Endicott, New York | April 14, 2015– Vistara has selected BAE Systems’ IntelliCabin in-flight entertainment (IFE) system, which provides inflight wireless streaming of preloaded content to customers’ personal electronic devices across all three cabin classes in its fleet of A320 aircraft. The system also includes fully integrated Samsung Galaxy Tab S tablets for business class customers. With its state-of-the-art wireless technology and unique user interface, the fully integrated IFE system provides travelers with entertainment options beyond those currently available aboard commercial flights.

The entire fleet of Vistara will incorporate the IFE system, expected to go live in another six months. In the interim, BAE Systems is providing Vistara’s business class customers with customized Samsung Galaxy tablets with specially selected preloaded content. This interim solution will be available to Vistara’s business class customers on flights of more than two hours duration beginning in March 2015.

“We are extremely happy to be launching the pioneering technology of in-flight wireless streaming in India. The first of its kind IFE solution is the outcome of much deliberation and we sought to ensure that it was innovative, ground-breaking, and novel for our customers.” said Prasad Menon, chairman of Vistara. “BAE Systems’ IntelliCabin IFE system offers the latest technological innovations, which includes the potential for live TV and full WiFi on board.”

“BAE Systems’ unique and state-of-the-art Samsung tablet solution can be customized to meet the customer demands of an exceptional and enriched IFE experience,” said Phee Teik Yeoh, chief executive officer at Vistara. “The company’s IFE system is completely aligned with Vistara’s futuristic vision, underscoring our commitment to delight customers with intuitive thoughtfulness.”

Global technology leaders BAE Systems and Samsung have partnered to deliver the state-of-the-art IFE system, which can be experienced in business class using customized Samsung Galaxy tablets and on customers’ personal electronic devices across all cabins. It delivers movies, TV shows, magazines, and games through a rich and responsive user interface.

“Vistara’s selection of our IntelliCabin IFE supports the airline’s vision of providing an enhanced travel experience for its customers,” said Dr. Ehtisham Siddiqui, vice president and general manager of Commercial Aircraft Solutions at BAE Systems. “We are confident that Vistara’s customers will enjoy our next-generation IFE system — specifically, its unparalleled user interface.”

The tablet-driven IFE system is one component of BAE Systems’ IntelliCabin suite of products, which provides an integrated, scalable approach to aircraft cabin management through in-seat power, dynamic LED lighting, and a cabin crew interface.

With An Order Book To Install RAVE(TM) On 57 To 137 Aircraft, IMS Is Just Plain Busy!

At Aircraft Interiors in April, the lion’s share of pre-AIX announcements were seat-centric in nature, and when the sales announcements were being made, The IMS Company’s RAVE™ seemed to corner the market. So we checked in with the folks in Brea, California. While this may be a down market for some, what we found was a flurry of activity as the company is dealing with RAVE™ orders for some 55 aircraft, with installations targeted to start the later part of this year. But if this isn’t challenging enough, the number of orders—including all of the options—could more than double the backlog! And the company is now entering a phase that founder and CEO Joe Renton calls “managing growth.”

“The responsible management of growth is the welcome, yet challenging, byproduct of the market response to RAVE,” says Renton. “Developing a new system from scratch was hard and selling a new system is difficult. If you are fortunate, you then get to deal with the management of orders and subsequently the support of product. It is the collective daily management of all these elements that makes growth uniquely challenging.”

The preparations include staffing, certifications, materials and facilities. The company moved into its Brea facilities just three years ago with an eye toward future growth. And a good thing too, because the company has increased its staff by some 75 percent and nearly doubled its office space in the past 12 months. The team in Brea has also recently completed its AS9100 certification in support of its perpetual performance improvement commitment.  

IMS’ vice president sales and marketing, Harry Gray—who announced RAVE™ orders for Lufthansa German Airlines, airberlin, SriLankan, and Brussels Airlines—is still believed to have another three airline orders in his pocket. So what if everyone exercises all of their options and the number of aircraft jumps to 100—or even more? “We will be ready,” says Renton. So we guess that Harry will keep on selling, however, we doubt that he will miss his annual Pig Roast, coming soon. What you weren’t invited?

If you cannot live another day without a RAVE data sheet, here it is. If you want to order your RAVE system, contact Harry at 714.854.8663 – hgray@imsco-us.com.