New SITA kiosks to speed passenger processing at airports while boosting national security

Mexico | April 10, 2018– The Federal Government of Mexico is strengthening border control by automating the entry process with the introduction of SITA’s Automated Border Control kiosks. The new kiosks will use biometric technology to capture fingerprints to verify passengers’ identities and improve national security.

SITA has rolled out 100 kiosks across three major airports. These international airports, in Mexico City, Cancun and Los Cabos, are operated by three airport companies – Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México (AICM), Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste (ASUR) and Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP). SITA is the systems integrator across the project delivering to the needs of all the Mexican authorities and the private enterprises in the various locations.

Enrique De la Madrid, Secretary General, SECTUR, the Mexican Ministry of Tourism, said: “As visitor numbers at international airports grow, the need for migration agents grows as well, but we have the technology to help us overcoming that challenge. This automation will ensure security and facilitate the arrival of visitors to the country.”

Gerardo Ruiz Esparza, Secretary General, SCT, the Mexican Ministry of Communications and Transportation, said: “The installation of these kiosks represents another example of the implementation of state-of-the-art technology in Mexico, aimed at preserving the safety of people and their goods, as well as facilitating activities related to aviation. Automating the entry of domestic and foreign passengers who do not require a visa is achieved by capturing biometric data (fingerprints, photography and scanning of the passport), which quadruples the capacity of passenger attention for each migration agent.”

Elbson Quadros, SITA Vice President, Latin America, said: “This is an exciting development in Mexico. The country is well known for its tourism and our automated border control kiosks will improve the experience for passengers at these key airports. As with most border management operations, making this improvement involves many government agencies working together with various airport operators. SITA is the integrator working with all parties, drawing on our decades of border automation experience with more than 40 governments worldwide, to deliver a secure and seamless passenger journey in Mexico.”

Initially, the SITA automated border control kiosks will be used to securely identify passengers as they enter the country. In time, they will facilitate the full admission process for Mexican citizens and those non-citizens who do not require a visa for entry. Arriving passengers will use the kiosks to provide standard travel information to the authorities, place their hand to be scanned for fingerprints and then once their identity is verified against the INM (National Institute of Immigration) database they will be given the all clear to enter the country.

Automating the entry process will help speed up passenger processing while maintaining high levels of security. SITA border technology enables governments to clear large numbers of passengers in record time. Travelers from up to five SITA iBorders^® BorderAutomation ABCKiosks can be managed from just one immigration counter and these kiosks have been shown to reduce the time passengers spend in line by as much as 40%.

Gerardo Garcia, Commissioner to INM, the National Institute of Immigration, said: “Automation increases security and efficiency. Increased numbers of low-risk passengers are processed quickly, conveniently, and cost-effectively while we maintain the security and integrity of our border.By automating the arrival process using SITA’s world-class biometric kiosks, we will improve the speed and accuracy of checks of passengers arriving in Mexico.”

The full rollout across Mexico City, Cancun and Los Cabos International airports is now complete and the 100 SITA kiosks are expected to securely process close to eight million arrivals in the first year.

 

2017 Passenger IT Trends Survey shows tech is making a difference at every step of the journey
Geneva, Switzerland | June 27, 2017– Passenger satisfaction is higher during the airline journey when self-service technologies are used, particularly at bag tag and collection, and passport checkpoints. This is according to the 2017 SITA Passenger IT Trends Survey, a global survey released today by IT provider SITA and co-sponsored by Air Transport World. The survey shows that passengers rate their journey very highly with an overall satisfaction rate of 8.2 of out 10 but this is boosted even further when technologies such as mobile services and biometrics are used.

Ilya Gutlin, President, Air Travel Solutions, SITA, said: “Passengers are increasingly comfortable with the use of technology in their everyday lives, and they are demanding more services as they appreciate the benefits technology can bring to their journey. Airports and airlines can take note that technology solutions can boost passenger satisfaction every step of the way.”

In the global air transport industry, identity checks are a vital element of the passenger journey. SITA’s survey shows that technology, such as biometrics, can support security while offering a better passenger experience. Automated identity checks at passport control and boarding increases passenger satisfaction.

A total of 37% of travelers surveyed by SITA used automated ID control on their last flight. Of these, 55% said they had used biometrics at departure security, 33% for boarding and 12% for international arrivals. Looking forward, 57% of passengers said they would use biometrics for their next trip.

Passengers who use biometrics are highly satisfied. In fact, they rated the experience 8.4, well above the ratings for face-to-face transactions at passport check (8) and boarding (8.2), demonstrating passenger acceptance of this secure technology to deliver a seamless journey.

Baggage collection is another area where technology is improving the passenger experience. Airlines and airports are helping to relieve the anxiety of waiting for bags to arrive by providing real-time information to passengers. On their last flight, more than half (58%) of passengers who checked in bags received real-time bag-collection information upon arrival.

These passengers were happier than those who did not receive any information, rating their experience 8.4 out 10. Passengers are even more satisfied when they receive the information to their mobile devices. SITA’s survey shows that this bumped up satisfaction levels by an extra 10%.

Technology is also driving passenger satisfaction for baggage management earlier in the journey as more airlines and airports offer self-bag tagging. The use of this technology increased satisfaction to a rating of 8.4 out of 10. Nearly half (47%) of all passengers took advantage of a self-service tagging option on their most recent trip, which is a healthy increase from 31% in 2016. As more self-bag tag options are made available we can expect passenger satisfaction at this point of the journey to increase.

This year’s survey also highlights that as passengers become more familiar using technology during travel, the more likely they are to switch to newer, more efficient platforms. They are increasingly using smarter, mobile-enabled websites to book and check-in. Airline and airport apps, meanwhile, meet passengers’ desire for new services to help them better manage their journey. They want personalized information about their flight, their baggage and how to find their gate directly on their mobile device.

The appetite for new services using technology is high: three quarters (74%) of passengers say they would definitely use flight and gate alerts pushed to their mobile devices; 57% would use airport wayfinding; and 57% would use biometrics to smooth identification each step of the way.

Gutlin said: “Passengers aren’t deciding anymore whether they should use technology but which technology to use. They want to make each step of the journey as easy as possible. Tech adoption will be driven by both context and usability. For this reason, a clear focus on the end-users’ demands should shape the services airlines and airports offer.”

This is the 12th edition of the SITA/ATW Passenger IT Trends Survey. It was conducted with more than 7,000 passengers from 17 countries across the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa representing almost three-quarters of global passenger traffic.

Lisbon | June 1, 2017– The Indonesian Direktorat Jenderal Imigrasi PT Jaya Teknik Indonesia and its partner, Vision-Box, the worldwide leader in Passenger Experience and Automated Border Control solutions, inaugurated an advanced biometric Automated Border Control infrastructure system at Soerkarno-Hatta International Airport’s (CGK) brand-new terminal 3.

The Vision-Box state-of-the-art biometric border control solution consists of 32 vb i- matchTM Automated Border Control eGates for eligible Indonesian nationals self- service border clearance and 10 vb e-passTM portable biometric suitcases for enhanced mobility in passenger clearance. Additionally, it includes 32 individual fingerprint and passport scanners to expedite the processing of foreign travelers at manual counters. The integrated Automated Border Control solution provides higher accuracy in passenger identity verification at the border, while increasing airport security and passenger processing capacity.

The ABC solution is considered a centerpiece of the Indonesian government’s plan to develop new economic opportunities. It is designed to ease the strain on the country’s transportation, tourism, and aviation industries, while increasing its commercial appeal.

Completion of the 3rd terminal, as well as renovations to Terminals 1 and 2, allows CGK to increase its passenger traffic significantly. By the end of 2017, the airport is slated to reach a targeted 61 million annual passengers. This is a remarkable 84% increase from its current 33 million annual passenger capacity. Already serving passengers since August 2016, Terminal 3 will reach its full capacity of 25 million yearly passengers once completed in 2017.

The ABC solution provides CGK and the Direktorat Jenderal Imigrasi a modern technology cornerstone for its new terminal to quickly and accurately process arriving and departing passengers while enhancing airport security. Together, these cutting- edge authentication and verification systems represent the first major deployment of Automated Border Control eGates in the country. It is also the first-of-its-kind mobile border control system for immigration officers to efficiently process passengers, taking advantage of a quick and secure user-centric system.

Vision-Box, the world leader in Passenger Experience and Automated Border Control solutions, reinforced its support to border control officials in Portugal, sponsoring the Conference “SEF and the Economy”, organized by the SCIF-SEF

Lisbon, Portugal | May 30, 2017– Vision-Box is pleased to announce its continuing sponsorship of the “SEF and the Economy” Conference that took place on 26 May, 2017. The conference was held at the Higher Institute of Social and Political Sciences in Lisbon, Portugal, and organized by the Border Control Services Inspectors (SEF) Union, with Security and economic growth in a Europe without borders and SEF’s role as the event’s main theme.

The conference’s panel discussions explored various critical and essential topics currently affecting European borders such as “Investing in Security for Tourism Promotion” and “Security and Economic Development”. On-hand to discuss the conference’s main themes were several expert government and industry distinguished guests and dignitaries that included the Ministry of Interior Constança Urbano de Sousa, the President of the Portuguese Airline TAP, Fernando Pinto, the President of CIP (Confederation of Portuguese Business), among others.

IATA, the International Air Transport Association, estimates that the number of passengers will reach 7.2 billion by 2035, doubling the 3.8 billion recorded in 2016. In a scenario of very significant increase of international passenger numbers and a significant traffic entering the Schengen zone, measures should be taken in Portugal, but also advantage.

Pedro Alves, Vision-Box Business Development Director, at Vision-Box, explained «Portugal is becoming more and more an internationally desirable tourist and business destination. The adoption of border management solutions able to manage the flow of people safely and conveniently is of the utmost importance. A country’s image, its tourism and finance are intimately linked and are positively affected with the adoption of innovative technologies, modern processes and visitor-centric experiences The Vision-Box designed passenger flow management solutions, available in Portugal and many other border control points around the world, are just another proof that the Portuguese people knows how to welcome our visitors!»

Vision-Box, the worldwide leader in passenger experience and border control solutions announces new career opportunities in expansion of operations around the world

Lisbon, Portugal | March 14, 2017– If you’re looking for a passionate, fast-growing company excited with amazing challenges and with a bright future ahead, don’t look any further. Vision-BoxTM is hiring!

Headquartered nearby fashionable Lisbon, Portugal, spreading with 8 offices around the world and operations in more than hundred countries in all 5 continents, the booming leader in biometric-based automated border control and identity management solutions, Vision-BoxTM, is the ideal place for career aspirations!

If you are wondering how you would fit in Vision-BoxTM, career opportunities emerge in various areas: there are plenty of open vacancies within the Software Development area, but also in the fields of Engineering, Sales, Marketing & Communication, Technical Support and Logistics. And not only in Portugal. The multi-awarded company has been growing at a fast pace in 8 offices around the world.

Requirements are different according to positions and geographies, but there are a few things all applicants need to know. Catarina Azevedo, Human Resources Director of
Vision-BoxTM, explains: “Our company is a truly worldwide team dedicated to a bold new vision. We look for energetic, ambitious and talented people that are willing and able to overcome obstacles, whilst developing their leadership. To shape our future, we need the best, most forward-looking and challenging talents in the job market.”

Why join Vision-BoxTM?

Vision-BoxTM is the happy result of the drive and skills of two visionaries with intensive experience in the science and technology fields, who in 2001 decided to take the results of their research to the ultimate test: the market. Today, Vision-BoxTM highly talented team accounts for many hundreds and has achieved the reputation of unquestioned market experts, closely working with and consulting Governments, Immigration Authorities, Airports, Airlines and other organizations challenged to improve identity management, by offering them superior, tailor-made Border Control, Identity Management and Surveillance solutions. Whatever the nature of the challenge, whether bringing unexpected innovation to the market, meeting the changing needs of our customers or the expectations of our shareholders, Vision-BoxTM has always reached for excellence and for a positive social change in the world.

Some of the vacancies are open in the headquarters in Lisbon, but there are also opportunities to strengthen the company’s activity abroad. The openings list can be consulted at Vision-BoxTM website and applications can be made through the contact: onlythebest@vision-box.com.

Vision-BoxTM is exhibiting this week at Passenger Terminal Expo in Amsterdam, so it will be an amazing opportunity for candidates who are as passionate about the industry as we are to know more about the company and liaise with some of its representatives. If you’re visiting Passenger Terminal Expo this week, don’t miss out on the opportunity to know everything about Vision-BoxTM and leave your business card!

The company was selected by Eurostar after a successful tender process

Lisbon | February 15, 2017– Vision-Box was responsible for the implementation of a pioneering Automated Border Control (ABC) at St Pancras International rail station, at the French border:

• This is the first time that such self-service technological solutions have been deployed by a private transportation service provider for optimizing passenger flow at a border within an international rail hub.
• It also represents the first time that such a programme relying on facial recognition technology has been implemented for border control in France as part of an experimentation scheme.

The initiative, led in full coordination with Eurostar, the French border police (DCPAF) and the French Ministry of Interior, aims to maximise the speed and efficiency of the immigration clearance process for passengers travelling from the UK into continental Europe and the Schengen zone within a highly secure framework. It also represents the birth of a new generation of PARAFE, the French automated border crossing system that uses biometric authentication technology to verify the passengers identity at the country’s borders. The assignment of this project to Vision-Box is the successful result of the company’s application in the context of an open international tendering process mandated by Eurostar.

This state-of-the-art solution, which uses facial recognition technology, is designed to be swift, secure and deliver a positive experience for the thousands of eligible passengers that make this journey on a daily basis. With an estimated 20% expected increase in traffic levels in the coming years (and over 26,000 passengers/day at borders between the peak late afternoon hours of 4pm and 7pm), Vision-Box’s eGates allow Eurostar to orchestrate its passenger management process with greater fluidity and mobility while maintaining a high level of border security. Since June 2016, more than 500,000 passengers have been able to use the self-service eGates, having benefited from a speedy and seamless experience.

Mikaël Lemarchand, Director of Stations at Eurostar, declared: “Eurostar’s mission is to deliver a memorable experience to our customers. At every single touch point of their journey with Eurostar, whether in business lounges, on board the brand new trains or at border controls in our terminals, the customers are offered delightfully easy solutions. That is why we selected Vision-Box to accompany us on this very innovative journey. Vision-Box share with Eurostar the same vision of what an amazing customer experience shall be. They rely on professional and passionate teams who were able to understand our specific needs and match the highly demanding requirements of our Ministry of Interior. The results of this close collaboration are now visible in London St. Pancras, with the Automated Border Control solution in place enhancing the daily experience of our customers. We are now planning the next chapter to deploy automated border controls throughout the Eurostar network, in Paris and Brussels.”

Miguel Leitmann, CEO and Founder of Vision-Box, added: “Since the first day of our journey with Eurostar and the French Ministry of Interior, together in close relationship with the Border Police (DCPAF), we have been engaged in a enthusiastic, hard- working and intense multi-stakeholder partnership which materializes its apogee through the successful operation of a truly innovative passenger facilitation process at a landmark rail hub. The first statistics of usage are overwhelming in terms of adhesion and positive feedback of both travellers and Police officers. Once again, it is very much about creating a dynamic collaboration, facilitate multi-cultural understanding, and focus on the balance between two major aspects: the absolute need for higher security at the border, and a passenger-centric experience that serves the public interest to the benefit of our client. We are extremely proud to be part of this adventure, contributing to a safer world whilst improving everyday people’s lives.”

Concretely, Vision-Box’s vb i-matchTM ABC eGates solution has been deployed at St Pancras International as part of a Private/Public innovative initiative between stakeholders, for use by all passengers from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland over 18 years old and holding a valid electronic Passport. The automated gate solution, 100% developed by Vision-Box, ensures an effective biometric verification based on facial recognition: a swift and reliable identity check can be carried out between the passenger at the border and the e-passport presented, through a comparison of the image taken by the biometric capture device installed on the ABC eGates against the photo stored in the passport chip. This is complementary to the traditional biographic background checks that the Border Police performs based on different national and international law enforcement databases.

The gates function in a supervised, self-service mode, which can be overruled at any time by the Border Police officers in case a need to perform additional investigation work is clearly identified. The solution is therefore focused on increasing efficiency at the border, consequently eliminating any subjective aspects from the equation, thus improving the capability of the officers in their primary task of focusing at persons of interest. French Border Police supervises the process in real-time, thanks to Vision-Box’s vb inspectorTM monitoring stations, part of the vb orchestraTM platform which operates in a highly secure and privacy-responsible framework.

• Allowing passengers to use a single biometric token from entry to exit

Cologne, Germany | March 15, 2016– Today at Passenger Terminal EXPO, the world’s largest airport exhibition, global IT provider SITA revealed Smart Path™. This new technology allows passengers to move through the airport and board the aircraft simply by presenting themselves for a biometric check. Once verified there is no need for the passenger to present a boarding pass, a passport or travel documents again.

With SITA Smart Path, the passenger’s biometric details are captured through a facial scan at the first touch point in the journey. The record is checked against the passenger’s travel documents, typically the passport, and a secure single token is created. Then, at each step of the journey – from check-in, to aircraft boarding or border control – passengers gain access simply with a facial scan and without having to show their passport or boarding pass.

SITA Smart Path puts a fast, secure and seamless walkthrough experience within reach of passengers today. Unlike other offerings, SITA’s can be easily integrated into existing airport infrastructure and airline systems. This includes standard common-use, self-service equipment already in use across the industry such as check-in kiosks, bag drop units, gates for secure access, boarding and automated border control, making rapid deployment easy and cost-effective. Smart Path also integrates with government systems and databases, allowing integrated immigration and border checks.

Matthys Serfontein, Vice President, Airport Solutions, said: “SITA has a strong record of introducing new self-service solutions across the entire passenger journey for both airlines and airports. But we also provide sophisticated border management systems to Governments. Everyday hundreds of airlines use SITA technology to connect with Government identity management and risk assessment systems in countries around the world.

“We have built on this unique expertise to create SITA Smart Path – a single, secure, self-service process using existing common-use infrastructure which works seamlessly with multiple airline and Government systems. Smart Path simplifies secure, passenger processing for everyone – airlines, airports and border authorities.”

SITA is currently working with a number of major airlines and airports to integrate biometrics into the passenger journey and expects that by 2020 passengers using biometrics will be the norm at airports across the world.

Serfontein, added: “The key to single token travel is gathering and verifying data as early in the process as possible in order to establish a robust token. This includes both biometric and biographic information. And then if necessary to update it with more detailed information from airline, airport or government systems at various steps in the journey. That is exactly how we have designed SITA Smart Path.”

SITA, provides self-service solutions at every step of the passenger journey from check-in to boarding. Its passenger processing applications are used by more than 165 airlines globally and its common-use systems board more than 100 million passengers per year. Today it provides border management solutions to more than 30 Governments and has in excess of 1,000 self-boarding lanes across the globe which can be used to introduce this new biometric system.

Last month we saw an interesting news release from SITA about biometric passports and the European Unions’ use of this technology for fast-tracking through airport security.

Here is a bit of the news release: NAPLES – 19 January 2016 – Naples International Airport is offering passengers from the European Union who hold a biometric passport, a fast track through the airport with the introduction of self-service immigration control technology from air transport IT specialist, SITA.  Using world-leading facial recognition technology to confirm that the passenger is the passport holder, SITA’s iBorders BorderAutomation ABCGates provide a smooth “walk-through” experience. The Automated Border Control Gates (ABCGates) confirm that the passenger has an authentic, valid passport and is authorized to enter the country while fingerprint verification is also provided to further enhance security when required. With an average processing time of only 20 seconds, this process enables eligible passengers to use self-service facilities to reduce wait times and optimize passenger flow through the airport. The ABCGates (departures and arrivals) allows more than 2,000 passengers a day to clear immigration at the airport using this latest technology.

Alessandro Fidato, Director of Infrastructure & Operations at Naples International Airport said: “The new technology has helped improve the passenger experience at Naples Airport by speeding them through immigration while ensuring that we meet the highest security standards at Italy’s borders. The ABCGates are really a win-win technology for airports.”

Dave Bakker, SITA President, Europe, noted: “We continue to work with airlines, airports and government agencies around the globe to provide the best-in-class self-service border technology. Through the use of biometrics, we are able to enhance the passenger experience by providing a swift passage through immigration while adhering to the highest possible security standards.”

So we asked a few more questions of Mr. Bakker and he told IFExpress the following:

1. IFExpress: How long have the ABCGates in Naples been in operation?

Answer: “The first four  iBorders® BorderAutomation ABCGates went into operation at Naples International Airport’s departures in September last year while four additional ABCGates were introduced into arrivals in January this year. “

2. If an optical condition occurs (like an eye operation) to a pax who has signed up for optical recognition and fails the test, what happens?

Answer: “Whenever a passenger is not successfully processed by the gate, an agent at a monitoring station is called for intervention.”

3. IFExpress: How many eyes are scanned for each person?

Answer: “The ABCGates use facial recognition technology and fingerprint matching.”

4. IFExpress: Is there a cost for the application and setup for the passenger?

Answer: “Any traveller from the EU holding a valid e-Passport can use the ABCGates. There is no cost for the traveller to use the ABCGates.”

5. IFExpress: Actually, what equipment is involved?

Answer: “The most important and visible element are the e-gates themselves. They include gates with passport readers, face recognition cameras and fingerprint readers, as well as the necessary software to allow integration of the data into the authorities’ databases.”

6. IFExpress: Any test results on percent error you can mention?

Answer: “For security reasons, the exact percentage is confidential. However, the ABCGates are configured to be compliant with the Frontex guidelines for processing travellers in the EU in a self-service environment.”

7. IFExpress: How long have the ABCGates been in the dev/test phase?

Answer: “SITA’s ABCGates were first launched two years ago, after 18 months of development.”

8. IFExpress: Is this more accurate or reliable than fingerprints?

Answer: “The type of biometrics used depends on the government requirements. Our ABCGates can accommodate all ICAO-approved biometrics. In the case of Naples, both facial recognition and fingerprint matching are included.”

9. IFExpress: Can you give our readers a bit more on how this database works?

Answer: A: “Each travelers details including their biometrics are captured and vetted at the time they apply for their e-Passport.  When the traveler uses the ABC Gate their live biometrics are checked against the biometric data stored securely on the e-Passport chip.  At the same time the passport details are checked against central government databases to ensure that the passenger is eligible to cross the border.”

Finally, Dave Bakker told IFExpress: “We continue to work with airlines, airports and government agencies around the globe to provide the best-in-class self-service border technology. Through the use of biometrics, we are able to enhance the passenger experience by providing a swift passage through immigration while adhering to the highest possible security standards.”

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On another front, Panasonic signed a multi-year contract for high throughput capacity on Telesat’s new Telstar 12 VANTAGE satellite. In this latest agreement, Panasonic has contracted for nearly all the high throughput satellite (HTS) Ku-band capacity covering the Mediterranean, Europe and Middle East on Telesat’s new Telstar 12 VANTAGE. Telstar 12 Vantage became fully operational at 15 degrees West in December 2015 and will provide Panasonic with HTS capacity over key aero routes from Western Europe to the Middle East enabling them to bring the very latest in in-flight Wi-Fi to carriers across the region. Panasonic will also be using the HTS capacity of Telstar 12 VANTAGE to expand their mobile broadband offerings to growing maritime markets in the Mediterranean and European waterways as well as to oil and gas operators in the North Sea.

“Telesat is highly respected for their ability to design innovative satellites,” said David Bruner, Vice President, Global Communications Services at Panasonic Avionics. “Their cooperation in adjusting the position of the HTS spot beams on Telstar 12 VANTAGE to meet Panasonic’s requirements was outstanding. This further optimizes the service for Panasonic and gives us an edge in winning mobile broadband business in the air and at sea. Panasonic now has Ku-band capacity on four Telesat satellites and, with this latest contract for nearly all the HTS Ku-band covering the Mediterranean, Europe and Middle East on Telstar 12 VANTAGE, we are well positioned to expand in maritime and energy markets across Europe. Panasonic values our close ties to the Telesat team and we are truly excited to be making use of Telstar 12 VANTAGE – the first satellite with significant HTS Ku-band over the Mediterranean and North Sea.”  Also note Bruner; “The story here from Panasonic’s perspective is that by April we will have high throughout capacity online continuously and overlapping from the west coast of the US to the Middle East. By October all the way to Asia. Next year we complete the initial HTS coverage with a new satellite over the Pacific, Eutelsat 172B.” This might be a good time to view the map coverage of Telstar 12 VANTAGE.

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Lastly, Thales just closed a big sale deal  for AVANT IFE and connectivity with Singapore Airlines for their A350 aircraft and IFExpress will have more on the deal soon! Stay Tuned!

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Notes:

• Over the next twenty years, the folks at Boeing see an Asia-Pacific demand of some 14,550 aircraft valued at over $550 B!
• Last week we found an amazing, crazy video. You are never going to believe what the band OK Go does to an aircraft interior, never. The tune “Upside Down & Inside Out” should give you a hint. The band traveled to Russia to work with S7 Airlines and film the video, described on the OK Go Facebook page as “the craziest thing they’ve ever done.” It is… OK Go breaks gravity habit in spacey ‘Upside Down & Inside Out’ video
• Correction: Last week we noted some trade show information that occurred at the Aircraft Interiors Middle East event this year. Mr. Botts, who reported on the show and award event for us noted flydubai as the overall winner and mentioned an IFE vendor whose equipment he thought was on their planes – he was wrong. The correct IFE vendor is Lumexis. In fact, flydubai was the launch customer for Lumexis’ FTTS IFE system. Here are links to flydubai’s past awards: 2014, 2015, and 2016. Mea Culpa!

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Interesting Industry News:

• Cabin certification is getting challenging – delethalization is a big issue!
• With some 3,072 B737 MAX backlog, certification is becoming a big issue!
• AA sues Gogo for speed and improvements

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And Finally, a B727 Story…

For some time now we have been following the reconstruction and re-certification of a 53 year old Boeing 727 by an ex-Boeing good-guy, Robert Bogash. The plane is destined for Boeing’s Museum of Flight but is located some 50 Kilometers away in Everett, WA. Bob is driven and never gives up, I know because many years ago, I worked with him. The rebuilding process is documented on his website and we have a link for you below and has well over one million “hits” so far. Mostly, we wanted to show our readers the challenge in re-certifing an older plane destined to fly this spring. Mr. Bogash and the team have documented virtually every step in the process (text and images) and if you ever worked in aircraft maintenance or certification, this is for you. If not, you are going to learn a lot about the B727! We asked Bob, what it took to get the job done so far and he said: “Patience.  Persistence. Hard Work. Long Journey. I’ve probably got about 600-700 hours into it — in the last 5 or 6 weeks, that is… We are shooting to fly March 1 – weather is the big unknown and determinant. That’s me in the Left Seat in the video, and yes, I will fly the trip down to Boeing Field, but not as Pilot in Command. Thanks for the kudos. Daily E1 Status Reports are being provided in near Real Time on my Status Page.”  Also, he noted; “It’s also important that they look into buying a souvenir that will fly on the flight or contribute directly, since none of this comes free, and I’ve blown my budget.”