Letter from the Editor & Publisher:

Dear IFExpress Readers,

After 30 years of publishing weekly in the inflight entertainment & communication space, we have decided to close IFExpress. Consequently, this will be the last issue you receive in your in-box. We did not reach this decision lightly but due to a series of health issues and a myriad of other factors, we determined this was the best course of action. Both Terry and I would like to thank you all for the many years of camaraderie. We wish you all the best in your endeavors as we embark on the next phase of our future. – Patricia Wiseman

Well, time is up for my IFEC news support and I would like to say “Thank You” to all my tech readers and friends. I will be 80 in a couple months and it is just time to take it easy after some 30 years of IFEC news. Besides, I need to work on the rest of my life! Thanks everybody! Terry Wiseman

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Anuvu

Anuvu announced it has entered into a strategic partnership with Skillshare, the world’s largest online learning community for creativity, to distribute the platform’s content across maritime and aviation markets.

The partnership, which excludes U.S.-based airlines, adds a new layer of content diversity to Anuvu’s media library. It offers travelers exclusive online learning resources beyond the streaming video on demand (SVOD) platform’s paywall. For the maritime market, specifically, Anuvu’s partnership with Skillshare brings crews new and compelling educational opportunities while at sea for extended periods of time. Effective immediately, passengers and crews will be able to access Skillshare’s online learning content and community spanning topics ranging from lifestyle, entrepreneurship and personal development to creative writing and branding. The initial content includes “Build Your Business and Brand: Translating Your Passion Into a Plan,” a Skillshare Original led by designer, founder and author Rebecca Minkoff, among many others.

“Passengers today have a different set of priorities than in the past. There is a growing desire to blend work and leisure when traveling, creating a strong demand for learning content. As such, we are excited to partner with Skillshare to deliver premium classes to our customers,” said Estibaliz Asiain, Anuvu SVP Media & Content. “This partnership showcases the unique buying power that Anuvu has with entertainment studios because of our leading market share in both maritime and aviation, ultimately benefiting our customers with unique content and competitive pricing.”

“Due to the nature of the industry, maritime crews often spend weeks to months at sea at any given time, with very little access to media and entertainment. With the addition of Skillshare to our media and content offering, Anuvu is addressing a critical need in the market centered on enhancing crew welfare aboard private and commercial vessels,” said Erik Carlsen, Anuvu SVP of Commercial for Maritime, Energy and Government (MEG). “We are thrilled to partner with Skillshare to bring educational and skills development opportunities to crews around the globe.”

Skillshare is the world’s largest online learning community for creatives. Members get unlimited access to thousands of inspiring classes taught by industry leaders and working professionals, on topics including illustration, design, photography, and more. Members around the world love Skillshare for discovering inspiration, learning new skills, and putting their talents to work in ways they care about. The partnership is a crucial next step in Anuvu’s strategy to transform the media and content industry across the global mobility market.

“We are thrilled to work alongside Anuvu to bring Skillshare’s online learning community to aviation and maritime passengers at a time when interest in creative focused learning and development content is in high demand,” said Scott Sullivan, Skillshare Director of Brand Partnerships and Business Development. “At Skillshare we know creativity can be a source for good and growth in peoples’ lives, and we look forward to partnering with Anuvu to help drive that creative spark in all travelers.”

Non U.S.-based airlines and maritime clients interested in adding Skillshare to their content lineup can contact Anuvu to learn more.

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Cobham Satcom

Cobham Satcom continues to expand its innovative next generation SAILOR XTR portfolio with the introduction of two new Ka-band antenna systems for Telenor Satellite’s THOR 7 VSAT services.

The one-meter SAILOR 1000 XTR Ka and 65-centimeter SAILOR 600 XTR Ka leverage Cobham Satcom’s most advanced VSAT technology platform to secure high availability of broadband service on the THOR 7 satellite, used for a full range of network applications including big data management in the cloud architecture.

With Cobham Satcom’s new SAILOR XTR Ka antennas, end-users will be even better positioned to secure a return on their investment in digital operations. Vital applications including online catch reporting for regulatory and commercial reasons, Vessel Performance Monitoring for reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions as well as predictive maintenance systems to help reduce non-productive time, can all provide greater value when the connectivity they need to operate reliably, keeps pace with the ever-growing demand for data.

SAILOR XTR benefits including simplified installation, easy remote access for streamlined monitoring and support, and the best radio frequency performance for maximized throughput ensure that SAILOR 1000 XTR Ka and SAILOR 600 XTR Ka unlock the full capabilities of THOR 7 for end-users that understand the positive value of data to their operations.

Further, SAILOR 1000 XTR Ka and SAILOR 600 XTR Ka are prepared for future developments in the maritime satcom landscape, giving users the option to migrate to current and future networks on Ka or Ku-band frequencies and all communication satellite orbits. Thanks to its innovative features combined with a new antenna feedhorn and a new dual-pol, wideband Ka-band transceiver available in 4.5W and 9W variants for SAILOR 600 and 1000 XTR Ka, the SAILOR XTR platform can deliver this unmatched flexibility.

“THOR 7 has enabled hundreds of European vessels to deliver business and crew welfare applications, movie streaming, adopt digital operations and the Internet of Things for more efficient operations and business, and we are confident that our new SAILOR XTR powered Ka-band antennas will unlock even more ways to work safer, reduce operational costs and limit a vessel’s environmental impact, by securing more reliable data connectivity on Telenor Satellite’s dedicated European VSAT network,” said Jens Ewerling, Product Manager, Cobham Satcom.

“We are delighted to see Cobham Satcom complementing its XTR product family with the new RF transceiver package supporting dual-polarisation and wide-band Ka. To our customers, these antennas represent a seamless transition to the latest technology, while maintaining the hassle-free installation, reliable operation and performance they have come to appreciate,” said Jan Hetland, Director Data Services, Telenor Satellite.

First delivery of the SAILOR 1000 XTR Ka and the SAILOR 600 XTR Ka antennas, which are designed as a replacement of previous generation SAILOR VSAT Ka antennas for THOR 7, is expected from the Cobham Satcom warehouse in Rotterdam during Q4 2022.

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Samarkand International Airport

Following extensive testing, Samarkand International Airport has launched the first E-gate border control system in the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The E-gate software and hardware system, developed by an Uzbekistan company under contract with the border troops of  the State Security Service of Uzbekistan, allows safe and uninterrupted processing of arriving passengers.

The automated border control system is based on biometric technologies and provides for automatic identification of the person and allows for a quick and safe border crossing with minimal involvement of border control officers. 

Gayrat Nematov, General Director of airport management company Air Marakanda LLC, said:

“Air Marakanda provides the most advanced technologies in the new terminal of Samarkand airport that meet international standards, so the implementation of such a project as E-gates is a logical solution for any modern transport facility. We are interested in the fact that the latest equipment allows passengers to minimize the time of passing all the necessary procedures. In aviation, the most important principles are safety and comfort, and such a project meets these requirements as much as possible.”

As part of the border control system, the technology expands the system’s capabilities and can be used at air, road, sea and pedestrian checkpoints.

After extensive testing, the Border Control Unit of the State Security Service chose to install the system at Samarkand International Airport. The system incorporates document readers, and high-resolution video cameras that carry out video surveillance and comparison of passengers’ biometric data with an identity document. Border Control and Air Marakanda have developed measures against unauthorized passage and algorithms to ensure single passage, recognition of luggage and items left unattended. The project is expected to increase the tourism potential by speeding the flow of passengers through passport control, while making the process more comfortable and convenient for visitors and eliminating the potential for human error.

Boeing

Boeing delivered two satellites for leading global content connectivity service provider SES to their launch site in Cape Canaveral, Florida, ahead of the upcoming launch of the twin spacecraft on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket.

“SES-20 and SES-21 are the first commercial satellites we’ve delivered since the start of the global pandemic,” said Ryan Reid, president of Boeing Satellite Systems International. “It was challenging, but we found ways to be responsive to emerging customer demands and timelines. As a result, we went from contract signing to delivery of two satellites in little over two years.”

The pair of all-electric 702SP (small platform) satellites are equipped with C-band payloads that will operate over the continental United States and help usher in the Federal Communications Commission’s 5G Fast initiative, which requires satellite operators such as SES to transition services from the lower 300 MHz to the upper 200 MHz of C-band spectrum for 5G mobile services.

The new Boeing satellites are designed and intended to enable SES’s continued delivery of its C-band broadcast and radio services as well as critical data networks services in the coming months. SES-20 and SES-21 are the 14th and 15th satellites built by Boeing for SES.

“The delivery of SES-20 and SES-21 marks yet another big milestone for our C-band spectrum clearing project in the U.S. Thanks to our trusted and long-term partner Boeing, we remain on track to migrate our customers to these new satellites so that we can continue to provide services seamlessly without disruptions,” said Ruy Pinto, Chief Technology Officer at SES.

SES-20 and SES-21 went through rigorous environmental testing at Boeing’s satellite factory in El Segundo, California, including vibration, thermal vacuum, electromagnetic interference and acoustic testing. After arriving at their launch site in Cape Canaveral, Florida, the satellites will be encapsulated in their payload fairing for launch. They’ve already been integrated into a dual-launch configuration platform built by Boeing.

“This will be our third dual-launch configuration of 702SPs, so it’s a proven way to get more to orbit, and faster, for our customers,” said Jim Peterka, Boeing’s SES-20 and SES-21 program manager.

Boeing has delivered more than 300 satellites to commercial and government customers globally, and continues to build adaptable satellites to meet changing business cases and fulfill even the most demanding missions.

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Worldwide Low Cost Airlines Industry Forecast

The “Low Cost Airlines Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

The global low cost airlines market reached a value of US$ 172.54 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach a value of US$ 302.85 Billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 9.83% during 2021-2027.

Companies Mentioned

• Air Arabia PJSC
• Alaska Airlines Inc.
• Capital A Berhad (Tune Group Sdn Bhd)
• easyJet plc
• Go Airlines (Wadia Group)
• IndiGo
• Jetstar Airways Pty Ltd (Qantas Airways Limited)
• Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA
• Ryanair Holdings PLC
• Southwest Airlines Co.
• SpiceJet Limited
• Spirit Airlines Inc.
• WestJet Airlines Ltd.

Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.

Also known as budget airlines or no-frills carriers, low cost airlines offer fewer amenities for short-haul than conventional full-service airlines. These airlines are affordable, but they charge separately for each item, such as food, beverages, prior boarding, carry-on baggage and car rental services, to generate non-ticket revenues.

They also use single type aircraft with minimum equipment to reduce weight, acquisition and maintenance costs while increasing fuel efficiency. They operate at less congested secondary airports to reduce airport fees, air traffic, delays and ground time between flights.

A significant rise in domestic travel and tourism represents one of the key factors bolstering the market growth. Moreover, the leading airline companies offer tickets directly via the telephone or the internet and eliminate the role of third-party agencies, which reduces the cost of transactions and services.

This, in confluence with the widespread adoption of ticketless travel and the growing internet penetration, is contributing to the market growth. Furthermore, these airlines operate via point-to-point nonstop flights that aid in reducing travel time and enabling better aircraft utilization.

In addition to this, the increasing focus of business travelers on minimizing travel time and costs is influencing the market positively. The emphasis of the market players on providing discounted fares to early reservations while enhancing passenger connectivity is driving the market further.

However, the decline in the number of commercial flights on account of the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and several measures undertaken by governing agencies to prevent the spread of the pandemic is negatively influencing the market. The market will experience growth once restrictions on traveling are lifted.

Key Questions Answered in This Report:

• How has the global low cost airlines market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?
• What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global low cost airlines market?
• What are the key regional markets?
• What is the breakup of the market based on the purpose?
• What is the breakup of the market based on the distribution channel?
• What is the breakup of the market based on the destination?
• What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry?
• What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry?
• What is the structure of the global low cost airlines market and who are the key players?
• What is the degree of competition in the industry?

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/xw2dsr

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Canada Jetlines

Canada Jetlines Operations Ltd. (NEO: CJET) (“Canada Jetlines”) the new, all-Canadian, leisure airline, has received its air operating certificate (AOC) from Transport Canada, granting approval to initiate operations out of its travel hub at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ).

Securing the AOC confirms that Canada Jetlines has all required professional capabilities and adheres to all safety regulations needed for aircraft operations. Canada Jetlines looks forward to its inaugural flight and will be releasing new destinations and updated scheduling shortly.

“The entire team at Canada Jetlines is thrilled to obtain our AOC after meeting all necessary operation standards and passing all inspections,” shared Eddy Doyle, CEO of Canada Jetlines. “We thank Transport Canada and greatly appreciate the tireless effort and diligence they undertake to approve new airlines. We excitedly look forward to our launch date, meeting the increased demand for convenient, leisure travel in Canada and beyond and to provide more options to explore the world.”

Visit Jetlines.com to learn more and book reservations and vacation packages with your preferred travel agent. Follow Canada Jetlines on all social media platforms and follow #CanadaJetlines for the latest news and updates.

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Aircraft Electrification Global Market Research

The “Aircraft Electrification Market Research Report by Component, Technology, Platform, System, Application, Region – Global Forecast to 2027 – Cumulative Impact of COVID-19” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

The Global Aircraft Electrification Market size was estimated at USD 5,738.48 million in 2021, USD 6,606.72 million in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR 15.38% to reach USD 13,542.31 million by 2027.

Competitive Strategic Window:

The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies to help the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. It describes the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth during a forecast period.

FPNV Positioning Matrix:

The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Aircraft Electrification Market based on Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape.

Market Share Analysis:

The Market Share Analysis offers the analysis of vendors considering their contribution to the overall market. It provides the idea of its revenue generation into the overall market compared to other vendors in the space. It provides insights into how vendors are performing in terms of revenue generation and customer base compared to others. Knowing market share offers an idea of the size and competitiveness of the vendors for the base year. It reveals the market characteristics in terms of accumulation, fragmentation, dominance, and amalgamation traits.

The report provides insights on the following pointers:

1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players

2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets

3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments

4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players

5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/82tqzw

ANUVU

Anuvu, the leading provider of high-speed satellite connectivity and entertainment solutions for demanding worldwide mobility markets, today announced it has acquired Signal Mountain Networks, a leading provider of satellite communications to the U.S. Government.

With the acquisition, Anuvu is expanding its existing government business and unlocking new revenue streams by leveraging Signal Mountain’s prime contractor status and 20-year history of delivering mission-critical solutions. Signal Mountain’s position on key contracting vehicles for government agencies, plus its strong history of exemplary customer service, broaden Anuvu’s potential avenues for growth.

Signal Mountain designs, implements, and supports sophisticated satellite communication systems, MPLS, and wireless network solutions. The company serves a variety of customers, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NASA, the U.S. Army, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“We are thrilled to welcome the Signal Mountain team to Anuvu. They are a trusted partner to U.S. Government agencies, and we look forward to continuing that very successful relationship,” said Josh Marks, Anuvu CEO. “Given the long-term commercial partnership between Signal Mountain and Anuvu, this acquisition is the next natural step in our continued growth.”

Anuvu initially plans to organize Signal Mountain under Anuvu Operations, a wholly owned subsidiary.

“We are extremely pleased to become part of Anuvu and look forward to capitalizing on our combined resources to meet the communication needs of the U.S. Government,” said Jonathan Huffman, who founded the company in 2001 and served as CEO. Huffman will assume a leadership role within Anuvu.

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TURKISH TECHNIC

Turkish Technic, a leading provider of maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services for commercial and government operators, has signed a ten-year global repair license agreement with Honeywell for Air Data Inertial Reference Unit (ADIRU) of Boeing 737MAX, 737 Next Generation (NG) and 787. Under the terms of the agreement, Honeywell will supply subparts to Turkish Technic, and Turkish Technic will operate as the Authorized Global Service Center for Honeywell’s ADIRU components, providing repair services for its local and international customers.

Expanding the Channel Partnership between both parties, the new agreement supplements Turkish Technic’s existing Honeywell license agreements that cover GTCP131-9A/B APUs (Auxiliary Power Units), CFM56-7B HMUs (Hydro Mechanical Units), Boeing 737MAX, 737 NG APU Starter-Generators and hundred more Honeywell Mechanical and Avionic LRUs (Line Replaceable Units). As the Authorized Service Center for ADIRU components of Boeing 737MAX, 737 Next Generation and 787, Turkish Technic will provide extensive repair and component pool services for its customers.

On the signing of the agreement, CEO of Turkish Technic, Mikail Akbulut stated: ‘‘While cementing our long-standing partnership with Honeywell, this new agreement will allow us to support Boeing 737MAX/NG and 787 operators for their ADIRU needs with our expert and proven component repair and overhaul facilities on two continents. As we continue to further increase our service portfolio offered to operators worldwide and increase our capabilities to boost our market share, we are glad to expand our cooperation further with Honeywell as a strategic partner.”

Commenting on the new agreement, Uygar Doyuran of Honeywell, President Turkiye, Israel and Central Asia “Turkish Technic is a global aviation MRO hub, serving the most important airlines in the world with next-generation technology. As Honeywell, we are very happy to work with Turkish Technic as a strategic partner in the region. We believe that our cooperation will become stronger with this new agreement.”

Operating as a one-stop MRO company with high-quality service, competitive turnaround times, comprehensive in-house capabilities at its state-of-the-art hangars, Turkish Technic provides maintenance, repair, overhaul, engineering, modification, tailor-made PBH and reconfiguration services to many domestic and international customers at five locations.

Honeywell Aerospace creates a range of hardware and software solutions that are found on virtually every commercial, defense and space aircraft, including aircraft engines, cockpit and cabin electronics, wireless connectivity systems, mechanical components and more.

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FRANCE ENDS COVID TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS

France has become the latest country to lift its pandemic-era travel restrictions, including proof of vaccination or negative Covid test.

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AVOLON

Avolon, the international aircraft leasing company, announces that it has agreed a transaction with Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), owner of Malaysia Airlines, for the financing of 20 A330-900neo aircraft. The transaction comprises the placement of 10 A330neo aircraft from Avolon’s orderbook and 10 A330neo aircraft to be acquired from MAG via sale and leaseback.

The aircraft will deliver from 2024 onwards and be powered by Rolls-Royce engines. Avolon has a longstanding relationship with MAG and currently has 4 aircraft on lease to MAG. Avolon was a launch customer of the A330neo in 2014 and has a total of 48 A330neo aircraft in its portfolio, with 26 owned and managed, and 22 on order. Following this transaction, Avolon has only two unplaced A330neo in its orderbook.

Malaysia Airlines is Malaysia’s national airline and wholly owned by the Malaysian Government. Malaysia Airlines currently operates a fleet of 97 narrowbody and widebody aircraft.

The transaction was announced today in Putrajaya, Malaysia and led by Malaysian Minister for Transport, YB Datuk Seri Ir. Dr. Wee Ka Siong.

Andy Cronin, Avolon CEO Designate, commented: “Today’s announcement builds on our longstanding relationships with industry leaders such as MAG, Airbus and Rolls-Royce, and we are delighted to partner with them to deliver a unique portfolio solution that will support MAG’s operations and business growth. As the Asian aviation market continues to emerge from the pandemic, this A330neo transaction will help MAG renew its fleet and position them to capitalize on market recovery. The enhanced fuel-efficiency and performance, as well as the unit cost improvements of the A330neo compared to older generation aircraft, will allow MAG to meet the growing demand for air travel in the region – further strengthening their position as one of the leading carriers of choice in the Asia Pacific market.

As previously disclosed, we are experiencing a rapid recovery in demand for our orderbook slots for both our single and twin-aisle new technology aircraft, and we are delighted to partner with MAG on this milestone transaction.”

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OTHER NEWS

• Curious about semiconductors? Here is a short, good answer!
  What is a semiconductor? An electrical engineer explains how these critical electronic components work and how they are made

Gogo Announces Record Results and Updates 2022 Guidance

Gogo Inc. (“Gogo” or the “Company”), the world’s largest provider of broadband connectivity services for the business aviation market, announced its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2022.

Q2 2022 Highlights

• Gogo announced its plans to launch the first low earth orbit (“LEO”)-based global broadband service in business aviation (“Global Broadband”) using an electronically steered antenna designed with Hughes Network Systems and a LEO satellite network operated by OneWeb.
• Record total revenue of $97.8 million increased 19% compared to Q2 2021 fueled by strong growth in both service and equipment revenue.
  • Record service revenue of $73.1 million increased 13% compared to Q2 2021 and 3% compared to Q1 2022.
  • Equipment revenue of $24.8 million increased 41% compared to Q2 2021 and 12% compared to Q1 2022.
• Total ATG aircraft online (“AOL”) reached 6,654, an increase of 10% compared to Q2 2021 and 2% compared to Q1 2022.
  • Total AVANCE units online grew to 2,893, an increase of 40% compared to Q2 2021 and 7% compared to Q1 2022. AVANCE units comprised more than 43% of total AOL as of June 30, 2022, up from 34% as of June 30, 2021.

• Average Monthly Revenue per ATG aircraft online (“ARPU”) of $3,328 increased 1% compared to Q2 2021 and was flat versus Q1 2022.
• Net income from continuing operations increased to $22.0 million compared to a net loss from continuing operations of $66.4 million in Q2 2021, primarily due to a loss on extinguishment of debt and settlement of convertible notes of $79.6 million recorded in Q2 2021.
  • Basic earnings per share from continuing operations in Q2 2022 was $0.18. Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations was $0.17.
• Adjusted EBITDA⁽¹⁾ of $41.2 million, which includes $1.2 million of expenses related to Global Broadband, increased 12% compared to Q2 2021 and decreased 4% compared to Q1 2022.
• Cash provided by operating activities from continuing operations of $26.4 million in Q2 2022 increased from cash used in operating activities of $15.0 million in the prior year period primarily due to the timing of interest payments.
  • Free Cash Flow⁽¹⁾ was $15.5 million compared with negative $24.7 million in the prior year period due to the timing of interest payments partially offset by an increase in capital expenditures primarily tied to Gogo 5G.
  • Cash and cash equivalents totaled $164.0 million as of June 30, 2022 compared to $152.8 million as of March 31, 2022.

“Customer excitement is growing as we prepare for the launch of Gogo 5G, which will provide a 5-10x bandwidth improvement for current Gogo customers,” said Oakleigh Thorne, Chairman and CEO. “With the announcement of our Global Broadband initiative, we continue to leverage our AVANCE platform to provide an easy upgrade path for aircraft of all sizes to further boost performance and expand our addressable market.”

“The strength of the BA market combined with solid execution drove record performance in the quarter, positioning us well for continuing revenue and Free Cash Flow growth,” said Barry Rowan, Gogo’s Executive Vice President and CFO. “Based on our continuing strong performance we are raising several key elements of our guidance, including 2022 revenue; 2022 Adjusted EBITDA at the high end of our range in spite of $9 million in strategic investments and litigation expenses; and our long-term revenue growth rate, based on the contribution from our Global Broadband initiative.”

The Company updates its guidance for 2022 as follows:

• Total revenue at the high end of the previously guided range of $390 million to $400 million.
• Adjusted EBITDA⁽¹⁾ at the high end of the previously guided range of $150 million to $160 million, which includes a combined $9 million of estimated litigation expenses and estimated operating expenses for Global Broadband, which were not reflected in the initial 2022 guidance range.
• Free Cash Flow⁽¹⁾ of $35 million to $45 million, which includes capital expenditures of approximately $65 million of which approximately $50 million are tied to Gogo 5G (no change to prior guidance).

The Company updates its long-term targets as follows:

• Revenue growth at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 17% from 2021 through 2026, with Global Broadband contributing to revenue beginning in 2025 (versus prior target of approximately 15% which excluded Global Broadband).
• Annual Adjusted EBITDA Margin⁽¹⁾ approaching 50% in 2026, up from the low 40%’s in 2022 and 2023 (no change to prior target).
• Free Cash Flow⁽¹⁾ of approximately $110 million in 2023, reflecting $10 million of operating expenses tied to Global Broadband, and an aggregate $5 million of additional interest expense and legal expenses tied to the SmartSky litigation that were not included in the previously announced Free Cash Flow target of $125 million. The Company reiterates its target for Free Cash Flow of over $200 million beginning in 2025.

Free Cash Flow and Adjusted EBITDA in 2022 and 2023 do not reflect the potential impact of Gogo 5G timing.

The Company’s 2022 financial guidance and long-term targets include Global Broadband but do not reflect the impact of other new strategic investments or the Federal Communications Commission’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program, as the Company awaits further information regarding whether Congress will appropriate additional funds for eligible expenditures under the Program.

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JetBlue Expands Transatlantic Service with Highly Anticipated First Flight from Boston Landing at London Gatwick

JetBlue announced it has officially launched service from Boston’s Logan International Airport (BOS) to London’s Gatwick Airport (LGW). JetBlue’s daily nonstop service is part of the airline’s focus city strategy and its long-term transatlantic growth plans. London was the largest nonstop market not currently served by JetBlue from Boston and is among the most requested destinations from the airline’s large Boston customer base.

Last year, JetBlue launched its first-ever transatlantic service from New York-JFK to both Heathrow and Gatwick, London’s largest and busiest airports. The carrier plans to grow its transatlantic presence this year with new service from Boston Logan to London’s Heathrow Airport, launching September 20, 2022, and an additional Gatwick departure from New York starting October 29, 2022. Between JetBlue’s New York and Boston focus cities, the airline will offer five daily flights between the U.S. and the U.K. by October.

“Our London service from New York has been an incredible success and we are thrilled to finally bring this highly anticipated service to our Boston customers, a route that has long suffered from high fares by legacy carriers,” said Robin Hayes, chief executive officer, JetBlue. “As Boston’s largest carrier, adding this nonstop service to Gatwick will only make us more relevant in our New England focus city and introduce JetBlue to a largely unserved market.”

“We are excited to welcome JetBlue’s first transatlantic service from Boston to London Gatwick,” said Massport CEO, Lisa Wieland. “We thank JetBlue for their continued partnership, and we look forward to the additional travel opportunities this will generate for our passengers.”

“We are thrilled that JetBlue is launching nonstop service between London and Boston. Visitors from the United Kingdom represent our top overseas source market,” said Martha Sheridan, Greater Boston CVB President & CEO. “Rebuilding this segment will be critical to the overall recovery of our visitor economy. We share many historical and cultural bonds with the UK and are so excited that JetBlue is investing in this route, which will surely be a great success!”

“We are delighted to welcome the launch of JetBlue’s new service between Boston and London. Demand for travel to the UK has returned to pre-pandemic levels, and the additional connectivity from Boston, a vital US market, will make it even easier for Americans looking to book their next trip over. As we head into the beautiful Autumn season, whether visitors are returning or discovering the UK for the first time, now is the perfect time to explore another side of Britain, filled with buzzing cities, exciting outdoor adventures, and iconic landmarks with a modern twist,” said Paul Gauger, VisitBritain’s Senior Vice President for the Americas.

Get to Know Gatwick

Gatwick is the second busiest U.K. airport and JetBlue operates from the North Terminal, which has a range of passenger facilities, including a wide variety of shops and restaurants. Gatwick travelers benefit from a choice of convenient transport options including direct train links to Central London’s Victoria Station via the Gatwick Express and to stations across London via Thameslink and to Brighton and other South East coastal communities via Southern Railway.

JetBlue offers an enhanced airport experience at Gatwick with expedited security screening available to select JetBlue customers. The airline’s Even More® Speed option is now automatically included for Mint® customers, TrueBlue Mosaic® customers and Mosaic companions traveling on the same reservation, customers who have purchased a Blue Extra fare and for customers who have purchased an Even More Space seat. Applicable customers at Gatwick should follow signs for “Premium Security.”

“The addition of JetBlue’s Boston route is fantastic news for passengers and businesses across London and the south-east. Boston is not only a wonderful city to visit on holiday – playing a key role in American history – but is renowned as a thriving center for scientific research, innovation and technology. The wider state of Massachusetts is also a world leader in higher education, with Harvard University one of several top institutions,” said Jonathan Pollard, Chief Commercial Officer, Gatwick Airport. “With Gatwick’s direct train links to Cambridge – also known for its top university and as a hub for tech and bioscience industries – as well as more local businesses, this new connection will provide great opportunities for the whole region and beyond.”

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Canada Jetlines Change Launch Date

Canada Jetlines Operations Ltd. the new, all-Canadian, leisure airline, has announced a change to the date of inaugural flights out of Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to Winnipeg (YWG) and Moncton, New Brunswick (YQM).

The inaugural flights originally scheduled for August 15, 2022, have been tentatively rescheduled for August 29, 2022, subject to receipt of final licensing approval. Canada Jetlines is working closely with Transport Canada (“TC”) and Canadian Transportation Association, who are currently evaluating all completed documentation required for this application. The carrier looks forward to welcoming Canadian travellers before the end of the summer season.

“We’ve made the difficult decision to change our launch date as we continue to work with the regulatory authorities in Canada to secure our AOC,” shared Eddy Doyle, CEO of Canada Jetlines. “We greatly appreciate the effort and diligence that TC goes through to approve new airlines and remain optimistic throughout the process. We will continue to build strategic partnerships with destinations, travel agencies, and airports as we build out our five-year strategy.”

Canada Jetlines will be offering launch special fares available for a limited time for flights out of its travel hub at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to domestic destinations Moncton, NB (YQM) and Winnipeg, MB (YWG). To book ticket reservations or vacation packages, visit Jetlines.com and plan with your preferred travel agent. Follow Canada Jetlines on all social media platforms and follow #CanadaJetlines for the latest news and updates.

Tickets are being sold pursuant to an exemption from the application of section 59 of the Canada Transportation Act. This exemption allows Canada Jetlines to sell tickets for air travel prior to issuance of its license. Canada Jetlines air service is subject to the Canadian Transportation Agency’s approval, and all prospective passengers will be informed, before a reservation is made or a ticket is issued, that the air service is subject to the Canadian Transportation Agency’s approval.

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Breeze Airways

Breeze Airways, the Seriously Nice™ new U.S. low-fare airline founded by aviation entrepreneur David Neeleman, has been ranked second of the 10 best U.S. domestic airlines in 2021, according to Travel + Leisure readers.

Every year Travel + Leisure hosts its World’s Best Awards survey that is distributed amongst its readers. The survey asks readers to share their insights from their travels, voicing thoughts on resorts, hotels, cruise ships, cities, and more.

In the airlines category, readers ranked their top choices based on cabin comfort, in-flight service, food, customer service, and value. T+L readers noted Breeze’s affordability, spacious legroom, nice flight crew, and easy online booking system.

“We started service around Memorial Day last year, only operating for seven months of 2021,” said David Neeleman, Breeze Airways Chairman and CEO. “To be named among the likes of Hawaiian, JetBlue, Delta, and Alaska on a list of the top U.S. domestic airlines in 2021 is a huge honor and a testament to the hard work our Team Members are putting in daily. Together, we’re building a Seriously Nice™ airline, by making travel for our Guests easy, affordable, and flexible. This recognition shows we’re on the right track…and we’re just getting started!”

The list, which is usually comprised of five airlines, was expanded to 10 this year due to the growing number of U.S. domestic airline carriers. Breeze was No. 2, coming in just behind Hawaiian Airlines. Following Breeze was JetBlue at No. 3, Alaska Airlines at No. 4, and Delta Airlines at No. 5.

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MAX Vision

Levarti, part of TA Connections, a FLEETCOR Company, announced today that its MAX Vision Disruption Management software is now live at HK Express. HK Express, the Hong Kong-based low-cost carrier, launched Levarti’s MAX Vision software recently to improve passenger communication, support an enhanced passenger experience and reduce the time and cost of managing flight disruptions. With an emphasis on user-friendly design, Levarti’s self-service portal now allows HK Express passengers to virtually self-manage any disruption event from their own devices, saving passengers valuable time whilst still providing them with great rebooking options.

MAX Vision’s software facilitates HK Express to manage all disruption needs from a single platform. Seamlessly integrated into HK Express’s PSS and flight operations systems, MAX Vision software provides end-to-end logistics management, supports smarter, faster decision making and improved service for passengers.

“In a period of constant operational change for the airline industry due COVID, it’s so important to have the right tools in place,” said Anthony Murray, Levarti CEO. “And our MAX Vision suite supports the HK Express goals of improved communication and enhanced service to passengers even during a flight disruption.”

“At HK Express, we are dedicated to bring in innovations to deliver a quality, affordable and seamless experience to our customers. Our partnership with Levarti will bring additional values to our customers and us,” said Mandy Ng, CEO of HK Express. “Incorporating Levarti’s technology will elevate our customer experience while ensuring we continue to deliver smooth journeys with our value for money offers.”

“Levarti is honored to be a part of HK Express’ digital ecosystem enabling passengers to self-serve their journey changes in addition to supporting HK Express’ drive to improve their passenger experience,” said Murray. “Eliminating unnecessary costs without cutting corners to offer the best services is one of the vital missions of an LCC, and Levarti’s role in managing disruptions effectively and at a much lower cost supports this purpose. Dealing with disruption events can be an expensive proposition for airlines, and they may incur tangible and intangible costs. Our MAX software helps HK Express mitigate both types of cost exposures so they can continue to offer affordable choice and deliver an outstanding and flexible service to travelers.”

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Boeing

The Boeing Company announced major program deliveries across its commercial and defense operations for the second quarter of 2022.

The company will provide detailed second quarter financial results on July 27. Major program deliveries during the second quarter were as follows:

And More Boeing News:

Boeing will fly the newest and largest members of its 737 MAX and 777X airplane families at the Farnborough International Airshow this month and present new tools in the push toward more sustainable and autonomous flight.

The 737-10, making its international debut, will join the 777-9 in the daily flying and static display. The airplanes, each one the most fuel-efficient in its class, will fly to the show on a blend of sustainable aviation fuel, which Boeing sees as a major lever for further reducing carbon emissions. The company also will unveil a modeling tool that will provide actionable insights on strategies the aviation industry can use to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

Another decarbonization strategy is electric propulsion and Boeing’s joint venture Wisk Aero will make the European debut of its all-electric vertical-takeoff-landing (eVTOL) air taxi. The “Cora” development vehicle is pilotless, helping to advance autonomous capabilities in aviation. Boeing will highlight other autonomous capabilities at the show, including its MQ-25 uncrewed aerial refueler and Airpower Teaming System (ATS).

“In the four years since the last Farnborough Airshow, the world has seen the critical social and economic role that aerospace and defense plays. We are excited to reconnect with our colleagues at Farnborough as we address together the need for a more sustainable future and take concrete steps to enable innovation and clean technology,” said Sir Michael Arthur, president of Boeing International. “We look forward to sharing the progress we are making.”

Below are some of Boeing’s highlights scheduled for the airshow starting on July 18, 2022.

Commercial Airplanes
The 737-10 will be on the show grounds July 18-21. The largest member of the 737 MAX family will provide operators with more capacity, greater fuel efficiency and the best per-seat economics of any single-aisle airplane. The 737 MAX family, which has received more than 3,300 net orders, leverages advanced aerodynamic design and highly-efficient engines to reduce fuel use and emissions 20% and the noise footprint 50% compared to airplanes they replace.

The 777-9, which is the world’s largest and most efficient twin-engine jet, will be at the airshow July 18-20. Based on the most successful twin-aisle airplane – the 777 – and advanced technologies from the 787 Dreamliner family, the 777-9 will deliver 10% better fuel use, emissions and operating costs than the competition. The 777X family has more than 340 orders from leading operators around the world.

Defense, Space & Security
Boeing’s exhibit will highlight its highly capable military helicopters, including the CH-47 Chinook and AH-64 Apache, and mobility and surveillance aircraft such as the P-8A Poseidon, E-7 Wedgetail and KC-46A Pegasus.

Boeing also will display some of its newest, most digitally-advanced programs, including the T-7A Red Hawk trainer and ATS. In addition, the U.S. Department of Defense corral is expected to display the FA-18E/F, F-15E, P-8A, AH-64E and CH-47F.

Global Services
Boeing will highlight its customer-centric services business that is focused on keeping the world’s fleet flying safely, efficiently and sustainably by pairing OEM expertise with data-driven innovation. This includes showcasing parts, modifications, digital, sustainment, and training solutions offerings, as well as an expansive global supply chain, maintenance and logistics network.

Sustainability
Boeing will present its vision for a sustainable aerospace future that is grounded in collaboration, technical research, data and extensive testing of technologies including sustainable aviation fuel, hydrogen and electric power.

Autonomy
Boeing will highlight autonomous platforms such as MQ-25, ATS, and Wisk Aero’s Cora.

The company is building on decades of engineering experience to accelerate autonomous capabilities, which can enable sustainable and accessible modes of transportation as the world confronts a growing population and aging infrastructure. Boeing has made significant investments in California-based Wisk Aero, a leading Advanced Air Mobility company and developer of the first all-electric, self-flying air taxi in the U.S. Wisk’s configuration is an important differentiator within the eVTOL market as the independence of its lift and thrust rotors is expected to support simplicity and certification of the go-to-market vehicle.

Other
Boeing will release its 2022 Commercial Market Outlook (CMO) on July 17. The annual forecast builds on 60 years of analysis and insights into airline strategies, passenger demand and economic data, and is among the most accurate forecasts in aviation.

Throughout the airshow, Boeing leaders will discuss market opportunities, eVTOL, sustainability and other topics at media briefings. See boeing.com/Farnborough and follow @Boeing on Twitter for information about these and other activities. Sign up in Boeing’s Newsroom to receive company announcements and advisories.

The Boeing exhibit – Exhibit # A-U01, U23 – will feature an immersive theater display and the company’s aerospace and defense capabilities across the lifecycle.

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Airbus 2Q Deliveries

The net year to date delivery number of 295 reflects a reduction of 2 deliveries recorded in December 2021 (2 A350-900 AEROFLOT) for which a transfer was not possible due to international sanctions.

 

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Morgan Stanley

Airlines: 2Q22 Preview: From Sweet Spot to Goldilocks?
2Q22 could be the best earnings season for the Airlines in years (decades?) despite $4 jet fuel, which speaks volumes for the power of the demand recovery. However, the stocks are already pricing in an “inevitable” Fall recession. We think risk reward might be better than the market thinks.

2Q22 a tale of peak demand vs. peak inflation but demand wins? The mid quarter updates from virtually all the Airlines at conferences in June reinforced that the demand and yield strength that picked up after Presidents Day only strengthened, which helped offset jet fuel and CASMxF inflation. Several airlines are set to deliver double-digit EBIT margins in 2Q despite $4 jet fuel and double digit CASMxF inflation, which would have been unthinkable even 6 months ago. The engine of growth has been driven by demand and yields (running ~25% above 2019 levels) rising unabated (at least until our most recent mgmt conversations a few weeks ago). However, our consumer surveys are showing some cracks (see here, here, and here) and fears of a recession have robbed the stocks of performance (US airline stocks were ~flat from 4/1 through 5/4 and down ~24% from 5/4 through 6/30). We are sympathetic to the concerns and absolutely do not expect yields to be +25% forever. However, we believe the market pricing in a collapse in demand/pricing AND elevated jet fuel may be too bearish. We see a 2H/2023 scenario where demand is strong but not record breaking (aided by a relatively resilient high end consumer + pent up corporate/international demand), yields drop to “only” 10-15% above 2019 levels, capacity eases somewhat as pilots graduate from training schools and demand pressures ease and jet fuel offers some relief (maybe $4 goes to $3 as demand declines?). This could be a transition from our Sweet Spot thesis (demand/pricing being very hot and capacity being very cold/tight which created a sweet spot for margins, even if execution risk was high) to more of a Goldilocks thesis (where nothing is too hot or too cold and everything is just right, lowering execution risk). We believe the Airlines can still comfortably top consensus 2023 estimates (and definitely what is priced into the stocks today) in this scenario. We are leaving forward estimates relatively unchanged today as we believe there is enough dry powder in jet fuel’s decline to more than offset an expected decline in volumes/yield in the coming quarters. However, we will continue to closely monitor leading indicators for both datasets. All airlines have given us detailed guidance updates in early June which significantly de-risks the quarter in terms of numbers and means the focus again will be on the rising tide (and whether it has started to fall).

Below are some of the key themes that we are looking for during 2Q earnings season:

1. Forward booking curve / signs of demand destruction. We believe the hump of Airlines reports in late July should be late enough to provide an early read into the forward booking curve beyond Labor Day to confirm whether the seasonal drop in volumes is normal/seasonal/mild (bull case) or a collapse (bear case). Airlines opened their Fall bookings in early June and early reads have looked promising though they were too early to be definitive. We should have a definitive view during earnings.
2. Signs of pricing easing. Bears have been waiting for signs of a second derivative turn in pricing and we may get that with mgmt. teams unlikely to underwrite 25% Y/3 yield growth through 2H. Part of this is normal seasonality, part is lack of macro visibility. However, this outlook downgrade may as well be a “buy the news” event if rates are still up Y/3 (given the concerns priced into the stocks) through 2H. We also expect corporate and international to pick up in the Fall which should be a tailwind to price/mix.
3. Corporate update. The industry is counting on the last big leg up on corporate to come after Labor Day which should take the corporate recovery back to 2019 levels (from ~70-75% recovered today). This is supported by our latest Corporate travel survey (see here) which sees corporate travel spend rising into 2H22/2023. We believe a mild macro slowdown may actually be beneficial to corporate travel as companies hustle more to win business but a deeper recession could see budget cutbacks. We should get an update on the Fall corporate outlook on the 2Q calls. We will also be looking for an update on contract renewals which should reset some corporate contracts that may be grandfathered from pre-pandemic levels and renewed at much higher pricing.
4. Jet fuel offers cost relief? While nearly impossible to accurately forecast, recession fears have pulled oil below $100/barrel and jet fuel below $4/gal (today jet fuel is at ~$3.29/gal which is ~22% lower in some cases than when airlines last updated their 2Q guidance in early June). If this sustains or the decline continues, jet fuel could be a tailwind to 3Q guidance.
5. CASMxF update / service issues. Despite all the noise, the biggest headline of 2Q was likely the aggressive pull down of schedules into the summer as airlines struggled to keep service levels afloat. Cancellations were elevated at some point in the quarter for virtually every airline (though ALGT, which already guided down on this, and AAL are likely most at risk) and every airline slashed their flying schedules for 2H2Q22. We do not expect other airlines to warn/miss on this in 2Q but the market will be focused on whether this continues into the Fall, which will impact CASMxF guidance for the year. Again, we think a Goldilocks scenario should bring demand and supply more into balance.
6. Idiosyncratic updates. We are still in an environment where the market/macro dominates investor sentiment and earnings power but idiosyncratic catalysts also matter, including updates on LUV’s corporate traction, ALK’s revenue initiatives, Sunseeker update at ALGT and more.

 

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Other News

• If you are looking to get a better picture of the famous particle in the Higgs boson discovery, this article some 10 years later is pretty good! And no, this has little to do with aviation, but everything to do with physics and science!
  How physicists are probing the Higgs boson 10 years after its discovery | Science News

Air New Zealand & Safran

Air New Zealand unveiled its brand new cabin interior featuring its latest Business Premier seats, designed and manufactured with Safran Seats. They are due to enter in service in 2024 and retrofit their current 787-9 fleet to give passengers ‘the best sleep in the sky’.

Air New Zealand selected a concept to create a ‘home away from home’ experience. In co-creation with Safran Seats, this seat is specifically designed for 787 aircraft with no compromise, maximizing the available space in this aircraft type. They present two choices within the business premier cabin:

The Business Premier seat offers a comfortable and private nest for a blissful journey and tranquil sleep. If traveling with a companion, the middle row allows customers to open their nest and share their experience.

The herringbone configuration of the cabin creates an equal experience for all passengers and ensures a better sleep with the head of passengers being far from the aisle. A private environment for the passenger with high shells combined with adjustable aisle and center dividers contributes to a restful flight. Passengers have plenty of personal stowage areas that are certified for Taxi, Take- off and Landing (TTL) as well as multiple surfaces including an electrically assisted large single- piece meal table.

Over and above the many traditional features, this suite takes flight wireless charging and with an active backrest offering the passenger another way to manage their personal comfort, certified for variable TTL positions.

The Business Premier Luxe is made for the best sleep in the sky. Air New Zealand’s new offering is for customers looking for space and privacy. A luxury experience with all the features of Business Premier, but with a fully closing door and space for two people to dine.

This premium front row is offered across multiple Safran products in which the layout replaces the traditional front row monuments to provide the utmost privacy and space to the passenger whilst maintaining the same footprint. This also provides new and enhanced experiences such as welcoming a ‘buddy’ into your suite. For Air New Zealand, this increases the usable space for the passenger by 25%.

Air New Zealand Head of Aircraft Programs Kerry Reeves says, “We really encouraged Safran to think differently and push the boundaries with what we can do with the Business Premier seat to optimize the configuration and customer experience. Working virtually throughout Covid added another layer of complexity. Without being able to travel to the Safran site to validate our ideas and concepts, we paralleled the mock-up build both in New Zealand at our innovation lab and at Safran to ensure we had a common design interpretation and valid feedback on the engineering development of the layout and features.”

Vincent Mascré, CEO of Safran Seats, states: “We are pleased to provide Air New Zealand with a product that meets their needs to offer choice and a product dedicated to ultra-long haul flight. These seats are the fruit of incredible work between our companies and it will allow a better journey for all their passengers. The creation of this seat displays the remarkable capabilities between Air New Zealand and the experienced Safran Seats teams based in United Kingdom”.

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Astronics

Astronics Corporation (Nasdaq: ATRO), a leading provider of advanced technologies for global aerospace, defense, and other mission critical industries, announced today that it has expanded its CorePower® product portfolio and capabilities to address the needs of the emerging electric aircraft industry. The Company’s CorePower product line offers advanced flight-critical electrical power generation, conversion, distribution and control, primarily for smaller rotary and fixed wing aircraft in both commercial and military markets. Astronics has over 50 years of experience designing and manufacturing highly efficient and reliable aircraft electrical power solutions. The aerospace industry today is making significant investments in More Electric Aircraft (MEA) architectures, including specifically electric propulsion and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. These new aircraft aim to reduce the carbon footprint and noise pollution associated with today’s aircraft, as well as enable new business models like urban air mobility (UAM) and cargo delivery. Significant investments are being made both by newcomers to the aerospace industry and established airframe OEMs. Astronics has expanded its CorePower product offerings to include a new line of high voltage power conversion products (950VDC to 28VDC) and high voltage/high current solid state switching devices, for both uni- and bi-directional power distribution, along with required load protection. These products are designed to meet stringent regulatory certification requirements, including dissimilar topologies to minimize common-cause failure modes. The new products complete a flexible, modular line of highvoltage DC power conversion and distribution capabilities required by the new aircraft, and do so with increased efficiency and lower weight, leading to aircraft benefits such as increased run time, longer ranges, and higher passenger or cargo loads. The Company has added intelligence to every element of the power system to meet industry demands for higher reliability, increased safety, and extended periods of sustained, no-maintenance operation. “Our Airborne Power and Control team has specialized in creating innovative and market leading Airframe Power solutions for small to medium sized rotorcraft and business jets – now with the advent of eVTOL and More Electric Aircraft, there are a number of new platforms that will benefit from our new CorePower high voltage products,” said Jon Neal, President of Astronics Advanced Electronic Systems. “Astronics is excited to be part of the evolution of aviation moving towards more sustainable and cleaner modes of transportation.”

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Boeing’s 2022 Sustainability Report

Boeing released its annual Sustainability Report, which further defines the company’s sustainability goals and includes key metrics to measure progress of core enterprise priorities. This includes employee safety and well-being; global aerospace safety; equity, diversity and inclusion; sustainable operations; innovation and clean technologies; and community engagement.

In addition, the report highlights the company’s 2021 sustainability achievements, its sustainable vision for the future of flight, and environmental, social and governance (ESG) efforts in alignment with global sustainability standards.

“We are honored to release our second sustainability report that builds on Boeing’s family of reports already released this year and shares how our collective ESG efforts are contributing to our business and world,” said Chief Sustainability Officer Chris Raymond. “The report is an important step in demonstrating our ambition to communicate transparently with all of our stakeholders, and in holding ourselves accountable as we protect, connect and explore our world – safely and sustainably.”

The report details Boeing’s environmental, social and governance milestones, including these highlights.

Environmental Stewardship

• Committed to delivering commercial airplanes capable of flying on 100% sustainable fuels by 2030.
• Supported the commercial aviation industry’s commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions for global civil aviation operations by 2050.
• Joined NASA and DARPA to successfully test a fully composite, linerless cryogenic fuel tank with capacity to hold 16,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen.
• Established multiple partnerships to help advance the renewable energy transition with partners including SkyNRG, Alaska Airlines, Etihad Airways, NASA, Rolls-Royce, and United Airlines. We also joined the First Movers Coalition and continue to make progress through our joint venture, Wisk.
• Maintained net-zero carbon emissions from manufacturing and facilities again in 2021 by expanding conservation and renewable electricity use while sourcing carefully selected carbon offsets for remaining emissions.

Social Progress

• Increased representation of women and racial/ethnic minorities and saw exit rates for women, men and teammates of all races within 1 point of each other, both improvements compared to 2020.
• Enhanced workplace safety using automation and robotics, reduced employee exposure to high hazards and reduced serious injuries by 27% in 2021.
• Spent greater than $4 billion with small and diverse suppliers and invested more than $187 million to help build better communities worldwide. Introduced Seek, Speak and Listen habits to create an inclusive culture, strengthen our global team and drive stronger business outcomes.
• Speak Up reporting channel enabled people to openly report safety, quality or compliance concerns, knowing their voice will be heard and appropriate action will be taken.

Transparent Governance

• Amended Governance & Public Policy Committee of the Board of Directors to include oversight of sustainability.
• Established the independent Chief Aerospace Safety Office to align critical safety functions under one organization.
• Incorporated product safety, employee safety and quality metrics into our primary annual incentive structures.

More information on these and other sustainability accomplishments can be found in the full report. Learn more about Boeing’s sustainability commitments, partnerships and efforts at https://www.boeing.com/principles/sustainability.

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Turkish Technic & Oman Air

Turkish Technic, a leading provider of technical services and solutions for commercial airlines and private jets, and the national airline of Oman, Oman Air, have signed a comprehensive ten-year component pool and advance exchange contract for the airline’s fleet of Boeing B737 Next Generation and Boeing 737 MAX family.

In accordance with the contract, Istanbul-based maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider, Turkish Technic, will provide component pool, component maintenance and advance exchange services for Oman Air’s Boeing B737 Next Generation and Boeing B737 MAX family fleet. This multi-year contract will enable Oman Air to benefit from Turkish Technic’s decades of experience in component maintenance.

Mikail Akbulut, the CEO of Turkish Technic, said:  ‘‘We are happy that Oman Air has decided to partner with us for component pool and exchange services. As a leading component service provider of more than 900 aircraft from all around the world, we will do our best to help ensure Oman Air continues to meet its customers’ expectations. With another milestone contract in our partnership, we look forward to supporting Oman Air’s fleet of Boeing B737 Next Generation and Boeing 737 MAX family.’’

Captain Nasser Ahmed Al Salmi, Chief Operating Officer of Oman Air, said: “We are pleased to entrust the leading trademark, Turkish Technic, with the maintenance of our aircraft. We put our confidence in the globally recognised services provided by Turkish Technic. The services to be provided by Turkish Technic were selected for being the ideal solutions for Oman Air Boeing B737 Next Generation and Boeing 737 MAX operations.”

Panasonic Avionics Re-Defines Airline Seatback Experience With New Astrova IFE Seat-End Solution

Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic Avionics) today unveiled the future of airline passenger engagement with the launch of its new in-flight entertainment (IFE) seat-end system, Astrova, by Panasonic Avionics.

Ken Sain, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation, said, “The launch of Astrova, by Panasonic Avionics, reflects a transformation in our business, how we develop our products, and how we engage with our customers. Astrova is the first in-flight entertainment solution to truly recognize the untapped potential of seatback IFE and provides airlines with a powerful and targeted way of engaging with their passengers every time they fly.”

Astrova, by Panasonic Avionics, demonstrates the company’s new approach to the market and its mindset in developing products and services to help airlines drive higher net promoter scores (NPS), enhance passenger engagement, increase revenue, and deliver operational efficiencies through IFE and connectivity. It leverages the latest consumer innovations to deliver unique passenger experiences that help carriers achieve their business goals. Several major airlines have selected Astrova, an innovative solution that also has the ability to provide easy, modular upgrades to in-cabin technology without full or costly interior changes.

An Enhanced Passenger Experience

On board Astrova-equipped aircraft, every passenger will immerse themselves in cinema-grade 4K OLED screens with High Dynamic Range (HDR) for the absolute best possible picture quality today. Passengers also will enjoy high fidelity audio through traditional wired connections or via Panasonic Avionics’ award-winning Bluetooth technology. By seamlessly interfacing their personal devices to the IFE system, passengers can create a multi-screen, multi-purpose environment which they are accustomed to at home.

As an industry first, Astrova by Panasonic Avionics will provide dedicated 67W of USB-C power to fast-charge passenger devices including notebooks and laptops.

Panasonic Avionics’ newest IFE seat-end solution also features programmable LED lighting that enhances passenger experience and enables airlines to optimize the cabin environment. Airlines can easily change the lighting to complement various phases of flight like food and beverage service. They also have the option to let passengers customize the lighting experience to their own personal preferences.

Maximizing Value to Airlines

Astrova, by Panasonic Avionics, redefines the role of the seatback IFE and reinforces its position as the most valuable opportunity for airlines to engage with their passengers. Because the average flight today is five hours, in-seat IFE offers a much longer dwell time than airline apps and other marketing channels. Astrova has been designed to provide significantly more opportunities to immerse passengers in an airline’s brand experience for both single-aisle and twin-aisle aircraft.

The solution is a seamless blend of newly developed hardware, software, and enterprise solutions that revolutionize the in-flight entertainment experience. Astrova lets airlines optimize the seatback to their individual commercial objectives, transforming it into an easily configured, flexible channel that caters to the personal and business needs of passengers each time they board an aircraft.

It also will be augmented and enabled by Panasonic Avionics’ global in-flight connectivity services. This allows airlines to easily personalize passenger content to engage them on a deeper level by providing access to passengers’ personal subscription services and content such as Apple Music, Spotify, Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, and HBO Max.

Maximizing the Return on Investment

Astrova, by Panasonic Avionics, re-imagines the ownership experience by delivering a range of commercial and operational benefits to airlines. Operational expenditure has been reduced by its ability to deliver faster on-wing maintenance and future upgrades.

Sustainability Contribution

To help airlines meet their sustainability goals, Astrova offers significant weight savings compared to other seat-end architectures, which will help airlines reduce fuel burn to help meet the airline industry’s climate goals.

Designed with modularity, scalability, and flexibility in mind, Astrova addresses the needs of modern airlines operating in today’s fast-changing market. Key hardware and software components can evolve over time to meet changing market requirements and satisfy ever-increasing passenger expectations. For example, a removable peripheral bar gives airlines the ability to easily add, upgrade or remove features such as USB power, Bluetooth audio, and other options.

It is also designed to be backward compatible with other Panasonic Avionics systems such as eX1, eX3, and NEXT, enabling operational commonality in areas such as media loading, spares and repairs for some line replaceable units, and cabin crew operations.

Andy Masson, Vice President of Product & Portfolio Development at Panasonic Avionics Corporation, said, “Astrova, by Panasonic Avionics, not only redefines in-flight entertainment but does so using a modular architecture that enables airlines to tailor it to support their individual commercial needs. The engaging, immersive, and connected experience it creates for passengers is matched by an operational ease of ownership that makes Astrova a win-win for airlines.”

About Astrova, by Panasonic Avionics

The name is derived from a big idea – delivering in-flight experiences that are out of this world, that reach for the stars. Astro means “related to the stars” which conveys entertainment and flight. Strova is derived from “strive,” denoting our commitment and effort devoted to achieving amazing in-flight experiences for our customers and their passengers. Put together, Astrova represents the delivery of that commitment – the delivery of a reinvented flying experience.

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European Center Of Excellence For Advanced Air Mobility Created By Inmarsat With Generalitat De Catalunya

In a unique, world-first agreement between a company and a commercial airport, the regional Government of Catalonia (Generalitat de Catalunya) has joined with Inmarsat’s Velaris Partner Networkto transform Lleida-Alguaire Airport into a European center of excellence for advancing Air Traffic Management (ATM) and Uncrewed Traffic Management (UTM) innovation.

Situated approximately 5 miles (8 kilometres) from the city of Lleida, Lleida-Alguaire Airport is making its runway, full aerodrome and air traffic control services available to ground-breaking advanced air mobility research programs. With recent estimates anticipating 40 times more commercial uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) will be flying beyond visual line-of-sight by 2030 than commercial aircraft, Lleida stands to make a significant and positive contribution towards alleviating the air traffic capacity crunch.

With its new status as a center of excellence, the airport’s partnership with Inmarsat will drive investment and bring more businesses to the local economy of Lleida and the wider region by attracting the aeronautical industry to the area – leading to job creation in the region. As part of Inmarsat’s Velaris Partner Network, a consortium of partners will offer their research expertise to the hub, fostering international cooperation throughout Europe and beyond.

Designed and developed specifically for the commercial Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) sector, Inmarsat Velaris combines a reliable and totally scalable Command and Control (C2) service with transformative software and services from the Inmarsat Velaris Partners, made up of some of the biggest names in the industry.  

By bringing together research of ATM and UTM technologies, and integrating it with the aeronautical industry, regulators and local government, Inmarsat and Lleida-Alguaire Airport can deliver on their shared goal of bringing societal, environmental and commercial benefits of advanced air mobility to the region. 

Anthony Spouncer, Inmarsat’s Senior Director of UAVs and UTM, said: “Inmarsat’s partnership with the Government of Catalonia and Lledia-Alguaire Airport marks a significant step forward in the development and testing of advanced air mobility solutions. By focusing on unification of airspace, we want to turn concepts into tangible realities that have real-world benefits. There is no time to waste when it comes to bringing our airspace into the future. As our consortium grows, we hope to welcome more partners as we establish Lledia-Alguaire as a world-leading facility.” 

In a move from theory to practice, research conducted by Inmarsat and its partners will take place in instalments up to four times per year in the form of real-life, practical demonstrations, as opposed to theoretical whitepapers and academic study, and will have numerous real-world applications. The efforts made to transform tests and theories into fully-fledged technologies will help to alleviate the major issues facing the aviation industry, particularly the capacity crunch and the problem of fragmented airspace.

Jordi Candela, General Director Aeroports de Catalunya, added: “Lledia-Alguaire Airport’s new status as a centre of excellence for advanced air mobility will place it at the forefront of technological innovation within Catalonia, Europe, and the aeronautical industry. Being a part of Inmarsat’s Velaris Partner Network will ensure that the center can access a vast network of experts dedicated to a common goal: developing technology that will transform the future of both ATM and UTM. The expertise we’ll be able to benefit from, and develop ourselves, will be critical to the future of the aviation industry – and we look forward to making this a reality.”

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easyJet To Unlock Environmental, Operational Benefits As First Airline Partner For Iris Program From Inmarsat, ESA

easyJet has today been announced as the first airline partner of the ground-breaking Iris program by Inmarsat and the European Space Agency (ESA), which utilizes the latest generation of satellite technology to modernize air traffic management (ATM).

One of Europe’s leading airlines will play a central role in the Iris program, which enables real-time collaboration between pilots, air traffic controllers and airline operation centers using secure, high-bandwidth data links. This minimizes delays, saves fuel and reduces environmental impact for airlines, while also improving airspace usage to ease congestion and accommodate future growth.

Powered by Inmarsat’s award-winning SwiftBroadband-Safety (SB-S) connectivity platform, Iris enables new ATM functionalities such as trajectory-based operations that pinpoint aircraft in four dimensions (latitude, longitude, altitude and time), which will allow the airline to avoid holding patterns, calculate the shortest available routes and optimum altitudes, and benefit from continuous climb and descent pathways. The additional datalink capacity provided by SB-S will power a host of powerful onboard digital applications, such as AI flight profile optimizers and real-time weather applications.

With the support of leading Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), easyJet will evaluate Iris’ transformative capabilities on up to 11 Airbus A320neos, set to begin flying from November 2022.

This partnership is the culmination of years of work and over €50 million investment by ESA, Inmarsat and more than 30 partners to develop the Iris program. It also supports easyJet’s commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 as part of the UN-backed ‘Race to Zero’ campaign, with an interim target of a 35% carbon emissions intensity improvement by 2035.

Philippe Carette, President of Inmarsat Aviation, said “The Iris program from Inmarsat and ESA is a game-changer and we are delighted to have easyJet as our first airline partner. This is not only because of its pioneering commitment to innovation and reducing aviation’s environmental impact, but also because this kick-starts an exciting new era that will help make aviation greener and reduce congestion delays for passengers.”

Hugh McConnellogue, easyJet’s Director of Airport Operations and Navigation, said “Iris is paving the way for more efficient air traffic management, which is a crucial step forward for the aviation industry. The program brings multiple benefits, from helping us to achieve our environmental goals by further reducing our carbon emissions, to providing a better experience for our passengers. We’re excited to be leading in this space, setting the standard for the industry and hope to see more airlines follow suit.”

Elodie Viau, Director of Telecommunications and Integrated Applications at ESA, said: “This innovation has been an enormous undertaking by ESA, Inmarsat and more than 30 other companies within the space and aviation industry, so to see it finally ‘take to the skies’ in a live operational environment is very exciting. European airspace is crying out for a solution to its capacity issues, and advanced satellite technology is the only way to set the industry up for a better – and greener – future.”

The easyJet Airbus A320neo aircraft have been linefitted with a Light Cockpit Satcom (LCS) solution powered by terminal manufacturer Cobham, which is integrated fully with the Flight Operations & Maintenance Exchanger (FOMAX) developed by Collins and Airbus.

Iris will enter commercial and operational service fully in Europe next year, supporting the Single European Sky’s ATM Research (SESAR) masterplan. It will be the first communication service to benefit from a Pan-European certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). 

Earlier this month, Inmarsat and ESA signed a new contract to globalize the program. Iris Global will focus on the technologies and certification required to share the fuel, CO2 and congestion-saving benefits of Iris with regions beyond Europe. To accelerate further ATM modernization, it will also adopt System Wide Information Management (SWIM) applications to facilitate greater sharing of information such as airport operational status, weather information, flight data and airspace restrictions status. Research on future capabilities for the integration of uncrewed aviation into European airspace will also be supported.

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Skyports Partners With SITA To Explore Technology For THe AAM Passenger Journey

Skyports, a best-in-class owner and operator of vertiport infrastructure for the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) industry, and SITA, an IT provider for the air transport industry, today announced a partnership that will see SITA provide its digital solutions at Skyports vertiport locations.

SITA technology will first be implemented at the Skyports Cergy-Pontoise vertiport testbed in Paris, planned for completion in September 2022 to demonstrate the full passenger journey, from arrival at the vertiport terminal to eVTOL aircraft departure. The partnership aims to highlight the ease with which passengers will be able to navigate the AAM ecosystem.

SITA will apply its expertise in airport technology to the emerging AAM industry to develop bespoke biometric and vertiport technology in line with Skyports’ vision for the passenger experience. The technology being developed through the partnership will be a fundamental component of the future passenger journey through a vertiport. It will demonstrate for the first time how customers will interact with the ecosystem.

Passenger autonomy, ease, and convenience are central to the success of the industry and the widespread adoption of AAM. Through the integration of SITA’s biometric solution Smart Path, electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft passengers traveling with Skyports will experience a seamless, technology-driven experience at all stages throughout the journey.

Passengers will be able to book and reserve flights on eVTOL aircraft via a mobile app powered by SITA’s biometric capabilities. Upon arrival at the Skyports vertiport, SITA face pods will be used to identify and verify passengers.

Duncan Walker, CEO of Skyports, said: “Advanced Air Mobility has presented an opportunity to reimagine the entire travel experience, from the vehicles we use and energy sources we rely on, right down to the way passengers book and check-in to flights. We are partnering with SITA to move into this next crucial stage in the planning and development of the AAM industry – defining the experience for end-users. Everything we do at Skyports is underpinned by the belief that there is a faster, smarter, more streamlined way to travel. Our work with SITA will demonstrate how that translates to the passenger journey.”

AAM aircraft will provide a cost-effective and quicker alternative to traditional rail or land transport links. Walker added: “However, to make AAM work, there needs to be a demonstrable benefit to the end-user. Hence the passenger experience is fundamental to our success.”

Much of the magic in streamlining the passenger journey occurs behind the scenes. SITA will provide an automated scheduling solution to support Skyports’ airside operations. So, once a passenger requests a booking, a flight slot will automatically be secured at both departure and destination, ensuring the aircraft is operationally ready and waiting when the passenger arrives. It will also ensure that all the resources needed to support that flight are in place to ensure an on-time departure.

Sergio Colella, President of Europe at SITA, said: “With Skyports, we have the potential to use existing airport technology to totally redesign the passenger journey, with a light-touch process using just your mobile or facial biometric to complete the various steps in the journey. Together we will also work with existing airports to support Advanced Air Mobility solutions in the future.”

Skyports will, in the coming months, begin passenger experience trials at its Cergy-Pontoise vertiport testbed facility, Europe’s first operational testing site for AAM, which is being developed in partnership with Groupe ADP. The implementation of SITA’s innovative technology will be a focal point of the testing.

Safran

Safran Seats reveals Euphony, an innovative passenger experience solution for Business and First class seats that provides passengers with a headset-free and high-quality individual sound experience. The solution, which will be revealed at the Aircraft Interiors Exhibition, has been developed in partnership with Devialet, an acoustic engineering company contributing with its world- class expertise and innovation to this joint effort.

With Euphony, each individual passenger can enjoy high quality sound in every position of the seat, enabling them to make the most of the entertainment content provided by the airline free from headsets and cables. With no more communication barriers with fellow travelers nor the cabin crew, Euphony enables a seamless on-board experience.

Euphony is made possible thanks to Devialet’s unique patented acoustic technologies and acoustic tuning expertise, coupled with Safran Seats invention which consists of two Devialet bespoke loudspeakers on each side of a standard sized headrest. Together, they provide the passenger with a high-fidelity sound that is clear and full-bodied. Euphony also enables the system to adjust in real- time to the audio content and the ambient cabin noise to offer an optimum listening experience without affecting other passengers on board.

Available across the Safran Seats Business class & First class product portfolio, Euphony is an intelligent solution that was selected by a first launch customer and will enter into service in 2023.

“Bringing Euphony to the market aligns with Safran’s vision to innovate and offer the best passenger experience. Our partnership with Devialet, a world leading acoustic company, brings one more option for our airline customers to customize their seat out of a wide range of options available across our full range of products ” Quentin Munier, Safran Seats EVP Strategy & Innovation.

Franck Lebouchard, CEO at Devialet says: “We are incredibly excited about our partnership with Safran Seats, bringing Devialet’s world-class technology to aircraft through this unique innovation. We believe great sound should be available at every moment, whether on the ground or in the sky, and with Safran Seats we are one step closer to that goal.”

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Panasonic Avionics

 Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic Avionics) has announced that it has joined forces with Adobe to advance the next generation of In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity (IFEC) through enhanced content delivery, data collection & activation, journey orchestration and experience intelligence services.

Adobe, the global leader in enterprise software, enabling businesses to create, manage and deliver personalized customer experiences and Panasonic Avionics, the global leader in IFEC solutions, bring together their respective capabilities to drive airline loyalty (NPS), ancillary revenue, and operational efficiencies.

Panasonic Avionics will integrate Adobe Experience Cloud’s content delivery, data, journey orchestration and experience intelligence capabilities into its onboard IFEC systems to ease the distribution of content for in-flight services while generating and activating on data from passengers’ real-time onboard services, transactions, and in-trip experiences.

Airlines will gain behavioral insights from customers’ IFEC interactions to accelerate service and enhance loyalty while connecting the in-flight experience throughout each passenger’s journey.

Personalization and targeted services have long defined the value of web and mobile experiences and have been hailed as the next frontier in IFEC to accelerate the customer experience. Panasonic Avionics and Adobe share the vision that airlines can drive more value out of IFEC by using data driven services to drive new revenue opportunities and increase airline NPS through service recovery.

The new partnership between Adobe and Panasonic Avionics transforms this process by offering pre-integrated functionality, using new and existing airline web and mobile assets, that can be deployed quickly and securely into IFEC services. Airlines will benefit from data updates in real time and, by utilizing AI-driven insights, can deliver and activate the right passenger experience across every channel.

Andrew Mohr, Vice President, Digital Solutions of Panasonic Avionics, said, “The cabin experience offers enormous untapped potential to deliver new value to airlines and their passengers through IFEC. We are delighted to provide this latest evolution in the digital onboard experience. Pre-integrating Adobe’s services will provide valuable and insightful data to airlines so they can further improve the in-flight experience for their customers.”

Julie Hoffmann, Global Head of Industry Strategy for Travel at Adobe, said, “At Adobe, we help travel brands to personalize and scale digital experiences. Working with Panasonic Avionics, Adobe Experience Cloud transforms all airline passenger data to create actionable customer profiles, whilst ensuring privacy is respected and data is securely stored.

Together with Panasonic Avionics, we are unlocking the value of data for airline teams, accelerating personalized experiences and services in-flight, that passengers now expect.”

The capability will include Panasonic Avionics’ recently introduced modular interactive capability, which will enable the ability to leverage existing airline digital assets and workflows and harmonize digital initiatives across all airline channels – web, mobile and IFEC.

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Burrana

Burrana announces that it has obtained Airbus’ approval to market its RISE In-Seat Power solution to multiple airlines on the A320 family of aircraft, following successful completion of the Airbus acceptance test in Hamburg. RISE Power will now be available for factory installation for aircraft deliveries starting in Q2 2023.

Burrana has also secured an unidentified launch customer on the A320 and A321 aircraft types. Under the contract, Burrana will supply more than fifty aircraft with 3 Amp (15W) USB-A and -C combo jacks at every seat, as well as 110 VAC Power outlets in premium economy.

The solution is a simple installation architecture with minimal components, consisting of a small, lightweight housing either double USB jacks or 110V plus USB outlets, compact seat power boxes, and harnesses. Burrana will also provide product support and manage spares globally.

The solution offers an innovative approach without compromising on space, weight, ergonomics and aesthetics. It provides airlines with the fastest USB charging in the industry with 15W (3 Amp) charging via both USB-A and USB-C ports. The system can also be upgraded to 60W USB-C ports by simply swapping out the jacks.

The RISE 48VDC architecture provides greater reliability with reduced size, weight, and CO2 emissions. Intelligent power-sharing distribution and load shed management ensures greater utilization and efficiency of available power in the cabin, with multiple levels of redundancy bringing passengers facing failures to almost zero. RISE Power also makes maintenance and future fleet planning easy with feature-rich usage data reporting on passenger behaviour and system performance.

Burrana CEO Graham Macdonald, said, “This linefit collaboration with Airbus for RISE in-seat power is a significant milestone for Burrana as we continue to deliver brand-enhancing cabin technology solutions to airlines. Once fully installed, thousands of passengers will be powering their devices with our In-seat Power solution at any one time,” Macdonald explained.

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OneWeb

The OneWeb Connected Passenger Report, the first of its kind since the pandemic, was commissioned to feed the airline industry’s understanding of what airline passengers demand from their in-flight connectivity (IFC) experience and to explore how expectations meet or contrast with what they have experienced while flying so far.

• Wellbeing and sustainability are more important to passengers than ever before.
• Lack of connectivity in the sky creates undue stress before the flight.
• Inconsistency of Wi-Fi service, inaccurate marketing, and usage restrictions among top frustrations.

OneWeb, the global space-based communications company, has today released initial findings from its first OneWeb Connected Passenger Report, an extensive survey of passenger attitudes toward air travel and inflight connectivity (IFC) in the post-pandemic landscape. To undertake the research, OneWeb partnered with leading independent international research agency, TAG Research, to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. The qualitative sample was collected in twenty-seven individual, hour-long interviews with frequent flyers across 5 key groups including corporate travel bookers, digital nomads, travel bloggers, and young frequent flyers. The qualitative data was obtained through a detailed survey completed by 4,110 individuals from across the US, UK, Singapore and the UAE.

Today, OneWeb shares with the airline industry a complimentary whitepaper featuring the key findings from the research. These timely findings clearly indicate a frustration with current connectivity solutions and provide a clear vision of what passengers really want from airlines post-COVID.

Post-pandemic, passengers prioritise quality of life more than ever before, and find frequent travel to be disruptive to their physical and emotional wellbeing. Current IFC services add to the stresses of travel for business and leisure passengers alike, and the survey highlights some of these top frustrations,  including:

• The prospect of Wi-Fi disconnection in the sky creates undue stress before the flight.
• 59% of passengers surveyed rating the current quality of IFC between ‘very poor’ to ‘moderate’ on a 7-point scale.
• Younger digital native passengers are less tolerant of current IFC and dismissive of its usability.
• 60% of passengers surveyed agree that the while the idea of accessing Wi-Fi in-flight is great, current connections aren’t reliable enough.

Ben Griffin, VP Mobility at OneWeb, commented: “OneWeb is proud to share the results of this survey with our colleagues across the industry, as we work together to better understand and address the needs and demands of modern air passengers. The Connected Passenger Report sheds light on the shifting sentiment of passengers who are demanding better and more consistent connectivity, while also prioritizing well-being and sustainability more than ever before. These insights are incredibly important as we look to build solutions and inflight experiences that cater to the digitally demanding and socially conscious passengers of tomorrow.”

Post-Pandemic Sustainability and Wellbeing Higher on Passenger Agenda

Lockdown’s empty skies sharpened the focus on sustainability, and lessons from lockdown include an amplified commitment to quality of life and wellbeing.

“Sustainability and wellness are very much part of the discussion. It may be that people travel less frequently but stay longer. Sustainability is a conversation that we are having with all our corporate customers” – (Corporate Travel Booker)

Lack of Connectivity in the Sky Causes Stress on the Ground

Being offline inflight induces stress and generates ‘extra work’ for passengers, both pre and post flight.

“I’m literally the last person turning [my data] off.  It does panic me because I just think “oh my God, I won’t be able to send another message”, or you’ll send one and you won’t get the reply.  That is quite stressful”

(Travel Blogger)

People Have Developed Coping Mechanisms to Mitigate Disconnection

Many passengers lament their lack of preparation and relay tales of panicky downloading as they linger at the gate.

“It is quite annoying.  I had to take a photo of every single page of my study book the other day so I could do my homework on the flight.  I had to do it really quickly before the flight”

(Young Frequent Flyer)

Current IFC is not relied upon – so many people do not even bother with it

In a finding sure to alarm the IFC industry, 7 out of 10 respondents claim they’ve never tried inflight Wi-Fi citing perceived unreliability, cost and pre-established coping mechanisms as their reason for not connecting. 43% of those who have call the experience frustrating. As a result, passengers are generally reluctant to abandon their coping mechanisms and continue to dedicate a significant amount of time and effort to preparing for disconnection during the flight.

Commenting on the results, Ben Griffin said “Despite the significant investment airlines are making in their IFC offering, it is clear the current in-flight connectivity experience is not consistently delivering on the needs of today’s connected passenger with a majority of passengers not even taking the time to connect. The flying public have spoken, and these results underscore a huge opportunity for airlines to improve their passengers experience, and loyalty by enhancing their IFC”.

Great Wi-Fi Onboard Can Contribute to a Sense of Well-Being

When passengers pause and think about their entire travel experience, the notion of being empowered to drop their coping mechanisms and free up time pre-and post-flight has tangible appeal. In the survey, 56% of passengers said they’d use better Wi-Fi to access entertainment of their choice, 48% said they’d feel happier keeping in touch with people on the ground, and 41% said they’d like to keep on top of work while flying.

Early Adopters of better Inflight Wi-Fi Stand to Gain from Improving Travel Wellness

Passengers were adamant that airlines which provide consistently high-quality IFC will stand apart from the competition and inspire loyalty.

“It would almost definitely impact our choice of airline. Good internet connectivity would be a game changer for us”

(Digital Nomad)

Commenting on the outcome of the study, Rachel Orgueil, Partner at TAG Research said:

“Our hypothesis at the outset of this project was that improved connectivity would be broadly welcomed by passengers and enhance their inflight experience.  Our research revealed the benefits of IFC are far more compelling and extensive, with the potential to positively impact the entire travel experience and passengers’ well-being. There is every indication that airlines will need to provide high quality IFC as a standardized part of their offer once it is available.”

Over the coming weeks and months, OneWeb will delve deeper into the data and sharing additional insights with the aviation sector.

Methodology:

Quantitative data was collected in a survey completed by 4,110 individuals from across the US, UK, Singapore and the UAE. Research took place between February and March 2022. The qualitative research was collected through interviews with frequent flyers across five topics (including digital nomads, travel bloggers, journalists, corporate travel bookers and young frequent flyers).

See the OneWeb Connected Passenger Report here:

https://go.oneweb.net/aviation/passenger_survey

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CarlisleIT

Carlisle Interconnect Technologies (CarlisleIT), a division of Carlisle Companies (CSL), is featuring new satellite communications products for commercial aviation at the AIX 2022 show in Hamburg, Germany, including the Ka1717 Adapter Plate, Skirt, Radome and ThinKom’s proprietary VICTS antennas in partnership with ThinKom, and the Integrated Adapter Plate and Thermal Management System in partnership with Gilat Satellite Networks. CarlisleIT will be present throughout the show at stand number 4B40.

The Ka1717 platform is geared toward regional jets, single aisle, and VVIP aircraft to enable connectivity for passengers and support high-bandwidth services such as streaming, collaboration tools, messaging platforms, and social media. It features a low-profile radome for reduced drag as well as a new, simplified adapter plate design, all to significantly reduce weight, operational costs and initial investment for operators. CarlisleIT provides installation design, certification services, and kit manufacturing to support the integration of the system equipment provided by ThinKom.

“This antenna addresses performance limitations that do not meet today’s connectivity requirements, especially for regional jets,” said Chris Rawley, product line manager for aircraft connectivity solutions at CarlisleIT. “We are investing in a Satcom installation package for what we believe is an underserved market, and we are bringing high-bandwidth connectivity to fleets that are currently limited to low-performing air-to-ground (ATG) systems.”

CarlisleIT’s Integrated Adapter Plate and Thermal Management System (TMS), is a custom installation package design which accommodates fully-functional ESAs developed and tested by Gilat Satellite Networks for use with multiple satellite constellations. The TMS can easily be scaled to interface with other Electronically Steered Array antennas and provides a low-profile, compact installation, supporting gate-to-gate SATCOM operability.

“The integration of the CarlisleIT thermal management system into the adapter plate structure combined with Gilat’s ESA terminal demonstrates a solution that fits on smaller aircraft with a compact antenna footprint, yet surpasses connectivity performance expectations,” said David Grice, business development manager at CarlisleIT. “With both installation packages, we are excited to demonstrate the power of partnering with companies creating the latest technologies, like ThinKom and Gilat, and integrating them into the ever-changing landscape as it develops.”

CarlisleIT’s vertical integration allows them to provide interconnect solutions encompassing every facet of design and production – from component manufacturing to fully-integrated engineered solutions – for a variety of product needs. CarlisleIT leads the market in aerospace SATCOM installation solutions, with over 2,500 installations delivered worldwide.

Visit the CarlisleIT booth at the show, or contact Chris Rawley at christopher.rawley@carlisleit.com or David Grice at david.grice@carlisleit.com for more information.

ASIP Tech Selected by Wizz Air for Free Inflight Connectivity

AS-IP Tech announced it has signed an agreement with Wizz Air (LSE: WIZZ) to provide connectivity on its fleet of A320 and A321 UK based aircraft.

In a world first, Wizz Air will integrate AS-IP Tech’s fflya Bluetooth platform into its mobile app and provide free messaging (SMS, Email and WhatsApp) to its passengers. It will be marketed as TEXT&FLY BY WIZZ.

ASIP Tech President Ron Chapman said “Following months of successful flight testing, we are delighted to be selected by Wizz Air pioneering our new generation of inflight connectivity.  We look forward to working with WIZZ and building on our unique messaging technology that provides the foundation for enhanced services including, inflight live payment, real-time telemetry and E Commerce.”

Marion Geoffroy, Managing Director at Wizz Air UK, said “At Wizz Air, we are always looking to enhance the customer experience, which is why we are delighted to now offer our customers free connectivity for messaging onboard our UK flights. TEXT&FLY BY WIZZ underlines our commitment to enhancing our digital offering and putting customer satisfaction first.”

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China Airlines Continues To Deploy FlightPath3D Fleet-Wide With New Second Screen 3D Technology

FlightPath3D, the global leader in moving map innovation and technology, announces that China airlines has deployed the first, full, 3D second screen on its A321neo inflight entertainment (IFE) system powered by Safran, using FlightPath3D’s ‘any device, any platform’ technology.

China Airlines is working towards integrating a single map experience across all its platforms.

China Airlines joins Air France, ANA, and Kuwait by offering passengers a consistent experience on its A321neo, A330-300 and B737-800 IFE with FlightPath3D’s technology.

In addition to the interactive moving map experience, FlightPath3D also offers a range of apps to create a seamless passenger experience. One of the most engaging is the whimsical kids map that lets children discover animals, oceans, countries, and other landmarks around their destination. The moving map and kids map are available in 3D, and can be added to an airline’s suite of IFE offerings to give travelers a totally immersive experience.

“China Airlines recognizes the second-screen experience is essential to captivate passengers and keep them engaged throughout their travel experience. Having a full, 3D map in your hand while watching a movie on your seatback is a game-changer for the passenger, and opens the doorway for innovative opportunities for the airline to reach its customers,” says FlightPath3D President Duncan Jackson.

“We’re excited to have the most advanced 3D map available on our seatback and mobile devices simultaneously on our A321neo,” says China Airlines VP, Corporate Development Office, Jeremy Chang. “FlightPath3D’s engaging moving map technology on our second screen, plus the flexibility to add the kids app on our IFE, shows FlightPath3D’s ability to work with us to drive our initiatives of providing the best inflight experience for all passengers.”

“Our ‘any device’ approach makes it possible to track and search flights, plan things to do, and drive revenue on any or all IFE platforms,” says Jackson.

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Astronics Announces Strategic Partnership with LG Display for OLED Technology in Aviation 

Astronics Corporation, a leading provider of advanced technologies for global aerospace, defense, and other mission critical industries, today announced a strategic partnership with LG Display to bring their industry leading OLED display technologies to the aviation marketplace. This relationship provides Astronics access to LG Display’s broad family of industry leading OLED displays as well as technical support for development and integration from LG Display engineering resources.

“Astronics and LG Display have successfully collaborated to develop and deliver over 100 aviation qualified 4k OLED products. Given our early success, we are advancing our partnership with LG Display, and expect to continue to leverage our combined capabilities to develop and launch new products for the aviation industry,” commented Taylor Prosba, Vice President & General Manager of Astronics Custom Control Concepts.

Patrick Park, LG Display Team Leader/US Large Display Sales Team, commented, “We are very excited to work with the Astronics team and continue to provide innovative OLED technologies to the avionics industry.”

Representatives from Astronics will be at Stand B41 during the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) from May 23-25, 2022. Featured will be a full product demonstration including the new 77 inch 4K OLED, the largest aircraft certified smart display on the market.

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Philippine Airlines Extends Support Contract for 777 and A320 Engines

Philippine Airlines (PAL) has signed an extension to its flight hour support contract with Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance for the GE90 engines powering its Boeing 777 fleet, as well for the CFM56-5B engines fitted on its Airbus A320 aircraft.

Following a successful restructuring process in 2021, the Philippine flag carrier has established a new fleet plan. AFI KLM E&M will support PAL with GE90 shop visits for as long as the 777 serves on the airline’s fleet. Cooperation is also extended on the CFM56-5B engines for PAL’s A320s serving domestic and regional routes.

Adaptiveness, in all weathers

It is during storms that you know how to recognize your real partners, those who understand you best. As an Airline-MRO, AFI KLM E&M knows perfectly what are the operator’s constraints and did its utmost to support Philippine Airlines. Throughout the pandemic, Philippine Airlines could rely on the Adaptiveness® mindset of AFI KLM E&M.  During PAL’s restructuring phase, AFI KLM E&M remained available and attentive as a service partner, in order to build the best response to the needs of the Philippine carrier. The signing of this engine contract extension builds on that positive relationship.

Alvin Limqueco, SVP-Supply Chain Management at Philippine Airlines said: “We value the partnership we have with the AFI KLM E&M teams, who have been a loyal ally throughout the uncertainty of the last two years.  PAL and AFI KLM E&M have kept strong communication lines during the pandemic, and we look forward to continuing our robust ties as they continue to support our fleet requirements in the future through this extended agreement”.

Pierre Teboul, SVP Commercial AFI KLM E&M, added: “We are pleased and proud to have found a long-term partner in PAL. Since the beginning of our cooperation on the GE90 engine, we have put all our expertise at their disposal and ensured continuity of service. We have come out of this period stronger and our relationship of trust has been consolidated”.

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Airbus Extends Satellite Based Landing System (SLS) Capability to A320 Family

Airbus has delivered the first Airbus A320neo equipped with the latest Satellite Based Landing System (SLS) technology to long standing customer easyJet. SLS enables pilots to perform ‘straight-in’ approaches using satellite precision when coming into land at airports, without the need for additional ground-based systems such as *ILS, even in low-visibility conditions, while saving fuel and reducing emissions.

SLS first entered service in Europe with the A350 in 2015 after Airbus had successfully pioneered its development and introduction for *CAT1 approaches with support of the EU Agency for the Space Program (EUSPA) – formerly known as the GSA – and the European Commission. An SLS function is also available on A220 and A330 aircraft families and in progress for the A380.

“By using SLS, airlines benefit from improved operational capabilities and operational efficiency,” says Philippe Mhun, Airbus Head of Programs and Services. “We are very pleased to offer this new Air Traffic Management capability now on the A320 Family, which demonstrates how Airbus is keeping its aircraft at the cutting-edge of technology.” He adds: “The introduction of satellite-based technologies highlights the benefit of Airbus’ cross-divisional collaboration. With Airbus Defense and Space being one of the world leaders in satellite technology, we take advantage of this expertise and apply it to commercial aviation. We are grateful for the excellent support provided by the EUSPA and the European Commission.”

Airbus is also developing the new generation of EGNOS, the European Satellite Based Augmentation System. “Airbus is engaged and committed to the delivery of the next version of the program by 2027,” stated François Gaullier, Head of Telecom and Navigation at Airbus Defense and Space. “SLS users will seamlessly benefit from the increase in performance as the service becomes available at additional European destinations.”

David Morgan, Director of Flight Operations, easyJet, said: “We are excited about this latest technological development as it represents another step towards further improvement of the efficiency of our operations while helping us to reduce fuel usage and therefore tackle our carbon emissions.  “We believe that modernizing the aviation sector is a crucial goal requiring the joint and coordinated effort of the entire industry. We are committed to support the development of new technologies, together with our partners across the industry, allowing us to operate in the most efficient and technologically-advanced way possible for the safety of our customers and the protection of our planet.”

The A320neo Family incorporates new generation engines and Sharklets, which together deliver at least 20 percent fuel and CO2 savings, as well as a 50 percent noise footprint reduction. At the end of April 2022 the A320neo Family had received more than 8,000 orders from around 130 customers. Since its entry into service six years ago, Airbus has delivered over 2,200 A320neo Family aircraft contributing to 15 million tons of CO2 saving versus the previous generation aircraft which they replace.

 

 

(Today’s image is from China Airlines’ boarding video)

STELLAR ENTERTAINMENT

IFE content specialists Stellar Entertainment recently collaborated with China Airlines to produce a customized boarding video to warmly welcome passengers onboard in a unique way. The video, which rolled out across the fleet in the first quarter of 2022, conveys the airline’s brand, values and message via soothing music and alluring visuals that resonate the beauty of Taiwan.

In addition to decades of experience curating, acquiring and delivering a broad range of IFE content for airline clients, Stellar Entertainment also has a reputation for creating engaging bespoke content, especially original boarding music. Through its studio production arm, the creative team worked closely with China Airlines to deliver a captivating boarding video encompassing five thematic segments.

Stellar’s Creative Director Brad Power shares, “One of the challenges during this project relates to the video duration. At approximately 14 minutes, both the visual content and music had to take the passenger on a journey. The ebb and flow, and musical dynamics must all contribute to the outcome and leave the viewer with the desired mood and mindset.”

The process began by briefing Stellar’s in-house composer who came up with a musical direction that would guide the work of Stellar’s graphic designer and video editor. One of the unique aspects of the China Airlines boarding video is the usage of Stellar’s very own original music composition, tailored to align perfectly with the visuals and with the airline’s requirements.

Meanwhile, the images used throughout the video were sourced from stock libraries, but primarily licensed work from a freelance photographer specialising in time lapse footage of picturesque Taiwanese scenes. Great care and much time were invested to meticulously select over 80 images along with subsequent graphic text accompanying the visuals. “It certainly helps that in visually showcasing the beauty of Taiwan, we had a wonderful palette of images to choose from, ranging from natural landscapes, cityscapes, famous Taiwanese attractions, wildlife and more,” remarks Power. By using these existing high-quality images, Stellar was able to save on expenses and time spent shooting the footage on-location.

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INMARSAT

Inmarsat unveiled initial details of a major upgrade program that will increase the inflight broadband speeds offered by its Jet ConneX(JX) business aviation solution. Information about the ground-breaking program, titled JX Evolution, were announced for the first time at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in Switzerland.

JX Evolution will set an unprecedented new standard for business aviation inflight connectivity by leveraging Inmarsat’s global Ka-band satellite network, including enhanced capabilities from its highly advanced upcoming satellites, in addition to the latest terminal technology from partners.

Initial testing for the upcoming program has already demonstrated speeds in excess of 130 megabits per second (Mbps) using Inmarsat’s existing satellites. This will enable users to simultaneously connect even more devices and enjoy even the most data-hungry applications, such as high definition video, without interruption. As an example, it would take 23 seconds to download a high definition movie.

Speeds will further increase as a result of Inmarsat’s fully-funded technology roadmap, with seven satellite payloads being introduced to its Ka-band constellation, increasing the total number to 12. This includes two Inmarsat-6s, the most sophisticated commercial communications satellites ever built, which enter service next year. They will be followed by two payloads in highly elliptical orbit, enabling the world’s only commercial mobile broadband service for business jets flying in higher latitudes and across the Arctic, then three more satellites in geostationary orbit – adding further speed, capacity and resilience.

JX Evolution will also leverage the latest terminal advancements from Inmarsat’s partners, which are compatible with a wide range of business jets, using cutting-edge technology and lightweight designs to optimize performance, reduce costs and simplify the installation and maintenance processes.

Kai Tang, Inmarsat’s Head of Business Aviation, said “Inmarsat’s Jet ConneX is regarded as the gold standard of business aviation connectivity and its market leadership has only been reinforced following the pandemic, with soaring demand for inflight broadband that is fast, reliable and consistent across all flight routes. Inmarsat’s JX Evolution follows our ethos of building ahead of demand and the new service plans that will launch as part of this program will redefine the concept of premium connectivity.

“Speeds in excess of 130Mbps are exciting and customers can expect even higher numbers as we launch more advanced satellites in the coming years. Our fully funded technology roadmap will offer more than enough capacity to meet the needs of existing and future customers through to 2030 and beyond. We are especially excited about the second generation terminals that our partners are building to join the very successful JetWave terminal currently used for JX.”

JX Evolution will lead to a new range of service plans for JX, which first entered commercial service in November 2016 and has been activated on more than 1,150 aircraft to date. As the business aviation market’s leading inflight connectivity service, it offers the same level of reliable, consistent and high-speed broadband that was previously only available on the ground, supporting a wide range of online activities, such as video streaming, live television, video calls, large file transfers and VPN.

JX is the preferred linefit option of all major business jet manufacturers, including Gulfstream, Bombardier and Dassault. Type certificates and supplemental type certificates (STCs) for the service have been received from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) across all popular platforms, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and aftermarket maintenance repair and overhaul service providers (MROs).

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SEAMLESS AIR ALLIANCE

The Seamless Air Alliance, which continues to lead the development and implementation of Global Standards for Inflight Connectivity, today launched an Inflight Connectivity (IFC) Analysis Toolkit to help airlines adopt vetted, trusted metrics for measuring and comparing IFC Service Quality in RFPs and performance management conversations.

The IFC Analysis Toolkit provides a clear set of features and measurements to recognize and manage IFC Service Quality. Included in the toolkit are a suite of easy-to-use documents and a comprehensive Compliance Criteria Matrix that can be used by an airline to simplify the process of assembling an RFP, comparing responses, and opening discussions with both current and prospective suppliers.

Gordon Shelhon, Senior Technology Manager at American Airlines said, “The industry as a whole is making a huge leap forward by adopting the compliance criteria metrics defined in the Seamless Air Alliance IFC Analysis Toolkit. As a network engineer with decades of experience in wireless technology, I remember when connectivity at 500+ MPH was first introduced. At the time, connectivity was a new concept and airlines deployed these systems with little insight into the customer experience. SLA’s were limited to measurements for availability that only required a simple ping, which didn’t give the airline or supplier any insight into the customer experience. With the introduction of the Seamless Air Alliance IFC Analysis Toolkit, airlines adopting these standards will be better positioned to develop meaningful SLA’s with a focus on customer experience and metrics that truly reflect that experience.”

Commenting on the launch, Jack Mandala, Seamless Air Alliance Chief Executive Officer said that “Airlines looking for a new connectivity system can use the IFC Analysis Toolkit as a basis for building RFP criteria and comparing suppliers during the process. Airlines with existing providers, can use the toolkit to better understand the experience that passengers are having with their inflight connectivity system by ensuring they are tracking the right metrics. In both scenarios the winner is the airline passenger.”

The standardized measurements provided in the IFC Analysis Toolkit were built from the ground up based on years of knowledge and experience from airlines and experts across the industry. The Seamless Air Alliance believes that tracking these measures helps provide a true picture of the passengers’ experience that is otherwise lost in aggregate metrics.

The IFC Analysis Toolkit is available for no-charge to current Seamless Air Alliance Members and is available for purchase to non-members. Airlines that are not currently Seamless Air Alliance Members can join for free and gain access to the IFC Toolkit.

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DEUTSCHE TELEKOM & INMARSAT

Deutsche Telekom and Inmarsat have boosted the capacity of their award-winning European Aviation Network(EAN) inflight broadband solution by collaborating with Tampnet, a global leader in providing high capacity, low latency and reliable connectivity to offshore installations, mobile rigs and vessels.

The additional coverage follows the installation and maintenance of five EAN antenna sites on offshore production platforms in the North Sea. Two additional antenna sites are being placed in offshore wind farms within the coastal waters of Germany and the Netherlands (exclusive economic zones) and one more is already operational onshore in Norway. The new sites are located strategically to further enhance EAN’s high-speed passenger connectivity on flights in Northern Europe, including high-density flight routes between the UK, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway. They complement the 300 LTE-based ground network antenna sites already set up across Europe and will further strengthen EAN’s combined satellite and air-to-ground network performance.

The five sea-based antenna sites are co-located on the top of existing communication infrastructure on offshore production platforms and therefore benefit from Tampnet’s extensive fibre network in the area. The necessary equipment elements were brought in via helicopter in often challenging weather conditions and installed according to stringent security requirements on the offshore production platforms. All engineering and installation activities were conducted in close cooperation with the platform owners and operators.

Rolf Nafziger, Senior Vice President of Deutsche Telekom Global Carrier, said “With the installation of eight more antenna sites in and around the North Sea, we are proud to bring additional network capacity to an already exceptional connectivity service. The European Aviation Network gives European aviation a global advantage: Airlines get high speed and scalable connectivity with low operating costs and pan-European coverage. Passengers get a seamless service that is as good as a broadband connection on the ground.”

Philippe Carette, President of Inmarsat Aviation, said “The European Aviation Network is well established as the continent’s fastest inflight broadband solution, available to millions of passengers on short and medium haul flights with British Airways, Iberia, Vueling and AEGEAN. For airlines, it has played an important role in enhancing the onboard experience, unlocking new revenue opportunities and instilling greater confidence in air travel. This latest enhancement coincides with the third anniversary of the service being offered to passengers by our airline customers, with passenger usage at record highs following the pandemic.”

Elie Hanna, CEO of Tampnet said: “Tampnet is very proud to partner with Deutsche Telekom and Inmarsat on such an innovative project. Our extensive offshore network was the perfect fit for the EAN project. Installing and maintaining an LTE network offshore is very challenging and we were honoured to have the opportunity to extend our expertise and engage in such an innovative and significant project for Europe and the aviation industry. Going forward, Tampnet will support the project by delivering fibre backhaul and maintenance to the base stations providing additional coverage to the airspace above the North Sea. The fact that the network is fully supported by our subsea network ensures its scalability for future capacity needs.”

The network enhancement marks an exciting new development for EAN, which is the world’s first inflight broadband solution that combines dedicated satellite coverage with a complementary LTE-based ground network. Offering incomparable speeds, uninterrupted coverage and significantly lower latency than any other inflight Wi-Fi network in the continent, it allows passengers to seamlessly browse the internet, stream videos, check social media, enjoy real-time interactive applications such as gaming, and more.

Inmarsat and Deutsche Telekom recently celebrated the third anniversary of EAN being offered commercially by airline customers. To date, more than 55 million passengers have enjoyed access to the advanced, high-speed connectivity solution on over 440,000 flights across the continent. Its popularity reached new heights last year, with record usage as passengers returned to the skies. This aligns with Inmarsat’s latest Passenger Confidence Tracker, the largest global survey of its kind, which found that 41% of the 10,000 respondents believed inflight Wi-Fi had further increased in importance post pandemic.

Specifically designed to meet the needs of European aviation, EAN delivers the fastest speeds over one of the world’s most congested airspaces, plus the quickest installation times and easy scalability to meet growing future demand. It has now been activated on over 270 aircraft, including the entire British Airways short-haul fleet. These numbers will continue to grow in the coming years, as final roll-out progresses with Iberia and Vueling – both members of the International Airlines Group (IAG) alongside British Airways – in addition to all of Greek carrier AEGEAN’s existing and new Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft.

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SITA

The global mishandled baggage rate has spiked by 24% to 4.35 bags per thousand passengers in 2021 as the industry recovers from the pandemic, according to the SITA Baggage IT Insights 2022.

The report shows passenger traffic has evolved since 2020, with most of the 2021 recovery being driven by domestic travel, but the resumption of international and long-haul flights is contributing to an increase in mishandling.

Transfer bags continue to account for most mishandled bags. An increase in long-haul flights with connections in 2021 has pushed up the bags delayed at transfer to 41%, which is 4 points increase from 2020. The mishandling rate at the global level on international routes is 8.7, yet only 1.85 for domestic routes. Put differently, at a global level, the likelihood of mishandling a bag is about 4.7 times higher on international routes compared to domestic routes.

Delayed bags accounted for 71% of all mishandled bags in 2021 – a 2 points increase from 2020. At the same time, the number of lost and stolen bags increased slightly to 6%, while those damaged and pilfered decreased to 23%.

Airlines, ground handlers, and airports have downsized to maintain viability during the pandemic, which has impacted resources and expertise dedicated to baggage management. Unaddressed, this challenge may see the mishandling rate continue to creep up and become much higher than it was pre-pandemic.

David Lavorel, CEO, SITA, said: “The industry now needs to do more with less. As we emerge from the pandemic, our customers’ focus remains on safely managing the end-to-end transport of passengers’ baggage, but now they must also reduce the total cost and training required. There is significant pressure to increase operational efficiency, which is accelerating digitalization.”

In 2021 investment in self-service initiatives continued to increase. A large majority of airports and almost all airlines are prioritizing touchless bag tagging options that rely on kiosks and passengers’ mobile devices. Implementation of unassisted bag drop is increasing, with 90% of airlines and three-quarters of airports planning to make touchless unassisted self-bag drop available by 2024.

Digitalization also ensures that the recovery progresses efficiently, saving resources and ensuring operations can quickly adapt to fluctuating passenger numbers. There is no better way to ensure efficiency in baggage operations than to avoid mishandling in the first place, preventing the additional costs and resources required to repatriate bags to their owners.

“SITA has worked to refine its baggage portfolio to do just that, with the introduction of innovative solutions such as SITA WorldTracer Lost and Found Property, an artificial intelligence-enabled solution that solves a million-dollar headache for the air transport industry: how to quickly return items left behind on aircraft or in airports to their owners. Using cutting-edge technology such as computer vision, machine learning, and natural language processing, WorldTracer Lost and Found Property searches a global database of images and descriptions to match the found item to a missing item report.

“We will continue to collaborate and support the industry to reduce mishandled baggage rates while driving operational efficiencies and sustainable solutions when needed the most,” said Lavorel.

Download the SITA Baggage IT Insights 2022 report here.

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OTHER NEWS

• We want to point you toward Akins Laws of Spacecraft Design for some interesting philosophical views of reality decision making. Here is an example, number 12: “There is never a single right solution. There are always multiple wrong ones, though.” And yes, there are 45 more here : Akin’s Laws of Spacecraft Design

LUFTHANSA SELECTS PANASONIC AVIONICS

Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic Avionics) has been selected by Lufthansa to provide its NEXT in-flight entertainment (IFE) system and enhanced connectivity solutions for the carrier’s flagship Boeing 747-8 fleet.

Panasonic Avionics’ NEXT IFE system will be retrofitted on Lufthansa’s 19 Boeing 747-8s, with the first due to be rolled out in summer 2024.

This higher performance system will provide Lufthansa’s passengers with a superior, immersive cinematic experience using the latest 4K screen technology, with faster network speeds and higher storage capacity.

Business Class passengers will enjoy an enhanced IFE experience with up to 24-inch 4K screens, a large 10-inch additional control unit, high power USB–A / USB-C, AC power and wireless charging capabilities. Premium Economy Class passengers will experience an upgraded 16-inch 4K screen, with a 13-inch 4K screen for Economy Class passengers, both with high power USB-A and USB-C charging.

The companies also announced the renewal of connectivity services offered by Panasonic Avionics. Broadband connectivity, which is already installed on Lufthansa widebody aircraft, uses Panasonic Avionics’ global network of high-speed, high-bandwidth satellites to live up to the connectivity expectations of Lufthansa’s passengers. Mobile phone connectivity will also be upgraded to 4G speeds on Lufthansa’s 747-8 aircraft.

Ken Sain, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics, said, “We are delighted to be partnering once again with Lufthansa with this upgrade of the passenger experience on their flagship long-haul fleet. Introducing our NEXT Series and latest generation connectivity on board this world-class airline will help drive greater passenger loyalty and add value to their brand.”

Paul Estoppey, Head of Product Management Cabin at Lufthansa Group, said: “We are thrilled to be joining forces with Panasonic Avionics again. Our Boeing 747-8s are an integral part of our long-haul fleet, and we’re confident that this investment in Panasonic Avionics’ in-flight entertainment will be popular with our passengers.”

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TURKISH AIRLINES SELECTS ANUVU

Anuvu, a provider of high-speed connectivity and entertainment solutions for worldwide mobility markets, with its in-country partner Profen, announces the launch of commercial passenger inflight connectivity (IFC) service on Turkish Airlines’ Airbus A321 and Boeing B737NG narrow-body aircraft.  

Anuvu’s Airconnect Global Connectivity system for Turkish Airlines incorporates Turkish Technic servers and wireless access points, and Profen’s Turkiye-based terrestrial infrastructure to provide Turkish Airlines’ passengers a world-class uninterrupted (gate-to-gate) inflight connectivity experience. As part of the installation program, Anuvu obtained European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approval for three internally developed Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) for the installation of its Airconnect Global Ku IFC system onboard Airbus A321, Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737-900ER aircraft. As of May 16, the system has been implemented on 13 aircraft and it is planned to complete installations on 103 aircraft by Q2 2023.  

Prof. Ahmet Bolat, Turkish Airlines’ Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee, said “Our successful partnership with Anuvu, Profen and Turkish Technic has culminated in bringing our passengers the fastest and most reliable connectivity in the market. Accomplishing this great milestone through the challenges of COVID-19 is something of which the entire team is very proud. This launch of the commercial entry into service reaffirms our commitment to the partnership.”  

Mike Pigott, Anuvu’s Executive Vice President Connectivity said, “The joint effort between Anuvu, Profen, and our partners at Turkish Airlines and Turkish Technic is a testament to how high-performing teams can succeed and overcome obstacles. Through collaboration and partnership, we were able to bring together all necessary components—from network to infrastructure to hardware—to provide Turkish Airlines’ passengers with high-speed Wi-Fi.”  

Pigott continued, “We look forward to our continued work with Turkish Airlines, a leading airline in customer service maximizing passenger satisfaction, and Profen, a well-respected company who delivers innovative and high technology solutions to customers worldwide.” 

Onder Havuzlu, Profen’s Chief Executive Officer said, “Combining our national engineering experience with  Anuvu’s IFC expertise and Turkish Technic’s superior maintenance capabilities enables us to provide secure, high-quality data connectivity solutions for Turkish Airlines and the Turkish commercial aviation market. Our investment in local teleport facilities and terrestrial network infrastructure made the internet connectivity secure and reliable, while respecting the local regulations. We are excited to be the part of inflight connectivity service on Turkish Airlines’ narrow-body aircraft with Anuvu.”  

Anuvu’s Airconnect Global Ku solution is an affordable high-speed Internet connectivity product used by the most innovative airlines and installed on over 1,000 aircraft worldwide. The satellite-based solution enables an extensive entertainment experience for Turkish Airlines to enhance the passenger experience. For more information, visit www.anuvu.com.     

Profen teleports and internet hosting facilities provide full redundancy and optimal systems with active services based on Ka, Ku, C, S and X band. Profen customers can co-locate their equipment, avoiding large capital expenditures and benefiting from 24-hour monitoring and security, uninterrupted power, and maintaining full control of their network and remotes through dedicated and authorized access people.

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INMARSAT & HONEYWELL LAUNCH L-BAND IFEC SERVICE

Inmarsat and Honeywell are setting a new benchmark in satellite communications with the launch of SwiftJet, their latest inflight connectivity service for the business aviation industry. It will enter commercial service in the first half of 2023 and deliver the fastest ever speeds over L-band.

As one of the first new services to be introduced on Inmarsat’s ELERA satellite network, SwiftJet will offer seamless global coverage across flight routes with maximum speeds of 2.6Mbps, up to six times faster than Inmarsat’s existing business aviation connectivity solution over L-band. This will allow passengers to create a secure ‘office in the sky’ with enhanced capabilities for video calls, web browsing, email, texting, cloud-syncing and collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams. Social media and video applications such as TikTok and YouTube, which were previously challenging over L-band, will also be enabled.

As the latest addition to Inmarsat’s market-leading portfolio of business aviation inflight connectivity services, SwiftJet will be available alongside Jet ConneX (JX) and SwiftBroadband (SBB), which have been activated on thousands of jets worldwide. JX is the most popular and widely-adopted premium, high-speed solution available today, powered by a global constellation of Ka-band satellites. Additionally, SBB offers speeds of 432Kbps over L-band using smaller antennas that are suitable as a secondary system to JX or as primary connectivity for smaller or older aircraft.

SwiftJet uses advanced hardware from Inmarsat’s partner Honeywell, which can be equipped on a broad range of aircraft and also supports cockpit and safety services. Existing customers of Inmarsat’s SBB service will benefit from a natural upgrade path without needing to replace any externally-mounted aircraft equipment, while new customers will experience the same ease of installation as with any Inmarsat L-band terminal. The service also creates new opportunities in the smaller jet market, which have previously been restricted to basic voice or text connectivity that fails to meet the needs of modern day travelers. It is available to pre-order through Honeywell, with additional incentives in an early adopter campaign.

Inmarsat is launching the ground-breaking service at a critical time for the business aviation industry. Following a period of turbulence over the past two years due to the global pandemic, a recent survey by Inmarsat and Corporate Jet Investor (CJI) found that almost 80% of respondents around the world believe more frequent business aviation flights will be taken in the next year. Furthermore, a staggering 90% feel that online activities will dominate the principals’ time in the air, split between business and leisure.

Kai Tang, Inmarsat’s Head of Business Aviation, said: “Inmarsat prides itself on delivering services that meet the unique and fast-evolving requirements of our customers. As the market leader in business aviation connectivity, Inmarsat developed SwiftJet in response to customer and partner feedback for a faster, more advanced L-band offering. They essentially asked us to amplify L-band capabilities without losing its trademark characteristics of resilience, reliability and availability.

“I am proud to say that SwiftJet delivers all of this and more, unlocking exciting new capabilities in the aircraft cabin and allowing users to connect more devices, and enjoy faster connectivity speeds, whenever and wherever they fly. It comes at a time when business aviation travel is not only returning to pre-pandemic levels, but also experiencing unprecedented demand for inflight connectivity.”

Adam Sheppard, Honeywell Aerospace’s Director of Aircraft Connectivity, said: “SwiftJet represents the latest leap forward for inflight connectivity, combining Inmarsat’s commercial satellite capabilities and Honeywell’s connected aircraft expertise to provide scalable, high-speed satellite communications to passengers at 40,000 feet. With Inmarsat we have created a straightforward upgrade path for SwiftBroadband customers, giving them easy access to unprecedented internet speeds over L-band without having to change wiring or antenna hardware.”

Inmarsat’s ELERA global satellite network delivers the world’s most reliable and flexible global connectivity, with full redundancy and unique resilience in all conditions. ELERA capabilities are being further enhanced with the addition of two Inmarsat-6 satellites, the largest and most sophisticated commercial communications satellites ever built, both of which are scheduled to enter service next year and will support SwiftJet through the 2030s, reinforcing the service’s long-term value. The L-band capacity on each I-6 satellite will be substantially greater than Inmarsat’s 4th generation spacecraft, delivering 50% more capacity per beam in addition to unlimited beam routing flexibility.

The I-6 series of satellites will also play a crucial role in the ongoing growth of Inmarsat’s unique ORCHESTRA dynamic mesh network, which will bring existing geosynchronous (GEO) satellites together with low earth orbit satellites (LEO) and terrestrial 5G to form an integrated, high-performance solution, unmatched by any existing or planned competitor offering.

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ONEWEB PARTNERS WITH GOGO BUSINESS AVIATION

OneWeb, a global space-based communications company, has agreed a long-term distribution partnership agreement with Gogo Business Aviation, whereby the in-flight connectivity solutions provider will market and sell OneWeb’s high-speed, low latency inflight broadband services to business aviation users globally.

The agreement, OneWeb’s first announced Distribution Partner for the business aviation market, was signed at EBACE between Ben Griffin, Vice President Mobility at OneWeb and, Jim MacDougall Vice President, Product Management for Gogo. The partnership underlines the commitment OneWeb is making to bring high-speed, global connectivity to the entire aviation eco-system which includes business aviation users.

“We’re committed to developing and deploying a high-speed, consistent and global low-latency connectivity solution for the business aviation industry, that has been developed by the business aviation community. Leveraging the experience and expertise of world class partners such as Gogo is consistent with this approach,” said Griffin.

Through the milestone agreement, Gogo will help unleash the power of OneWeb’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation which will deliver a true ‘office in the sky’ broadband experience to business aviation operators and passengers.

OneWeb selected Gogo owing to its reputation, maturity in the market and deep business aviation heritage. Gogo Business Aviation has more than 4,500 narrowband satcom systems installed and flying worldwide, and is a factory option at every major business aircraft manufacturer.

“For more than 30 years, Gogo Business Aviation has been a driving force behind the technological innovations that have connected the skies,” MacDougall commented. “This agreement with OneWeb enables Gogo to continue to disrupt and innovate to bring our customers superior connectivity solutions while expanding our service to a global audience.”

With performance comparable with terrestrial broadband services, and game-changing latency of less than 100ms – up to 10 times faster than geostationary satellites (GEOs) – OneWeb plans to open a wealth of inflight connectivity (IFC) applications beyond onboard internet delivering an in-flight connectivity experience which like business – is always open.

Aiming to launch aviation services for business aviation in 2024, OneWeb will further enrich global connectivity, capable of delivering high-quality consistent user experiences, including Polar Region coverage, at a time when cabin connectivity is a top ranked priority for private jet buyers and commercial operators.

Passengers will be able to fully participate in necessary business operations such as multiple simultaneous uninterrupted live video conferences and the ability to access cloud solutions such as Office365. It also allows access to premium entertainment including Live TV, content-streaming applications such as Netflix and Amazon Video, as well as keeping in touch with family using FaceTime, WhatsApp, and other similar services.

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BAMBOO AIRWAYS SELECTS PANASONIC IFEC

Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic Avionics)  announced an agreement with Bamboo Airways to provide its industry-leading in-flight entertainment and connectivity systems (IFEC) for the Vietnamese airline’s widebody fleet.

Panasonic Avionics is installing its award-winning eX3 in-flight entertainment system on the airline’s Boeing 787-9 fleet, with the aircraft entering service on its intercontinental routes to Europe and Australia in recent weeks.

Passengers throughout each aircraft will enjoy an immersive, cinematic experience with HD screens at each seat, complete with capacitive touch displays and handsets, and USB and laptop charging facilities. Business Class passengers will enjoy 18-inch HD screens, with generous 13-inch and 12-inch screens in Premium Economy and Economy Class respectively.

Bamboo Airways has also selected global in-flight connectivity services from Panasonic Avionics which can deliver average speeds up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps) to the aircraft. The airline’s in-flight connectivity experience, powered by Panasonic Avionics’ global network of high-speed, high-bandwidth satellites will deliver a host of next-generation connectivity benefits, including fast internet and in-flight mobile phone services.

Ken Sain, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics, said: “We are honored to be partnering with Bamboo Airways’ as they launch intercontinental services. We are confident that our proven in-flight entertainment and connectivity systems will enhance their passenger experience, and help them quickly build customer loyalty on these major new routes.”

Mr. Dang Tat Thang, chairman cum CEO of Bamboo Airways, said: “The diverse and viable Bamboo Sky entertainment system is one of advanced technology solutions that Bamboo Airways has actively installed on the wide-body fleet. With the cooperation with our trusted partner Panasonic Avionics, we expect to bring the most fulfilling flight experience to our passengers on every journey in the future.”

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THALES SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH SONAE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

• S21sec and Excellium are two major players in cybersecurity consulting, integration and managed services in Europe
• With this acquisition, Thales accelerates its cybersecurity development roadmap and expands its footprint in Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg and Belgium
• S21sec and Excellium employ 546 people and generated sales of 59 million euros in 2021.

Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) announced the signature of a definitive agreement with Sonae Investment Management to acquire two of European leading cybersecurity companies, S21sec and Excellium, gathered under the holding company Maxive Cybersecurity.

This acquisition will complement Thales’ cybersecurity portfolio, strengthening its incident detection and response services (Security Operations Centre – SOC) as well as consulting, audit and integration services.

It will bring an extensive industrial expertise and a solid, diversified customer base of industrial companies and critical infrastructure providers, including in the financial services, government and public services, which accounted for more than 50% of its revenue in 2021.

With 75% of staff at 9 sites in Spain and Portugal, and 25% in Luxembourg and Belgium, it will also materially expand Thales’s European cybersecurity footprint, building on the companies’ strong history of innovation and leadership in cybersecurity.

With 546 employees, S21sec and Excellium businesses together generated 59 million euros in sales in 2021.

The acquisition, for an enterprise value of 120 million euros, is an important step forward for Thales in the highly dynamic market for cybersecurity consulting and managed services, which anticipates significant growth between 2020 and 2025.

As a global leader in cybersecurity, Thales is involved at every level of the cyber value chain, offering solutions ranging from risk assessment to protection of critical infrastructure, supported by comprehensive threat detection and response capabilities. Its offer is built around three families of products and services, which generated more than €1bn in sales in 2021:

• Cybels solutions portfolio, a complete suite of cybersecurity services including risk assessment, training and simulation, and cyberattack detection and response
• Sovereign products including encryptors and sensors to protect critical information systems
• The CipherTrust Data Security Platform, the SafeNet Trusted Access Identity & Access Management as a service solution, and the broader cloud protection & licensing offerings

In 2022, Thales plans to hire 11,000 people worldwide, including 1,000 in cybersecurity.

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed during the second half of 2022.

“After the successful acquisitions of Vormetric in 2016 and Gemalto in 2019 that represented a step change in Thales’ data security and encryption expertise, the acquisition of S21sec and Excellium consolidates our leadership in cybersecurity consulting and managed services. We are delighted to welcome the S21sec and Excellium expert teams as part of our fast-growing cybersecurity teams. Together, we will be able to provide solutions that deliver ever higher performance to our customers”. Marc Darmon, EVP Thales, Secure Communications & Information Systems

“As the majority shareholder of the company, we’ve helped Maxive Cybersecurity more than triple its yearly revenues, building on its history of innovation and specialization and helping it become one of Europe’s leading MSSP companies. The acquisition by Thales is the recognition of this exceptional work done by the entire team and the logical next step in Maxive’s journey. We are confident it will be a great opportunity to further grow Maxive’s business and people.” Carlos Alberto Silva, Managing Partner at Sonae Investment Management.

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CARLISLE INTERCONNECT TECHNOLOGIES’ LAUNCHES NEW OCTAX^® PRODUCT

New series of high-performance, multi-port connectors ideal for defense, commercial aviation and industrial applications

Carlisle Interconnect Technologies (CarlisleIT), a division of Carlisle Companies (CSL), launched the newest in its signature line of Octax^® high-speed data connectors: the Octax® Hybrid. Ideal for use in the defense, commercial aviation and industrial markets, this new series of high-performance, multi-port connectors combines 10 Gb data with additional discretes in a single 38999 shell. It is available in six standard key configurations to prevent mis-mating with adjacent connectors and multiple finishes to suit every application.

“This connector series combines multiple signal needs in a single package and maintains the data port shields through the connector to ensure excellent noise rejection on multiple data ports. It is high density data and signal in a compact footprint,” said Jeff Behlendorf, director of product management, Integrated Products at CarlisleIT. “Built with top quality materials and designed for easy installation and maintenance, this product truly embodies the CarlisleIT vision of ‘Performance with Purpose.’”

Features and benefits include:

• High Density: up to 8 Octax® in a size 25 shell
• Six key configurations in 11, 15, and 25 shell sizes
• Standard M39029 crimp contacts, enabling re-termination and field repair without the expense of single-use connector solutions
• Compatible with CarlisleIT 26 & 24 AWG Gigabit Series Ethernet cables
• Multiple finishes for commercial aviation, industrial, or defense applications
• Configurable to customer needs

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OTHER NEWS

• We had never seen an article that clearly shown and demonstrated a mechanical watch. While the article is great, the approach and style is genius and might help a lot of industry education articles! Mechanical Watch – Bartosz Ciechanowski
• Curious about airline seating prices? (1509) The Economics of Airline Class – YouTube

Global Policy Will Remove Headaches From International Travel

Led by Saudi Arabia, the Harmonizing Air Travel policy will transform the traveler experience by creating a single, trusted source of information on entry requirements for international travelers 

• The global aviation policy has been developed in cooperation with the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
• The Harmonizing Air Travel policy seeks to boost the recovery of the global aviation sector
• The policy framework was unveiled at the Kingdom’s inaugural Future Aviation Forum and will be formally presented at the 41^st ICAO General Assembly later in 2022

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has announced the Harmonising Air Travel policy, a framework that will make international travel simpler, easier and more enjoyable by removing the confusion over travel requirements currently discouraging millions of people from booking flights.

Designed in cooperation with the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the proposed framework will eradicate international travel confusion for passengers, carriers and governments by creating a single, clear, up-to-date online resource setting out requirements for entry to all participating countries.

The policy will be submitted to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) General Assembly with the objective of receiving approval from Member States in October of this year.

GACA President HE Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Duailej said: “The pandemic exposed how disconnected the world really is. Our research shows that many people chose not to travel in 2021 – and will not travel in 2022 – because of confusing health requirements to get from country to country.  We are delighted to launch the Harmonizing Air Travel policy, a proposed framework that will unify and strengthen our industry by enabling it to navigate future health crises.

“Aviation is the lifeblood of the global economy, and it is crucial to safeguard it from future disruption. The Harmonizing Air Travel policy framework demonstrates the leadership role Saudi Arabia is taking to ensure that the sector thrives in the years to come.”

According to recent YouGov research, currently 32 percent of Americans, 47 percent of people in the Gulf, 40 percent of people in Italy and 40 percent of people in the UK say confusion over health requirements will prevent them from traveling in 2022.

The policy will create a harmonized international reporting mechanism for health crises using purpose-built digital communications tools, world-class governance and coordination processes, and a system that will facilitate universal compliance, such as a globally-recognized Digital Health certificate.

As a result, travelers will have access to clear guidelines and requirements needed to get from origin to arrival. The universal platform will be able to integrate all existing international aviation and government-to-government health crises communication systems.   

The Harmonizing Air Travel policy white paper was launched at the inaugural Future Aviation Forum in Riyadh. Hosted by GACA, global leaders, aviation heads and regulators convened to find solutions to the sector’s greatest challenges – including passenger experience, sustainability and business recovery post-COVID.  

Saudi Arabia aims to become the Middle East’s pre-eminent aviation hub. Its’ transport and logistics sector, a major pillar of the Vision 2030 economic transformation plan, is undergoing rapid development. The Kingdom aims to generate 356 billion SAR – or just under $100 billion USD – in investment into its aviation sector by 2030.

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Anuvu Named A Finalist In The Crystal Cabin Awards 2022

Anuvu, a provider of high-speed connectivity and entertainment solutions for demanding worldwide mobility markets, announced that it has been named a Crystal Cabin Awards finalist in the category IFEC & Digital Services in partnership with Southwest Airlines for its new, ground-breaking connectivity solution enabling airlines to deliver the high-speed in-flight internet passengers’ demand.

“It’s an honor to be named a finalist in the prestigious Crystal Cabin Awards and highlighted among leading industry solutions that elevate the passenger experience as showcased in the free Wi-Fi trial currently underway with Southwest Airlines,” said Mike Pigott, Executive Vice President of Connectivity at Anuvu. “We are thrilled to be working in partnership with Southwest Airlines for over a decade.”

“This recognition represents Anuvu’s commitment to innovation and marks their newest technology solution that will enhance the inflight connectivity experience for our passengers.” said Tony Roach, VP of Customer Experience and Customer Relations at Southwest Airlines..

The Crystal Cabin Awards, an initiative of cluster Hamburg Aviation, is presented in eight categories: “Cabin Concepts”, “Cabin Systems”, “Health & Safety”, “IFEC & Digital Services”, “Material & Components”, “Passenger Comfort”, “Sustainable Cabin”, and “University”. For each category, the 28 expert members of the jury select three finalists, who are invited to pitch their concepts to the jury in person at Aircraft Interiors Expo. The winners of the 2022 Crystal Cabin Award will be announced at a gala dinner in Hamburg on the evening of June 14.

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Gogo Announces Record First Quarter Results and Updates 2022 Guidance

• First Quarter Revenue of $92.8 million, up 26% Year-over-Year, Net Income from Continuing Operations of $22.2 million, and Adjusted EBITDA⁽¹⁾of $42.8 million also up 26% Year-over-Year
• Gogo 5G on Track for Commercial Launch in the Second Half of 2022

• Record total revenue of $92.8 million increased 26% compared to Q1 2021 fueled by strong growth in both service and equipment revenue.
  • Record service revenue of $70.7 million increased 19% compared to Q1 2021 and 2% compared to Q4 2021.
  • Equipment revenue of $22.1 million increased 52% compared to Q1 2021 and decreased 4% compared to Q4 2021.
• Total ATG aircraft online (“AOL”) reached 6,526, an increase of 11% compared to Q1 2021 and 2% compared to Q4 2021.
  • Total AVANCE units online grew to 2,699, an increase of 42% compared to Q1 2021 and 8% compared to Q4 2021. AVANCE units comprised more than 41% of total AOL as of March 31, 2022, up from 32% as of March 31, 2021.
• Average Monthly Revenue per ATG aircraft online (“ARPU”) of $3,321 increased 8% compared to Q1 2021 and 1% compared to Q4 2021.
• Net income from continuing operations increased to $22.2 million from a net loss of $5.9 million in Q1 2021, primarily due to lower interest expense and higher operating income compared to the prior year period, as well as a loss on settlement of convertible notes of $4.4 million recognized in Q1 2021.
  • Basic earnings per share from continuing operations was $0.20. Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations was $0.18.
• Record Adjusted EBITDA⁽¹⁾ of $42.8 million increased 26% compared to Q1 2021 and 8% compared to Q4 2021.
• Cash provided by operating activities from continuing operations of $17.9 million in Q1 2022 decreased from $24.6 million in the prior year period primarily due to the timing of interest payments.
  • Free Cash Flow⁽¹⁾ was $8.8 million compared to $23.9 million in the prior year period due to the timing of interest payments and an increase in capital expenditures primarily tied to Gogo 5G.
  • Cash and cash equivalents totaled $152.8 million as of March 31, 2022 compared to $145.9 million as of December 31, 2021.

“Given the continued unprecedented demand for connectivity in business aviation coupled with the strong performance of our supply chain management team, we have increased our projection for ATG equipment unit shipments to 1,300 in 2022, up nearly 50% year over year versus prior expectations for 25% growth,” said Oakleigh Thorne, Chairman and CEO of Gogo.  “We remain on track for commercial deployment of our 5G ATG network in the second half of 2022.”

“Strong first quarter results and our increased 2022 guidance provide a solid foundation for generating significant Free Cash Flow growth in 2023 and beyond,” said Barry Rowan, Gogo’s Executive Vice President and CFO.  “Our financial performance and continued de-leveraging also create the flexibility for strategic investments to further enhance our growth and return of capital to shareholders over time.”

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Boeing Names Northern Virginia Office Its Global Headquarters; Establishes Research & Technology Hub

• DC-area location is close to Boeing’s global customers and stakeholders
• Boeing will develop a research & technology hub in Virginia to harness and attract engineering talent; hub to join the company’s global engineering network

Boeing announced that its Arlington, Virginia campus just outside Washington, D.C. will serve as the company’s global headquarters. The aerospace and defense firm’s employees in the region support various corporate functions and specialize in advanced airplane development and autonomous systems. In addition to designating Northern Virginia as its new headquarters, Boeing plans to develop a research & technology hub in the area to harness and attract engineering and technical capabilities.

Also from Boeing:

Lufthansa Group Selects New 777-8 Freighter, Orders Additional 787s

• Lufthansa Group becomes first European customer for the 777-8 Freighter
• Orders additional 787s and 777 Freighters
• Industry’s most capable and fuel-efficient twin-engine airplanes will help Group reach its target of halving CO2 emissions across its network by 2030

Boeing and the Lufthansa Group announced the airline group will continue its strategic decision to strengthen Lufthansa Cargo with an order for seven 777-8 Freighters, the industry’s newest and most fuel-efficient twin-engine freighter.

The Group has also placed a new order for two 777 Freighters to add to its cargo fleet, providing extra cargo capacity in the near-term until the delivery of its first 777-8 Freighter.

In addition, the Lufthansa Group continues to accelerate the modernization of its long-haul passenger fleet with a new purchase of seven 787-9s. The order for more 787s brings Lufthansa Group’s total order book for the 787 Dreamliner to 32 firm orders. The Group also is a launch customer for the 777X passenger airplane, with 20 firm orders.

“The continuous modernization of Lufthansa Group’s long-haul fleet is one of our top priorities. Therefore, we are very pleased to further invest into the newest generation of Boeing aircraft. The purchase will complement our existing orders and further reduce our operating costs, enhance fuel efficiency and provide state-of-the-art customer experiences. Moreover, the purchase highlights our commitment towards enhancing sustainable aviation,” said Dr. Detlef Kayser, Member of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG.

Boeing launched the new 777-8 Freighter in January and has already booked 34 firm orders for the model. With advanced technology from the new 777X family and proven performance of the market-leading 777 Freighter, the 777-8 Freighter offers the highest payload and the lowest fuel use, emissions and operating cost per tonne of any large freighter.

“With the selection of our newest freighter, Lufthansa continues its long history of firsts with Boeing airplane programs, becoming the first European customer for the 777-8 Freighter,” said Ihssane Mounir, Boeing senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing. “With the investment in the 777 and 787 fleet, the Lufthansa Group will operate the most advanced, fuel-efficient twin-engine airplanes in the industry. Each of these airplanes reduces emissions by 15 to 25% compared to previous models with a noise footprint up to 50% smaller than their predecessors, helping to advance the Lufthansa Group’s sustainability objectives.”

The 777-8 Freighter is ideally suited for operators creating a more sustainable and profitable future. With nearly identical payload and range capabilities, 30% better fuel efficiency and emissions and 25% better operating costs per tonne, the 777-8 Freighter will be the ideal choice as operators replace aging freighters later this decade.

The 2021 Boeing Commercial Market Outlook projects a 70% increase in the global freighter fleet by 2040, including approximately 450 new large widebody freighters such as the new 777-8 Freighter and 777 Freighter. First delivery of the 777-8 freighter is anticipated in 2027.

Built with lightweight composite materials and powered by advanced engines and a suite of environmentally progressive technologies, the 787 family has an airport-noise footprint that is 60% smaller than the previous generation of airplanes, making it ideal for Lufthansa Group airport communities.

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OneWeb Expands Mobility Team With Senior Aviation and Land Appointments

• New business aviation role for Jason Sperry
• Drew Brandy leads Land mobility
• Mobility Marketing role for Nick Maynard

OneWeb, the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications company, has strengthened its Mobility team under VP Mobility Services Ben Griffin with a trio of experienced professionals – in the UK and USA. OneWeb is ramping up its work to deliver high-speed, unparalleled low latency, reliable connectivity across all mobility platforms, including commercial and business aviation, land and marine.

OneWeb’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation of over 600 satellites will connect people everywhere, on land, at sea and in the air. Its ambition is to facilitate “a connectivity experience that is limited only by the users’ imagination, not the available bandwidth.”

“I’m very pleased to be adding to my team with these three stellar professionals,” said Ben Griffin, OneWeb VP Mobility Services. “Together, we are working on some exciting strategies and partnerships that will disrupt the mobility connectivity market for years to come. We are focused on driving these forward and sharing our news over the next few months.”

Jason Sperry appointed Director – Business aviation

Jason Sperry joins OneWeb as Director, Business Aviation, based out of Melbourne, Florida.  Sperry brings a wealth of experience from the IFC service provision perspective, including significant satellite provider insight spanning both GEO and LEO technologies.

At OneWeb, Jason is responsible for delivering fibre-like connectivity solutions to business jet owners, operators, and end users – passengers and crew alike.

He joins from SD (Satcom Direct), where for the past six years he was Director, Strategy and Business, having joined the business in 2016 as director of product management (hardware).

Graduating from the Florida Institute of Technology with a degree in engineering, his career initially centered on engineering and avionics hardware. At OneWeb, Jason will combine his technical experience with strong commercial aptitude to understand the needs of OneWeb’s partners, delivering solutions which are commercially and technically innovative.

Drew Brandy – Director, Land Mobility

Drew Brandy joins OneWeb as Director, Land Mobility after 13 plus years with Inmarsat, latterly as Senior VP Maritime, progressing from VP Strategy and Development.

Based out of London, Drew will be responsible for setting and executing OneWeb’s land mobility portfolio strategy, working closely with the mobility team members.  He brings considerable experience having worked with several large telecom operators in business and corporate strategy in both North America and Europe.  Brandy holds an Honors Degree in Sociology and Communications from York University, Canada and an MBA from Henley Management College.

Nick Maynard – Marketing Director, Mobility

Stepping up from an initial consultancy role over the past 14 months, Nick Maynard becomes full-time Marketing Director (Mobility), based out of the UK.  Maynard brings over 25 years’ relevant experience in marketing and communications working out of the UK and UAE, supporting several blue-chip aviation companies – inhouse and with agencies OglivyOne and Carlson.

Most recently, he served nearly 10 years with Honeywell Aerospace in marketing and comms, latterly as Channel Partner Marketing Manager, building relationships for Honeywell’s valued suppliers around the world.

“What OneWeb is doing is transformational and game changing.  I am pleased to be able to help play a part in our goal to connect business aviation.  Inflight connectivity has become ever more important in business aviation, a sector which is sophisticated, technologically advanced, personalized, secure – bringing family, friends and colleagues together in the most efficient way.” – Jason Sperry.

“Everyone is talking about OneWeb and the significant change its solutions will bring.  I’m looking forward to leading the land mobility team and working closely with mobility colleagues to innovate connectivity and bring improved safety and sustainability through connectivity to trains, buses, trucks and so many other use-cases.” – Drew Brandy.

“Joining OneWeb, I am working alongside a motivated and talented team committed to realizing the mission of connecting people everywhere, on land, at sea and in the air. This matters because OneWeb’s global spaced-based communications network has the power to connect the most remote businesses and communities on Earth. We’re bridging the digital divide, providing the opportunity for people everywhere to realize their full potential” – Nick Maynard

Boeing Reports Increased Stability and Growth for Aircraft Finance Sector

• For second consecutive year, 100% of Boeing deliveries were financed by third parties with the top sources of delivery funding coming from cash, capital markets and sale leasebacks.
• Capital markets continued to play a key role in shoring up liquidity for the sector, close to pre-pandemic levels for most issuers as spreads tightened throughout the year.

Boeing Capital Corporation released the 2022 Commercial Aircraft Financing Market Outlook (CAFMO) showing improving financing stability as the industry recovers from the impacts of the global pandemic.

“Financiers and investors remain committed to the long-term fundamentals that continue to make aircraft a valuable asset class,” said Tim Myers, president of Boeing Capital Corporation. “Despite the changing landscape since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry remains resilient and there continues to be sufficient liquidity in the market for our customers with increasing opportunities as traffic recovers.”

The 2022 CAFMO reflects Boeing’s near-term view of market dynamics and assesses financing sources for new commercial airplane deliveries.

“Industry fundamentals continue to show varying degrees of strength in different markets that reflect the regional trends of the global pandemic,” Myers said.

The 2022 CAFMO, an introductory video, regional highlight videos and regional financing data is available at www.boeing.com/CAFMO. Select highlights include:

• For the second consecutive year, 100% of Boeing deliveries were financed by third parties with the top sources of delivery funding in cash, capital markets and sale leasebacks.
• The capital markets continued to play a key role in shoring up liquidity for the sector, with the market close to pre-pandemic levels for most issuers as spreads tightened throughout the year.
• Secured debt for lessors also made a return to pre-pandemic levels with the ABS market making a comeback with volumes at around $8.7 billion, as lessors took advantage of the favorable rate environment.
• Although risk tolerance and activity levels were below pre-pandemic levels, pockets around the world are increasingly looking for business through bank debt.
• Institutional investors and funds continued to seek aviation exposure, filling in where traditional sources of capital retrenched.
• Export credit supported financing for Boeing aircraft contributed about 5% of total funding last year, primarily by the Export-Import Bank of the United States and with one deal supported by UK Export Finance.

The Boeing 2021 Commercial Market Outlook, a separate annual 20-year forecast addressing the market for commercial airplanes and services, projects that through 2040 there will be demand more than 43,500 new airplanes valued at $7.2 trillion.

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Satcom Direct

Satcom Direct (SD), the business aviation solutions provider, is strengthening its Asia Pacific network with the opening of a Singapore office. The new location represents the base for Brian Roos, the recently appointed Asia Pacific, Regional Director, and newly named Regional Sales Manager, Kaviraj (Kavi) Nadarajah.

Reporting directly to Senior Vice President, SD International, Michael Skou Christensen,  Roos is responsible for establishing the SD presence in Singapore and executing SD’s ongoing strategic developments across the Asia Pacific region. This includes identifying new markets, adding to the customer portfolio, consolidating existing and new MRO relationships, building new partnerships, and introducing established and new SD products and services to the connectivity-hungry market as well as ensuring continued delivery of SD award winning customer support.

“Stretching from China to New Zealand, the Asia Pacific region has always been an important market for SD, and still holds great potential for us.  It is a buoyant area where the business aviation fleet continues to evolve, the number of high-net worth individuals is increasing, and the appetite for technology solutions to improve the user and owner experience is unparalleled globally. The appointment of Kavi enhances our support for regional operators and owners which are optimizing customized connectivity solutions to manage their data to meet their diverse mission needs. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to bolster SD’s footprint here,” says Roos.

As business aviation continues its trajectory towards digitization, with more data generated and transmitted by business aircraft, Roos will also be responsible for advocating the benefits of the SD connectivity ecosystem of hardware, software and infrastructure, as well as the introduction of the series of SD Plane Simple™ Antenna Systems.

Following confirmation of FAA and EASA STCs in March 2022 for the Plane Simple Ku-band tail-mount antenna for specified Gulfstream and Bombardier airframes, and the anticipated confirmation of relevant STCs across Asia, top of Roos’ priority list will be to showcase the benefits of the first variant which is powered by the multi-layered Intelsat FlexExec service. Roos anticipates that the antenna, which simplifies high-speed data access for operators through ease of installation, competitive price plans and advanced antenna technology, will satisfy the region’s increased data demand.  The Plane Simple Ku-band variant is on track to enter commercial service in Q3 2022.

With some 20 years of experience in aviation, Roos has held various positions within the commercial and private sectors, including airport operations, customer service, flight operations, flight support, and charter management. Brian spent five years working with start-up operators and flight support companies in the Middle East and Africa region before joining Satcom Direct. Originally from Cape Town, Brian is also a licensed International Flight Dispatcher.

Kavi Nadarajah will work closely with Roos, overseeing the north and southeast Asian customer base. His previous experience includes roles for Hawker Pacific and Jet Aviation after beginning his 18-year aviation career as a dispatcher for commercial airlines. He is eager to bring his passion for customer service to the SD community. “I am extremely excited to be a part of the new Singapore office team. The sky is not the limit for our services and I look forward to engaging with our customers to help them make the most out of the SD product and service portfolio,” says Nadarajah.

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Call To Strengthen Consumer Protections For Travelers

Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairwoman Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), members of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, called on the Department of Transportation (DOT) to strengthen consumer protections for travelers who are eligible for airline ticket refunds. DOT previously stated that it would issue new consumer protections regarding airline refunds, in the wake of major disruptions for air travel caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In a report to the White House Competition Council, DOT reported “[m]any airlines were also initially reluctant to provide the required refunds,” causing consumers to send the DOT “a flood of complaints” regarding airlines’ failures to compensate their customers for flight cancellations. In 2020, DOT received 29,687 refund complaints against U.S. airlines, a 4,634 percent increase from 2019.

“As part of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s ongoing oversight of the U.S. airline industry, we are writing to request that the Department of Transportation (“DOT”) take further action to make the process for obtaining refunds more transparent and efficient for U.S. airline passengers, in response to the increase in passenger refund complaints during the COVID-19 pandemic,” wrote the lawmakers in their letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg ahead of Tuesday’s hearing in the Commerce Committee on the President’s budget priorities.

A copy of the Senators’ letter can be found HERE.

In their letter, the Senators urge the Transportation Department to take specific actions to protect air travel consumers, including clarifying and codifying policies requiring carriers and ticket agents to provide prompt refunds after a flight is cancelled or significantly delayed, as well as clarifying the rights for consumers who are unable to travel and cancel their own tickets due to government restrictions or the declaration of a public health emergency. The Senators also called on DOT to require airlines to conspicuously disclose and publicize to passengers that consumers have to submit a written request to trigger the refund requirement, to set up user-friendly and easy-to-find refund portals, and to report to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics the value of the refunds and vouchers provided to consumers each month.

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Other News

• If you think what you breathe from auto fuel burning is no big deal, watch this video! How a scientist’s inventions accidentally killed millions of people

Safran Passenger Innovations Delivers RAVE IFEC for China Airlines A321NEO

Safran Passenger Innovations (SPI) is thrilled to announce the delivery of China Airline’s A321NEO. This aircraft is equipped with the latest RAVE Ultra displays in 13.3” and 15.6” as well as the newest software platform, RAVE OS.

China Airlines is very excited to offer their passengers a cutting-edge experience with full cabin Bluetooth audio paired with Safran Passenger Innovation’s RAVE OS platform. This first-rate experience is complete with 4K picture quality, second screen, multi-tasking, picture in picture, and in-seat wireless charging. In addition, kids map, and other activities geared toward China Airlines’ younger passengers, are among their latest offerings. VP, Corporate Development Office, Jeremy Chang, says “China Airlines is delighted to be working with Safran Passenger Innovations to bring about the future of inflight experience today and deliver the best product to our customer.”

China Airlines seeks to create a touch-free journey environment for their passengers. By implementing RAVE’s zero-touch features for IFE control, China Airlines can help reduce the risk of cross-infection in the post COVID-19 era.

The China Airlines A321neo passenger aircraft is configured with 180 seats including 12 Premium Business Class and 168 Economy seats. The new fleet emphasizes spacious, comfortable cabin interiors, improved energy and fuel efficiency and is continuing to expand its modernized fleet throughout Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, and cross-strait routes.

VP, Products and Strategy, Ben Asmar, says “Congratulations to China Airlines! We are honored to partner with China Airlines to deliver a world class IFEC solution, using the latest consumer technology. This, paired with the beautiful cabin interiors developed by the China Airlines team, delivers an outstanding inflight experience for their passengers.”

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Upcoming APEX Tech Committee Meeting

The upcoming APEX Tech Committee is scheduled for Wednesday May 18, 2022:  9:00 AM – 5:00 PM PST. The meeting is being hosted by Panasonic in Irvine, California at their new office complex. This one-day event is reverting to a ‘working style’ TC meeting, focusing on panel discussions with free-flow of information. The APEX Technology Committee invites airline IFE and connectivity managers new and old to join with the providers of IFE to see what’s new and what is changing in the content delivery ecosystem.

While the pandemic has been underway, many airline personnel changes have taken place in passenger experience departments. This is also true of IFE executives at the major studios. But not only have people changed—so have business models, technology, and the way we get content to the aircraft.

As a result, TC agenda for the May meeting is content focused, and the co-chairs of the committee (Michael Childers, Rich Salter & Mary Rogozinski), supported by the TC Leadership Team, decided that the theme for the Spring Tech Meeting should be “The Changing Content Delivery Supply Chain: Back to Basics”. This not only enables the Tech Committee to offer a “101” kind of IFE workshop for new airline managers, but also provides an opportunity to bring both new and old IFE managers up to date on the changes in the content delivery ecosystem that have occurred during the pandemic.

The whole entertainment and media industry has undergone a paradigm change over the past 2 ½ years. There have been regime changes at some of the major studios, as well as consolidation. And the direct to consumer (D2C) market now has primacy, significantly reducing the gap between theatrical exhibition and personal viewing. Consequently, content acquisition and licensing has changed, and the exhibition windows have changed. Connectivity and IFE are on a trajectory to converge. IFE systems are evolving into “Digital Experience Platforms” (DXPs) and the passenger experience is becoming curated by “Digital Experience Management (DXM)”.

Also, new regulations are emerging involving content authentication and provenance. Inflight Entertainment content delivery is moving into the cloud and content delivery is becoming automated. The demand for more satellite bandwidth will inevitably rise as passengers directly subscribe to more D2C services, blurring the line between traditional IFE and connectivity.

The Technology Committee will offer two ways to participate:

1. The event is planned as an in-person meeting, offering the opportunity to engage face-to-face, and–for many–the opportunity to meet for the first time.
2. For those who prefer to attend remotely, the Technology Committee plans to host the event virtually as well via a Zoom or webinar format.

Additionally, the APEX 0415 Working Group will give a progress report on codifying AVI as the go-forward codec in IFE encoding.

If you want to learn more about D2C, Digital Experience Platforms, Digital Experience Management and the future of IFEC this is a must attend event! Log on to www.apex.aero for more information on how to register. We hope to see you there – in person or via Zoom!

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New Industry-First Innovations For Commercial Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVS) Driven By Inmarsat With Dimetor And Bellweather

With its focus on industry-first collaborations for commercial uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), Inmarsat expanded the Partner Network for its Velaris UAV connectivity solution with the addition of software company Dimetor, which facilitates Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (BVLOS) operations in cellular networks, and Bellwether Industries, an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) solutions provider for intra-city travel.

The Partner Network was established six months ago to encourage innovative collaborations using Inmarsat’s ground-breaking Velaris connectivity solution, which allows commercial UAVs – commonly known as drones – to operate long distance flights and access various applications, such as real-time monitoring, to ensure safe integration with aircraft in commercial airspace. In addition, it allows a single pilot to remotely operate multiple UAVs at scale, making operations more commercially viable.

As the latest additions to the fast-growing Velaris Partner Network, Dimetor and Bellwether Industries have joined existing members Altitude Angel, a leading Uncrewed Traffic Management (UTM)  technology provider, and Harvest Technology Group, a specialist in ultra-low bandwidth livestreaming technology.

Dimetor joins Velaris Partner Network to create affordable, efficient BVLOS UAV solution

Dimetor’s AirborneRF solution brings together live radio network data from terrestrial Mobile Network Operators (MNO) with UAV airspace control systems. By adding Inmarsat’s Velaris satellite communications capabilities, UAV operators will have access to integrated terrestrial and space-based datalink communications for least-cost, high reliability data routing at any place, any time, allowing UAVs to be reliably controlled within a three-dimensional airspace safety corridor.

Using the latest high-performance computational technologies and Inmarsat’s communications spectrum, Dimetor will aggregate 4G and 5G data for flight planning, risk assessment, flight clearing and operation, adding satellite communications to its data visualization to calculate and display routes that provide the best coverage to support flight plans. This will achieve an assured 99.9% uptime in all types of weather and satisfy regulatory requirements through dual dissimilar redundancy.

As part of its UAV roadmap, Inmarsat will introduce a combined L-band satcom and LTE hybrid terminal that will be integral to the delivery of the solution. The newly-developed terminal will create integrated terrestrial and satellite communications that provides an affordable solution for UAV operators.

Inmarsat’s Anthony Spouncer added: “Partnering with Dimetor is a crucial next step in the development of accessible Beyond Visual Line of Sight UAV solutions, particularly those that come at an attainable price point without compromising on reach and quality of coverage. The combination of 4G and 5G with Inmarsat’s highly reliable, always-on ELERA network, visualized by AirborneRF, will be the best way to plan efficient Line of Sight (LOS) and BVLOS operations. This will be a game changer for the industry, offering world-first technologies within an affordable and efficient solution for UAV operators.” 

Thomas Wana, Dimetor’s CTO and Co-Founder, said: “Our partnership with Inmarsat is a key milestone in progressing BVLOS solutions for UAV operators. Together, we are working to expand and bring AirborneRF to the market, combining our capabilities and expertise to create a platform that caters to the evolving wants and needs of customers. We’re excited to see what we can achieve as part of the Velaris Partner Network, and look forward to close collaboration with the Inmarsat team for years to come.”

Anthony Spouncer, Inmarsat’s Senior Director of UAVs and Uncrewed Traffic Management, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Dimetor and Bellwether as members of our Velaris Partner Network, especially at this incredibly buoyant time in the BVLOS and urban air mobility spaces. Such innovative collaborations, powered by the unparalleled capabilities of Inmarsat’s ELERA L-band satellite network, are fantastic news for uncrewed aviation and will directly benefit customers across this growing industry.

Bellwether joins Velaris Partner Network to ensure safety and harmony in intra-city travel

To revolutionize intra-city travel, Bellwether is bringing to market Volar, an Urban Air Mobility aircraft for personal and private mobility, designed to fly anyone at any time between any points in a city. Volar’s user-centric design and city compatibility aims to redefine future lifestyles and reduce complications often associated with city transportation, helping make stress-free intra-city transportation a reality, sooner rather than later.

The industry-first collaboration between Inmarsat and Bellwether Industries will explore how satellite communications can optimize the future of intra-city transportation services, with a focus on safety, regulation and innovation. Inmarsat’s Velaris connectivity solution and the company’s existing expertise in aviation safety systems will enable Bellwether’s Volar to safely and seamlessly integrate with commercial airspace no matter where it flies, with accurate positional information reported back from onboard satellite navigation systems, and the ability to combine and harmonize this data for Uncrewed Traffic Management. Additionally, Bellwether will gain access to regulatory and air traffic management expertise from Inmarsat and Velaris partners throughout the design and implementation process.

Kai-Tse Lin, Bellwether’s Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, said: “Inmarsat’s contribution is extremely important to the future development of Bellwether’s Onboard Vehicle Management System and airspace integration. It’s crucial that the operation of our Volar urban aircraft is a simplified and user-friendly experience, making commuting in a Volar easier than driving your car.”

Inmarsat’s Anthony Spouncer said: “Our partnership with Bellwether will be critical in the development of safe and efficient intra-city transportation services with passenger experience as their driving force. In collaboration with an urban air mobility platform manufacturer, Velaris will play a key role in making safety and efficiency industry-standard features for the intra-city transportation sector. Together we’re defining a new category of transportation that is passenger orientated by design, prioritizing safety and regulation.”

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Anuvu Teams up with Marvel Entertainment to Bring New Inflight Games to Airline Passengers

Anuvu announced a new collaboration with Marvel Entertainment. The multi-year deal brings several of Marvel’s popular characters to airline passengers around the globe, building on Anuvu’s existing collaboration with Disney. 

Working closely with Marvel, Anuvu will bring some of the company’s most notable franchises to passengers’ inflight entertainment experience. The collaboration comes at a time when Anuvu is focused on supporting airlines in future-proofing their media and content strategies, as passengers demand increased flexibility and convenience, including streaming capabilities. The new deal allows airlines to provide Marvel’s games through their seatback entertainment systems or stream directly to passengers’ personal devices while onboard the aircraft in the air.  

“Anuvu has had a longstanding relationship with Disney for over 15 years. Expanding our collaboration to include Marvel content and characters is a natural next step,” says Mike Pigott, EVP of Connectivity at Anuvu. “By broadening our trusted and valued relationship, we expand our gaming catalog so that airlines can deliver flexible, affordable, and best-in-class gaming experiences to their passengers.” 

Anuvu both licenses and develops games with a library that boasts 175 popular games including top video-game and mobile game brands.

Spafax’s Future Screen Podcast

Are you interested in the latest IFE licensing trends? Do you want to discover the hot new shows? Tune into Spafax’s Future Screen which is available on Spotify. Future Screen is hosted by Spafax’s Andrea Whyte. This issue features interviews with Vince Cruz, Vice President Non-Theatrical Sales at Paramount, Meera Sharma, Non-Theatrical Sales Manager at Paramount Global and Mark Horton, Head of Worldwide Sales at Cinesky. Listen to Future Screen here.

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Boeing
The Boeing Company announced major program deliveries across its commercial and defense operations for the first quarter of 2022.

The company will provide detailed first quarter financial results on April 27. Major program deliveries during the first quarter were as follows:

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Airbus & Air France-KLM

Air France-KLM has finalised its order with Airbus for four new generation A350F freighters, following the earlier commitment announced in December 2021. The freighters are destined to  increase Air France’s cargo capacity with the most efficient and sustainable cargo aircraft available in the market.

The A350F is based on the world’s most modern long range leader, the A350. The aircraft will feature a large main deck cargo door and a fuselage length optimised for cargo operations. Over 70% of the airframe is made of advanced materials resulting in a 30 tonnes lighter take-off weight, which together with efficient Rolls-Royce engines generate an advantage of at least 20% lower fuel burn and CO2 over its current closest competitor. With a 109 tonnes payload capability (+3t payload / 11% more volume than its competition), the A350F serves all cargo markets (Express, general cargo, special cargo…) and is in the large freighter category the only new generation freighter aircraft ready for the enhanced ICAO CO₂ emissions standards.

“Airlines now have a choice, and we salute Air France joining those going for the A350F’s step change in efficiency and sustainability for the cargo operations of the future. We are gratified by the wave of early adopters who, like Air France, see the economics and environmental signature of the A350s as standing out versus alternatives, past, existing and future. Merci Air France.” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International.

Launched in 2021, the A350F recorded 29 orders and commitments from five customers.

Also from Airbus:

Airbus has completed wind-tunnel testing of its eXtra Performance Wing demonstrator in its quest to quickly test and accelerate new technologies that will decarbonise the aviation industry.

The eXtra Performance Wing project, launched last September, takes inspiration from nature to improve wing aerodynamics and performance that is intended to be compatible with any future aircraft configuration and propulsion system to reduce CO₂ emissions.

“The scaled demonstrator will integrate and fly breakthrough wing technologies using a remote-controlled Cessna Citation VII business jet platform in representative flight conditions,” explained Oliver Family, Head of eXtra Performance Wing UK.

“The partly 3D-printed wind-tunnel model – expertly built by the aerodynamics team at Airbus’ low-speed, wind-tunnel facility in Bristol – is a scaled-down version of the Cessna jet, incorporating the lightweight, long-span design of the eXtra Performance Wing that will provide the emissions benefits we are striving for.”

Initially introduced at a smaller scale through another Airbus project, AlbatrossONE, which tested semi-aeroelastic hinged wings that – like the seabird – unlocked during flight when experiencing wind gusts or turbulence, the eXtra Performance Wing will also examine onboard technologies, like gust sensors, pop-up spoilers and multifunctional trailing edges, to enable the active control of the wing.

“Airbus’ state-of-the-art low-speed wind-tunnel is a fantastic way to validate our concepts before flight tests,” added Oliver Family. “Our computational aerodynamic analysis capability is world class, and the wind tunnel provides another valuable way to measure the performance and capabilities of the aircraft before flight testing. The technologies we have tested in the Filton wind tunnel – many inspired by biomimicry – will now be rapidly integrated for flight testing.”

The Airbus low-speed wind tunnel at Filton, near Bristol, replicates conditions similar to aircraft take-off and landing wind speeds but is also used by external organisations testing F1 cars, ship radar systems, Urban Air Mobility vehicles as well as more conventional aircraft.

The eXtra Performance Wing demonstrator is hosted within Airbus UpNext, a wholly-owned Airbus subsidiary, created to give future technologies a development fast-track by building demonstrators at speed and scale in order to evaluate, mature and validate potential new products and services that encompass radical technological breakthroughs.

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Other News

• This is a great article – and I am not lying to you! Really!
  Here are the biggest signs that someone is lying to you, according to a body language expert
• If you have not heard about “SpinLaunch” for satellite launching, you just might be amazed and how it works and the video in this article is very good, especially the video that is included in it. Good Stuff! NASA will test this ‘SpinLaunch’ system that hurls satellites into space | ZDNet

 

INMARSAT WINS ‘SATELLITE OPERATOR EXCELLENCE’ ACCOLADE FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR AT AVIATION ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Inmarsat has taken top honors at the Aviation Achievement Awards, after being crowned winner in the ‘Satellite Operator Excellence’ category for the second consecutive year. The prestigious accolade was presented during an awards ceremony in Dubai, with special praise from the judging panel for Inmarsat’s ‘exceptional leadership, innovation and resilience’ over the past year.

As the aviation industry continues to recover from the unprecedented global impact of Covid-19 on air travel, Inmarsat was hailed for providing outstanding support to customers of its market-leading cockpit and cabin connectivity solutions in both the airline and business aviation markets. It also achieved a number of contract wins, installations and activations, with the latest milestones including:

• GX Aviation selected by more than 35 airlines (including SAUDIA as a new customer) and activated on over 550 aircraft, with approximately 1,000 additional aircraft in the order book.
• European Aviation Network(EAN) becoming available on more than 265 aircraft, with Greek national carrier AEGEAN joining British Airways, Iberia and Vueling as a new airline customer.
• More than 215 aircraft flying with SB-S, with new customers including Cebu Pacific and Tunisair.
• Thousands of business jets equipped with Jet ConneXand SwiftBroadband.
• Launch of OneFi airline passenger experience platform to monetize inflight connectivity.

Judges for the awards, which are primarily focused on the Middle East, described Inmarsat as a ‘pioneer of satellite innovation, achieving an impressive number of industry firsts during the last 12 months’. They added that ‘Inmarsat enjoyed another strong year of milestones, from launching I-6 F1, the largest and most sophisticated commercial communications satellite, to unveiling it to transformative ORCHESTRA network, which draws together the benefits of multiple technologies to create one cohesive solution’.

Neale Faulkner, Inmarsat Aviation’s Regional Vice President Europe, Middle East and Africa (MEASA), said “Inmarsat prides itself on being a customer-centric organization and we are delighted that the Aviation Achievement Awards have once again acknowledged the outstanding service we provide, alongside our world-class partner ecosystem, to both airline and business aviation customers. Although Covid-19 has continued to impact air travel during the last 12 months, conditions are improving thanks to the re-opening of borders and easing of travel restrictions, which is helping to boost passenger numbers.

“Inmarsat is excited about the fundamental role that connectivity will play in this exciting new era for aviation, from providing an enhanced onboard experience that boosts passenger confidence and unlocks new revenue opportunities for airlines, to transforming operations and safety by powering concepts such as ‘4D’ trajectories and electronic flight bags. Our latest innovations, such as the ELERA and ORCHESTRA networks that were also praised by the award judges, will further enhance our capabilities and unlock even more innovations for decades to come.”

Kenneth Mitchen, Executive Director at Creative Middle East Media, organizer of the Aviation Achievement Awards, said “Satellite connectivity has played a vital role in aviation for many years now and its importance has only grown since the global pandemic. For airline and business aviation passengers, connectivity is keeping them connected with friends, family and colleagues, allowing them to catch up on work or keep entertained with streaming, social media and more, while also supporting a touchless journey onboard the aircraft. It’s also vital for enhancing operations and safety to become more efficient and cost effective. However, to achieve all of this, you need to work with a forward-thinking and innovative satellite operator. Inmarsat has a successful track record of delivering for its customers and we congratulate them on once again winning our Satellite Operator Excellence Award for 2022.” 

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INMARSAT AND DEUTSCHE TELEKOM CELEBRATE THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF EUROPEAN AVIATION NETWORK BEING OFFERED COMMERCIALLY BY AIRLINES

Inmarsat and Deutsche Telekom are celebrating the third anniversary of their award-winning European Aviation Network (EAN) inflight broadband being offered commercially by airline customers. To date, more than 50 million passengers have enjoyed access to the advanced, high-speed connectivity solution on over 420,000 flights across the continent with British Airways, Iberia, Vueling and AEGEAN.

As Europe’s fastest inflight broadband service, EAN allows passengers to seamlessly browse the internet, stream videos, check social media, enjoy real-time interactive applications such as gaming, and more. It has marked a paradigm shift in the airline experience, with incomparable speeds, uninterrupted coverage and significantly lower latency than any other inflight Wi-Fi network in the continent.

EAN has now been activated on more than 265 aircraft, including the entire British Airways short-haul fleet. These numbers will continue to grow in the coming years, as final roll-out progresses with Iberia and Vueling – both members of the International Airlines Group (IAG) alongside British Airways – in addition to all of Greek national carrier AEGEAN’s existing and new Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft.

EAN’s popularity reached new heights last year, with record usage as passengers returned to the skies. This aligns with Inmarsat’s latest Passenger Confidence Tracker, the largest global survey of its kind, which found that 41% of the 10,000 respondents believed inflight Wi-Fi had further increased in importance post pandemic. The results also indicated digital solutions that keep passengers connected and minimize their contact with cabin crew and fellow travelers are helping to boost travel confidence.

Philippe Carette, President of Inmarsat Aviation, said: “Back in March 2019, British Airways became the first airline to make our EAN inflight broadband service commercially available to passengers. It has since been joined by Iberia, Vueling and most recently AEGEAN, which have all been able to delight passengers with the highest standard of connectivity on short and medium haul flights. EAN has played an important role in enhancing their onboard experience, unlocking new revenue opportunities for airlines and instilling greater confidence in air travel following the pandemic. We’re delighted to celebrate this anniversary with our partners and customers, especially at a time when passenger usage of EAN is now higher than ever before, showing an increased desire to stay connected post Covid-19.”

Rolf Nafziger, Senior Vice President, Deutsche Telekom Global Carrier and Global Business, said: “EAN is Europe’s leading inflight connectivity service for good reason, offering reliable, uninterrupted, high-speed broadband on par with services on the ground. Now, airlines are fighting hard to win back customers, and EAN is the best solution available to meet the needs of their passengers, who want to be connected and entertained onboard. Our joint EAN service with Inmarsat means we can continue to help airlines put their passengers first, by providing the fastest and most reliable connectivity available.”

As the world’s first inflight broadband solution that combines dedicated satellite coverage with a complementary LTE-based ground network, EAN has been developed by Inmarsat, the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, and Deutsche Telekom, in partnership with leading European companies such as Thales, Nokia, Airbus, Cobham and Eclipse Technics. Specifically designed to meet the needs of European aviation, it delivers the fastest speeds over one of the world’s most congested airspaces, plus the quickest installation times and easy scalability to meet growing demand in the future.

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THALES ALENIA SPACE WITH HELP FROM MICROSOFT DEMONSTRATE ON-ORBIT COMPUTE TECHNOLOGIES ONBOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION TO GATHER UNMATCHED EARTH OBSERVATION INSIGHTS

Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%),  announced a strategic collaboration with Microsoft to explore the enablement of new capabilities in the Space Edge Computing (SEC), Artificial Intelligence Space Observation tools (DeeperVision) and Digital Ground Segment.

In particular, Thales Alenia Space plans to deliver advanced connectivity, analytics and compute in space with Space Edge Computing (SEC) with Microsoft. To this end, the companies will demonstrate and validate on-orbit computing technologies and potentialities onboard the International Space Station (ISS) in 2023. Thales Alenia Space will deploy a powerful on-orbit computer, an on-orbit application framework, and high-performance Earth Observation sensors to unlock new on-orbit climate data processing applications for the benefits of our planet sustainability. Thales Alenia Space will work with Microsoft Research in remote sensing, computer vision and climate science to demonstrate the potential of next-generation on-orbit compute for Earth observation. This space edge computing capacity will allow gathering faster, to-the-point Earth observation insights immediately applicable for our planet’s surveillance, understanding and protection.

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PLATTSBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SUCCESSFULLY DEPLOYS ANALOGIC’S ConneCT™  CHECKPOINT SECURITY SCREENING SOLUTION

Analogic Corporation announced it has successfully deployed its ConneCT™ Computed Tomography (CT) checkpoint security screening system at a US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint in Plattsburgh International Airport (PBG) in New York. The deployment is part of the TSA’s new Checkpoint Property Screening Systems (CPSS) program which will have Analogic deploy over 300 Mid-size CPSS Systems into airport security checkpoints across the country. Analogic Corporation expects the new CT screening technology to significantly improve both aviation security as well as the passenger experience by providing enhanced 3D images to security officers and by limiting divesture and increasing throughput, all in a touch-free environment.

Tom Ripp, CEO of Analogic said, “This is an important milestone for Analogic because it demonstrates our commitment to advanced technology, to operational efficiency, and to the satisfaction of the traveling public. This is the first true step on the journey toward implementation of totally friction-less security processing.” Mr. Ripp continued: “Coming only months after our contract award, this deployment is a tribute to the hard work of the TSA, the team at Plattsburgh, our airport partners, and Analogic’s dedicated employees.”

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ASL ORDERS UP TO 20 ADDITIONAL B737-800 CONVERTED FREIGHTERS TO DRIVE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Dublin-headquartered ASL Aviation Holdings (ASL) and Boeing announced an order for up to 20 additional 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighters (BCF). The agreement is for 10 firm orders and 10 purchase rights.

“This new order is an important element of our fleet renewal program, and we are delighted to expand our partnership with Boeing on the 737-800BCF,” said Dave Andrew, Chief Executive, ASL Aviation Holdings. “The 737-800BCF offers increased reliability and performance, and equally its lower fuel burn reduces our environmental footprint. This is very important to ASL as an aviation group committed to environmental sustainability in aviation.”

This is ASL’s second order for the 737-800BCF and including options, will bring the organization’s total 737-800BCF orders and commitments with Boeing to 40 aircraft. The aircraft will be converted by Boeing at approved MRO sites including STAECO in Jinan, China and at Boeing’s London Gatwick MRO facility in the United Kingdom.

“We are honored to play a crucial role in the fleet renewal underway across ASL Aviation Holdings’ operation,” said Jens Steinhagen, director of Boeing Converted Freighters. “Boeing Converted Freighters support progress towards sustainability goals by providing operators like those under the ASL Group umbrella an economical way to replace less efficient, older-generation freighters.”

The 737-800BCF carries more payload – up to 23.9 tonnes (52,800 lbs.) – and flies farther – 2,025 nautical miles (3,750 km) compared to 737 Classic freighters.

 

 

 

INMARSAT AND ORBIT

• With record demand for premium business aviation connectivity, the compact tail-mount terminal is progressing towards type approval on Inmarsat’s Ka-band satellite network  

The business aviation market will have access to a new compact and lightweight terminal for Inmarsat’s market-leading Jet ConneX (JX) inflight broadband solution from early next year, after the company expanded its partnership with Orbit Communication Systems, a leading provider of airborne communication solutions. 

Orbit’s AirTRX30 terminal is progressing towards type approval on Inmarsat’s global Ka-band satellite network, which powers JX. The advanced system is compatible with a wide range of business jets, from super mid-size to large cabin platforms, and includes only two Line Replaceable Units (LRUs), consisting of a modem manager (MODMAN) and tail-mounted antenna. The simplified architecture is optimised for efficient installation and weight savings, which in turn also helps to reduce its environmental impact. 

The AirTRX30 builds on patented Orbit aperture designs that are already used by Inmarsat’s government customers and will also be compatible with upcoming Ka-band satellites that are being launched over the next few years as part of Inmarsat’s ground-breaking technology roadmap.  

Kai Tang, Inmarsat’s Head of Business Aviation, said: “Inmarsat has a successful track record of working with Orbit in the government market. We are delighted to build on this strong foundation and expand our partnership into business aviation. Inmarsat’s Jet ConneX is already established as the gold standard of inflight broadband in business aviation, with more than 1,100 customers across the world. With demand for aircraft and the premium connectivity that supports those operators at historical highs, Inmarsat is excited to expand our partner ecosystem for Jet ConneX with world-class manufacturers such as Orbit.” 

Tuomo Rutanen, VP Sales and Business Development, Orbit Communication Systems, said: “We are very pleased to strengthen our partnership with Inmarsat and provide its Jet ConneX customers with a future-proof solution that can be used throughout the life of their aircraft. The open architecture and interfaces of our AirTRx30 terminal allow easy integration, ensuring flexibility and adaptability to passenger needs, which we know is more important than ever. Inmarsat’s relentless focus on innovation is fully aligned with our own, and we look forward to working together in the business aviation market.” 

Orbit is currently working with OEMs, service providers and after-market partners to set-up distribution, certification, installation and customer support capabilities for the AirTRx30 globally. The company’s commitment to quality is driven by its ISO9001, AS9100, AS6500 and various other certifications as well as a long legacy in designing and delivering qualified and proven solutions for extreme aeronautical, military and climate conditions. The AirTRx30 will be manufactured at Orbit’s U.S. facility in Deerfield Beach, Florida and DO-160G qualified terminals will begin shipping in Q1 2023 or earlier. 

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AVOLON AND AIR GREENLAND  

• Air Greenland commits to purchasing or leasing from Avolon a fleet of Vertical Aerospace VX4 eVTOL aircraft
• Air Greenland is the first European airline to join Avolon’s eVTOL program, starting its decarbonization journey where it matters the most

 Avolon, the international aircraft leasing company, announces that it has partnered with Air Greenland, the flag-carrier for Greenland, to bring zero-emissions travel to the region and help tackle the issue of climate change.

Avolon and Air Greenland will partner to form a Working Group to assess the opportunity to commercialize zero-emissions air travel in the region. The Working Group will also collaborate to identify local infrastructure and certification requirements for eVTOL aircraft. As part of the agreement, Air Greenland will commit to purchasing or leasing a fleet of VX4 eVTOL aircraft, manufactured by Vertical Aerospace (‘Vertical’), from Avolon. Upon its introduction, the VX4 will be the most advanced and the safest eVTOL in the market and will be built to EASA safety certification standards – the most stringent global requirements and at the same level as commercial aircraft. The VX4 will be near silent when in flight and will have zero operating emissions, transporting four passengers and one pilot distances of over 100 miles at up to 200 miles per hour. The size of Air Greenland’s VX4 fleet will be defined at the conclusion of the Working Group’s assessment of the scale of the market opportunity.

Download the Avolon and Air Greenland partnership video here.

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KYMETA

Kymeta, a world leading company for flat panel antennas making mobile global, and OneWeb (www.oneweb.world), the low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications company, announced today a distribution partner agreement to offer broadband connectivity services across the globe.

The OneWeb LEO satellite network will give Kymeta customers access to high-speed, low-latency broadband connectivity while on the move or while stationary, anywhere in the world.

Kymeta offers the world’s only high-bandwidth, low power, fully integrated family of high throughput mobile terminals and has been widely adopted by military, government, enterprise, and maritime customers. The connectivity from OneWeb will complement Kymeta’s existing broadband geostationary orbit (GEO) and 4G cellular service offering.

Kymeta’s distribution agreement with OneWeb will enable the company to resell OneWeb services in conjunction with fixed and mobility hardware solutions to government and commercial customers globally.

“Whether connectivity is needed on land, at sea, or in the air, Kymeta continues to deliver through innovation and strong partner relationships,” said Walter Berger, President and Co-CEO, Kymeta. “Our distinctive technology can switch between linear and circular polarization in software, allowing support for both LEO and GEO Ku-band constellations without any physical changes to the hardware required. We look forward to working with OneWeb as the addition of capacity from their leading LEO satellite network will give customers, including the U.S. government and military, unprecedented access to connectivity in areas where existing networks don’t reach. Kymeta’s expansion into managed satellite services allows us to package our hardware solutions for connectivity as a service, a capability the US DoD and other end users are increasingly seeking.”

Commenting on OneWeb’s agreement, OneWeb CEO Neil Masterson added, “We believe that space is the future for communications on Earth. This agreement with Kymeta is another example of OneWeb’s dedication to enabling resilient and secure connectivity for all with fast, high-bandwidth, and low-latency communications services that enhance lives and can be accessed through revolutionary technology like Kymeta’s flat panel u8.”

The announcement comes just three months after the two companies partnered in a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) to develop and bring to market by the end of 2022 a new u8-based LEO terminal that supports communications on the move (COTM) and communication on the pause (COTP) for governments, businesses, and communities.

The new Kymeta service, supported by OneWeb’s network of satellites, will distribute standalone OneWeb LEO service on the u8 or package together broadband services to offer GEO/LEO while also enabling military users access to a multi-constellation platform while on the move for the first time. The collaboration between the two leading companies in their respective fields provides a unique and comprehensive solution that expands connectivity and applications across all verticals and meets the needs of customers around the world

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ONEWEB

• OneWeb, SpaceX sign agreement that will enable OneWeb to resume satellite launches

• First launch anticipated in 2022

  OneWeb, the LEO the low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications company, announced  that the company and SpaceX entered into an agreement that will enable OneWeb to resume satellite launches.

The first launch with SpaceX is anticipated in 2022 and will add to OneWeb’s total in-orbit constellation that currently stands at 428 satellites, or 66 percent of the fleet. OneWeb’s network will deliver high-speed, low-latency global connectivity.

OneWeb CEO Neil Masterson said: “We thank SpaceX for their support, which reflects our shared vision for the boundless potential of space. With these launch plans in place, we’re on track to finish building out our full fleet of satellites and deliver robust, fast, secure connectivity around the globe.”

Demand for OneWeb’s broadband connectivity services has continued to grow across telecommunications providers, aviation and maritime markets, and governments worldwide. OneWeb has activated service with its network at the 50th parallel and above, and early partners are initiating service.

Terms of the agreement with SpaceX are confidential.

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ANUVU

Anuvu, a provider of high-speed connectivity and entertainment solutions for demanding worldwide mobility markets, has obtained the exclusive worldwide inflight distribution rights for critically acclaimed British comedy “The Duke”.

The Neon Films production for Pathé, Ingenious and the BBC is directed by the late Roger Michell and written by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman, stars Academy Award winners Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren. Since its release earlier this year, “The Duke” has garnered five-star ratings from esteemed critics at The Guardian, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail and more. The film will be available for passenger viewing beginning in June 2022.

Anuvu’s decision to add “The Duke” to its growing media library comes on the heels of the inflight entertainment provider’s acquisition of the exclusive worldwide rights, outside Mainland China, to Hong Kong’s award-winning film “Zero to Hero” and China’s record-breaking box office hit “Hi, Mom”.

“At Anuvu, we are committed to providing diverse films that drive emotion and curiosity for a global audience”, said Estibaliz Asiain, SVP Media & Content. “‘The Duke’ is a heart-warming comedy that is sure to make passengers smile, something we could all use right now.”

“The Duke” is a funny and moving true story that celebrates a man who was determined to change the world and save his marriage. In 1961, Kempton Bunton, a 60-year-old taxi driver, stole Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery. It was the first and only theft in the Gallery’s history. Kempton sent ransom notes promising to return the painting if the government invested more in care for the elderly. What happened next is the stuff of legend.

“We are happy to be working with the great team at Anuvu again on our latest film,” said a Pathé spokesperson.

As Anuvu’s vast entertainment library continues to expand, carriers seeking to uplevel their passengers’ travel experience can contact Anuvu or their content service provider (CSP) to book this film. For more information contact entertain@anuvu.com.

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Carlisle Interconnect Technologies (CarlisleIT), introduces its new Octax^® LT 10 Gbps single-port Ethernet connector for commercial aviation applications at the AEA 2022 show in New Orleans. CarlisleIT will be presenting at the “New Product Introductions” session on March 28 at 8:30 a.m. in the New Orleans Theater. CarlisleIT will also be present throughout the show at booth number 225.

While previous Octax^® solutions are most often used for rugged-environment defense applications, the Octax^® LT 10 Gb single-port connector is newly designed for commercial aviation applications with a die-cast, electroless nickel-plated aluminum shell. It is optimized for use with all the CarlisleIT Gigabit Series cables and is field-terminable.

“With commercial aviation being one of our biggest focuses right now, we wanted to give our customers the option to use this reliable, cost-effective and easy-to-work-with solution for that application,” said Jordan Tarter, CarlisleIT business development manager for airframe & engine OEMs and aerospace systems. “We’re excited to be presenting our latest innovation in this session where all the best new products will be announced. We hope to garner some anticipation for what’s coming to the market this year and solidify our standing as an industry leader.”

Other features and benefits include:

• Altitude immersion up to 50,000 feet
• Durable latching system
• Toolless EMI banding system
• Standard M39029 crimp contacts
• Compatible for both 26 and 24 AWG

CarlisleIT’s vertical integration allows them to provide interconnect solutions encompassing every facet of design and production for a variety of product needs. In addition, their in-house certification team is able to generate the appropriate reports and documentation required to ensure compliance with FAA and aerospace industry airworthiness standards. CarlisleIT is more than a manufacturer of aerospace products; they are an end-to-end solutions provider of high-performance interconnect solutions.

To learn more about CarlisleIT’s line of Octax^® high-speed data connectors, visit this link.

SAFRAN

Safran Passenger Innovations (SPI) Launches New IFE Software Platform

SPI is excited to announce the launch of Safran’s latest software platform, RAVE OS, with All Nippon Airways (ANA) on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, STARLUX on A330 and A321, and Virgin Atlantic on A350 amongst other airlines.

RAVE OS offers a modern user interface with features such as pinch to zoom, picture in picture, and multi-tasking capabilities creating a passenger experience comparable to that of the latest consumer technology products. RAVE OS also features the ability to run 3rd party applications, play 4K content and provides an immersive experience with full cabin Bluetooth audio. Keeping with the essence of RAVE DNA (Reliable, Affordable and Very Easy), RAVE OS maintains its common core and a configurable and brandable UI, ease of maintenance and lowest Total Cost of Ownership.

RAVE OS is paired with SPI’s latest ULTRA displays featuring RAVE’s game changing docking station with display sizes ranging from 13.3” to 43” and high-power USB-C (60 watts) in every seat.

Matt Smith, CEO of Safran Passenger Innovation, states “We are thrilled to deliver a product that encapsulates the key innovations we have been developing over the last 3 years, driven by customer and passenger needs. As we continue to grow and innovate, we will prioritize investment in products that make a difference to our customers”.

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ASTRONICS

Fourth Quarter Financial Results

• Fourth quarter sales of $116.1 million; full year sales of $444.9 million
• Fourth quarter bookings increased 53% over prior-year period to $177.3 million; full year bookings were up 35% to $577.2 million
• Achieved record backlog at year-end of $415.7 million
• Fourth quarter pre-tax loss of $0.2 million and net income of $1.6 million
•  Initial 2022 revenue guidance is $550 million to $600 million

Astronics Corporation (“Astronics”), a leading supplier of advanced technologies and products to the global aerospace, defense and other mission critical industries, reported financial results for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2021.

Peter J. Gundermann, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We achieved sales of $116 million in the fourth quarter, which was within our expected range despite continuing supply chain struggles and labor shortages. There were a number of puts and takes in the quarter that impacted results, but we believe that the most significant takeaway was the continued growth in demand from our markets. Bookings jumped to 153% of sales for the quarter, resulting in a year-end backlog of $416 million, an all-time high for Astronics.”

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INMARSAT &  CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY

With a rebound in air travel now underway, a new report published by Cranfield University and Inmarsat highlights the critical role that digital connectivity will play in accelerating aviation’s long-term recovery. Titled ‘Why the future of aviation starts with connectivity’, the study offers insights and direction for key aviation stakeholders and governments as they reconsider their priorities for the industry’s future. This will be fueled largely by a monumental shift in passenger behavior and expectations following the pandemic, as well as increased consumer awareness of their impact on the climate.

The report highlights a number of transformative changes ahead for the aviation industry and examines how airlines can take advantage of the enormous opportunities created as a result.

As part of their research, experts from Cranfield University have developed a Digital Connectivity Timeline, which outlines when 21 of the industry’s most critical technological innovations can be expected to reach adoption. It focuses on three distinct time-frames: five years (technologies at advanced stages of development and in some cases are being piloted by organizations ahead of market adoption), between five to ten years (technologies under early development with potential to be trialed in some sectors), and beyond the next decade (concepts under consideration for product or service offering development).

These technologies will enable a range of innovative concepts to make their way onto aircraft and airspace, helping to define the future of aviation while leading to important step changes in passenger experience and sustainability efforts. Amongst the concepts explored are:

• How the ‘Conscious Aircraft’ uses sensing and communication technologies to create an integrated aircraft health, maintenance, and performance management system that is capable of a fully aware state, with the ability to either take or suggest appropriate action. For example, it can accurately predict the health of aircraft components and automatically reconfigure them to optimize their lifecycle. In addition, it can sense changes in the external environment, like weather or a volcanic ash cloud. With the reduced need for planned maintenance, as well as anticipating the potential for component failures, maintenance costs would be cut by an estimated 30%.
• How the ‘Connected Journey’ will enhance a passenger’s experience with more efficient and personalized way-finding through airports, more intelligent and response baggage tracking, real-time updates on flight disruptions, and seamless high-speed inflight connectivity.
• How Trajectory Based Operations are a critical step towards the future management of air traffic, allowing more efficient traffic sequencing and routine deployment of so-called fuel efficient ‘green descents’ to airport terminal areas.
• How Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital trust technologies have enormous potential to be applied across all aviation sectors. AI can provide intelligent advice on aircraft management issues and make informed decisions under pressure – when there is the need to make a diversion, for example – with camera-based traffic detection, or helping crew to anticipate and prevent critical situations. Machine Learning (ML) can improve accuracy of any application involving optimisation, from sensor calibration to fuel tank checks to icing detection.

The report also examines how the complexity and interoperability of future ecosystems are significant challenges for technology providers, regulators and airlines alike.

Philippe Carette, President of Inmarsat Aviation, said: “Our new report with Cranfield University has considered how the role of digital connectivity, in all its forms, can enable and accelerate meeting the rapidly changing needs of air travelers and of the aviation sector itself. It has identified specific challenges and opportunities that, if addressed, will have a direct beneficial effect on the sector’s resilience, its
contribution to reducing climate change, and to new customer service offerings that will enhance passengers’ willingness to travel in the post-pandemic world.

“Harnessing the technological innovations explored in this report will be nothing short of revolutionary for our industry, and at Inmarsat, we can’t wait to play our part in bringing them to life through our global connectivity and world-leading ORCHESTRA network of networks.”

The full report, executive summary and Digital Connectivity Timeline are available here: Digital Now: Why the future of aviation starts with connectivity – Inmarsat

Inmarsat, a world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, recently unveiled plans for
ORCHESTRA: ORCHESTRA – Inmarsat will bring existing geosynchronous (GEO) satellites together with low earth orbit satellites (LEO) and terrestrial 5G to form an integrated, high-performance solution, unmatched by any existing or planned competitor offering. ORCHESTRA allows capacity to be boosted in high-density areas such as at airports, eliminating congested network ‘hot spots’ and ensuring the connectivity needs of aviation customers continue to be met well into the future, with capacity scaled directly to match their requirements.

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CARLISLE IT

Carlisle Interconnect Technologies (CarlisleIT) launched the Adjustable Keeper with Mounting Block as an upgrade to its NAS1637 Adjustable Keeper. The new version of the product includes upgraded materials and finishes and other additional features that exceed the performance and user experience of built-to-spec NAS1637 keepers.

The design includes a mounting block that allows for installation on standard ARINC 404 trays while maximizing the adjustment range of the keeper.

“When we looked at the existing keepers in the market, we knew that the quality and consistency weren’t up to our expectations and wouldn’t support our customers’ needs for retaining Line Replaceable Units in ARINC 404-style trays. That is why we are excited to launch this new NAS1637 Adjustable Keeper, which exceeds the NAS1637 specification and improves our customer’s experience,” said Todd Canavan, product line manager at CarlisleIT. “Built with better materials and designed for easy and accurate installation and adjustment, this product truly embodies the CarlisleIT vision of ‘Performance with Purpose.’”

Features and benefits include:

• Structural anodized aluminum construction, providing minimal concerns for galvanic corrosion compared to the to-spec design.
• Lockwire holes, which allow for use of .032″ diameter lock wire to prevent rotation of assembly when LRU is not installed.
• Free-running screw thread inserts for greatly improved user experience when adjusting length of product in the field.
• O-ring to prevent accidental disassembly of product before it is installed.
• An adjustable length that allows for a larger adjustment range than the to-spec NAS1637 adjustable keeper (1.55″ – 1.925”).

To learn more about CarlisleIT’s variety of tray accessories, follow this link .

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THALES

Thales reports its 2021 full-year results

• Order intake(1) : €19.9 billion, up 18% (+18% on an organic basis(2) – Sales: €16.2 billion, up 5.3% (+5.3% on an organic basis)
•  EBIT(3) : €1,649 million, up 32.1% (+31.9% on an organic basis) – Adjusted net income, Group share(3) : €1,361 million, up 45%
• Consolidated net income, Group share: €1,089 million, up 125%
• Free operating cash flow(3) : €2,515 million, 185% of adjusted net income, Group share
• Dividend(4) of €2.56, up 45%

2022 objectives:

•  Book-to-bill(5) above 1, supporting sales growth acceleration in 2023
• Sales between €16.6 and €17.2 billion, corresponding to organic growth between +2% and +6%
• EBIT margin

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BOEING

Emergency assistance package will be directed to organizations working to bring food, water, clothing and shelter to displaced Ukrainians

Boeing announced a US$2 million emergency assistance package to support humanitarian response efforts in Ukraine. The assistance package will be directed to organizations working to bring food, water, clothing, medicine and shelter to displaced Ukrainians – including those seeking refuge in neighboring countries. In addition, Boeing will match all qualifying employee contributions made in support of Ukrainian humanitarian relief through the company’s charitable matching program.

“The conflict unfolding in Ukraine is leading to a significant humanitarian emergency, and Boeing will take action to support the Ukrainian people,” said Dave Calhoun, Boeing president and CEO. “Our thoughts are with all those who have been thrust into the midst of this crisis. While we work to ensure the safety of Boeing employees in the region, our hope is that this assistance package will help deliver some much-needed support to those who are displaced and suffering.”

Funding from the Boeing Charitable Trust will support the following organizations:

$1,000,000 to CARE to assist with food, water and hygiene kit distribution as well as monetary assistance and psychosocial support for affected Ukrainians, with a focus on women, children and the elderly.
$500,000 to American Red Cross to support the global Red Cross movement providing critical humanitarian relief to people affected by the Ukraine crisis.
$250,000 to Americares to help with the distribution of medicine and medical supplies as well as support critical medical care for families displaced by the crisis, including mental health services.
$250,000 to organizations working to support vulnerable, displaced populations in Ukraine and neighboring countries.

MORE BOEING

We understand Boeing has suspended major operations in Moscow. We also understand they temporarily closed their office in Kyiv, and has suspended parts, maintenance & technical support services for Russian airlines.

BOEING/ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES

Boeing and its longstanding customer Ethiopian Airlines announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the intent to purchase five 777-8 Freighters, the industry’s newest, most capable and most fuel-efficient twin-engine freighter.

The MoU to order the 777-8 Freighter will enable Ethiopian Airlines to meet expanding global cargo demand from its hub in Addis Ababa and position the carrier for long-term sustainable growth.

BOEING & JEPPESEN FLITEDECK

Boeing has been selected to provide Etihad Airways with the Jeppesen FliteDeck Advisor digital solution for the carrier’s 787 Dreamliner fleet to optimize operational efficiency and reduce fuel consumption.

Etihad has already found benefits from the use of FliteDeck Advisor. During a trial on several of its 787 Dreamliners, the airline found that the digital solution delivered cruise fuel savings of 1.4%, saving an average of 350 kilograms of fuel and 1,100 kilograms of CO2 per flight.

Since 2019, Boeing and Etihad have collaborated on sustainability efforts centered on the airline’s 787 Dreamliner fleet, including on Etihad’s participation in Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator program, where the FliteDeck Advisor solution was initially trialed. In 2021, the two companies renewed and expanded their sustainability alliance to focus on enhancing the efficiency of navigation and flight operations, airframe technologies and sustainable practices to reduce emissions.

Jeppesen FliteDeck Advisor analyzes airplane-specific performance metrics for all Boeing aircraft, including changes over time with aircraft age and maintenance action. The tool enables flight crews to make small, real-time adjustments to their course, altitude, and speed to optimize fuel use and minimize the carbon footprint of each flight.

Boeing provides several other digital solutions and services to Etihad’s 787 fleet including Jeppesen FliteDeck Pro, Jeppesen Crew Rostering and Boeing Wind Updates, which provide crew scheduling, charting, navigation, and flight efficiency capabilities.

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OTHER NEWS

• Curious about 5G and air[port avionics communication? Here is a bit more video – Is 5G dangerous for the aviation industry?
• We understand the folks at Farnborough International have suspended Russian involvement with the 2022 Farnborough Airshow.

AVALON

Avalon and AirAsia partner to create a transformational ride sharing platform in Southeast Asia

• AirAsia Aviation Group orders 100 VX4 eVTOL aircraft
• 90% of Avolon’s VX4 order book now placed

Avolon, the international aircraft leasing company, announces that one of the world’s leading airline groups, AirAsia Aviation Group Limited (‘AirAsia’), has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to lease a minimum of 100 VX4 eVTOL aircraft from Avolon. These eVTOL aircraft will allow AirAsia to further revolutionise air travel by providing advanced air mobility to a whole new range of passengers, transforming how we all connect more efficiently in our everyday lives.

In addition to the eVTOL aircraft, Avolon, through its investment and innovation affiliate Avolon-e, will partner with AirAsia to commercialise zero-emissions eVTOL aircraft and develop an industry leading urban air mobility (‘UAM’) platform in Southeast Asia. Avolon and AirAsia will form a working group to pursue local certification, research potential market opportunities and infrastructure requirements for UAM. AirAsia will also leverage its successful travel and lifestyle mobile app, the AirAsia Super App, to help support and build an eVTOL ride sharing platform with Avolon.

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INMARSAT

An advanced new terminal for Inmarsat’s market-leading business aviation inflight broadband solution Jet ConneX, developed by Satcom Direct (SD), has moved a step closer to commercial service after successfully communicating over the air with an Inmarsat satellite. A complete prototype unit of the ground-breaking Plane Simple Ka-band Antenna System is scheduled for completion later this year, followed by design verification, testing, certification and its commercial service introduction in 2023.

Designed specifically to meet current and long-term connectivity needs in the business aviation market, the new Plane Simple Ka-band Antenna System optimises inflight Wi-Fi, particularly for super-mid to large-size jets, using Inmarsat’s current and upcoming Ka-band satellites. It offers a unique alternative to existing terminals used on private jets, with key features including a modern lightweight design with only two line-replaceable units and simplified wiring to enable quicker and easier installation and maintenance.

The tail-mounted terminal will utilise the vast combined experience and expertise of Inmarsat, the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, and SD, the aviation solutions provider, in business aviation connectivity. Both companies worked closely throughout the development process, from designing the concept to producing a simple, cost-effective and future proof solution.

Kai Tang, Inmarsat’s Head of Business Aviation, said: “Since its commercial launch five years ago, Inmarsat’s Jet ConneX has established itself as business aviation’s gold standard inflight connectivity service. Satcom Direct has played a key role in that journey and through the development of this advanced new terminal, we are building on our partnership to ensure customers can utilise the world-class infrastructure we have in place today and the game-changing new capabilities we will introduce in the coming years. This includes the launch of six further satellites, consisting of four in geostationary orbit – adding speed, capacity and resilience – and two in highly elliptical orbit, enabling the world’s only commercial mobile broadband service for aircraft flying in higher elevations and across the Arctic.”

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ANUVU

Anuvu ,a leading provider of high-speed connectivity and entertainment solutions for demanding worldwide mobility markets, announced it has obtained the exclusive worldwide inflight distribution rights (outside of mainland China) for Hong Kong’s award-winning film Zero to Hero. The film is available for booking now, for passenger viewing in May 2022.

The inspiring true story of Hong Kong’s six-time Paralympic gold medalist sprinter, presented by One Cool Pictures, is directed and written by Jimmy Wan. It stars producer and Hong Kong Film Award and Golden Horse-winning actress Sandra Ng, who plays the athlete’s tenacious and loving mother. Zero to Hero has grossed over $3.6 million domestically, making it Hong Kong’s second-highest-grossing Chinese film of 2021.

Zero to Hero joins recent exclusive films Hi, Mom, Minari and First Cow in Anuvu’s series of unique and global media options, part of the company’s mission to help airlines deliver entertainment that is as diverse as their passengers and destinations.

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IMMFLY

Avolon, the international aircraft leasing company, today announces that one of the world’s leading airline groups, AirAsia Aviation Group Limited (‘AirAsia’), has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to lease a minimum of 100 VX4 eVTOL aircraft from Avolon. These eVTOL aircraft will allow AirAsia to further revolutionise air travel by providing advanced air mobility to a whole new range of passengers, transforming how we all connect more efficiently in our everyday lives.

In addition to the eVTOL aircraft, Avolon, through its investment and innovation affiliate Avolon-e, will partner with AirAsia to commercialise zero-emissions eVTOL aircraft and develop an industry leading urban air mobility (‘UAM’) platform in Southeast Asia. Avolon and AirAsia will form a working group to pursue local certification, research potential market opportunities and infrastructure requirements for UAM. AirAsia will also leverage its successful travel and lifestyle mobile app, the AirAsia Super App, to help support and build an eVTOL ride sharing platform with Avolon.

Avolon VX4 Order book

In June 2021, Avolon ordered 500 VX4 eVTOL aircraft from Vertical Aerospace (NYSE: EVTL) (‘Vertical’), valued at US $2 billion. Since announcing that order, Avolon placed 250 VX4 aircraft with Gol and Grupo Comporte in Brazil, up to 100 aircraft with Japan Airlines in Japan, and a minimum of 100 aircraft with AirAsia. As a result, Avolon has now placed up to 90% of its initial orderbook, underlining the demand for VX4 aircraft from the world’s leading airlines.

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TURKISH TECHNIC

Turkish Technic, a leading MRO company certified around the world as Part 145 and Part 21 J&G organization, and leading Swiss-based aviation and aerospace advisor, AMROS Global, have recently announced the signing of a commemorative certificate for the C-Check and lease-out operations of two Airbus A330. The maintenance will commence on the 1^st Quarter of 2022.

Turkish Technic has been a trusted partner for airlines, OEMs, and lessors for decades, supporting many local and international customers around the globe. This brand-new cooperation between Turkish Technic and AMROS Global further strengthens the MRO’s leading position in the maintenance, repair, and overhaul market.

On the signing of the commemorative certificate, CEO of Turkish Technic, Mikail Akbulut stated: ‘‘We are pleased by the confidence AMROS Global has placed in our services and determined to meet that trust with our diligent efforts. As a well-positioned MRO company with a wide range of aircraft and component capabilities under our belt, we look forward to turning this new collaboration into a long-standing partnership in the years ahead.”

 

Commenting on the new agreement, CEO of AMROS Global, Eros Tavani said; “The AMROS team is pleased to announce the collaboration with an additional highly qualified MRO Turkish Technic. AMROS’ aim is to provide our airline and lessor customers with professional transition MRO activities with high quality in a trusted environment, where timelines are a critical success factor. We are looking forward to a long-lasting and fruitful collaboration.”

Operating as a one-stop MRO company with high-quality service, competitive turnaround times, comprehensive in-house capabilities at its state-of-the-art hangars, Turkish Technic provides maintenance, repair, overhaul, engineering, modification, tailor-made PBH and reconfiguration services to many domestic and international customers at five locations.

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AIRBUS

• 611 commercial aircraft delivered in 2021
• Financials reflect strong operational performance group-wide
• Revenues € 52.1 billion; EBIT Adjusted € 4.9 billion; EBIT (reported) € 5.3 billion
• Free cash flow before M&A and customer financing € 3.5 billion; Net cash € 7.6 billion
• Record net income of € 4.2 billion; EPS (reported) € 5.36
• Dividend proposal: € 1.50 per share
• 2022 guidance issued

Airbus SE (stock exchange symbol: AIR) reported consolidated Full-Year (FY) 2021 financial results and provided guidance for 2022.

“2021 was a year of transition, where our attention shifted from navigating the pandemic towards recovery and growth. Thanks to the resilience and efforts of our teams, customers and suppliers, we delivered remarkable full-year results,” said Guillaume Faury, Airbus Chief Executive Officer. “The strong financials reflect the higher number of commercial aircraft deliveries, the good performance of our Helicopters and Defence and Space businesses as well as our efforts on cost containment and competitiveness. Record net income and our efforts to strengthen the net cash position underpin our proposal to reintroduce dividend payments going forward. At the same time, we continue to invest in our strategic priorities and in the transformation of our company.”

Gross commercial aircraft orders totalled 771 (2020: 383 aircraft) with net orders of 507 aircraft after cancellations (2020: 268 aircraft). Included were the first A350 freighter orders, confirming customer demand for this new programme. The order backlog was 7,082 commercial aircraft on 31 December 2021 (end 2020: 7,184 aircraft). Airbus Helicopters booked 414 net orders (2020: 268 units), achieving a book-to-bill ratio well above 1 both in terms of units and in value. These included 52 H160s of which 30 were the first batch of H160M military versions for France’s Joint Light Helicopter programme. Airbus Defence and Space’s order intake by value increased to € 13.7 billion (2020: € 11.9 billion), representing a book-to-bill ratio of around 1.3. Included were key orders in the Military Aircraft business such as the in-service support of the German and Spanish Eurofighter fleets as well as good export momentum for the C295, A330 MRTT and A400M airlifter.

Consolidated order intake by value increased to € 62.0 billion (2020: € 33.3 billion) with the consolidated order book valued at € 398 billion on 31 December 2021 (year-end 2020: € 373 billion). The increase in the backlog value mainly reflected the strengthening US dollar.

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BOEING

• ANA Extends Boeing Maintenance Performance Toolbox for Entire Fleet
• Japanese carrier: Digital maintenance information greatly reduces complexity of managing multiple airplane types, increases efficiency
• Nearly 350 customers rely on Maintenance Performance Toolbox to support their engineering and maintenance operations

Boeing announced at the Singapore Airshow that All Nippon Airways (ANA) has signed an extension for Boeing’s Maintenance Performance Toolbox for another five years. The Japanese carrier has used the Boeing digital solution the past eight years to manage maintenance information for its entire fleet of aircraft and engines.

Maintenance Performance Toolbox allows operators to simplify their maintenance operations by enabling them to manage, distribute, process and view intelligent maintenance documentation in a uniform digital format through a single interface, regardless of aircraft manufacturer or engine type.

“The adoption of Maintenance Performance Toolbox is one example of how we have streamlined our maintenance processes through digital tools,” said Hajime Kaneko, Vice President of the Digital Transformation Portfolio Management Department at ANA. “It has greatly reduced the complexity of managing maintenance information for multiple airplane types across our entire fleet. We’ve seen efficiency improvements in our maintenance operations, and we’ll continue to use Maintenance Performance Toolbox to take advantage of those benefits.”

Nearly 350 airplane operators and their MRO providers rely on Maintenance Performance Toolbox to support their engineering and maintenance operations. ANA and other airlines have deployed its full-fleet capabilities on maintaining their Boeing and non-Boeing aircraft.

“ANA was a development partner for Maintenance Performance Toolbox and was the first customer to go live with the platform’s full-fleet capability in 2013,” said Duane Wehking, Vice President of Digital Aviation Solutions for Boeing Global Services. “We look forward to continuing to grow and improve Maintenance Performance Toolbox through our collaboration with ANA in support of streamlining their maintenance operations.”

Boeing is also partnering with AIRDO, an affiliate of ANA, to provide cabin modification services for 767 airplanes in its fleet. As part of the agreement, Boeing will execute the design engineering, certification and supply of parts required for completion.

For more information on Boeing Maintenance Performance Toolbox, visit Boeing Maintenance Performance Toolbox | Boeing Services

Also From Boeing:

Western Global Airlines Purchases Two Boeing 777 Freighters

• Global cargo carrier expands all-Boeing fleet with first order of new-production freighters
• Adding capacity to meet growing e-commerce and express cargo demand

Boeing and Western Global Airlines today announced a firm order for two 777 Freighters, the first new-production freighters for the all-Boeing cargo operator based in Estero, Fla. The order was finalized in January 2022 and is currently listed as unidentified in Boeing’s order backlog. The agreement also includes an additional purchase option.

Boeing’s market-leading 777 Freighter is the world’s largest, longest-range and most capable twin-engine freighter currently flying, with the lowest trip cost and highest reliability of any large freighter. With a range of 4,970 nautical miles (9,200 kilometers), the 777 Freighter can carry a maximum structural payload of 107 metric tons (235,900 pounds), while reducing fuel use and CO2 emissions compared to prior airplanes. This capability and exceptional efficiency translate into significant savings for cargo operators, with fewer stops and associated landing fees.

Boeing has forecast that the global freighter fleet will grow by 70% in the next 20 years, with freight carriers such as Western Global supporting a rapidly expanding global e-commerce business and evolving supply chains.

Having flown to over 400 airports in 135 countries on six continents, Western Global Airlines currently owns and operates a fleet of 21 747-400 and MD-11 Freighters, providing contracted turn-key transport services around the globe for a variety of blue-chip logistics companies, e-commerce platforms, and US Department of Defense

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OTHER NEWS

• OK, this is probably going to get us in trouble; however, we had to tell you about the most popular video on YouTube. Yes, it is #babyshark, and we just can’t get it out of our heads so here we go: Baby Shark Dance | #babyshark Most Viewed Video | Animal Songs | PINKFONG Songs for Children – YouTube By the way, this has nothing to do with IFE and if you don’t want the song to resonate in your memory – DON’T WATCH IT – and don’t blame us, we warned you!
• Bet you never heard of the this issue with computers based of a theft problem: How a stolen capacitor formula ended up costing Dell $300m | Dell | The Guardian
• And a poem:

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Have a nice day on,
2/22/22

Today’s Image : JetBlue Firms Up Order For 60 Airbus A220-300 Aircraft

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ANUVU

Anuvu Secures Major Capacity Deal with Telesat

• New agreement provides Anuvu with 10 Gigabits of Ka-band capacity, the largest acquisition so far in Anuvu’s Bridge to LEO strategy

Anuvu (formerly GlobalEagle) and Telesat announced the largest yet in a series of satellite capacity deals, providing Anuvu and its customers with new Ka-band connectivity over the Southeastern US, the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico and Central America.

Under the agreement, Anuvu will add approximately ten gigabits of Ka-band capacity, from Telesat starting next month. This adds to Anuvu’s existing global multi-band capacity on 54 satellites from 11 satellite operators around the world.

“This is an important step in our long-term plan that will culminate with our current GEO Ka-band, Ku-band and C-band global network being supplemented with the Anuvu Constellation of microGEO satellites and setting the stage for LEO connectivity with Telesat Lightspeed,” said Mike Pigott, Anuvu EVP Connectivity.

This deal is part of Anuvu’s Bridge to LEO, allowing Anuvu customers to begin using terminals and capacity now, which are forward-compatible with the Telesat Lightspeed LEO network. “We are revolutionizing mobile connectivity with an open-architecture, hybrid network model that will seamlessly integrate LEO and GEO satellite capability using the Anuvu Constellation Operating System (ACOS). Anuvu’s partnership model delivers our customers an integrated, flexible and cutting-edge solution to meet ever-increasing end user demand. It is a simple bridge from the best satellite technology today, to the best of the future,” said Pigott.

“The Telesat Lightspeed LEO constellation, with its flexible capacity and 100% global coverage, was designed for mobility from the start. And Anuvu’s Bridge to LEO network ensures their passengers an early and smooth upgrade path to the highest-capacity, lowest-latency, fiber-like passenger experience on Telesat Lightspeed,” said Glenn Katz, Chief Commercial Officer at Telesat. “Telesat provided Anuvu’s first satellite capacity over a decade ago and we are proudly further-cementing our relationship with this important agreement.”

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ONEWEB

• OneWeb confirms successful launch and contact with 34 satellites, bringing total in-orbit constellation to 428 satellites
• OneWeb has now launched two thirds of LEO satellite fleet that will deliver high-speed, low-latency global connectivity
• OneWeb starts the year with ten launches completed since December 2020, and several partnerships and agreements signed

OneWeb, the low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications company, confirmed the successful deployment of 34 satellites by Arianespace from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. This launch, the Company’s first in 2022 and 13th overall, brings OneWeb’s total in-orbit constellation to 428 satellites. It represents 66 percent of OneWeb’s planned 648 LEO satellite fleet that will deliver high-speed, low-latency global connectivity.

This launch kicks off a successful start to 2022 as demand for OneWeb’s broadband connectivity services has continued to grow across telecommunications providers, aviation and maritime markets, ISPs, and governments worldwide. Most recently, the Company has signed new distribution partnership agreements with several companies in the last month – including Hughes Network Systems, Marlink, and Field Solutions Holdings – to help ensure connectivity is delivered to the most hard-to-reach places globally.

Liftoff of the latest launch occurred on Thursday, 10th of February 2022. OneWeb’s satellites separated from the rocket and were dispensed in nine batches over a period of 3 hours 33 minutes with signal acquisition on all 34 satellites confirmed.

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ASTRONICS

Astronics Corporation congratulates Textron Aviation Inc., on the first flight of its new high-performance single-engine turboprop Beechcraft Denali.

The Beechcraft Denali is equipped with several of Astronics’ products, including:

• Aircraft power systems: CorePower® Induction Starter Generator System, CorePower® Electronic Circuit Breaker Units, and the 28-Volt DC EmPower® In-Seat Power Supply from Astronics Advanced Electronic Systems
• Aircraft exterior lighting and cockpit panels from Astronics Luminescent Systems
• The Max-Viz 1400 Enhanced Vision System (EVS) from Astronics PECO

“Astronics is proud to be a part of the Beechcraft Denali program,” said Mark Peabody, President of Astronics Aerospace Segment. “The technology and innovation being applied to the Beechcraft Denali program is often found in larger aircraft. We believe the addition of these systems will enable a significant increase in features and performance for smaller business and general aviation aircraft.”

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BOEING

Boeing Reaches Record $2 Billion in E-Commerce Sales

• Boeing Global Services online sales portal simplifies customer transactions with new tools
• Record online orders reflect continued recovery from COVID-19 impacts

Boeing achieved an annual record for e-commerce parts sales last year with more than $2 billion in online orders. Fueled by investment in digital tools, Boeing Distribution Inc. (formerly Aviall) sold nearly 70,000 parts products through its e-commerce site to commercial and government customers, eclipsing pre-pandemic levels. Commercial orders accounted for $1.5 billion in sales, reflecting the continued recovery in the airline industry

“Our $2 billion closeout to 2021 was a great capstone as the market heads to a more stable recovery,” said Ted Colbert, president and chief executive officer, Boeing Global Services, at the Singapore Airshow today. “Our e-commerce capabilities are a great example of the digital solutions we provide to enable industry recovery and growth. Our focus as always is on bringing value through our products and services, and we will continue to partner with our customers as they navigate this dynamic environment.”

Boeing Distribution Inc.’s online revenue last year was 15 percent higher compared to pre-pandemic levels, while orders were 20 percent higher. The stronger sales came as the company rolled out new tools to improve the customer experience, including a new homepage, a live chat feature, and an online knowledge center.

The refreshed e-commerce parts website, which features over 500,000 products, saw five million visits from 50 countries last year.

“Boeing is improving e-commerce with our customers in mind,” said William Ampofo, vice president of Parts, Distribution Services, and Supply Chain, Boeing Global Services. “In addition to launching new digital tools, we are creating a more streamlined process for our customers by realigning strategy, program, and product line management with supply chain and customer support. We will continue to focus on digital and performance improvements, along with simplifying how we engage with our customers.”

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OTHER NEWS

• You might want to check out how AirAsia is changing their name and why – “The name change reflects the Group’s new core business strategy as an investment holding company with a portfolio of synergistic travel and lifestyle businesses, which have rapidly transformed the AirAsia brand into much more than just an airline.”
  AirAsia Group is now Capital A — airasia newsroom

THALES

• AVIOBOOK strengthens its position as leader of the Electronic Flight Folder market with a record breaking 3 contracts signed in fall 2021.
• AVIOBOOK has passed a huge milestone in its growth and development, reaching over 2600 tails using AVIOBOOK’s suite of applications.

Despite difficult economic conditions in the aviation industry caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, AVIOBOOK has proved that its robust and reliable suite of applications can bring concrete business benefits to airlines around the world. The company is thus positioning itself as the practical solution for EFB software that will support airlines in the post-pandemic recovery.

The broad portfolio of new customers demonstrates the appeal of AVIOBOOK’s solutions. In India, low-cost carrier IndiGo has chosen AVIOBOOK for its fleet of over 270 aircraft to support its operations as the largest airline in the country by market share. And two members of the Indigo Partners Group, JetSMART in South America and Lynx Air in Canada, saw in AVIOBOOK a strong partner to help accompany their rapid growth plans.

Built on a decade of experience, AVIOBOOK is a proven solution that differentiates itself through its deep back-office integration and extensive user-driven functionalities. AVIOBOOK’s experience in the development of adaptable and flexible solutions, with previous implementations at 60+ airlines around the world, has been key to ensuring the success of these projects.

AVIOBOOK is proud to welcome IndiGo, JetSMART and Lynx Air to the AVIOBOOK community.

MORE THALES NEWS:

• Thales to create highest ever Wi-Fi hotspot as it joins forces with Airbus Perlan Mission II stratospheric glider project

Thales announced its partnership with Airbus Perlan Mission II, an internationally celebrated and world record setting climate and aerospace research project, aiming to fly Thales’ latest mobile Satellite communications system, FlytLink, in a zero-emission glider to more than twice the altitude of a commercial airline flight. Through this collaboration, the world will get a live, front row view of the stratosphere and hear from glider pilots as they soar to the edge of space via FlytLink. The Nevada-based Airbus Perlan Mission II team is planning for a possible return to flight this year in the U.S. and El Calafate, Argentina.

Airbus Perlan Mission II is an initiative of The Perlan Project, a non-profit, international team of scientists, engineers, and aviators. The group has already set aviation world altitude records in the experimental Perlan 2 glider, which was designed, built and deployed to fly to 90,000 feet without an engine. Originally launched in 2015, the Perlan 2 achieved its highest record-setting flight of above 76,000 feet in 2018. The organization’s mission is to conduct climate, atmospheric and aeronautical research at extreme high altitudes. Applications of their research include informing more accurate climate-change models, innovating fuel-efficient or zero-emission aviation, and even demonstrating the feasibility of using energy-efficient winged aircraft on Mars.

Soaring too high to use ground-based communications, the Perlan 2 glider will be fitted with the FlytLink Thales Iridium Certus based satellite communications (satcom) system. This means that for the first time it will be possible to make a live feed available to STEM students, researchers and aviation enthusiasts around the world while the aircraft is in flight, enabling access to real-time data downloads. FlytLink is the latest generation of Iridium-based satellite communications systems for cockpit and crew operations. Anywhere in the world, whether flying over the poles, the ocean or land, FlytLink offers coverage and connectivity for critical operations. Its resilience, high dependability and low size, weight and power make it adaptable to any aircraft, including gliders such as Perlan.

“We look forward to Perlan 2 carrying the Thales logo as well as one of the company’s most cutting-edge communication solutions to even greater heights,” said Ed Warnock, CEO of The Perlan Project. “By exploring the stratosphere in an airborne research vehicle that creates zero pollution, we hope to unlock discoveries never possible before. Through this exciting partnership with Thales, we also look forward to inspiring new generations of scientists, engineers and pilots in environmentally conscious aviation.”

“We are delighted to support Airbus Perlan Mission II because we believe the project aligns with Thales’ own strategies for future, greener aviation and the environment,” said Marc Duval Destin, Vice-President Strategy, Product Policy and Innovation for Thales’ Flight Avionics activities. ”We hope that the live stream will encourage a new generation of young people to consider careers in aerospace, science and engineering.”

When Perlan 2 reaches its next record-breaking target altitude of over 90,000 feet, it will be the highest a winged aircraft has ever flown in level flight. Equipped with cutting edge aviation technology and using spacecraft engineering, its glider wings can fly in less than 3% of normal air density at temperatures of minus 70 degrees Celsius approximating the atmospheric conditions on Mars.

“Our equipment will be in an unpressurised environment,” added Duval Destin. “So, this is a great opportunity for us to validate the design and performance of our solution in such extremely non-benign conditions.”

Designed to support a wide range of use cases in maritime, land mobile and aviation markets, Thales Iridium Certus based satcom solutions are already used widely among vessels and land/mobile applications to keep critical communications when it is needed at all times, anywhere on the planet.

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BOEING

Last year the airframer delivered 340 aircraft, broken down as follows:

2021

• 245 MAXs
• 18 737NGs
• 7  747s
• 32 767s
• 24 777s
• 14 787s

2020 Deliveries Totaled 157 aircraft

• 27 MAXs
• 16 737NGs
• five 747s
• 30 767s
• 26 777s
• 53 787s

In 2021 Boeing booked 909 orders (535 net) vs 184 (-471) in 2020, and ended the year with backlog of 5,136 vs 4,997.

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QATAR AIRWAYS

Munich Airport welcomes a further increase in so-called cargo-only services. As of today, Qatar Airways is operating regular flights to and from Munich with a cargo version of its Boeing 777. The routing starts on Mondays in Bangalore, India, and leads via Qatar’s capital Doha to Munich and then on to Chicago. On the return flight, in exactly the opposite rotation, the freighter reaches Munich every Tuesday.  Qatar Airways operates this service on behalf of the international logistics provider DB Schenker. Munich’s cargo network will thus be expanded by more significant destinations. This new freight service proves once again that, even in times of pandemic, Munich Airport plays an important role as a reliable part of the infrastructure and a key component of global supply chains.

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OTHER NEWS

• Here is a quote from Audrey Hepburn that we really love! “Nothing is impossible”, the word itself says “I’m Possible”….”
• Here’s How the Top Flying Taxi Companies Compare – Bloomberg
• Qatar Airways becomes first airline to make Aviation Carbon Exchange trade using IATA’s settlement platform – GreenAir News
• UPDATED (21/12/21) – The 2021 airline bankruptcy list now open — Allplane

MOMENT

Air Côte d’Ivoire boosts its passenger experience with Moment’s W-IFE solution

Air Côte d’Ivoire selects the Flymingo Box, Moment’s portable W-IFE system, to provide on-board entertainment. The service is available since December 24th, 2021 on selected aircraft and will be extended in 2022 to the company’s entire fleet, consisting of 9 aircraft (A320neo, A320 and Q400).

Moment has signed an agreement with Air Côte d’Ivoire to provide a premium cabin experience, relying on the deployment of the portable entertainment system (W-IFE), Flymingo Box. Passengers will now benefit from a digital platform designed to meet their onboard needs and offer maximum comfort.

Since its creation in 2012, Air Côte d’Ivoire is the flag carrier of Ivory Coast, serving the five biggest Ivorian airports, a large number of destinations in West and Central Africa. South Africa will be covered by May 2022.

Air Côte d’Ivoire plays a major role in the African airline industry. The airline regularly assesses sector-related issues such as fuel consumption, safety, GSM connectivity and Wi-Fi on board and is known to adopt innovative technologies in order to create added value and strengthen its position as a competitive player. In line with this strategy, the company wants to develop passenger services by offering a quality entertainment solution on all of its flights.

Air Côte d’Ivoire has chosen Moment and its Flymingo Box server, which guarantees smooth access to a wide range of content, including films, music, press, radio, podcasts, digital books and unparalleled streaming speed. Easily installed in the cabin of an aircraft and requiring no intervention from the crew, the Flymingo Box differentiates itself with its ease of use and adaptability. This powerful device allows rapid distribution throughout the cabin of a single-aisle aircraft.

“We are delighted with this partnership with Moment which allows the deployment of a digital entertainment system dedicated to our passengers. We are committed to being a forward-looking airline and Moment supports us in this process” said Laurent Loukou, CEO of Air Côte d’Ivoire. “Among all the entertainment possibilities available on the market, Moment’s solution met the best of our expectations. Offering a broad range of content and services, it can evolve according to our needs to become a genuine point of contact on board. We were also thrilled with Moment uptime and the simplicity of its system both in installation and passenger use. A significant differentiating point”.

“We are pleased to make our expertise available to Air Côte d’Ivoire and to collaborate with the company to equip its entire fleet with our Flymingo Box solution”, adds Dieudonné Kamaté, Sales Director at Moment. “The Flymingo Box’s deployment model and technology are perfectly suited to the strategy of the company and to its aircraft. As an agile solution, it offers passengers a wide variety of content and allows the company to increase on-board satisfaction and loyalty.”

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ANUVU

Anuvu Grows in 2021 and Prepares for More Expansion in 2022 

• The company looks back at innovations that shaped entertainment and connectivity in the global mobility market.

Anuvu, a provider of high-speed satellite connectivity and entertainment solutions for demanding worldwide mobility markets, reflects on its growth in 2021. Last year, Anuvu’s commitment to innovation yielded an expanded client base, a diversified technology portfolio and, most recently, new growth capital to support long-term strategy.

Formerly Global Eagle, the Anuvu brand launched in May 2021, reflecting its longtime focus on next-generation passenger experiences for the aviation and maritime industries. To drive long-term growth and innovation, the company appointed a new board of directors, added to its executive leadership team and increased its financial backing from blue-chip investors.

Building Future-Focused Solutions in Connectivity and Media & Content for Mobility Markets 

In connectivity, Anuvu sharpened its focus on mobility markets by selling its legacy land business to Marlink AS in March. Anuvu announced its plan to launch a high-performance MicroGEO satellite constellation, delivering dedicated bandwidth to aviation and maritime customers. The partnership with satellite manufacturer Astranis includes two satellites to launch in early 2023, with six more to follow.

Additionally, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) granted approval for a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the installation of Anuvu’s internally developed Airconnect Global Ku inflight connectivity (IFC) system. This allowed Anuvu to install core components

In media and content, Anuvu reinvented inflight entertainment (IFE) with a best-in-class digital end-to-end supply chain and the launch of two new solutions for media and content customers: Iris and Explore. Iris, a cost-effective and turnkey IFE subscription service, delivers high-quality content to passengers and simplicity to airlines by offering a wide variety of premium content and bespoke customer solutions. Additionally, Explore is a user-friendly and comprehensive online tool that offers airlines a modern and efficient alternative to the industry’s legacy approach to content and media selection.

Anuvu was also at the leading edge of high-definition inflight entertainment delivery, driving the technology that made Cathay Pacific the first airline in the world to offer ultra-high resolution “4K” inflight entertainment screens.

Elevating the Passenger Experience 

Anuvu elevates its airline and maritime partners’ entertainment options to enhance passenger and guest experiences with diverse and unique entertainment options. The company’s content team curates top-tier content from local and worldwide markets, while simultaneously creating new entertainment verticals that satisfy passengers’ evolving tastes and preferences.

In aviation, Anuvu expanded its non-traditional video content through a partnership with Complex Networks, one of the largest youth culture brands. Anuvu also expanded inflight game options, in partnership with the multinational entertainment company Entertainment One (eOne), and secured the exclusive worldwide rights to the critically acclaimed film “Hi, Mom” (outside mainland China) and award-winning independent films “Minari” and “First Cow.”

Anuvu’s airline clients dominated both KAYAK’s Travel Awards and the 2021 SkyTrax World Airline Awards, where they were recognized for excellence in inflight entertainment. Anuvu was honored this year with renewed contracts from many of those award-winning airlines, including United Airlines, Air New Zealand, Hawaiian Airlines, Gulf Air, Cathay Pacific, Vietnam Airlines, Flydubai and El Al, amongst others. Additionally, in 2021 Anuvu proudly partnered with new inflight entertainment clients, including Breeze Airways, Air Belgium, Corsair, Asiana Airlines and Royal Brunei Airlines.

Looking to the Future 

Anuvu, at the forefront of advanced connectivity, is looking to lead the industry in providing flexible and scalable solutions through a hybrid network comprised of GEO, MicroGEO and LEO satellites. The company recently secured commitment for $50 million of growth capital that will allow Anuvu to focus on the expansion of the Anuvu Constellation ground and space networks, including its world-leading network management and data platforms and advanced mobility-focused antennas. With additional board authorization for new equity, the company plans to continue to make investments across inflight entertainment and connectivity to bring to life the industry’s vision for a more modern and connected passenger experience.

Existing and future clients can look forward to Anuvu providing not only flexible satellite capacity built for mobility, without the inherent compromises of traditional geostationary designs, but also cutting-edge entertainment and wireless streaming solutions to elevate the travel experience and keep people connected when they’re away from home.

For more information please visit https://www.anuvu.com/.

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LATITUDE AERO

Latitude Aero, an aircraft seating overhaul provider, recently announced the hiring of Emma Reno as Marketing Coordinator. In this role, Reno will be researching and analyzing the latest marketing trends and helping develop innovative marketing strategies.

Reno is a recent graduate of Appalachian State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing. As an original member of the Latitude family upon launch, she says re-joining the company after college is a natural fit.

“From working at Latitude part-time in 2015 to now, I have watched this company continue to grow and evolve, and I cannot wait to see where 2022 will take us,” says Reno. “I am excited to be a part of such a progressive company, and I am confident that my skills and knowledge will be a great asset to Latitude’s Marketing Team.”

As Marketing Coordinator, Reno will coordinate with clients, draft marketing proposals, execute marketing strategies, analyze social media insights, and manage social media contests and campaigns.  She will also play a significant role in creating, implementing, and analyzing email campaigns and launching new social media channels.

Kelvin Boyette, President & CEO, expressed enthusiasm about how the growth of the marketing team. “We are thrilled to have Emma officially join the Latitude family,” says Boyette.  “She has come full circle from her beginning as a part-time seating technician when the company was founded to her new full-time position post-university.  Her integrated marketing and graphic design experience will allow us to capitalize on the strength of the Latitude brand as we continue to innovate and grow.”

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BOEING

Allegiant Air Orders Up to 100 737 MAX Jets

• – Growing U.S. carrier places first direct Boeing order for 50 737 jets, with 50 options
• Order of smallest model 737-7 and high-capacity 737-8-200 expected to reduce carrier’s fuel use by 20%

Boeing and Allegiant Air announced an order for 50 737 MAX jets, with options for 50 additional airplanes. In Boeing’s first U.S. ultra-low cost carrier (ULCC) deal, Allegiant selected two models – the 737-7 and 737-8-200 – in the 737 MAX family, which provide the lowest seat-mile costs for a single-aisle airplane and high-dispatch reliability.

“Our approach to fleet has always been opportunistic, and this exciting transaction with Boeing is no exception,” said Maurice J. Gallagher, Jr., Allegiant chairman and CEO. “While the heart of our strategy continues to center on previously-owned aircraft, the infusion of up to 100 direct-from-the-manufacturer 737s will bring numerous benefits for the future – including flexibility for capacity growth and aircraft retirements, significant environmental benefits, and modern configuration and cabin features our customers will appreciate.”

With commonality and improved fuel efficiency, the 737 MAX family enables airlines to optimize their fleets across a broad range of missions. The 737-7 provides low-operating costs that enable carriers to open new routes with less economic risk, and the larger 737-8-200 offers added revenue potential and is right-sized for ULCC market expansion. Compared to Allegiant’s current fleet, the new 737 models will reduce fuel use and carbon emissions by 20%.

“We are thrilled that Allegiant has selected Boeing and the 737 MAX as they position themselves for future growth, improved efficiency and operational cost performance.” said Stan Deal, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO. “This deal further validates the economics of the 737 MAX family in the ULCC market and we’re excited to stand alongside Allegiant as they integrate these new airplanes into their fleet.”

Boeing and Allegiant will partner on entry-into-service support, enabling a smooth transition as the carrier adds the 737 into its operation. Allegiant will also utilize a suite of Boeing Global Services digital tools to further enhance operational efficiency. Allegiant currently operates a fleet of 108 Airbus A319 and A320 airplanes.

Atlas Air Worldwide Purchases Four Boeing 777 Freighters

• Global cargo carrier’s first direct purchase of 777 Freighter will grow its fleet to 18 777s
• Adding capacity to meet growing e-commerce and express cargo demand
• Order caps record year for Boeing freighters

Boeing and Atlas Air Worldwide announced an order for four 777 Freighters. The order, placed in December, rounds out a record-setting 2021 for Boeing’s freighter family including new-production and converted models. Boeing has forecast that the global freighter fleet will grow by 70% in the next 20 years, with freight carriers such as Atlas Air supporting a rapidly expanding global e-commerce business and evolving supply chains

“We are excited to expand our fleet and service offerings for our existing and prospective customers with these four new 777s. With the best team in the industry as well as our focus on innovation and prudent fleet management, Atlas is serving the evolving needs of the global supply chain and delivering value for our customers,” said John W. Dietrich, Atlas Air Worldwide president and CEO.

Boeing’s market-leading 777 Freighter is the world’s largest, longest-range and most capable twin-engine freighter, with the lowest trip cost and highest reliability of any large freighter. With a range of 4,970 nmi (9,200km), the 777 Freighter can carry a maximum revenue payload of 102 tonnes (224,900 lb), while reducing fuel use and CO2 emissions compared to prior airplanes. This capability and exceptional efficiency translate into significant savings for cargo operators, with fewer stops and associated landing fees.

“We are honored that Atlas Air Worldwide, as a global leader in airfreight, has once again selected to grow with Boeing and our freighter family. These new 777 Freighters provide Atlas with more capacity, fuel efficiency and operational flexibility for its customers,” said Ihssane Mounir, Boeing senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing. “As air cargo demand continues to grow, we’re confident that the efficiency, capability and flexibility of our freighter family will meet customer needs now and in the future.”

Through November, Boeing had surpassed the previous freighter record including 80 orders for new production freighters and more than 80 orders for converted models. The company will announce full-year 2021 orders and deliveries on January 11.

Atlas Air currently has 14 777s and is the world’s largest operator of 747 Freighters, with 49 in its fleet. These two models, in particular, are designed to partner seamlessly, enabling operators to transfer tall and outsized cargo loads easily between the two on 3-meter (10-foot) tall pallets. The cargo and passenger carrier also operates a fleet of 767 and 737 airplanes.

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OTHER NEWS

• We have watched this video on quantum computing a number of times, and frankly, it looks like Q/C is just random computation solutions. Further, we wonder how random information has any realistic values because of the “random” approach to answers. But, we guess, it can? Why Is Quantum Computing So Hard to Explain | Quanta Magazine
• If you wonder what the biggest threats to humanity in 2022 will be, here is an answer … The Question of the Year: What Are the Biggest Threats to Humanity in 2022?

 The IFExpress Team wishes you a happy and healthy holiday. And we wanted to take the opportunity to thank you, our readers and advertisers, for your continued support during the past year –  Patricia Wiseman

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INMARSAT

Inmarsat ORCHESTRA, the future network for global mobility and government communications, achieved its first milestone in space with the successful activation of a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite payload.

The LEO satellite is testing new concepts and system configurations for ORCHESTRA’s proposed LEO constellation, which will seamlessly integrate with geosynchronous orbit (GEO) and highly elliptical orbit (HEO) satellites, and a terrestrial 5G network, to deliver a uniquely powerful global communications solution for mobility and government customers.

ORCHESTRA is the first global network of its kind; creating a global, multi-dimensional, dynamic mesh network that will redefine connectivity at scale with the highest capacity for mobility worldwide and at hot spots across the world. It will deliver the fastest average speeds and the lowest average latency of any network, planned or in existence.

While details of the in-orbit testing remain confidential, Inmarsat has confirmed that the LEO demonstration satellite payload is testing concepts for LEO-to-ground and LEO-to-GEO communications, which are key steps in delivering the unique capabilities proposed for ORCHESTRA. As the LEO satellite features a reprogrammable payload, additional concepts will be tested over the coming months.

Rajeev Suri, CEO of Inmarsat, said: “Customers have expressed great excitement about Inmarsat’s ORCHESTRA network and we are making fast progress to bring that network to reality. Development of the terrestrial network is proceeding well and we are now moving forward with live tests of ORCHESTRA’s LEO layer.

“Our vision for ORCHESTRA is a network that uses the right technology for the right purpose. We are not beholden to a single approach and believe that the best way to meet customer needs is a multidimensional approach that includes GEO, LEO and terrestrial 5G in a dynamic mesh that brings capacity to where it is needed in the most efficient way possible. Today’s announcement is yet another testament to the fact that Inmarsat is a company with commercial momentum and technology leadership.”

Yasrine Ibnyahya, Inmarsat’s Senior Director, Advanced Concepts and Technologies, said: “Our demonstration LEO satellite payload is designed to create new technologies and services that will transform the use of satellite communications by our mobility and government customers worldwide. Using software defined radio payloads in LEO, we are able to test, refine, retest and validate as many concepts as we need. It is a quick, agile and highly economic approach that enables us to meet our ambitious targets for rolling out key components for Inmarsat ORCHESTRA.”

More Inmarsat News:

Inmarsat has been crowned ‘World’s Best Inflight internet Service Provider’ for the fifth consecutive year at the World Travel Tech Awards in recognition of the company’s market-leading GX Aviation and European Aviation Network (EAN).

The prestigious accolade from the sister event of the World Travel Awards was announced yesterday following an extensive year-long search for the world’s top travel technology brands, which attracted a record number of votes by industry professionals and members of the public from across the globe.

Inmarsat triumphed after experiencing its best ever year for passenger usage of its next-generation inflight broadband solutions in comparison to before the pandemic. The trend aligns with the results of Inmarsat’s 2021 Passenger Confidence Tracker, the largest global survey of its kind since the pandemic began, which found that digital solutions that keep passengers connected and minimize their contact with cabin crew and fellow passengers can go a long way in boosting confidence. In addition, 41% of the 10,000 respondents believed the ability to browse the internet, shop online, stream videos, enjoy social media and more during flights had increased even further in importance after the pandemic.

GX Aviation, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, has been activated on more than 550 aircraft to date, with approximately 1,000 additional aircraft in the order book. It has been selected by more than 35 airlines worldwide, including Qatar Airways, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, AirAsia, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic and most recently, SAUDIA. EAN has also recorded a milestone year after crossing 270 aircraft activations, with more than 40 million passengers enjoying access to the service since it launched with British Airways, Iberia and Vueling, all part of the International Airlines Group (IAG).

Philippe Carette, President of Inmarsat Aviation, said: “Global aviation has faced many unprecedented challenges over the past two years. As one of the industry’s leading suppliers, Inmarsat has been working closer than ever with our airline customers as they navigate towards a profitable and sustainable recovery. We are proud that our best-in-class solutions are empowering many airlines to enhance their onboard experience and differentiate themselves in a highly competitive market, especially at a time when passenger expectations around inflight connectivity are continuing to evolve and amplify.

“The fact that we have received this accolade five years in a row following a vote by passengers, airlines and others from the travel industry is especially gratifying. It reinforces our position as a trusted market leader and is a testament to the exemplary work of our employees and partners during the last year.”

Inmarsat recently unveiled plans for ORCHESTRA, the communications network of the future, which will bring existing geosynchronous (GEO) satellites together with low earth orbit satellites (LEO) and terrestrial 5G to form an integrated, high-performance solution, unmatched by any existing or planned competitor offering. ORCHESTRA allows capacity to be boosted in high-density areas such as at airports, eliminating congested network ‘hot spots’ and ensuring the connectivity needs of aviation customers continue to be met well into the future, with capacity scaled directly to match their requirements.

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OTHER NEWS

• Ever heard of Apex.AI? Apex.AI, based in California and Germany, has raised $74M to date and the company’s Apex.OS software development kit is a toolkit for OEMs seeking to install complex AI software on their own vehicles. Just thought you might find the name interesting.
• Keep your ears open for any plane performance or entertainment computer hacking by a new cybersecurity threat called “Log4j”. It is going to be a big deal on the ground for years to come! Log4j zero-day flaw: What you need to know and how to protect yourself | ZDNet And, here is what Tripwire sees as help. Addressing Log4j2 Vulnerabilities: How Tripwire Can Help and Vaccine For Apache Log4j Vulnerability Also Out Amidst Active Exploits

Retired Publisher’s Note: We needed support for a Fluke device and after the company helped us out we wanted to mention to our readers what great support they have, and what a great product the temp/humidity Fluke 971 measurement device is. We also wanted to personally thank Robert Pokomy and Steven Clark for their engineering support. Here is the message: If you need test and measurement electronics, their company products are really incredible…and as an electrical engineer, I know! – Terry Wiseman