taking place at their destination, obtain a restaurant recommendation, and even make a reservation online (via satellite, for instance). The BoardConnect platform’s content caching service maintains popular sites on the server, which not only speeds up access to these pages but also saves the airline expensive satellite bandwidth.
The new, easy-to-use, fast and automated Cabin Data Loader takes care of monthly content updates to the on-board servers and the latest LTE technology ensures speedy daily updates of dynamic content such as news and newspapers at speeds of up to 100 Mbps.
Other new hardware components to be shown by Lufthansa Systems will include the on-board Wireless Access Point developed by Lufthansa Technik, which supports 802.11 ac (the fastest current Wi-Fi standard) as well as delivering high-definition video throughout the cabin.
Contact: Sandra Hammer
Email: publicrelations@lhsystems.com
Lumexis
Booth #: 6E40
LUMEXIS FTTS IFE Systems – Best By Every Measure – Lightest Weight | Greatest Capacity | Highest Reliability. We invite you to visit Stand 6E40 during the 2014 AIX and allow us to demonstrate why FTTS has become the benchmark for the entire IFE industry. Please do not hesitate to contact me to make an appointment or to request further information. Looking forward to seeing you in Hamburg.
Contact: Jon Norris (VP Sales)
Email: jnorris@lumexis.com
Mobile: +1 949 436 1434
OnAir
Booth #:6D38
OnAir will be discussing its latest deals with airlines, as well as looking to the future of inflight connectivity, as it begins to include cabin crew, cockpit and airline operational applications.
Contact: Aurélie Branchereau-Giles
Email: aurelie.branchereau@onair.aero
Mobile: +44 78 676 15 46
Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Booth #: 6C36
At Aircraft Interiors in Hamburg, Panasonic will be showcasing the breadth of its IFE offering on its stand, demonstrating embedded and wireless IFE systems, and its award-winning Global Communications Services inflight connectivity offering.
Panasonic will be making a number of announcements at Aircraft Interiors, with several relating to the breadth and depth of its uniquely global satellite network.
Contact: Brian Bardwell
Email: Brian.Bardwell@panasonic.aero
Mobile: +1 949 573 6833
Stellar Group
Hall B6.1
With 40 years of experience as a Content Service Provider (CSP) Stellar’s focus is to work with Airilnes to understand the myriad of options in IFE, especially in regards to Tablets, streaming and connectivity. Afterall, Stellar Group was the first CSP to secure content onto iPads, as well as, the first CSP to secure content via wireless streaming.
Contact: Joel Joslin
Email: joel.joslin@stellargroup.com
Mobile: +61 414 944 302
Telefonix, Inc.
Booth #: 6C43
During AIX 2014 Telefonix will showcase products in 3 primary categories: 1)Passenger experience products, such as Passenger Control Units, Entertainment and Connectivity Hardware, which includes media loading devices, aircraft servers, etc. 2) Their CWAP design 3) And finally, in conjunction with their partner company Product Development Technologies (PDT), custom product design services.
Contact: Allison Burke
Email: aburke@telefonixinc.com
VT Miltope
Booth #: 6.1B17
Miltope’s family of network products offer the required functionality necessary to create custom airborne networks similar to how office networks are created. Our products optimize the combination of interfaces and computing resources to meet operational, spatial, and functional requirements of simple to complex airborne systems at minimum cost. Products include servers, Ethernet switches, wireless access points, TWLU aircraft to ground wireless link, control panels, and data storage devices. This year we will be featuring our latest wireless products, nMAP2 (wireless access point) and cTWLU (cellular ground link).
Contact: Markus Gilges | Director, Business Development
Email: mgilges@miltope.com
Mobile: +44 7793 758 755
Zodiac Inflight Innovations
Booth #: 6B20
Zodiac Inflight Innovations (formerly The IMS Company and TriaGnoSys) has been providing innovative solutions for the aviation industry for decades. Our business strategy can best be described as RAVE (Reliable, Affordable, and Very Easy). Already famous for our reliable passenger-centric embedded AVOD system (RAVE), we have recently expanded our product line to include connectivity features. Zii offers RAVE Wireless, a streaming IFE solution that lets passengers enjoy entertainment streamed directly to their personal devices. RAVE Cellular allows passengers to use voice, SMS and data services on their phones, which are billed directly to the passenger’s own mobile carrier. With RAVE Broadband, passengers can stay connected in the sky with unprecedented Ka-Band connection speeds. With this full line of IFEC product offerings, Zii uses a modular concept allowing customers to pick and choose which of these features are most important to them and their passengers. RAVE has had much success in the retrofit market and is currently making great progress toward line fit offerability at both Airbus and Boeing.
Contact: Harry Gray
Email: hgray@imsco-us.com
Mobile: +1 714 854 8633
- The Crystal Cabin Award is the world’s first port of call when it comes to innovations in aircraft cabins. The 21 finalists for 2014 are now in place
Hamburg, Germany | March 5, 2014– From such futuristic concepts as an aircraft seat with a touchscreen in the backrest all the way to pragmatic products like a laptop charging point at each seat, the finalists for this year’s Crystal Cabin Awards are providing a good overview of what passengers can expect to see on board very soon. Again and again it comes down to the burning question: how can an increase in passenger comfort be combined with an increase in efficiency for flight operations. This was also a significant criterium for the 24-person international Judging Panel, including amongst its members numerous representatives of airlines and all the major aircraft manufacturers, as they examined every one of the 55 shortlisted entries from 12 countries with a fine-toothed comb. For the eight time, the finalists and winners in the seven award categories are being presented at the “Aircraft Interiors Expo”, a trade fair for aircraft cabins, being held in Hamburg from 8 to 10 April this year.
Innovations, that passengers can expect to encounter in the near future, are particularly well represented amongst the three finalists in the category “Passenger Comfort Systems”. The acWAP from Lufthansa Technik is a high-speed router which makes even data-intensive applications such as video streaming or online games possible throughout the cabin. It is due to be installed in 20 Lufthansa Airbus aircraft this summer. On-board surfing, however, does drain the battery at an alarming rate – a problem that Armstrong Aerospace, a finalist from the USA, has addressed. The company has submitted PowerBox, a mobile power point module, which saves space and can be installed under the seat in front with a minimum of effort. The product has already been certified by the American Federal Aviation Administration. Meanwhile, France’s Zodiac Aerospace has made it to the final without electronics, submitting the ISIS Aft Complex. This concept sees the toilet and galley modules, which to date have been separate units, put side by side on the rear cabin wall. The result: the available length of the cabin grows by three feet.
US finalist B/E Aerospace took a similar approach to win a place in the last three in the “Industrial Design & Visionary Concepts” category. Their design for an Advanced Laboratory is a particularly slimline toilet module which makes it possible to integrate up to six additional seats in an aircraft. They are pitted against Zodiac’s final entry, the Halo First Class design study, offering passengers a lounge-like suite with expansive privacy. The French finalist Expliseat, meanwhile, focussed on Economy with a titanium seat. Not only does this particularly lightweight material offer 125 times (!) the life expectancy of conventional aluminium seat frames; it also results in a fuel saving of almost 300,000 euros and a CO2 reduction of 800 tonnes per aircraft per year.
Efficiency is also a key consideration in the “Greener Cabin, Health, Safety & Environment” category. German finalist DIEHL Aerospace has developed DACAPO, a power-saving, self- sufficient cabin system using rechargeable and replaceable battery trolleys. Vision Systems from France has reached the final round with the “Energia” aircraft window in which a transparent photovoltaic film inserted into the pane simultaneously “harvests” solar energy and makes it possible to dim the window at the press of a button. Zodiac is a finalist in this category, too, with another product in the ISIS range: the Modular Lavatory, facilitating resource-friendly customisation and substitution of individual bathroom and lavatory modules where, conventionally, only standardised complete systems could be installed and removed.
The “Passenger Comfort Hardware” category also features a lavatory project amongst the finalists: The aircraft toilet developed by Diehl Comfort System is operated with movement sensors, requiring no contact, making it especially hygienic. This could be a persuasive selling point for passengers from the Far East. The other finalists in the category are two economy class aircraft seats from German manufacturers: Recaro submitted the ergonomic, lightweight CL3710 seat with extra knee room, and ZIM Flugsitz responded with the EC-00 seat for short and medium-haul flights, including a new, patented table and backrest concept.
The “Premium Class & VIP” category features seats from the more expensive classes. Finalist Thales Avionics has submitted a genuinely futuristic product, Immersive Business Class Seat, with a screen and surround sound system covering nearly 360° that makes passengers almost forget that they are in a plane. The concepts from the two other competitors, meanwhile, concentrate on the connection between personal space and the cabin. Paperclip Design from Hong Kong presents an innovative solution, the Convertible Long Haul Seat Concept, a seating area that can be converted from Premium Economy to a Full-Flat Business Option in next to no time. Zodiac Aerospace has developed the Premium Cabin, which avoids space-hungry gaps and partition walls and not only creates more space for every single passenger but even allows room for an on-board bar.
The US subsidiary, Zodiac Galleys, impressed the Judging Panel in the “Material & Components” category with an airbag system for the cabin wall, rushing out to protect passengers in an emergency. The space-saving innovation avoids the need for the complex and uncomfortable installation of airbags in the seatbelt. British company Specialist Aviation reached the final round with a solution for minor material damage. The SATTO plastic glue allows minor repairs to cabin components to be carried out in 30 minutes without applying any heat. The third player in the ring is German glass-maker Schott with an innovative lightweight glass structure for cabin windows, not only more resistant than conventional window plastic but also making significantly larger panes possible.
The “University” category has progressed in leaps and bounds, with submissions from five different countries this year. And two entrants from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands have reached the final. With “Sense the Transitions”, a team of female students presents an innovative in-flight entertainment concept where infographics and videos about the culture, history, and nature of the areas of the earth the aircraft is flying over are projected onto the backrest of the seat in front. And a fellow student is presenting the ARC Seat Concept, an innovative aircraft seat that can withstand stresses up to 16G. The longest journey of any of the
finalists comes from Monash University in Australia, with a concept for wheelchair boarding. A perfectly fitting seat module is pushed through the cabin to the relevant row and anchored there without the passenger having to stand or leave the seat.
All of the finalists’ products and concepts will be presented in the Crystal Cabin Award Gallery (Hall B1, Booth A41) at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg (8 – 10 April, 2014) And on the second day of the trade fair (9 April, 11 a.m.), the winners will personally present their concepts to the public.
The official crowning of winners and presentation of trophies will take place the evening before at a formal dinner.
The Crystal Cabin Award 2014 is supported by the following sponsors:
Airbus, Aircraft Cabin Management, the Aircraft Interiors Expo trade fair (Reed Exhibitions), Aircraft Interiors International Magazine, the Aircraft Interiors Middle East trade fair (AIME), APEX, Bishop, DIEHL Aerosystems Holding, Embraer, FERCHAU AVIATION Division, Jetliner Cabins, KYDEX LLC and Zodiac Aerospace.
December 10, 2013–The organisers of Aircraft Interiors Expo – Reed Exhibitions – has confirmed that the 2014 Passenger Experience Conference will include for the first time a stream dedicated to aircraft interiors Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO). Taking place on Monday 7 April at the CCH – Congress Center Hamburg – this addition clearly cements Reed Exhibition’s intention to support the professional growth and development of individuals within the aircraft interiors and passenger experience industry.
The stream, entitled ‘Protecting the Brand: cabin maintenance’, will be chaired by Mike Kotas, Director of Cabin Maintenance at Delta Air Lines and will focus on how airlines can avoid the pitfalls of spending too much money fixing poorly designed elements of its cabin and will consider strategies for ensuring that the cabin product is robust and sustainable throughout its lifecycle.
Vern Alg, Consultant for Aircraft Interiors Expo, said, “According to a recent forecast by Visiongain, the world commercial aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul market reached $48.8 billion in 2012. MRO is vital in not only ensuring the desired life expectancy of an aircraft, but it also has a direct correlation with passenger satisfaction”. Vern went on to say, “The traditional role of the MRO providers has also changed over the last few years as airlines opt for a total support function rather than a one-off approach. A vital component of this is ensuring engineers are included in the design stages to warrant a more straight-forward maintenance process throughout an aircraft’s operating shelf-life; historically this has not been the case. I’m really excited about this addition to the Passenger Experience Conference.”
Following the opening remarks the agenda will drill down and address ‘Designing for ease of future maintenance’. All too often the design of the cabin components are already procured before the maintenance team is asked for its input, so this session will debate how to insert the topic of maintenance into the design process, promote and educate cross communication on specific needs, in order to achieve the panacea of design and development teams actively obtaining sign-off from maintenance teams.
The agenda will then focus on the relationship between the cabin and brand values of the airline. ‘Setting the standard – keeping the condition of the cabin up to spec’, will offer conference delegates the opportunity to listen in on industry experts imparting their knowledge on how to ensure a cabin’s interior is a fresh embodiment of brand values, and importantly how to sustain this on each journey, for every passenger, over a long period of time.
Materials and their reliability play a key role in MRO and the final session will look at ‘Improved products for wear resistance’.
The Passenger Experience Conference will open on Monday 7th April 2014 with two plenary sessions looking at both ‘The Future for Passenger Experience’ and ‘Challenging the status quo – new directions for the passenger experience’. The afternoon programme will then split into four breakout sessions: ‘Protecting the Brand: cabin maintenance’; ‘Inflight Entertainment and Connectivity: a voyage of discovery and opportunity’; ‘Hospitality & Service – making the onboard experience memorable’; and ‘The Cabin: getting smarter about space and comfort’.
For more information please visit www.aircraftinteriorsexpo.com
The headset is the most critical part of any IFE system. It defines the quality of audio delivery and its look and feel defines the quality of the Airline. The headset is probably responsible for more passenger complaints, and IFE reliability issues than any other IFE component - so why do most airlines leave its procurement to the catering department?”