INMARSAT
Inmarsat announced that its award-winning GX Aviation inflight broadband service has been selected by Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) for its brand new fleet of Airbus A350 aircraft. SAS has ordered a number of new Airbus A350 aircraft as part of an extensive fleet renewal program, the first of which will be delivered from the Airbus factory in Toulouse at the end of this year with GX Aviation pre-installed. The aircraft has been named ‘Ingegerd Viking’ and will officially enter service on  January 28, 2020, serving long-haul routes to destinations such as Chicago, San Francisco, New York, Beijing, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong. GX Aviation’s unique proposition of fast, seamless global coverage was a key factor in its selection by SAS. GX Aviation will be a key part of the world-class experience in the new aircraft’s economy, premium economy and business class cabins, allowing passengers to seamlessly browse the internet, stream video and audio, check social media, instant message and more, with speeds on par with mobile broadband on the ground. The airline will also benefit from major upcoming enhancements to the GX network, with additional capacity being introduced by three new satellites launching in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Furthermore, Inmarsat recently signed an agreement with Airbus Defence & Space to develop a pioneering new generation of GX satellites, which  the company says will mark a transformative step-change in inflight broadband capabilities. The ground-breaking satellites, named GX7, 8 & 9, are optimized for real-time mobility and feature thousands of dynamically-formed beams that direct capacity with laser-like precision over high-demand areas.

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MORGAN STANLEY RESEARCH
Entering the Paris Air Show, investor concerns included order activity, aftermarket trends, and Defense health amongst others. But, the event addressed these overhangs and eased the subdued A&D cycle sentiment, in MSR’s view. Here are Morgan Stanley Research’s 5 key global takeaways from the Paris Air Show: 1) Order flow was light, but better than expected; 2) Boeing is making progress on the MAX slowly but surely; 3) Airbus announced the XLR and noted a supportive outlook at its analyst event; 4) Supplier commentary showed a degree of confidence in the outlook, albeit with production risks lingering; and 5) A lack of panic on Defense trends, while Bizjets are not doing a whole lot.

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SPAFAX
Global entertainment and media agency Spafax, a leading providers of media, entertainment and content marketing services to the airline industry, announced it has been selected by Japan Airlines (JAL) to license, curate and deliver its short-form content selection onboard all aircraft including TV shows, documentaries and compilations. Spafax’s entertainment efforts for JAL will be led out of its Hong Kong office and be supported by its entertainment teams in London and Southern California. Spafax’s first content cycle for JAL is due for delivery by August 2019.

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AIRBUS

• During the 2019 Paris Air Show, Airbus achieved new business for 363 commercial aircraft, comprising 149 firm orders and 214 commitments. In addition to these totals, airlines and lessors also converted 352 existing aircraft orders – mostly from the A320 single-aisle aircraft up to the larger A321neo and also to the new A321XLR, clearly reflecting Airbus successful strategy in offering customers longer-range aircraft in this segment. Moreover, Le Bourget saw successes for the A220 which won new business for 85 aircraft, and for the widebody A330neo for which Airbus received orders and commitments for 24 new aircraft. The star of the show was clearly the new A321XLR – the next evolutionary step from the A321LR. The XLR is world’s most efficient and longest-range single-aisle aircraft, which will enable operators in this segment to access markets requiring even more range and payload. Overall, this newest model won orders for 48 aircraft, commitments for a further 79 aircraft and 99 conversions from A321 to XLR. These came from a wide range of launch customers from around the world.
• Airbus is saddened that one of its founding fathers, Roger Béteille, who not only shaped Airbus’ first commercial aircraft – the A300B – but also Airbus Industrie, passed away on 14 June at the age of 97.
  Born in Aveyron, France, in 1921, Roger Béteille studied at Supaéro in Toulouse before joining France’s SNCASE, which later became Sud Aviation, in 1943. He received his pilot’s licence in 1945, becoming thereafter flight test engineer in 1952. He was part of the flight test team on the Caravelle’s first flight. In July 1967, the idea to develop a 300-seater all new wide-body twinjet was progressing and Mr Béteille was appointed chief engineer for the A300 program at Sud Aviation. It soon became clear that launch customers Air France and Lufthansa wanted a smaller product. From the very start, Roger Béteille nurtured a dream: to found an aircraft family. “I was convinced that Airbus would never take off with a single aircraft,” he explained. “Potential customers would wonder if we’d still be around in ten or 20 years’ time.” His dream truly came to fruition towards the end of his career, when in March 1984 he managed the formal launch of the A320.
  Roger Béteille was instrumental in developing its fly-by-wire (FBW) controls, with increased flight safety and wider fuselage, all of which were key to its huge commercial success. Fly-by-wire also enabled the start of cockpit commonality and cross-crew qualification for pilots across Airbus aircraft.
• China Southern Airlines took delivery of its first of 20 A350-900 becoming the newest operator of this latest generation and highly efficient twin-engine, long-range widebody aircraft. The Guangzhou-based carrier operates an Airbus fleet of 335 aircraft, including 282 A320 Family aircraft, 48 A330 Family aircraft and 5 A380 aircraft (figures at the end of May 2019). China Southern’s A350-900 aircraft features a modern and comfortable three-class cabin layout of 314 seats: 28 business, 24 premium economy and 262 economy. The airline will initially operate the new aircraft on its domestic routes from Guangzhou to Shanghai and Beijing, followed by flights to international destinations.

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BOEING
Boeing launched its latest round of flight-testing to assess new technologies that could address real-world challenges for airplane operators and passengers — from enhancing safety and sustainability to improving the flying experience. The company is debuting a Boeing 777 that will serve as the 2019 flying test bed for 50 projects. “This is the latest addition to our ecoDemonstrator program, where we look at how crew and passengers can have a better experience and how technologies can make flying safer, more efficient and more enjoyable,” said Mike Sinnett, vice president of product strategy and future airplane development at Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “Using the 777 flying test bed lets us learn faster and move forward on improvements much quicker and with greater fidelity in defining their value.” Among the technologies being tested on this year’s ecoDemonstrator program are:

• Sharing digital information between air traffic control, the flight deck and an airline’s operations center to optimize routing efficiency and safety.
• An electronic flight bag application that uses next-generation communications to automatically provide rerouting information to pilots when weather conditions warrant.
• Connected cabin technologies that make galleys and lavatories smart, and monitor cabin conditions such as temperature and humidity to facilitate automatic adjustments.
• Cameras to provide more passengers with a view outside the airplane.

Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator program first took to the skies in 2012. Five airplanes — a 737-800, 787-8 Dreamliner, 757, Embraer E170 and 777 Freighter — have tested 112 technologies through 2018. More than a third of the technologies have transitioned to implementation at Boeing or by program partners. Nearly half remain in further development while testing on the other projects was discontinued after learnings were accomplished. Among the technologies now in use are iPad apps that provide real-time information to pilots, enabling them to reduce fuel use and emissions; custom approach path information to reduce community noise; and a camera system on the 777X that will help pilots avoid ground obstacles. A key part of the ecoDemonstrator program is collaboration with industry partners to jointly test technologies and share learnings that advance aviation. More than a dozen partners are participating in the 2019 program, including an industry consortium developing a connectivity standard for networked cabins of the future known as iCabin. Flight tests will be conducted this fall. The flights will include a trip to Frankfurt Airport in Germany, where the ecoDemonstrator’s technology mission will be presented to government officials, industry representatives and STEM students to help inspire the next generation in aerospace leadership. A majority of the test flights will fly on sustainable aviation fuel to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and demonstrate the fuel’s viability.

Aviation connects our world by efficiently and rapidly moving people, opening new economic opportunities and transporting food and goods all over our planet. Aviation promotes global understanding, generating rich cultural exchanges and thereby contributing to peaceful co-existence. At the same time, climate change has become a clear concern for our society. Humanity’s impact on the climate requires action on many fronts. The aviation industry is already taking significant action to protect the planet and will continue to do so. Aviation contributes to two percent of human-made carbon dioxide emissions. The industry has challenged itself to reduce net CO2 emissions even while demand for air travel and transport grows significantly. Through the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), the aviation industry became the world’s first industrial sector to set an ambitious target: reduce CO2 emissions to half of year 2005 levels by 2050, and to limit the growth of net CO2 emissions by 2020. We are on track to meet those near-term commitments, including the 2019 implementation of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) program as agreed upon by the nations of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The Chief Technology Officers of seven of the world’s leading aviation manufacturers are now each working at an unprecedented level to ensure the industry meets these aggressive and necessary commitments.

The Strategy
There are three major technological elements to sustainable aviation:

1. Continuing to develop aircraft and engine design and technology in a relentless pursuit of improvements in fuel efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions.
2. Supporting the commercialization of sustainable, alternate aviation fuels. Around 185,000 commercial flights have already proven that today’s aircraft are ready to use them.
3. Developing radically new aircraft and propulsion technology and accelerating technologies that will enable the ‘third generation’ of aviation.

Aviation will continue to rely on liquid fuels as the fundamental energy source for larger and longer-range aircraft for the foreseeable future. Even under the most optimistic forecasts for electric-powered flight, regional and single-aisle commercial airplanes will remain operating in the global fleet with jet fuel for decades to come. Therefore, the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) which use recycled rather than fossil-based carbon and meet strong, credible sustainability standards is an essential component of a sustainable future. Five pathways for production of SAFs have already been approved for use, with commercial scale production of one of these pathways already in place. We believe that accelerating production scale-up of all commercially viable pathways, while simultaneously developing additional lower cost pathways, is the key to success. This work is already underway at research institutions and within companies in various industrial sectors. What is needed is an expansion of government support for technology development, production facility investment, and fuel production incentives around the world.
We are fully supportive of any fuel, which is sustainable, scalable, and compatible with existing fuels. We will work closely with fuel producers, operators, airports, environmental organizations and government agencies to bring these fuels into widespread aviation use well ahead of 2050. Other factors, such as efficient air traffic management and aircraft routing that minimizes fuel consumption also have a vital part to play. Our industry has demonstrated significant progress on reducing noise and other environmental impacts and will continue to do so.

Aviation is at the dawn of its third major era, building on the foundation laid by the Wright brothers and the innovators of the Jet Age in the 1950s. Aviation’s third era is enabled by advances in new architectures, advanced engine thermodynamic efficiencies, electric and hybrid-electric propulsion, digitization, artificial intelligence, materials and manufacturing. Larger aircraft will begin to benefit from novel designs that will further improve efficiency through management of aircraft drag and distributing propulsion in new ways. New materials will enable lighter aircraft, further improving efficiency. We are excited by this third generation of aviation and, even though all of the represented companies have different approaches, we are all driven by the certainty of its contribution to the role of aviation in a sustainable future. We believe aviation is entering its most exciting era since the dawn of the Jet Age. This third era promises a transformative positive impact on lives around the globe — and we stand ready to make it a reality.

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OTHER NEWS

• We wonder if airplanes are next? Google Maps can predict how crowded your train or bus will be
• Could 10 year old Uber will become an air taxi company? Uber flying air taxi network plan – Axios And, driverless too! A sky full of driverless flying cars in just a decade – Axios
• Tired of getting on airplanes with your head cold? There is a solution for that – Eustachi Eustachian Tube Exerciser – Unclog Your Ears Naturally : Target
• Need drone data? Here are 20 of the best – From Retailers To Insurance Providers, Here Are 20 Corps Using Drone Tech Today – CB Insights Research
• One way or another, drones are going to be involved in your flying future! The race to add drones to nationwide air traffic control system | ZDNet You might like this as well if FAA control of drones is of interest – FAA to Debut Remote ID Rule in July – Rotor & Wing International
• We found a good read and if you like “ — bi-weekly updates on the evolving world of drones, air taxis and eVTOLs.”, check out Skyport, it’s free, and from our perspective, a good deal! The Skyport: Your Guide to the World of Urban Air Mobility – Rotor & Wing International
• So, when will we see hypersonic flight? OK, how about supersonic? When will we see hypersonic flight? | World Economic Forum
• If you really need a report on the state of AI (or you just want to get caught up) here is the “State of AI Report for 2019” and it is only a 136 page presentation (from London). The authors note: “Consider this report as a compilation of the most interesting things we’ve seen that seeks to trigger an informed conversation about the state of AI and its implication for the future.” State of AI 2019
• Would you like to see the Qatar proposed aviation security guidelines? All 57 pages downloadable – A Good Start! Aviation Cyber Security Guidelines
• Trying to figure out a flight from your vacation location back to work for an emergency? Here is a solution: Worldwide routes and flights from all airports – FlightsFrom.com

This week in IFExpress, we have two interesting stories, one on Guestlogix and their view of onboard sales/selling, and the other on one of the two hideous computer hardware vulnerabilities, Spectre and Meltdown. Lets get started with the IFEC focused one.

GUESTLOGIX

For starters, we should start by telling our readers that a few years back, we wrote an article on Guestlogix’s approach to onboard retailing and the use of special technology in the cabin. Quite a bit has changed at the company since then, and a recent note from one of their strategy folks caught our eye: “Guestlogix has undergone quite a few changes – new management team, new product roadmap, new vision for the airline industry.” Whoa, that’s a lot of “new”! We thought we had better take a look into the changes and Guestlogix’s new approach to selling merchandise onboard a commercial aircraft.

First, to set the stage, we should mention that Guestlogix is a global company that develops (and provides) airline commerce technology and solutions that help carriers generate ancillary revenue.

Recently, Guestlogix published a report that makes the connection between passenger experience and the psychological phenomenon of “learned helplessness.” What is learned helplessness? It’s a behavior pattern where passengers experience a lack of control from check-in to landing. This feeling leads to frustration (with the airline) and general apathy toward air travel. And this experience makes passengers less inclined to spend and more inclined to view air travel negatively.

For airlines, the first step to satisfying passengers and increasing revenue is to make them feel in control by empowering them to use their mobile devices at every touchpoint. The question is how will empowered passengers improve the airline’s bottom line?

Ever since the airline industry was deregulated, airlines have been “unbundling” fares and charging for ancillary services, which has helped drive down the cost of air travel. Passengers want low fares, but they don’t like the resultant trade-off where they are forced to sacrifice quality of service in exchange for low fares. They have accepted the trade-off – begrudgingly – but the result has been a long deterioration of passenger experience as passengers come to see air travel as an experience to be endured rather than enjoyed.

After decades of learned helplessness, passengers have reached their breaking point and are demanding change from airlines – and they are taking to social media to voice their frustration. Consequently, airlines have been forced to make changes. Guestlogix notes in its report that 20% of consumers are more likely to switch brands after just one negative experience, and 25% are more likely to complain about the company. The opposite is also true – just one memorable customer experience leads to a significant increase in purchases and recommendations. With airlines depending more than ever on ancillary revenue (which has increased some three-fold over the last few years), the problem of “learned helplessness” has to be solved if airlines hope to reduce the financial impact of negative passenger experience, and maximize ancillary revenue opportunities.

The important message here is that Guestlogix has identified and solved the connection between negative passenger experience and airline revenue, and have developed a technology platform that solves both problems at the same time, which will help the airline industry finally realize the unfulfilled promise of deregulation for better air travel. The report is available and free to download here at the Guestlogix website.

We spoke with Guestlogix about their new airline commerce platform, but before we go into more detail, here is a brief summary of the solution: “The new airline commerce platform from Guestlogix is built on the rails of the best on-the-ground e-commerce technologies which include passenger analytics and product mix optimization, data-driven sales and marketing tools and comprehensive payment functionality. Guestlogix delivers more opportunities for onboard ancillary revenues than any other alternative, while improving today’s typical passenger experience. For passengers, that means having control, comfort and choice.”

Here are some more detail: “The data-driven platform connects selling with passenger psychology – making customers feel like the airline knows them and can anticipate their needs and desires. Airlines that can execute on a personalized, ‘consumerized’ and mobile passenger experience will have tremendous advantage over competitors who can’t – or won’t – deviate from entrenched, legacy approaches.”

Furthermore: “The airline commerce platform is built around the combined power of a flight attendant POS and a consumer-facing passenger app. The passenger mobile app serves as a personal concierge allowing the user to browse the onboard catalog, make completely friction-less payments with multiple methods and currencies and take control of their comfort with personalized, relevant merchandise. Flight attendants can access the platform through the POS app on the airline’s device of choice, open and close ordering with a single touch, quickly review passenger orders (including pre-orders) and monitor inventory.”

So, we see that Guestlogix has developed a software solution (actually an entire full-suite platform) to improve passenger experience and onboard selling. You can get more detail (and pictures of the solution) at their website: www.guestlogix.com. For now, let’s dig a little deeper without getting too technical. The Guestlogix platform has three main components: Management Console, Flight Attendant POS, Passenger Experience App.

Management Console

The management console makes it easy for flight crews and sales and marketing teams to monitor sales performance across flights and run personalized, data-driven campaigns based on predictive analytics – giving them deep business intelligence on what individual passengers want or may need. From the management console, airlines can add any kind of ancillary merchandise, both physical goods (such as food and beverage) as well as non-physical merchandise (upgrades, media, destination activities). The management console also streamlines inventory management and uses data analytics to help airlines stock inventory more intelligently and reduce waste. The strength of the management console is its ability to synthesize multiple data streams and provide actionable business intelligence for improving onboard selling and significantly increasing revenue, while providing passengers with the quality of personalized retail they have come to expect from brands such as Starbucks and Uber. “Insights” is the tool group within the management console that enables airlines to manage their operations and build campaigns all in one platform, including reports, snapshots, performance, and forecasting (for example, to compare high-performing and low-performing routes). Above all, the software is easy to use and intuitive, making data analytics quick and easy.

Flight Attendant POS

The flight attendant POS is key to connecting operations and revenue management at the passenger (purchases) level, including the ability to make payments in multiple forms and currencies (including cash + loyalty points, cross-border payments), and the ability to up-sell and cross-sell with personalized, data-driven campaigns targeted to each individual passenger. The platform works on Apple or Android devices. With the flight attendant app, crews can open and close orders easily, keep track of sales, process payments and much more. The flight attendant app is tightly integrated with the passenger app for easy communication and order fulfillment that makes onboard selling easier and faster.

Passenger Experience App

The passenger experience app serves as a “digital concierge” that makes it easy for passengers to browse inventory, place orders and make payments. By creating a seamless, friction-less and personalized retail experience, the airline not only ensures higher revenue but increases satisfaction and builds loyalty. Airlines can add any kind of inventory to the catalog (not just food and beverage) and passengers can make purchases before, during or after the flight (seat upgrades, “jump the line” privileges, destination activities). Order tracking makes it easy for passengers and flight attendants to view, edit or cancel an order. The passenger app can also store a customer’s preferred payment method as well as mileage/loyalty points, making it easy for airlines to integrate loyalty programs with ancillary merchandising. Overall, the passenger app creates a personalized passenger experience where the passenger is in control and can take direct action when they feel frustrated, stressed or just feel like spending.

Currently, onboard sales and service are still largely dependent on legacy POS devices that were built to process orders and payments, but largely disconnected from any passenger systems. This is backward and inconvenient for both passengers and flight attendants increasingly accustomed to doing everything – from hailing an Uber to ordering pizza – on a mobile app or voice-controlled device. Guestlogix’s platform was built to make service faster and easier for flight attendants, improve passenger experience (and break the cycle of learned helplessness), and use powerful data analytics for more personalized, targeted selling and significantly higher revenue.

Check out the Guestlogix website and see how they have solved the “big picture” problem of improving passenger experience while increasing revenue at the same time. Good Stuff!

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* Editor’s Note: The BUZZ backgrounder!

If you don’t know Max Lingua (G.U.E. Tech – CEO), well, you should. Why? Because, as a gaming genius, he always has something to say about virtually everything. We asked for a short BUZZ, and what he said (Play. Life is a game) is short and to the point – but what he sent was the BUZZ and More – a description and meaning of the short phrase. We thought you might like to read it!

“Most players are currently indulging in casual and RPG on the ground, with a ratio movie-watcher to game players of 2:1 in the sky, when we compare top-watched with top-played. We have scenarios where the top-played game is getting as many eyes as a blockbuster that has been flying for few weeks. Games generally age better, you can keep playing them, but you hardly watch the same movie twice (unless you have a very short memory span…) when you catch the next flight. When IFE is done right, travel is a continuation of your ludic [ you can see I studied Latin 🙂 ] experience, a homey comfort above the clouds. We all do. Play, I mean. We wear a suit or shorts. On our own or in a group. For fun or serious business. We adjust our role as we go. We win and we lose. A promotion, a lost love, a new car. What we play on a computer screen is just one of the many games and roles we play every day, an escape or a reflection. No wonder casual games (an evasion) and role-play games (an identity) are so popular. That’s all we do. Play. Life is a game of games.”

 

Morocco’s flag carrier expands 787 fleet to enable growth in international routes

Seattle, WA | December 27, 2017– Boeing [NYSE:BA] and Royal Air Maroc (RAM) today announced orders for (4) 787-9 Dreamliners – valued at $1.1 billion at list prices – that will enable Morocco’s flag carrier to expand international service.

The orders, previously listed as unidentified on Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website, include two 787s purchased in December 2016and two purchased this month.

Royal Air Maroc, which has already taken delivery of five 787-8s, will grow its fleet of fuel-efficient 787s to a total of nine airplanes. Royal Air Maroc flies 787s on international routes from Casablanca to North America, South America, the Middle East and Europe, and with the additional airplanes plans to expand service to these areas.

“Today Royal Air Maroc has direct flights to 80 international destinations. Thanks to our unique position as a geographic hub and high quality of service, we bring customers from all over the world to their destinations. With more than 850 flights per month to Africa, Royal Air Maroc has the broadest presence across the continent of any airline,” said Abdelhamid Addou, CEO and Chairman of Royal Air Maroc. He added, “Our vision is to be the leading airline in Africa in terms of quality of service, quality of planes and connectivity. Ordering new-generation planes such as the Dreamliner puts our airline on the right track to fulfill our vision.”

“Royal Air Maroc’s additional 787 orders are a terrific endorsement of the Dreamliner’s economic performance, fuel efficiency and unrivalled passenger experience,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Global Sales and Marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “Expanding the relationship between our companies that began nearly 50 years ago, Boeing is proud to support Royal Air Maroc’s growth plans within Africa and further connect Morocco to the world.”

Royal Air Maroc is celebrating its 60^th anniversary this year. Its fleet includes more than 56 Boeing airplanes, including 737s, 767-300ERs, 787s and a 747-400. The Casablanca-based carrier operates a domestic network throughout Morocco and serves more than 80 destinations across Africa, the Middle East, Europe, North America and South America.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a family of super-efficient airplanes with new passenger-pleasing features. The 787-9’s fuselage is stretched by 20 feet (6 meters) over the 787-8 and can fly 290 passengers up to 14,140 kilometers in a typical two-class configuration. The 787’s unparalleled fuel efficiency – reducing fuel use and carbon emissions by 20 percent compared to airplanes it replaces – and range flexibility enable carriers to profitably open new routes and optimize fleet and network performance. To serve passengers, the Dreamliner offers large, dimmable windows, large stow bins, modern LED lighting, higher humidity, a lower cabin altitude, cleaner air and a smoother ride.

Boeing also is a longstanding partner to Morocco, supporting the country’s development of its aerospace industry and workforce. Boeing and Safran are joint venture partners in Morocco Aero-Technical Interconnect Systems (MATIS) Aerospace in Casablanca, a high-quality supplier that employs more than 1,000 people building wire bundles and wire harnesses for Boeing and other aerospace companies.

Newport Beach, CA | October 26, 2016– FTS Technologies Inc. today announce that their revolutionary Cabin Wireless Solution has been selected by an undisclosed North American airline for installation on their fleet of B737’s. Launching in Q1 of 2017, passengers on both charter and commercial flights will enjoy FTS’ newest and premium entertainment option.

“We are delighted to be working with FTS to introduce Cabin Wireless Solution on our B737 fleet,” said the airline executive. “We are committed to delivering superior customer service and exceeding passenger satisfaction so adding FTS next generation IFE will allow us to achieve that standard.”
FTS Cabin Wireless Solution is completely designed and manufactured in-house within the organization. The system features a high performance 2-MCU embedded file server, 2 wireless access points that support the latest 802.11ac standard and a revolutionary 3G/4G cellular modem that takes up to 4 sim cards. Passengers can connect to the onboard wireless network through their own mobile devices and enjoy streaming HD-quality video and audio entertainment, play single/multiplayer games, read latest news, view 2D/3D flight progress maps and indulge in shopping.

“We are very excited to secure our first launch airline customer in the Americas region and we look forward to partner them to immerse their passengers into a whole new level of service and onboard entertainment,” said Mr. Duan Shiping, President and CEO of FTS. “We are working closely with the airline and FAA to apply for STC (Supplemental Type Certification) approval. With the expected issue of STC in early 2017, that will start opening up new opportunities worldwide and establish ourselves as a respectable global player.”

• Wojick retiring after 36-year commercial airplanes career

Seattle, WA | October 14, 2016– Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that Ihssane Mounir has been named the new vice president of Sales and Marketing for Commercial Airplanes. Mounir succeeds John Wojick, who is retiring after 36 years of company service, effective early 2017.

In his new role, Mounir is responsible for the sales and marketing of all commercial airplanes and related services to airlines and leasing customers in all markets worldwide. His team’s duties include sales strategy, operations and customer relationships.

“Ihssane is a seasoned sales leader with in-depth knowledge of Boeing customers worldwide,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner. “His extensive knowledge of our products and services puts him in the best position to help our customers address their fleet and operational needs and be successful in today’s competitive environment.”

Mounir has held several leadership positions within Boeing’s Sales organization, mostly recently as vice president of Sales for Northeast Asia.

He previously served as vice president of Marketing, Sales Strategy and Operations, responsible for developing and implementing cross-regional strategies for Commercial Airplanes.

Prior to that assignment, Mounir led Commercial Airplanes Sales efforts in many regions across the world. Previously, Mounir was the vice president of Sales for Latin America, Africa and the Caribbean. He also served in Sales leadership roles in Europe, Central Asia and Africa.

Mounir joined Boeing as a senior aerodynamics engineer in 1997. He earned Bachelors and Masters degrees in aerospace engineering from Wichita State University.

Conner thanked Wojick for his decades of service to Boeing and leadership of the team that sold thousands of airplanes to customers worldwide.

“John’s retirement caps an outstanding 36-year Boeing career that has included assignments in engineering and all facets of commercial airplanes sales and marketing,” Conner said. “As the leader of our Sales team since 2012, he has consistently demonstrated the integrity, tenacity, courage and commitment it takes to compete aggressively and win in the marketplace. Under his leadership, our Sales and Marketing organization has sharpened its focus on our customers, continued to earn their trust and maintain their loyalty.”

The new regional leader for Northeast Asia Sales will be named at a later time.

• Robinson to expand deployment of Bluebox’s market-leading IFE systems to airlines across the EMEA region

Dunfermline, UK | October 4, 2016– As part of its growth and expansion plans, innovative inflight entertainment (IFE) systems provider, Bluebox Avionics, has appointed Neil Robinson as Director of Sales, for the European, Middle East and African (EMEA) markets.
With over twenty years of aviation experience, Robinson has a strong background in technology sales and business development, and specifically in the IFE systems market through his previous position at Lumexis Corporation of Irvine, California.

“The technology developed by the team at Bluebox is shaking up the IFE market. My focus is quite simply to help more customers take advantage of all the benefits of Bluebox’s technology,” Robinson said. “Of course that means driving more sales for Bluebox, but it also means giving airlines an innovative improvement over the status quo of costly and difficult-to-upgrade in-built systems, and options for service recovery, accessibility and ancillary revenue.”
David Brown, Bluebox’s Joint Managing Director, said: “Neil’s knowledge and experience in business development is exactly what we need to drive our ambitious growth plans across EMEA. But more than just the right skill set, his enthusiasm for how our solutions are disrupting the traditional IFE market will help us build momentum in this rapidly evolving industry.”

“Bluebox has a great team, innovative technology, solid industry partnerships, and already has an impressive global client list,” Robinson added. “I’m looking forward to helping even more airlines deliver an enhanced passenger experience with Bluebox IFE technology.”

Robinson will be based in the UK and can be reached at neil.robinson@blueboxavionics.com. Currently visiting customers across the EMEA region, he will also be joining the Bluebox team at APEX Expo (24-27 October, Singapore), a key event in the airline industry calendar.

• Jorge Mompo has been appointed as the new Director North, Latin America and Caribbean Sales for global IFE provider digEcor effectively immediately, based in Utah.

Brisbane, Australia | September 12, 2016– With over 30 years in the aviation industry, Jorge Mompo has joined the digEcor team as the new Director North, Latin America and Caribbean Sales. Mompo will be based in the America’s office in Springville, Utah and will be handling all Sales and Marketing activities in the Americas’ region.

Jorge began his aviation career in the areas of Business Aviation Technical and Support, subsequently moving into IFE where he held diverse Engineering and Sales & Marketing positions in companies including Sony Trans Com, Panasonic and Lumexis, serving mainly the Americas.

In addition to the Commercial Aviation industry, Jorge’s experience also covers endeavors in the Broadcast Television and Digital Cinematography industries where he managed Sony’s business development for Latin America.

digEcor’s VP Global Sales Paul Thorpe commented, “We are excited to welcome Jorge to the digEcor team and to Utah. Jorge’s appointment signifies our commitment to the airline customers in this region and to our extended team in The Americas where Jorge will provide great leadership.”

Mompo commented, “There are numerous growth opportunities in the Region where digEcor’s comprehensive integrated flight experience suite of products for IFE and cabin will be a perfect fit for current and future needs. I’m looking forward to continuing my close working relationships with all the customers in the Americas Region encompassing Airlines, OEMs and MROs.”

Jorge Mompo can be contacted at jorge.mompo(at)digecor(dot)com or +1 (801) 691-7257.

To sum up Farnborough 2016 for the commercial airplane sales (Airbus & Boeing only), we saw 461 planes ordered worth a total of some $61.8 Billion dollars. It is also wise, to give you an idea of the sales history involved. In 2014 the total aircraft sales for the year (not just at an air show) was worth some 1,444 new aircraft, and this was a peak. By 2015, the total yearly aircraft sales had dropped some 36%! So, the question will be: At the end of 2016, what will be the total new aircraft sales numbers for this year? New aircraft delivery backlog is at its all time high (12,000 aircraft), so layoff’s are not a focus yet, but the sales number at the end of 2016 will be interesting especially if the market for travel drops, after all, orders can be cancelled.

Summarizing, here is how the new aircraft sales breakout went: Airbus outsold Boeing by some 100 aircraft. Interestingly, The Wall Street Journal reported that Boeing had just 20 new firm orders and not one B777 was to be found amongst them. Back in October, 2015, Bloomberg noted: “As planes come off lease it may get tougher for Boeing to generate fresh sales of current-generation 777s, one of its biggest sources of profit, said George Ferguson, senior air transport analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence. While the backlog for the twinjet extends to 2018, the successor 777X, with new engines and a larger wing, won’t begin deliveries until 2020, leaving the manufacturing line in Seattle potentially vulnerable.” We now wonder if production line rates will be an issue if sales are not found.

Airbus – Total 279 aircraft orders worth $35B based on list price, while the approximate value is around $15B. Furthermore, of those announcements 197 planes were firm aircraft sales – worth $26.3B, and 82 committed aircraft – worth $8.7B. We note that Airbus included a deal that was announced last year for 62 planes.

Boeing – Total 182 aircraft orders worth $26.8B based on list price. Among these, only 20 were firm new orders (last year that number was some 100 planes higher). We also note that roughly 42 planes were already on the books but there were 100 provisional deal in the works.

We also received an input from another airline news source, Airline Weekly – Jason Cottrell/Jason Shabat and they responded to the Boeing 36% drop in aircraft sales at this year’s Farnborough and they noted: “… it’s clearly a much slower market than it was a few years ago and that probably won’t change anytime soon. However the backlogs are so giant that it might not be any big catastrophe for the manufacturers. The big thing I watch is if the Gulf carriers start canceling widebody orders. That would be a financial disaster.”

Continuing on, future airplane forecasts are usually interesting, and this year is no different:

BOEING forecasts demand for 39,620 new commercial aircraft (2,380 regional; 28,140 single-aisle; 8,570 wide-bodies; 530 VLAs), including 930 freighters, worth $5.9T in 2016-2035 (up 4.1% from last year’s Current Market Outlook). All this is based on 4.8% annual passenger traffic growth.

AIRBUS forecasts demand for 33,070 new >100-seat aircraft (23,530 narrow-bodies; 8,060 wide-bodies; 1,480 Very Large Aircraft), including 645 new freighters, worth $5.2T in 2016-2035 (up 1.5% vs last year’s forecast). All this is based on 4.5% annual passenger traffic growth.

Lastly, Airbus has just one thing to say to Boeing, and boy is this video classy – it will catch you by surprise! One thing to say to Boeing – YouTube

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IFEC NEWS

Panasonic:
China Eastern commits to an 84 aircraft deal with Panasonic and the agreement includes production aircraft and extensive retrofit program for global broadband connectivity service. The leading Chinese carrier, which, in partnership with China Telecom Satellite, was the first to offer broadband Wi-Fi connectivity on flights over Chinese airspace, and this agreement strengthens its long-term relationship with Panasonic. The extended agreement – following the announcement of 20 Boeing 777-300ERs last November – includes 35 line-fit aircraft with and an extensive retrofit program covering an additional 49 aircraft. (READ MORE)

Thales:
Thales booked orders for its AVANT IFE system from Gulf Air for 39 787-9s, A320neos and A321neos on order for delivery starting in 2018, and from Japan Airlines for retro t on 11 777-200s. (This is the first retro fit order for the AVANT system).

Telefonix PDT:
Telefonix PDT has announced that their Cabin IFE equipment has been tested and certified for use in China.

Rockwell Collins:
Rockwell Collins today was named by Airbus as its top supplier in the Supplier-Furnished Equipment (SFE) category and received an Excellent In-Service Performance award. The company was honored at a special ceremony at the Farnborough Airshow. Out of 41 suppliers rated in the SFE category, Rockwell Collins topped the list at No. 1. (READ MORE)

Boeing/Google:
Bet You Didn’t Know This: The Folks at Boeing and Google have a new technology that combines the maddening work of building wiring harnesses (charts, drawings, data sheets, pin diagrams etc.) with a device on your head that shows “what goes where”. Why is this a big deal? Here is a better description of the pilot program: “During the pilot, when a participant showed up for work she’d first visit a lockbox to check out a Glass unit, and then go to her computer to login and authenticate the device on the network, according to DeStories. For authentication, the tech would put on the smartglasses and scan a QR code generated by the system on her computer, which then pushed the wire harness app to the smartglasses. Next, the tech would head to her work station on the assembly floor, grab the next “shop order,” and then scan another QR code on the box of components, which provided necessary status updates or notes and told her where to get started, DeStories says.” Do you see any application to IFEC… like harness building, onboard installation and testing, etc? Google Glass takes flight at Boeing | Network World

Astronics:
Astronics Test Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Astronics Corporation (NASDAQ: ATRO), today announced the availability of a new Frequency Time Interval Counter (FTIC) in collaboration with National Instruments Corporation (NASDAQ: NATI) (“NI”). The new Astronics PXIe-2461 is a high-performance, two channel, universal 235 MHz frequency interval counter. It is the first product developed from Astronics’ collaboration with NI, announced in November 2015, to revitalize legacy aerospace and defense test systems. (Read More)

Inmarsat:
Inmarsat has received type approval from the Government of the People’s Republic of China for its IsatPhone 2 technology, making it the only international operator legally eligible to sell handheld satellite phones in the country. (Read More)

Lufthansa Systems:
Napster has taken over the skies as the first music streaming service in Germany! Streaming services are enjoying increasingly more popularity, whether at home, on the way to work, at the gym or on vacation at the beach. To enjoy the diverse range of music in the air, Napster and Lufthansa Systems have formed a strategic partnership. Through Lufthansa System’s BoardConnect, Napster will offer passengers selected playlists and audiobooks for adults and children, making traveling more enjoyable and entertaining. By this summer, Napster and Lufthansa Systems together want to equip the first airline with the service, Eurowings. (Read More)

Sapphire Innovation:
Research shows lack of cash-flow transparency means airlines are being too cautious notes Sapphire Innovation. Over ninety percent of airlines know cash-flow forecasting and working capital optimization are priorities for their organization, according to recent research by Sapphire Innovation. Despite that, over 70 percent don’t have an effective cash-flow forecasting solution in place. Paul Smith Eldridge, General Manager and President of Sapphire Innovation, said, “This survey shows the huge disconnect between airlines recognizing that predictive cash-flow forecasting is a business enabler, and actually having an effective solution in place. Sapphire Innovation’s survey, carried out among 39 global carriers, also identified that nearly half of airlines continue to rely almost entirely on spreadsheets to predict cash-flow, which is highly inefficient.” (Read More)

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OTHER STUFF

Amazon Video now lets you download video’s and TV directly to Android SD cards – for your next flight, of course, take a pocket full of SD cards! Amazon Video now lets you download movies and TV straight to Android SD cards | The Verge

• New aircraft will support company’s business expansion

France | April 19, 2016– Garuda Indonesia has confirmed an order with Airbus for the purchase of 14 A330-900neo, the new re-engined version of the best-selling A330 widebody airliner, to support the company’s growth and business expansion in the future.

The deal was signed at a ceremony in London in the presence of the President of Indonesia, His Excellency Joko Widodo and British Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. David Cameron MP.
Garuda Indonesia plans to use the A330neo to develop its medium and long haul network, with the aircraft offering cutting edge technology along with more efficient operations. The order replaces and extends an existing order for seven A330-300 aircraft, and the A330neo will be delivered from 2019 onwards.

“We are pleased to announce that we continue our long-standing relationship with Airbus. Both Garuda Indonesia and Airbus fully understand the aim of the deal as a long-term strategy to win the global challenge,” said Arif Wibowo, CEO of Garuda Indonesia.

Arif explained, “The A330neo represents a more-efficient future for Garuda Indonesia. This order restructuring is believed to support our continued commitment to deliver the most modern, comfortable and excellent air travel service to all customers as well as to strengthen the sustained positive growth and business expansion of the company.
“Furthermore, we are confident that this latest technology aircraft will support us to compete better in the industry.”
Prime Minister David Cameron said: “This deal underlines the increasing importance of our ties with Indonesia – a fast growing economy and set to become the seventh largest in the world by 2030.

“We are the fifth biggest investor in Indonesia and our relationship has more untapped potential. We want to encourage more British businesses to seize on these opportunities and we will continue to support them by banging the drum for British skills and expertise.”
Airbus Chief Operating Officer Tom Williams said: “We are delighted to welcome Garuda Indonesia as a new customer for the A330neo.

“The A330neo will bring a range of benefits from unbeatable operating economics including significant reductions in fuel consumption, lower maintenance costs and extended range capability. The aircraft will have Airbus’ all new Airspace cabin which will ensure the A330 continues to be a benchmark for passengers and airlines alike.”

The deal is the latest milestone in a long standing partnership dating back more than 30 years, when the airline took delivery of its first Airbus A300.

The A330-800neo and the A330-900neo are two new members of the Airbus Widebody Family with first deliveries scheduled to start in Q4 2017. The A330neo incorporates latest generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, aerodynamic enhancements and new cabin features. Benefitting from the unbeatable economics, versatility and high reliability of the A330, the A330neo reduces fuel consumption by 14% per seat, making it the most cost efficient, long range widebody aircraft on the market.

In addition to greater fuel savings, A330neo operators will also benefit from a range increase of up to 400 nautical miles and all the operational commonality advantages of the Airbus Family.

Garuda Indonesia is already rated a five star airline in terms of comfort and passenger services
Airbus launched its new Cabin brand “Airspace by Airbus” on 23rd March in London. At the heart of this new philosophy, Airbus connects the wellbeing for passengers with the operational performance for its airline customers. Representing the best of Airbus’ cabin innovation and design, Airspace will offer a sophisticated, flexible canvas as a back-drop to enhance the airlines’ own brands.