Zodiac Inflight Innovations at AIX was all smiles this year, and why not? Rod Farley’s team of Larry Girard and Harry Gray has chalked up some 26 new airlines for RAVE the past couple years by offering a product with one of the best screen image qualities we have ever seen on a seatback unit. We are sure price is also another feature and that makes airlines say “yes” to RAVE. The Zodiac Inflight Innovations Team has brought Mr. RAVE along for a few years now and they now have stand alone and integrated hardware such as those with the TriaGnoSys products like RAVE Wireless. But lets start at the beginning: firstly we should point out that RAVE comes in 3 flavors – RAVE CENTRIC (the seatback version), RAVE WIRELESS (the service for your portable entertainment device), and RAVE CELLULAR (the service for your phone). Secondly, and before we forget, RAVE came about as a business strategy – Reliable, Affordable, and Very Easy. From what we have heard from airlines, the products are working in aircraft “as advertised.”

Harry Gray told us that, “Our customers are consistently very happy with RAVE CENTRIC. Not only are we signing up more new airline customers, but existing customers want to extend our IFEC solutions across their fleets.”

Let’s look at all three in a little more detail. The data sheets from the Zodiac Inflight Innovations folks state: “Now airlines can choose from multiple features and capabilities to keep their passengers entertained and engaged during flight. Our product line provides our customers with a modular concept that can be tailored to each airlines needs, making it “very easy” for them to pick and choose which features are most important to them and their passengers.” The 3 product lines can be used on aircraft singularly or in a “mix & match” approach. This makes the IFEC solution flexible and allows for a solution on an airline with one-hour flights to differ from an International flight that could include all three.

RAVE CENTRIC is the headliner that provides inseat/overhead entertainment screens all connected via Ethernet throughout the cabin. This includes crew panel screens, which are interchangeable with the passenger screens of the same size. The entertainment content can be updated daily via an SD Card or USB drive by the crew while the built-in cell modem handles airline operational data offloads from the IFE system. Theatrical content loads are delivered to each seat via their content loader (System Control Unit) and can take place on the ground and even in the background during flight. Both Airbus and Boeing aircraft are flying with RAVE CENTRIC and airlines like the simple addition of one LRU in each seat for both installation ease and testing and replacement ease. Reliability is enhanced in the stand-alone in-seat units by the use of solid state memory and this is one of the reasons over 100 planes now are flying with this system and is a past Crystal Cabin Award winner. And yes, RAVE is now line fit offerable as well.

Two things stood out in the seatback system for us: USB charging available in each of the seatback displays and the INCREDIBLE quality of the screen displays. The in-seat HD displays, available in 17”, 15”, 12” and 9”, all have SD memory cards. Larry Girard told IFExpess, “We built in new intuitive screen controls that are more “swipe driven” and with our slide-up panel, pull down menus, and slide button controls, we mimic mainstream devices, which is one of our goals.” Aside from the new intuitive touch screen interface there’s a wireless option that we will talk about later.

The System Control Unit has a lot going for it, just look at some of the features:

1. A single major LRU in the head-end
2. Under 50 watts and 3.5kg weight
3. 12 Terabyte capacity with built-in “load & 
go” content loading, even during flight
4. Wireless data transfers at the gate
5. Broadcast Moving Map (option)
6. Supports all aircraft standard interfaces for 
PSS, PA, VA, Connecting Gate, etc.
7. Qualified to DO-160 requirements

Let’s now move on to RAVE WIRELESS, available today. An airline that features short / medium haul operations or has customers who demand personal device entertainment will find RAVE WIRELESS a solution looking for users. This would be a good place to mention that this RAVE solution has a bit of development history combined in its background, as TriaGnoSys brought a lot of connectivity history to the party when Zodiac Aerospace purchased the company in September 2013. From an operational point of view, no app is required so users don’t have to download any application before the flight – Wi-Fi is streamed via an open network. This can also be pass-code protected for a pay per access or pay per view option. As a browser based connectivity device, the system allows any PED with Safari, Chrome, Opera, Firefox, (and so on) to be up and running with one URL entry. We asked about equipment requirements for a 200-passenger plane and 3 WAPS will fill the bill. The system shuts down automatically when wheels touch the ground. We understand that RAVE WIRELESS has a couple customers already and a fleet of aircraft goes into service this month.

RAVE CENTRIC and RAVE WIRELESS can also work together to enable passengers to use dual screens. Most obviously, they can have both a film showing on one screen and the Internet – social media, for example – running on the other. But what Zodiac Inflight Innovations has done in addition is to incorporate pairing, so both screens work together. That means passengers can swipe content from one screen to the other, and back again. It is just like having two linked screens on your desk.

Lastly we should mention a bit about RAVE CELLULAR, the international voice, SMS, and Data services provided through connectivity service providers, with billing, as with international roaming, coming though each passenger’s home mobile network operator. From a hardware perspective:

1. CCU (Communication Control Unit) hardware is integrated with RAVE Cellular, RAVE Broadband, and RAVE Wireless in one cost effective LRU weighing approximately 5kg
2. Antenna – leaky line or dipole antennas are required in-plane
3. NCU (Network Control Unit) creates a usable airborne environment for GSM voice and data services
4. CCP (Cabin Crew Panel) provides cabin crew and maintenance control functions as well as system and BIT status

This solution pretty much fits the bill for any airline in the world wishing IFE and/or connectivity and the Zodiac Inflight Innovations RAVE family boasts enough aircraft installations to call them one of the IFE contenders in the race to fill space with IFEC!

Editor’s Note: We usually put these notices at the end of our Hot Topic but this week we wanted to let our readers know that while our “Readers Predictions” are in the forefront we have a really interesting paper from Dr. Junkang Ma of CETCA fame. Dr. Ma put together an interesting piece on the inflight connectivity market in China… with an even more interesting solution to the problem of airline-ground interoperability  – think SIP! Be sure to check it out.

The IFExpress team usually solicits yearly IFE predictions from our readership for our first issues and 2014 is no different. As you can imagine, they vary from the sublime to the incredibly interesting. You be the judge. Lets look at what some of our advertisers said first:

• The FAA’s and the EASA’s decision on gate to gate operation of PEDs in flight mode will further accelerate the trend towards wireless inflight entertainment. More than 50% of all European legacy airlines will adopt the new guidance in 2014.  Norbert Muller, LHSystems
• “There will be a big shift away from brand name portables to portables specifically designed for inflight use.” Attribute prediction to Josh Rasmussen, digEcor.
• “Airlines across the world will continue to increase the provision of both Wi-Fi and cell phone connectivity: the technology is reliable, affordable and very easy to install and operate. The US will remain the exception, until the debate about voice services is resolved.” Axel Jahn, TriaGnoSys

Readers also sent in their predictions and we really like the following:

• “With increased gate-to-gate PED use, the demand for seat power will increase tremendously on regional aircraft.” – Mr. Mark Milauskas, Armstrong Aerospace Inc.
• “The inflight use of cell phones in US won’t cause any more problems than it has in the rest of the world. And there have been no problems in six years, over five continents”, Ian Dawkins, OnAir
• “ The demand for streaming IFE over Wi-Fi will see the highest increase in customer demand and force the movie studios to implement an encryption process to allow for early window viewing.” – Mr. Todd Hamblin, Global Aerospace Design Corp.
• “By the end of 2014, a bird strike compliance path will be forged and system providers will begin installing IFE satellite antennas again.” – Mr. Mark Milauskas, Armstrong Aerospace Inc.
• “US airlines will not allow inflight mobile calling because of the feedback from their frequent fliers and flight attendant unions.” – Mr. Todd Hamblin, Global Aerospace Design Corp.
• “4k Ultra High Definition (4k UHD) Networked monitors designed specifically for Business and Commercial aircraft use will be in service by midyear 2014.” Bill Baltra, Retired
• “By the end of 2014, the US government (FCC) will lift the ban on the use of cellular technology while in-flight.” –Joe Kupfer, Armstrong Aerospace

Lastly, as can be seen from the above, inflight cell phone connectivity has a lot of interest, and a lot of different opinions so we asked John Courtright to opine on the subject and he sent us the following:

Here is my prediction and a follow up clarification to the question,

• In the US, at least one airline will “test” the applicability of inflight cellphone calling.

Prediction:  Yes, I expect a small number of U.S. airlines to permit inflight cell phone calling.  Furthermore, I expect the first airlines to allow inflight cell phone calls on short-haul flight, flights of two hours or less.  The first to test the cell usage issue will either be a.) an independent Regional Operators, such as Mesa, Republic, and Nantucket, or b.) Regionals affiliated with a Major Carrier, such as American Eagle or Jet Blue.

The first set of carriers found in a.) above will figure that their flight operations are short haul and the “obnoxious factor” is mitigated by the short duration of the flights as well as being affected by the higher ambient noise on RJs.  The second set of carriers, those associated with a Major Airline( (b.) above), will see a competitive advantage in and out of the Major’s hubs as well as being a guinea pig for the major carrier to assess passenger acceptance.

Longer range prediction:  Carriers will NOT create a cell-phone usage section, like the old smoking section.  Too much policing by the flight attendants.  Carriers will initially allow cell phone usage on short-haul, high density routes.  Think SFO-LAX or LGA – DCA where the clientele is largely business based.  I see cell phone usage to expand to a flight duration-based judgment and  to have a cut-off point at two hours.

The above predictions, of course, are moot if the DeFazio Amendment is extended and thus inflight cell phone calls are prohibited by statute.  But absent a specific law, I see the usage to be flight time based. (Editor’s Note: We called Senator DeFazio’s office and he has yet to get back to us on the status of his Bill.)

While predictions seem to have taken center stage in this IFExpress, we have been working with Dr. Junkang Ma, a brilliant Program Manager at the Chinese avionics manufacturer CETCA, and he has put together a very good vision of the developing Chinese inflight connectivity market for us. Here is a bit of the story: “In December 2013, the MIIT of China (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology) released the 4G frequency license to the three government-owned telecom operators (China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom), establishing that the Telecom industry of China has officially entered into the 4G generation, beginning from TD-LTE, although 3G has only been used for around 4 years in China. While the ground-based Telecom industry is rapidly developing, one large area in China appears to be forgotten – the area in the air. The cabin of the civil aircraft has become the last “isolated island” of the information age, which makes the passengers on board feel like being back in the early years of the 20th century. The Chinese civil aviation market is experiencing accelerated growth and as more travelers are flying, passengers require a similar communication experience like they enjoy on the ground, which will result in an accelerated and diversified growth phase for China’s connectivity market…” You can read the whole story here .

And lastly, A large French IFEC company is looking for engineers in the Irvine area we have heard and if you are so inclined you might send your resume to them! Systems, Software, Platform, Project, Logistics, Field Service Engineers and even Financial Analysts… so we understand. Good Luck!

Plaisir, France | September 6, 2013– Zodiac Aerospace has completed the acquisition of TriaGnoSys, the German based company specializing in inflight connectivity and wireless entertainment and cabin systems. TriaGnoSys will be part of Zodiac Inflight Innovations (ZII) providing integrated connectivity with RAVETM, ZII’s inflight entertainment system. TriaGnoSys will provide access to inflight Internet and GSM technology along with many other advanced communications technologies. With this acquisition, Zodiac Aerospace is now in a position to offer a complete cabin interior, including advances in seat and IFEC integration.

Each year we offer readers the opportunity to get their show booth information out there for show goers to print out and take with them for easy reference. This year is no different. Not only did we get a plethora of responses, a couple of the vendors called us with news about their show offerings; we suspect in part, due to the the booming economic conditions. However, we hope to reward the callers’ enthusiasm with footnotes to their exhibit information.

Aircraft Cabin Systems
Booth#: 1528
Contact: Ben Ludlow e: ben@aircraftcabinsystems.com Cell: +1.206.612.1979
Product/Services: In 15 years Aircraft Cabin Systems (ACS) has grown to be the most respected manufacturer of IFE LCD monitors. We are committed to delivering the highest level of customer service, product support, and certification efforts. ACS offers LCD monitors ranging in size from 5.7” to 65” for any aircraft type.

Astronics
Booth#: 1413
Contact: Dennis Markert e: dennis.markert@astronics.com Cell: +1.425.442.8195
Product/Services: The aviation and IFE industry recognize that USB charging, specifically high-power USB charging, is necessary in order to keep passenger devices charged and available in the air. Astronics’ latest USB power supply provides enough power to charge 4 iPads simultaneously … while in use! The system delivers up to 2.1 Amps (configuration dependent) at +5 volts using aircraft 115AC power (360 Hz to 800 Hz AC) and is designed to the meet the latest aircraft OEM and regulatory requirements. Come see the latest product innovations from Astronics as you charge your devices at our latest charging station demonstration.

digEcor Inc.
Booth#: 1626
Contact: Ben Fuller e: bfuller@digecor.com Cell: +1 801.691.7225
Product/Services: digEcor provides the aerospace industry a low cost, turnkey in-flight entertainment solution by specializing in content sourcing and management, personal media platforms (PMPs), embedded systems, and end-to-end digital programs for the entire cabin. With years of experience, digEcor focuses on increasing traveler satisfaction, creating easily executed solutions, and generating revenue opportunities for clients.

Gogo
Booth#: 1034
Contact: Channing Fleetwood e: cfleetwood@gogoair.com Cell: +1.404.519.1322
Product/Services: Gogo is the global leader of in-flight connectivity and a pioneer in wireless in-flight entertainment solutions. Using Gogo’s exclusive products and services, passengers with WiFi-enabled devices can get online on more than 1,900 Gogo equipped commercial aircraft. In-flight connectivity partners include American Airlines, Air Canada, AirTran Airways, Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways and Virgin America. In-flight entertainment partners include American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Scoot and US Airways.

IFPL
Booth#: 415
Contact: Neil Thomas e: neil.thomas@ifpl.com Cell: +(44).778.698.7454
Product/Services: Generate ancillary revenue with IFPL’s Contactless Retail System (CRS).

IFPL has developed an in-seat payment system that takes advantage of the new NFC contactless Credit Cards for low value purchases. These let your passenger pay quickly and simply with their credit card for on-board transactions at their seat, eliminating the requirement for cash on-board. Contactless payment is enabled by Near Field Communication (NFC).

CRS is easy to install with no in-seat wiring required. It will run for up to 24 months on the optional built- in battery, is easily configurable and can be used as part of an IFE or as a stand-alone system.

Our CRS is great for your installation engineers, cabin crew and passengers. Simple installation allows easy upgrade of you EPoS system, quick order fulfilment and pleased passengers. The service level is customisable for the grade of seat and enables easy catalogue updates over Wi-Fi for special offers or to simply update food menu options.

We look forward to working with you directly or with your EPoS retail partners. So whether you are a low cost or full service carrier, this CRS system will generate revenue for you.

Call, click or come to Booth 415 at the APEX Expo to find out more …

Inmarsat
Booth#: 1800
Contact: Paula Ferrai; e:paula.ferrai@inmarsat.com Cell: +41.79.874.0608
Product/Services: Inmarsat will be discussing GX Aviation, the only global Ka-band satellite network. Combined with SwiftBroadband, Inmarsat provides the most comprehensive inflight connectivity available. It is suitable for every type of aircraft, and is able to suit the needs of every airline.

KID Systeme
Booth#: 1433
Contact: Maren Münte e: maren.muente@kid-systeme.com Cell: +49.171.566.0630
Product/Services: At this years APEX in Anaheim, KID will display their innovative cabin systems. The company’s product portfolio encompasses seat power, onboard connectivity and wireless content services, enabling passengers to use their own personal electronic devices while in the air as if on the ground. KID-Systeme supplies the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers, including Airbus, Boeing and Embraer. We are looking forward to welcoming you on our booth.

Note: KID hinted to IFExpress that their booth may contain a new product -SKYfi… not to mention a new website coming soon as well. Sounds like a whole new plan game at KID.

Lumexis Corporation
Booth#: 1417
Contact: Jon Norris e:jnorris@lumexis.com Cell: +1.949.436.1434
Product/Services: Lumexis®, supplier of the highly successful Fiber-To-The-Screen®(FTTS®) IFE system, introduces its FTTS Second Screen™ capability to APEX EXPO 2013. FTTS Second Screen combines the best of all passenger experiences by providing uninterrupted HD video entertainment on a passenger’s seatback, in-arm or bulkhead-mounted main screen FTTS monitor, while allowing them to use their own PEDs to wirelessly access moving maps, order food, buy duty-free goods, play games or use every application available on the platform.

OnAir
Booth#: 1041
Contact: Aurélie Branchereau-Giles; e: aurelie.branchereau@onair.aero Cell: +41.78.676.1546
Product/Services: At APEX, OnAir will launch OnAirPlay, which is set to revolutionize the way airline passengers spend their time onboard by combining inflight connectivity with films, TV, live news, music, games, magazines and newspapers. Passengers will now have access to a full range of content including live news and sport, updated throughout the flight and can buy destination-based goods and services to ease their arrival.

Panasonic Avionics
Booth#: 1205
Contact: Rebecca Atchison e: Rebecca.Atchison@panasonic.aero
Product/Services: At the 2013 APEX Expo, Panasonic Avionics will demonstrate how IFE systems combined with broadband connectivity and technical services can positively impact key issues like competition, profitability, consolidation, managing costs and fuel prices, that airlines face every day.

Rockwell Collins
Booth#: 1000
Contact: Jerry Thomas e: jwthoma1@rockwellcollins.com Cell: +1.949.293.5295
Product/Services: Rockwell Collins will be showcasing its latest innovations for cabin management and entertainment, including its PAVES On-demand and PAVES Broadcast IFE systems. The two solutions bring unprecedented reliability and versatility to single-aisle aircraft for keeping downtime to a minimum and allowing flexibility for the different mission needs of airlines. Also, Rockwell Collins’ industry-leading Airshow 3D Moving Map will be on exhibit, as well as its Venue HD cabin management and entertainment system for VIP aircraft.

StoreBox InFlight
Booth#: 316
Contact: Web Barth e: info@StoreBoxInFlight.com Cell: +1.425.746.4335
Product/Services: StoreBox InFlight provides the E+ System; a complete in flight, video on demand WiFi streaming program that is turnkey for airlines (hardware, installation, content, advertising sponsors, content refreshment) that provides passengers with 60+ hours of free entertainment; movies, TV shows, music, games, books, popular magazines, daily newspapers, daily news show, shopping from popular catalogs and destination based information and coupons.

Note: New kin on the block, StoreBox InFlight, will be at APEX with news about their new E+SYSTEM Wi-Fi solution that promises no ongoing content charges for the airline adopting their low cost, light weight system. And yes, there are some high names involved.

Thales
Booth#: 1022
Contact: Lori Krans e: lori.krans@us.thalesgroup.com Cell: +1.949.923.0976
Product/Services: Delivering Innovation and Performance is the Thales theme for Apex 2013. With focus on Applications, Systems Flexibility, Connectivity and Future Innovations, Thales brings to APEX over 25 demonstrations for today and tomorrow. Come visit us!

Thompson Aerospace
Booth#: 1644
Contact: Lisa Nielesky e: LisaNielesky@ThompsonAerospace.com Cell: +1.714.501.3302
Product/Services: 1Net system demonstration showing ecommerce, advertising campaigns, usage statistics, and system integration for both wired and wireless systems. Stop by our booth, create your own advertising campaign, and your advertising artistry may win you a Samsung Galaxy Tablet!

Note: Mark Thompson called us with the exuberance of Christmas kid… and I don’t blame him. 1Net is now connected to a cloud server and talks to the Flight Operations Cloud. A couple little secrets – you have to see their real-time, airborne, advertising, QR code generator and be sure to enter the make-your-own-advert-and-win-a-Galaxy contest. Such creative solutions… go there!

TriaGnoSys
Booth#: 935
Contact: Axel Jahn e: axel.jahn@triagnosys.com Cell: +49.172.292.8125
Product/Services: TriaGnoSys will discuss the development of its ‘one-box-wonder’, the small, lightweight GSMConneX. It is used to provide mobile phone and Wi-Fi connectivity, as well as for the wireless streaming on IFE content. Importantly, TriaGnoSys will be discussing the airline customers that already use GSMConneX, and the prospects for the coming year.

VT Miltope
Booth#: 1822
Contact: Jeff Drader e: jdrader@miltope.com Cell: +1.949.278.5856
Product/Services: Miltope’s family of network products offer the required functionality necessary to create custom airborne networks similar to how office networks are created. Our products optimize the combination of interfaces and computing resources to meet operational, spatial, and functional requirements of simple to complex airborne systems at minimum cost. Products include servers, Ethernet switches, wireless access points, TWLU aircraft to ground wireless bridging, ARINC 744 network printers and ARINC740 printer, control panels, and data storage devices.

Zodiac Inflight Innovations
Booth#: 1400
Contact: Harry Gray e: hgray@imsco-us.com Cell: +1.714.683.3793
Product/Services: We are showcasing our latest developments of RAVE, the only IP-safe passenger-centric IFE system. System demonstration capabilities include business class and economy class integrated seats from Zodiac Aerospace. In addition, we have some new connectivity options that we are excited to discuss.

Munich, Germany | July 9, 2013– A Philippine Airlines (PAL) Boeing 777-300ER jet that has been fitted with TriaGnoSys’ inflight GSMConneX connectivity hardware was officially released today, making PAL the first to offer TriaGnoSys’ inflight GSM and WiFi services.

GSMConnex will also be installed in all of PAL’s B777 and Airbus A330-343 aircraft.

With GSMConneX, PAL passengers will get to enjoy onboard cellphone calls and WiFi connection.

GSMConneX is available as a retrofit option, with Mobile OnAir and Internet OnAir services. OnAir is Philippine Airlines’ GSM and WiFi service provider.

GSMConneX was originally intended to power inflight GSM and TriaGnoSys has now expanded it to include WiFi. It incorporates the hardware and software parts for both the aircraft and ground segments. The airborne hardware consists of only two lightweight and small units, combined with wireless access points and a cabin control screen. TriaGnoSys is responsible for supplying GSMConneX itself, as well as integrating the other third party hardware elements into the full turnkey solution.

Dr Axel Jahn, Managing Director of TriaGnoSys, said, “Philippine Airlines is the first GSMConneX commercial airline customer, which is excellent news. We have designed our hardware and software portfolio to be highly flexible, so we were able to move very quickly to meet the airline’s specific requirements, which in this case included the addition of WiFi capability. In fact, the customization process took only a few months.”

As well as connectivity, the GSMConneX platform has been designed specifically to host a wide range of software application modules. These include entertainment and non-flight-critical cockpit applications.

Ian Dawkins, CEO of OnAir, said, “The beauty of GSMConneX is that it is very simple to install and TriaGnoSys is highly flexible and easy to work with. That is very attractive for airlines, which want to provide inflight connectivity for their passengers in the most straightforward way possible. The ability to offer both GSM and WiFi services is very important: passengers want to be able to choose how they communicate during the flight, just as they can on the ground.”

As an EASA Part 21 Design Organisation and Production Organisation, TriaGnoSys supplies GSMConneX as certified hardware; it is available with an EASA Form 1. The GSMConneX hardware is manufactured at TriaGnoSys’ headquarters in Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich, Germany.

IFExpress readers: Don’t get cold feet over this bit of aviation communication technology; however, it might help to get started by reviewing today’s aircraft ACARS System.

For the last few years, Axel Jahn’s TriaGnoSys has never ceased to amaze us. First it was IFE and then Connectivity, last year it was weather, and now, his company is proposing and testing what we like to consider as the new ACARS… all in association with his “One-Box-Wonder”. If you aren’t a pilot type, ACARS is a digital datalink system for transmission of short, simple, protocol heavy messages between mostly commercial aircraft and ground. The TriaGnoSys solution, SANDRA (Seamless Aeronautical Networking through integration of Data links, Radios and Antennas), described in their own words as a proof-of-concept testbed of future IPv6-based connectivity, which integrates cockpit communications with both passenger and non-operational airline communications into a common system architecture. Check out their press release. SANDRA is a connectivity approach that uses modern data protocols and if you don’t know about the company, be advised that TriaGnoSys Research and Development focuses on a broad range of mobile communication fields, including mobile end-to-end solutions, wireless In-flight Entertainment (IFE), next generation satellite connectivity and cabin/cockpit communication, as well as combined navigation and communications technologies.

Charlie Pryor, TriaGnoSys PR told IFExpress: “It’s really about two things. The first is bringing seamless comms to the cockpit (as you say, seamless is important). What that means is from a pilot’s perspective he/she will be in touch with the ground throughout the flight, either using datalink or, where necessary, voice. It will be just a case of using it, without having to fiddle around connecting to the satellite or VHF or whatever. In the background, the system will choose the best connection – a satellite or whichever air-to-ground network is most appropriate. So it will be simple for the pilot to use, and efficient. It is also moving cockpit comms towards digital and away from analogue. The second element is that it integrates with passenger connectivity. It uses the same networks, but with segregation for security. It is a concept at the moment – it works but needs more development to make it operational.”

The chart on this page may help.

We thought it would be a good idea to talk to the TriaGnoSys folks and they said: “Don’t forget this is early research. The aim is to continue working on the development of this technology, moving closer to implementation. TriaGnoSys sees the next stage as a further European-funded programme, with several of the same SANDRA partners, in particular working with increased focus on the issue you highlighted integrated technology for the cockpit and the cabin, while ensuring segregation. In SANDRA, TriaGnoSys has done much of the theoretical work, as well as fundamental design and development work to achieve an early functional demonstration; implementation in real operation will require more work and further proof-of-concept trials and demos on higher TRL levels.”

Q: If voice is least preferred communication methodology (and we understand why), how is the aircraft/ground info displayed?

A: That depends entirely on the avionics system on the aircraft. But it would be displayed in a very similar way to current controller–pilot data link communications (CPDLC) data.

Q: What is the range of info requests/updates… weather, fuel, traffic, aircraft status?

A: Theoretically, there is no limit to the type of data that can be transmitted. It depends on what the regulators, air traffic providers and airlines want to use it for. There will be more bandwidth available. In fact, SESAR has specified use of future data links for ATS and AOC in the COCR (now v2), which is kind of work in progress still and is the reference for (a) what data is exchanged and (b) what are the requirements for the data link

Q: How is passenger data involved?

A: Passenger data is involved inasmuch as the cockpit and cabin will share suitable link capacities, though with strict segregation to provide security.

Q: Who pays what and when and how?

A: That is really a question to address when we get to the implementation stage. However, it is likely to be a combination of the airline, for the cockpit side, and the passenger for the cabin side.

5. What is the present-day total coverage?

A: Coverage of all flight routes is one of the key aims of SANDRA, which is why the technology uses both both satellite and ground radio links.

Q: And finally, why is this coming to aircraft now?

A: There is “a common agreement” that the current practice of voice-centric ATC and limited bandwidth cockpit data links will limit future air traffic growth. In response to that, SESAR and NextGen are specifying the future data-centric concept of operations, with future data links as a central element (LDACS, AeroMACS, Iris). ICAO has already set the framework for the next generation global Aeronautical Telecommunication Network (ATN) based on IPv6 in the ATN/IPS SARPS Doc. 9896, specifying minimum communication protocols and services required for the implementation of the future ICAO ATN. This is the background for SANDRA and why this projects brings IPv6 data links onto an aircraft.

Q: BTW, is this loosely considered airborne data integration?

A: Yes, basically that is exactly what it is.

Q: We gather this is not a “replacement” for ACARS, then?

A: SANDRA is not a replacement of ACARS. In fact, it was originally designed to transmit ACARS messages over SANDRA. So ACARS applications may run over the new links in the transitional phase, possibly being replaced by new protocols. SANDRA is more about the seamless integration of the communications technology than the details of the services that run over the communications.

Stay Tuned!

Munich, Germany | June 27, 2013– The SANDRA research consortium has today announced the completion of the first flight test programme of its integrated system for next generation cockpit and cabin communications. TriaGnoSys is responsible for the complete system integration and pre-flight lab testing.

The objective of SANDRA (Seamless Aeronautical Networking through integration of Data links, Radios and Antennas) is to design and demonstrate a proof-of-concept testbed of future IPv6-based connectivity, which integrates cockpit communications with both passenger and non-operational airline communications into a common system architecture.

Cabin communication services offered today on many commercial flights around the world allow passengers to access the Internet and use their cellular phones during flights. The satellite and direct air-to-ground connectivity solutions use the IP protocol suite and offer connection speeds ranging from few hundred kilobits per second to around three or four megabits per second per aircraft. In contrast, cockpit communications still rely heavily on analogue voice communication and non-IP low bit-rate data links.

By supporting SESAR’s concept of future data-centric cockpit communications, SANDRA is contributing to more efficient and safer flights, which will be particularly important as the volume of air traffic increases.

The flight programme, on DLR’s Advanced Technology Research Aircraft (ATRA), a modified Airbus A320, ran for three days in June 2013. The SANDRA system was successfully tested on several flights around Oberpfaffenhofen Airport in Bavaria, Germany, where DLR is based. The communication system successfully switched automatically between ground stations with no loss of connectivity throughout the flights.

The SANDRA consortium is made up for Europe’s leading aviation technology companies and research organisations. TriaGnoSys, the expert in aeronautical and satellite communications technology, is responsible for integration of the SANDRA communications system and the IPv6 networking software. Importantly, it ensures security of communication, including segregation of cockpit and cabin, efficient resource usage, and seamless handovers between the various radio links.

Dr Markus Werner, Managing Director of TriaGnoSys, said, “We use digital communications in every facet of our lives. Just look at the number of people who have smartphones and tablets. But often aircraft rely on a combination of decades-old analogue communications and a separate satellite-based system, making cockpit communications both complex to use and inefficient. SANDRA is bringing cockpit communications into the 21st century by simplifying the process for pilots and providing the platform for many more advanced services.”

The SANDRA system brings the most advanced multilink communications, integrating L-band and Ku-band satellite links, as well as AeroMACS ground links, and current VHF data link (VDL2). It uses industry standards such as IP, IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), DVB-S2 and Inmarsat SwiftBroadband. The system can be set up to choose the best available radio link, or the crew can select the link manually.

Werner continued, “As well as integrating the various radio links, the use of industry standards means we can also integrate cockpit and cabin communications. The cockpit and cabin systems are separate for security purposes, but share the link. This provides airlines with a cost-effective way of providing inflight connectivity to both passengers and pilots.”

The SANDRA consortium is coordinated by Selex ES and its members include aircraft manufacturers, aviation IT providers and consultants, research organisations and universities. SANDRA, which is co-funded by the European Commission, started in 2009 and will run until the end of 2013.

Munich, Germany | May 15, 2013– TriaGnoSys is using its aeronautical communications expertise to help design an Advanced Cockpit for Reduction of Stress and Workload (ACROSS). ACROSS is an EU-funded research project developing new cockpit solutions to both manage and reduce aircrew operations.

Pilots are prized for their ability to deal with high workloads. However, air crash studies have shown that times of high stress or a depleted crew can lead to potentially fatal errors. ACROSS will develop, integrate and test new cockpit solutions to help manage peak workload during a flight, in order to reduce stress and therefore the risk of accidents.

ACROSS will also work towards solutions that will allow reduced crew operations in a limited number of well-defined conditions, such as long-haul flights or a crew member becoming incapacitated.

These innovative solutions will be assessed technically and operationally by pilots and other experts with a view to it becoming a long-term answer for aviation operations. Finally, ACROSS will identify the remaining open issues for the implementation of potential single pilot operations.

TriaGnoSys’ avionics specialists have been called upon to lead the research stages that develop the dedicated air-to-ground communication infrastructure. TriaGnoSys’ recent developments for the successful EU-funded research project SANDRA (Seamless Aeronautical Networking through integration of Data links, Radios, and Antennas) and of the AeroBTS+ platform marked a leap forward in aviation communication technology that will make this research possible.

Dr Markus Werner, Managing Director of TriaGnoSys, said, “This research will benefit the long-term safety of aviation by reducing the stress faced by pilots during regular operations and in critical exceptional situations, such as the partial or full crew incapacitation. We are delighted to be working with such a distinguished group of European partners from universities and national research centres to airframers and international suppliers of all sizes.”

The ACROSS project is managed by Thales Avionics, and the other partners are: EADS Innovation Works, Selex ES, Airbus, Boeing, Dassault Aviation, BAE Systems, Continental, Diehl Aerospace, Isdefe, EAB, Jeppesen, Zodiac Aerospace, TAI, GNV, DLR, NLR, Trinity College Dublin, Warsaw University of Technology, The University of Malta, Techische Universität Braunschweig, TU Delft, Deep Blue Consulting, Certiflyer, TriaGnoSys, Stirling Dynamics, Use2Aces, Tony Henly Consulting, GTD.

This year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo, which played host to the world’s largest display of aircraft interiors products and services, welcomed 8906 (pre-audit) visitors through its doors between April 9-11.  This was a 12% increase on the previous year. The exhibition featured over 500 exhibiting companies from 26 countries, covering a record floor space on 18,000 sq m – the largest footprint to date. Organized by Reed Exhibitions and taking place in Hamburg, Germany, the exhibition attracted over 750 airline representatives that were ideally placed to witness the launch of many new innovations in the cabin interior sector. Inflight Entertainment and Connectivity hosted numerous product launches and upgrades, including, TriaGnoSys’ AeroConnex+ which offers greater data streaming capabilities, integrated gatelink to 3G and 4G mobile phone networks and WLAN access point.  Another key feature is its weight at only 4kg, making it 20% lighter than its predecessor.  Panasonic Avionics used the exhibition to launch its new conceptual 14-inch monitor developed specifically with economy class in mind, while Lufthansa Systems unveiled its e-reader functionality for its BoardConnect Wireless IFE system.

As noted last week, over 300 delegates attended the Passenger Experience Conference that took place on 8th April at the CCH – Congress Center Hamburg. The audience, which included senior representatives of major airlines, air framers and cabin interiors suppliers, heard Tom Costley, Director, Head of Travel & Tourism, TNS UK give some encouraging news for the industry, saying that despite what looked like being a prolonged period of depressed global economic conditions, the travel and tourism sector was proving more resilient than most. The older generation, having both the desire and money to see the world, was a major driver.  Don’t miss this one next year, and be sure to sneak over to the Food & Catering show – it rocks!

To continue to fill in the product mix, this week we have a few more for you to check out while planning your new flying product. First, lets note the Cellular Terminal Wireless LAN Unit (cTWLU) from VT Miltope. The specs look impressive – Wireless gateway from an aircraft LAN to a ground based LAN: GSM/GPRS/EDGE, GSM HPSA+UMTS, LTE, IEEE 802.11 a/b/g and IEEE 802.11n (two points if you get the alphabet soup). This unit is a powerhouse! Contact Bob Guidetti for more information.

Kontron displayed their ACE Flight 600 (4MCU) General Purpose Airborne Server. Intel core i7 processor (Sandy Bridge) and 16 GB RAM – front removable SSD’s (nice touch) and an internal managed Ethernet switch. Input power is 115 VAC, 360 – 800 Hz, with 200 msec holdup. Contact Alan Manns, Business Development Manager.

Yukio Sugimoto was there and quite proud of his new 12″ widescreen retractable overhead display. This is a great product from the master himself – you can get more information from ACS by contacting Yuko Sugimoto, President ACS. Check it out, Boeing and Airbus!

In case you are interested in the state of colored LED lighting, the folks at Bruce Aerospace kindly showed us a couple examples of LED colored wash lights that they have developed. In case you hadn’t noticed, this new lighting has taken the airline industry by storm. Shown here is a good example of colored wash lighting and Bruce tells us that LED’s have a power savings advantage of at least 20% with a payback of 2 to 3 years – reliability and power saving make LED’s a real winner. You can reach Bruce Aerospace at +1 775 246 0101 and ask for Steve Jaffe, General Manager.>

From the new product files, we really liked the SKYPower Combined from the KID Systeme folks. When airlines want to give it all to their upper class passengers, this is how you power them. The combined system delivers 110 AC and 5 volt USB power from one MCU. If your passengers need 110 AC power for their GSM phones and 5 volts DC USB for their iPads, they will not suffer “connectivity withdrawal”! For more info contact Peter Schetschine.

And Now For Something Completely Different

Coming to an airport near you soon – “Femtocells”. IFExpress talked to a retired IFE Genius recently about the use of Femtocells, and while they don’t have an airplane application, he told us: “As you may read HERE people are looking for “what if” the cell phone capacity of the world starts to ‘fill-up’? I already have a related issue in that where I live, I cannot get a reliable signal. I purchased a “Femtocell” device from ATT so that when I am at home, I can use my cellphone very reliably and not have dropped calls, etc. This device interfaces my cellphone to the Internet over my ISP, Comcast and somewhere along the line ATT picks up on it and puts the call back on its cellular network. HERE is another link to this subject.”

In last week’s edition of IFExpress we trumped up the Passenger Experience Conference, Day 1 event in Hamburg. We noted how good it was and since the folks at Reed Exhibitions have already sent out a questionnaire to improve next year’s event, IFExpress believes it will only get better. There was a lot of change in the air at AIX, and as you can imagine it was all about wireless connectivity – in cabin Wi-Fi, satcom connections, and linking various parts of the plane/crew with 802.11. This year we thought we would follow the trends for our readers and provide a bit of a technology lookout. Remember: technology leads, products follow.

“The iPad has/is changing all things EFB. The iPad has made it possible for airlines to make a cost justification to move forward with their EFB programs. Our eCabin software replaces the ream of paper that Pursers have to carry around during flight, again, all on the iPad!” – David Abbott, Ultramain Systems

And speaking of iPads, we found them at every booth, most being used in place of IFE or as crew communication platforms. One booth even had 100 iPad demonstrators! Recent tech announcements we have seen have predicted the drop in laptop sales (or at least a slow down) and this portends the mobile future we all have in front of us. And yes, the phone universe is in there too but for the plane, vendors showed us iPads. Interestingly, few (almost none) were Android tablets but that will probably change as their price drops faster than iOS devices, but it looks like the Apple fire-walled OS has a few advantages in the airplane.

A couple of the best crew applications we saw were on an iPad by Allegiant Systems. Two products you should look up FlyDesk EFB and FlyDesk Cabin. Their stunning graphics made this device a stand out. Industry long-timer, Ramsey Nuwar, Business Development, told us that these solutions were going to change the cabin and flight deck. Here are a couple images of the FlyDesk product and an in-cabin use.

“As a managed tablet platform provider, we see a profound opportunity to utilize connectivity when available on the aircraft.  Operational applications certainly push the case towards fleet-wide installation, but won’t meet the business case needs alone.  However, with low-bandwidth demands, operational requirements are more suited to a mélange of connections, meaning airlines could customize connectivity to each aircraft type if so desired.” Ramsey Newar – Allegiant Systems

The Aircraft Interiors Expo was a great success for the Swiss media company, Ocleen. Their booth attracted a lot of visitors during the show because of their claim of free IFE systems via advertising supported hardware. Airlines can install a server-based network on their aircraft or get a cloud-based system with no fixed infrastructure. Looking at short haul applications, the company provides free tablet computers that are distributed by the crew. Expecting an order soon, Ocleen features Android devices which are price competitive with iOS units.

“The airlines primarily have a demand for the solution on short and mid-haul flights. They rarely have an Inflight-Entertainment-System installed on these routes as the costs have been prohibitive to date. We are providing a new direction, requiring no payment for air.tv and carrying the entire investment for the client. As a result, several airlines are obviously very interested in our solution. We had 40 to 50 meetings a day at the show,”  – Klaus Knappe, Ocleen

On the IFEC server side, TriaGnoSys has released AeroConneX+. The small unit is targeted, at least initially, for the business jet market. Working with VT Miltope, the unit offers a complete IFEC package – data, Internet, voice, and aero BTS. From an entertainment point of view, the new small box uses VOD streaming and can serve, with the appropriate number of WAPS, an amazing 300 passengers! Axel has a customer and the first install will be later this year he told IFExpress. The software resides on the “One-Box-Wonder” server but, boy can it do so much more! Using GSM technology, very high quality en route weather data is available as are Pireps. The word from the TriaGnoSys team is – “Pilots love it!”

Heard and Seen at AIX:

Gene Connelly was recently named Senior Vice President of Global Sales and Support for Panasonic Avionics Corporation – send him a congratulations! And by the way, check out the new Panasonic Avionics website.

We met a very nice young man from the New York area – Tyler Erdman whose new company- Tablet IFE LLC – is a business jet tablet start-up. You can reach him at Tyler@TabletIFE.com. Send him some business!

Bet you have never seen 100 iPads operating from one server… Plan B Media showed us that it can be done!

And lastly, if you have never gone to the catering side of the AIX show, you are missing some great companies who offering their wares to airlines. Little did we-who-travel-coach know that the world of airline food and drink possibilities can be so incredible. Next year, take an hour to see what you have been missing in Business Class!

Hamburg, Germany, Aircraft Interiors | April 8, 2013– TriaGnoSys has today launched the next stage of its inflight connectivity hardware product portfolio. Building on the highly successful GSMConneX platform for GSM and Wi-Fi connectivity, AeroConneX+ is a single box that enables a wide range of crew applications, as well as passenger communications.

For passengers, AeroConneX+ continues to support inflight connectivity services, as well as the wireless distribution of IFE content – W-IFE. It also enables the wireless uploading of fresh IFE content, such as news and sport, which can take place during a standard aircraft turnaround, removing the need for ground staff to bring content to the aircraft. Manifold modules for cabin services such as IFE distribution, moving maps and inflight payment are available.

For the cockpit, AeroConneX+ can be used to update non-flight critical information. For example, TriaGnoSys is developing Planet, in partnership with Atmosphere. Planet is a weather update tool that provides the pilot with up-to-date information, as well as sending weather information from the aircraft automatically to provide forecasters with much more comprehensive raw data.

Other potential applications in the future include wireless monitoring of aircraft components, with the information being relayed automatically to the ground to streamline maintenance operations. The machine-to-machine reporting will ensure the maintenance crew have all the information they need quickly and efficiently.

Dr Axel Jahn, Managing Director of TriaGnoSys, said, “As inflight connectivity develops from its current base of passenger communications, we are developing our technology to anticipate the needs of the service providers and therefore the airlines. We have designed AeroConneX+ as a modular system, so its functionality can be tailored for each airline.”

Jahn continued, “A significant part of the development has been to ensure the platform is sufficiently flexible to allow for future extensions, as inflight connectivity permeates through airline and aircraft operations more and more.”

AeroConneX+ is part of a fully integrated connectivity solution, which includes third-party wireless access points and crew control touch screen panels.

As an EASA Part 21 Design Organisation and Production Organisation, TriaGnoSys supplies the AeroConneX+ as certified hardware. It will be available with an EASA Form 1 from the end of 2013.

The AeroConneX+ will be on display along with Planet weather service on TriaGnoSys
booth #6B40, Aircraft Interiors, Hamburg from 9-11 April 2013

News and sport from Inflight Television International (iTV) will be uploaded on AeroConneX+ each day at Aircraft Interiors, to demonstrate the on-demand news capability

Munich, Germany | April 4, 2013– TriaGnoSys has today launched the next stage of its inflight connectivity hardware product portfolio. Building on the highly successful GSMConneX platform for GSM and Wi-Fi connectivity, AeroConneX+ is a single box that enables a wide range of crew applications, as well as passenger communications.

For passengers, AeroConneX+ continues to support inflight connectivity services, as well as the wireless distribution of IFE content – W-IFE. It also enables the wireless uploading of fresh IFE content, such as news and sport, which can take place during a standard aircraft turnaround, removing the need for ground staff to bring content to the aircraft. Manifold modules for cabin services such as IFE distribution, moving maps and inflight payment are available.

For the cockpit, AeroConneX+ can be used to update non-flight critical information. For example, TriaGnoSys is developing Planet, in partnership with Atmosphere. Planet is a weather update tool that provides the pilot with up-to-date information, as well as sending weather information from the aircraft automatically to provide forecasters with much more comprehensive raw data.

Other potential applications in the future include wireless monitoring of aircraft components, with the information being relayed automatically to the ground to streamline maintenance operations. The machine-to-machine reporting will ensure the maintenance crew have all the information they need quickly and efficiently.

Dr Axel Jahn, Managing Director of TriaGnoSys, said, “As inflight connectivity develops from its current base of passenger communications, we are developing our technology to anticipate the needs of the service providers and therefore the airlines. We have designed AeroConneX+ as a modular system, so its functionality can be tailored for each airline.”

Jahn continued, “A significant part of the development has been to ensure the platform is sufficiently flexible to allow for future extensions, as inflight connectivity permeates through airline and aircraft operations more and more.”

AeroConneX+ is part of a fully integrated connectivity solution, which includes third-party wireless access points and crew control touch screen panels.

As an EASA Part 21 Design Organisation and Production Organisation, TriaGnoSys supplies the AeroConneX+ as certified hardware. It will be available with an EASA Form 1 from the end of 2013.

The AeroConneX+ will be on display along with Planet weather service on TriaGnoSys

booth #6B40, Aircraft Interiors, Hamburg from 9-11 April 2013

News and sport from Inflight Television International (iTV) will be uploaded on AeroConneX+ each day at Aircraft Interiors, to demonstrate the on-demand news capability.

Aircraft Cabin Systems
Booth: 6B18
Contact: Ben Ludlow
Telephone: + 1 425 629 4129
Email: ben@aircraftcabinsystems.com

ACS will be debuting our new overhead retractable monitors in 9.7” and 12” sizes. The new ACS retractable monitors are a direct replacement for the existing retractable systems for A320 aircraft. Considering the frequency of removals and high cost of repairs to the old systems, making the switch is easy. ACS’ patented design allows us to offer a 50,000 operational cycle guarantee and a 5 year warranty.

Astronics
Booth: 6C40
Contact: Dennis Markert
Email: dennis.markert@astronics.com
Telephone: +1 425 442 8195

Come see the latest innovations from Astronics in power conversion, intelligent power management, and distribution to passenger devices and IFE. Also included are the other Astronics divisions including aircraft lighting products, safety devices, aircraft interface devices, and test equipment.

Bose Corporation
Booth: 6A31
Contact: Hratch Astarjian
Email:Hratch_astarjian@bose.com
Telephone: +1 508 766 4075

Products at show: Bose will demonstrate the QuietComfort® 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling® headphone and the A20® Aviation headset at its stand. The QuietComfort 15 is the best performing noise reduction headphone ever from Bose. The A20 Aviation headset is an active noise reduction, communication headset for the cockpit and offers an unmatched combination of noise reduction, clear communication and comfort.

digEcor
Booth: 6D39
Contact: Ben Fuller
email: bfuller@digecor.com
Phone: +1 801 691 7225

At the digEcor booth this year we’re excited to be launching our all-new low cost GLIDE IFE embedded system, a tape replacement solution, and our newest portable tablet dubbed the digEtab featuring the Samsung Tab 2 10.1. We’ll continue to tout our content services as well as introduce the industry to our new media management system. Being known as the traditonal portable IFE provider, we’re effectively evolving into a one-stop shop for all IFE needs and that will be on full display in Hamburg.

Gogo
Booth: 6A18
Contact: Steve Nolan
Email: snolan@gogoair.com
Connect with us at www.gogoair.com/international

Gogo will be showcasing its latest developments in global satellite technologies as well as focusing on its ground breaking wireless products including: Gogo Vision – Gogo’s wireless IFE solution; and Text and Talk – Gogo’s new text messaging and voice product.

Gogo is a global leader of in-flight connectivity and a pioneer in wireless in-flight digital entertainment solutions. Using Gogo’s exclusive products and services, passengers with Wi-Fi enabled devices can get online on more than 1,800 Gogo equipped commercial aircraft. In-flight connectivity partners include American Airlines, Air Canada, AirTran Airways, Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways and Virgin America. In-flight entertainment partners include American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Scoot and US Airways.

IFPL
Booth: 6C10
Contact: Neil Thomas, Business Development Manager
Mobile: +[44] (0778) 698 7454

We have brought airlines the hardware to enable the payment system of the future. Our Near Field Communication in-flight payment technology eases payment and therefore increases airline’s ancillary revenue generation. In addition, it can provide destination e-vouchers to the passenger so not only Improves the passenger experience, but also the operator’s revenue.

We also have other innovative products that the pioneering team at IFPL have developed; our brilliant Breakaway jack has no moving parts, offering minimized headphone operating cost for these cost-critical times; and our maintenance saving / time saving Self-Testing jack – we don’t need to tell you that if you are saving time you are also saving money!

KID-Systeme GmbH
Booth: 6B30, Hall B6
Contact Maren Münte
Email: Maren.muente@kid-systeme.com
Telephone: +49 40 743 71245

KID-Systeme GmbH, a hundred percent Airbus subsidiary, is well established in the industry since 1999. Focused on cabin electronic systems, KID started their business with their innovative In Seat Power Supply System. With a permanent development of its product portfolio KID is able to offer complete cabin system solutions in the field of Connectivity, such as mobile telephony and Internet access on board with the passengers own devices and In Seat Power. KID-Systeme GmbH is still on the cutting edge of the industry and is able to install their products in every type of passenger aircraft.

Lufthansa Systems
Booth: 7A7
Contact: publicrelations@lhsystems.com
Telephone: +49 69 696 90776

Lufthansa Systems adds new functionalities to its wireless IFE system BoardConnect. For the first time the new features were presented at the AIX 2013. In addition to accessing on-demand audio and video as well as information about their destination, passengers can now read electronic magazines by using the eReader functionality of BoardConnect. System maintenance will be further improved through the use of a so-called maintenance front-end.

Unlike conventional in-flight entertainment systems, BoardConnect does not require any complicated wiring for each seat. Instead, it works with a regular WLAN based on the established WiFi standard, meaning that just a few access points need to be installed in the cabin. This makes it possible for the first time to offer passengers an extensive range of information and entertainment on short- and medium-haul aircraft such as the Airbus A320 family and the Boeing 737. Since BoardConnect is lighter than conventional IFE systems, airlines can also achieve considerable fuel savings with it.

Lumexis Corporation
Booth: 6E40
Contact: Doug Cline, CEO
Email: dcline@lumexis.com
Mobile: + 1 714 813 8550

Lumexis will be demonstrating the leading-edge FTTS® system with its next-generation seat displays, and will be introducing its highly advanced FTTS Second Screen™.

OnAir
Booth: 6D38
Contact: Charlie Pryor
Email: charlie.pryor@leidar.com
Telephone: +44 7958 975 667

As well as issuing a number of stories about new customers and extensions of existing customer agreements, OnAir will be talking about the Connected Aircraft 3.0. This is the next stage in the development of the connectivity market, building from passenger communications to incorporate cabin crew and cockpit applications which will help streamline airline operations.

Panasonic Avionics
Booth: 6C20
Contact: Rebecca Atchison
Email: Rebecca.Atchison@panasonic.aero
Mobile: +1 949 421 8529

At this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo, Panasonic Avionics will showcase ways to amplify your brand, foster passenger loyalty, and generate more revenue. Check out our latest designs that deliver smaller, lighter systems, and witness firsthand how we are building business platform solutions that deliver more opportunities for you and your passengers.

Thales
Booth: 6A30
Contact: Lori Krans
Email: lori.krans@us.thalesgroup.com
Tele: +1 949 923 0976

Key Booth highlights: Thales will feature several new seat configurations with production TopSeries AVANT® equipment. Key announcements focus on three new partnerships tied to connectivity and advanced system applications. Innovations cover an end-to-end, home to hotel, connected passenger experience, and a first time ever shown, immersive seat that embraces more futuristic capabilities designed around passenger comfort. Come visit!

Thompson Aerospace, Inc.
Booth: 5E51
Contact: Mark Thompson, President/CEO
Email: markthompson@thompsonaerospace.com
Mobile: +1 949 690 8668

Thompson Aerospace will be showcasing their 1Net product. 1Net provides an Intelligent Aircraft for a Connected World, Accelerating Business Innovation for Airlines. The key aspect is Cabin Marketplace Enabler, to allow Airlines to monetize the passenger experience. 1Net provides the same levels of passenger satisfaction and revenues as the Internet.

TriaGnoSys
Booth: 6D40
Contact: Charlie Pryor
Email: charlie.pryor@leidar.com
Telephone: +44 7958 975 667

TriaGnoSys will be launching AeroConneX+. It is the latest in the company’s series of connectivity hardware solutions. It builds on the highly successful GSMConneX solution, that provides both GSM and Wi-Fi in a single box, enabling service providers to extend the connectivity solutions they provide passengers, as well as to cockpit and cabin crew. It also has the potential to incorporate machine-to-machine communications to make the maintenance process more efficient.

VT Miltope
Booth: 6B49
Contact: Markus Gilges
Email: mgilges@miltope.com
Telephone: +44 7793 758755

On Display: In addition to printers, servers, and Ethernet switches, VT Miltope will be exhibiting the latest in wireless products featuring developments of a cellular + Wi-Fi™ ground link (product: cTWLU) and an IEEE 802.11ac wireless access point (product: nMAP2).

Zodiac In-Flight Entertainment (formerly The IMS Company)
Booth: 6B20 (Hall B6
Contact: Harry Gray, Vice President Sales and Marketing
Mobile: +1 714 683 3793

Zodiac In-flight Entertainment (formerly The IMS Company) has provided innovative solutions for the aviation industry for over 17 years.

RAVE (winner of the 2011 Crystal Cabin Award) is on display and provides the latest innovation for Audio/Video On Demand (AVOD). Our (patented) seat-centric system architecture provides for a simple installation and operation, and the highest reliability of any in-seat design.

The system is fully certified and flying today on over 30 aircraft providing state-of-the art features, as well as a system that is about one-half the weight, power and price of the traditional IFE systems available today.

Meba, Dubai | December 10, 2012– OnAir’s inflight connectivity is, for the first time, now a linefit option for buyers of Dassault’s iconic Falcon 7X. The first Mobile OnAir and Internet OnAir equipped Falcon 7X will be available for delivery in 2014 and owners may linefit either or both services.

The Falcon 7X, which has been in service for five years, is Dassault’s flagship business jet. Over 150 are currently in service, and the 200th is due for delivery in 2013. Since its launch in 2007, the Falcon 7X’s cabin has undergone regular developments to ensure it continues to exceed owners’ and passengers’ needs and expectations.

OnAir offers the most complete passenger communications solutions ever deployed on a large-cabin long-range business jet, all of which can now be installed during production. The airborne system, GSMConneX, designed and produced by TriaGnoSys, consists of just two lightweight units. It is fully compatible with any SwiftBroadband-capable satcom system.

Mobile OnAir enables business jet owners, their guests and the crew to make and receive calls, text messages and emails, as well as surf the Internet using their mobile phones. It works in the same way as international roaming: simply turn on your phone and start using it. All charges are included in the user’s standard mobile phone bill, making the payment process both simple and transparent.

Internet OnAir creates a Wi-Fi network in the aircraft, providing Internet access through any Wi-Fi-enabled device, including smartphones, tablets and laptops.

“Business moves so quickly that being disconnected when flying is no longer an option for our customers. We have developed the Falcon 7X’s cabin options to offer the best possible connectivity available today,” said Eric Monsel, Vice President of Programs for Dassault Falcon.

“OnAir is leading the global inflight connectivity market”, said Ian Dawkins, CEO of OnAir. “Our products are already available as linefit on many commercial aircraft, as well as being available for a range of business jets. By making OnAir available as a linefit option on the Falcon 7X, Dassault is clearly setting the pace for inflight connectivity on business jets.”

Dawkins continued, “OnAir is ideal for Dassault’s customers because it is simple to use. What could be easier than turning on your phone? You have access to all your contacts, you use your normal number and no one need know where you are.”

Axel Jahn, Managing Director of TriaGnoSys, said, “Our hardware is ideal for aircraft of all sizes though it is particularly appropriate for business jets. We designed it to be very simple to install, with unrestricted mounting options, meaning it can go anywhere on the plane. And the combined equipment weighs less than 15kg, making it the smallest, as well as the most comprehensive, inflight connectivity hardware available.”

– AeroBTS+ gains EASA certification

APEX Expo, Long Beach, CA | September 17, 2012– TriaGnoSys announced today that is has been awarded EASA Part 21 Design Organisation and Production Organisation Approvals, meaning the company can build, design and certify hardware for aircraft.

In conjunction, TriaGnoSys has received EASA ETSO certification for its GSMConneX system, which includes the AeroBTS+ ‘one-box-wonder’, a small, lightweight turnkey IFEC platform that provides GSM mobile phone and Wi-Fi services, as well as wireless distribution of IFE content.

Dr Axel Jahn, Managing Director of TriaGnoSys, said, “The award of these approvals demonstrates our engineering excellence; it is a coming of age for TriaGnoSys. We have been developing communications software for passenger connectivity since the very beginning of the industry and our hardware is now available and certified for the whole aviation market.”

Jahn continued, “The entire development cycle for the AeroBTS+, from concept to certification, took less than 15 months. As a relatively small company, we are highly flexible and can provide exactly what the industry needs in a very short space of time. Now that we have POA and DOA, we will continue developing new and innovative IFEC hardware.”

The AeroBTS+ is on display at the APEX Expo in Long Beach, California, on booth 1067.

IFExpress first met Dr. Axel Jahn, TriaGnoSys, Managing Director at AIX in Hamburg. His then little company had developed a small, lightweight, inflight connectivity box (aeroBTS) that had the satcom radios, server, GSM/GPR phone radio and WAP, all in one box. Ideal for biz jets, we dubbed the product “The One-Box-Wonder”. The name stuck and so did the product and today, busy Axel wanted to tell our readers all about the future of inflight telephony (3G or 4G?) in our Speakers’ Corner feature. Read on:

THE FUTURE OF INFLIGHT MOBILE TELEPHONY: 3G OR 4G?
by Dr Axel Jahn, Managing Director, TriaGnoSys

As smartphone penetration increases and the applications available become increasingly sophisticated, people are becoming more and more used to using their phones all the time. This is also true in the air. OnAir, which provides both mobile phone networks and Wi-Fi, reports that, when both networks are available, 97% of passengers choose to use their mobile phones. And that is using a 2.5G network.

It is clear passengers’ desire to use their mobile phones during flights is not going to go away. The key question for techies like us is what the next development should be: 3G or 4G? We think 4G is the answer.

At first glance, that looks like the wrong answer because 3G is ubiquitous. It is true there are varying standards for 3G, for example China has a proprietary version. Nevertheless, it is available throughout the developed world. On the other hand, 4G is in its infancy and it will take a while to become the norm. It therefore appears to make sense to develop 3G for inflight connectivity.

But there are other factors. Even though 4G is only just coming onto the market, it isn’t something new. It is also called LTE – Long Term Evolution – which says everything. It has been under development for a long time and the fact that telecoms companies are not sufficiently confident to bring it to market means it is ready. As we saw with 3G, once handset manufacturers start enabling it as standard, adoption rates accelerate fast. There are rumours that the iPhone 5 will have 4G this autumn and we know what iPhone developments do to the market.

4G will be here to stay for a while. The history of the various generations of standards is that each one lasts longer that its predecessor. 2G was quickly overtaken by 2.5G; 3G took a little longer to take hold and remains the dominant standard. Once 4G takes the baton, it is likely to remain around for a while. It will provide such a major step-change in the available bandwidth that it will take years before we start using it all.

There is another aspect to the timing. One thing we have learned is that it takes a long time to develop inflight connectivity technology. The WirelessCabin project, which we managed, took over two years to get the first inflight GSM demonstrator flying in 2004 and it was another three years before the first commercial flight. We actually looked at 3G then, but came to the conclusion that LTE advances would mean inflight 3G would be behind the curve before it became available. In fact, we have already started work on a 4G solution and our (conservative) projections show it will be ready for commercial launch by 2015, by when 4G will be widely used on the ground – though GSM and GPRS will remain available so anyone who doesn’t have a 4G phone won’t miss out. Happily, that coincides with the launch of Inmarsat’s Ka-band service because the extra bandwidth will be required for 4G.

Finally, there are technological reasons for avoiding inflight 3G. The obvious one is that 4G/LTE provides much higher bandwidth and advanced architecture, so can be used to for wireless streaming of IFE content in the aircraft, meaning passengers can use their own devices to access that content. That will be of particular interest for aircraft that do not have embedded IFE systems, both to provide enhanced passenger service and as a potential ancillary revenue generator.

It is the 4G architecture that allows this to happen. It is much more flexible than 3G and in particular that means it can be used to provide local content without going over the satellite, something that can’t be done with 3G. Also, unlike 3G, 4G is truly a global standard with no regional variations, so everyone will be able to use it during flights.

4G is the right choice for the next stage of inflight mobile connectivity. The timing works, it is a more appropriate technology and it will be around for years to come.

Contact Dr. Axel Jahn

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IFExpress would like to welcome Panasonic Avionics as our newest sponsor – check them out!

– Satcom Direct becomes only U.S.-based direct resellter for TriaGnoSys satellite communications products and equipment, providing sales and support services for TriaGnoSys products in the United States

Satellite Beach, FL | May 08, 2012 /PRWeb/– Satcom Direct, provider of satellite voice, fax, datalink and Internet communications solutions, has become a direct reseller for TriaGnoSys satellite communications products and equipment in the United States. Satcom Direct is currently the only TriaGnoSys reseller partner in the United States.

TriaGnoSys provides communications technology that uses satellite, air-to-ground and other radio links to connect communication networks through mobility routers. Satcom Direct’s reseller focus will be on TriaGnoSys’ SwiftBroadband Emulator, which simulates the behavior of live satcom and satellite IP networks, allowing system tests without real hardware or using satellite airtime.

Satcom Direct will also resell TriaGnoSys’ GSMConneX PRO, which enables operators to rapidly deploy mobile infrastructures and establish or extend communications to and from any location via satellite, including in remote areas and on aircraft, ships and trains, using TriaGnoSys’ traffic management software VoCeM.

“TriaGnoSys is known in the industry for providing the highest level of expertise along with superior products and reliability, so we are very excited to offer their quality communication products to our customers,” said Jim Jensen, founder and owner of Satcom Direct. “TriaGnoSys manufacturers several products that are useful to our military, government and business aviation markets and help them leverage their in-flight communication systems, including a GSM solution and SwiftBroadband Emulator which allows customers to test SwiftBroadband service without incurring airtime charges, leading to a cost savings of roughly 90% on system tests.”

“TriaGnoSys welcomes a customer-focused company like Satcom Direct as a reseller for our products in the United States,” said Dr. Axel Jahn, Managing Director of TriaGnoSys. “One of our main goals is to make the most advanced communication technology commercially viable, which means ensuring the cost and quality of remote communications are as similar as possible to land-based communications. We are constantly striving to improve the available bandwidth at the same time as reducing the cost. Just like Satcom Direct, it is clear our work suits the needs of a wide range of organizations, including governmental organizations, telecom operators, mining and drilling companies, airlines and ship operators, as well as governments and non-governmental organizations.”

TriaGnoSys products are currently available for purchase directly from Satcom Direct, along with support services for customers who implement TriaGnoSys products and associated equipment.

Aircraft Interiors, Hamburg, Germany | March 29, 2012– Airvod Entertainment and TriaGnoSys have today launched an exciting partnership to provide aspects of the wireless distribution of Inflight Entertainment (IFE) content to seat-back screens and passengers’ own smartphones, tablets and laptops, as well as inflight connectivity for live updates.

Airvod’s SEATCENTRIC® solution provides each passenger with self-contained entertainment and communications centre at each seat. TriaGnoSys’ AeroBTS+ will collaborate on aspects of the airborne network to enable the wireless distribution of content, and inflight connectivity that will be incorporated into SEATCENTRIC® system. This dynamic collaboration means airlines will be able to provide updates during flights.

Speaking about the new partnership, CEO of Airvod Entertainment, Terry Bonar said, “We are delighted to announce this partnership with TriaGnoSys.

“TriaGnoSys offers Airvod a new dimension in terms of capability and progression of our operations in this area and we are very excited about exploring all avenues in this relationship. It is especially important for us as it ensure that Airvod growing customer base can be guaranteed improved connectivity services and have a future proofed system.

“Airvod continues to expand and this deal will ensure we can increase our investment in R&D and expand the company’s global reach,” said Bonar.

Axel Jahn, Managing Director of TriaGnoSys, said: “By working together, TriaGnoSys and Airvod are making IFE simpler for airlines in two key ways. Uploading of content is much more efficient, which saves time. And there are considerable weight savings – wireless is the future. By eliminating cabling and complex networks we reduce the weight of a twin aisle aircraft by over 1 Tonne.

“Passengers also benefit because they have the choice of using the seat-back screen or their own devices, as well as live content updates. And because we are using the latest Wi-Fi technology – 802.11n – performance is the same as a wired system.”

NBAA, Las Vegas | 11 October 2011 –- Inflight connectivity is at the tipping point in the business jet market. OnAir and TriaGnoSys today announced a formal agreement to offer a unique one-stop-shop for the world’s leading inflight mobile phone services provider, combined with the smallest and lightest airborne hardware.

The solution will be fitted on Dasnair’s Falcon 7X aircraft, as released in May, with a growing number of undisclosed customers to start installation in the coming months.

OnAir and TriaGnoSys have subjected the complete solution to rigorous testing, both in the lab and over satellite, resulting in a fully integrated turnkey system that can be installed on any aircraft type. It allows passengers to use their mobile devices for calls, text messaging, email and to access the Internet.

Ian Dawkins, OnAir CEO, said, “The combination of OnAir’s global mobile phone service and TriaGnoSys’ airborne hardware is unique. We have the widest geographic reach of any inflight mobile phone service provider and the equipment is sufficiently flexible to be fitted to any plane and to meet all customer requirements. That means it is suitable for all types of aircraft.”

The mobile phone solution uses Inmarsat SwiftBroadband, which provides consistent global coverage, as well as a clear upgrade path to Global Xpress, Inmarsat’s global Ka-band solution.

Axel Jahn, TriaGnoSys managing director, said, “The hardware has been designed specifically for the business jet market: it is small, lightweight and very simple to install. It is scalable and can be used for a wide range of appealing passenger applications, services and entertainment.”

Dr Jahn will address the NBAA Annual Convention as part of session on, ‘Connecting your Aircraft with Satellite Communications: the Equipment Providers’, on Monday 10 October.

Each year, for the last umpteen years, IFExpress has delivered readers a show preview based on a published invitation to all. This year is no different and we urge all attendees to be sure to visit their booth and tell them IFExpress sent you!

Company: Astronics AES
Booth: 701
Contact: Dennis Markert / dennis.markert@astronics.com / 425 442 8195

Astronics AES will be displaying their latest product addition to the world leading EmPower(R) In-Seat Power Systems (ISPS) product line. The new EmPower(R) In-Seat Power Supply produces an industry leading 200VA for each Personal Electronic Device (PED) and includes three Universal Serial Bus (USB) power outputs for passenger devices such as smart phones, iPods, cameras, and other standard +5 Volt DC devices. This is all accomplished in a smaller form factor than previous generations of the industry leading EmPower(R) product line.

Company: digEcor
Booth: 627
Contact: Adam Williams / awilliams@digEcor.com

DIGECOR HIGHLIGHTS: We will showcase the digEplayer L7, which airlines around the world have rapidly adopted, as a low cost yet rugged and feature rich IFE solution. Airlines can also find out more about In-flight Content Services, including the ability to support handhelds, overheads, and AVOD systems independent of a digEplayer agreement. Interested in Ancillary Revenue? We’ve been a long time supporter. Our customers have been generating revenue and operating self-sustaining IFE programs for years. So stop by our booth and chat with us about rental programs, shopping solutions, and advertising. We may not have a cool and highly publicized theme for the show, but if we did, it would probably be, “Come for the coffee, stay for the movies.”

Company: Goodrich
Booth number 1309
Contact Dan Vargas / dan.vargas@goodrich.com / (323) 837-2717

Goodrich digital video reproducers (VRUs) are a cost-effective way to update existing tape systems for an enhanced passenger entertainment experience. Be certain to stop by and visit us during APEX.

Company: IFPL
Booth#: 819
Contact: Claire Underwoord / claire.underwood@ifpl.com

Near Field Communication Demo
IFPL has developed an interface between NFC and IFE systems. This takes the mobile wallet concept onto aircraft and addresses the security issues of high value payments. The system on show can be used in a number of ways: as chip and pin; with NFC enabled ‘connect’ cards and with NFC enabled mobile ‘phones. This opens up a range of possibilities from renting movies, buying drinks and food and accessing destination information (i.e. increasing advertising revenue).

Self-testing jack
Currently airline maintenance personnel have to plug a headset into each audio jack to check it is receiving sound. This is time consuming and therefore costly and inefficient in short turnaround times. The self-testing jack has an LED that shows it is receiving a signal, meaning that all personnel have to do is play the IFE and walk through the cabin, spotting faulty jacks at a glance. The really clever thing about this jack is that is does not need any extra power to the seat to work, the light draws power from the audio signal.

Breakaway jack
IFPL’s highly reliable Long Life jack (tested to 100,000 insertions) has been developed to have a 90˚ pull out feature. This means that if a passenger stands up without removing their headset, it will pull away at any angle, without breaking the pin. IFPL has worked with headset suppliers to produce headsets with a smaller pin at the same cost as regular headsets. The breakaway jack will still accept a regular pin if necessary. IFPL see this as a low cost alternative to magnetic jacks.

Competition
As usual, IFPL will be holding a simple competition on their booth. The prize is a Nikon Coolpix digital projector camera. This neat little camera allows immediate projection of your photos onto any flat white surface.

We’re pleased to announce that IFPL will be showcasing an extra product at the APEX show next week!
The “Self Testing Audio Jack” is a neat solution to a common problem. Maintenance personnel have to walk the aircraft with a headset and plug it in to each audio jack at every seat to check that the audio is working. This is a time consuming job, and often means that seats don’t always get tested before a turnaround. Our new product is simple – it has a built-in LED that illuminates when audio is present. A quick scan of the seats tells you whether the jacks are working or not. This means you can go straight to any faulty jacks without wasting time checking every one manually. This simple device will improve IFE Availability and save airlines time and money. The really clever part is that this device doesn’t require power, or batteries – it runs off the audio supply! So, if you want to retrofit an old IFE system without power at the seat, it couldn’t be easier.

Just another reason to come and see us on booth 819 during the APEX show. Hope to see you this week!

Company: The IMS Company
Booth 1210
Contact: Harry Gray, vice president sales & marketing / hgray@imsco-us.com

Building up a head of steam at last spring’s Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX), seat-centric IFE has become a juggernaut and none more so than The IMS Company’s RAVE™ with a backlog of more than 50 aircraft awaiting installation in 2011. If all of the options these orders are activated, the number of aircraft more than doubles. With Lufthansa, airberlin, SriLankan and Brussels Airlines onboard, additional announcements are expected at the Conference—bringing the total to seven or more.

But seat-centric IFE is not all that IMS is up to nowadays. Its new EDGE portables focus on Android OS as a platform that can support multiple versions of tablets. Look for announcements during the Conference.

Company: Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Booth: 301
Contact: Please stop by the Panasonic booth to arrange a tour or set up an appointment.

PANASONIC AVIONICS HIGHLIGHTS: At this year’s APEX Expo, Panasonic Avionics Corporation will be unveiling the three newest members of its X Series family. During the show, attendees are also invited to stop by the Panasonic booth for a chance to ask our eXPerts questions about the most exciting topics in IFEC today including seat centric vs. server-based architectures, Ka vs. Ku, and more. In addition, we are pleased to once again showcase our Cool Room where we’ll demonstrate how some of the most cutting-edge products in the consumer market can be applied to IFEC.

Company: PlaneBill
Booth: 850
Contact: Massimo De Sanctis / Mob: +39 335 222908 / Massimo.DeSanctis@planebill.com

On board portals for passengers (JetPortal) and for crew (CrewPortal).

PlaneApps for the emerging mobile platforms, Apple iOS, Google Android, Microsoft/Nokia Windows Phone 7, RIM QNX. Apps for smartphones (iPhone/iPod/iPad, Android phones and windows phone 7) and tablets (iPad, Android tablets) will be on show.

Before flight data crawler (DataCatering) for flight location based Services (origin/destination). Data mining to provide airline with useful information captured during flight on passengers devices,services, messages, behavior and feedback PlaneRoaming for reaching passengers on their mobile number without a cellular infrastructure.

Company: Rockwell Collins
Booth# 1001
Contact: Kelly Holland / 949-872-3308 (mobile) / klholla1@rockwellcollins.com

Rockwell Collins plans to unveil a new IFE solution for the single-aisle market tomorrow at APEX that will deliver unprecedented versatility for airlines and maximum reliability for passengers. The company also plans to announce stunning enhancements to its dPAVES IFE system, and a new entertainment solution for the regional jet market. Stop by Rockwell Collins’ exhibit to learn more about these new offerings and solutions to enhance the passenger experience.

Company: THALES
Booth#: 1401
Contact: Suzane Treneer / suzane.treneer@us.thalesgroup.com

THALES HIGHLIGHTS: CONNECT, NETWORK, PLAY is the Thales theme this year with focus on the Passenger Experience. Thales will be making significant announcements around in the air and on the ground wireless connectivity. Center stage will be the latest addition to the TopSeries product family, TopSeries AVANT. Installed into a new premium class Contour seat, TopSeries AVANT will include some future system navigation and audio concepts. Other demos include system integration into B/E Aerospace, Weber and Recaro economy seats. In the B/E Seat is a new innovative arm mount designed by Bucher. The up and coming new Thales Application Portal will be featured as well as future modules for Passenger Electronic Device interface capabilities.

Company: TriaGnoSys
Booth# 829
Contact: Charlie Pryor / +44 (0) 20 7031 8270 / charlie.pryor@leidar.com

TriaGnoSys and Siemens CMT have today launched IFEConneX, a complete inflight entertainment and communication (IFEC) solution. It incorporates an entertainment and media distribution system into the TriaGnoSys inflight GSM solution, GSMConneX, which was launched at Aircraft Interiors in April 2011. The lightweight modular system provides three services: GSM, WLAN and wireless streaming of IFE content, enabling business jet operators to combine the three services.

IFEConneX enables passengers to use their own mobile phone, tablet or laptop for calls, text messaging, emails, Internet connectivity, and for Audio and Video On Demand (AVOD). The solution has the capacity to stream individual content to up to 100 passengers simultaneously.

Company: VT Miltope
Booth: 1301
Contact Name: Jeff Drader / jdrader@miltope.com / 949 752 8191

Miltope’s family of network products offer the required functionality necessary to create custom airborne networks similar to how office networks are created. Designed to be readily expanded, they may be configured to define a network that optimizes the combination of interfaces and computing resources to meet the operational, spatial, and functional requirements of simple to complex airborne networks at a minimum cost. Products include servers, Ethernet switches and routers, 802.11 a/b/g/n wireless access points, TWLU wireless bridging from an aircraft LAN to a ground LAN, ARINC 744 network printers and ARINC740 cockpit printer, cabin control panels, and data storage devices.

Editors Note: We thought Seattle visitors might like a bit more info on restaurants and we suggest visiting the Yelp website. While there are too many to name here, IFExpress has heard a few “WOW” comments on the following:
Within walking distance to the Conference:
RN 74 – 1433 4th Ave. (4th & Pike), Regional French Cuisine, 206 457 7474
Driving Distance from the Conference:
Revel – 403 N 36th St., Fremont District, Korean Fusion, 206 547 2040
Walrus & Carpenter – 4743 Ballard Ave. NW, American Seafood, 206 395 9227

Munich, Germany | September 7, 2011 — TriaGnoSys and Siemens CMT have today launched IFEConneX, a complete inflight entertainment and communication (IFEC) solution. It incorporates an entertainment and media distribution system into the TriaGnoSys inflight GSM solution, GSMConneX, which was launched at Aircraft Interiors in April 2011. The lightweight modular system provides three services: GSM, WLAN and wireless streaming of IFE content, enabling jet operators to combine the three services.

IFEConneX enables passengers to use their own mobile phone, tablet or laptop for calls, text messaging, emails, Internet connectivity, and for Audio and Video On Demand (AVOD). The solution has the capacity to stream individual content to up to 100 passengers simultaneously.

Axel Jahn, Managing Director of TriaGnoSys, said, “This is the perfect solution for any aircraft that does not have an embedded IFE system. It is a complete communication and entertainment system in one small box.”

IFEConneX extends TriaGnoSys’ business jet solution AeroBTS+, an integrated server and GSM base station. Software configuration options include the GSM service alone, GSM plus IFE, GSM plus WiFi, or all three services. Also, WiFi and Wireless IFE can be installed without GSM, while retaining the option to upgrade.

All the necessary airborne hardware is small and light enough to be mounted within the ceiling panel and installation is very simple. For external connectivity, it connects to the aircraft’s existing communications system, and has the flexibility to be used over any radio link, including SwiftBroadband, Ku-band, Ka-band and direct air-to-ground links.

Gerald Schreiber, Vice President of Technology at Siemens CMT, said, “This is highly versatile technology. Passengers can use their own mobile devices for inflight connectivity and to access video and music content, based on an intuitive user interface that makes it very simple to use. The fact it incorporates both IFE content and connectivity makes it possible to provide live updates, for example for news, sport and destination information.”

The solution will be on display on Booth 829 at the APEX Expo in Seattle from 13-15 September 2011.

The Aircraft Interiors mash-up in Hamburg ended this past week with some very interesting and unpredicted trends in the IFE space. For sure, the move toward smaller, thinner, lighter and more capable electronics was present. Second, third, and fourth generation electronics were claimed in the thin seat/thin and smart IFE world. Without a doubt, this is the trend of the next round of seatback/seat hardware. We really liked the Thales product!

There were a number of R&D projects almost ready for prime time: A wireless seat power development project that claimed 97% efficiency from KID (isn’t that better than wire?); a really great in-seat power supply design concept (Recaro and KID), which removed the seat power box and placed it in a central seat tube; a rapid prototyping capability for seat peripheral products (IFPC); a new, simple, content aggregation software from an Italian supplier; a new satcom/radio software data reduction algorithm that lops 40% of the overhead budget (TriaGnoSys); a new line of inflight hardware from a predominantly portable IFE supplier; a big sale for one fiber-optic IFE provider; two new seat power boxes; a 65” LCD Display; and so much more.

There is a big deal underway in IFE gatelink data that promises to expand ground-based IFE/airplane data that may finally automate that last node on the airline networks – the aircraft. It may do so by the build-up of ground-based networking…not in-flight connectivity. This offering looks like another SITA or ARINC and may incorporate their efforts as well. We will report on this project in the upcoming weeks.

iPad, iPad, iPad is all we heard about. No less that 8 vendors at the Hamburg Show had them in their booth. One even professed that it will be used as an inflight IFE offering. We do not know how it will ever pass DO-160 specifications so that rules out an imbedded application, but hope springs eternal. Additionally, the unit still stumbles with the lack of file handling capabilities and multitasking…not to mention security issues around file encryption. One rumor on the floor placed a major movie distributer in the booth of one vendor claiming they must print a retraction to an earlier news release claiming iPad first run movies? You can believe what you may but you heard it here first.

On the road, we wanted to give a tip-of-the-hat to Seattle Tacoma International Airport for their much appreciated, free Wi-Fi offered to all travelers. In an interview, the airport claimed that it costs them easily over $100,000 each year given the fees and royalties paid by service providers. Airports are not friendly places any more, but the folks at SeaTac deserve mention.

We hear Alaska Airlines will be offering introductory free Go-go Wi-Fi service till July 31, this year.

While air travel to and from the Hamburg show was nothing short of madness, thanks to the Icelandic volcano, we worry about the long-term impact on European air travel and airlines. Having experienced the absolute breakdown of one airline’s ability to manage the emergency we wonder if there are any management solutions to random weather emergencies? One thing for sure, it is going to cost us all more to fly!

WAEA, Palm Springs CA – 06 October 2009 – TriaGnoSys today announced that it has successfully demonstrated its VoCeM satellite communications compression software over Inmarsat’s BGAN network, and achieved good quality calls with a total bit rate of only 3.3 kbit/s. The test opens up the possibility of offering a low-cost satellite-based VoIP service with good quality voice.

The voice quality achieved during the demonstration was within the acceptable range for terrestrial mobile phone calls. This is particularly significant given the low bit rates used for the calls.

Axel Jahn, Managing Director of TriaGnoSys, said, “The demo last week was even more successful than we had hoped for in terms of the call quality. Our next job is to work with satellite-based VoIP and GSM suppliers to bring down call costs. In particular, we are in discussion with air, land and sea communications providers, since installing VoCeM requires only a simple upgrade.”

For the Inmarsat BGAN demonstration, TriaGnoSys used voice codec hardware containing a 2.4 kbit/s Digital Voice Systems Inc (DVSI ) AMBE+2™ vocoder , which TriaGnoSys integrated with its VoCeM compression and optimisation software.

Dr D V Ramana, Chief Engineer, Global Networks & Engineering at Inmarsat, who initiated the new voice codec activity, said, “TriaGnoSys has done an excellent job in developing this system. This successful demonstration opens up a huge potential for offering low-cost VoIP calls over BGAN, backed by the reliability and global reach of the Inmarsat-4 network.“

About TriaGnoSys

TriaGnoSys is the expert in remote communication, information and media, enabling communications and information transfer from anywhere to anywhere. TriaGnoSys develops advanced communication products for GSM, UMTS, VoIP and multi-media data, that utlilise powerful compression rates to deliver low-cost and efficient data transmission.

TriaGnoSys solutions employ both satellite links, as well as direct air to ground links, to deploy its cutting-edge router software. TriaGnoSys delivers tailored industry solutions by building strategic partnerships with OEMs, system integrators and service providers.

TriaGnoSys Research and Development focuses on a broad range of mobile communication research fields on subjects such as mobile end-to-end solutions, next generation satcom and aircom, and combined navigation/communications applications and technologies. TriaGnoSys views every research project as a potential commercial opportunity.

TriaGnoSys has been involved in the development of a number of industry-leading projects, including Airbus/OnAir’s inflight mobile GSM service and Thales’ connectivity programme for Internet and cabin telephony. TriaGnoSys is headquartered in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, a European centre of excellence for satellite communications and satellite navigation.

For more information, go to: http://www.triagnosys.com

Munich, 01 June 2009 – TriaGnoSys, the expert in satellite communications, has today launched VoCeM, the world’s most efficient satellite communications compression software. Currently, voice over IP (VoIP) calls use up to 96 kbit/s, GSM use up to 30 kbit/s; using VoCeM, each call will only use 6 kbit/s. Satellite costs are therefore reduced significantly, meaning call costs for the end user can be much lower.

Not only does VoCeM reduce the kbit rate for calls, but it also increases the number of simultaneous calls each satellite link can handle. Using the VoCeM compressor, Inmarsat or Ku-band payload usage can be increased by a factor of between 5 and 10.

The VoCeM software has been designed to be installed on existing GSM, 3G/UMTS and VoIP communications servers, so no hardware upgrades are involved. In addition, the considerable cost savings mean VoCeM provides a quick return on investment.

VoCeM can be used for all forms of remote communications systems, including passenger and crew GSM and VoIP services on cargo and cruise ships, aircraft, and remote terrestrial sites, such as oil fields and mines.

Axel Jahn, Managing Director of TriaGnoSys, said, “Any one already providing either GSM or VoIP services on ships, planes or in remote areas on land knows how important those services are. What we can do with VoCeM is cut call costs and increase the number of simultaneous calls available. And all it takes is a simple software upgrade. It is not magic – it is the application of state of the art transcoding and compression techniques combined with innovative kilobit transmission technology.”

Jahn continued, “The promise of onboard and remote communications services has always been that the experience will be the same as standard terrestrial services. The technology to make that happen has been available for some time, but at a cost. The introduction of VoCeM, bringing down call costs, means the promise is now reality.”

About TriaGnoSys
TriaGnoSys is the expert in remote communication, information and media, enabling communications and information transfer from anywhere to anywhere. TriaGnoSys develops advanced communication products for GSM, UMTS, VoIP and multi-media data, that utlilise powerful compression rates to deliver low-cost and efficient data transmission.

TriaGnoSys solutions employ both satellite links, as well as direct air to ground links, to deploy its cutting-edge router software. TriaGnoSys delivers tailored industry solutions by building strategic partnerships with OEMs, system integrators and service providers.

TriaGnoSys Research and Development focuses on a broad range of mobile communication research fields on subjects such as mobile end-to-end solutions, next generation satcom and aircom, and combined navigation/communications applications and technologies. TriaGnoSys views every research project as a potential commercial opportunity.

TriaGnoSys has been involved in the development of a number of industry-leading projects, including Airbus/OnAir’s inflight mobile GSM service and Thales’ connectivity programme for Internet and cabin telephony. TriaGnoSys is headquartered in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, a European centre of excellence for satellite communications and satellite navigation.

For more information, go to: http://www.triagnosys.com

Munich, 24 March 2009 – TriaGnoSys (www.triagnosys.com) and Skuku (www.skuku.com) have today announced the formation of a partnership to provide the next generation of inflight GSM services. The technology allows the use of voice and SMS functions, without the need to install onboard GSM equipment. Instead it uses existing connectivity, including in-seat screens, seat-back phones and Internet. The technology will be on display at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, on TriaGnoSys stand 6C1.

To use the service, passengers simply insert their own SIM card into a SIM card reader. On aircraft with Internet connectivity, SMS messages can be sent and received using the IFE screen, and softphones can be used for voice calls. Seat-back phones can also be used to make and receive voice calls, as can Inmarsat and Iridium satellite phones.

Skuku technology uses SIM card data in ground GSM servers to provide roaming for voice and SMS. TriaGnoSys, experts in aeronautical communication, has developed the software to enable Skuku to be used on aircraft.

Colin Blou, VP of Sales and Marketing, Skuku, said, “From the passengers’ perspective, using the TriaGnoSys/Skuku service is very similar to current inflight mobile phone services. They can continue to use their mobile number and contacts list, and they are billed through their normal bills. The key difference is that they are billed at national rates without having to pay costly roaming charges.”

Axel Jahn, Managing Director of TriaGnoSys, said, “Airlines, as well as business jet owners and operators, can exploit the technology they already have on their aircraft to provide an additional passenger service. The installation process is a simple software upgrade, bypassing the need for the expensive and time-consuming fitting of hardware. In addition, Skuku technology can easily be integrated into current generation IP-enabled IFE systems.”

Jahn continued, “From the success of current inflight GSM services, it is clear that passengers want access to SMSs and voice calls during flights. This is a highly efficient way of providing that service.”

About TriaGnoSys
TriaGnoSys is the expert in aeronautical communication, information and media, enabling communications and information transfer from anywhere to anywhere. TriaGnoSys develops advanced communication products for GSM, UMTS, VoIP and multi-media data, that utlilise powerful compression rates to deliver low-cost and efficient data transmission.

TriaGnoSys solutions employ both satellite links, as well as direct air to ground links, to deploy its cutting-edge router software. TriaGnoSys delivers tailored industry solutions by building strategic partnerships with OEMs, system integrators and service providers.

TriaGnoSys Research and Development focuses on a broad range of mobile communication research fields on subjects such as mobile end-to-end solutions, next generation satcom and aircom, and combined navigation/communications applications and technologies. TriaGnoSys views every research project as a potential commercial opportunity.

TriaGnoSys has been involved in the development of a number of industry-leading projects, including Airbus/OnAir’s inflight mobile GSM service and Thales’ connectivity programme for Internet and cabin telephony. TriaGnoSys is headquartered in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, a European centre of excellence for satellite communications and satellite navigation.

For more information, go to: www.triagnosys.com

About Skuku

Skuku is an international company which has been specializing in network based telephony solutions since 2000. The company has recently launched a unique breakthrough solution for roaming that combines the GSM network and VoIP technology.

Skuku’s Research and Development complies years of experience and prides itself in its young and innovative approach to telecom. The company’s core competency is in converging IP and GSM technologies. Skuku believes in a joint mobile network which crosses borders and enables customers to call from everywhere in the world at local prices.

For more information, go to: www.skuku.com