Airbus at APEX Los Angeles

During APEX Expo in Los Angeles, Airbus discussed their in-flight trials of IoT connected cabin technologies on board an A350-900 Flight Lab aircraft. In doing so, Airbus becomes the first aircraft manufacturer to undertake such flight-testing of actual connected cabin innovations. The platform, known as the Airspace Connected Experience, was unveiled at the APEX Expo Boston in 2018. The airframer said this technology will usher in a new personalized experience for passengers and provide opportunities for improving airlines’ ancillary revenues and operational efficiencies.

The Flight Lab aircraft is one of the original A350-900 certification flight-test aircraft and is fitted with an Airspace cabin which now serves as the ideal platform to evaluate the new connected cabin technologies in flight. In conjunction with their best-in-class cabin partners, an initial set of working elements have been installed. These include prototypes of the Connected iSeat (Recaro), the Connected Galley (gategroup), a remote wireless cabin management control system, a large OLED display and importantly, the first step of Airbus’ new “IoT backbone” which includes an open software platform. These innovations are all now being tested in flight.

Airbus said that the connected cabin ecosystem will enable significant value-adding services for passengers, airlines and crews. Possible examples include:

• Passengers will receive a more personalized travel experience specifically targeted to the individual needs and preferences, based on the available data. In particular this covers remote and pre-ordering of preferred meals, booking of private bin space, setting of individual seat positions as well as a tailor-made inflight IFE offer.
• Airlines will be able to generate additional ancillary revenues through personalized retail and advertisement as well as new services, all enabled by the IoT approach. Furthermore, airlines will be able to improve their operational efficiency applying predictive maintenance, avoiding waste and making crew services more efficient. Other opportunities can easily be created and applied via apps.
• Crews will find a better working environment and more efficient tools, digitally enabled by real-time data from the IoT platform throughout the cabin. A mobile smart device will allow crews to monitor and operate all components.

Customer-centric approach

The in-flight tests are part of their customer-centric approach, which began with workshops to create and prioritize innovative concepts, followed by an extensive phase of on-ground testing and customer evaluation of the connected elements. The subsequent testing of these innovations in an Airbus Flight Lab environment is key to bringing an integrated Connected Experience to fruition – being able to validate and refine them in a real airborne cabin. In particular, the tests allow the various elements to be operated and monitored during a normal flight cycle, especially with regard to the end-to-end data flow robustness within the systems and between them. The next steps will continue testing of the current setup, then close the feedback loop with airlines using Airbus’ Customer Experience Teams (CET) forum, by around year-end.

More Airbus News

• Airbus SE notes the decision of the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding the level of countermeasures it authorizes the United States to impose on products from the European Union (EU). If the United States Trade Representative (USTR) chooses to impose tariffs on the importation of aircraft and/or aircraft components, this will create insecurity and disruption not only to the aerospace industry, but also to the broader global economy. Yet it is still avoidable. In the coming months, the WTO will determine the amount of tariff countermeasures the EU can impose on US products – including imported Boeing aircraft – in the parallel counter case regarding illegal subsidies to Boeing. The WTO has already found that the US failed to address illegal subsidies causing harm to Airbus. This will provide the EU with grounds to claim countermeasures on US products at a level that could exceed US sanctions. If applied, these tariffs on both sides will severely impact US and EU industries, putting high costs on the acquisition of new aircraft for both US and EU airlines. Aviation is a global industry. Evidence of that is the fact that close to 40 percent of Airbus’ aircraft-related procurement comes from US aerospace suppliers. This US supply chain supports 275,000 American jobs in 40 states through spending that has totaled $50 billion in the last three years alone. If tariffs are applied, the entire global industry will be harmed. The only way to prevent the negative effects of these tariff would be for the US and EU to find a resolution to this long-running dispute through a negotiated settlement.
• Airbus inaugurated its highly automated fuselage structure assembly line for A320 Family aircraft in Hamburg, showcasing an evolution in Airbus’ industrial production system. With a special focus on manufacturing longer sections for the A321LR, the new facility features 20 robots, a new logistics concept, automated positioning by laser measurement as well as a digital data acquisition system. These will further support Airbus’ drive to improve both quality and efficiency while bringing an enhanced level of digitization to its industrial production system. For the initial section assembly, Airbus is using a modular, lightweight automated system, called “Flextrack”, with eight robots drilling and counter-sinking 1,100 to 2,400 holes per longitudinal joint. In the next production step, 12 robots, each operating on seven axes, combine the center and aft fuselage sections with the tail to form one major component, drilling, counter-sinking, sealing and inserting 3,000 rivets per orbital joint. Besides the use of robots, Airbus is also implementing new methods and technologies in material and parts logistics to optimize production, improve ergonomics and shorten lead times. This includes the separation of logistics and production levels, demand-oriented material replenishment as well as the use of autonomous guided vehicles. The Hamburg structure assembly facility is responsible for joining single fuselage shells into sections, as well as final assembly of single sections to aircraft fuselages. Aircraft parts are equipped with electrical and mechanical systems before eventually being delivered to the final assembly lines in France, Germany, China and the US.

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Carlisle Interconnect Technologies

Carlisle Interconnect Technologies (CIT) announced the award of a new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) supplemental type certificate (STC) for installation of satellite communications (SATCOM) provisions on Boeing B777-300 and B777-300ER series aircraft. This award helps ensure consumers have the high-quality, in-flight connectivity that they have come to expect each time they fly. 

The specified FAA STC allows for the installation of structural provisions and the outside aircraft equipment package for a cabin upgrade incorporating a dual-band (Ka/Ku) terminal. The dual-band terminal allows for in-flight network switching across Ku- and Ka-band satellite networks, providing more reliable in-flight entertainment and communication access to travelers. 

The certified installation design follows a previously issued FAA STC for Airbus A320 series aircraft. CIT provided all design, qualification, approvals, and certification resources associated with the installation. The aircraft equipment packages were manufactured and conformed at the company’s facility in Franklin, Wis.

CIT leads the market in aerospace SATCOM applications, with over 2,500 installations delivered worldwide. From component manufacturing to fully-integrated engineered solutions, CIT has the capability and flexibility to support various consumer needs. Contact CIT via email for additional information.

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Inmarsat
Inmarsat signed a contract with the European Space Agency for phase two of the ground-breaking Iris air traffic modernization program, which will include important flight trials across Europe to assess the service in a real operational environment. Iris is being developed to deliver powerful benefits to European aviation by enabling high bandwidth, cost-effective satellite-based datalink communications over Europe. The program contributes to the delivery of the ‘Single European Sky’, which focuses on modernizing air traffic management and air navigation efficiency. Satellite communications reduces the pressure on ground-based frequencies, which third party reports have indicated will be under significant capacity stress in the next 5-10 years.
As part of the program’s second phase, flight trials will be conducted on approximately 20 aircraft flying commercially over a six-month period starting in 2020, allowing Iris to be assessed in a real operational environment. Selected airlines will take part in the demonstration, with the support of leading Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), to evaluate the Iris program for air traffic control (ATC) and airline operational communications (AOC) across continental Europe. Also in this phase, Inmarsat will work with ESA to prepare for pan-European certification of the Iris service provider and define a distribution agreement. In addition, Inmarsat and its partners, such as Thales Alenia Space, will prepare for future air traffic control requirements through research & development and prototyping. This will include transitioning to the Aeronautical Telecommunications Network/Internet Protocol Suite (ATN/IPS) standard, which will make the service truly global. Iris was initiated in 2014, when ESA selected Inmarsat to lead a consortium of European technology companies to develop the program, including Airbus, Boeing, Honeywell and Thales, in addition to leading ANSPs across the continent, such as DFS (Germany), DSNA (France), ENAIRE (Spain), ENAV (Italy), EUROCONTROL MUAC (North-West Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands) and NATS (UK). Iris is powered by Inmarsat’s award-winning SB-S digital aircraft operations platform operating on its L-band network that has underpinned global safety services for 40 years. Inmarsat is scheduled to launch two new, advanced L-band payloads to join its existing fleet in 2020 and 2021, further cementing the company’s long-term commitment to the highly reliable safety communications services it offers to the aviation community over this spectrum.

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Boeing
Boeing is funding the creation of a state-of-the-art laboratory facility dedicated to the research and testing of autonomous aerial vehicles within Stanford University’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The Boeing Flight & Autonomy Laboratory features a control room and maker area, the newest motion-capture cameras and sensor networks, and a public observation area. The lab is the latest support by Boeing in Stanford’s Aero/Astro department. In addition to the $2.5 million contribution to fund the Boeing Flight & Autonomy Laboratory, located in the Durand Building, Boeing is a founding member of the Stanford Aero/Astro Launch Fund for a new undergraduate program in aeronautics and astronautics. The inaugural class in that program will graduate in 2020.

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Other News

• This was in BuzzFeed: “15 Tips And Tricks For Travelers With Motion Sickness – 3. Book the middle seat if you can (and have your friends and family book the aisle and window seat if you don’t want to sit between strangers), because this seat is typically least affected by turbulence. The middle seat in the row above the wing is a good bet if you want a calm ride.” Didn’t know that!
• Perhaps your next visit to an airport will include buying something from an Amazon Go store? Amazon May Let Other Stores Use Its Cashier-Free Go Technology | Digital Trends
• Catering cart death! WATCH: Quick-thinking workers stop cart from careening out of control at O’Hare | WGN-TV
• AI is one solution to the detection of weapons in airports – Pearson airport to use AI-powered technology to detect weapons | The Star
• Bags just might be the biggest problem on airplane boarding, however, there may be a better approach!. We love the best solution, but it will never happen – never! (109) The Better Boarding Method Airlines Won’t Use – YouTube
• The US has been issued a WTO arbitration to permit the collection of up to $7.5b in punitive tariffs on products from EU with regards to case over subsidies to Airbus. In the c coming months they will determine the amount of of counter-tariffs the EU can impose on the US. New Tariffs Will Leave Airbus Smarting But Hurt Boeing More | Commercial Aviation content from Aviation Week

• Airspace Connected Experience: Pioneering Internet of Things in the aircraft cabin
• Paving the way for a new personalised passenger experience and an open ecosystem approach for airlines

France | September 11, 2019– Airbus has commenced in-flight trials of IoT* connected cabin technologies on board an A350-900 Flight Lab aircraft – to be shortly revealed to customers. In doing so, Airbus becomes the first aircraft manufacturer to undertake such flight-testing of actual connected cabin innovations. The platform, known as the Airspace Connected Experience, was unveiled at APEX Expo last year. It will usher in a new personalised experience for passengers and provide opportunities for improving airlines’ ancillary revenues and operational efficiencies.

The Flight Lab is one of the original A350-900 certification flight-test aircraft – MSN002 – and is fitted with an Airspace cabin which now serves as the ideal platform to evaluate the new connected cabin technologies in flight. To this end, and in conjunction with Airbus’ best-in-class cabin partners, an initial set of working elements have been installed. These include prototypes of the connected iSeat (Recaro), the Connected Galley (gategroup), a remote wireless cabin management control system, a large OLED display and importantly, the first step of Airbus’ new “IoT backbone” which includes an open software platform. These innovations are all now being tested in flight – together with others to be revealed in due course to customers.

The connected cabin ecosystem will enable significant value-adding services for passengers, airlines and crews. Possible examples include:

• Passengers will receive a more personalised travel experience specifically targeted to the individual needs and preferences, based on the available data. In particular this covers pre- and remote ordering of preferred meals, booking of private bin space, setting of individual seat positions as well as a tailor-made inflight IFE offer.
• Airlines will be able to generate additional ancillary revenues through personalised retail and advertisement as well as new services, all enabled by the IoT approach. Furthermore, airlines will be able to improve their operational efficiency applying predictive maintenance, avoiding waste and making crew services more efficient. Other opportunities can easily be created and applied via apps.
• Crews will find a better working environment and more efficient tools, digitally enabled by real-time data from the IoT platform throughout the cabin. A mobile smart device will allow crews to monitor and operate all components.

Customer-centric approach

The in-flight tests are part of our customer-centric approach, which began with workshops to create and prioritise innovative concepts, followed by an extensive phase of on-ground testing and customer evaluation of the connected elements. The subsequent testing of these innovations in an Airbus Flight Lab environment is key to bringing an integrated Connected Experience to fruition – being able to validate and refine them in a real airborne cabin. In particular, the tests allow the various elements to be operated and monitored during a normal flight cycle, especially with regard to the end-to-end data flow robustness within the systems and between them. The next steps will continue testing of the current setup, then close the feedback loop with airlines using Airbus’ Customer Experience Teams (CET) forum, by around year-end.

*IoT = “Internet of Things”

For more information about Airspace, please click here

After successful proof-of-concept achieved in 2019, initial roll-out phase scheduled for spring 2020 on 100+ Boeing aircraft

APEX Expo and Los Angeles | September 9, 2019– Kontron, a leading global provider of IoT/Embedded Computing Technology (ECT), today announced that it has signed a contract to supply integrated In-flight Entertainment & Connectivity (IFE&C) equipment to a major Europe airline specializing in leisure and charter travel. The initial phase of this fleet-wide deployment calls for systems to be installed on the airlines’ 100+ Boeing aircraft in time for the company’s busy 2020 spring and summer schedule.

Specifically, Kontron is providing flight hardware for open-architecture IFE and IFE&C systems, including the company’s ACE Flight™ 4608 high-performance avionics server, Cab-n-Connect™ A100 Cabin Wireless Access Point (CWAP) and ACE Flight™ Removable Storage Drives (RSSDs) following a successful proof-of-concept that took place in 2019. Kontron systems give the airline the platforms necessary to deliver wireless IFE and streaming video-on-demand, TV, games and additional entertainment choices with the ability to add additional services and applications to enhance the customer experience.

“Based on our history of successful deployments, Kontron has earned its position as the number one supplier of open-architecture systems and LRUs for the global IFE&C market,” said Andy Mason, General Manager of Global Avionics at Kontron America. “We anticipate fast growth for this leisure market segment across EMEA, which includes large aircraft fleets that are not yet WiFi or connectivity-enabled.”

“This new program could not have been accomplished without the close working relationship we’ve established with the airline. I commend the project teams’ success in ensuring the proof-of-concept installation, deployment and operation was trouble-free,” said Jon Moseley, Head of Avionics Business Development for EMEA at Kontron Europe. “As airline customers increasingly demand additional services such as wireless IFE and inflight connectivity, we are seeing more commercial carriers accelerate their roll-out plans.”

Kontron has built a strong reputation for providing groundbreaking IFE&C platforms that help accelerate development for quick time-to-market at the lowest cost of deployment. There are currently more than 4,500 commercial aircraft and business jets operating worldwide with Kontron equipment on board. Kontron and parent company, S&T, are both global companies. This corporate reach allows the Kontron Avionics team, mainly based in San Diego, California, to support airline and aviation customers throughout the world.

Kontron will showcase its entire line of rugged, open-architecture hardware platforms, software and services for IFE and IFE&C systems at the APEX Expo, September 9-12, 2019 in Los Angeles, booth #1647.

Powerful and flexible, Kontron Cab-n-Connect™ P100 delivers high-quality streaming for up to 100 users from a single unit

Augsburg, Germany & Boston, USA | September 24, 2018– Kontron, a leading global provider of IoT/Embedded Computing Technology (ECT), today introduced its portable Cab-n-Connect P100 wireless streaming platform for the commercial avionics industry. Providing a flexible and robust solution, this small form factor IFE&C system utilizes dual 802.11ac/abgn radios that innovatively deliver high-quality streaming for up to 100 client devices enabling airlines to support an individual aircraft’s in-flight entertainment needs. Realizing its value in delivering a powerful and mobile IFE&C solution, the Cab-n-Connect P100 is already being evaluated by several customers.

Measuring just 9.8-inches (25cm) x 3.5-inches (9cm) x 12.6-inches (32cm), the portable Cab-n-Connect P100 system features dual hot-swappable batteries that enable more than 12 hours of streaming video. The P100 platform offers up to 8 terabytes (TB) of onboard storage giving almost unlimited capacity to add engaging content. In addition, the system’s removable storage device (RSSD) allows for quick content updates. The Cab-n-Connect P100’s operating system supports Docker Applications and Virtual Machines to further simplify IFE content management system integration. The unit provides an intuitive interface for the cabin crew to manage the system and it also provides status information via an OLED display.

Based on Kontron’s highly reliable, open-architecture COMe-bDV7R Computer-on-Module, the Cab-n-Connect P100 provides Intel Atom processor C3000 series server-grade processor performance with 8 gigabytes (GB) of RAM. Different C3000 series and Broadwell-DE series processors along with memory options are possible. Futher options include an integrated 4G LTE cellular modem.

Kontron’s ongoing strategy is to support partners and airline customers with critical system components that meet the connected aircraft wireless and network backbone requirements. With this commitment, Kontron has built a strong reputation for providing breakthrough IFE&C platforms that help accelerate development for quick time-to-market at the lowest cost of deployment. There are currently more than 4,000 commercial aircraft and business jets operating worldwide with Kontron equipment on board.

For detailed information on the Cab-n-Connect P100 specifications, please see:https://www.kontron.com/downloads/datasheets/c/cab-n-connect-p100_preliminary-ds-09.19.18-.pdf

To learn more about Kontron’s avionics product portfolio, please visit: https://www.kontron.com/industries/avionics

Brisbane, Australia | June 20, 2018–Australia and New Zealand’s army of field maintenance technicians will for the first time be able to utilize the Internet of Things (IoT) on a large scale to automate a range of functions thanks to technology group simPRO.

simPRO, one of the world’s leading software as a service businesses for the trade services industry, unveiled its new IoT solution in London this week. The technology will be rolled out to the company’s 100,000 users in Australia, New Zealand, the United States and the UK over coming months.

simPRO IoT takes hardware, software and data from businesses in the trade and field service industries and integrates them into one platform, allowing previously separate programs and machines to talk to each other and provide automated solutions ordinarily requiring extensive manual effort.

simPRO Director Curtis Thomson said IoT would revolutionise the trade services and maintenance industries.

“The ability to connect anything and everything and manage and monitor remotely is extremely exciting for businesses looking to maximise efficiency,” he said. “There is serious demand for a range of integrated hardware and software that achieves a complete working solution, and that’s what we’ve built.”

He said simPRO’s IoT solution would save significant time and costs in the management of routine site inspections for equipment maintenance.

“By introducing an IoT real-time feed it could be possible to almost eliminate the need for someone to visit a site unless an issue is detected,” he said.

“By integrating operations with simPRO a business can also increase its own crisis reaction times. When issues are automatically identified early, business interruptions and resolution times are reduced and servicing and maintenance costs are brought down.”

One of the major benefits of simPRO IoT is that it is handled through one vendor and can be retrofitted at minimal cost to any existing equipment and be up and running in minutes. The simPRO platform is also open to allow for integration with any other IoT devices or protocols from third parties or existing installations.

CASE STUDY 1 – SMASHING FATBERGS, SAVING MILLIONS

simPRO is providing its leading-edge IoT solution to help tackle one of the UK’s most disgusting problems; the buildup of Fat, Oil and Grease (FOG) in sewer pipes that leads to the formation of ‘fatbergs’ that block drains and sewers and cause tens of millions of pounds of damage every year.

simPRO has teamed with hospitality facilities management specialists Three Nations to develop the technology to help eradicate the scourge of fatbergs with a fully integrated and automated solution called FOGCheck.

FOGCheck utilises a new biological treatment for the removal and prevention of build-up and blockages caused by fat, oil and grease in commercial kitchens, drains and sewers called Stopblox. This bio-treatment is combined with hardware that remotely monitors automated dosing to prevent blockages.

simPRO IoT is used for monitoring the dosage system and is dynamically linked to automated waste water sampling and the management of the equipment that dispenses the agent.

CASE STUDY 2 – KEEPING LUTON AIRPORT LOUNGE RUNNING

Using low-cost plug and play sensors integrated with simPRO’s job management platform, facilities (building plant and equipment) management group Thermacell is able to monitor the performance of air conditioners at lounges in Luton airport remotely in near real time and automatically receive alerts in response to anomalies.

This allows Thermacell to identify and diagnose many issues prior to complete failure and without the need for time consuming and expensive site visits, often constrained by airport security measures.

Thermacell Service Manager Alan Chandler said the company shared simPRO’s view that IoT would have a significant impact on the facilities management and maintenance services Thermacell provided.

“simPRO’s IoT solution allows us to get closer to the Swissport Lounge and provide a more responsive, customer-focused offering based on the accurate live data we receive on both asset and facility performance,” he said.

Tel Aviv, Israel | June 6, 2018–Hailo, a company developing a proprietary chip for deep learning on edge devices, today announced the completion of a $12.5 million Series A round. The company’s investors include Ourcrowd.com, Maniv Mobility, the Drive accelerator fund: Next Gear; as well as angel investors, Hailo Chairman Zohar Zisapel and Delek Motors CEO Gil Agmon. The company will use the funding to further develop its deep learning processor, which will deliver datacenter processing capacity to edge devices. This latest funding round brings the total raised to date by the Tel Aviv-based company to $16 million.

Hailo’s breakthrough deep learning processor, whose initial samples are expected to enter the market in H1 2019, will be able to run embedded AI applications on edge devices that are installed in autonomous vehicles, drones, and smart home appliances such as personal assistants, smart cameras and smart TVs, alongside IoT, AR and VR platforms, wearables and security products. The Hailo processor radically reduces size, power and cost, making it suitable for local processing of high-resolution sensory data in real time.

The automotive industry, which is one of Hailo’s key target markets, is undergoing a major disruption, rapidly adopting deep learning methods to enable advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving applications that require continuous sensing of surroundings. According to IC Insights, Integrated Circuits used in automobiles and other vehicles are expected to generate global sales of $42.9 billion in 2021, compared to $22.9 billion in 2016. Existing general-purpose processor infrastructure cannot efficiently run compute-intensive deep learning algorithms necessary for these applications.

“The 70-year old architecture of existing processors is inadequate to meet today’s deep learning and AI processing needs,” says Orr Danon, Hailo CEO. “Hailo is revolutionizing the underlying architecture of the processor to boost deep learning processing by several orders of magnitude. We have completely redesigned the pillars of computer architecture – memory, control and compute – and the relations between them.”

Zohar Zisapel, Hailo Chairman, added: “In the last few years, we are witnessing a revolution in the automotive industry with the quick entry of new players and technologies into the market. The product that Hailo is developing is expected to be a key component in this revolution in which artificial intelligence is one of the building blocks.”

Hailo’s leadership team includes Orr Danon, CEO, Avi Baum, CTO, and Hadar Zeitlin, Chief Business Development Officer. Danon served in a top Israel Defense Forces technology unit and is a recipient of the Israel Defense Prize. Baum held several senior engineering management positions at Texas Instruments, including serving as CTO for the Wireless Connectivity Group. Zeitlin also served in the same IDF technology unit for nine years and was awarded the Chief of Staff Prize for technological excellence. Hailo’s development team leaders include senior hardware and software engineers, many of whom served in top technology units in the IDF and worked for companies like Intel, Broadcom and Mellanox.

The company is currently collaborating with major players in the industry who are examining the use of its technology. Eli Nir, Senior Investment Partner at OurCrowd, stated: “We are convinced that the extensive need in the market, Hailo’s breakthrough technology and unique team will allow Hailo to bring the deep learning revolution to edge devices.”

IoT specialist Sigfox to partner with Eutelsat for data analysis

Paris, France | March 8, 2018–

Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL), one of the world’s leading satellite operators, has commissioned a nano-satellite from manufacturer Tyvak International SRL, a subsidiary of Terran Orbital Corporation, a leading aerospace provider of nanosatellite and microsatellite vehicles and services. Eutelsat LEO for Objects (ELO) will be used to assess the performance of low earth orbit (LEO) satellites in providing narrowband connectivity for objects. The satellite operator will be drawing on the technology of Sigfox, which runs a unique global narrowband network dedicated to the IoT.

Low earth orbit is particularly well-suited to narrowband connectivity for objects. It offers a satellite link anywhere in the world, is complementary to terrestrial IoT networks, and does not impact the cost or the energy consumption of the objects. ELO, scheduled for launch in 2019, will backhaul information from objects located in areas that are not served by terrestrial networks and offer redundancy on existing terrestrial network coverage.

Sigfox will work with Eutelsat on two aspects: analyse the spectrum used by the satellite in ISM[1]frequency bands; and process data from objects. ELO will also test connectivity in other frequency bands. The synergies developed through the partnership with Sigfox, as well as with other strategic alliances in the telecom industry, should open up new opportunities for Eutelsat in this fast-growing market.

Jean-Hubert Lenotte, Chief Strategy Officer at Eutelsat, commented: “With the expansion of the Internet of Things, new services are being developed in a wide range of sectors including smart cities, the mining industry, agriculture and logistics. We are delighted to be exploring new avenues through the development of this nano-satellite, which once again demonstrates the intrinsic complementarity between terrestrial networks and satellite technology. By analysing the compatibility of LEO and connected objects, and working with recognised partners in the field, Eutelsat aims to provide an innovative solution which will meet the needs of future clients.”

How does it work?

Located on a sun-synchronous orbit between 500 and 600 km in altitude, the satellite will collect data from connected objects across the globe equipped with the same omni-directional antennas already used by terrestrial IoT networks. Data will then be transmitted daily to a ground station located on Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean.

Kontron SMARC-sAMX7 provides extremely energy-efficient SMARC 2.0 module for compact, fanless designs

Augsburg | July 12, 2017– Kontron, a leading global provider of Embedded Computing Technology (ECT), has introduced a new, extremely energy-efficient SMARC 2.0 module. Thanks to the use of low power NXP i.MX7 CPUs in both dual-core and single-core configurations the SMARC-sAMX7 is especially suitable for the development of smart devices in a very compact and fanless design. This approach, which balances processor and graphics performance while retaining a very low energy footprint, is especially useful in Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0 applications. The presence of two Ethernet ports directly on the board facilitates networking considerably.

The SMARC-sAMX7 features a 2x1GHz ARM Cortex A7 processor with an additional 200 MHz M4 processor in dual-core configuration, the single-core version runs at 800 MHz. It comes with up to 2GB DDR3 memory, a dual channel LVDS interface, up to two Gigabit Ethernet (GbE), three PCI-Express (PCIe) and four USB 4.0 ports. 64GB eMMC 5.0 is used as onboard storage. The SMARC-sAMX7 utilizes the Uboot bootloader and supports Yocto Linux as the operating system. It is fully operational in an extended temperature range from ‑20°C up to +85°C.

The new SMARC-sAMX7 module offers optional support for Kontron’s Security Solution APPROTECT. It is based on an integrated security chip, which in tandem with a specifically developed software framework protects applications, as well as all data processed and stored on the device. Additionally, Kontron’s APPROTECT licensing enables new business models such as ‘pay per use’ or time-based trial versions, as it can be used to easily enable or disable features via a predetermined set of variables.

The new Kontron SMARC-sAMX7 module is available now. For additional information please visit: https://www.kontron.com/products/boards-and-standard-form-factors/smarc/smarc-samx7.html

As you probably know, the Paris Air Show begins next week and there will be a few IFEC folks in the crowd. We have heard from Latitude Aero, Astronics, Thales, and Panasonic just to name a few. We shall see what IFEC news comes about but we thought that there are a number of other issues that deserve watching, and because it is an air show, we will start with a few notes on what to watch from Boeing and Airbus:

• We anticipate Boeing will launch the Boeing 737-10 MAX at the show. While not the anticipated MoM plane, it carries up to 232 passengers and has a max range of 3,800 nautical miles (N M). We also expect to see the Boeing 737-9 (now under flight tests) there for viewing.
• The big question is: Will Boeing Launch the New Middle Airplane, the Boeing 797 – and we think the answer is yes. Between the Boeing 737 MAX and the Boeing 787, the range and passenger requirements for the new middle aircraft market is coming alive in the near future and this plane will carry some 220 to 270 passengers and cover 4,800 – 5,000 nautical miles.
• You should expect to see the Boeing 787-10 at this year’s show as it was introduced in the 2013 Paris Air Show. With 330 passengers in a two-class configuration, the aircraft will fly some 6,300 N M. And, yes, it is a twin-aisle aircraft.
• While not announced as a product yet, expect to see more on the Airbus 350-2000. This aircraft is a potential competitor to the Boeing 777-9X. While Airbus has questioned the market for a bigger (400+ seat market), IFExpress doesn’t expect to see much more than a stretch with range reduction of the -1000.
• The Airbus A330neo will probably not be at the Paris Airshow as the first flight has been moved to late summer.
• The Airbus A320neo should be there and while it has been in service for some 18 months now, it does have some Pratt & Whitney engine issues. This airplane has 3,616 orders so we expect it to be front-and-center.
• The A380 should make a showing, and while orders have slowed, the production line is only some 12 planes per year with a backlog of 107 aircraft.
• While not expected in “person”, we anticipate plenty of information on the Chinese COMAC C919, which just had a first flight last month. It serves 158 passengers 4075 km in standard configuration and 5,555 in the extended version.
• The Russian MC-21, which had its first flight this past month, probably will not be at Paris because of the huge testing requirements ahead, but you never know! (Editor’s Note: This would be a good place to note that COMAC (China) and UAC (Russia) have formed a joint venture to develop a new MoM aircraft (Shanghai assembly) for delivery in 2027 – 280 seats / 7,500 nm).

The aviation industry has other new developments that you may see at the show as well. New products/services based on market evolution and technological changes may bring some surprising technology to Paris. While aircraft order levels are down; production levels are up (1490 per year – 2017 est.), as order backlog hits some 14,000+ planes. But today’s flat market order changes will have some unknown impact. Further, with the “book-to-build-ratio” now below 1.0 (problem) and airlines are flying over 80% full (beneficial), who knows what will happen.

The aircraft market is expected to double in 15 years so manufacturing impact will be the other thing to watch at the air show – especially robotic production. Further, a lot of data (or Big Data) and related data changes will affect the airplane markets thus suppliers of data solutions, data services, data related hardware and big data experts will be there.

As digital transformations affect airlines and plane makers alike, a need to innovate for new aircraft and to improve performance may be a big deal – as we said, data applications will start to grow and thus data players are bound to be in Paris as well. For example, applications of “the cloud” and the challenge of securing them will no doubt bring a whole new set of aviation specialists, which will undoubtedly include Cybersecurity specialists as well. We expect to also see 3D printing and robotic manufacturing folks as the technology begins to invade the airplane (and airline) markets. With “big data” changes coming and with improved connectivity available, airplane maintenance and flight performance analysis will be a focal point, no doubt, and the solutions for using it will be there as well. Finally, Boeing, and possibly Airbus, (and independents) will be there for service analysis  (with aftermarket revenues) and especially since parts and humans increase costs. It ought to be a good and technology diversified show!

(Editor’s Note:”In fact, following the seven big mega trends will probably give you as good idea of what will be new at the show –  Remember CAMBRIC, which stands for Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Mobility, Big Data, Robotics, Internet of Things, Cybersecurity.” )

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More News:

For a few years now, Boeing and Airbus like to duke it out over “rulings” and “subsidies”, as well as, some recent WTO announcements led to their two PR releases:

First from Airbus:
“ WTO condemns Boeing’s non-compliance and new subsidies
• WTO: U.S. failed to comply with rulings on massive illegal subsidies provided to Boeing
• Today’s WTO compliance panel report finds Boeing subsidies causing Airbus to lose hundreds of aircraft sales with an estimated value of US$ 15-20 billion
• Illegal subsidies to Boeing have, over time, resulted in over US$100 billion in total lost sales for Airbus
• Harm to Airbus will only increase if dispute is pushed out further, in case of likely U.S. appeal”

Next, from Boeing:
“Today, the EU and Airbus suffered yet another resounding defeat in this decade-long dispute. It is finally time for them to comply with their global trade obligations and eliminate and remedy the $22 billion of launch aid and other illegal subsidies that are harming U.S. aerospace companies and American workers,” said Boeing General Counsel J. Michael Luttig.”

You be the judge.

London, UK | January 5, 2017– The connected aircraft represents a paradigm shift for airlines and many are now in the early stages of deploying various applications. Several have begun to embrace staged increases in electronic flight bag (EFB) capabilities often starting with one or two apps that they can later build upon, according to a new study from UK-based market intelligence firm, Valour Consultancy.

The report – “How the Connected Aircraft fits into the Internet of Things” – thoroughly details the raft of connected aircraft applications airlines are exploring in the hope of realising considerable cost savings and/or ancillary revenue gains. It finds that the benefits of eTechlog, eCabin Logbook and enhanced flight operational quality assurance (FOQA) programs using quick access recorder (QAR) data are becoming better understood, while aircraft health monitoring solutions are being enriched by the infusion of increased data flows from previously disparate sub-systems and other information sources on and off the aircraft.

Though certain airlines are further along in their connected aircraft strategy than others, there are many challenges to be overcome, says report author, Craig Foster. “Suppliers have invested millions in developing differentiated offerings and this lack of standards has resulted in concern and confusion about investing in the wrong technology. Second, there exists little in the way of tangible metrics that show how quickly a return on investment (ROI) may be achieved from connected aircraft applications. Third, there is a perception that the act of harnessing vast amounts of data results in magical value with some undoubtedly having overstated the reality of what is possible”. Foster added that there also needed to be a recognition that offloading data from aircraft in real-time may only be necessary if you can also act on that data in real-time.

Though airlines understand the potential benefits of turning their fleets into connected nodes within their operation, there is work to be done on building consensus on how to approach the connected aircraft. “Collaboration internally, as well as externally, is crucial to success of the connected aircraft across the industry and airlines need to find ways to reduce interdepartmental friction and look to share best practices with other carriers”, said Foster.

Valour Consultancy is a provider of high quality market intelligence. Its latest report “How the Connected Aircraft fits into the Internet of Things” builds upon the company’s highly-acclaimed research into the passenger in-flight connectivity and in-flight entertainment markets. For an information brochure containing a full table of contents visit: http://www.valourconsultancy.com/aviation-market-research/connected-aircraft-in-the-internet-of-things/

In the past 25 years there has only been 2 methods of connecting via satellite in an aircraft. The first for crew via Data3, initially Windows terminal interfaces or embedded aircraft terminals like CMU’s or inseat screens. The second is browsers using Internet protocols and Wi-Fi.

In today’s App world on the ground we are always connected and that’s where a quantum leap in aircraft technology is about to happen.

This article is about a new way to connect called fflya, and what you may not know is, its already flying on business jets and an A340, plus the military are about to fly it!

Why the Internet of Things (IoT) takes the risk out of installing Wi-Fi
The general definition of The internet of things (IoT) is “The internetworking of physical devices, vehicles (also referred to as “connected devices” and “smart devices”), buildings and other items—embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and network connectivity that enable these objects to collect and exchange data”(source Wikipedia 2016).

However, in 2013 the Global Standards Initiative on the Internet of Things (IoT-GSI) defined IoT as “the infrastructure of the information society. IoT allows objects to be sensed and/or controlled remotely across existing network infrastructure, creating opportunities for more direct integration of the physical world into computer-based systems, and resulting in improved efficiency, accuracy and economic benefit” (Wikipedia 2016).

When you consider that Boeing launched commercial inflight Wi-Fi on Lufthansa in 2004. Why is it so many airlines are still reluctant to get involved in Wi-Fi twelve years later? The answer is user price!

When it comes to price, the hardware cost of inflight Wi-Fi pales in significance to the cost of an aircraft. With technology moving so fast on the ground, there is that underlying concern that installing connectivity now will lead to it becoming quickly outdated or that financial expectations and passenger needs won’t be met.

Now more than ever people rely on connectivity when they move which means it’s no longer a question of whether airlines should install connectivity, but when and how they will do it. Many airlines have spent years looking and when comparing what Boeing had in 2004 with today’s technology, it’s hard to see a quantum leap!

What’s more disconcerting is that current Wi-Fi utilization levels, even on the most affordable US domestic network, show only 6% of passengers are prepared to pay for the service; the same as what Boeing experienced. It appears that justifying the cost of Wi-Fi as viable for the general public is a real challenge. We hope technology will provide the answers but satellite speeds and cost limitations continue to soften expectations in the air.

For decades people have relied on Wi-Fi for home and the office, and 3G or 4G when on the move. The industry persist with 3G in aircraft, however, the high roaming charges and slow speeds means it is not practical or commercially viable. This leaves the airline world with only one method to connect – Wi-Fi. This is where IoT is of great importance.

Wi-Fi vendors are reluctant talk about IoT because their business models rely on big data, yet it’s small data that’s enveloping the world. Small data is utilized on Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, SMS and most emails. Small data costs are so miniscule that it seems free of charge to people using it. A societal mindset that believes small data is virtually free to use which is why 94% of passengers are reluctant to pay for connectivity inflight.

There is a Wi-Fi war in aviation pitting company KA band speeds against KU band speeds, and satellite against satellite. The intensity of this industry war makes it easy to get caught up in big data. We are lured into thinking there is no alternative given the significant size and cost of Wi-Fi platforms and the fact they all appear the same.

IoT is a paradigm shift and will change the way you think about connectivity. It creates an alternative platform that changes the way we connect, more inline with what we already do on the ground, that is, communicate with small data.

Why is it possible now?
Change is possible right now because of Bluetooth Smart, which is driving IoT faster than any other communication technology. While Wi-Fi vendors were busy launching billion dollar networks a new connectivity phenomenon was evolving. In simple terms, Bluetooth Smart capability opened up a portal for connecting devices and efficiently transmitting small data. Importantly, Apple is at the front Bluetooth advancements so it comes standard on all mobile devices.

For the first time you can now segregate aircraft bandwidth into narrowband and broadband applications by adding Bluetooth capability. This concept is similar to how airlines segregate business and economy: a standard service is delivered via Bluetooth and the premium service is supplemented with Wi-Fi.

Airlines can implement any satellite system in a staged approach by controlling the connection path with technology. This is because IoT lets you ‘shift gears’ as the demand increases. It begins as a simple no-frills messaging service and expands to include value-added services and live credit card processing that generate revenue to fund the platform upgrades as you go.

The benefit is: Airlines only need to gear up gradually and segregate live Internet for the very few willing pay, while the rest use minimal bandwidth down the same pipe. The ratio is similar to that of economy and business class: 6% of live internet passengers can be leveraged off 95% of the bandwidth, while the remaining 94% of passengers can be easily accommodated on remaining 5% bandwidth.

The objective is to control the delivery of passenger services with the ability to expand offerings as revenue dictates.

Corporate aircraft today already have this capability however it’s taken time to migrate to the realm of airlines. This is because connecting hundreds of devices simultaneously down a single link needed a revolutionary approach – this is what Bluetooth Smart delivers.

It eliminates the need to provision high bandwidth to accommodate everyone onboard. Twelve years of aircraft connectivity confirms that only 6% of passengers will pay for broadband meaning the remaining 94% expect it to be free. The provision of free services to the vast majority of passengers who expect it can only be a positive for airlines as bandwidth can be dramatically reduced. Delivering free services allows you to control the size of the pipe and what users see and do. App-based connectivity solutions still appear fast, yet it’s actually the servers managing the link that determines what you receive and when. This is the complete opposite to Wi-Fi…as once connected you are consuming bandwidth constantly, particularly in background mode.

IoT gives you a choice about what services to provide and at what charge (free or paid). The bandwidth is then staged to meet the demand. You can start with just a 200kbps link that can deliver free messaging, destination services and live credit card processing to hundreds of passengers at once. Importantly only one Bluetooth access point is required for all this to work!

How is this possible?
With the fflya solution, Bluetooth Smart keeps everyone connected and maintains a status of what devices are onboard and active. What makes Bluetooth Smart unique is that logged in devices run in parked mode meaning they are essentially offline. The link automatically activates when the user sends a message or processes a transaction, completing these events in milliseconds. As a result no one person can occupy a large portion of the bandwidth at any point in time. The security is quite unique not only for the way it switches channels, but is a closed network and when combined with encryption and proprietary protocols is more secure than open Wi-Fi as there is no external way to access it.

Imagine hundreds of passengers sending and receiving free messages or booking holiday tours at the same time – all occupying less than 10% of a 200 kbps link.

IoT takes the risk out of installing Wi-Fi as there is little or no outlay in the early implementation stages and by the time the demand for broadband increases the program is self-funding. The staged approach of the program means adding further capacity is not an issue as the revenue justifies the system upgrade.

One of the most difficult elements of managing any network is working out how to implement and how much capacity do you need. On the ground Wi-Fi access is random and bandwidth can be easily balanced. In contrast, when a crewmember announces that Wi-Fi is available inflight, you will notice the majority of passengers all log on at once regardless of whether they need it or are just curious. This is why Wi-Fi needs multiple access points, as the system can be easily overloaded. Having to reset the system when it grinds to a halt is frustrating for the crew and passengers. App-based Bluetooth messaging platforms do not have this issue, as users are not occupying bandwidth just to login. The network identifies them and parks them until they do something, which is why you only need one access point to cover an entire aircraft.

IoT leverages off bits of data using Bluetooth Smart whereas, Wi-Fi requires Kilobytes to deliver similar services. Let’s compare WhatsApp to the fflya messaging services. WhatsApp must stay online by maintaining touch with a ground network. Even if you do nothing you still consume bandwidth. So on a typical flight WhatsApp is occupying valuable bandwidth constantly. Sure you can be turn background mode off, but now you are disconnected and have the inconvenience of routinely checking in. In addition, as Wi-Fi is high power your battery will drain quicker

The fflya messaging app allows you to stay logged on for the entire flight as it consumes no bandwidth even when you are waiting for a reply. Furthermore, Bluetooth Smart uses the latest Low Energy technology so your phone battery lasts longer.

How does it work
The fflya IOS or Android App can be downloaded from the App Store via multiple means before a flight. The airline can embed fflya in their own booking App for easy access, mass-mail their frequent flyers or send the passenger a link to fflya upon booking a ticket. Since fflya is only 10Mb in size making it quick and easy to download compared to a typical WhatsApp or Facebook update that can be up to 150Mb.

Once you have the app all you need to do is to enter your user credentials for validation. You can do this on the ground or inflight.

Your credentials are your normal email address and cellphone number. We need this for 3 reasons:

1. Security
   Like all modern messaging platforms fflya has 2 levels of verification to protect your security.
2. Late Delivery
   Once you leave the aircraft the system automatically changes to ground mode, so any late replies are routed to you on the ground.
3. Destination Offers
   The app hosts attractions and savings on services based on the destination you are flying too, so discounts on items of interest selected inflight are reconfirmed to your mobile or email account on arrival.

Upon opening the App inflight, the Bluetooth access point updates your destination status with any new offers and you are registered on the network at the same time. Knowing you’re onboard, the app will automatically revert to park mode, only alerting you with regular notifications when necessary.

Our product fflya is an engaging product as it targets people who are captive, bored, disconnected, and destination-focused. This sort of connectivity is precise and impossible to achieve on the ground because the person is nowhere near as attentive. It creates a major opportunity for real-time marketing with immediate impact because of passenger focus. Further, fflya generates revenue and brand appreciation when passengers download the App, thereby increasing an airlines digital reach. Furthermore, fflya flags frequent flyers creating endless interaction both inflight and on the ground. By offering the App and free messaging, passengers become brand advocates since every App downloaded and message sent promotes the airline. As the connectivity is now free passengers will access it.

Our fflya app delivers revenue from day one with AEROS
AEROS are attraction discount vouchers available in the fflya App that deliver travel savings in hundreds of destinations including the passenger’s hometown.

• Once inflight, fflya displays a number of AEROS for the upcoming destination. When a passenger selects something they like, fflya uploads a message from the sponsor that confirms the discount and code.
• Then fflya sends an email to the passenger’s email account showcasing the sponsor and the attraction with a booking link. Passengers can also communicate directly with the sponsor.
• Upon arrival, passengers begin to save money on shows, restaurants and tourist activities. On arrival they have the opportunity to select more AEROS at the destination.

Interestingly, fflya’s AEROS enhance the airline’s reputation by giving passengers more value for money. The advantage of AEROS is that you have a captive audience who is destination focused and ready to spend. The simplicity means there is no activation required. Sponsors are incentivised to come on-board as it’s free to join the program and they only pay commission on real interactions and receive immediate passenger feedback. The AEROS systems profiles the interaction providing airlines with a unique insight into their passenger based which creates even more marketing opportunities.

What additional revenue services are offered?
With the evolution of Bluetooth Smart the promotional opportunities are endless. Note: fflya’s ability for passengers to interact directly with sponsors opens a whole new world and the airlines ability to host its own products can enhance revenue further.

What do I need on an aircraft?
The fflya system is compatible with any satellite network and all you need is a Bluetooth access point. The Bluetooth access point is flexible and can be installed on an aircraft in a variety of ways:

1. It latches onto any existing Wi-Fi network.
2. A hardwired connection to an existing satellite transceiver.

Evaluating any new service is a challenge and this is where fflya has a very unique solution that avoids any modification to the aircraft. Airlines can test the service with a fully self-contained portable system including SATCOM and custom window antenna. The system is classified as a carry on device and with supporting documentation there is no aircraft certification required, just operational approval. The following image illustrates an example of a flight test system onboard an A340 airliner.

The following image illustrates an example of a flight test system onboard an A340 airliner.

The benefit of this approach is airlines can evaluate and refine the services prior to selecting permanent hardware which removes the uncertainty of what do we need and will passengers pay to use it. Entry-level permanent hardware starts with the Inmarsat 200kbps link and it should be noted the test bed is also backwards/ forwards compatible with the new Iridium Next satellite platform that meets the same entry-level requirement. The business model is fully self funding so there is no equipment outlay.

When it comes the production level access point certification, it will be industry standard DO160, DO178 and DO294 compliance. Importantly as a low power device Bluetooth is already documented and tested as safe for use in aircraft, which eliminates the complexity associated of Wi-Fi installations.

The system requires an STC and the STC cost can be included subject to fleet size. The airline provides the installation manpower and fflya underwrites all the transmission costs including airline communications sent via the App.

System Diagram

Why haven’t we seen this before?

Bluetooth was originally designed as a one to one interface for tethered devices with its primary justification in mobile phones as Audio hands free. More recent developments saw it evolve into Personal Area Networks, Scatternets and Mesh networks but again it focused on controlling devices. The challenge and barriers of building a bidirectional communication network capable of accommodating hundreds of passengers in the aircraft environment without consuming valuable satellite bandwidth were endless. It has taken 10 years of development including 4 years of flight-testing and 4 years of working with Apple and Android to develop a proprietary BLE characteristic that connects via a custom satellite protocol to a purpose built ground based network with algorithms that manage every user by file type, flight number and aircraft.

For a demonstration of the new fflya system visit Ron Chapman ASIP Tech Inc. at APEX booth 1937

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Other Stuff:

Want what the folks at IFPL will be showing in Singapore? Check this out.

ARCONICS:

Our meeting with Michael Reilly, VP e-Enablement + Entertainment, pointed out one fact for sure: “Arconics  is hardware agnostic – we are a software company!” To give you a better idea about Arconics, here is a mention of one of their products, CloudStore, we published earlier this past month: “Tigerair Australia has selected the Arconics CloudStore Wireless IFE software platform for installation on its B737-800 aircraft. Over time, the deployment will be fleet-wide and more features introduced to the platform as part of the partnership.” Now, here is a bit more about the product we also published earlier: “CloudStore by Arconics, the next generation, feature-rich, scalable and cost effective Wireless In-Flight Entertainment (W-IFE) platform, has been selected by Tigerair Australia for the airline’s first short-haul services to Bali commencing March 2016. Flights between Australia and Denpasar are operated by Virgin Australia International, providing a Tigerair Australia service, and are subject to regulatory approvals. CloudStore will allow Tigerair Australia to offer a mix of free and paid content offerings to their customers on the Boeing 737-800 fleet of aircraft which the airline will use for its international services. Content will be a mix of Hollywood and Australian movies as well as international and local TV programs, music and real-time destination mapping. Over time, more features will be introduced to the platform.”

Here is the big deal – CloudStore Wireless IFE is driven by the passenger experience, but it also features powerful backend functionality, including rich data analytics in near real-time, to support on-the-go commercial and service decision-making. Further, the product delivers improvements in the IFE content delivery cycle. Airline staff can publish their own content builds and prepare aircraft media: they no longer have to wait to import media from an integrator, and can update content on the platform without delays.

Mr. Reilly also noted that: “Corendon Dutch Airlines has selected the Arconics CloudStore Wireless IFE software platform for installation on its B737-800 aircraft. Arconics will provide a turnkey solution for Corendon Dutch Airlines, including the software platform, mobile apps, and content licensing and encoding. Content for the go-live system will include Hollywood and Dutch movies, television shows, music, moving map, and destination content for the guests of Corendon Dutch Airlines.”

EFB and Document Management for Flight Operations are also two big areas of Arconics’ efforts. They provide these services for Qatar (their biggest customer), as well as Cathay Pacific , Ryanair, Are Lingus, and Philippine Airlines. Noted Mr. Reilly: “We are hardware agnostic, Arconics is a software company. We can do a complete turn-key approach or we can work on a modular basis.  Since we are hardware agnostic, we can fit into any mold, as every aircraft is different. Further,” he noted, “Arconics is growing rapidly, as a result of the need for our services – we now have 45 people, while just a couple years ago, we were at 12.”

Arconics shines in software development applications, and Mr. Reilly told IFExpress that the reason App development is a big deal is because each airline is different, and since the company is an experienced software developer, they are still a size that that allows flexibility – the message here is they are a software provider but because of their size they can provide different levels of service dependent on the demand. In Arctics case…one size fits all!

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KID Systeme:

“Entertaining connected passengers” is KID-Systeme’s mission and ambition and at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2016 KID-Systeme featured SKYpower Combined, which is the latest iteration of SKYpower to help facilitate this goal. SKYpower Combined is an in-seat passenger power unit that allows the airline to select from the following outlet options: a combined 110-volt AC and a 2.1 amp USB power source in one outlet; a single 110-volt AC outlet; a dual 2.1 amp USB charge per outlet; or a single 2.1 amp USB outlet. There is a streamlined power box per seat group that is either mounted under the seat or on a seat leg. The product is designed to guarantee airline passengers fast and simultaneous power to use their tablets, smartphones and/or laptops inflight. Green production and a focus on economy are very important manufacturing elements to KID-Systeme. “SKYpower is made in Germany, which has strict stipulations for the manufacturing. Our production is based on economy of resources and an efficient logistical approach,” said Maren Muente PR & Communications of KID-Systeme. “As a result, SKYpower is a very green product. Minimal shipping distance is just one example of this eco consciousness. We call it the next generation of power.” SKYpower Combined is currently in product development with the first shipset to be delivered in fourth quarter 2016.

The company also featured several concepts and project studies. One such study, Qi inductive seatback charging, was developed in conjunction with Recaro. Another project study on display was “Watchdog” – an alarm mechanism that detected whether the airplane door was deactivated before the exit door handle is released. Watchdog is a preventive and reliable warning system with integrated motion detection. It is an easy ‘plug & play’ installation. The primary object of the product is to reduce the number of accidental evacuation slide deployments… a costly and embarrassing occurrence!

We also want to mention a couple of the the KID-Systeme awards that they have recently won. At AIX, the folks from KID-Systeme garnered the Airbus Cabin BFE Supplier Award, and the affable Patrick Schrot, General Manager of KID-Systeme GmbH, told IFExpress: “We were one of six suppliers who received the Airbus Cabin BFE Supplier Award 2015 for “excellent” rating! A great honor and special highlight at this year’s 2016 AIX!” Airbus spotlighted the suppliers of Buyer-Furnished-Equipment (BFE) for its jetliner cabin interiors, acknowledging those companies that achieved notable customer satisfaction levels in 2015 with awards given to these top performers during Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany. Here is what Airbus said about the award process: “The suppliers recognized by Airbus were identified through the company’s Supplier Support Rating process, which captured in-service feedback from over 130 Airbus customers. Buyer-Furnished-Equipment refers to items selected and purchased by the customer when acquiring a jetliner, which is then installed in the aircraft. For cabin interiors, typical examples include passenger seats, galleys and in-flight entertainment systems. The suppliers were evaluated based on the following criteria: the ability to provide continuously reliable equipment and associated technical support; effectiveness of operational support services, bench marked against Airbus’ industry-leading supplier support standards; and customer feedback concerning cost of ownership.”

KID was also duly proud of their 2015 Gold Performance Excellence Award from Boeing. The Boeing Company issues the award annually to recognize suppliers who have achieved superior performance. 107 of 530 suppliers received the Gold level of recognition. KID maintained a Gold composite performance rating for each month of the the 12-month performance period. “The Gold Award is a clear statement of our customer focused way of working. Rising from Silver to Gold status makes us very proud,” said Patrick Schrot. KID Systeme supplies SKYpower for the Next-Generation 737 and 757 single aisle aircraft, as well as, the 747,767, and 777 twin aisle jetliners.

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PXCom:

IFExpress stopped by to catch up with PXCom’s Cyril Jean at AIX and he had some interesting updates for us. In case you don’t remember, PXCom offers airlines a way of enriching their IFE by including a full-scale media that integrates tourist/destination content and/or advertising. They produce destination tourist guides in multimedia format and can integrate additional profiling and CRM related solutions into any IFE platform. PXCom states that they have the potential to help airlines increase their net income per passenger on operated destinations by up to 40%. Currently, PXCom is working with three European airlines and are on more than 100 aircraft, integrating with three different IFE systems. During AIX 2016, they announced a partnership with IMM International, a world-leading agency with over 30 years in inflight media advertising, serving 150+ airlines. “Our expertise lies in supporting brands in their multi-channel campaigns aiming at reaching the traveler, including digital,” explained Nicolas Devos, IMM’s CEO. “This encompasses pre- and post-flight. The partnership with PXCom brings the missing piece of the puzzle: the digital inflight advertising.” This enables any brand to launch an efficient digital inflight ad campaign on any IFE platform. “IMM brings the advertisers, their expectations and a strong mobile & web advertising experience to reach the travelers,” stated Cyril Jean, PXCom’s CEO, “We work with the airlines and IFE manufacturers, in the assets definition, in order to get the right balance between #PaxEx and expected revenues. Then we connect to the IFE, and open a new revenue stream for the airline.”

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Other:

• The folks at SITA have been a big proponent of the Internet of Things (IoT), especially where it concerns airports. They note: “Today, 83% of passengers carry a smartphone and this is now the unifying technology in transport that will provide a connected end-to-end experience. SITA’s report shows that smartphones are reshaping travel behavior and with growth rates of around 80% or more at the check-in and boarding pass stages it is clear passengers are keen to use their own technology.” The go on to say: The groundwork by the air transport industry to establishing the infrastructure and processes that enable more seamless travel experiences is well under way and gathering further momentum. Over the next three years the vast majority of airlines and airports are planning to invest in mobile services for passengers and most airports will also be financing self-service processes. You might want to read more from the SITA folks in their paper: “The Future is Connected.”
• With our limited travel budget we have found that there are at least two means to improve your long-haul flight:  a) The first is to buy an upgrade to economy plus (or your airline’s equivalent brand) at around $200/$300 per international flight segment; and b) the other way is to purchase a pair of BOSE QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones. The later will only require an initial expenditure for the first flight! Not to mention, you can use them with your Smartphone too! –  PLWiseman | Editor, Publisher & Co-Founder of IFExpress & Airfax.com/blog