PAX International magazine by Paramount Publishing Ltd.

march/april 2013

V OL . 1 7 , NO . 2

www.pax.intl.com

N e w s a n d An a l y s i s f o r t h e IFE C & In t e r i o r s E x e c u t i v e

Aircraft Interiors Expo Hamburg

Aircraft

SEATING Report Spotlight on France IFE and Connectivity Reed ExpoS Q&A p.

Inside the A350 XWB p.

Galley and Inserts p.

Safety and Wellbeing p.

PounD For PounD tHE Most VALuAbLE IFE sYstEM At just over three pounds per seat, eXLite is Panasonic Avionics’ lightest weight and lowest power consumption IFE system. With HD, audio and video on demand at every seat, and the industry’s largest library of games and applications, this cost-effective system offers a much greater opportunity to immerse every passenger in your brand than any other low cost IFE system or passenger device. With eXLite, your airline will deliver a fresh, amazing entertainment experience that ensures the highest level of passenger loyalty and increased revenue – without compromise.

EDITOR’S LETTER

PAX International 26 Pearl Street, Mississauga, Ontario L5M 1X2, Canada Tel: (1 905) 821-3344; Fax: (1 905) 821-2777 website: www.pax-intl.com

Publisher Aijaz Khan E-mail: aijaz@globalmarketingcom.ca

Editorial Offices Rick Lundstrom, Editor in Chief PAX International 723 Jefferson Street, NE

Gaining confidence The first quarter of 2013 was just coming to a close as this issue of PAX International went to press, and at the same time a number of factors were pointing the way towards a good outlook for air travel and the companies that supply it. For the month of January, the International Air Transport Association came out with a report showing overall demand for air travel had risen 2.7% worldwide, moving ahead of an expansion in capacity of 2.2%. Concurrently, celebrations around the Chinese New Year ended in early February, stimulating brisk holiday travel in the region for the better part of that month. Though growth trends still lag behind the 5.3% average enjoyed by the industry in 2012, it was still enough for the head of IATA to give a qualified thumbs-up. “Passenger travel is growing in line with business confidence levels,” said Tony Tyler. “Recent months have seen some positive economic signs emerge in both the U.S. and China, and the Eurozone crisis seems to have stabilized.” The usual regions performed well out of the blocks this year, Latin American and Middle East airlines were growing in double figures and Africa was close behind. AsiaPacific, North America and Europe were slower, but only North America showed a drop in capacity of 0.8%. All around this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo and World Travel Catering Expo, people will be able to see the outward signs

Minneapolis, MN 55413, USA Tel: (1 612) 378-0862 Fax: (1 612) 378-0852 E-mail: rick@pax-intl.com Maryann Simson, Managing Editor Tel: (1 905) 821-3344 x31 E-mail: maryann@pax-intl.com Lauren Brunetti, Associate Editor Tel: (1 905) 821-3344 x21 E-mail: lauren@pax-intl.com

of increased demand for services and products. Despite the indefinite grounding of the Boeing Dreamliner, optimism can be found in China as the COMAC C919 progresses steadily forward and Airbus enters the interior completion phase with the very first A350 XWB customers.The largest of the suppliers seem to only grow larger and more aggressive in their bids to shape the interiors of future cabins. Last year at this event we learned of Panasonic’s acquisition of a 51% stake in connectivity partner Aeromobile. This year we see Global Eagle Entertainment’s purchase of both Row 44 and Advanced Inflight Alliance, creating a force to be reckoned with in content and wireless IFE delivery. Then there is Zodiac Aerospace, a well established leader with a handful of new companies brought into its fold and a new strategy in motion, meaning enhanced organization of its wealth of resources and even more to offer potential customers. Reed Exhibitions, organizers of the AIX/ WTCE, diligently tracks the business that comes from its many trade shows. The company estimates that up to $25 million in business could be done during or directly following the yearly event. If predictions are met, the few days companies spend in Hamburg will be well worth the time, and could point to a prosperous 2013 going forward.

A r t d e pa r t m e n t ScheerDesign E-mail: scheerdesign@gmx.com

Advertising Offices Deepa J, Subscription & Conference Manager Tel: (1 905) 821-3344 x35 Fax: (1 905) 821-2777 E-mail: deepa@globalmarketingcom.ca PAX International is published six times a year (January/February, March/April, May, June/July/August, September/October, November/December) by PAX International, 26 Pearl Street, Mississauga, Ontario L5M 1X2, Canada. International Distribution. Subscriptions: $200 for one year; $300 for two years; $400 for three years. Art and photographs will not be returned unless accompanied by return postage. The views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher or editor. March/April 2013, Vol. 17, No. 2. Printed in Canada. All rights reserved. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. © PAX International magazine

Rick Lundstrom Editor-in-Chief, PAX International www.pax-intl.com | PAX INTERNATIONAL | 3

MARCH/APRIL 2013

on the cover: The award winning BL3520 seats from Recaro weigh just under 11kg each. Read more on page 34

VOL. 17, NO. 2

Contents Event Coverage 10 AIX, 2013

The Aircraft Interiors Expo will be entering its 14th year at the Hamburg Messe, and Exhibition Director Katie Murphy filled in PAX International on the progress of the organization, and where an attendee might go for a good meal

Regional Report

14 United for export

Visitors to this years’ event in Hamburg will find dozens of French companies in two special pavilions designed for ease of networking and promoting the country’s exports in aerospace, food and drink

Industry Leaders

18 Customization - the Airbus way

PAX International’s Maryann Simson sits down with Ingo Wuggetzer, Vice President of Cabin and Cargo Strategy, Innovation & Design at Airbus, to discuss the bells and whistles of the A350 XWB interior

20 Defining a new era

PAX International examines the history of Zodiac Aerospace, its unprecedented growth and ongoing strategy for success

IFE & Connectivity

22 Leaders of the Pack

PAX International checks in with many of the world’s leading IFE and connectivity innovators to recap the last 12 months and get some inside information on their next big moves

New Interiors: Seating

32 Piece by piece

PAX International looks into the guts of an airline seat and some of the innovations by companies that supply power, fabric, foam and a few things the industry hasn’t seen much of yet

34 Seat market up and running

A vibrant retrofit market and traffic growth signal another year of demand for airline seating of all types, say several key manufacturers

New Interiors Flooring 38 Floor in focus

Flooring manufacturers around the globe are responding in more ways than one to keep up with the move by the industry to reduce its environmental footprint

Catering Equipment/Galley 40 Form meeting function

The products of years of continuing development both internally and with new product lines will be seen at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo

Cabin Design Engineering

48 Engineering a better space

Departments 3

Editor’s Note

industry news

people news

association News

calendar

Ad index

4 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

Innovative design, complex measurements, 3D drafting, testing, more testing and certifications galore! PAX International delves into the intricate and essential work of firms that design, engineer and manufacture components for the aircraft cabin

Health and Safety 44 Sitting safely

PAX International speaks with several industry leaders about how they are making the cabin a safer place for passengers and crewmembers alike

VIP Interiors

52 Fit for a king

PAX International speaks with industry experts who specialize in creating a luxury, VIP environment for well-heeled customers

Who is Mr. Rave and why is everyone talking about him?

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NEWS IFE NEWS

DTI to bring Big Fish games to cabin DTI Software, has signed an exclusive agreement with Big Fish, a leading global marketplace to distribute some of Big Fish’s most popular puzzle and hidden object games to airlines around the world. Big Fish has an online catalog of more than 3,000 PC and Mac games and more than 300 unique mobile games, many of which are ranked among the top casual games around the world. This agreement with DTI will provide popular games distributed by Big Fish including Hidden Expedition®: Amazon, Empress of the Deep, Enigmatis: The Ghosts of Maple Creek, Nightmare Adventures: The Witch’s Prison, Adventure Chronicles: The Search for Lost Treasure and Secrets of the Dragon Wheel to in-flight Android-based systems. “Our strategy is to enhance the passenger in-flight experience by offering airlines a varied entertainment program offering,” commented Lisa Linnenkohl, VP of Licensing at DTI Software. “Partnering with Big Fish adds a new category of games - Hidden Object Games - to DTI’s already extensive catalog. Big Fish is by and large the leading game provider in this segment and the Hidden Object genre of games is one of the most popular in the online and mobile casual gaming market today. We’re therefore very proud to be able to offer a selection of Big Fish games to airlines around the world.”

IFE Services to supply Japanese titles to KrisWorld

IFE Services has announced that it will continue to supply Singapore Airlines with Japanese movies. Under the terms of the contract extension, IFE Services will provide latest release Japanese movies to the airline on a monthly basis. The movies will include a combination of popular genres such as comedy, drama, action, thriller and art-house. Playing on Singapore Airlines’ award-winning audio video on-demand (AVOD) in-flight entertainment system, KrisWorld, Comedy, drama, action, thriller the movies will be and art-house from Japan are now playing on KrisWorld available to all customers in First, Business and Economy classes. IFE Services has shared a long-standing relationship with Singapore Airlines, being the airline’s incumbent supplier of AVOD technical management services across the fleet. 6 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

Emirates on ice with live television Emirates has launched ‘ice TV Live’ as part of its on-going efforts to provide the latest in on-board entertainment. ice TV Live offers passengers four TV channels to select from: BBC World News in English, BBC Arabic, Euronews and, for sports fans, Sport24 - a channel dedicated to major sports events around the world. A major sponsor of renowned global sporting events, Emirates says that it recognizes the power of sport and its ability to connect people from around the world. A dedicated channel, which provides coverage of major sporting events is a key part of the TV channel line-up. February’s Sport24 highlights include English Premier League and Bundesliga football matches. Coverage of more events will be announced soon, but the carrier says that 2013 will feature coverage of the Australian Open, Wimbledon, US Open Tennis, ATP Tour Masters 1000 Series, ATP World Tour Finals, US Open Golf, and the British and Irish Lions Tour. In line with this week’s announcement of a five-year agreement appointing Emirates as a Global Partner of Formula 1® starting with the imminent 2013 season, ice TV Live will also include coverage of Formula 1 racing. “Installing the type of satellite communication that allows live TV on an aircraft is no easy feat,” explained Adel Al Redha, Emirates Executive Vice-President of Engineering and Operations. “Emirates continues to enhance the features of its inflight entertainment system with its partner Panasonic.” The ice TV Live channels will complement the full range of Emirates entertainment and communications options. Emirates was the first airline to introduce usage of GSM telephone on its aircraft and expanded this to the use of Wi-Fi and now live TV channels. With this latest addition, Emirates now offers Wi-Fi on 32 aircraft including all A380s, plus mobile phone use on 98 Boeing 777, Airbus A330-200, A340-300/500 and A380 aircraft.

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NEWS AIRLINE NEWS

Finnair ads comfort to stylish cabin Finnair will install new full-flat seats in most of its existing long haul aircraft beginning in January 2014. Once the installation program is completed by fall of the same year, Finnair’s entire long haul fleet will have full-flat seats in Business Class, with the exception of three older aircraft. These three aircraft will be the first to be removed from the fleet with the arrival of A350 XWBs in 2015. The total investment, including replacement

Finnair launched its Marimekko designed tableware for business class late last year

investments, is approximately €29 million (US$37 million). “The full-flat experience has been very well received by customers in Business Class,” says Anssi Komulainen, Finnair’s Senior Vice President, Customer Service. “We believe that the key to Finnair’s success in a very competitive market is to differentiate on service, and this substantial investment in the comfort of passengers helps us in this long-term aim. Full-flat seats are the new standard for quality-conscious customers, and for Finnair.” The Zodiac Seats UK Vantage model seats selected by Finnair are already in use on the airline’s four newest A330s. The seats are designed to provide a full-flat bed of up to 79 inches, while shoulder room measures 23 inches. The fully adjustable seats also come with an individual reading light, adjustable headrest, mood lights and a range of inflight entertainment options. The move to full-flat seats is the latest in Finnair’s on-going series of renewals and upgrades in the customer experience. In October 2012, the airline announced a design collaboration with Finnish design house Marimekko, whose textiles and tableware will be onboard this spring. A revamp of meal choices is also underway in both cabin classes. Finnair currently operates 15 long haul A330 and A340 aircraft in its fleet, serving a network of 13 destinations in Asia. A further 11 Airbus A350 XWBs (with an option for 8 more) are due to arrive beginning in in the second half of 2015, which will help the airline double its revenue from Asian destinations.

SUPPLIER NEWS

Recaro expands Fort Worth operation Recaro is expanding its manufacturing capacities in the United States. On February 7 company representatives attended the official opening of the new addition to the factory in Fort Worth, Texas. The expansion more than doubles the amount of space at the site. In 2012 the company also expanded its plants in Germany and Poland. Since the plant’s opening in 1998, Recaro Aircraft Seating has continually expanded its facilities in Dallas/Fort Worth. In early 2012, construction work started on the new building that increased production space from 10,000 to 23,000 square meters. Recaro will use the new facilities for development, production, logistics and administration. The existing building was also expanded to add 3,000

square meters of new office space. The expansion in the United States is part of the company’s long-pursued goal of expanding its capacities around the world in order to meet the growing market demand. In 2012 the company opened an expansion to its headquarters in Schwäbisch Hall, Germany. During the same year, the production facilities at the company’s site in Swiebodzin, Poland, were doubled in size. In Qingdao, China, a plant is currently under construction (see related story, page 34) and is set to begin production in 2013. With these plans in place, the company is well on its way to achieving its goal of increasing its global workforce to 2,200 employees by 2017, with sales of €500 million (US$650 million).

8 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

Leki 737-500 now available for parts Leki Aviation has acquired 737-500, msn 25738, for teardown. Available for sale in March were CFM56-3B1, GTCP85-129H APU, thrust reversers, avionics, components, flight surfaces, all items can be supplied certified or as removed. Leki Aviation is a global distributor of aircraft spares. Specializing in spare parts distribution and inventory management to Airlines and MRO throughout the world. Leki Aviation provides the customers a consolidation of their supply chain management . Leki Aviation has offices and stocking facilities in Denmark, United Kingdom, USA, Singapore, Dubai and China

NEWS SUPPLIER NEWS

Red Dot Design Award for Zodiac Aerospace`s Concert Suite Zodiac Aerospace has won the Red Dot Design Award 2013 for their new Concert suite of galley inserts from the Red Dot Institute for Advanced Design Studies. Zodiac Aerospace competed against 1.865 manufacturers, designers and architects out of 54 countries who applied for the award. The suite of products includes ovens, coffee makers, beverage makers, water boilers and bun warmers. Every insert incorporates a continuous design language due to the integrated elliptical form at the front, which reflects the curved surfaces in the aircraft cabin and thus mixes the otherwise vertically and horizontally constructed galley structure. “The challenge was to combine form and function, delivering an attractive and elegant

outer appearance and also incorporating the increased functionalities required by airline customers today,” said a release from Zodiac Aerospace. The products are designed to trim up to 75 kilograms in weight on a typical wide body configuration. Users can choose between a left hand or right hand hinged door at the oven and bun warmer. An insulated serving pot, an easy to clean display as well as an ergonomic formed door lock and an oven door with double safety latching which can be operated using only one hand. Special materials keep the system within aviation industry standards for flammability, generation and release.

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reed expo interview

AIX, 2013

pringtime for much of the cabin services industry means an annual trip to the Free and Hansiatic City of Hamburg, home to the second largest port in Europe and a hub of the continent’s transportation industry. The city has been home of the Aircraft Interiors Expo, now well into its second decade. By April, the 18,000 square meters of space will be plotted and waiting for the industry to descend on the Hamburg Messe und Congress for four days of networking, April 8-11. In the midst of the organization early this year, Exhibition Director Katie Murphy answered a few questions posed by PAX International.

PAX International: Can you give us a general outlook in early bookings and registration? Katie Murphy: Aircraft Interiors Expo is a highly respected and well-established show. This will be the 14th edition of the event so it is no surprise that both exhibitor and visitor numbers have remained at similar levels over the last two years – although the physical size of the event has increased with many exhibitors opting for bigger stands. This year we’ve managed to gain some extra square metreage in the halls and are anticipating the show to cover approximately 18,000 square meters. This year’s event will see around 500 companies exhibiting once again and we expect to have as many visitors as the last two years when over 7,800 attended from more than 80 countries.

PAX: How well has Aircraft Interiors Expo been able to attract exhibitors and airlines from various regions of the world such as Latin America, Asia and the Middle East? Murphy: Each year we make a significant effort and investment in the event’s sales and 10 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

marketing strategies to attract exhibitors and airlines from all around the world. In terms of airlines, our all-important customer, last year we had excellent representation from Latin American, Asian and Middle Eastern airlines. Examples of Latin American airlines included TAM and Taca, while major Asian airlines such as Malaysia, Asiana and AirAsia also attended. From the Middle East there were representatives from Emirates, Etihad and flydubai. From those three regions we had representatives from more than 30 airlines. All three regions still have fairly young interiors supply chains, so we don’t see as many exhibitors from Asia, Latin America and the Middle East as we would like to. However each year we are seeing more and more sign up to exhibit and this year for example the event sees United Arab Emirates’s company SPS that specializes in products and services for maintaining cabin appearance such as its latest antimicrobial cleaner to keep the cabin hygienic. Brazilian company Avionics Services will also be exhibiting. The company installs avionics, onboard security systems, and LED lighting and entertainment systems. From Asia we have two companies from Taiwan, two from Singapore, three from India and two from China, so this is very encouraging.

PAX: What are you holding in the way of informational sessions and discussions? Murphy: We are following up on the success of our first conference last year with the Passenger Experience Conference. This will be held on April 8 at the Congress Center Hamburg (CCH). It is being organized jointly by Aircraft Interiors Expo and World Travel Catering and Onboard Services Expo. There are plenary sessions, in-depth presentations and panel discussions – plenty to interest the entire industry. Some of the speakers include representatives from United Airlines,

Delta Air Lines, Boeing, Airbus, Panasonic and Gogo. The focus will very much be on the flying experience for passengers – covering what passengers will demand from a future cabin environment and how airlines should meet these changing needs. The afternoon session includes dedicated breakout strands covering inflight entertainment and connectivity, hospitality and service and cabin interiors.

PAX: How was participation in this year’s Crystal Cabin Awards? Murphy: Walter Birkhan, the President of the Crystal Cabin Award Association in Hamburg, has just told me that a total of 47 submissions from 11 countries are in the race. For some entrants, there was already an internal competition within the company before the submission was sent to this major international aircraft cabin competition. This is because the new rules inspired by the Judging Panel, consisting of 24 experts from the international aviation industry, stipulate that each company may only enter one product per category. This restriction has meant that the organizer of the competition, the Crystal Cabin Award Association, was not able to accept as many entries this year, but the comparison within the specific categories is now much fairer. There was a remarkable number of the products entered for the competition this year and the solutions that increase in-flight comfort made a particular impression on the pre-selection committee. There are also many technical innovations, which make economy class travel substantially more pleasant, ranging from noise reduction to lighting and air conditioning. PAX: In terms of size and scope, how does the Aircraft Interiors Expo compare to other Reed organized expos? What are among the largest?

reed expo interview Murphy: Aircraft Interiors Expo is one of the 500 events across 39 countries that Reed Exhibitions stages. In terms of catering to a vital, but fairly niche sector, of the airline industry, Aircraft Interiors Expo is one of Reed’s most important business-to-business shows along with other events such as World Travel Market (WTM), London Book Fair and the Oil and Gas portfolio.

PAX: Are events like this, which have evolved into “must attend” yearly shows generally impervious to economic ups and downs? Murphy: No event is completely impervious to the ups and downs of the global economy but we have maintained a strong exhibitor base over the last few years and even seen an increase in the space taken with some exhibitors wanting to expand their stand space. We do however recognize that it is still a challenging time for airlines – fuel prices remain a concern but this also means that airlines are keen to invest in newer (and hence more fuel efficient aircraft) when they can and this obviously brings in work for the interiors industry.

This year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo will cover 18,000 square meters

PAX: You’ve made Hamburg the home of Aircraft Interiors Expo for the foreseeable future. Any tips for attendees to rediscover the city in some ways? Are there any interesting places off the beaten path that they might not know about? Murphy: Hamburg is Germany’s second largest city and you could be visiting Hamburg for a year and still not see or experience all of its beauty, culture and culinary offerings. However if I were to choose just

a couple of places I would suggest heading down to the port. Being the largest port in Germany and the second busiest in Europe it oozes character with its various museum ships, musical theaters, bars, restaurants and hotels. I have just come back from Hamburg actually and during my visit I went to a restaurant called East. ‘Absolutely beautiful’ is the only way to describe the food and the setting, so I would highly recommend a visit.

www.pax-intl.com | PAX INTERNATIONAL | 11

people

Young new Senior VP at GuestLogix GuestLogix Inc. has announced that travel industry distribution and marketing veteran Jim Young will oversee one of the company’s key areas of growth opportunity as Senior Vice PresiJim Young dent, New Markets and Products Young will play an instrumental role in ensuring that existing partnerships with leading in-flight entertainment and communication providers are leveraged to their full potential, said a company release. He will also establish similar partnerships with other industry-leading technology companies. Most recently, Young served as President and Executive Director of the Open AXIS Group, an airline industry standards body that established a global technology standard for airline direct distribution and was adopted by the world’s leading airlines.

Crane names new VP Operations Crane Aerospace & Electronics, a segment of Crane Co., has named Greg GomezCornejo Vice President of Operations of the Electronics Group of Crane Aerospace & Greg Gomez-Cornejo Electronics. Gomez-Cornejo is responsible for operations and supply chain for all of Electronics Group locations, including Beverly, Massachusetts; Chandler, Arizona, Ft. Walton Beach, Florida; Redmond, Washington; West Caldwell, New Jersey; Kaohsiung, Taiwan and San Jose, Costa Rica. He will be located in Redmond. Since 2011, he held the position of Operations Executive for Hamilton Sundstrand in San Diego. Before that, he was at Honeywell for 13 years; holding positions in six sigma, supply chain, operations and general management.

Wilcox to handle EMEA for Creaform Creaform named Alexis Wilcox Vice President for EMEA territory, starting January 1. 12 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

Wilcox is responsible for managing the sales teams and developing strategies for Creaform’s subsidiaries in Europe, Middle East and Africa. Wilcox has more than 15 years of experience in metrology for industrial applications, more specifically in sectors such as industrial electronics and industrial automation. He has held executive positions for companies such as Hirschmann, Knürr and Datamars. Most recently, he acted as managing director for Central Europe of the TESA Division at Hexagon Group.

Haxton head of IFP IFP recently announced that Robert Haxton is the new Managing Director of its UK and worldwide offices. Haxton will lead the company to further develop its services to airline clients. Before joining IFP, he served as Vice President and Finance Director at Sony Pictures Entertainment since 2005. Haxton had previously held a number of senior level financial positions for companies in the publishing, media, advertising and entertainment sectors, including Haymarket Publishing Ltd, JWT, British Sky Broadcasting (BSKYB) and Polygram Records (now Universal).

Former Aviointeriors chief executive returns as advisor Aviointeriors Spa announced March 1 that Franco Mancassola has rejoined the company as an advisor on policies and strategies to the CEO and company management. Mancassola was Aviointeriors’ Chief Executive from 2000 to 2005. During a career in the airline industry that spanned for more than 35 years, Mancassola held senior executive positions with major U.S. and international airlines and then moved on and founded two airlines of his own. “Franco has remained very current with the continuous evolving of the airlines and his advice will be very valuable to our company,” said Mario Schisa, Avio’s current CEO.

DiGeorge heads ARINC operations in Asia/Pacific ARINC Incorporated announced in January the appointment of Michael DiGeorge as Managing Director of the company’s

Asia Pacific Division based in Singapore. DiGeorge was formerly Senior Director for E-enabled Programs based in ARINC’s Hong Kong office. DiGeorge will focus on growing ARINC’s business and solution infrastructure in Asia Pacific, and enhance customer service and support throughout its multiple business lines including aviation communications, networking, airport operations and security. “Asia Pacific is a very strategic market for ARINC,” said DiGeorge in the press release. “We will continue to focus on our customers and business partners whilst investing in resources to expand into new markets and develop innovative solutions for the industry.”

Rogers takes top spot at AeroMobile AeroMobile, announced at the end of February the appointment of Kevin Rogers as CEO. Rogers, previously Head of Revenue Development at AeroMobile, takes over from Pal Bjordal, who has led the company for the past two and a half years. Bjordal will return to his native Norway and to the Oslo-based headquarters of Telenor, one of the world’s largest telecoms comKevin Rogers panies and a major shareholder in AeroMobile. Rogers joined AeroMobile in February 2008 from Telenor, where he was Director and Vice President of Group Marketing. He has also held a number of roles with Nortel Networks, including Director of Sales for the company’s Canadian operation.

Nitch heads customer management at Recaro Greg Nitch took over as Vice President Customer at Recaro Aircraft Seating March 1. As a member of the executive management team, Nitch is responsible for sales, program management and customer service. With the new appointment, the aircraft seat manufacturer completed its executive management team and prepares for the further expansion of its international activiGreg Nitch ties.

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regional report: france

United for export Visitors to this year’s event in Hamburg will find dozens of French companies in two special pavilions designed for ease of networking and promoting the country’s exports in aerospace, food and drink by RICK LUNDSTROM

he story behind the two prominent billion. The other story behind the figures is the French Pavilions that will be stationed in Hamburg this year, is the industry’s importance as an employment story of a country with a long his- generating force, in a country that, like many tory in aerospace and culinary achievement, has been plagued by high unemployment. which have become vital sources for revenue In 2011 the growing aerospace industry and employment in a time when both seem recruited 13,000 employees, increasing its total workforce in France by 3.2% to 162,000. to be harder and harder to come by. And the country has been fortunate that Reports are now coming out that firms are the last two years have been blockbusters for having a difficult time finding newly- trained food and beverage and aerospace exports. recruits to fill future jobs. With Airbus orders Trade surpluses in the tens of billions of euros backlogged for seven years, tens of thousands of new employees will need to be found to were recorded in both trade sectors. From the aircraft churning center of fill demand for manufacturing and support Toulouse, France to the support industries industries. The French government takes an active in Lyon to Marseilles, the home of Eurocopter, French aerospace is big business. In hand in promoting and fostering the coun2011, the most recent year when figures are try’s aerospace industry. Like the “clusters” available, the industrial sector for aerospace that are formed around industries in neighgenerated revenues of €38.5 billion (US$50 boring Germany, France has three aviation billion) with exports pegged at €23.5 billion “competitive centers” in Paris, Marseilles (US$30.4 billion). Revenues increased at a and Toulouse. The centers are designed to bring together aerospace related companies 3.3% clip from 2010. Based on orders calculated, revenues in in commercial partnerships and promote 2012 are expected to increase 30% to €59.8 research and development.

14 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

Watching the aerospace, food and beverage and dozens of other export industries is UBIFRANCE, a trade division of the country’s Ministry of Foreign Sales. By developing the Pavilions, UBIFRANCE creates a section where companies can affordably set up stands, network with other companies and move into a tradeshow with easy logistics to explore possibilities for future exports. The French Pavilion was first part of the Aircraft Interiors Expo in 2010. At that time, Robin Brice, Aerospace Project Manager for UBIFRANCE said the group was able to attract 15 French companies. By 2012 the number had grown to 23. This year, Brice said that 30 companies have signed on, and the success has prompted a second French Pavilion for the adjacent World Travel Catering and Onboard Services Expo. Brice said this year, that nearly half the companies exhibiting at the AIX Pavilion will be new. Among the group will be companies that make crew uniforms, fasteners, mechanical parts and electrical products. As a result of a week together, Brice said many companies

regional report: france in the Pavilion become allies. “One of the things we did not expect is that the French companies in the Pavilion start working together,” said Brice. “They do not always know each other, but they come to the Pavilion and spend some time…and the start dealing with each other.” In Hall B will be the second French Pavilion, devoted to food and beverage products. It will be the first year for the Pavilion at WTCE and in early March, 20 companies had committed to a stand. Like aerospace, food and beverage is an enormous source for exports. In 2012 France exported €57.6 billion (US$75.4 billion) total food and drinks products up 2.5% from the previous year. The trade surplus for food and drink was nearly €12 billion (US$15.7 billion). The food sector pavilion of UBIFRANCE will be set up in Hamburg on the heels of the largest of the 60 or so events it attends each year. The massive Gulfood show in Dubai had more than 130 French companies take part. Christophe Monnier, head of the food departments of UBIFRANCE said the stand at this year’s WTCE will be approximately 150 square meters and will include food companies that sell vegetables, sugar, chocolate

and wine. Monnier also said that many of the companies specialize in products that are most suitable for premium class service. Many of the firms will be getting their first look at an airline catering industry that is showing signs of revival after a rough few years of economic downturn and airline rationalization. As PAX International went to press in early March, word of a comprehensive study on the worldwide airline catering surfaced. The airline catering market is should achieve a “moderate” growth rate over the next five years, resulting in global sales of US$16.5 billion by 2018, according to a new report generated by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. The San Jose-based company released a short summary of its findings for its InFlight Catering Services Market on March 6. Increasing passenger numbers are driving much of the growth in catering services, said the report. Though the amount spent per passenger by airlines and caterers could see a incremental decline in the coming years, GIA said the market is expected to grow at a moderate pace, “emerging primarily from the increasing passenger traffic worldwide, addition of new aircrafts and continuing

innovations in on-board menus.” The report sites the most recent drop in airline revenues that occurred in 2009. Airlines at that time reduced overall expenditures with catering one of the primary casualties. The result was a number of airlines abandoning catering on short- and mid-haul flights and complimentary meals disappearing across Europe. The rise of lowcost carriers boosted overall traffic but also put pressure on the catering services market, said the report. However, the report points out a number of adaptations by the industry. Passenger preferences, particularly for healthy and nutritious meals are influencing the market. Many passengers have also shown a willingness to purchase buy-on-board food since the introduction of the concept. “In response to changing consumer trends and increasing competition, in-flight catering companies started establishing operations in multiple countries. Networking became a crucial factor for the success of airline caterers. By gaining presence in multiple locations, airline caterers managed to deliver a consistent and high quality service to the clients,” said the report.

www.pax-intl.com | PAX INTERNATIONAL | 15

regional report: france In the Pavilions This will be the fourth year that EADS Sogerma airline seating products will be found in the French Pavilion at the Aircraft Interiors Expo. “We are a French company,” said Jeffrey Forsbrey, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at EADS Sogerma. “And being part of the delegation is supportive to French industry and its development globally.” The company also keeps much of its product procurement close

The cabin interiors design office at EADS

sion screens, tablets and smartphones. The company will also show its Be’Bop-Tic lighting system that uses optic fiber technology. “This offers the possibility of creating ambience with variable color and luminous intensity,” said Mark Piaulet, Marketing and Sales Director at PGA. “It will be used directly by the passenger or the crew, thanks of optical fiber mood lighting diffusion.” At WTCE French Pavilion, the Burgundy winery Labourie Roi will be one of two wine stands. The Nuit Saint Georges winery is the third largest Burgundy winery and boasts a long list of airline and cruise line customers. The company’s most popular wines for inflight service have been its Chablis, Pouilly Fuissé, Bourgogne Blanc, Chardonnay and Merlot IGP. Jean Noel Christe, Duty Free Manager at Labourie Roi readily admits that the year ahead could be a challenging one after a the difficult weather year for France. The Ulitmate Sleeper seat by EADS Sogerma, one of the companies in this year’s French Pavilion

to home. Forsbrey said EADS Sogerma sources approximately 50% of its raw material from France with another 25% procured in within Europe. Some of the EADS Sogerma seats that find their way into line service are equipped with products from another French company, PGA Electronics SA near Châteauroux in central France, 200 kilometers south of Paris. With a workforce of 180 employees, PGA Electronics manufactures motion equipment for airline seats and lighting. The company will be debuting its first inflight entertainment and communication and cabin management system (IFEC/CMS) system in September. PGA has delivered a full IFEC/CMS system for a777 VVIP aircraft. The company has also equipped two A319s and the Presidential A330 with IFCE/CMS systems. This year in Hamburg, PGA will be showing visitors its new HD streaming system that will bring audio and video content to televi-

The Burgundy winery of Labourie Roi will be in the French Pavilion at WTCE. The company is also bottling wines in 187ml and 750ml PET bottles

16 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

“The growing season for 2012 has been 30% less in comparison to 2011,” Chiriste said. “Prices are rising.” In the past year, Labourie Roi has been adapting its wine packaging to grab a share of the economy class market. It has developed a 187ml bottle and 750ml PET bottle for back cabin. Combining the new products with aggressive competition in tenders over the next five years, Christie said Laboure Roi plans to be in the hunt for sales in every airline in the world. “Concerning the company within 10 years, I would say that if we could be in the major supplier of French Burgundy wines to the airline companies, it would be for us a great success,” said Christe. With 30 years of experience in aviation inflight products and others, Bayart Innovations is seeing its client list growing. “It helped of course, with our export sales which are growing day by day,” said the company’s Delphine Liagre. The company will be one of the 20 in the French Pavilion this year at WTCE. Bayart is based in Villeneuve d’Ascq in northern France just over the border with Belgium. Bayart specializes in cabin comfort items, headsets, children’s products and goods for inflight sales.

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industry leaders: airbus update

Customization the Airbus way

PAX International’s Maryann Simson sits down with Ingo Wuggetzer, Vice President of Cabin & Cargo Strategy, Innovation & Design at Airbus, to discuss the bells and whistles of the A350 XWB interior

irbus’ A350 XWB Family of -900, or -1000 XWB aircraft, will have the airliners has been a long time opportunity to select interior products from in development and industry more than 20 Airbus-approved suppliers. watchers are all but salivat- This time around, in a new approach for ing at the idea of witnessing the airframe manufacturer, a catalogue has the first consummated jet roll out of the been painstakingly created with thousands Toulouse completion center. So far, artist’s of available options and combinations to help conceptions are all that most have seen of airline customers save both money and time the XWB interior, so we at PAX International throughout this frequently difficult and costly decided we would try and get a little more phase of the build. “The principles are quite different if you do information from the best source around; Ingo Wuggetzer, the man behind the XWB’s not have predefined solutions to choose from, because you are then looking at the task of many interior concepts. “Firstly, we always make an effort to select conceptualizing, researching and developing and work with the best interiors partners products yourself,” says Wuggetzer of the available,” explains Wuggetzer. “There is non-catalogue completion approach most always competition here, because on one taken in the past. “When designing totally hand, the cabin must look good in terms of unique fittings lead times increase and so design and finish. Yet one the other hand, too does cost of development. With our we have experienced supply partners to new approach, unique solutions can still be ensure that the quality of each component achieved and the research and development has already been done by us upfront.” is excellent.” Wuggetzer goes on to describe the intenEach of the 34 different customers which have placed firm orders (as of January 31, sive processes Airbus has undergone in order 2013) for one or more of the A350-800, to define the needs and wants of the end

“

We always make an effort to select and work with the best interiors partners available.

”

– Ingo Wuggetzer, Vice President of Cabin & Cargo Strategy, Innovation & Design at Airbus

18 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

consumer – the passenger. This consumercentric approach is at the heart of Airbus’ ongoing business strategy and has influenced all of the OEM’s recent cabin innovations. Detailed profiles have been developed for the passengers of today and tomorrow. These profiles take into account important variables such as physical dimensions, geographic location, culture, personal habits, socio-economic status and much, much more. “We did this in a modular way so that the cabin is filled with parts that enable easy modifications,” Wuggetzer reveals. “It’s a platform that allows us to change the positioning of a lavatory, for instance, because the cablings linked to the lavatory are flexible. They can move as much as 40cm to the left or right without interfering with anything else. The same thing happens within the lavatory because we have predefined many solutions based on customer needs. We have sinks with the basin below counter level, some very flat ones, and even some designs with a raised basin which are available in a number of different shades and textures. There are so many options that, in the end, our customers can be quite sure that their cabin is unique.” Benchmark innovations are in no short supply when we talk about the XWB Family. The A350-800 seats 270 passengers in a baseline configuration and is touted as being the ideal size (and most economical choice) for long-range city-pair services. The A350-900 holds about 314 seats when configured in the baseline arrangement and boasts exceptional fuel economy, while Airbus says the longest of the group, the A350-1000 “shapes efficiency” with an excess of 25% operating cost savings and 350 passengers transported. The cabin width of each variety is approximately five inches wider than its most recent competitor. This creates a feeling of space inside the cabin, allows for a wider, more comfortable seat and enhances the feeling of spaciousness in the cabin. Widows are larger offering better

industry leaders: airbus update

In October 2012, thousands of guests attended the A350 XWB Final Assembly Line inauguration event at Airbus’ Toulouse location

panoramic views and overhead bins have looked at what the airlines are doing already been engineered to accommodate more in terms of colors, materials and styles of design. Then we talked to passengers about carry-on luggage. Another striking feature of the XWB Fam- what they preferred or disliked. Then, we ily interior design will be spotted immediately combined this information with macro trends by passengers as they board the aircraft. and trend studies that we have conducted on Airbus was the first to introduce ambient an ongoing basis. In the end we had some very lighting as a factory fit option on a com- heavy data, but were able to develop seven mercial aircraft in 2002, an options that is themes with which to guide our customers. now more widely adopted. The XWB Family Our clear objective is to develop this themed features LED lighting throughout, so airlines approach a little bit more each year, and in can control mood and atmosphere with mil- the end, release an annual compilation called lions of color options that can be manipulated “Airbus Select” complete with the most up-todate options.” length-wise and side to side. And though the XWB (Extra-Wide Body) cabin certainly is more spacious than its contemporaries, Airbus wanted to go the extra mile. Wuggetzer and his team have developed an illuminated dome which floats Inspiring Freshness – Bright, crisp and in the centre of the cabin ceiling just above fresh colors include blues, greens and yelthe main passenger points of entry. lows “Domes have been used in architecture Smart Tech – A variety of ‘high-techdating back to very early times,” he explains. materials combined with a darker color “Cathedrals, mosques, temples, public buildpallet of greys and blacks ings and even palaces incorporate this eleModern Simplicity – This simple, reduced ment and it inspires a feeling of grandeur and color scheme features ‘northern’ colors like space. This is the effect of our dome. We have grayish-blue a system of light in the aircraft that appears Pure Indulgence – A luxury theme featurto have no beginning or end. This creates ing gold tones, deep wood textures and somewhat of a space illusion, making the beige color scale ceiling appear even higher than it is.” New Luxury – This more subdued luxury Seven distinct interior ‘themes’ have been theme is about sustainable, high-quality developed by Airbus to help airlines plan materials and a pallet of light colors such and visualize their ideal finished product. as white and green They serve as a starting point from which Exotic Fusion – This theme features bright Airbus and its customers can begin to explore purples, warm yellows and reds - inspiring minute details of the finished cabin such as visions of Asia or the Tropics seat textiles, flooring and more. Timeless Classic– Based on a traditional “Again, we took a consumer-centric pallet of dark blues and browns, it reflects approach to develpoing the seven themes,” distinguished and timeless aesthetics Wuggetzer tells PAX International. “We

A350 XWB interior themes:

www.pax-intl.com | PAX INTERNATIONAL | 19

industry leaders: ZODIAC REPORT

Defining a new era Q Zodiac Aerospace is a recognized leader in aerospace systems and equipment for commercial aircraft. PAX International examines the company’s history, unprecedented growth and ongoing strategy for success by Maryann Simson

odiac Aerospace didn’t always have Zodiac Aerospace giving it the competencies quite internal) that is again designed specifi26,000 employees worldwide, a to propose fully integrated cabin interiors cally to simplify, organize and stimulate its listing on the Paris Stock Exchange, solutions for both retrofit and linefit markets. current and future growth. “The new organisation around five busiSince the firm shed its marine assets and multiple divisions to realize the interior aspirations of even the most discern- turned its attention solely to the aerospace ness segments plus a global services network, sector, it has cultivated dozens of new airline supported by a team of senior account maning airline customer, and impressive sales revenues of nearly €3.5 billion in 2012. The partners, won countless contracts in both lin- agers at Group level, is dedicated to develop company can actually trace its history all efit and retrofit applications and has acquired and propose to airlines and aircraft manuthe way back to 1896, when a man named and integrated into itself a large number of facturers best in class products and solutions” Maurice Mallet, a famous aeronaut of the industry leading firms with global expertise says Vastra. “In the field of cabin interiors, day, played a key role in making some of in aircraft systems, monuments and struc- the Cabin & Structure segment, regroups the earliest hot air balloons for sport and tures, galley and catering equipment, seating C&D, Heath Tecna and NAT and proposes full floor to floor solutions for cabin Interiors. and multiple ancillary services. recreation in France. “Aerospace sales increased from €2 billion Galleys & Equipment regroups Driessen, Sell, By 1906 the name Zodiac has been adopted by Mallet’s company, which pursued in 2007, to €3.4 billion in fiscal year 2011/2012. Monogram inserts and TIA, with offerings its development of balloons and airplanes. In particular we have greatly strengthened for narrowbody and widebody galleys, elecIn 1934, an engineer invented a rubber boat, our position in the cabin interiors market, trical inserts, trolleys and cargo equipments. which became the famous “Zodiac” boat, fur- both for linefit and retrofit, and have devel- Zodiac Seats is the one company combinoped a wide and modern offer of seating ing the skills of Sicma AeroSeats (Zodiac ther developed after Second World War. The company came upon some turbulent waters solutions for all cabin classes,” Vastra reveals. Seats France), Weber Aircraft (Zodiac Seats in the early 1970’s, but the firm landed back “On the SFE (supplier on its feet well before the end of the decade. furnished equipment) Since that time, Zodiac has pursued a suc- side, Zodiac Aerospace cessful strategy consisting of “building world is involved on all new leadership positions on selected niche mar- aircraft programs. We kets” through internal and external growth. are a significant SFE “In 2007 the decision was taken to sell supplier for both the the marine activities of the Zodiac Group,” Boeing 787 and the Airexplains Pierre-Antony Vastra, Executive bus A350XWB as well Vice President Communication and Inves- as for the forthcoming tor Relations at Zodiac Aerospace. “This Bombardier CSeries decision was made to ensure that both the twin engine aircraft, marine and aerospace businesses had the pos- the Russian built MC-21 sibility to carry on their unique strategies of (Magistralny Samolyot internal and external growth. At the time, the 21 Veka, or Airliner of aerospace segment benefitted tremendously the 21st Century) and from this initiative. The gearing (net debt the Chinese Comac 919.” It is worth noting vs. equity) was decreased from 135% to just Zodiac Aerospace says that stowage capacity can be increased by up to 49% by installing its new patent pending ISIS Overhead Pivot bins. 40%, allowing us to perform other acquisi- that Zodiac Group has tions to complete our range of products and been named as the sole supplier for galleys and capabilities.” Highlighting this refocus on aerospace, related fittings for the Airbus A320 family, US) and Contour (Zodiac Seats UK). The the group was renamed “Zodiac Aerospace” a huge achievement, and just one of many two other segments are Aerosafety, which in 2008. In the years that followed, numer- that guarantee the company will be busy for manufactures escape slides, life jackets and rafts, and Aircraft Systems which includes, ous acquisitions were made in the field of many years to come. Today, Zodiac Aerospace Group is in the among many products, actuators and inflight Cabin Interiors. Driessen, Adder, TIA, Sell, Heath Tecna, Contour, IMS and NAT, joined final stages of another operation (this one entertainment systems.”

20 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

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ife & connectivity

Leaders of the

Pack

PAX International checks in with many of the world’s leading IFE and connectivity innovators to recap the last 12 months and get some inside information on their next big moves by Maryann Simson

here is never a good time for a provider of IFE and/or connectivity solutions to take a break. Even on the back of a banner year, there is precious little time to stop and savor a victory, regardless of size or consequence. To fall behind in this business is to risk never making it back to the front of the pack. Being typecast into a single role can be dangerous, as can diversifying too quickly. Calculated risks should, and must be taken - but as we hear more than once from the interviews in the following pages, it is equally important to organize resources and ensure that existing customers are held at a premium level of satisfaction while new directions are explored.

digEcor – New Products On the heels of a financially profitable year in 2012, which saw the addition of six new airline customers, strong diversification in terms of streaming, content options and refreshed portable devices; Utahbased IFE provider digEcor is now making a big step forward with a

new product ready for launch at Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg. “digEcor has always been known as the ‘portable IFE provider’ and that was evident talking to customers in 2012,” says Ben Fuller, Director of Sales and Marketing at digEcor. “This year we want to step out of that mold and show the industry that we are a full-service IFE provider and one way we plan to do that is by introducing our new embedded system at AIX this year.” The new system goes by the name of GLIDE IFE and features the very popular seat-centric approach to embedded AVOD IFE systems. digEcor touts the new systems as a ‘sensible embedded IFE solution’ with low-weight and low cost of ownership. The system can be adapted for both narrow and wide body aircraft with power to the seat, plus power to passenger’s own personal electronic devices (PED’s) and a wide variety of content available through digEcor. Of course, this new and exciting development for digEcor does not indicate any intention to abandon the portable space that the firm has built its success around. According to Fuller, the digEplayer L7 and L10 models continue to make inroads into airline service around the globe, plus the company will also use AIX in Hamburg to introduce its newest device, the Samsung Tab 2 10.1. “We’ve listened to airlines and their issues with consumer off the shelf (COTS) devices, from battery life to provisioning – and we have modified the Tab 2 to eliminate those issues,” he reveals. “You have all the great features built in by Samsung and we’ve added hardware features like additional memory, a removable battery and a ruggedized case to meet airline needs.”

Rockwell Collins - Right on Track A first peek at the digEcor’s new embedded system, GLIDE IFE

22 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

In 2011 Rockwell Collins introduced PAVES 3, a highly-reliable, seatcentric embedded IFE system to compliment its popular family of commercial overhead system and VIP/Business jet offerings. In 2012, the company announced that Thomas Cook Group, one of

ife & connectivity

Rockwell Collins says that PAVES 3 is ‘on track’ for linefit certification

Rockwell Collins has developed a mobile application for its Airshow moving map in the business jet sector

web pages. “The wireless system we are building for Thomas Cook Group augments our embedded offering. There is certainly a market for wireless, and at the same time, there is a market for in-seat and overhead systems. It really depends on the mission of the aircraft.” Looking both internally and at the changing marketplace for inspiration, Rockwell Collins has recently found success by honing in the VIP market and the dual application of certain products originally developed for private jets. “Touch screen capability from our Venue cabin management system for business aircraft was ported into the PAVES portfolio with our Entertainment Control Panels on PAVES 2, as well as our PAVES 2 HD for the Boeing Sky Interior,” says Josey. “Another good

1 April 201 9-1 3 ·A

ircraft Inter i

Hall B2 D51 Booth 2 or

erman g·G y· ur

the world’s leading leisure travel companies, had selected the PAVES 3 core equipment for its new A320 and A321 aircraft. The ‘core’ in this case, refers to the main system server generating content for overhead monitors and wireless devices via Wi-Fi. This is the same server that will be used for a full in-seat PAVES 3 solution, which Rockwell Collins says is ‘on track’ for linefit certification thanks to close and ongoing work with several OEMs. “By adding the PAVES 3 wireless core, Thomas Cook has ‘futureproofed’ its new family of aircraft,” Clare Josey, Principle Marketing Manager of Cabin Systems at Rockwell Collins says of the agreement involving the PAVES 3 High-Definition Media Server, 12-inch widescreen overhead monitors and Wi-Fi-enabled applications and

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ife & connectivity example is the introduction of the Airshow moving map as a wireless application in the Business Jet sector. We anticipate seeing this in the Air Transport sector very soon.” Visitors to the Rockwell Collins booth at AIX Hamburg will see new developments in the business jet product portfolio in addition to wireless demonstrations and upgrades to the Airshow moving map.

Panasonic – A Story of Satellites

CETCA deal, signed) at Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg. Between the 2012 Expo and this one, the company has been quite hard at work, improving its portfolio of solutions, flight testing new technologies and even expanding into new facilities to accommodate its robust growth. “In 2012 we introduced a software upgrade for our existing platform utilizing QML technology, which provides improved performance and better graphics capability. Many of our airline customers are turning to this upgrade and are pleased with the results,” says Lori Krans, Vice President, Communications for Thales Inflight Entertainment and Connectivity. “We are in final stages of development for the TopSeries AVANT system, which will deliver in the near future, and our TopSeries AVA wireless streaming media solution is now entering its trial phase on LAN Airlines.” Thales also hit a milestone in the last 12 months thanks to a new contract with one of the largest US carriers for the installation of its TopSeries system - with focus on the airline’s fleet of Boeing and Airbus narrow body aircraft. This new relationship marks Thales’ first major inroad in the United States market. At Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Krans says visitors to the Thales stand will see a sea of seats, new applications and a whole room full of innovations. “Thales is working very closely with seat manufacturers headed towards a goal of increased innovation and decreased lead time,” she adds.

For Panasonic Avionics - though hardware installations continued at a brisk pace and new product was in constant development - the calendar year of 2012 was largely defined by major strides forward in the realm of satellite-based connectivity. In the first quarter of the year, Panasonic made several major announcements of added coverage and capacity for its global Ku-band aeronautical network. First, the addition of the Yamal 201 Russian satellite guaranteed essential service for aircraft routes from Europe to Asia. Just two months later in March, Panasonic announced a double augmentation to its Global Communications Service with the addition of capacity over Europe, the Mediterranean and Africa from the Intelsat-14 satellite, plus a partnership with Australian Satellite Communications for more capacity on the GE23 satellite. “We are very excited to extend our relationship with Australian Satellite Communications and provide even more capacity for our Global Communications Service,” said David Bruner, Vice President of Panasonic Avionics Corporation’s Global Communications Service in a release announcing the deal. “This agreement moves us a Bluebox – Good Things in Small Packages step closer to completing the world’s first global Ku frequency, high “2012 was a great year for Bluebox with nearly 8,000 iPads delivered bandwidth aeronautical network, and we look forward to providing since November 2011,” said David Brown, Joint Managing Director of our customers true broadband service in these key Pacific regions.” Bluebox Avionics in a recent interview with PAX International. “We Also in March 2012, at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, have brought in a number of new clients this past year in addition Panasonic announced that it had become the majority shareholder to our first customers (Jetstar and British Airways) including Thai in AeroMobile Communications, LTD. (AeroMobile). The transac- Airways, Scoot, Jetairfly, El Al, Aeromexico and more that we are tion underscored Panasonic’s commitment to AeroMobile and to its delivering right at the moment. We are making good progress on eXPhone product, which is a key element in the company’s long term our wireless streaming product working with Cobham Aerospace.” in-flight connectivity and communications strategy. Brown added that he is delighted to see more and more market “This is a natural extension of Panasonic Avionics’ longstanding information confirming that consumer tablets and content streampartnership with AeroMobile,” said Yasu Enokido, President and ing are being viewed as a very attractive IFE system option for many Chief Operating Officer for Panasonic Avionics Corporation in a airlines. He is also pleased with Bluebox’s ability to maintain critical release announcing the acquisition. “We believe that, as a result of early window content approvals for its latest consumer tablet, the this transaction, our customers will benefit from an increased level iPad Mini. of integration between our two companies.” “The iPad mini is a particularly attractive device as it gives us the Since this landmark announcement, Panasonic has secured opportunity to provide all the capabilities of the Bluebox system on a additional Ku-band capacity on the AsiaSat 5 satellite operated by Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd, helping to ensure the best possible in-flight connectivity service for aircraft flying routes over the Middle East and India – and strengthening its global network overall. Recent deployments of Global Communications Suite projects are many. In December Etihad Airways launched the “Etihad WiFly” inflight Internet and mobile connectivity service powered by Panasonic, and on January 15 United Airlines unveiled onboard Wi-Fi on the first of its international wide body aircraft. This deployment makes United Airlines the first U.S.-based international carrier to offer passengers the ability to stay connected while travelling longhaul overseas routes.

Thales – A Banner year The unveiling of new agreements with Qatar Airways, British Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines, and even CETCA (China Electronics Technology Avionics Co., Ltd.) in relation to future cooperation in the Comac C919, kicked of a banner year for Thales Avionics in 2012. Most of these agreements were revealed (or in the case of the 24 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

Bluebox was the first IFE provider to secure early window content approval for the iPad and is now offering this feature on the iPad Mini

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ife & connectivity hardware platform that allows airlines to carry more devices on board – space often being the critical factor,” he reveals, adding that he does not see content streaming to passenger devices as a major threat to pre-loaded, airline supplied devices like those from BlueBox. “We think there will be an increasing desire for airlines to provide devices with pre-loaded early window content, as it is currently not allowed to be streamed to passenger owned devices by any studios. Other content, such as advanced games, are not particularly well suited to streaming.” Bluebox is currently deploying its iPad program onboard two new airline customers every three months, with the expectation of this progress to continue over the next year. At AIX in Hamburg, the company will offer demonstrations on the iPad Mini and will spotlight its newly deployed ‘dynamic content’ service, which allows efficient loading of daily and weekly content.

Gogo – A Global Vision In a recent company release, Gogo, an industry leader in the provision of inflight connectivity and wireless inflight digital entertainment solutions, announced that it had successfully deployed its Air to Ground (ATG), or first generation solution on an impressive 1,700 working aircraft. On top of that, the company has made a great start installing the next generation, or ATG-4, technology, on more than 100 aircraft, bringing the overall installed aircraft to slightly over 1,800. All this and more has been accomplished in just a few short years since the first domestic American Airlines routes went live with their own branded version of Gogo’s well-established Wi-Fi in July 2008. By 2011, the company had introduced its next game changer: Gogo Vision. Gogo Vision, an inexpensive and relatively quickly performed upgrade to the ATG service allows airlines to stream a large assortment of TV programs and movies to passenger’s own devices, was well received by an industry in constant search money saving innovations. And though 300 American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and US Airways jets are already equipped with Gogo Vision, the company has announced the highly ambitious objective of completing 1,500 Gogo Vision installations by the end of 2013. In January, Gogo excitedly announced a new partnership with Singapore-based low cost carrier Scoot, that saw Gogo Vision installed on the carrier’s fleet of four 777 aircraft. This deal, though nailing down just four planes, represents a milestone for Gogo as Scoot is their first airline customer based outside of North America. “We are very excited to work with Scoot to bring an affordable wireless in-flight entertainment solution to its passengers,” said Michael Small Gogo’s President and CEO in a release announcing the partnership. At AIX in Hamburg, Gogo plans to showcase a new product called Gogo Text & Voice, which will allow passengers on Gogo equipped aircraft to send and receive texts in real time, with their own mobile phone number, by downloading an app.

Global Eagle Entertainment - Taking Flight One of the most significant newsmakers in the IFEC space recently would undoubtedly be Global Eagle Entertainment’s acquisition of Ku-based satellite connectivity provider Row 44 and major content solutions provider Advanced Inflight Alliance (AIA) in November 2012. This marriage of resources, customer base and financial security has resulted in a firm with more than 130 airline customers, a highly customizable platform of modern IFE solutions, extensive content options and a ‘substantial balance sheet’ to support new pursuits. “Global Eagle Entertainment is well underway leveraging the technologies and intellectual property of AIA and Row 44 to build the 26 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

John LaValle, CEO of Global Eagle Entertainment says the company is poised for success

industry’s first end-to-end IFEC platform for commercial aviation, offering airlines a single partnership for all aspects of the unique inflight entertainment experience,” explains John LaValle, CEO of Global Eagle Entertainment. “This new full-service IFEC platform will enable airlines to deliver their own branded inflight offering of high-speed Internet access and Wi-Fi-based video-on-demand, live television, games, and other entertainment; e-commerce, real time flight information and crew services.” As Global Eagle Entertainment serves its global customer base through both Row 44 and AIA, the company plans to gradually roll out enhanced products and services that fully capitalize on its combined IFEC platform. LaValle says that at AIX in Hamburg, he looks forward to introducing Global Eagle Entertainment to the industry and informing customers and visitors about its product offering and services.

Inmarsat’s SBTV In September 2012, at the annual Airline Passenger Experience (APEX) Conference and Trade Show in Long Beach, CA, Inmarsat officially launched its own content streaming service called SBTV. The SB in the name is of course an acronym for SwiftBroadband, the company’s IP-based packet-switched service offering data at up to 432kbps per channel. As a large percentage of connected aircraft across the globe are already taking advantage of SwiftBroadband for operational applications and for passenger connectivity via solution providers like OnAir, ARINC and Satcom Direct and AeroMobile, SBTV is expected to take off in a big way. “SBTV’s major selling points are that it provides on-demand streaming of the latest news and sports content in the BYOD (bring your own device) context,” says David Coiley, Inmarsat’s Vice President, Aviation. “SBTV also allows for the customization of content and content provider(s) to an airline’s own requirements and preferences or by route flown.” SBTV may be deployed today over SwiftBroadband. Longer term, Inmarsat’s new GX Aviation will further improve the opportunity for in-flight TV services with the much anticipated launch of the Global Xpress Ka-band satellite scheduled for later this year. “With the introduction of GX Aviation in early 2015, GXTV will become available and will further increase the volume and range of real-time content that can be made available, delivering the ultimate solution for customised TV content delivery, including the ability to provide multiple live channels,” Coiley said.

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CONTENT NEWS Intertact wins Malindo Air contract and adds new personnel In December Interact, an Irvine, California-based, global in-flight entertainment company dedicated to creative programming and custom productions announced that it had been awarded the contract to supply movies, television and audio to Malindo Air, a new airline based in Malaysia. Malindo Air, scheduled to launch in March 2013, is a joint venture between Malaysia’s National Aerospace and Defense Industries and Lion Air of Indonesia. “We are honored to be working with Malindo Air in shaping their IFE content, especially for launch,” said John Bruckman, CEO, Interact. “We see this new partnership with Malindo Air, not only as an exciting one-off project, but also a strong indication of our company’s expansion plans into Asia”. Interact will also be producing Malindo Air’s new “live action” safety video; “For us at Interact Creative this is a thrilling opportunity”, said Interact’s Creative Director, Michaela Bolzan. “Working with a client on the development of their brand and brand personality, is what we’re passionate about.” Just weeks before the Malindo Air announcement, Interact welcomed three new experts to its team. Nataly Perez, Liubys Hamilton and Jennifer Hanke join as Programming Specialists, assisting the Director of Client Services in the day-to-day management of a number of key accounts.

Spafax picks up new contracts and is nominated for award In the weeks leading up to the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, global content agency Spafax announced it had signed a longterm agreement with SAS in Scandinavia to continue to provide video entertainment and for new audio, publishing and production services. Spafax will continue to provide early-release Hollywood and Scandinavian films and award-winning TV dramas, documentaries, children’s TV, sports and current affairs programmes. Chinese and Japanese films will be aired on flights to and from Asia. The firm has also recently been appointed to provide in-flight non-Asian content entertainment services to Cathay Pacific and its sister airline, Dragonair. In addition, Spafax will provide a new in-flight audio entertainment service including business and lifestyle podcasts, a new channel themed around Scandinavian culture, multi-lingual audio books, music channels, a revamped in-flight entertainment guide and branded content marketing promos to SAS. “We are delighted that after fourteen years SAS continues to trust us with their passengers’ content experience,” said Sue Pinfold, Executive Vice President for IFE, Spafax We are now looking forward to extending how we do this in ever more engaging, new and innovative ways.” In other news from Spafax, the firm announced that it had been nominated for PR News’ inaugural Social Media Icon Awards. The nomination is for the Facebook Contests/ Games category, for a game devised to promote Air Canada’s rich heritage on its 75th anniversary. The game, which ran over four weeks, resulted in 355,497 competition entries, 60,000 new “likes” to Air Canada’s main page and a 1000% increase in month-on-month likes. In addition to the game, Spafax created a dedicated website archiving the history of the airline, four fun-facts history videos, a limited edition book, and collector’s edition of enRoute, Air Canada’s in-flight magazine. The videos secured over 195,000 viewers and over 2,000 Vimeo and YouTube “Likes”.

IFP renews airline partnerships IFP has renewed its multi-year agreement with American Airlines, which allows it to service the airline’s international and domestic flights with an array of movies, video and audio content for its overhead and traditional seatback in-flight entertainment systems, as well as for the company’s cutting edge Samsung Galaxy Tab™ Android platform tablets provided on select international and transcontinental flights. “We are thrilled to accompany an industry leader like American Airlines in its progressive strategy to enhance the passenger experience through exceptional and compelling content services,” said Walé Adepoju, Executive Director of IFP and DTI Software.” The American Airlines announcement came on the heels of another important contract extension. Building on a well-established relationship, IFP will continue to provide a wide range of services to Japan Airlines (JAL) such as local and international 28 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

movies, TV programming, AVOD and additional emerging services on the airline’s entire fleet - including its newly-launched JAL SKY SUITE 777. “Our inflight entertainment offering reflects JAL’s commitment to providing the best onboard passenger experience to our customers,” said Jun Kato, Executive Officer of Route Marketing for Japan Airlines, added We are pleased to continue working with IFP in achieving our IFE objectives by delivering refreshingly unique offerings to passengers.” In other news from IFP, the firm appointed Robert Haxton as Managing Director of its UK and worldwide offices in January of this year. Haxton joined IFP in June 2012 as Chief Financial Officer, bringing financial and management experience to the company after serving as Vice President and Finance Director at Sony Pictures Entertainment since 2005.

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new interiors: seating

Piece

Piece by

PAX International looks into the guts of an airline seat and some of the innovations by companies that supply power, fabric, foam and a few things the industry hasn’t seen much of yet by RICK LUNDSTROM

ach piece of an airline seat is evaluated by carriers seeking to board a product in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Under the layers of dress covers, cushions and frames are mechanical and electronic systems that are smooth, quiet, and, in many cases, self-monitoring and self-diagnosing. When a passenger that has paid $10,000 for the chance to sit in one of the modern marvels of the premium aircraft cabin, they probably have little knowledge of the collaborative efforts of several companies that have painstakingly each done their part to make the flight comfortable and relaxing. One of those companies, Crane Aerospace & Electronics, has products that are included in the design and construction of the modern, premium cabin airline seat. To this day, many in the industry still refer to its seat actuation systems by the original name of P.L. Porter, a California-based company that was purchased by Crane in 2004. The company’s line of cabin system parts can range from simpler mechanic and hydraulic systems like the Hydrolok, a recline and locking system for economy class seats, to complex electrical systems that control many functions in a first or business class seat. The newest is the mcX motion control system. The mcX system from Crane Aerospace will be shown in its latest incarnation at Aircraft Interiors

“We consider ourselves one of the industry leaders in the design of electrical seat actuation systems,” said Greg Reese, Director of Cabin Systems Business Development at Crane Aerospace & Electronic’s offices in Lynnwood, Washington. At this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo, Crane will bring the next generation version of its mcX motion control system, designed for reliable performance, quiet operation, and simplified integration with other systems. Of particular interest is the integration of mcX with an external power source, such as the in-seat power supply. The mcX system can operate from any external 28VDC source, potentially eliminating the need for a dedicated power supply, thereby reducing overall system weight. Crane works with in-seat power supply manufacturers such as Astronics to research methods to optimize this weight savings idea. In addition, the company continues to incorporate low noise solutions into the system, a key feature that is an airline and passenger expectation today. Crane Cabin Systems works primarily with the world’s major seat manufacturers, integrating the actuation system products to meet each seat’s performance requirements. Its product support 32 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

department, however, provides services for both the original equipment manufacturer and the world’s airline fleet. Crane has product support offices located throughout the globe, and can provide rapid response for training and technical support. Reese said one of the company’s primary achievements with mcX has been creating a system with robust built-in diagnostics and a software maintenance tool that maximizes product reliability and simplifies troubleshooting.

Tapping new markets Tapis Products have been gracing the front cabins of airlines around the world and covering the walls and high-end furniture of business jets for many years. The company’s Ultraleather™ and TapiSuede™ are mainstays of the business and commercial aviation industry. Still, the company has challenges ahead and an important segment of the industry that it feels in can reach. Top regional airlines and low-cost carriers are in the sights of Tapis Products. “We’re trying to expand the market in the actual seating applications, whether it be economy class and any other of the classes, to really educate the customer and designers about Ultraleather™ and how it is designed to work and what the benefits and values are in using it, versus leather or fabric,” says Jason Estes, Sales Manager, Tapis Products. The benefits, says Estes, are many and they’ll be seen in three seats in multiple grain products in their booth at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg. Since 1966 Ultraleather™ has been engineered using only premium grade polycarbonate polymer. This polyurethane composition offers several advantages over PVC, traditional leather and leather waste composites, including durability, lighter weight and ease of care. “So it is really designed for highwear upholstery,” said Estes. The synthetic fabric that makes up Ultraleather is also inherently antimicrobial and made with a consistent grain and color and lightweight material. Internally, Tapis has been working diligently to develop new products and improve features of existTapis Products is searching for new cabin ing product lines to stay applications for products like its Ultraleather™ ahead of ever changing and stricter safety requirements

new interiors: seating and demands for seating products. Tapis will be introducing new versions of its flagship Ultraleather™ product with enhanced flammability properties that will allow its customers to use the product with various adhesives and substrates to pass even the most stringent flammability requirements.

flexibility allows it to be used in many configurations. “We have gotten a lot of interest from airlines and seat suppliers,” said Wilson. “For the short amount of time we have been on the market, it has been very encouraging.”

Light and healthy Since developing and supplying the crew rest area for the 787 Dreamliner, Silicon Valley based Supracor has sought to find a home for its Stimulite® product in airline seating. Susan Wilson, Vice President and Creative Director, and one of the original founders at Supracor has been making the rounds with samples of the honeycomb cushions. The Stimulite seat has more, and arguably more vital uses: Keeping jet pilots alert and providing healthy seating for people confined to a wheelchair. “Passenger seating, crew mattresses for normal people – that’s not nearly as difficult as it is to provide the support, the pressure relief or the comfort for somebody who is bedridden or confined to a wheelchair,” said Wilson. Supracor achieved recognition in the Supracor’s Stimulite honeycomb industry through its product was a finalist in the Crystal Cabin Awards last year participation in the Crystal Cabin Awards, part of every Aircraft Interiors Expo. Last year, Supracor was selected as a finalist in the award for innovation and passenger comfort. Stimulite® is now used as a cushion for the F-18 Hornet jet fighter and the Black Hawk helicopter and the V22 Osprey. What makes up a square yard of Stimulite® looks a lot like a thin matrix of mostly empty space. Less than 10% of the material makes contact with the person using the product as a seat. A subtle massage action is designed to alleviate discomfort on long flights. Wilson said the thin construction of a full cabin of seats made with Stimulite® would change the profile of the seat and give the illusion of more living space within the aircraft. The product’s

Lantal’s ear to the ground “These realms are highly eclectic, ranging from boisterous and colorful to pastels that glow in the darkness, from counterpoints in natural and artificial colors to very calm and introverted hues with a subdued design vocabulary.” Need to know more about airline seat fabric? – visit the Lantal stand at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo. It will be there where the company’s in-house design team can fill in the initiated with the latest results of its Conceptual Forecast, a look into megatrends and styles, textures and functions. The Forecast covers the themes and designs in seat cover fabrics, leathers, carpets and curtains. “On the one hand, the design council provided by Lantal focuses on the customer’s philosophy and style,” said Daniela Grunder, Director of Brand Communication at Lantal. “But on the other also factors in the trends that accommodate the needs of passengers.” In addition to filling in the industry on the more ethereal elements of product design, Lantal will be conducting some hard business during the course of 2013. The company is looking to make its Pneumatic Comfort System (PCS) introduced in 2009 on SWISS International’s long haul fleet a more important product. “Companywide, we are optimistic, because we have a reassurEach year Lantal comes out with a forecast on some of the hot ing backlog,” said new looks in airline cabin fabric Grunder.

Waste Management & Inflight Solutions

Waste Management & Inflight Solutions www.pax-intl.com | PAX INTERNATIONAL | 33

new interiors: seating

Seat market and running

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A vibrant retrofit market and traffic growth signal another year of demand for airline seating of all types, say several key manufacturers by RICK LUNDSTROM

could be said that the aircraft seating market is at its most lucrative when it is flat on its back. Ironically, for seat makers, that is a good thing. After a steady couple years of retrofits, where airlines around the world saw few alternatives than to add a 180 degree, lie flat seat to their business class, seat makers see 2013 shaping up to be another busy year. Mergers over the past few years have changed the dynamic of the North American market. Airlines in the United States have been investing billions into cabin service products and terminal infrastructure. The

several airlines have eliminated their first class cabins, 25 to 30 will continue first class for the foreseeable future, creating a core group for the years ahead. North American carriers are beefing up their transcontinental service and seeing the need for lie-flat seats for their business travelers taking the red-eye. “As the industry continues to innovate, we must support product development with new ideas and apply new technology to our current and future products to reduce weight and continuously offer the best products and services to our customers,” said Forsbrey.

each airline. “The needs of the airlines have changed, no matter if it is retrofit or linefit. Therefore we are developing synergies within Zodiac Aerospace to offer new integrated cabin solutions enhancing passenger experience, reducing cost of ownership and providing higher revenue generation to the airlines,” says Laurent Stritter, Vice President Marketing and Product Strategy of Zodiac Seats. EADS Sogerma recently took the company’s full range of passenger seating to the United States for the September Aircraft Interiors Expo in Seattle. The company has

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The Equinox seat from EADS Sogerma, which debuted at the Dubai Air Show

Zodiac Seats 5810 for premium economy class, is part of the Airbus Contracted Supplier (ACS) catalogue

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development of the A380 has led to innovations in the cabin; and the 787 Dreamliner, currently difficulties notwithstanding, has also contributed to a new environment in the aircraft cabin. With development of the A350 continuing apace, seat makers were bullish about the future of their business in the years ahead. “The retrofit market is still very active,” said Jeffrey Forsbrey, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at EADS Sogerma. “With those carriers not yet with a fully-flat business class product upgrading their fleet to meet the challenge of the market.” Forsbrey sited two other trends. Though 34 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

Zodiac Seat is One The new Zodiac Seats organization is dedicated to provide the market needs with solutions, based on its Seats France (previously Sicma Aero Seat), Zodiac Seats U.S. (Weber Aircraft) and Zodiac Seats UK (Contour) business units, which benefit from the expertise in design services and rapid prototyping capabilities of the Groups design center. Zodiac Seat is one entity, and through the new organization, the company offers a product range in the market, from super lightweight short-haul Economy class to highly sophisticated high end First class suites with unique features and styles for

taken more steps to break into the North American market. Recently, EADS Sogerma hired Mathieu Marrand des Grottes as director of sales for the Americas “and we are convinced Mathieu will develop both North and South American regions in the coming year,” said Forsbrey. The company’s most successful economic base has been Europe, with steady customers among several airlines, among them Alitalia and Iberia. One of the newest entrants in the EADS Sogerma portfolio is its Equinox seat that debuted at the Dubai Air Show. The company has made several sales to undisclosed customers that Forsbrey said was impressed

COME AND VISIT US AT AIX AND EBACE Stand 7-B7 Hamburg AIX Stand 388 EBACE

new interiors: seating >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

with the weight (less than 100 kilograms per double seat). In layouts such as 2-2-2 or 2-3-2, Equinox has a seat pitch of between 58 and 62 inches. At a 58-inch pitch, Forsbrey said airlines have the capability to increase yields in a business class configuration with the higher density. The company’s Solstys Premium Business Class Seat was the first added to ACS catalog for the A350, and last year the Equinox was also added, paving the company’s way as a key supplier when the jet goes into service. “We also have Equinox in the A350 ACS catalog and the seat is also listed in the B787 catalog now which is a great achievement for us, as always we are continuing to innovate and develop seats in our design organization that could be offered to potential A350 and B787 customers in line with the Airbus and Boeing catalog requirements and any BFE opportunities from potential customers,” said Forsbrey. At the Aircraft Interiors Expo, Zodiac Seats will display a super lightweight shorthaul Economy class seats line, weighing in at 7.5 kilograms per passenger. “For economy seats, we have developed a new kinematic which allows the passenger to benefit of the highest comfort level on this segment. This innovation is named Motion, which airlines are welcome to discover on our booth,” continues Stritter. Zodiac Seats will also be using the Aircraft Interiors Expo to show off a new business class concept that will be kept under wraps for select customers. For the first time, the company will make use of all of its of its business units which are located in France, the United States and the United Kingdom. “In designing this new seat one of the main objectives was to develop a modular platform seat which can be built by all entities,” said Stritter.

Avio’s Innovations The company that brought the Deck Chair concept seat to Aircraft Interiors, will be bringing a new innovation to this year’s event. Aviointeriors will launch the Leonardo seat it developed with another Italian company, Lamborghini Engineering making use of the company’s experience in manufacturing carbon composite parts. The Leonardo seat has been 18 months in development and comes to Hamburg with a weight savings of three kilograms less per passenger than the company’s Columbus family of seating. Officials at Aviointeriors said the Leonardo will enter the market at a price comparable to a conventional seat, but with composite construction offering less 36 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

Aviointeriors of Italy worked with Lamborghini Engineering to develop the Leonardo seat >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

weight and more comfort. Visitors to the company’s stand in Hamburg will also see the Columbus family of seats has been fully designed in its three model versions in the second half of last year. The seat has passed developmental tests, and it’s now ready for the actual launch to the market at the Aircraft Interiors Expo 2013 in Hamburg. The company also announced the first launching program with the Columbus Two. Air Niugini selected this seat model for their B737-700 and -800’s, and the program is now fully under deployment with the target to complete the first aircraft installation within September this year. Other recent customers for Aviointeriors products were Russian Nordwind airlines that selected the company’s Andromeda and Centaurus seating. SriLankan Airlines is also flying with the business class seating on their A330s and A340s.

2012 seat maker Recaro broke ground on a new production facility in Qingdao, China. The move was also significant by the fact that Recaro was the first international supplier of airline seating to establish a production facility in China. “This means that we will have manufacturing facilities in each of the key aviation markets in Asia, Europe and America,” said the company’s CEO, Dr. Mark Hiller, at the December groundbreaking. In China, we want to focus on economy short range and medium range products,” Hiller told PAX International. He said much of the products will be made when the China plant opens in mid-2013 would go toward airline orders for the A320 and 737. The company has developed its model BL3520 for the short- and medium-haul market, which it sold to approximately 20 airlines since its market launch. The other economy class seats in the short-range market is Recaro’s SL3510 which weighs in at 9 kilograms. Like others, Hiller sees the North AmerRecaro’s China connection ican market as strong for retrofit possiOn the numerically rare day of December 12, bilities in the years to come. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Normally, he said seats are replaced in an aircraft every six to eight years. However, with the extended economic downturn now showing signs of lifting, airlines will be anxious to replace products that have been flying much longer.

The new players

A recent customer for the Recaro BL3520 is Alaska Air >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Earlier this year, Pitch Aircraft Seating was in the process of obtaining certification for its PF2000. By late May to early June, Stewart Cordner, Sales and Marketing Director at Pitch said the company is hoping to clear the hurdles of static and dynamic certifica-

new interiors: seating >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

tion for the product for single-aisle Airbus aircraft and for the 737NG. By 2015, Cordner said the company has set a goal to develop between 60,000 to 70,000 seats per year. The first objective will be to establish Pitch as a player in the busy retrofit market. With a process adapted from automotive manufacturing. The company says it will be able to deliver products within 12 weeks of order. What the company brings to the retrofit market is a simple, lightweight seat that that is thin enough to give passengers a feeling of comfort that can make a 28 inch pitch seem like a 30 inch pitch, said Cordner. A standard triple configuration of the PF2000 weighs in at 26 kilograms. The PF2000 is also designed to fit into market that is becoming ever more dependent on customization with new materials and inflight entertainment. With relatively simple construction and modular design, materials and IFE hardware can be routed through a “back pack “ that gives passengers a choice of specification options to integrate its IFE systems. At the start of the year, another UK based company, Acro Aircraft Seating Ltd. was close to completing installation of its of its

The Superlight seat from Acro comes in at 65 kilograms per triple

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Superlight brand seat on 10 aircraft on Nordwind Airlines and was part way through an installation of 1,150 long haul seats to Royal Air Maroc, equipped with IMS RAVE inflight entertainment. The company manufactures the Superlight R and Superlight F seat along with its Ultra brand. ”The Superlight seat is where we started. We believe it’s the best economy class seat in the world. Its lightweight, giving the operator fuel savings. Its monospar chassis and curved

ergonomically designed backrest gives the passenger greater comfort – in particular more legroom for a given seat pitch than any other seat,” said Acro’s Cameron Allan. The company’s Ultra adds a degree of perceived luxury in accordance with the aesthetic demands of a full service carrier. The backrest enclosure, armrests and tray table are redesigned, and a reclining version is available. With the addition of an articulating headrest and IFE the seat is designed for the long-haul market.

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2/22/13 1:48 www.pax-intl.com | PAX INTERNATIONAL | PM 37

new interiors: flooring Going beyond sustainability

Flfocus oor Flooring manufacturers around the globe are responding in more ways than one to keep up with the move by the industry to reduce its environmental footprint by Lauren Brunetti

To many people outside the industry, flooring within an aircraft may seem like a relatively simple element of a cabin’s interior. However, behind the colour, fabric and design are important considerations made towards sustainability within the manufacturing process – choices which have the power to affect a company’s social, financial and environmental objectives to a great extent. 38 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

A leading European manufacturer of high quality, durable carpets and carpet tiles for commercial applications, Desso can look back on over 80 years experience for producing quality flooring for all types of applications. Desso is also a leading carpet supplier to the airframe manufacturers and to numerous airlines around the world, including Boeing, Airbus, Embraer and Bombardier, and airlines like China Airlines, KLM, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Vietnam Airlines and TUIfly. In early 2008, Netherlands-based Desso made a natural decision to take an alternative route and go a step beyond mere sustainability in the company’s design and production, by using their ‘Cradle to Cradle’ strategy. “Our innovative agenda positively improves the quality of life and the environment, by encouraging our clients to maximize rather than minimize the footprint we create,” explains Nathan Jansen, Aviation Sales Director at Desso. “Look at it this way: sustainability policies tend to lay down rules to lessen the impact on the environment. However, by taking our inspiration from nature’s continuous cycles, we are able to design and create materials to be used as ‘nutrients’ for biological or industrial systems.” In signing a partnership agreement with the Hamburgbased Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency (EPEA), Desso has become the first carpet manufacturer in EMEA to adopt the ‘Cradle to Cradle®’ design, which involves creating continuous cycles of both biological and technical ‘nutrients’. This means that products are made from positively defined materials that are easy to disassemble, in order to create new products in both the biological and technical cycles. The products have also been produced using manufacturing processes that rely on renewable energy, and seek to conserve water, and to embrace social responsibility. “Our Cradle to Cradle® strategy goes beyond sustainability and definitely sets us apart from our competition. Whereas our competition tries to minimize the negative impact on our planet, we aim to set a positive footprint. Doing it right, rather than ‘less bad,’” Jansen said. Desso also developed an innovative separation technique called Refinity,® that involves separating the yarn and other fibers from the backing. The separation produces two main material streams that can be recycled. After an additional purification stage, the yarn is returned to the manufacturer for the production of new yarn (some virgin material is needed to compensate for losses and inefficiency process). To top it off, one of Desso’s yarn suppliers, Aquafil, has developed proprietary technology at its regeneration plant to turn recovered post-consumer Polyamide 6 carpet fibres into new Polyamide 6 again and again. Furthermore, Desso also supports the Carpet Take Back Programme™ at Schiphol Airport, in cooperation with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. “The carpets in KLM’s airplanes are being replaced every five to six months, resulting in 35,000 square meters of carpet waste on a yearly basis. Rather than discharging this to traditional waste incineration, 80% of the waste (which equals 28,000 square meters of carpet) is taken back from Schiphol Airport and used as secondary fuel for the cement industry,” Jansen said. KLM and Desso are planning to expand the Carpet TakeBack Programme™ to Transavia and other companies within the KLM Group. “At the same time we are also

new interiors: flooring Unique tape technology

Desso can look back on almost 80 years of experience for producing quality flooring for all types of applications

continuously taking steps forward in the development of a Cradle to Cradle carpet for airplanes as well. We are progressing toward a 100% Cradle to Cradle® strategy in 2020,” Jansen added.

Light as a feather Another company aware of environmental pressures is Gerflor, which is based in France and has been manufacturing aircraft flooring since 1948. “We are recognized as a specialist and a world leader in resilient flooring solutions. Our company creates, manufactures and markets innovative, design-led and eco-responsible solutions for flooring and complementary interior finishes,” said Mélina Plassart, Aviation Product Manager at Gerflor. Gerflor developed what it says is the world’s lightest non-textile floor covering, called, Batiflex AV135. All Batiflex floor coverings offer superior anti-slip properties, dimensional stability, durability, ease of installation, cleaning and maintenance. “Qualified and selected as a standard baseline for the Boeing 787 program, the Batiflex AV 135 helps provide competitiveness and success to our customers – which include Air India, All Nippon Airlines, China Southern, Japan Airlines, Qatar Airways, Hainan Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines and more, “ she said. According to Plassart, all of Gerflor’s products are developed with the intention to optimize the environmental impact at every stage of the product’s life, this is what the company calls, “from cradle to grave.” This process includes assessment of the manufacturing, installation, ongoing maintenance and recycling of the products as well. Gerflor’s manufacturing facilities are ISO 14001 certified and the company only selects raw materials that contain no heavy metals, carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic components. When it comes to upcoming trends and predictions for the flooring sector within the aviation sector, Plassart told PAX International that wooden or decorative patterns will increase in popularity over time, and will definitely develop within the next few years. “This trend is noticeable at OEMs and in the retrofit market. Some regions of the world nevertheless remain quite conservative compared to others.”

Based in Bavaria, Germany, and now part of the Planatol Group of companies, BIOLINK was started by three chemists who were interested in what adhesive tape technology could compete with, based on a technical and performance level, but which could be far kinder and friendlier to the environment. It was 15 years ago that BIOLINK developed their proprietary 100% acrylic, solvent free, UV cured technology, and to this day it is the only company that produces its entire product range using this specific technology. BIOLINK’s unique technology is based on one fundamental environmental principle: to produce and coat adhesives without chemicals that would harm the environment or employees. “We believe that every business has the responsibility to take care of the environment in a sustainable manner in every one of its production processes. We pursue this important principle, delivering our promise to take care of future generations while at the same time combining it with commercial interests,” said Andrew Jenner, Business Development Manager at BIOLINK. “BIOLINK is happy to be ISO 14001 accredited, but for us, this is only the start. We will not use chemical components in our production that could be harmful for our employees, customers or the environment. Our technology only uses relatively small amounts of energy, no drinking quality water and we do not exhaust any by product into the air or the public water system,” Jenner told PAX International. BIOLINK has customers around the world, primarily in aerospace, automotive, and electronics industries and are highly regarded in the marketplace, for providing creative ideas for fixing, bonding and mounting challenges. “We remain very proud of the development work we did with AIRBUS, to design a new carpet tape (Relink 2318). This was very much a joint project, specifically to solve the problems associated with the more mature products in the market, such as residue upon removal, composite damage, residue removal by solvent and scraper, all of which cost significant time and money.” Relink 2318 remains the only carpet tape product used by Airbus and due to this good working relationship, BIOLINK and Airbus now have several other projects with the company’s tape products in progress.

BIOLINK developed their proprietary 100% acrylic, solvent free, UV cured technology 15 years ago

www.pax-intl.com | PAX INTERNATIONAL | 39

Equipment: Catering equipment Zodiac’s Modular Galley Concept

Form

meeting function

The products of years of continuing development and listening to airline customers will be seen at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo by RICK LUNDSTROM

he transition of the aircraft galley from a collection of scratched and battered boxes of various sizes and shapes to a spot where crew and passengers meet in comfort continues. Driven by the development of the entire aircraft cabin in both the commercial and business markets, the latest designs in cabin and galley equipment seen at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg will boast clean designs and bold lines. And there’s good reason. Airlines in most parts of the world are recovering from some rough years of floundering economies and reduced travel. With aircraft such as the A380 and 787 now showing the traveling public new heights of comfort, companies that make galley equipment are poised for some encouraging years as they bring their latest products forward. The possibility of sustained growth for the commercial aircraft cabin and galley market was noticed back in 2011. Then, a report from the investment firm Frost & Sullivan sited a number of trends and developments. It also forecasted growth in the cabin and aircraft interior market at a compounded annual rate of 8.7% and citing a number of factors for the scenario. Many of the revenue opportunities will occur after 2016, but by 2020 the report states that linefit and retrofit sales of cabin interior equipment sales could surpass US$10 billion per year. Since the report was published, few of the forces driving the sector of the industry seem to have changed. New aircraft types from Boeing, Airbus and the Chinese C919 are in development; high fuel prices still have airlines seeking out products made from lightweight materials and installing more efficient lighting; and demand continues for more cabin customization to meet passenger comfort requirements. Where the galley section of the cabin fits into the equation was one of the question marks in the Frost & Sullivan report. While low-cost carriers are reducing galley equipment to the necessary minimum, other airlines with high

40 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

B&W restructures, renames and adds new service B&W Engineering earned its reputation supplying airlines with what has been known through the industry as The Magic Box, or less elegantly the A-LogEqu System, that incorporates proprietary insulation in a multi-layered sealed box that can keep food at constant temperatures without the need for heating or dry ice. Several years and millions of flight hours later, the company has restructured and plans to bring not only boxes but also insights and guidance to airlines. Now, the company has three basic business segments, and a new name: Brain & Work. The company will also be seeking more customers outside the airline sector. “In terms of products, we transferred our knowledge of catering and equipment technology into terrestrial fields,” said Hubert Walter, Managing Director of Brain & Work. “And sell our insulted containers into areas where reliable temperature safety is indispensible, like in medical transports and terrestrial catering.” Brain & Work will be seeking willing buyers for its products in countries where the combination of sweltering climates and incomplete infrastructure combine to create transport problems for sensitive medical supplies and food. The third component of the new structure is development of products and software, also for use on the ground. “We deliver great value though a combination of industry expertise analytical techniques and technology knowledge and proven tools, also in terms of face-to-face coachings,” said Walter. Brain & Two of the company’s Magic Work has consulted airlines in multiBox units fit in a half size trolley day sessions on workshops that focus on catering procedures, how to implement changes and possibilities for catering operations. At this year’s World Travel Catering and Onboard Services Expo, visitors will be able to put their hands on the latest version of The Magic Box in a sevenrunner height. Two of the boxes can fill a half-sized trolley with a selection of chilled products that can be storied 20% longer. “Due to new, improved production methods we could lower the price on the boxes and make them more cost efficient in use,” added Walter.

Equipment: Catering equipment service offerings are looking for products that help them prepare fresher meals while taking up as little space, weight and energy as possible. “The global economic situation will have significant influence on the segment and on the popularity of airlines’ business models,” said the report. Cabin and galley equipment manufacturers have been at work on business models as well. Visitors to the Zodiac Aerospace stand will hear the French company playing some different music at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo. In addition to a recently introduced modular galley system that is already making waves and winning awards (see news

The Skytender trolley can hold up to 18 hot and cold drink options

Several components in the Concert Suite of galley inserts

section) the many Zodiac entities that touch every aspect of the abovethe-wing experience was in the midst of an overhaul of its internal workings as the Hamburg event neared and PAX International went to press. This year, the company has organized into a structure dividing its cabin interior activities into three dedicated divisions: Zodiac Cabin & Interiors, Zodiac Galleys & Equipment and Zodiac Seats. “Clearly, that brings significant advantages to ourselves internally so we can be organized and efficient,” said Thomas Lee, Director of

Skytender takes first scheduled flight in 2012 WDL Aviation took the first commercial version of the Skytender trolley on a British Aerospace 146 jaunt from Cologne, Germany to Palma de Majorca at the end of December. With staff from LSG Sky Chefs and Skymax, passengers were treated to a wide range of hot and cold beverages dispensed with the push-button system that eliminated the need for water boilers for coffee and tea and bottles for soft drinks. The product range is impressive. Skytender was put through its paces, with a line of more than 100 available drinks. Each trolley can be configured to supply up to 18 drink options with 30 liters of hot and cold water. Skymax says the trolley will soon be taking to skies with several other airlines. The company will be at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo with several other products as well. Skymax is working with a company called Air-Eltec on a range of amenities including cases for smartphones and tablet PCs, beauty cases, handbags and clutch bags. The “Urban Natural Leather” accessories will also be part of the Skymax stand. Finally, the company will be showing visitors its line of headsets, among them a premium noise cancelling model for the business class passenger. The company will also be showing a 15.6-inch display media player that can hold up to 240 hours of IFE. www.pax-intl.com | PAX INTERNATIONAL | 41

Equipment: Catering equipmenT

Iacobucci makes biz jet insert line Italian manufacturer Iacobucci debuted its line of galley inserts for the business jet market in October of last year at the National Business Aviation Association that includes a new espresso maker and induction oven. The espresso maker uses Nespresso pods to brew the coffee with an inner water tank that makes the product easy to use. The company plans to follow up the design with a lightweight coffee maker, also with an internal tank. The induction oven has also been redesigned for aesthetics. The new model was designed for business aircraft. The exterior of the oven stay cool during operations and The new espresso maker from has been adapted for operations using fresh cooking ingredients. Iacobucci works with “The group’s main driver is innovation,” said a release from Iacobucci. “And that is Nespresso pods why it invests 20% of its annual turnover in research and development of new products, processes, material, technologies.”

Marketing and Innovation at the Galleys and Equipment Division of Zodiac Aerospace. “But also to the market by being able to collectively and singularly create the products of the future under one unified structure.” Built for twin-aisle commercial aircraft, the Zodiac Modular Galley is made up of a Core Galley, Add-Ons and Insert Modules. The Core Galley is composed of all the interfaces to the aircraft structure and systems. The Add-Ons have been designed for either crew or passenger use that can be contained in an ATLAS or ARINC configuration. Zodiac Aerospace is continuing to develop products for the modular system, and will later add refill and lift systems that will allow carts to be stored in the cargo compartment and other units in the crown area of the fuselage. The industry will also be getting the first look at several Zodiac products that have been in development for the past few years. The company’s Concert Suite of galley inserts, sporting bold lines and considerable possibilities for customization recently won a Red-Dot design award. Passengers that congregate around the galley and crew will use a system that was designed for both. Descriptions of the Concert Suite note the product’s overall appearance and design properties and its practical applications, such as cutting up to 75 kilograms on a typical wide-body configuration. Ergonomic and ease of use properties

The Symphony line of galley inserts can add color to a normally drab section of the airline cabin

42 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

include insulated serving pots and doors on the bun warmer that can be hinged for either left or right hand opening, and door locks and oven doors that with double safety latching that can also be opened using only one hand. The suite of products includes ovens, coffee makers, beverage makers, water boilers and bun warmers. “All these developments could have been realized within the very limited design freedom of the stringent aerospace certification requirements,” said a release from Zodiac, noting its Red Dot design Award. “All in all, these inserts provide their customers with improvements at the very important issues of design, noise reduction, safety, handling, and especially weight.” The second product line with musical names is the company’s Symphony galley inserts . The Symphony is composed of a steam and convection oven, microwave ovens, beverage chiller, coffeemaker, water boiler and trash compactor. Zodiac brings a number of innovations to the Symphony line also designed for ARINC and ATLAS standards. The coffee maker has been designed with a brew piston that extracts the optimum amount of coffee solids in each brew cycle. The ovens are made for unpressurized cooking and special venting eliminates billowing steam. In the beverage chiller, a perforated plate under the bottles circulates cold air quickly and in a more uniform process. The new trash compactor is 13.6 kilograms lighter than previous models. The equipment panels can be interchanged, which allows airlines to add various graphics and motifs to the look of the décor. Full color displays and plug-and-play controls are among the other noteworthy features of the Symphony line. If it seems that the two products from the Zodiac line cover all the bases, the company clearly sees the need for continued research and monitoring of trends. “The industry will not stand still, quite the contrary,” said Sonja Naumann, Marketing and PR manager at Zodiac Premium Galleys. “There will be different trends such as the demand for eco-efficiency and ecomeal preparation. For social areas with full or self-service bar units and especially for standardization and pre-certified galleys and galley inserts resulting from consumer market trends.”

health & safety

SITTING

SAFELY

PAX International speaks with several industry leaders about how they are making the cabin a safer place for passengers and crew members alike by Lauren Brunetti

“Next time you are on an aircraft, turn your seatbelt buckle over and I can almost guarantee you it will have the AmSafe logo on it,” says Bernard Emmett, Sales Manager at AmSafe. It has been more than 10 years since Amsafe first developed their most famous product, a deployable airbag triggered by a seatbelt. Fast forward to today, and AmSafe is known globally for its range of safety restraint products and supplying them to the world’s leading airlines, including Virgin Atlantic Airways, Qatar Airlines, and British Airways. Some of Amsafe’s products include pillows and pillowcases, grip gloves, sleep suits, child seats and bassinets, head rest covers, loading bags, and more. The Interior Products division within AmSafe has recently launched the Grip Glove, a CE certified tool offering flight attendants greater protection when operating steam ovens onboard. The five fingered Grip Glove is constructed from quilted cotton and has a knitted polyester inner which is then dipped into natural latex; the latex provides safer handling and control while allowing for mobility of containers in confined spaces. Right and left hand identification bindings are also incorporated. “Serving meals from a steam oven during flight requires care and a certain level of caution. There should be no compromise when it comes to the safety of your flight attendants,” Emmett said. “We regularly talk to the airlines about how we can improve our products and services. It became very clear there was a need for a protective glove, that they could trust and would give them piece of mind. With its CE Approval, we believe our Grip Glove answers this call and will raise the standards of safety and protection of anyone working with steam ovens.” AmSafe signed a distributor agreement for this product with Reheat International, a company which provides aftermarket solutions for aircraft galley equipment, including steam ovens. “There is an obvious synergy between their customer base and AmSafe’s strategy of promoting our steam oven gauntlet. You could say, that this partnership fits like a glove!” Emmett said the product has generated a good initial response from AmSafe customers. AmSafe will also display the new product at its stand during the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg this year.

Pioneers in sanitary security “The cabin is a dynamic and sensitive environment that requires a high level of hygiene. Passengers are now more aware than ever before about the importance of a AmSafe’s new Grip Glove offers flight attendants greater protection when operating steam ovens onboard

cleaner cabin,” says Andres Carulla, International Sales Manager at PSA Paris. PSA’s products, which help to maintain a positive hygiene cycle through the overall cleaning process, can be used on the ground or during flight by the cleaning and maintenance teams, crew and passengers. PSA Paris started operations in 1982 as an answer to the World Health Organization’s concerns about sanitary risks linked to air travel transportation. “We initially focused on insect control products designed to prevent the importation of infected insects to other non contaminated territories,” Carulla explains. “Simultaneously, other fears regarding the spread of diseases throughout aircraft cabins led us to introduce a whole new concept about aircraft hygiene. We proudly became the first company to provide disinfectants, insecticides and cleaners with aeronautical certifications and to provide integral solutions for the cabin environment.” At the present time, PSA supplies their products around the globe in all continents. Despite the economic downturn, Carulla says that the company has been growing steadily in all regions, due to the fact that, “there is lots of room for improvement on the field of sanitary security linked to air travel transportation.” “Passengers are now more aware about hygiene and on top of this, airlines agree that passengers, above all services, grant special attention to a clean cabin. This is why airlines are now advertising about their procedures and commitments towards hygiene,” he said. One of PSA’s more recent and successful projects involves a decontamination solution composed of a dry fogger machine, disinfectant, insecticide and odor eliminator. This solution allows for a thorough decontamination, optimizing time and products while protecting surfaces and materials. At the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg this year, PSA will be exhibiting this new decontamination solution for cabin treatment. Visitors will also be able to see PSA’s other products that can be applied within a cabin environment.

Branding safety A creative content service provider which offers in-flight entertainment solutions to global airlines, Interact is headquartered in the IFEC hub of Orange County, California near all of the major hardware companies and Hollywood distributors. With the company’s creative team being a mix of both airline and entertainment industry professionals, it’s no wonder that Interact’s custom production work has not only won a number of airline industry awards, but it has also been recognized with several highly prestigious film and video awards as well. Throughout 2012, Interact worked closely with Aircalin on the www.pax-intl.com | PAX INTERNATIONAL | 43

health & safety A movie still from Aircalin’s 3D animated safety video, produced by the Interact Creative team

production of their GUI design, safety video, safety card, and several instructional videos. This project came about as Aircalin was planning to launch their retro-fitted aircraft with new cabin upgrades, new seats and a new Panasonic AVOD IFEC system. “Not only are safety videos the first piece of media that a passenger sees, but they are also an excellent way of displaying the airlines’ brand and brand personality. Plus, all of the passengers have to watch them,” said Stephanie Cooper, Marketing and Business Development Director at Interact. Aircalin is based in New Caledonia, and operates flights from Noumea to 10 destinations in the South Pacific. Interact worked closely with the airline to help incorporate Aircalin’s brand personality within each element of the project. “In the last five years or so, it’s been interesting for us, as we are no longer just dealing with the airlines’ safety departments; more and more we are finding that

custom

aviation

airlines’ marketing departments are taking a keen interest in the production of the safety videos because they are also an excellent marketing tool,” Cooper said. “Aircalin is based in one of the most stunning parts of the world and we were keen to incorporate as much of the region’s natural beauty into all our designs,” said Michaela Bolzan, Interact’s Creative Director. Also, for the 3D animated safety video, Interact’s creative team drew inspiration from the various ethnic groups that make up Aircalin’s passengers, including French, Japanese, and the local Kanak people. “We are convinced that this upgraded in-flight product will greatly improve their travel experience with Aircalin,” Bolzan said. “For us at Interact Creative, this has been a thrilling opportunity. Working with a client on the development of their brand and brand personality, is what we’re passionate about!” he added.

The Floor is Yours

carpets

Almost zero gravity

Desso’s new lightweight carpet: 1.100 gram per square meter and up to 40% weight reduction Zero gravity is not quite feasible yet. But we can get you the next best thing. Desso is well aware that the weight of aviation carpets is essential in our industry. That is why we have developed a revolutionary new Wilton woven nylon carpet that enables a weight reduction of up to 40% compared to market standards, without compromising on technical performance. Now we’re talking. For more information, visit www.desso-aviation.com > Product range > Lightweight carpet.

44 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

health & safety: Ctt systems

Breathe in,

breath out CTT Systems discusses the power behind cabin humidification and the impact it has on improved comfort, profitability and air safety for passengers and crew by Lauren Brunetti

hen it comes to creating the ideal environment for passengers and crew while they are onboard, the recipe is simple, according to Peter Landquist, Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Customer Support at CTT Systems – one of the most important ingredients is humid air. A Swedish technology company specializing in cabin humidity solutions, CTT Systems’ two main products, the Zonal Drying™ System and Cair,™ create conditions for improved profitability and flight safety as well as considerably enhanced comfort for passengers and cabin crew members. CTT supplies both of these systems to aircraft manufacturers for installation during production of new aircraft and to airlines for existing aircraft fleets. The Zonal Drying™ System prevents condensation within the aircraft by combating the root cause; less condensation means less weight, which results in lower fuel consumption and emissions. The system effectively removes moisture by taking air from the crown area or cargo area and feeding it though zonal dryer units between the cabin and the outer skin of the aircraft. This lowers the dew point in the crown area preventing the condensation process from occurring, thus keeping the insulation blankets dry. Meanwhile, the Cair™System humidifies dry cabin air to increase passenger and crew comfort. Cair™ consists of the CTT Zonal Drying™ System, and a system for humidifying sections of the aircraft’s passenger and crew areas. The humidifying part of Cair™ consists of one or more humidifiers with the combination of water supply systems as well. Since the company began in 1993, CTT Systems has experienced some major milestones along the way, which have provided a solid platform for the company to stand on. “The big success for CTT was

CTT’s Zonal Drying™ System

in 2005 when Boeing selected our drying system for the 787 and our humidifiers for the flight deck and cabin crew areas,” he revealed. “Then, in 2008 we were selected by airbus for the A350, but all of our equipment as options, for first class and business one and two.” According to Landquist, without cabin humidification, passengers are left feeling symptoms of discomfort, including cold and allergy symptoms, sleeping difficulties, dry skin, general fatigue and increased jetlag. On top of all of this, without a proper humidification system installed onboard, a passenger’s onboard dining experience will be negaCTT’s Cair™System tively affected as well. “The VIP owners have realized that increased cabin humidity from 5% to 25% relative humidity is a great comfort and well-being enhancement. The fact is, that in a VIP aircraft, the cabin relative humidity is down below 5%,” he explains. “The reason for the low humidity is simply that less people are seated in the First Class cabin. During cruise, the main contributors to the humidity level are the passengers. There is no place on the globe where it is as dry as it is in a first class cabin.” Inflight studies have shown that with a comfortable cabin humidity level, passengers won’t just feel better, but just as importantly, their food and drinks will also taste better. “Wine really relates to humidity, so if you have a dry environment, all of the flavors within the wine will not rise and if you have a dry mouth, you will not have the same positive tasting that you will have if you had it in a normal humid environment,” Landquist reveals. Even though he seldom travels in first class, Landquist says he does however fly business class quite often – and although it has nice seating, flat beds and good wine, it’s not always enough. “You feel quite exhausted without proper humidification,” Landquist said. “If you fly in an aircraft with our system there is a major difference, for example the air feels fresh, crisp and one can feel very comfortable. But of course, my opinion is a little objective.” www.pax-intl.com | PAX INTERNATIONAL | 45

cabin design: engineering

Engineering

a better space An example of the near-perfect cabin re-creations that can be developed by Creaform 3D

e all need somebody to lean on. In the aviation industry this adage is of particular truth and substance. Aviation ‘clusters’ develop all over the world for good reason, because companies in this business can almost always benefit greatly from working together towards a mutual goal. Regardless of how much expertise any one entity can manage to amass within itself, there is nearly always another, which is more experienced or efficient in certain disciplines. Sound engineering is the backbone of the interiors industry: ensuring fit, function and safety of every component between the floor and the ceiling of the cabin. And yet, engineering is hardly the core business of many companies in this space. While nearly every firm exhibiting at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo and every airline in attendance has got a few capable engineers on staff, we found that they often turn to others for help in a variety of applications.

Volare Group

We first shared the story of Volare Engineering with PAX International readers in March 2012. The firm, located in Mexicali, Baja California Mexico (just south of the U.S. border) was celebrating its tenth year in operation and theirs was a case of success. Having grown from just 11 engineers on staff in 2002, to 20 in 2012 and another 15 support workers, Volare had already completed successful projects with major clients like Zodiac Aerospace Group, Bombardier Transportation, VivaAerobus, Aeroméxico and Rockwell Collins. They had a simple proposition then and they still do today: reduce time, money and headaches by trusting engineering work to a firm which specializes in engineering services. In the past three years, much has been going on within Volare Engineering. The firm now has 20 trained engineers on staff, supported by another 20 employees with a variety of skill sets and backgrounds. A full reorganization has taken place resulting in double-digit growth, the addition of

46 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

an AS9100C certification to its ISO 9001:2008 certification, and an enhanced scope of available services including stress simulation and manufacturing integration - offering turnkey solutions to transport industry. As is necessary in any industry, Volare keeps up to date with the latest in technology, software and training to stay one step ahead of its competition. Catia, 3DVia, SolidWorks, Unigraphix Pro|E and Autocad are just a few of the complex software types that the company’s engineers are using, in addition to sophisticated macro routines, libraries, dBases and developed tools. This group of engineers will also be thoroughly trained on the design for Six Sigma philosophy in 2013. “Since 2011 we have split our workforce into two teams,” explains Roberto Corral, Director of Sales and Senior Executive Partner at Volare Engineering. “One is dedicated to technical publication with CMM/IPL manuals and service bulletins and the second is a 3D modeling and drafting engineering team. Now, a third team has assumed the pivotal role of providing on-site engineering support and liaison to our clients. This last team is being used more and more by our aviation customers as their need for engineering assistance becomes more vital in the manufacturing environment for cabin equipment.” As of publication date, Volare was participating as the first Mexican engineering firm in the 2013 Crystal Cabin Awards at Aircraft Interiors Expo. The Composite Conversion Module replaces oven inserts with additional payload space. The unit is made from layup composite material and competed in the Industrial Design & Visionary Concepts category of the awards.

Creaform 3D Creaform 3D was also started up in 2002, albeit slightly further North than Mexicali. Quebec City is still home to the headquarters

cabin design: engineering of this company, which has grown at a truly astonishing rate in just over ten years. The United States, France, Germany, Japan, China and India are all home at least one Creaform 3D corporate office. The company employs more than 300 people worldwide and is constantly looking for new talent. “When you see the rate at which our company is growing, it certainly underscores the need within the aviation industry for reliable partners and suppliers to support a range engineering needs,” says David Gagne, Vice President, 3D Engineering and Metrology Services at Creaform 3D. “Our offering addresses these requirements, so I envision that Creaform and companies like it can, and should, expect significant growth in the years to come. Creaform 3D is not just a partner offering up engineering services, but is also a supplier of tools which enable other engineers to more efficiently complete tasks that were once quite tedious. In 2005 the company developed its first 3D optical technology. This was a precursor to the popular Handyscan 3D, Go!Scan 3D and MetraSCAN 3D technologies designed to scan, probe, and measure objects as small as mobile phones or as large as a commercial jet cabin or even a large factory. In the aircraft interiors world, Creaform has saved its customers thousands of hours of work and large sums of money by creating CAD files so accurate, they have, in some cases, abolished the need to build expensive mock-ups. “By our 3D knowledge and engineering services, we have digitized and recreated the complete fuselage of a Boeing 737 allowing a customer to design perfectly fitted furniture for a VIP client, without the need to build a jig,” says Gagne. “An aircraft is never perfectly straight. There will always be some deviation and we can measure that with our technology, recreating those unique variations and allow for interiors components to be designed using only a digital mock-up accurate to 0.5 millimeters.”

Avianor Inc. Not surprisingly, as it is the third largest aerospace city in the world, our next company is also located in Montreal, Canada. Avianor is a privately held corporation specializing in aircraft and component maintenance. With more than 17 years of experience in the design, engineering, certification, manufacturing, maintenance, modification and distribution of aeronautical and general transportation equipment, Avianor has positioned itself as a vertical integrator in the marketplace. “A s a i r l i n e s continue to feel competitive pressure and place greater focus on their core business (attracting and transporting passengers from A to B), many passenger carriers are choosing to subcontract engineering and certification expertise,” says Virginia Ta b o r d a , Vi c e President Sales Avianor developed a unique device to and Strategy at transport the Olympic Flame whilst en route to the 2010 Vancouver Games Avianor. “Avianor 48 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

The custom tail of this aircraft was fitted by Avianor for popular rock band U2’s world tour

works closely with its customers to provide advisory services and program management with its product offerings to become an arm of the airline’s engineering department.” According to Taborda, many customers choose to involve Avianor in potential projects at a very early stage, putting to work the firm’s many years of experience and ensuring a model outcome. The company boasts a team of 13 engineers split between their engineering, program management and sales teams. Transport Canada, FAA, EASA and Bermuda certifications are held for maintenance and Transport Canada has certified both its manufacturing and distribution processes. In fourth quarter of 2012, Avianor enhanced its management structure, adding two experienced industry professionals to its team.

TIMCO Launched more than 20 years ago as an aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) company in North Carolina, TIMCO today has four multi-hangar airframe facilities, a line maintenance and refurbishment network covering 20 airports, a full service engine MRO shop and its TIMCO Aerosystems division has been granted OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) status for interior products. It is needless to say that design and engineering play a critical role in the reformatting of a cabin and the manufacture of completely original components, like, for instance, TIMCO’s line of FeatherWeight™ seats. “In our world of interiors product development, the tug-of-war between form and function takes the roles of aesthetic designers and technical engineers,” explains Leonard Kazmerski, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for TIMCO. “The former are attentive to the needs, comfort and general perceptions of the products during operations, particularly from the passenger, crew and servicing perspectives. Engineers on the other hand, focus on how the product functions and how it can deliver results more effectively and efficiently. Quite often and not surprisingly, the two can have tendencies towards dramatically dif“In our world of interiors product development, ferent results!” the tug-of-war between form and function takes the roles of aesthetic designers According to Kazmerand technical engineers.” - Leonard ski, somewhere in the Kazmerski, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for TIMCO

cabin design: engineering TIMCO’s FeatherWeight™ seat has recently been redesigned and updated

middle-ground between a designer’s vision and an engineer’s calculated realism is where the best products are developed. “While our engineers continue to focus on how to make our products lighter and more efficient, we invest considerable effort to ensure they make passengers more comfortable during their flights,” he reveals. “Airlines are increasingly seeking this attention to product design as they devote more effort to winning the loyalty of high-revenue, returning passengers – especially business travelers. TIMCO’s engineers have done well. The company has good customers in many of the world’s leading global airlines, government agencies, private companies and regional aircraft operators. Recently, the firm successfully launched its third customer program for seat installation on Boeing 787 aircraft, keeping up with a fast-paced delivery schedule through focus and flexibility. At the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, TIMCO will display its complete line of FeatherWeight™ seats, including a newly redesigned and updated FeatherWeight™ 3050 premium economy product.

EMTEQ As aircraft cabins have become increasingly open and spacious in atmosphere, lighting has begun to take a more central role in their planning and execution. These days, everything from the quality of light to the appearance of light fixtures is under much more scrutiny, with airlines even mimicking Mother Nature by creating, for example, a warm and gentle sunrise after an overnight flight to help passengers wake up happier and better adjusted to new time zones. “We are seeing a lot of airlines brand the passenger experience using lighting effects unique to them,” says Kimberly Hoogland, Marketing Leader at EMTEQ, a well-established provider of light weight cables, trays, LED lighting, structural assemblies, cabin power and engineering/certification services. “We believe that airlines will put a stronger focus on finding partners who are experts to assist with achieving these objectives to maintain their market share and brand, rather than building that expertise internally.” With FAA/EASA repair stations, FAA and TCCA delegates to support all certification procedures and a team of more than 50 electrical and mechanical engineers on staff, Hoogland feels that EMTEQ is the ideal partner to help customers create the perfect mood lighting in the cabin. The company recently supported a retrofit of more than 150 aircraft from three different platforms, from fluorescent to LED lighting, throughout the entire cabin, galley and lavatories. For this undertaking, EMTEQ provided product, integration, engineering and certification. “Many complications can arise with fleet wide retrofit projects like these,” she says. “But our team of project managers and our engineering and certification team pay close attention to the program, modifying the plan based on these unforeseen obstacles to reach the desired outcome. We like to marry sleek design concepts with good engineering to ensure an attractive and certifiable product.” As of production time, EMTEQ had three unique products in consideration for Crystal Cabin Awards at Aircraft Interiors Expo.

The company’s new eFit™ drop-in mood lighting offers a quick lighting retrofit to B737NG and A320 cabins, the QUASAR II® offers weight and size reduction over its predecessor and the intelliUSD SR™ can charge roughly 90% of the market-leading tablets, eReaders and smartphones from a single port.

Volant Aerospace “With increasing market share of leased aircraft and the current/pending airline mergers, we see a strong demand for interiors reconfigurations over the next several years,” says Mike Guagenti, President and CFO of Volant Aerospace, a FAA and EASA certified repair station with full manufacturing, technical research and engineering capabilities in Washington State. “We believe that the market is seeking a one-stop-solution with a partner that can provide all elements of these reconfiguration programs.” Guagenti is confident that Volant Aerospace, after more than 20 years working in the interior modification business, has got the right mix of engineering ability, design know-how, parts repair and manufacturing, and program management to be the ideal stop for airlines and leasing companies. In particular, a recent business transaction has dramatically enhanced Volant’s pool of resources. On December 28, 2012, Volant was acquired by Vision Technologies Aerospace, a subsidiary of Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd. “Combining Volant’s assets and capabilities with those of ST Engineering, puts both companies in a great position to provide a full service solution to our customers,” Guagenti reveals. “What we didn’t have before, was engineering and certification expertise beyond interiors. Volant did not participate in projects focused around avionics, IFE, structural elements and flight controls. For these matters we often partnered with third party engineering firms. Now, being connected to ST Engineering enables us to be part of a fuller solution.” The engineering component of what Volant Aerospace (or any company in the business of modifying a vessel that will carry thousands of human lives high above the earth) provides cannot be understated in Guagenti’s opinion. The tiniest miscalculation can lead to extended aircraft downtime and loss of revenue. “The plane cannot leave the facility if you have a problem with the installation of your parts. If your engineering is wrong and the plane sit for just one day extra, that’s millions of dollars that the airline is losing. So basically, your margin for error is really limited. You have to have the right design and confidence in your team,” he says. Volant Aerospace, a FAA and EASA certified repair station with full manufacturing, technical research and engineering capabilities

www.pax-intl.com | PAX INTERNATIONAL | 49

sales@volare-eng.com Mexico 52.686.567.4998 US/Canada 1.760.802.1327

ISO

9001:200

AS9100 Rev. C Company certified by PRI Registrar ANAB Accredited

vip interiors

Fit for a

king

PAX International speaks with several industry experts who specialize in creating a luxury, VIP environment for well-heeled customers by Lauren Brunetti

the world of VIP interiors, luxury finishes and creative innovation are essential. For companies that specialize within this sector of the industry, whether they manufacture top-notch galleys and equipment, lavatories, innovative seats or high-resolution screens, it all comes down to creating a picture-perfect interior that fits the functional and aesthetic criteria of the client.

Targeting the Middle East When it comes to being successful within the VIP interiors sector, local knowledge and reputation is everything, says Graham Hutchins, Marketing Manager at MacCarthy Aviation Holdings. MacCarthy Aviation specializes in the refurbishment and retrofitting of lavatories, galleys, seating, stowages, monuments and VIP interiors for a wide variety of commercial aircraft. Their customers range from small private helicopter owners to the largest commercial fleet operators and everything in between. “We can count British Airways, Emirates, Sri Lankan Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Qatar, Transaero and Air Astana as regular customers,” he

told PAX International. “Our company’s capabilities range from anything within the cabin from wall-to-wall, ceiling to floor; this includes seating, carpet, wall linings, lighting, lavatories, galleys, baby cradles, bassinets, bulkheads, monuments, meeting rooms, and stowage.” According to Hutchins, the choice of materials often play the biggest part for a VIP finish, especially when it comes to making the interior as relaxing, comfortable and functional as possible. Also, when comparing VIP to commercial work, the two are entirely different, he says. “Commercial refurbishments are typically much quicker; for example we can turn around a ship set of B767 galleys in for refurbishment in ten to fifteen working days.” MacCarthy has already made a name for itself with a number of VIP clients in the Middle East market. “Over the years, we have earned an enviable reputation in the Middle East for our stunning VIP interiors, working on all types of aircraft including a C130 for royalty, ACJ, BBJ and whole raft of business jets and helicopters,” he said. And within the next couple of years, the Middle East is an

The choice of materials often play the biggest part for a VIP finish, says Graham Hutchins, Marketing Manager at MacCarthy Aviation Holdings

www.pax-intl.com | PAX INTERNATIONAL | 51

vip interiors rials; these designs provide a visual tool for engineering, manufacturing and installation,” said Hadley. Greenpoint Technologies’ design team recently released its concept for a patent-pending, ground-to-main deck lift for the Boeing 747-8 VIP aircraft, called the Aerolift™. The lift transports up to four passengers at a time from the ground to the main deck. According to Hadley, Greenpoint is in discussion with many customers regarding this product with a hope to win new partnerships later this year.

Personalized service

Greenpoint is a preferred OEM supplier to The Boeing Company and has designed and delivered specialty interior systems and modifications for nearly every Boeing model

area that MacCarthy plans to remain focused on, since it will most likely continue to flourish. At the AIX Expo in Hamburg this year, MacCarthy Aviation will be showcasing a fully refurbished B767 M8 lavatory, which is on the back of major orders won over the last twelve months. Lavatory refurbishment and reconfiguration in particular has also proven to be a successful sector for the company, with work completed on B737, B767, A330 and A340 aircraft over the past year.

An umbrella of capabilities Established in 1988 and privately owned, Greenpoint Technologies, Inc. has a strong history of VIP completions and modifications. Greenpoint is also a preferred OEM supplier to The Boeing Company and has designed and delivered specialty interior systems and modifications for nearly every Boeing model. The company’s corporate headquarters is also located in Kirkland, WA, just 20 miles from Boeing’s two manufacturing facilities in Washington State. “As a turnkey Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) completion center, we receive the empty aircraft (“green” is what the industry coins the no-interior delivery) from Boeing. We work with the aircraft owner or their representative to create the interior layout and design. Then, we engineer, manufacture, procure, install and certify the custom interior while meeting FAA certification requirements,” explains Christine Hadley, Sales and Marketing Manager at Greenpoint. The Greenpoint company umbrella includes Greenpoint Technologies Inc., Odyssey Aerospace Components (established in 2008) and Greenpoint Products and Services (2010). All of these companies contain a variety of in-house disciplines - from engineering and design, to the manufacture and installation of VIP interiors. To date, the organization employs 350 people across multiple companies and has delivered 21 BBJ and Head-of-State completions and more than 250 modification contracts. Similar to MacCarthy Aviation, visual aesthetics also play an extremely important role for Greenpoint when it comes to their VIP completions; according to Hadley it allows customers to view the interior before it’s even engineered or built. “The artistic renderings are created by design, using the customer’s selected colors and mate52 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

As travelers around the world have become increasingly discerning, it has resulted in airlines looking for interior solutions that differentiate themselves from their competitors. This is where Altitude Aerospace saw the opportunity to put their design capabilities into play and offer innovative solutions for the airline and VIP market, said Matthew Woollaston, Head of VIP Business at Altitude Aerospace. Altitude Aerospace Interiors was born from a team of people within Air New Zealand. The company is comprised of two separate business streams; one being the airline side of the business, and the other being the VIP side of the business which deals with VIP maintenance and completions. “Altitude is a niche provider to customers who prefer personalized service over a production line approach. Our VIP completion centre focuses on a single completion at a time which allows us to focus our entire attention on delivering the highest quality product to our clients,” Woollaston explained. “Also of great value is our strong working relationship with Boeing. Altitude has more than 40 years experience working on Boeing aircraft as well as having endorsement from Boeing on B747-8, B777, B767s and B787s.” According to Woollaston, small details make a huge difference to a passenger, who is tired and has a long trip ahead of them- and this concept is something that Altitude bases their interior designs on. “VIP completion customers expect only the best and aesthetics is taken to a whole new level with every small detail,” he said. When it comes to predictions for the future within the VIP sector, Woollaston said that there are going to be many changes within the aerospace industry over the next few years – and Altitude is looking forward to these challenges as opportunities in disguise. According to Woollaston, there will be huge growth in the Asian and Middle East for the VIP market, with a growing number of private aircraft being purchased by both individuals and corporations. The commercial airline business will also continue to develop as airlines become more competitive and look for new ways to entice customers to their business. “Aircraft interior suppliers will be stepping away from familiar territory and coming up with some quite different ideas to appease cusMatthew Woollaston, tomers – it’s an exciting time Head of VIP Business at Altitude Aerospace for the industry.”

The destination for the aircraft interiors industry Aircraft Interiors Expo 2013 9-11 April 2013, Hamburg Messe, Germany Aircraft Interiors Expo is the unrivalled launch pad for tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s designs in cabin interiors, in-flight entertainment, connectivity and passenger services.

Co-located with:

World Travel Catering & Onboard Services 9 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11 April 2013

Hamburg Messe , Germany

Organised by:

In Co-operation with:

what’s hot!

WHAT’S

HOT!

Columbus economy class seat family

Company Name: Aviointeriors Company Location: Latina, Italy Description: Aviointeriors’ new Columbus economy class seat family offers a combination of low weight and modularity. In addition, it also offers 28” pitch stretched legroom. Columbus comes in three modular configurations specifically designed for regional, medium and long range flights. Visit Aviointeriors at AIX: 7A10

Company Name: Shanghai Haoliwen Airline Appliance Co. Company Location: Shanghai, China Description: Shanghai Haoliwen specializes in a wide variety of aviation supplies, including headsets, textiles, and amenity kits. Haoliwen’s headsets are specially designed according to ergonomics, resulting in more comfort for passengers to enjoy. Their headsets also involve a neoteric design. At the present time, the company is supplying to over 30 airlines around the world. Visit Shanghai Haoliwen Airline Appliance Co.at WTCE: 1C28

SmartTray X1™ airline tray table

Company Name: SmartTray International, LLC Company Location: Phoenix, AZ Description: SmartTray International, LLC, recently announced the launch of its innovative and practical SmartTray X1™ airline tray table, which according to the company, was developed to meet the expectations of today’s airline passengers and rapidly changing technology. The X1 tray table features a hands-free experience, using a built-in groove for holding tablets, and personal cell phones. The X1 gives travelers a better experience, and also provides the airlines a competitive advantage. Visit SmartTray International at AIX: Stand 5D10

Unique air freshener

Skysupply and airberlin team-up

Company Name: Skysupply GmbH Company Location: Munich, Germany Description: Skysupply GmbH has been working together with airberlin on a new concept to engage kids while flying. Starting this year, children flying inbound with airberlin are presented onboard with a surprise bag, which contains an origami, id card with key ring and a dice game. Children travelling outbound will be handed a tin box (suitcase) with an activity book, a puzzle and pens. Visit Skysupply GmbH at WTCE: Stand 4D20 54 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

Company Name: Freshorize Limited Location: London, United Kingdom Description: Freshorize has developed a new operating system which incorporates a unique material that has micro capillaries. These micro capillaries enable liquid fragrance to be drawn into the matrix of the special Wikidex material which results in a more steady fragrance dispersal. Air circulation within the aircraft cabin restroom can pick up the fragrance, keeping it fresh throughout the flight. Visit Freshorize Limited at WTCE: Stand 2D81

what’s hot! Flex-e-Vac system

Company Name: Onboard Logistics Ltd Company Location: Dublin, Ireland Description: Onboard Logistics, who invented the successful Flex-e-Bag, will unveil a new concept for inflight waste management at the WTCE show this year in Hamburg. The patented Flexe-Vac system is the next evolution in on board waste management. The system is lightweight, mobile, fuel efficient and fits inside any airline trolley. The system is also much lighter in comparison to existing waste systems; in a full size light weight cart the total weight of the system is 27Kgs. Visit Onboard Logistics Ltd at WTCE: Stand No: 3B40

Ultraleather from Tapis

Company Name: Tapis Corporation Company Location: Armonk, New York Description: A truly technologically-advanced polyurethane product, Ultraleather from Tapis was created to do everything leather and composite materials made of recycled leather waste fibers can do – only better. Ultraleather is extremely lightweight and stronger than leather, with much less shrinkage after cleaning. It’s less than half the weight and less than half the cost of leather, too. Ultraleather from Tapis is also less costly than recycled leather fiber products. Visit Tapis Corporation at AIX: Stand 6D54

Love the glove

Company Name: AmSafe Location: Arizona, United States Description: AmSafe Interior Products has recently launched the Grip Glove, a CE certified tool offering flight attendants greater protection when operating steam ovens onboard. The five fingered glove is constructed from quilted cotton and a knitted polyester inner which is then dipped into a natural latex. The latex provides safer handling and control while allowing for mobility of containers in confined spaces. Right and left hand identification bindings are also incorporated. Visit AmSafe at AIX: Stand 7D60

- Disposable Headphones - Active Noise Cancellation Headsets - Amenity, RON, Baby, & Child Kits

- Blankets, Pillows & Airsick Bags - Pillow / Headrest Covers - Cotton/Woven Refresher Towels

www.pax-intl.com | PAX INTERNATIONAL | 55

what’s hot! Modern retro amenity kit

Company Name: Wessco International Company Location: Los Angeles, CA Description: In collaboration with WESSCO International, Icelandair introduces a stylish, “Modern Retro” inspired amenity kit, with a luxurious tweed material and premium L’Occitane skincare products. This customized amenity kit was developed with a purpose for reuse as a tablet or iPad™ holder, toiletry bag, cord organizer, an evening clutch and/or small electronic gadget organizer. By offering quality amenities and necessary basics such as an eyeshade, earplugs, a dental kit and mouth refreshing basics, Icelandair travelers can enjoy a kit that truly caters to their needs. Visit Wessco International at WTCE: Stand 2B30

The Zonal Drying™ System

Company Name: CTT Systems AB Location: Nykoping, Sweden Description: The Zonal Drying™ System from CTT prevents condensation in modern aircraft, resulting in lower fuel consumption and emissions.The system effectively removes moisture using established industrial technology; it takes air from the crown area or cargo area and feeds it though zonal dryer units between the cabin and the outer skin of the aircraft, using a specially designed piccolo duct. Visit CTT Systems at AIX: Stand 5E69

New headsets for First Class

Company Name: Linstol Location: Naples, FL Description: The new Linstol NC-250 headset has been designed for the First Class cabin and is setting a new standard for sound and noise cancellation performance. All visual elements of the headset can be customized and manufactured in any color aluminum or plastic, offering unique opportunities for First Class branding and customer experience. Visit Linstol at WTCE: Stand 3C40

New containers for real food safety

Company Name: Brain & Work Location: Neu-Ulm, Germany Description: Brain & Work presents their latest generation of thermally insulated catering containers. The brand new 7-runner Magic-Box, asked by and developed with a very well-known carrier, offers 28 litres of unequalled insulated storage volume without any need for certification. Also it’s controllable with temperature measurement and absolutely reliable even in tough ambient conditions. Visit Brain & Work at WTCE: Stand 5D10

Twill amenity bags

Company Name: InflightDirect Company Location: Middletown, Rhode Island Description: InflightDirect has introduced two new amenity bag designs that are compact, visually pleasing, useful, and produced with high quality twill material. These bags also give the airlines residual advertising while at the same time, giving the passenger a quality product. With costs continuing to rise and with a focus being removed on many airlines, these bags present a useful, cost effective, quality product that is certain to please the passengers. Visit InflightDirect at WTCE: Stand No: 4B11

56 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

ASSOCIATION NEWS

ITCA sets sights on Abu Dhabi for the future Before last year’s International Travel Catering Association (ITCA) Middle East Trade Show and Networking Forum was completed, banners could already be seen in the halls of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre announcing the dates and times of this year’s event. With the cooperation from the hometown airline, organizers of one of the world’s largest series of food shows and officials in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the November 24-26 Trade Show is set, and organizers at ITCA are expecting more stands and more interest. February saw ITCA Abu Dhabi 2013 planning well under way. Etihad Airways had once again agreed to sponsor this event. “The reaction to last year’s show has been tremendous and we have once again been able to reconfirm our partnerships with SIAL ME and Etihad Airways,” ITCA President Stephen White said in late February. “We also intend to bring the Mercury Awards to another spectacular dinner to be held during the show and we are currently discussing further support for our ‘Hosted Buyer’ programme – details on this will be sent out once finalised but we are trying to broaden the offer to further assist operators and caterers to attend.” As of mid-February ITCA had signed up some 30 companies. Among the early firms to commit are: deSter, Monty’s Bakehouse and Media on the Move. “ITCA Abu Dhabi represented a fresh new start for the organization and brought back confidence for many of the exhibitors and visitors in the importance of being at this trade show. Etihad did a wonderful job with their sponsored event, so did the ITCA organization with the Mercury award dinner,” said Anne De Hauw Director Market Development & Innovation, deSter, one of the companies committed ITCA President Stephen White the to this year’s event Association’s stand in Abu Dhabi

APEX expands scope of TV Market Conference The Airline Passenger Experience Association’s (APEX) TV Market Conference 29 April through 1 May in Lisbon, Portugal has been expanded this year to include more exhibitors in fields related to inflight entertainment. In March exhibitors included CNBC, Discovery Communications, Walt Disney and Warner Bros. The exhibition floor will be open to movie distributors, games suppliers, graphic user interface (GUI) creators and app developers. Companies representing those groups may exhibit, although only TV and short subject content providers will have access to booths designated for pre-set appointments. “Passengers are getting used to more and more options, which is why it’s crucial for the APEX TV Market Conference to be as inclusive as it is now,” said Joan Filippini, Senior Vice President for Non-Theatrical Distribution at Paramount Pictures and chair of the APEX TV Market Conference Committee. “The new format gives airlines and content service providers a wide range of options in one setting.” The schedule has been changed so that booths will be open during the first two days of the conference and educational sessions will take place on the third day. Session topics include the latest TV programs and movie features, second screen viewing, international trends and viewing habits, licensing content, inflight gaming and more. The new schedule will give companies more time to conduct business. 58 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | MARCH/APRIL 2013

c a l e n d a r Aircraft Interiors Expo/World Travel Catering and On Board Services Expo, April 9-11, Hamburg. For more information, contact Reed Exhibitions at http://www.aircraftinteriorsexpo.com/ en/Forms/Enquiries/ 28th Annual Marine Hotel Association Conference & Trade Show, April 21-23, The Peabody Hotel, Orlando. For more information, contact mha@mhaweb.org or call (415) 332-1903. Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) cruise3sixty, June 19 – 23, at the Vancouver Convention Centre. For more information, contact Nicole Dunbar, at (949) 457-1545, extension 113 or e-mail ndunbar@mpja.com International Flight Services Association Annual Conference and Exhibition, September 9-11, Anaheim, California, For more information contact IFSA at (404) 252-3663, e-mail ifsa@kellencompany. com Airline Passenger Experience Association 2012 Annual Expo, September 9-12 Anaheim, California. For more information contact APEX at (212) 297 – 2177,  info@apex.aero Aircraft Interiors Expo Americas, October 1-3, Seattle, For more information contact: Customer Service at 203-840-5680 aircraftinteriorsus@reedexpo.com Marine Hotel Association European Conference & Trade Show, November 5-7, Hotel Arts Barcelona. For more information, contact mha@mhaweb.org or call (415) 332-1903. International Travel Catering Association/SIAL Middle East Trade Show and Networking Forum, November 24-26, Abu Dhabi. For more information, go to itcanet.com.

Advertiser’s Index 328 Support Services................................................... p. 35 AmSafe...................................................................................... p. 9 AVID........................................................................................... p. 55 BOSE.......................................................................................... p. 13 CTT Systems....................................................................... p. 17 DESSO...................................................................................... p. 44 digEcor..................................................................................... p. 27 EMTEQ..................................................................................... p. 37 G.I.P............................................................................................ p. 41 Icebridge................................................................................. p. 11 IMS/Zodiac....................................................................... p.5&7 Interact.................................................................................... p. 25 Linstol....................................................................................... p. 15 Long Prosper....................................................................... p. 57 Onboard Logistics........................................................... p. 33 Panasonic................................................................................. p. 2 PGA Electronic................................................................... p. 60 Racket Group...................................................................... p. 47 Rockwell Collins............................................................... p. 59 SkyMax................................................................................... p. 23 Volare Engineering......................................................... p. 50 Zodiac Galleys & Equipment...................... p. 30&31 Zodiac Seats....................................................................... p. 29

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