IFExpress: John, we assume you will be moving to the Chicago area… any expectations? Any trepidations?
J.W.: “Yes, I have relocated to the Chicago area and am thrilled to be joining my colleagues here to start launching the 2Ku era. As for trepidations, having spent the last eight winters in Colorado, I’m not quite sure what Chicago winters will bring, less skiing I’m sure.”

IFExpress: Regarding your new areas of responsibility (operations, quality control, commercial airline account management and commercial sales) which do you think will give you the most challenges and which the most enjoyment?
J.W.: “The role in itself will present many challenges as well as enjoyment across all departments as we begin the journey of rolling out 2Ku to our airline partners. Making sure that deployment goes as smoothly as possible is a large part of my new role as COO.

Over the years, I have discovered I have a natural love for optimizing operations within organizations and am really looking forward to leading those functions within Gogo’s commercial aviation business.

For one of my challenges, I’d say learning to manage the folks in sales, as I used to be one myself.

Putting in place the foundation of 2Ku for our airline partners that have clearly recognized 2Ku’s operational excellence is certainly the most exciting challenge. More than 1,200 aircraft across 12 airlines have made commitments to this technology that will change the face of air travel on a global scale. To be leading that innovation is not only a huge milestone at Gogo, but in aviation as well.”

IFEXpress: From a bigger perspective, can you: A. give our readers the today view of Gogo, B. tomorrow’s view under your new leadership, and C. the product view of the next 5 years at Gogo.

J.W.: “Right now is really a very exciting time for Gogo. As the summer travel season comes to an end for the airlines, we are truly stepping into full 2Ku production mode. By the end of the year, we have committed to having 75+ 2Ku aircraft installed and into 2017 and 2018, we’ll be ramping up production quite a bit to get through our backlog of 1,200 aircraft. Given how quickly the airline industry has taken to 2Ku and recognized its technological advantages, I expect in the next five years that we will announce many global partnerships for 2Ku. Additionally, we will continue to expand our product offerings, focus on bringing the connected aircraft to life and develop our next generation regional ATG network that will be a big benefit to both CA (commercial aviation) and BA (business aviation).”

IFExpress: We understand that is some markets (biz jet?), Gogo offers a text/data service (low speed), why is that not offered for a low cost solution for the many users who want minimum service on a commercial service airplane?

J.W.: “We actually do have a messaging pass for commercial aviation (CA) passengers. For CA, this messaging application enables passengers to stay in touch with the ground with popular messaging applications including iMessage, WhatsApp, Viber, etc. If passengers are T-Mobile customers, they can also take advantage of free in-flight texting on all Gogo equipped flights.

For BA and CA both, the service actually works on high speed networks. In general, we think that low speed networks will become increasingly more focused on the cockpit v. passenger services.”

IFExpress: Can you tell our readers a little about how the business aviation market differs from the commercial airline market and do you envision entering other markets like military, etc.?

J. W.: “If there is one major differentiator between BA and CA it’s in the size of the fuselage hence the antenna technologies which are applicable. With Gogo’s range of products for both BA and CA, Gogo is extremely well positioned to service both markets.

In terms of BA vs CA, from an operations perspective, there are striking similarities with the big difference being access to aircraft. Commercial airlines are not keen on taking planes down to change technologies, which creates challenges when you are delivering new technologies. But there are definitely more similarities than differences.”

In closing, John told IFExpress; “While I’ve had a lot of fun over the last eight years managing the BA group, I’m realizing my real passion is in the big airplane world. It’s truly great to be back in the airline world once again and I’m looking forward to seeing all my old friends in Singapore.”

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digEcor:
With over 30 years in the aviation industry, Jorge Mompo has joined the digEcor team as the new Director North, Latin America and Caribbean Sales. Mompo will be based in the America’s office in Springville, Utah and will be handling all Sales and Marketing activities in the Americas’ region. Jorge began his aviation career in the areas of Business Aviation Technical and Support, subsequently moving into IFE where he held diverse Engineering and Sales & Marketing positions in companies including Sony Trans Com, Panasonic and Lumexis, serving mainly the Americas. Mompo commented, “There are numerous growth opportunities in the Region where digEcor’s comprehensive integrated flight experience suite of products for IFE and cabin will be a perfect fit for current and future needs. I’m looking forward to continuing my close working relationships with all the customers in the Americas Region encompassing Airlines, OEMs and MROs.” Jorge will be at Singapore at the digEcor booth and you can contact him here: +1 (305) 781-9798 Mobile – +1 (801) 691-7257 Office

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Thales/SES:
Thales, a global leader in space, avionics, and connected inflight entertainment, announces two milestone agreements with SES, the world’s leading satellite operator. With these agreements, Thales will offer airlines and their passengers FlytLIVE, the most efficient inflight connectivity experience over the Americas. FlytLIVE by Thales will start operating mid 2017 using in-orbit satellites. Thales signed an agreement with SES for tailor made connectivity services over the Americas optimized for commercial aviation.
With FlytLIVE, inflight connectivity solution, airlines will receive the best connection speeds for passengers and passenger entertainment using Ka-band HTS, they claim.
Two currently in-orbit satellites comprise the initial network for the Americas; a third satellite provided by Thales Alenia Space – will be launched in 2020 to meet anticipated market growth over the Americas.
(Editor’s Note: IFExpress will have more on this deal soon.)

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Other Aviation:

• ARINC, AEEC, Rockwell Collins are putting on their big show in Toulouse France this year (Oct. 13 – 14) and a couple meetings caught our eye – specifically 7E Next Generation Cabin Data Bus and New ARINC Global Aeronautical Distress Safety System. Here is more info – ARINC Industry Activities | AEEC | Upcoming Mid-Term | Meeting Material | Drafts for Adoption Consideration
• The FAA says don’t turn on or charge your Samsung’s new Note 7 on an airplane! FAA Warns Airline Passengers Not To Use Samsung Smartphone The Wireless Week reported: “There have been dozens of aircraft fires caused by lithium batteries, so many that the batteries are no longer welcome as cargo on passenger flights. In one of the most recent incidents, a Fiji Airways Boeing 737 was preparing for takeoff from Melbourne, Australia, when smoke was discovered coming from the cargo bay. The plane was evacuated and the cargo unloaded. The source of the fire turned out to be lithium-ion batteries in a passenger’s checked bags. Hoverboards and e-cigarettes are banned from flights for the same reason.” Here is another article on the subject.
  
• If you get a new iPhone (7) but you have earphones with a jack… no worries on board. Just get a Lightening Dock… or, here are four other solutions 5 Ways To Use Headphones With iPhone 7 And iPhone 7 Plus | Redmond Pie and use those jacked earphones!

 

It’s that time again when the the boss wants to know what show(s) you and your team need to attend in 2016, and it is a daunting job. I know, because when in the IFEC corporate world I had to do it. Usually, the boss wants to know, what show(s) to visit and why, what show(s) need to have a booth, who should go to which shows, and finally, a budget needs to be developed for doing the aforementioned. So, to help out the poor folks who have to sort it out here is a list of shows that might be worth your while and we call them IFEC SHOWS YOU SHOULD VISIT. We do so because we have visited most of them and found value, and we think you will as well. We have also listed IFEC SHOWS YOU MIGHT WANT TO VISIT because they look very interesting and educational but we have not visited all of them. And lastly, we list some ANCILLARY SHOWS that look valuable, but you have to be the judge.

YOU SHOULD VISIT THESE:

Aircraft Interiors EXPO, April 5 – 7, 2016, Hamburg Messe, Germany
This quote from their website says it all: “Take your business to new heights with the leading aircraft interiors event, with over 1,000 airline buyers, 530+ leading aircraft interiors suppliers, and 14,000 approx. attendees all in one place.” Which pretty much says it all. Easily the biggest IFEC since it began, and because it exists in Europe, they have a large, natural aviation audience and a lot of close national and international airlines. Although, it doesn’t hurt to have free walk-around admission to the exhibition. You can find out more here. We should note that the conference covers a lot of diverse cabin interior products there is a dedicated IFEC zone which usually is approximately half of the show and almost too much to cover from a reporter perspective. Here is what they say about the ZONE: “With IFEC at the forefront of the aviation commercial industry, the IFEC zone at Aircraft Interiors Expo has increased in size by 31%. Covering halls B2 to B4, the IFEC Zone is dedicated to Content Service providers, TV/ Short Subject Content Sellers, Games Suppliers, GUI Creators and App Developers, IFE Hardware, and Inflight Communications & Connectivity.” Believe us, all the IFEC folks will be there and companies like Panasonic, Thales, and many others will be there. We also note that on Monday, April 4 (one day before the AIX Exhibition), is the Passenger Experience. Here is their story: “Learn from industry visionaries, exchange knowledge and engage in lively debate exploring the future trends of the passenger experience industry. Featuring in-depth breakout sessions focusing on cabin interiors and passenger comfort; passenger entertainment and connectivity; hospitality, service and retail. Encompassing case studies, presentations, panel discussions, networking and more, to set the agenda for the passenger experience industry and drive your business forward. This one day conference and Industry Networking Party opens the Passenger Experience Week, ahead of Aircraft Interiors Expo and World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo.” Their website tells it al.

(Editor’s Note: If you check out this link for AIX you might note an interesting lead advertiser – you got it, “APEX”. No doubt, the world of IFEC Shows is seeing a lot of visitor duress because of the number of offerings. We think there is an effort afoot to consolidate and merge the Shows… and that just makes sense. We suspect Mr. Leader and others are at work on this but we have no data to prove it. If you have been confused as to “who is showing with whom” this year, don’t feel alone. This is a transition year and we expect a lot of changes in IFEC Shows in the coming years. Co-location of IFEC shows is a necessary ritual today and we all probably have many parties to thank for it… mostly because it makes financial sense. More surprises ahead, we reckon – Stay tuned!)

APEX EXPO 2016, October 24 – 27, Singapore; Aircraft Interiors EXPO ASIA, October 25 – 27; FTE ASIA EXPO, October 25 – 26, Singapore.

The trifecta event will take place in Singapore from 24 thru 27 October 2016 at the iconic Marina Bay Sands. The decision to co-locate the IFEC show triumvirate represents a closer collaboration to the benefit of the industry as a whole. The Reed Exhibitions folks go on to say: “Both APEX and Reed Exhibitions have a history of incredibly successful events, so this collaboration will be a win-win for our industry as a whole.” Further, Joe Leader, APEX CEO noted: “We are enthused that APEX will gain more members through our collaboration efforts to advance the passenger experience.” Also, at the co-located event, AIX Asia will feature the latest innovations in aircraft seating, cabin interior design, management systems, soft furnishings, leather, textiles, galley equipment, and lighting services. APEX EXPO will feature the world of airline passenger experience including its red-carpet exclusive World of Content, electronics, airline passenger content, passenger engagement technology, and cutting-edge IFE technology. 

(Stay Tuned for any event changes at the Singapore show since it now includes all three big IFEC show sponsors; and because they are looking after your money, be patient.)

YOU MIGHT WANT TO ALSO VISIT THESE:

AIME – Aircraft Interiors Middle East 2016, 3 – 4 Feb., Dubai World Trade Center, UAE
From their website: “AIME is a two-day exhibition and conference providing the ideal platform for interiors suppliers, providers and buyers to network and establish new relationships in the Middle East. Co-located with MRO Middle East, AIME is a must-attend event delivering the latest innovations in aircraft interiors. AIME 2016 is held at Dubai World Trade Centre on 03-04 February 2016. As the Middle East’s only aircraft interiors event, AIME 2016 will feature over 275 exhibitors, 4,500 attendees from over 100 countries, as well as more than 90 airlines represented from around the world.”

IPC APEX EXPO 2016 Conference & Exhibition, March 15 – 17, Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV, USA
From the website: “IPC APEX EXPO 2016 delivers a critical combination of progressive education and tomorrow’s technology. Join us and be part of the year’s best opportunity to learn and experience applied technology with real-world applications for tomorrow’s needs. This is Forward Thinking for Tomorrow’s Technology. and we offer the latest technical research, Industry best practices, access to the solutions and subject-matter experts you need to solve challenges in a fraction of the time it takes on the job the largest electronics industry collection of top suppliers, live demos, and extreme innovation, connections in educational sessions on the show floor and during networking events.“

FTE – Future Travel Experience Europe, April 25 – 26, Amsterdam, NL
FTE notes on their website: “The organizers say FTE Europe 2016 will deliver a memorable learning and networking experience to the expected 450+ senior travel sector executives from Europe and beyond, who will enjoy a unique event program consisting of influential keynote speakers, ‘On the Ground’ and ‘Up in the Air’ conference streams, an extensive exhibition, collaboration forums and unique social events. “The ‘Up in the Air’ conference stream was introduced at FTE Europe 2015 to great acclaim and completes our focus on the “end-to-end” travel experience. It is now firmly established as the industry’s leading conference where airlines, OEMs, cabin designers and suppliers share their latest onboard innovations and define which direction the in-flight passenger experience will take in the future.” Check out their website (the best).

Aircraft eEnablement Connectivity & IFE Conference 2016, April 27 – 28, London, England
Here is what the folks at Get Connected wrote about it: “Make a diary note for Wednesday 27th and Thursday 28th April 2016. That’s when the Aircraft eEnablement Connectivity & IFE Conference (AEEC 2016) is taking place at the Park Inn Hotel, London Heathrow, UK. Launched in 2013, this was the world’s first event of its kind to cover all aspects of aircraft connectivity and IFE (on the ground, in the cockpit and the passenger cabin). The aim of this conference is to help all airlines to better manage the operational benefits and revenue opportunities available with connected airplanes. In addition to flight deck and cabin IFE connectivity topics the are planning to include an airline eEnablement panel discussion for 2016, plus topics on big data, wearable tech and MRO connectivity applications.” You can download the brochure here.

GLOBAL CONNECTED AIRCRAFT 2016 Summit, June 6 – 8, Los Angeles, CA, USA
They say this about the show: “The Global Connected Aircraft Summit provides airlines, operators, integrators, and technology vendors complete connected solutions – from ground to air and from nose to tail. The second annual event connects business, technology, and industry perspectives and goes beyond just in-flight entertainment, to include operations, communications and technologies that impacts the aircraft. The annual Global Connected Aircraft Summit brings together an audience focused on the aircraft of the future across the satellite and aviation industries. This educational event starts where the others stop – delivering more than average solutions and providing real-world examples and results that will positively impact your bottom line. Discover how connectivity is expanding beyond providing passengers with state-of-the-art entertainment to increase efficiency and offer cutting edge services.This highly-anticipated event will take place at the Loews Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA June 6-8, 2016. This three-day educational summit will feature keynote speakers in both the satellite and aviation industries, multiple networking opportunities on and off site, and a chance to truly understand the concept of global connectivity beyond the passenger experience in order to increase efficiency and offer cutting edge services.”

NBAA’s – Business Aircraft Convention & Exhibition (NBAA – BACE), Nov. 1 – 3, 2016, Orlando Fla., USA
“Join 26,000 industry professionals for the most important three days of business aviation. Ranked as the sixth largest trade show in the United States, the Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) will be held Nov. 1–3, 2016, in Orlando, Florida, bringing together current and prospective aircraft owners, manufacturers and customers into one meeting place to get critical work accomplished.” Note: This show seems to have a limited IFEC display content but still companies like ASI, Panasonic, and Astronics were in attendance along with many connectivity folks like Gogo and and on.)

And lastly, we found some ADDITIONAL SHOWS that you might also want to attend:

1. SATELLITE 2016, March 7 – 10, 2016, Gaylord Convention Center, National Harbor, MD, USA
2. Airline & Aerospace MRO Operations IT Conference – Americas, March 8 – 9, Miami, Florida, USA
3. Women In Aviation, March 10 – 12, Nashville, TN, USA
4. Evolving Connectivity 2016, April 27, Birmingham, England
5. Aviation Electronics Europe, April 20, 21, Munich Germany
6. Airshow China 2016, Nov. 1 – 6, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China

NOTE: Attached is a link to many of the shows above and it was provided to us in a downloadable Excel spreadsheet. We know you need something to show your boss and we asked John Courtright (SIE) to provided his worksheet which he uses for industry event planning. You can start there and add your shows preferences. He told IFExpress: “SIE needs to have a strong presence at various Aerospace Industry events. So, in marketing our Major Mod, Engineering Design and STC services to Operators and OEMs worldwide we use this 2016 planning tool to ensure we are available, accessible, and responsive to our MRO and IFE & Connectivity customers at these important Industry events.” Thank You John & SIE!

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YOURSpace:  Last week we introduce YOURSpace with a discussion about Fiber Optic advancements from Lumexis. If you didn’t get an opportunity to read last week’s submission, check out the hyperlink under the ‘YOURSpace’ header at the bottom of IFExpress. Next week YOURSpace will feature digEcor.  Do you have a story to tell? That’s why we developed YOURSpace… contact Patricia Wiseman for more information.