APEX EXPO Daily Experience 2015 – 2 by Spafax

EXPO daily

September 30, 2015

Panasonic Spans the Travel Thread With Companion App > read more on page 6

Fine Scandinavian Furnishings: SAS and Airbus Debut New A330 Interior

In Profile: Niall McBain, CEO Spafax > read more on page 20

> read more on page 3

Astronics’ Shining Antenna Armor

#PaxExWarriors Hash it Out on the Twitterbox > read more on page 44

A lively crowd gathered around Astronics Armstrong Aerospace’s booth at APEX EXPO Tuesday, waiting for the aerospace company’s big reveal. > read more on page 10

Hollywood Meets Bollywood and Nollywood > read more on page 38

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Welcome Aboard: Airbus and SAS Show Off New A330-300 Interior Press delegates filled into the Airbus booth yesterday for a joint presentation with Scandinavian Airlines, SAS, but the usual cabin mockup was nowhere to be found. Instead, swanky orange pillows and chairs, coupled with Samsung virtual reality headsets offered visitors a high tech and immersive way to explore Airbus’ cabin interiors and features. Along with Ingo Wuggetzer, vice-president Marketing, Airbus, SAS representatives Gunilla Ait El Mekki, director, Product Concepts and Gustaf Öholm, senior manager, Onboard Concepts and Service Design, debuted the features of their new interior of the long-haul cabin. Wuggetzer explained that one of Airbus’ approaches to cabin design was to present the airline, and in turn its passengers, with more choice. On A330 aircraft,

airlines can opt for entertainment and connectivity solutions from Panasonic, Thales or Zodiac Aerospace. Airbus also provides its own connectivity solution, but ultimately, the airline selected Zodiac’s RAVE Light IFE seatcentric solution and Panasonic’s Global Communications Suite for connectivity. While the airline has paused its short-haul connectivity program, the take up rate on the long-haul business cabin is an impressive 90 percent. The key to this, Gunilla Ait El Mekki, notes, is offering Wi-Fi for free: “It has really been a success. Panasonic had to double up the volume on one of the satellites to provide more bandwidth.” In the premium economy cabin, SAS Plus, passenger seats offer 19-inch width and 38-inch pitch. According to Wuggetzer, the

demand for premium economy is growing, with estimates showing that by 2020, over 40 airlines will be offering the enhanced economy option. A full-range of over 600-million LED mood lighting options from Diehl set the ambience for the passenger journey. “We always call it mood lighting, but it’s also about health,” Wuggetzer said. Öholm was quick to quip that in Scandinavia where it’s often dark,

light can offer some therapy. On SAS flights, the system mimics the Nordic sunrise and sunset. Wuggetzer pointed out another big improvement: “The A330 is a lot quieter than the 787. It’s not really known, but it’s a fact.” SAS is the first European operator of Airbus’ A330-300 242-ton aircraft, having received its first delivery September 21 in Toulouse, with its second coming October 1. EXPO daily experience

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Panasonic Gets Mobile Friendly With Companion App Passengers will soon be able to personalize their journey before they even set foot on an aircraft, thanks to a new mobile application. “Singapore Airlines is our launch customer for the Companion app,” says Neil James, executive director, Panasonic Avionics. “It’s the first mobile application that spans the entire travel thread because it’s integrated into the inflight entertainment (IFE) and communications systems.” Prior to a flight, passengers will access Singapore’s unique Krisworld IFE experience, which is integrated with the Companion app. “Working with Singapore Airlines and their partners, we provide the underlying technology and give them complete design freedom,” says James. After entering flight details, passengers

will be able to review the entertainment choices available for their flight. They can scan the selection of movies, TV shows and music, watch trailers, and create playlists. Once seated, their personal device is easily paired to the embedded IFE system. “Onboard the aircraft you can watch the content selections that you’ve preselected, you can do social networking, you can continue your engagement with the airline, or look at the moving map. It truly is a travel companion,” says James. Passengers will also be able to read the inflight magazine, look at details about the aircraft, and access destination information on their personal device. The Companion app is a key element of James’s vision for the future. He explains that

A Busy APEX EXPO for Panasonic Always a major presence at EXPO, Panasonic made a number of announcements yesterday. > Premiere of the X Series 2.0 modular, scalable IFE system > A five-year contract extension with IMG, bringing new live sports programming to EXTV > EXTV EXTRA, a second channel that will run simultaneously during peak times for live sports > AirAsia’s selection of Flightlink, Air Map and TAMDAR connected services for 90 A320 aircraft > Enhanced partnership with GuestLogix > A new strategic partnership with Soundchip to bring advanced digital audio technology to Panasonic IFE systems

Robert Wood, senior marketing manager, Software and Apps

EXPO daily experience

Panasonic’s next generation of IFE system will be targeted at the Boeing 777X, and will reflect technological advancements. “The idea of huge storage onboard combined with the ability to have really high quality content distributed around the aircraft, and then accessing the infinite depth of the web from ‘the edge of the cloud’ for everything else, we can have the best of both worlds. Connectivity is the enabler of that personalized experience,” he says.

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Gogo and Ultramain Systems Connect for Maintenance Apps Passengers usually sit at the center of the connectivity conversation, but the use of the connected aircraft for improved maintenance operations is gaining significant momentum. Through its freshly inked partnership with Ultramain systems, a developer of airline operation software, Gogo aims to connect aircraft maintenance applications so airline personnel can assess and address issues in real time. The partnership will also see the digitization of the paper log maintenance process. “Ultimately, this partnership can help improve airline efficiencies and reduce maintenance related delays and cancellations, creating a better passenger experience,” says Andrew Kemmetmueller, Gogo’s vice-president of product for Connected Aircraft services.

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BoardConnect Simulates Reality In the Cabin Of The Future

Lufthansa System’s BoardConnect in-flight entertainment system will be featured in a new Cabin Comfort and Environment Research facility opening in 2016, the German company announced Tuesday at EXPO. The simulation center, located in Ottawa, Canada, authentically mimics the comprehensive airport and aircraft environment, from checkin to cabin – including vibration, noise and in-flight entertainment. BoardConnect will be installed in the research facility’s cabin simulator, offering a proven IFE system already in service with international airlines. “This partnership will enable us to benefit from each other’s expertise and experience and has the potential to greatly enhance the creative development of our platform in the future,” says Norbert Müller, senior vice-president, BoardConnect.

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EXPO daily experience 7 2015-09-15 11:34 AM 15/09/2015 15:04

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Caribbean Airlines Opts for Lumexis FTTS Overhaul

“It’s a huge milestone for us.” Alicia Cabrera, Caribbean Airlines

Read the full story at > apex.aerO 8

EXPO daily experience

Jon Norris, vice-president of Sales, Lumexis, was excited to announce Tuesday that Caribbean Airlines has selected its Fiber-To-The-Screen (FTTS) in-flight entertainment for installation on the airline’s fleet of B737 aircraft. “It’s been exciting working with them from day one,” said Norris. “They’re a great airline.” Alicia Cabrera, marketing manager for Caribbean Airlines said: “It’s a huge milestone for us.” The airline selected the FTTS secondscreen system, which enables passengers to use their own tablets and smartphones at their seat without interrupting entertainment displayed on the in-seat monitors. The two screens complement one another with different offerings and personalized options. Lumexis continues to introduce leadingedge technology integrated into their FTTS

Gen-4 and iPAX in-flight entertainment systems. Lumexis is the first IFE company to implement the Android Lollipop operating system – the latest version of Android software from Google, available on all hardware platforms offering more features and updated applications.

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Astronics Unveils AeroShield, a Low Drag Radome and Composite Adapter Plate A lively crowd gathered around Astronics Armstrong Aerospaceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s booth at APEX EXPO yesterday waiting for news of the aerospace companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest product. The big reveal was a shiny colbalt blue radome â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an aerodynamic teardrop shaped antenna cover. Dennis Ferguson, president, Astronics AHURVDW said the cover has 70 percent less drag when compared to its predecessor, helping airlines reduce fuel costs. Additionally, the radome, which consists of a quartz layer, allows Ku-band satellite waves to travel while protecting the antenna from bird collisions, making it FAA bird strike compliant. The adapter plate, made of a carbon fibre composite material, is 80 percent lighter than aluminum adapter plates. Its ARINC 791-compliant design will make installations and future retrofits simpler. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s less engineering up front and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s less modification during the installation,â&#x20AC;? says Shawn Raybell, vice-president, Sales and Marketing, Astronics Armstrong Aerospace.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s less engineering up front and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s less modification during the installation.â&#x20AC;? 10 EXPO daily experience

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With SITA, There’s an App – and a Beacon – For That SITA OnAir, a telecommunications company offering a “nose-to-tail portfolio” of connectivity services, launched a new-generation in-flight Wi-Fi application and Inflight Wi-Fi Voucher API, compatible with beacon technology. François Rodriguez, chief strategy and marketing officer said it was designed specifically to help airlines “personalize and contextualize the passenger experience.” The company, which functions as a co-op, offers a unique portfolio of services, including on ground and in-flight connectivity, cockpit and air traffic data services management and aircraft communications solutions. It’s this comprehensive service portfolio, and user-specific approach (offering solutions specifically for cabin crew, passengers, air traffic control, etc.), according to Rodriguez, 14 EXPO daily experience

that positions SITA OnAir as “the richest application shop at the EXPO.” We dropped by the SITA OnAir booth to test drive the new app with Rodriguez and Aurélie Branchereau-Giles, corporate communications at SITA OnAir. Attached to a wall inside the booth conference room is a glowing red orb about the size of a bottle cap – the beacon. “Say you’re at a lounge right now,” says Rodriguez after pulling his smartphone out of his pocket. “The beacon catches you on that particular stage of the journey, so what are the services it can propose?” Since Rodriguez is in range of the beacon, a notification pops up prompting him to sign up for Wi-Fi. “The app is bringing data hosted on the airline website together with the context of your travel experience,” he explains. After signing up and connecting, users will have

context-specific information at their fingertips. “Maybe it’s access to movies, the status of the flight or the weather at the destination.” The app can also be used on the aircraft (with or without beacons) as well as at the destination. What Rodriguez says sets SITA OnAir apart, is access to SITA Group’s airport infrastructure. “We have more than 700 airports already with that type of connectivity, so enabling beacons is not an issue. “We’re bridging the ground experience that we’ve seen with the beacon, the cabin crew and flight operations on the ground, so you start enabling contextualization of the entire journey,” says Rodriguez. The app is ready for launch in November and has been adopted by two unannounced customers and will be rolled out across the board thereafter.

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More than just IFE, Thales InFlyt Experience The smart choice for the connected airline

Thales InFlyt Experience, the new name for our entertainment and connectivity business is revolutionising passenger engagement throughout their travel experience and creating smart opportunities for airlines. Our solutions ensure the fastest, highest capacity, data links possible for passenger and airlines. No other provider has the people, airline insight and capability gained from such extensive aerospace, aviation, satellite and cyber-secure data communications involvement. We work with you to create inflight and connectivity solutions to achieve substantial financial returns and operational efficiencies. A commitment to open architecture solutions ensures greater choice, easier integration and customization for your fleet. For our airline customers, Thales InFlyt Experience is making a difference. Everywhere. Androidâ&#x201E;˘ is a trademark of GoogleÂŽ, Inc.

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Personalization of Thales Systems Benefits Airlines and Passengers Earlier we caught up with Duc Huy Tran to explore Thales’ InFlyt vision:

rethinking ife as an engagement platform What if the “E” in “IFE” stood for something other than entertainment? “The longer the flight time, the more the entertainment system is becoming an engagement platform,” says Tran.

merging entertainment with connectivity “One of the major trends we’re seeing right now is the push to merge entertainment and connectivity, and this really opens up all the things you can do,” he adds.

transitioning to an ecosystem business

“Our focus is on an integrated experience and having the broadest platform of products and services in the industry,” said Glenn Latta, president, Connectivity & TV, Thales InFlyt Experience. Thales shared Tuesday how they are transforming the in-flight experience for both passengers and airlines using a holistic approach with its AVANT ecosystem. The offering begins with an entry-level product and includes the option for upgrades over time to enhance the passenger experience using a common platform.

According to Tran, in-flight entertainment and connectivity, “used to be a hardware business, but it is becoming much more of an ecosystem business.” What’s an ecosystem business? “It means you have the hardware, software, applications and all the services to go along with it.”

integration of devices Devices can be in tandem with the seatback. “Some of the ideas that we have for integration are hooking the device up to the seatback screen to share pictures from your phone with your seatmate,” he suggests.

managing cybersecurity threats “It’s a bit like the early days of e-commerce right now,” he remarks. “A lot of people didn’t shop online at the beginning because they didn’t feel comfortable and safe about it.”

EXPO daily experience 17

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Pushing the Envelope: Global Eagle’s Comprehensive Connectivity

With a new antenna in the pipeline and a bevy of IFE announcements, Global Eagle Entertainment is pushing for a comprehensive connected offering. In a tradeshow

floor chat, Aditya Chatterjee, senior vice-president Connectivity Systems and Chief Technology Officer, told APEX Media that GEE’s highly anticipated lightweight satellite, Global AirConnect, “will be ready for production by middle of next year.” Plus, Tulinda Larsen, VP Commercial Operations Solutions (formerly with masFlight) stressed GEE’s commitment to cloud-based platforms and big data analytics solutions to improve operations and enhance the customer experience. “There’s so much you can use intelligently,” she says.

GEE has also announced a key partnerships with fellow APEX member Carlisle IT and the launch of its new AIRPRO digital in-flight operations management solution.

BOOTH 1819

ICONic: New Digital Offerings From Spafax In a bid to enhance airline entertainment and drive customer loyalty, global content and media agency Spafax unveiled ICON this week. ICON is a family of digital products that generate personalized in-flight entertainment (IFE) experiences for airline customers across the globe. ICON will provide airlines with a platform to merge entertainment, media, and advertising for enhanced customer engagement. The initial ICON launch features two products: PROFILE and VOYAGE. PROFILE is an entertainment personalization platform that utilizes a custom algorithm to deliver entertainment recommendations for passengers pre-flight. Lufthansa will debut the PROFILE tool in early 2016, complementing Spafax’s existing 18 EXPO daily experience

IFE programming and delivery services for the entire Lufthansa Group. “We looked at the world’s leading streaming TV and music providers and decided we could make an even better experience for our airline customers,” commented Spafax CEO, Niall McBain. “We’re thrilled that our client Lufthansa, already a customer-experience leader, will be the launch customer for PROFILE.” The second product, VOYAGE, is a collaboration with Piksel, a global leader in the online video business. VOYAGE allows airlines to own the passenger journey through a downloadable app connecting the pre-flight, flight and post-flight experiences without a relying on WiFi offering.

In addition, GEE has secured new relationships with Cupcake Digital and Zinio, providing children’s books, audio books and magazine content for its AIRREAD and AIRTIME portals.

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With each technology benchmark, you have a new opportunity for content. Now with connectivity, there will be new types of content.

20 EXPO daily experience

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> Fast Facts lOCAtiON:

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NOw wAtChiNg:

Rugby World Cup

in profile

Niall McBain

FAvORitE AiRPORt:

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FAvORitE AiRCRAFt:

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CEO, Spafax

Niall has been with Spafax for 21 years, having joined as managing director in 1994. Six years later, he was appointed CEO. Early on at Spafax, he acquired the first syndication of the Olympic Games TV programming for airlines. Niall’s media career began with British Satellite Broadcasting where he helped launch the UK’s first direct-to-home satellite TV service in 1987. He went on to specialize in digital satellite services at DataVision Business Satellites, and later led Specialized Projects at Chrysalis Group PLC.

Read the full interview at > APEX.AERO /NiAllMCBAiN

How does the airline industry impact the content you create and curate? What are the challenges? What are the benefits? With each technology benchmark, you have a new opportunity for content. Now with connectivity, there will be new types of content. It doesn’t always disrupt and remove the past, there are just new opportunities. The systems onboard, with the capacity they had for on-demand, created a real taste for binge viewing. Before that became a common term at home, it was happening on airlines. So, with each evolution there are different opportunities for how you create and curate the content experience. How can airlines create ancillary revenue opportunities through connectivity solutions? Many and various, really. In the airline space, you’re talking about a customer service environment, and a highly captive one. It’s an opportunity to create brand partnerships, sponsorships and all types of opportunity, not just with the technology, but also in the actual ambient space around the passenger when they’re traveling. How do content expectations change for people when they are traveling? I think this is the really interesting area that we need to learn more about, but I think you only have to look at the way we’re all behaving with content now. It’s already exploded massively and it’s all to do with the mode and modality of people and how content needs evolve. For

example, I watched the first season of Game of Thrones for the first time when I was onboard. What can the entertainment industry learn for the airline industry? Is the airline industry closer to the viewer? I think the entertainment industry could learn a lot from the airline industry, just in terms of international scope and coverage. With airlines, you take it for granted that they’re in 155 countries. You couldn’t say that of most content owners. What do you think is the most overlooked aspect of the passenger experience? I think someone needs to reinvent the security business. The way we’re standing around airports is really wrong. How do you see in-flight entertainment evolving over the coming years? What will be the key drivers? I am particularly interested in new types of content, new types of opportunity. That’s going to come through connectivity but it’s also coming through the interoperability of systems that used to be very exclusive, now having to interact with devices that are ubiquitous in people’s hands. I think that creates all sorts of opportunity for lengthening the engagement between airlines and their customers. Your top three films of all time? Enter the Dragon, Subway and Beverly Hills Cop.

EXPO daily experience 21

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Conversations in In-flight Entertainment and Connectivity Inmarsat_Header_374x18_v1.indd 1

These days, you rarely hear the phrase “in-flight entertainment” without the word “connectivity” following close behind. We discuss the increasing co-mingling of the two with Thales, Rockwell Collins and Panasonic Avionics.

making connections The in-flight entertainment market is booming, thanks especially to connectivity with forecasts predicting the market value will almost double in five years from $2.85 billion to $5.8 billion. “In-flight entertainment and connectivity services are truly complementary services,” says Glenn Latta, president, Connectivity & TV, Thales InFlyt Experience. “Together they form an ecosystem of services which make up the passenger experience – an experience which we are trying to ensure mimics the experience you have at home.” 22 EXPO daily experience

Along the same lines, Panasonic views the synthesis of entertainment and technology as something that has the potential to enhance the passenger experience. “Panasonic entertainment is amplified by connectivity,” says David Bruner, vice-president of Global Communications Services, Panasonic Avionics. Richard Nordstrom, senior director, Global Marketing for Rockwell Collins Cabin Solutions agrees: “Connectivity is a gateway to endless options for entertainment and information… When connected, there is media and content for everyone.”

complementary devices While the proliferation of personal electronic devices initially prompted many in the industry to sound the death knell on embedded seatback screens, Nordstrom, Latta and Bruner unanimously agree that the PED complements the seatback system. “It’s interesting to note how, on many flights, you see people multitasking just like they do at home, with both embedded IFE and wireless IFEC services,” remarks Nordstrom. Echoing the same sentiment, Latta notes that “PEDs

complement the embedded seatback systems by offering second screens, which has become a common paradigm for consumers at home.” Beyond enriching the seatback experience, devices present more opportunities for airlines to strengthen relationships with their passengers. “Engaging passengers through their PEDs provides a tremendous amount of opportunity for personalization, a customized travel experience, and a much greater connection between the passenger and airline,” notes Latta. Unlike wired IFE, passenger

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devices connect the airline with the customer through every step of the journey. “From an airline perspective, the mobile device is extending their brand beyond the cabin,” says Bruner. “We’re providing additional touchpoints for them with passengers, and additional opportunities for revenue generation.”

spoils of streaming As Nordstrom notes, not all passengers may be interested in streaming, “but for some in the industry, it is the Holy Grail.” For Rockwell Collins passengers who would like to stream, the company’s best of class WAPS and dual core server processors provide all passengers with full 730P high-definition tablet screens, with 50 passengers per WAP. “You just add additional WAPS and we can easily provide a consistent performance of streaming HD service to 250 passengers at the same time,” Nordstrom explains. Thales’ solutions provide streaming onboard from cached content and via the connectivity solution. “This includes IPTV solutions as well as streaming

from passenger’s home services, such as the recent partnership with Amazon to stream Amazon Prime content to the aircraft,” Latta says. “Shifting to streaming content rather than relying on onboard servers is bringing more choice to consumers,” he adds. “As streaming content makes it’s way into in-flight entertainment, passengers will seek out programming that keeps them in the loop with the latest news and helps them avoid those ‘spoiler alert’ moments.”

coverage, capacity and cost “The debate between Ka and Ku is quickly dissipating as sophisticated new satellite technologies are evolving and each offering benefits to specific market segments – regardless of the spectrum they are using,” says Latta. “The real debate moving forward is going to be about coverage capacity and cost.” Thales employs a flexible approach to connectivity, and leverages ViaSat’s Exede highcapacity Ka-band service in support of its LiveTV solution

alongside Inmarsat’s Global Xpress high-speed broadband network. “Our solutions have been built to be modular from the ground segments to the airborne segments, allowing the same services to be provided to our customers across a common platform, regardless of the connection type,” Latta explains. According to Nordstrom, “Neither frequency, Ka or Ku, can be used to its highest efficiency level when shared under the same radome.” For Rockwell Collins, which also leverages Inmarsat’s Global Xpress Ka-band service and cellular telecommunications architecture, Ka-band is the way forward. “Ka is, hands down, the next generation,” Nordstrom says, noting, “But more importantly, it’s how you deliver the Ka-band links to the aircraft.” On the other hand, “Panasonic has made a calculated investment in Ku for a number of reasons, including global coverage, ease of scalability, the maturity of the technology and its high reliability,” says Bruner. “Beyond that, we’re rolling out extreme high-throughput (XTS) capacity in the densest of traffic areas – over North America, Europe and Asia. These regions will be seeing multiple gigabits of capacity – something we’re keeping under wraps at this time.”

Read the extended version on > APEX.AERO

“Connectivity is a gateway to endless options for entertainment and information.” Richard Nordstrom Rockwell Collins EXPO daily experience 23

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Virtual Vacation

BOOTH 1408

Augmented Reality

Inflight VR founders believe so strongly that virtual reality will become such a key part of the passenger experience that they’ve named the company after the concept. Inflight VR is betting that, along with amenities like in-flight Wi-Fi and in-seat power, future passengers will want to know whether their flight has virtual reality headsets before booking a seat. “Virtual reality can completely transform you. It sends you away into a new world where you can take a walk and listen to music,” says Christoph Fleischmann, co-founder of Inflight VR. “This is what we believe is going to be a major factor in passengers picking which flight they want to take.” The Munich-based start-up, which also has locations in 24 EXPO daily experience

Spain and Pakistan, has tested prototypes of virtual reality technology where passengers can take tours of far-flung destinations, watch the latest blockbuster from the inside of a cinema, rotate duty-free products to see how they look from different angles, or play a leisurely game of chess while seated in a comfy armchair – all without leaving their airplane seats. Qantas tested virtual reality in-flight and on the ground and report being impressed by the software. The airline invited first class passengers flying between Australia and Los Angeles or passing through its Sydney or Melbourne lounges to try on Samsung Gear VR headsets that enabled them to both travel to Hamilton Island for a dive into The Great Barrier Reef and view

duty-free products in 360°. Courtney Teak, senior advisor, Corporate Communication at Qantas said the feedback has been positive and has impressed 3-D filmmakers and kids alike. Marriott Hotels treated the virtual travel experience as a special “VRoom Service” that could be ordered up and hand delivered in a suitcase by a bellhop. Guests then have 24 hours to dive virtually into three different travel stories to either the Andes Mountains in Chile, an ice cream shop in Rwanda or the bustling streets of Beijing, all while sitting in their hotel rooms. “Obviously, the main difference is the immersion,” says Nikolas Jaeger, CEO and co-founder of Inflight VR. “That you’re not going to be staring at the screen, but be actually inside the game or the 3-D environment.”

“This year our stand aims to provide you with inspiration through our virtual reality and augmented reality (AR) headset,” says David Thomas, head of Business Development at IFPL. Inspiring indeed. Enhancing reality even further, augmented reality supplements a user’s vision with added sensory input such as text, sound or video. AR is set to take off soon, with big guns such as Thales, Google, Microsoft and Apple making significant investments in the technology.

SITA OnAir is also betting on in-flight VR: “In-flight entertainment is set to benefit from the boom in wearable technology, with head-mounted displays capable of giving passengers a new level of tailored, unique and awe-inspiring content,” says François Rodriguez, the company’s chief strategy and marketing officer.

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BOOTH 1234 and 545

Euro Connection: Deutsche Telekom and Inmarsat Launch Continent-Wide Network A new hybrid broadband-in-the-sky service being jointly developed by Deutsche Telekom and Inmarsat promises to bring passengers high quality and high-speed in-flight connectivity. The European Aviation Network (EAN) will combine Inmarsat’s S-band satellite pan-European coverage with a new terrestrial cellular network of approximately 300 broadband LTE sites to be built and managed by Deutsche Telekom. Onboard systems will automatically manage the switching and integration of the groundbased cellular system with state-of-the-art S-band satellite connectivity, which will occur once the aircraft is at 10,000 feet. “The specification supports streaming,” says David Fox, head of Deutsche Telekom Inflight Services. 26 EXPO daily experience

“As more and more passengers bring their own devices and with that, their own content, this use case will become more and more important.” European airspace is one of the busiest in the world, with an average of 22,500 flights per day, carrying more than 500 million passengers per year, according to Fox. “As there is no connectivity solution in place for short and medium-haul flights, there is a huge potential and a huge market. The service is already attracting a lot of interest from many airlines,” he says. EAN will complement Inmarsat’s worldwide Global Xpress Ka-band satellite network. With EAN, the European aviation industry will be enabled with a scalable, high-bandwidth solution even in high-density flight areas, with expected peak data rates of 75 MBPS. “As

part of our strategic partnership, Inmarsat will maximize its existing relationships in the airline market and will sell EAN connectivity,” says Fox. Lufthansa will begin flight trials of the EAN system in 2017. Fox says that “complete coverage [will be] available in 2018. Deutsche Telekom and Inmarsat have committed themselves to build a powerful new network.”

“In-flight connectivity is set to become a billion dollar plus revenue sector by 2020.”

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Surf’s Up: Honeywell Rides the JetWave with Flight Test Program

Honeywell Aerospace has successfully completed the first phase of in-flight testing for its JetWave connectivity hardware, after flight tests over the UK in June 2015. The system, deployed on Honeywell’s Boeing 757, demonstrated a high-speed link to Inmarsat’s Global Xpress advanced-technology Ka-band satellite. Located over the Indian Ocean, I-5 F1 is the first of Inmarsat’s GX Aviation constellation, which will enable global in-flight Wi-Fi services. “The first phase was the initial operability of the system from end-to-end,” says Joe Duval, Honeywell’s chief test pilot. “The testing is challenging because we have to put our engineering hats on, and know what we’re doing with the airplane and how it affects the system. We need to be able to position the airplane properly, know where the satellite is, and how we have to point the antenna to it. We do get to maneuver the aircraft pretty aggressively – we do bank angles way more than you’d do in a commercial flight, so that’s fun for a pilot.”

The first connection to the satellite lasted a mere few minutes. So, “the engineers in the back got out their personal devices. They were excited and trying it out. Everybody was really amazed at how fast it works,” says Duval. Once the system was fine-tuned, tests included video and audio streaming, in-flight conference calls, and file downloads. With JetWave certification planned for the end of 2015, the next phase will be

“robustness” testing of flights at the edge of the satellite footprints and extreme “look” angles. “We want to exercise the system, and know how far we can push it,” says Duval. Once fully operational, Duval says the system will offer bandwidth and speeds allowing the entire airplane to be connected. “It’s going to provide more capability for the crew, as well as improving the passenger experience,” he says.

How Honeywell Aerospace is Crafting a Network Honeywell Aerospace occupies a unique position in the satellite connectivity marketplace. In addition to building antennas and all the hardware to link a plane to a “bird,” the company manufactures aircraft components, including engines, avionics and flight control systems. Connectivity is just the starting point, remarked Becky Sidelinger, senior director, SATCOM. “It’s

about interfacing with all of the other aircraft systems to improve efficiency and productivity that also improves the passenger experience,” she said. Connectivity that brings in-flight weather information services, engine health monitoring that reduces maintenance delays, and even networked aircraft, can all enhance a passenger’s flight, she explained.

EXPO daily experience 29

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24/09/2015 16:48

Adaptive Digiredoos: Digital Solutions for Reading on the Fly

Will Digital Content Replace Print? It’s always about the content, and digital press systems are now able to bring daily newspapers and magazines to passengers on in-flight entertainment system screens, airline-supplied tablets or personal electronic devices. No longer do flight attendants have to wrestle with piles of printed publications, and airlines can tailor the digital offerings to specific routes, regions and classes of service. Adaptive Channel’s Content Entertainment System (ACES) integrates newspapers and magazines with other types of digital content, such as apps and city guides. According to CEO Laurent Safar, Adaptive focuses “on providing digital solutions to the entire passenger journey.” But bringing timely content onboard has its challenges. “The main issue was to persuade leading international newspapers and magazines that digital delivery offered some significant opportunities for them,” says Safar. Philipp Jacke, managing director of Media 30 EXPO daily experience

Carrier, says that his company’s Media Box system “is tailored precisely to the needs and demands of the individual customers. The portfolios of the individual Media Boxes are very varied, depending on the region and also the implementation. A Media Box in a holiday charter aircraft for example, is different from one on a business route in terms both of availability and use by the passengers.” Media Box offers 450 international newspapers and magazines to over 700 installations in 30 countries, in hotel rooms, airport lounges and in flight. Dawson Media Direct (DMD) has created the Digiredoo digital press system to complement its print service that delivers content to over 120 international airlines. Digiredoo Online is an Internet portal, allowing for pre-flight directto device downloads. In flight, Digiredoo Inseat provides content to fitted IFE systems, while Digiredoo Direct is a premium media service for wireless delivery.

Not likely, according to John Howe, managing director of DMD. “We don’t, as an organization, see the two things as mutually exclusive. Of course there’s a re-balancing across the peaks, but there is still a substantial pleasure to be had in the physical – the tactile – experience of reading a high-quality magazine or a well put-together newspaper,” he says. In April, DMD announced the launch of its Media Wall at London’s Gatwick Airport. Ten strategically positioned media walls will display 3,000 magazines with the potential readership of 100,000 passengers each day.

Read our full interview with Philipp Jacke at > APEX.AERO/ MEDIACARRIER

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Say “Yes” to YouTube: Light In-Flight Entertainment a Sudden Sensation Inmarsat_Header_177x18_v1.indd 1

24/09/2015 16:48

Pew Research Center found, among the videos uploaded online in 2013, 45 percent of them included a pet or an animal, with cats being especially popular. And it seems that short videos starring animals can evoke just as much emotional range as feature-length dramas and comedies in some people. “We know that people love watching dogs and cats,” says Laura Lamber from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, an animal shelter British Airways teamed with for their specialty in-flight channel, “they can make you laugh, smile and cry.”

Cute Girls Hairstyles, a YouTube channel that shows a mother taming her twin daughters’ long, straight hair into acrobatic feats like the quadruple-flipped ponytail, double waterfall braid or wrap-around Dutch pancake braid, is far from traditional in-flight entertainment. But to Emirates, who brought the hairstyle tutorials onboard along with other YouTube channels, it was a strategic decision to provide some lighter entertainment fare. “We embrace the trend of user-generated content that spawns entertaining and informative YouTube personalities,” says Patrick Brannelly, divisional vice-president, Customer Experience at Emirates. “They make our entertainment choices more vibrant.” In a meta-twist, Emirates invited the Cute Girls Hairstyles twins on a trip to Dubai, flying the girls and their family in an A380 and touring them around the hub city’s tourist sites. The

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whole trip was recorded for broadcast to the duo’s 1.8 million subscribers, and on future Emirates’ flights, of course. It even involved an Emirates hair tutorial, transforming the twins into official brand ambassadors as they modelled the flight crew’s signature red pillbox hat with hair styled in a low French twist. British Airways has also tapped into online video trends for its IFE, focusing on the phenomenon of cat videos. Its in-flight channel, Paws and Relax, displays adorable cats, kittens, dogs and puppies frolicking in shows like BBC’s The Secret Life of Cats and Animal Planet’s, America’s Cutest Dog. “We discovered some scientific research that proves watching images of cute animals can actually lower your heart rate and reduce stress levels,” says Richard D’Cruze, manager of In-Flight Entertainment and Technology at British Airways.

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24/09/2015 16:48

Amenity Kit and Caboodle: Luxury is the New PaxEx

The latest Delta One amenity kit features a bag by luxury luggage makers Tumi, and contains skincare from NYC-based, Malin+Goetz – the kind of products you’d see scattered about the glossy pages of a luxury magazine. In the airline amenity kit market, it’s these kind of brand collaborations that are increasingly à la mode. “There is a desire for the kits to have a purpose beyond the plane,” says Alena Kirzner, marketing director at Buzz Export Services. “Delivering relevant brand collaborations can enhance the passenger experience and value.” Generic kits are being outmoded in favour of personalized, specialty bags. Take the golf-geared Greg Norman Great White Shark products that Linstol will be showing at APEX EXPO. “It’s sort of a unique brand in the golf space,” says Mark Russell,

vice-president, Linstol. “We’ve developed a line of amenity kits that will add an interesting brand to the market.” Even amenity kit products without the brand association are raising the standards of quality and longevity. “We’re getting away from the less expensive, disposable type products and looking forward to product that can be reused, re-gifted, with more quality that can provide comfort on all flights,” says Russell. “I also think that we’re seeing more of a seasoned passenger in the air and the expectation level is higher.” And for practical reasons: “Our goal was to have the passenger take the complete package with them to reduce trash levels when cleaning the aircraft,” says Thomas G. Mockler, CEO, Inflight Direct. While quality can be appreciated across

different regions, one size, or one amenity kit, does not fit all. “It’s still difficult to go to South America with a single brand that’s going to work there and take that brand from a cosmetic perspective to Europe or the United States. You definitely see some regional differences on the cosmetic side,” Russell says. Inflight Direct has witnessed preferences for hard sole slippers over soft sole slipper socks, and learned that certain colors may indicate bad luck in some cultures. Linstol developed a special hand sanitizer formula for Middle Eastern travelers who prefer non-alcoholbased solutions. “It was like, ‘Woah, never really thought about that,’” says Russell. “But it clearly is the difference between being able to talk to an airline about a specific item in a kit and not.” EXPO daily experience 35

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Ssshh… AeroMobile Releases Data Proving the Trend Away from Voice Calls

In a survey geared towards holidaymakers and their use of mobile phones, AeroMobile, the UK-based mobile in-flight service provider, found that voice calls were unpopular. This isn’t to say that mobile phones aren’t being used. In fact, in-flight mobile is on the rise, but the use of voice calls is increasingly being replaced by silent services such as messenger applications. “In reality, few people choose to use their phones for voice calls whilst onboard a connected flight,” says Kevin Rogers, CEO of AeroMobile. “Our usage stats show SMS and data are the most popular services used by passengers. The stats also show the average call duration is less that two minutes, which might include the silent service of checking voicemail.” Since 2008, over 27-million passengers have connected to Aeromobile in flight. The company has roaming agreements with over 310 network operators across 140 36 EXPO daily experience

“Data usage increased by 131 per cent last year and we expect this trend to continue.” Kevin Rogers, AeroMobile countries worldwide, and through its affiliation with Panasonic Group’s Global Communication Suite, it services are available for both the linefit and retrofit markets. Emirates, Etihad, Lufthansa and Virgin Atlantic are among the airlines that offer AeroMobile services. Read our full interview with Kevin Rogers on > apex.aero

24/09/2015 16:48

Skycast: Place Your PED Here Passengers bringing their own devices on board are also looking for someplace to set them down. Whether it’s to prop their tablet while they watch a movie or a ledge to catch their phones during turbulence, the traditional tray table is underserving passengers. Solutions to solve this problem range from pocketsized accessories to entire tray tables designed around the bring-your-own-device trend. SkyCast Solutions unveiled yesterday a pair of tablet and smartphone holders called the TabCaddyClip and TabCaddySwivel that hold devices stationary and allow them to rotate, respectively. Both are removeable clips that attach to an airline tray table, barely intruding on its surface, so passengers don’t have to choose between pausing a movie midway or eating – and the solution is inexpensive. “I don’t think there’s very many products at this show that are under $20 that can make a significant impact on passenger experience,” said Greg Latimer, president, SkyCast Solutions. Bill Boyer, founder and CEO of SkyCast shares an anecdote of a fellow first-class passenger who, after struggling to fit his food tray and tablet, put one on top of the other and used his tablet as a coaster. Boyer offered the passenger a TabCaddyClip, and recalled, “the guy wanted to buy it.” He even wanted to know if the airline sold it. “A lot of airlines are pushing bring your own tablet, go Wi-Fi, stream, but a lot of them haven’t decided where to put the tablets,” Boyer said.

Advancing aviation through connectivity For 20 years, we’ve delivered reliable connectivity to aircraft. Now, we’re innovating new applications of connectivity to bring entire fleets online. From passenger connectivity and entertainment, to network operations, to connected aircraft services, we’ll help your airline unlock the potential of a connected fleet – and revolutionize aviation once again.

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Hollywood Meets Bollywood, with a Side of Nollywood, for Cross-Cultural Movie Productions

International blockbusters Jurassic World, Furious 7 and Avengers: Age of Ultron made huge waves at the box office in China, Australia and South Korea this year, but in India, they accounted for less than 10 percent of ticket sales; not holding a candle to Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Tanu Weds Manu Returns, Welcome Back or Dil Dhadakne Do, which topped the Bollywood box office. Perhaps it’s because Indians already have so many domestic films to choose from. In 2013, Bollywood produced 1,602 films – more than triple the number distributed by Hollywood. With a huge Indian diaspora abroad, especially in Europe and North America, Bollywood films have followed their viewers, expanding the export market with digital video-on-demand platforms driving the movement. 38 EXPO daily experience

24/09/2015 16:48

“Apart from regular screenings at major international film festivals, the overseas market contributes a sizeable chunk to Bollywood’s box office collections,” says Prashant Gaonkar, vice-president, Inflight Entertainment of the Mumbai-based production and distribution company, Eros International. “Our digital platform Eros Now is a witness to this huge demand.” These cross-cultural film industry intersections are setting the stage for more Hollywood co-productions to come – like the joint ventures of Relativity Media (Fast and Furious, Pitch Perfect) and B4U (Welcome Back, Hero), and the recently announced partnership between Warner Brothers and China Media Capital.

“The majority of airlines give priority to big-budget productions with an A-list cast and notable box office,” says Grace Lau, director, Acquisition and Distribution at the Hong-Kong based in-flight entertainment distributor, Emphasis Video Entertainment. “They prefer to license movies that are not only popular in their home territory but are recognized internationally.” And keep an eye out on Nollywood, the emerging film industry of Nigeria. It has surpassed Hollywood as the second largest film industry in the world and will be streaming its way to North American audiences through Netflix who will exclusively distribute film October 1, and has signed the $12-million movie rights for the Nigerian novel Beasts of No Nation to star British-actor Idris Elba.

PHOTO: EROS INTERNATIONAL / KABIR KHAN / COLLECTION CHRISTOPHEL

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CONNECTING YOUR PASSENGERS

INSPIRE

...BREAK ING NEWS ...BREAK IFPL exh ING APEX 201 ibiting at 5 stand 1408. IFPL d NFC foremonstrates personal retail and isation. IFPL div e rsifies range US and USBadding USB-C B 3.0 RJU’ s. IFPL e productxtends HDMI line.

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24/09/2015 16:48

Food Flight: Beef Jerky, Popcorn and Techno Foods to Take Off Ariane van Manicus has elevated in-flight meal packaging with designs for KLM that imitate fine china and an aluminum food cover tinted turquoise for Cathay Pacific. But the owner of the Netherlands-based consultancy Now New Next is also inspired by the contents inside those containers, and is taking cues from global food and beverage trends that would fly well in an airplane cabin.

beef jerky and popcorn Spicing up in-flight snacking is the chewy, savory and protein-packed beef jerky. “Watch out,” van Manicus says, “beef jerky will enter the airline market soon.” While JetBlue and Alaska Airlines serve the cured meat, it’s been slow to catch on with European carriers. The same delay goes for popcorn, which United Airlines offers sprinkled with pink Himalayan salt. “It’s healthy, it’s low-fat, it’s lightweight – so why is there no popcorn onboard?” Leave it to US carriers to lead the snack trail.

Beef Jerky Boom $1 billion

hyper-segmentation Asia fawns over luxury co-branded products, Europe is steeped in the fresh food movement and America is finally paying attention to design. As the passenger experience becomes more personalized, hyper-segmentation comes to play. Vegan or pescatarian? Kosher or halal? For airlines, van Manicus predicts the trend will take shape in route-dedicated meals, catering to the passenger profile of city pairs.

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active packaging

techno food Technology and the proliferation of “smart” is affecting our food, and not just the popcorn dusted with white cheddar powder. 3-D printing is used for prosthetics, airplane parts and edibles. From pancakes to pizza, it turns out, The Jetsons were right about automated food machines.

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• Sales of beef jerky are up 13% since 2013 and up 46% since 2009. • Ready-to-eat popcorn rakes in $750 million in sales in 2014, up 25% from 2013.

Plain packaging just won’t cut it anymore. G.H. Mumm has set the bar high with packaging that features RFID digital intelligence. Connected to a nightclub, it will spotlight you and your friends when you pop a bottle of Champagne to pump up the party. What does your packaging do?

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24/09/2015 16:48

Partying a Go-Go in Portland

After a fruitful first day at APEX EXPO 2015, delegates had a fun choice of after parties. The GogoRunway Girl Network party was at Doug Fir Lounge where local band Pink Martini put on a swinginâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; set. Across the Willamette River was Global Eagle Entertainmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bash at the BridgePort BrewPub, a fun night that featured a flight that departed from lager and landed at stout. Whatever party delegates went to (or maybe both), it sure looked like everyone had a good time!

Do you have social photos that are fit to print? E-mail submissions to > EDITOR@APEX.AERO EXPO daily experience 43

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Inmarsat_Header_177x18_v1.indd 1 BOOTH 201

24/09/2015 16:48

#PaxEx Warriors at APEX Media Booth 201

Follow us on Twitter for breaking news, event updates and show highlights. And don’t forget to use the event hashtag: #APEXEXPO. > @THeapexassOc

Whether you’re chasing a signal, looking to snag some swag, or catch up on the day’s breaking announcements, Booth 201 is the place to be! Get the lowdown on today’s rundown: APEX Media sits down with aviation journalists to discuss “Life at 35,000 ft.” Come by the booth at 2 p.m. or follow #PaxExWarriors hashtag live on Twitter.

carry-on cocktails Have a penchant for a Moscow Mule mid-flight? Swing by for a chance to win a compact cocktail kit or a House Spirits Distillery liquor tasting for four.

put a bird on it Get your talons on our Portlandiathemed hipster totes that feature an Inmarsat-sponsored #avgeek twist.

wi-fi hotspot Looking for a better connection, some power for your devices or a place to kick back? We have all of those things. Swing by in the morning for fresh coffee.

cover story

news flash Find out what’s trending live via our social media screen that will capture the latest biz buzz from the showroom floor.

Make your memory of this year’s show a lasting one by snapping a photo at our APEX Experience coverthemed cutout. Bring your friends!

Social Sphere Scan In the Twittersphere, Astronics Armstrong Aerospace’s AeroShield received a lot of camera clicks today. There were also several photos of airline seats and antennas, but the most photogenic were screens – they were everywhere.

#APEXEXPO mentioned over 892 times

44 EXPO daily experience

Photo of the Day

Tweet of the Day

#StarWarsThe ForceAwakens inflight?! I can’t wait! @DisneyStudios #APEXEXPO @RunwayGirl @theAPEXassoc. —tomás n. Romero, @tnRomero

@theapexassoc Peek a boo! Make your memory of #APEXEXPO a lasting one by snapping a photo at our APEX Experience cover-themed booth cutout and bring your friends! #avgeeks #aviation #media #magazine

photo: W&p DesiGn

ask me anything

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24/09/2015 16:48

On the Up and Up: APEX’s CEO Reception

Tonight, APEX members are cordially invited to meet the association’s recently announced CEO, Joe Leader. At the Portland-during prohibition-themed event, sponsored by SITA OnAir, guests will have the chance to meet Leader and yak it up with old and new APEX colleagues. But rest easy: It won’t be a dry bar. Drinks, food and music will flow through the industrial halls of the former Boeing and

WWII airplane assembly factory, the Left Bank Annex, located just a stone’s throw from the Pearl District. Transportation will be provided from the Hilton.

> The Leftbank Annex 101 North Weidler Street 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

THE APEX EXPO EXPERIENCE TEAM Al St. Germain > publisher

Felipe Batista Nunes > production manager

Sophie Woodroofe > contributor

al.stgermain@spafax.com

Linda Massarella > editor in chief

steve.oconnor@spafax.com

Caroline Ku > copywriter

Nicolas Venturelli > art director

Howard Slutsken > contributor

Eva Dorsch > art assistant

Jenn Wint > contributor

Ella Ponomarov > research assistant

linda.massarella@spafax.com

Katie Sehl > deputy editor katie.sehl@spafax.com

Jessica Sammut > digital editor jesssica.sammut@spafax.com

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Steve O’Connor > sales director

Vance Walstra > photographer

AN EYE TO THE

FUTURE LUMEXIS.COM

COME AND SEE US AT APEX 2015 EXPO Stand 413 28 Sep-1 Oct Portland, OR

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