December 2008 Archives

Despite the apparent obstacles facing Row 44, the firm is confident that commercial testing of its Ku band-based connectivity system will begin within weeks!!!

In an interview with USA Today, Row 44 CEO John Guidon says:

"We'll be deploying in North America commercially in 2009. That means very heavy rollout. We're already working with Southwest and Alaska. We already have FAA certification to install the equipment. The test to customers will be in January. That's when you see it getting on planes."

I've asked a Row 44 spokesman to confirm the report and he says: "Yes, the contents of John's USA Today interview are all accurate, including his mentions of the January testing of our system."

Row 44 has been using temporary FCC approvals to test its system on an Albatross testbed aircraft. These tests - and Row 44's application to the FCC - have come under fire from competitors.

The California-based firm awaits permanent FCC approval. But it remains equally confident it will get the regulator's stamp of approval.

"As for the FCC approval, that's a lengthy process but is going smoothly. We're happy with the progress we've made and with our interaction with the FCC but we understand this takes time and can't be rushed," says the Row 44 spokesman.

And remember, Southwest Airlines believes it can move forward with offering Row 44's Ku band-based connectivity to passengers for free until Row 44 receives permanent approval (then it will charge - apparently less than $10, according to Guidon's comment below!!!)

Right then, there are a number of outstanding questions. Will the aforementioned trial be on Alaska or Southwest or both? (Southwest CEO Gary Kelly recently gave a conservative estimate that trials could begin in the first half.) Will ViaSat and LiveTV's objections to Row 44's application succeed in thwarting the firm's plan? And for those of you who are following my Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory metaphorical storyline, will Row 44 be awarded a golden ticket ? (If it gets up and running on Alaska and/or Southwest then it will be incredibly well-placed to secure the big dogs - foreign carriers that loved Connexion by Boeing, for example). 

Here are some other noteworthy quotes from USA Today's Q&A with Guidon. The juiciest bits are highlighted (note the comany's plan to land that Albatross aircraft on the Thames river).

"In the middle of the year, we will...have service across the Atlantic and all over Europe. We have global aspirations. We're making sure we have traction in each market and can see profitability before we move forward."

"We'll also be offering cellphone connectivity in 2009 where it is allowed and where airlines ask us for it. I know this has become a political hot potato in the U.S. We're clear on this. Customers, for us, are airlines. We'll do what airlines want us to do. We have the technology to offer cellphone connectivity."

"In 2009, we'll be providing TV along with our data. We can integrate with seatback monitors. We're certainly going to be offering (TV) over the laptop (via Wi-Fi). We're talking about a number of recognizable channels directly broadcast to servers on the plane.

"We do a tremendous amount of testing before we release gear to customers. Much of the testing is on a 1950 Grumman Albatross flying boat. We recently landed this flying boat next to the Queen Mary in Long Beach (Calif.) for a trade show. In 2009 we plan to land it on the Thames next to Tower Bridge in London. That's going to be interesting if we get that done and get authorities to agree to it."

"People who have been on the system have been very pleased with the speed and solidity of the system. When airlines are testing it, they try very hard to overload it and to cause it to slow down. And they've been pleased with the system.

"When we compare ourselves to Connexion, we think in terms of fives. We're approximately one-fifth of the weight of the Connexion systems. Less than one-fifth of the effort to install. And we're five times better in cost per bit. From the public, everybody is hoping for a low price. Row 44 agrees and we can provide low price." [Guidon says the price will be lower than $10 a day, according to USA Today].

"(In satellite connection), it's unavoidable that there'll be a break in connection. But the system is supposed to be robust and pick up where it left off. We're aiming for a system...well above 97% in availability at any time."

1) Oneworld alliance member American Airlines launches Aircell's broadband service, Gogo.

A high-profile carrier that previously showed interest in now-defunct Connexion by Boeing, American's launch of Aircell's air-to-ground (ATG) solution on 15 transcontinental Boeing 767-200s forced other legacies to think hard about whether they could afford to wait for another satellite offering to come to market or adopt ATG now.

The result? Air Canada, Delta Air Lines (with merger partner Northwest), Virgin America and a fifth undisclosed carrier (now strongly rumoured to be United Airlines) are bringing Aircell's Gogo to an airplane near you.

And if user feedback is any indication, it can't happen soon enough. Aircell is predicting that as many as 2,000 commercial aircraft will be equipped by the end of 2009. And let's not forget their biz jet adventures.

2) LiveTV wins Continental Airlines as live television customer; carrier initially agrees to take 36-channel system but later alters the contract for the latest generation 80-channel system, LTV3.

This deal is significant on a number of fronts (and the fact that Continental isn't exactly screaming it from the rooftops underscores just how big).

To explain why requires us to talk a little history. For years LiveTV busied itself with installing first- and second-generation systems on parent JetBlue Airways' fleet, as well as other low-cost carriers that largely do not compete with the New York JFK-based operator. Seeing the value of this firm, which may eventually be spun off, JetBlue higher ups decided to let the eagle out of the canary cage, and allow LiveTV to offer its best and brightest product yet, LTV3, to all and sundry. 

In addition to offering 80 channels, the system weighs 30% less than the current 36-channel system on JetBlue's aircraft. 

Additionally, a lengthy marketing experiment at customer Frontier Airlines - which charges passengers for live television - has helped LiveTV executives understand exactly what passengers are willing to pay for. This is useful information to have when you're sitting in front of airline executives (remind me to tell you more about this later).

At any rate, once Continental turns its seat-backs into Joe Americana's living room early next year, and passengers become accustomed to one of the best in-flight entertainment (IFE) offerings in the US skies, expect more US carriers to tune in to LTV3.

"We believe that next year (2009) TV will get its due because it was a broadband year," a LiveTV exec said recently.

And now for that aforementioned juice.

In early November, LiveTV revealed to me it has secured a LOI for LTV3 with a second major and was working on a third LOI. The company supplies everything but the headphones - maintenance and repair, etc. So don't be surprised if LiveTV moves to the top "big moment" spot next year.

3) This is a tough one. But I think we've got to hand it to Thales for beating out rival Panasonic to win a massive IFE award with British Airways.

The French manufacturer will fit its TopSeries platform on BA's on-order Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 aircraft as well as on the carrier's new Boeing 777-300ERs. The deal further solidifies Thales' position in the sector and continues to ensure a healthy-ish duopoly in the marketplace (hey, it's better than a monopoly) and keeps Panasonic well on its toes.

4) That Panasonic is already well on its toes is without question, however. Taking the number four spot is the May launch of Apple iPod connectivity onboard a Singapore Airlines Airbus A340-500.

The IFE giant's market research has shown airline passengers want two simple features: (1) output their personal video and audio to the IFE system and (2) having power supplied to their iPod. Panasonic's so-called eXport jack does both of these in a single cable. And since Panasonic is using USB technology to send power to the iPod, airlines can provide the service even if they don't have in-seat (PED) power. Airlines from around the globe are signing up. 

5) The fifth "moment" involves AeroMobile and OnAir, which teamed up to fight the US "Hang-Up Act".

The legislation is intended to outlaw the use of in-flight mobile phones for voice communications in the USA!?!   

Even as they were fighting the good fight against poorly advised lawmakers, the two firms gave each other mad competition during the whole of 2008.

Here are just some of the headlines:

Pakistan's Airblue signs with OnAir for in-flight mobile connectivity
MAS puts AeroMobile in-flight connectivity offering on trial
WAEA2008: Ryanair testing of OnAir mobile to start mid-month
WAEA2008: AeroMobile in advanced talks with four airlines
Emirates fits first Boeing with AeroMobile phone service
V Australia first to sign for Panasonic/Aeromobile service
WAEA2008: OnAir inks deal with TAM
TAP Portugal begins OnAir mobile phone trial

*** Honourable mention: I feel absolutely compelled to give an honourable mention here to Row 44, which in January announced that Southwest Airlines had become the second US operator to agree to trial the company's satellite-based broadband connectivity service, after Alaska Airlines. The low-cost giant's decision to trial Row 44's system on four Boeing 737s gave a huge vote of confidence to the California start-up. Over the last 12 months, however, there have been a number of bumps in the road and Southwest's trial - and Alaska's for that matter - has not yet occurred. Row 44's application to the FCC faces serious objection from ViaSat and LiveTV. And this RWG has even become part of the argument (or rather, the content found on this blog). No doubt 2009 will be pivotal for Row 44

On a personal note, I'd like to thank all of you for your support in 2008 - a year when carriers finally started adopting connectivity on a broad scale (could it get more exciting, honestly?) It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell you that 2009 is going to be even bigger for the world of IFE&C. A good thing too, since RWG is focused on covering this sector for you. As always, I welcome your comments, whether they are posted to the blog or sent directly to me at mary.kirby@flightglobal.com Happy New Year everyone.

Our IFE&C weekly news roundup is a little light on this the day after Christmas, but it's not completely snow-flaky.

HARD NEWS

US Airways says that while it intends to trial in-flight Internet "at some point" it is not likely to do so anytime soon (hmmm, if this is the case can we assume that US Airways is not Aircell's fifth - and as yet undisclosed - customer for Gogo? Read on to Rumour and Speculation.)

Additionally, US Airways "can't get specific" about my questions concerning whether that Lumexis IFE trial is forthcoming.  

RUMOUR and SPECULATION

I understand from a source that we're going to learn the identity of Aircell's fifth Gogo customer very shortly. An obvious guesstimate would be United Airlines, which was one of the first US majors to push forward with in-flight connectivity.

Pulling liberally from my own previous articles on the subject, United Airlines and now-defunct Verizon Airfone in the summer of 2005 claimed the distinction of becoming the first companies to receive FAA STC approval to install the necessary cabin equipment to enable passenger and crew use of Wi-Fi devices during flight.

Airfone later participated in the US Federal Communications Commission's 2006 auction of air-to-ground spectrum, but withdrew, and its competitor Aircell won the exclusive 3MHz licence to provide wireless broadband services on commercial aircraft. At that time, United said that it was "evaluating several systems" for offering broadband service domestically over an air-to ground (ATG) link, and internationally through a satellite link.

If that statement continues to hold true, it leaves only two options for United on the domestic front, Aircell and LiveTV, the latter of which acquired the 1MHz slice of spectrum at auction, and this year secured its ATG presence with the acquisition of Airfone's network.

If you think about it, a LiveTV-provided IFE&C solution wouldn't be totally out of the realm of possibility for United. After all, the Star Alliance member is readying to welcome LiveTV's newest customer, Continental Airlines, into the grouping's fold. Continental will offer 80 channels of live television plus basic connectivity services. That said, from an in-flight perspective, alliances aren't known for their consistency. 

And what about AirTran? Here's another carrier that could conceivably go either way (Aircell or LiveTV). Through a relationship with LiveTV, the low-cost carrier currently offers XM Satellite Radio at every seat. But its Atlanta rival, Delta Air Lines, is going fleet-wide with Gogo. No doubt the pressure will soon be on AirTran to offer some form of connectivity. Interestingly, AirTran's in-flight magazine is called "Go".

GOOD READ

Times Online is running a decent piece about in-flight entertainment (IFE). In it, industry veteran Alan Pellegrini, Thales' VP of in-flight systems, reinforces what we already know: Interactive IFE platforms that allow handheld devices to be introduced on a plug-and-play basis are now all the rage (quite necessarily if installed IFE is going to have a future).

Key quote from Pellegrini:

"We want to allow passengers to plug devices into their seat using a USB port and watch their own movies on our larger screens."

Large, flat-screen televisions with Internet connectivity and a movie selection comparable to a Blockbuster store are the future, adds the article's author, David Robertson. "Sadly, the size of the seat is likely to stay the same." Altogether now. Boooo....oooooo.....ooooooooo.

(Photo above of United 757 cabin. Courtesy AirTeamImages)

As engineers consider interiors for new-design aircraft, it's helpful to take a look at some of the most innovative designs of the past and present as well as concepts that have been mulled for today's latest generation aircraft, such as the Airbus A380.

To do that, I've received permission to publish an array of photos from what is perhaps the most comprehensive interiors book around, Jetliner Cabins, which I've mentioned in a couple of previous posts. The book was originally published in 2003 and an updated version was published in 2006. As you can imagine, however, author Jennifer Coutts Clay has received many a request for yet another update.

As we near the end of 2008, Airbus is approaching design freeze on the A350, Bombardier is building up its interiors team for the CSeries (while we anxiously await a firm order announcement), and Embraer is planning new seats for its E-Jets family and studying whether a move into a larger-sized aircraft category makes sense. Meanwhile, Boeing is studying a new interior for the venerable 737 that draws on 787 features, as part of a larger "737 Re-generation" plan.

And even as airlines struggle in the face of an economic downturn, they continue to modify their cabins and bring a host of new technology on board to both differentiate their products and drive new revenue streams. We'll discuss a very creative way to do both very shortly.

Until then, let's get the creative juices flowing with that gallery of pics. (Now I'm off to bake some brownies for Santa, who might also want to think about updating that sleigh.)

The first two interiors pics, found on pages 144 and 145 of Jetliner Cabins, are courtesy Braniff/George Design Studio

The next three pics, found on pages 183, 185 top, and 189 are courtesy Airbus

The final pic, found on page 39, is courtesy British Airways

These images are featured in Jetliner Cabins by Jennifer Coutts Clay, published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.  www.JetlinerCabins.com

Photo of Santa from www.pdphoto.org/PictureDetail.php?mat=&pg=7857 

There's no earthly way of knowing

Which direction we are going
There's no knowing where we're rowing
Or which way the river's flowing

Is it raining?
Is it snowing?
Is a hurricane a blowing?

Why yes it is, Willy. Yes it is. LiveTV is urging the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to require Row 44 to clearly demonstrate in writing how its system design would operate "on a non-interference basis" or to "otherwise bring its transmit power levels into line with those the commission has approved before in the case of aeronautical FSS applications".  

Only AFTER the California-based firm makes such a showing should the commission allow Row 44 to conduct testing to determine whether its theoretical design will work in practice, suggests the JetBlue Airways subsidiary in a 12 December letter to the regulator.

"In the absence of such a showing, the FCC should deny or dismiss the Row 44 applications," adds LiveTV.

Well Jiminy Christmas this isn't the nicest news for Row 44 to be receiving just before the holiday, is it? After all, the company is readying to trial its Ku band-based in-flight connectivity system on Boeing 737s operated by Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines. 

In its letter to the FCC, which follows on the heels of a torrent of objections to Row 44's applications by ViaSat, LiveTV says it is "actively exploring the use of Ku band FSS spacecraft to provide true broadband services to our customers". For these to succeed, however, they "must operate in an interference-free environment and not cause interference themselves". 

On a slight tangent, LiveTV execs have previously made known there interest in Ku band, but the adverb "actively" is supremely interesting.

In any case, LiveTV believes the operation of the Row 44 system "presents far more significant interference risks than any other aeronautical FSS terminal proposed before it". 

It says hasty deployment of any system, including the one proposed by Row 44 that ends up causing interference "could harm the industry as a whole, and thus slow down the deployment of similar broadband services by LiveTV and others". Check out the full letter here. LiveTV Letter.pdf 

Not to be too dark or anything, but...

Not a speck of light is showing
so the danger must be growing
Are the fires of hell a glowing?
Is the grisly reaper mowing?
Yes! The danger must be growing
For the rowers keep on rowing
And they're certainly not showing
any signs that they are slowing!

When last I spoke to Row 44, the firm said it is pushing ahead with its plans. Rowing, if you will. But will the endeavor be upstream all the way? And could Row 44 find itself without a golden ticket? There were five, remember, and we already know that Aircell has found one.

(Photo of boat from www.bigfoto.com/themes/ships/index.htm) 

Well folks, you might think I've headed south for the winter or propped up my feet with a glass of sherry in hand, but in reality RWG is actually working this Friday before Christmas.

That's right. I'm forgoing a third holiday luncheon cocktail to write the IFE&C weekly news roundup. Just like last week's roundup, we'll go in a nice, orderly fashion, starting with HARD NEWS, followed by RUMOUR and SPECULATION (ie. unsubstantiated but delicious) and lastly more TOTALLY UNSUBSTIANTED stuff.

HARD NEWS:

Just because I've had a fixation with Wi-Fi-enabled activity of late, doesn't mean I don't recognize what's happening on the other side of the pond. UK carrier BMI has begun a six-month trial of OnAir's in-flight communications technology but has initially opted against enabling voice calls on mobile phones. BMI becomes the first British carrier to offer passengers this functionality. The carrier will trial the service for six months on a single Airbus A320 aircraft operating between Heathrow and Moscow. In addition to sending texts, passengers will also have access to the Internet and email. "BMI is doing this as a trial partially to gather information on social etiquette regarding cell phones onboard an aircraft. Why would people who are so used to listening to conversations on the train and on a bus be so reluctant to prevent the same from happening on a flight?" asks a BMI spokesman. Bloody good question. I can't think of a good answer (but I'm in the bring-it-all-on-board camp, as you are well aware).

Interestingly, one day after OnAir released news of its BMI deal, AeroMobile announced that the 50,000th passenger has used its system on an Emirates flight. An arbitrary number? (Not if OnAir's press release is dated 15 December, in my humble). The call took place on an Emirates service from Dubai to Cairo on Wednesday, 10 December. "The passenger, an Etisalat subscriber, connected to the network on his personal mobile phone to make a three minute call from 36,000 feet aboard the Emirates Boeing 777-300," says AeroMobile in a statement, noting that the milestone was passed "in the ninth month of service with Emirates" which now operates the system "on five different aircraft types". Okey doke. Got it!

The following falls into Hard News because it is Aircell going on record about its plans for bringing a feels-like-TV experience in-flight. A few of you had some questions about the Colorado-based company's plan, and I forwarded them on.

Aircell says:

"In answer to your question about bandwidth for streaming content in the cabin, without going too deep into the technical details, we typically deploy three access points in an aircraft. Each access point supports 802.11 a/b/g technology and is configured to use different channels/frequencies to maximize bandwidth.  In addition, we use a proprietary technology for video/audio streaming applications that squeezes even more juice out of that bandwidth. All of that to say, we have no concerns about supporting the content streaming needs of the cabin.

"In answer to your question about licensing and paying for media when you already have access to the Internet, keep in mind that the two services - content and connectivity - are not necessarily connected. There may be occasions when all a passenger wants is an entertainment product, and we would enable that purchase as a decision separate of connectivity (although largely complementary to it).  And though there would be licensing fees depending on the type of content, we intend to have different offerings that will appeal to many price points."

RUMOUR and SPECULATION from little birdies:

Okay, so we know that TriaGnoSys and VT Miltope have formed a strategic partnership "to provide end-to-end systems for in-cabin networks, focused on developing network backbones for aircraft, over which a range of services can be offered to passengers and crew", including broadband Internet access.

But did you know that they are also working closely with T-Mobile, ViaSat and AeroSat (antenna maker) to make Lufthansa Internet-happy once again?  I have heard from more than one source that this plan is progressing, although perhaps not as quickly as Wolfgang would like. The Connexion by Boeing antenna on Luftie's aircraft might get a bit of play first though....ohhhhhhh. "Obviously we can also bank on T-Mobile becoming the third GSM service provider (with their partner Miltope/TriaGnoSys) in the industry after Aermobile and OnAir," says a source. Another source tells me to expect more mobile operator giants like T-Mobile to get in the game of in-flight connectivity. Makes sense. Makes perfect sense. Will Panasonic continue to push its Ku-band solution with this sort of competition?

More TOTALLY UNSUBSTANTIATED stuff:

Thales has secured two major IFE wins - Gulf Air will equip 15-plus Gulf Air Airbus A320's and Qatar Airways will equip 30 A320 family aircraft.

I may have skipped that third luncheon cocktail but it's now dinner, so let the celebrations begin.

There is nothing new about the idea of stacked sleepers on aircraft. The Boeing Stratoliner, which boasted a near 12ft wide cabin, had plenty of room for sleeping berths. And that operated commercial flights back in the 1940s.

In the mid-1980s, first-class passengers on Philippine Airlines could sleep through overnight flights in upper-and lower-level bunk beds, notes Jennifer Coutts Clay in her "Jetliner Cabins" book.

What would be quite novel, however, is if airlines adopted stacked sleeper seats for today's economy-class passenger. A I "Indi" Rajasingham, head of MmilleniumM Group, believes the Bethesda, Maryland-based engineering firm has a solution. The company has designed a stacked seating approach for all segments, from economy-class to "super business", called the Air Sleeper that, in economy at least, uses every blessed inch of space.

I wrote about the product in my Flight festive feature, Sleep Surrender. But magazine space constraints - ahem - prevented me from running all the graphics. See below (with pics 2, 3 and 4, imagine yourself on the outside of the tube, looking in) and then read on.

I must admit that upon first viewing these graphics I was a tad concerned about the comfort factor. To be precise, I thought the contraption looked damned uncomfortable and questioned whether readers of Sleep Surrender wouldn't think the same.

Here's what Indi had to say about that: "What may not be apparent to readers is that anybody can get any design on paper and build mock-ups. Some may be prettier than others. But not all these are supported by the sound engineering needed to make them protect you under crash conditions for successful certification.

"We work from the bottom up. Engineering, biomechanics for safety, and ergonomics for comfort and convenience. We target certifiability in any position - a world first. Our technologies and novel architectures that make this possible, supported by pending and issued patents are our key strength. We serve all segments from economy to 'super business' without exception. While we take the aesthetics and ambiance seriously it is only the top layer that we may even outsource to best serve our customers."

It goes without saying, I suppose, that James Park Associates' (JPA's) stacked sleeper design, recently revealed on RWG, seemed a hell of a lot prettier. But that was tailored only and specifically for a business-class cabin, and not constrained by airlines' general edict for economy class - cram as many people into the back as humanly possible.

Indeed, Indi compares the two designs in the following chart (click on the file for a larger view and then read on):

At the Wings club luncheon yesterday I met former Air Canada chief engineer Ford Chown, now a consultant whose focus at this time is Aerospace Technologies Group's electromechanical window shades, which have been adopted for the Airbus A380 by Qantas

Chown is going to review the AirSleeper idea for me from a design requirement standpoint. Until then, he seeks to temper my new-found exuberance over cabin interiors with the following quote:

"In the 90's it seems that everyone was trying to upgrade aircraft cabins, business travel was booming and everyone was fighting for the flyers' business; they still are, but competitive fares have created belt tightening in the airline marketing world. The interiors of planes still need refurbishment and change will happen, maybe just not as fast. I think that aviation is a fascinating business and the aircraft interior offers such opportunity for initiative, it can be overwhelming."

Okay, with my chill pill swallowed, I think the big question is, as posed above, can we sleep together? Can the collective we really lie side-by-side, hands to ourselves, legs together, in perfect harmony? Will Sleep Surrender be sweet surrender or must economy-class passengers surrender to the fact that it's going to be more of the same?    

Well lookie at what has just been made public at the US Patent and Trademark office. It's a patent application from Thales regarding a system and method for expanding in-flight entertainment (IFE) and cabin functions throughout an aircraft cabin.

More particularly, says Thales in its filing, the present invention "relates to implementing new services for airplane passengers and crew without having to redesign software any time a service is added or removed, and at the same time maintaining intact the avionics specificities of an integrated IFE and cabin functions system. The implementation is provided utilizing a Service Oriented Architecture for software design".

The relevance (plus a key dumb-it-down-for-the-rest-of-us quote):

In IFE applications, the use of SOA allows the definition of a generic architecture for offering multimedia, VoIP, Internet, games, and any other present and future service where service enablers and common functions can be reused for multiple applications. In other words, the concept of a layered architecture for the IFE is taken one step further by defining a horizontal architecture in which the convergence of IT domain and multimedia services simplifies and speeds up the service creation and provisioning process without overlapping functionality, such as routing, list management, etc.

 
Here is the application in its entirety (no I haven't been able to access the drawings yet). Read on... 

My colleague, ATI US editor Lori Ranson, had a chat with Virgin America president and CEO David Cush yesterday in San Francisco. Here's the latest from Cush on Virgin America's Gogo ramp-up and usage stats.

1) Gogo, which went live on Virgin America last month, is currently flying on three Airbus A320 family aircraft 

2) Take-up rate has been 20% to 25% on long-haul routes - higher than expected (wow, really? wow)

3) The next "big battle" is likely to be about power outlets and cords (sounds iPod-a-licious...see how Panasonic's X marks the spot and other sexy stuff...side note: VA's "Red" IFE is a combo of Panasonic hardware/CoKinetic software)

And here's a cushy quote:

"I used Aircell on my old airline American on a flight to New York a couple of weeks ago and it was absolutely outstanding."

On an aside, I spoke with Delta Air Lines today about its plan to transition a batch of Boeing MD-88s out of New York LaGuardia-Washington National shuttle service and replace them with 76-seat Embraer 175s.

Why should we care, RWG?

As you are no doubt aware, Delta today went live with Gogo on five MD-88s operating the BosWash corridor shuttle and a single Boeing 757 flying systemwide. A total eight MD-88s plus a spare currenty fly the shuttle (it looks like about half will transition out). These are mighty short-hop flights to be debuting Gogo-gageting, no?

"The shuttle market is a market where we know we have a lot of business travelers who would be interested in seeing a product like this," says a Delta spokesman, noting that the carrier's Gogo promo over the holidays will allow folks to try out the product for free.   

So essentially, the promo will give true road warriors a taste of what is to be offered fleet-wide. The question is, however, will Gogo be offered on the E-175 shuttle flights (operated by Republic Airways Holdings subsidiary Shuttle America) and other Delta regional jet flights in the future?

Delta says:

At this time we are focused on installing [Gogo] on mainline Delta and Northwest's fleet. We will continue to review RJ installation as a future option."

Interesting stuff. Glad to hear it.

Some folks, who will remain nameless, are skeptical that Gogo will ever be installed on Northwest's ancient DC-9s. Surely these birds will have been retired by the time Delta is forced to answer that question. Surely I just don't know. But one thing is for certain, these 40 year olds ain't no Virgins.

Piggybacking off of the increasingly-brilliant The Middle Seat Terminal's own piggybacking of Comedian Louis C.K.'s astute observations about in-flight connectivity and passengers' expectations (itself a piggyback of MST's recent blog about Delta, American and Gogo). The entire clip is, well, freaking hilarious but the in-flight stuff starts around the 2:00min mark.

UPDATED to include comment from LiveTV

EMS is supplying the antenna to support Brazilian start-up Azul's plan for offering live television on its Embraer 190/195s.

Azul, which launched operations yesterday, has an agreement in place with JetBlue subsidiary LiveTV to bring live television to every seat. But in a statement yesterday the airline said the system will not go live until the end of 2009 .

So what's the holdup?

EMS also produced the antenna on JetBlue's aircraft (as well as Frontier, WestJet and Australia's Virgin Blue). "Unfortunately, an entirely different design is required to function here in Brazil. They are developing one that will work here," explains an Azul spokesman.

LiveTV VP of marketing and sales Mike Moeller adds: "Every region has a different DBS (direct broadcast satellite) provider with different satellite gains, frequencies, receiver cards, polarizations, look angles, etc. This forces the hardware provider to design the correct antenna that delivers the optimum performance in a region. Unfortunately, it is not a one size fits all approach." 

Well, well, well. Delta wasn't kidding when it told me on Friday to expect an announcement today describing the carrier's planned rollout of Aircell's Gogo Internet service. I bashed out a quick and dirty here but the key facts are that Gogo on Tuesday will go live on five Boeing MD-88s that operate shuttle service on the BosWash corridor, as well as a single Boeing 757 flying throughout its system. A total 10 aircraft will be equipped with Gogo by the end of the year.

Then, in 2009, Delta will continue to add Gogo across its domestic fleet, first on MD-88s, MD-90s, 757s and Boeing 737 aircraft, and expanding to the remaining domestic fleet of Boeing 767-300 aircraft by late 2009.

Significantly, Delta and Aircell will begin the certification process for the mainline domestic fleet of the airline's new Northwest Airlines subsidiary in early 2009 with Gogo installations scheduled to begin in late 2009.

Okay, so that's what we know from today's release. But what isn't so apparent? Well, as previously hinted, Aircell is getting very clever about its broader offering. It ain't all about Internet, folks!

Indeed Gogo is capable of delivering a wide range of content from its media server directly to end users' devices (laptops, gaming devices, etc) over its in-cabin Wi-Fi network. That service will be rolled out next year.

So what types of content are we talking about?

"In terms of the types of content we're talking about, we will be working to deliver games, television, movies, music and more," says an Aircell spokesman, noting that since content would be stored on the airplane in the media server (as opposed to pulled across the Internet) bandwidth is not really a concern.

"Essentially, it's no different than if you were at your house watching a video you had streamed from a home server to your laptop. Make sense?"

It does indeed. Cached content that is frequently updated for a feels-like-live-TV experience! As Willy Wonka would say: "Wait a minute! Strike that. Reverse it!" Is this kind of like LiveTV's strategy only in complete reverse?

As previously reported here, LiveTV has a multi-pronged connectivity strategy, which involves offering its basic Kiteline messaging and email product to airline customers now (parent JetBlue is flying the service) while developing two broader solutions for the future, including Oasis which will offer a "feels like broadband" experience by cleverly combining Kiteline with the stored content-upload capabilities of LiveTV's wireless aircraft data link (WADL) system.

Hmmm. That's something to think about, Charlie Bucket. Some would argue that Monday Night Football is less interesting on Tuesday when the scores are in. But Colorado-based Aircell assures that the stored content will be extremely fresh. 

"For example, while a plane idles overnight at the airport, tremendous amounts of content could be beamed/uploaded onto the server and then available on the first flight in the morning. The possibilities are quite exciting," says the Aircell spokesman.

Indeed. And here are two additional creamy tidbits for good measure:

Tidbit # 1 Aircell's cached content will be able to offer passengers the choice to watch what they want, when they want (i.e., if you are still finishing up some work when the inflight movie starts, you can finish up and start the movie when you want to).

Tidbit # 2 Passengers will be able to finish watching their selections on the ground if they do not complete them on the flight.

I really like that last one. God, after all that I need a piece of chocolate. Luckily for me, I live across the street from a chocolate factory. It's called Wilbur and it makes a milk chocolate as close to Cadbury as you're going to find on this side of the Atlantic.

(Golden ticket taken from Jamie Isaac's own image created from chocolate factory films)

Panasonic has delayed the opening of its Shanghai office. A Panasonic spokeswoman confirms there will be "no press announcement/brief this week", but that the firm is targeting an official announcement for "after the New Year".

Panasonic is not disclosing the reason for the delay. The company had intended to open the new office on 17 December with a big, snazzy event. And it had hoped to time the announcement of a new Chinese customer with that big, snazzy event.

I'll keep ya posted.

On a side note, a source tells me that Panasonic has won two new reasonably-sized IFE customers situated on different sides of the same ocean - Hawaiian Airlines and Air New Zealand. 

Do the deals cover Hawaiian's A330s and A350s? I've put the queries to Panasonic. If confirmed, these would be some nice wins.  

UPDATED to include EMS Technologies' acquisition of Formation, and a Delta disclosure

It has been a busy week in the world of IFE&C so let's do a little roundup of all the stuff I didn't get a chance to write about, shall we?

HARD NEWS:

EMS Technologies has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Formation, a New Jersey-based provider of airborne wireless network products that enable in-flight passenger communications with terrestrial and satellite networks. Formation is an approved direct supplier to Airbus and also is a major supplier to Rockwell Collins, Aircell and Panasonic. An EMS spokeswoman says: "With Formation, we will able to participate in terrestrial (tower-based) broadband aero broadband systems now being rolled out with major North American airlines." See the company's full statement. 

Delta Air Lines is currently testing Aircell's Gogo and expects to launch the service before the end of the year. Wouldn't that be a nice Christmas present? Check out the Delta blog for a touch more info. Delta previously said it intends to initially install Gogo on its fleet of Boeing MD-88s and MD-90s. A Delta spokesman says today that the carrier will release a statement on Monday about its rollout of Gogo. A launch by year-end is still in the works, he assures.

Aircell is targeting commitments for Gogo to reach 2,000 commercial aircraft by the end of 2009. Thus far, the company has secured five customers - Delta, American, Virgin America, Air Canada, and an undisclosed carrier. It fully anticipates dominating in this sector in 2009.

Also during 2009, Aircell plans to expand its network and Gogo offering "including adding rich, multimedia applications such as games, television, movies and music". Expect a more thorough conversation about this on RWG next week. But suffice it to say that Aircell is getting very clever with its onboard servers.

As previously reported on RWG, Aircell has been working with Panasonic to offer Gogo connectivity over Virgin America's "Red" embedded IFE system. "We have also had discussions with Thales, who is Air Canada's IFE provider," the firm says. Indeed Gogo expects to be a driving force behind the emergence of connectivity-enabled IFE in 2009.

Wow, that's a lot of news from Aircell. What about other firms?

Well German firm Qest, which recently received the "2008 Frost & Sullivan European Technology Innovation Award for Airborne Broadband Antennas" as previously hinted here, reports that a prototype of its Ku band antenna aperture is exceeding performance expectations. The antenna's performance complies "not only with FCC regulations but also with European ETSI as well as with international ITU standards", says Qest, adding that serial production is planned to start around mid of 2009". Check out some slides of Qest's antenna design portfolio at the following link.

QEST_Antenna Design Portfolio_2008_11.pdf

RUMOUR and SPECULATION from a little birdie (ie. unsubstantiated):

Panasonic is installing its eXConnect system on an Embraer aircraft as a test platform (now that is interesting).

BMI business is up for grabs. Will they follow BMed down the Thales route or Lufthansa to Panasonic?

WSJ's travel blog, The Middle Seat Terminal, gives a think about In-flight Psychology. Interesting point from a Singapore Airlines spokesman:

"American passengers find it very uncomfortable culturally to press the flight attendant call button when they need something. So each of our cabin crew has been trained to make a specific number of passes through the cabin making eye contact with as many passengers as they can. This allows the staff to identify a passenger who needs something without requiring them to go through the uncomfortable step of pushing the button."

I gotta admit, I'm not a big FA button-pressing fan myself. But that's usually because the FA often appears with a "what the heck do you want" look on his/her face. What do I want? IFE&C of course! 

(Image of Blue Jay by Menke, Dave/USFWS)

It's time like these that I wish there were more hours in the day. Times like what, weary RWG? Why don't you just take those damn high heels off and start your weekend?

Well, for starters, I just learned last night that I should be paying MUCH closer attention to the FCC's public notice web site.

Had I done this, I would have discovered that the revelations made on this very blog are being cited in FCC filings by ViaSat as examples of how Row 44 allegedly isn't being forthcoming with the agency about its in-flight testing of Ku band-based connectivity aboard that Albatross seaplane on which I had so much fun climbing atop for a photo shoot in Long Beach.

For example, in an 18 September letter to the FCC, regarding Row 44's request for special 60-day temporary authority (STA) to operate twelve (12) AMSS Earth stations mounted on commercial and private aircraft, ViaSat's counsel lists Runway Girl as one of two independent sources confirming that "Row 44 has in fact conducted some of the proposed operations within the United States without having obtained the STA from the commission that Row 44 seeks".

Indeed, my blog entitled "A whale of a good time aboard Row 44's Albatros seaplane" is ViaSat's "Exhibit 1", while a report from local station KNBC(TV) is "Exhibit 2". Both reports have given ViaSat some serious fodder in its continued objections to Row 44's activities (yes, Albatros needed an extra "s" on the end. I know you guys are paying attention).

You can check out the entire 18 September filing here. September 18, 2008 Filing.pdf 

Also check out ViaSat's 1 October filing which is particularly relevant as it explains why the firm believes the scope of the experimental license being used by Row 44 is very limited, and does not allow what Southwest wants to do. October 1, 2008 Filing.pdf

But here's the key quote from the 18 September letter:

"Mary Kirby, author of the Runway Girl blog published by Flight, the world's leading provider of aerospace news and data, notes that she sent herself an email while aboard a seaplane 'equipped with Row 44's in-flight connectivity service', which 'floated happily on the waters off of Long Beach before our flight'."

If you've made it this far with me, read on for what I'd like to file under the header: "You can't make this stuff up".

As mentioned in my Thursday teaser blog, yesterday I had a lovely chat with ViaSat director of regulatory affairs Daryl Hunter concerning the firm's objection to Row 44's application to the FCC for a permanent AMSS license (sod all the STAs, they want - and need - a permanent license to quiet ViaSat and ensure carriers can charge passengers for Row 44's in-flight connectivity service).

In the teaser blog, I mentioned ViaSat was preparing a new letter to the FCC that would dispute what it believes is Row 44's unauthorized transmissions from the Albatross aircraft and its commercial trial plans.

Then I received an email from Hunter that included the following:

"I forgot to mention while on the phone that we were referring to your article in the letter."

Sure enough, in an 11 December letter to the FCC - see here ViaSat Ex Parte Letter (12-11-08) (2).pdf - ViaSat calls out Row 44 for details divulged in my blog: "Row 44 on record about Alaska trial and Southwest install".

Key quote:

"Recent statements by Row 44's president, Gregg Fialcowitz, establish that Row 44 has continued its unauthorized operations. Specifically, on December 9, 2008, Mary Kirby, author of the well-known 'Runway Girl' blog, published a report quoting Mr. Fialcowitz in which he: (i) claimed that Row 44 has received 'FCC approval for the trials [of its proposed AMSS system]', (ii) represented that Row 44 is 'presently operating in the US under a temporary FCC license', and (iii) stated that Row 44 has been 'flying the [Row 44] Albatross all over the place testing and showing off the system/service in flight'."

Well blow me over. I had just blogged about myself without realizing it. Like I said, there is not enough hours in the day. Or perhaps, RWG doesn't get enough hours of sleep. Which takes me back to that stacked sleeper bed idea.

Next week, when Flight magazine hits the stands, I'll be at liberty to discuss MmilleniumM Group's plan for bringing stacked sleepers to a long-haul, economy-class cabin near you.

Meanwhile, I think I need to have a little chat with Row 44... 

This afternoon I had a very enlightening conversation with ViaSat director of regulatory affairs Daryl Hunter concerning the firm's objection to Row 44's application to the FCC for a permanent AMSS license. I'm going to need a little bit of time to sort through this, but here's a taste.

Key quote:

"We don't believe Row 44 can point the antenna as accurately as they say they can. If the antenna is mis-pointed, there is a very real likelihood of interference into adjacent satellite networks."

The problem is not Row 44's AeroSat antenna, which coincidentally has been selected by ViaSat to support its own plan for offering Ku band-based connectivity to airlines (I previously wrote that ViaSat picked the AeroSat antenna for large VIP aircraft so this bit of news makes perfect sense.)

Indeed, it's the way Row 44 is going about the thing that has ViaSat so hot under the collar, according to Hunter. Yes, I'm hoping to talk with Row 44 again soon. 

In the meantime, expect more from my interview with Hunter tomorrow. On a not unrelated aside, however, I spoke with Southwest Airlines yesterday. They confirm that installation of Row 44's system on a single Boeing 737 is scheduled for the 16th of this month, but say the trial won't get underway until January (a tad later than planned). 

Southwest says Row 44's temporary license will allow the carrier to kick start the trial but the carrier won't be able to charge passengers until permanent authority is awarded the California firm. No doubt Alaska Airlines will be in the same boat.

And here's one more "but". ViaSat is preparing to dispute what it believes is Row 44's unauthorized transmissions (from that Albatross aircraft) and its commercial trial plans.

Uh boy. This is getting interesting, no? Maybe I'm not such a tease after all.

Continental Airlines' recent announcement that it intends to offer live television to every passenger on much of its domestic fleet may have given some airline and IFE industry veterans a serious case of déjà vu. That's because the carrier's plan was revealed well over 12 years ago!

It was 18 September 1996 when USA Today's Money section reported that Continental would offer up to 24 channels of live television on many flights. The service was to be provided by In-Flight Phone - a firm headed by former Continental president Phil Bakes - and Harris Corp.
Check out the newspaper clipping from USA Today. And then read on.

A bit of convoluted merger history ensued after that announcement. Ultimately, however, a then-struggling joint venture between Thales Avionics In-Flight Systems and Harris called LiveTV was acquired in 2002 by JetBlue Airways. At that time, JetBlue executives championed the service as a key driver to the carrier's success, but admitted that LiveTV was cash-poor.

And the Continental deal? Well, that didn't happen....until now. The deal confirmed by Continental last week is bigger and better (as it should be, 12 years on). As reported, the carrier will offer 80 channels of live satellite television across most of its Boeing narrowbody fleet.

And yes, Continental is back on the Money (in the upper left corner). But the carrier ain't paying for the system. No longer the struggling JV of the past, LiveTV is now a hot ticket firm - and valuable asset to JetBlue - with the capital to cover Continental's installations under a deal that will see it keep most of the revenue generated from card-swiping passengers.

Many of the original Harris guys are still working at that JetBlue subsidiary today. You can imagine just how pleased they are right now.    

The other day I blogged about a delay in Alaska Airlines' trial of Row 44's Ku band-based connectivity system, as well as some opposition the California firm has faced in its pursuit of FCC permanent approval, including from ViaSat, Arinc and Boeing (oh my).

Row 44 president Gregg Fialcowitz was kind enough to respond with comment. While he hasn't yet addressed ViaSat's filings to the FCC, Gregg does add serious colour to the story.

I've fashioned his comments into an article now running on Flight. Below you'll find the text of Gregg's full response, including his revelation that installation of the Row 44 system will occur on a Southwest 737 on 16 December, and that the system is now being flight-tested in US airspace on the company's Albatross testbed! Meanwhile, here's what happens when you try to stick your head out of a flying Albatross. It's a hairy situation.

Gregg says: 

"The Alaska trial was indeed scheduled for September/October, however, we encountered some late-breaking delays with the final certification of parts by one of our suppliers.

We were able to work to assist the supplier, but this extra effort caused a delay to our trials.  However, those issues are behind us and we successfully completed our first Alaska Airlines installation several weeks ago. 

If you recall, we've broken our installation into two separate STCs: one for the components/wiring inside the aircraft and a second for the external components (i.e., ring, radome, antenna, etc.).  

The STC for the inside of the aircraft was issued several weeks ago, but the second STC didn't issue until the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

Because of Alaska's busy holiday season, the trial aircraft had to be returned to service before the second STC was granted.  We expect to reinstall the external components after the holidays and commence the trial at that point.  Alaska still intends to move forward with a single aircraft trial ahead of the fleet-wide deployment.
 
We've received PMA for the LRUs and expect to receive PMA on the external components in time to begin installation on the first Southwest trial aircraft on the 16th of this month.  Southwest intends to trial four aircraft ahead of a fleet-wide deployment.
 
We don't have definitive durations for the trials for either ASA or SWA, but we anticipate around 30+ days.
 
So, in summary, we've received our STCs and we're good to go. We've also received our FCC approval for the trials and have been flying the Albatross all over the place testing and showing off the system/service in flight. 

We're presently operating in the U.S. under a temporary FCC license and expect our permanent license shortly.  We've already received our permanent licenses to operate in Canada and Mexico."

Bombardier is in an interiors frame of mind. The Canadian airframer has started hiring cabin interior specialists and key members of its customization and interior systems engineering team for the five-abreast CSeries, which is expected to enter into service in 2013. C&D is charged with the overall interior design.  

As a member of the aforementioned team, for example, one's duties would include the preparation of trade studies, equipment requirements, testing, certification, as well as integrating operations and customer support requirements for the interior work package.

Okay, so what might we see from Bombardier in terms of innovation for the CSeries' interior and IFE for that matter?

I put that question to Bombardier commercial operations VP Rodney Williams today during the firm's annual pre-holiday media luncheon at the Willard in Washington DC.

Williams says it's too early on in the programme to talk serious specifics, but assures me he'll keep RWG posted. In short, keep an eye on this space for news on that space.

Alaska Airlines today revealed to RWG that it's trial of Row 44's Ku band-based connectivity service is "on hold" until early 2009. Plans had been in place for the carrier to test Row 44 on a single Boeing 737 around the October timeframe.

An Alaska spokeswoman says the carrier remains fully committed to the trial. "We're full steam ahead," she says. "We're testing but the system has not been installed on the aircraft."

When I last spoke with Row 44 in September - and climbed atop its Albatros seaplane testbed - management felt pretty confident that the Alaska trial would occur within weeks.

I haven't been able to reach Row 44 today, but I can tell you that the California firm continues to wait for a crucial green-light from the FCC.

On 8 May, the firm filed an application for permanent authority to operate an aeronautical mobile-satellite service (AMSS) in the conventional Ku-band segment.

Row 44 proposed to operate up to 1000 transmit/receive terminals aboard commercial and private aircraft in order to provide two-way broadband communications to passengers and flight crew, including email, Internet access, and virtual private networks - the same services as those proposed by Boeing's now-defunct Connexion venture.

The application was placed on public notice on 28 May and can be found here.

BUT, the following events have taken place:

ViaSat on 27 June filed a petition to deny the application. A competitor and holder of an AMSS license to provide similar services to airlines, ViaSat claimed that the the application fails to provide sufficient information to determine whether the proposed operations meet the FCC's two-degree spacing requirements.

On 23 July, Row 44 opposed ViaSat's petition to deny, asserting, among other things, that it has provided all the information required by the rules and that operators of the space segment have filed letters stating that they are aware of Row 44's proposed operations and will coordinate these operations with adjacent satellite operators.

In addition, Row 44 argued that it provided letters from NASA and the National Science Foundation resolving potential interference to TDRSS and radio astronomy sites. But ViaSat filed a reply to Row 44's opposition and argued that Row 44 failed to address ViaSat's concerns.

On 30 September, the Bureau designated the application as "permit-but-disclose" for purposes of the commission's ex parte rules.

On 1 October, reps from Row 44 and ViaSat met with members of the International Bureau. Boeing and Arinc also filed letters asking the Bureau not to grant Row 44 any authorization until alleged technical issues involving Row 44's operations are resolved.

 

Independently, the division has twice sent letters to Row 44 seeking additional technical information on the proposed operations. In response, Row 44 has twice amended its application in response to these letters. The most recent amendment was placed on public notice on 10 September. On 10 October, ViaSat responded to the amendment by filing a supplement to its 'Petition to Deny'.

Thus far, Row 44 has filed three STA requests, each seeking 60-day authorization to conduct testing of its AMSS service. The first request, which was granted on 9 May, was to test "fixed-ground" terminals. Row 44 was granted one 60-day extension to this STA on 7 July, and has a request for another 60-day extension. 

The second STA request, which remains pending, is for mobility trials and was filed on 11 July. ViaSat filed an opposition to this STA and Row 44 has filed additional information regarding its proposed operations. 

The third STA request, which remains pending, is for a temporary fixed earth station and was filed on 11 August. The request was opposed by ViaSat.  Row 44 withdrew this STA request on 8 October (see page nine of 11 of the following document).

Okay, so what does this all mean? Well, a FCC spokesman says Row 44's application is "something that does have priority with us" but that a timeline for a decision has not been announced. 

One industry expert explains: "The FCC approval process is well defined but fairly schedule indeterminate since it is dependent on input from other operators affected by the waiver. They might get a waiver but it will take work, analysis and time."

Like Row 44, ViaSat could not be immediately reached for comment. Now that is a real shame.

It's Friday evening and I'm going to reserve my own comment...until later.

(Interior upview photo of Row 44 system from Row 44's Flickr file at http://www.flickr.com/photos/airfax/2880012682/in/set-72157607435925577/ )

I've been waiting for this day for several weeks. Continental Airlines has finally confirmed it will offer LiveTV's brand spanking new 80-channel live television system on its domestic Boeing narrowbodies.

For the very dedicated RWG readers among you, LiveTV's deal with Continental is not a surprise. While Continental originally signed up for LiveTV's second generation offering, the 36-channel system now flying on JetBlue, I broke the story in September that Continental had changed its tune and had opted for an 80-channel offering.

My blogging buddy Crankyflier followed up with a sweeping piece about the system last month.

Like Cranky, I recently had a chance to check out the new system, dubbed LTV3, at LiveTV's Melbourne, Florida facility, and yes, it kicked some serious butt. It's going to make current-day LiveTV offerings on JetBlue, Frontier and WestJet look like a good generation behind the times.

But that is no longer a concern for LiveTV, whose very owner JetBlue told the firm over a year and a half ago to go out and prosper young man. And so it has.

Today in a statement to confirm that Panasonic's eFX AVOD in-flight entertainment system is now available to economy-class customers on all its Boeing 757-200s, Continental confirms that, for customers on flights operating within the continental USA, "Continental has entered into an agreement with LiveTV that will allow Continental to offer 80 channels of live, in-flight satellite-based television programming provided by DirecTV, the nation's leading satellite television provider, at every seat on Continental's Boeing 737 new generation aircraft and Boeing 757-300s".

The first aircraft featuring live television is expected to enter service in February 2009. Obviously, there is lots more to say about this. Continental management has wanted to see live television on the carrier's aircraft for well over a decade. I'll try to find a story from 1995 about that.

Meanwhile, the business and economy class cabins of Continental's Boeing 777 fleet are in the process of being fitted with Panasonic's eX2 system. 

God Bless Continental and other carriers that have finally gotten the hint that coach-class passengers need and want - and, yes, are willing to pay - to be entertained.

And I think we all know who to thank - JetBlue!!!!

As someone who has great trouble sleeping, I am a fan of anything that can facilitate this basic of human needs. Warm milk, hot baths, sleepy time tea, prescription meds, I try them all in search of what is sometimes an ellusive goal. But even the heaviest dose of narcotics won't put me to sleep if I'm sitting uncomfortably upright in an economy-class seat. That's why I'm so excited about some of the new seating concepts being explored by major design firms.

These companies are working under a pretty tough edict from airlines - make new coach seats that are ultra-light and inexpensive but also a heck of a lot more comfortable than what is currently on offer.

This week we checked out the novel staggered seat approach being pursued by Thompson Solutions, and heard from Lufthansa Technik about its plan for a "revolutionary" new economy-class seat. I've talked to a number of other designers about their plans in advance of my interiors feature for Flight's 16 December "festive issue".

Among these, however, a concept from design firm James Park Associates (JPA) - known for its JAL Suite and the award-winning SIA A380 biz class seat - has really caught my attention. It's a stacked sleeper bed, which was designed by the firm in 2001 but is only now being revealed!

Okay, the design was made for a business-class cabin, BUT stacked sleeper seats in economy is not out of the question, as one engineering firm in the DC area has discovered. I'll be at liberty to discuss that solution when my feature is released, but until then check out the JPA design and tell me if you don't think stacked sleepers can become a reality for us poor sods in the back of the bus. Then read on for some key quotes from James about the seat (we'll hear more from him later about a new econo-seat design that JPA is currently pursuing).

Key Quotes from designer James Park:

With respect to the stacked sleeper bed idea -

"We developed a stacked sleeper bed concept in 2001 and I think that it's quite an interesting idea because it could make a lot of difference to how the airframe is constructed. It certainly has its attractions. It could save a lot of cost on the construction of the fuselage, and make much better, fuller use of the aircraft design and the available interior space."

"One of the challenges, however, is how to get in and out of a stacked sleeper seat in an elegant way. How do you make it so that people wouldn't feel awkward getting into the upper seat and out again. And how do you perceive the space - might it feel very claustrophobic?"

"Actually, there have been trains that had two tier sleepers that were quite good. The concept we developed showed that it is possible to design stacked sleeper beds for aircraft, but the question remains, would passengers feel comfortable using it? And, whilst our concept worked very nicely, it was non the less an exercise in creativity, rather than a short or medium term, business-led solution."

I think if something like that were to be adopted it would have to be done at the time a new aircraft is on the drawing board in order to exploit the real  structural and special benefits. Keeping in view the distribution of cool air, and with the spine down the centre of the plane, lighting, wiring, the need for structural supports for the upper seats etc - too much would need to be changed or modified within an existing airplane."

"What our stacked sleeper concept did highlight for me, however, was that it is possible to get much more out of the space that is allocated to each passenger and a more effective use of the interior volume if we can take a more radical approach to design solutions. I think that, given the way the industry is structured, the more aviation companies can cooperate in the development of innovative interiors, the more sense it makes in terms of getting a better result. It also means that, at the end of the day, the passenger gets better service."

China Southern Airlines in 2007 picked Panasonic's eX2 IFE system for its future fleet of Boeing 787s so this morning's announcement that the carrier wants eX2 installed on its five on-order Airbus A380s wasn't the biggest surprise on the planet.

What I found curious, however, was why Panasonic didn't wait just a little bit longer, until 17 December to be precise, to make the announcement. That's the day that the IFE giant will open its new China office in Shanghai.

Well, here's why. Panasonic has had this deal in the hopper for some time so it wanted to get the news out there. 

Significantly, however, the company has also secured another big Chinese customer and is hopeful of getting the all-clear to formally announce the deal around the time of the Shanghai office's opening. The company is waiting for the undisclosed carrier's "blessing", says the firm.

On an aside, but not a complete tangent as you'll see below, do you remember last week when I reported that the CDMA Development Group (CDG) bestowed a Network Technology Innovation award on Aircell and partner ZTE for their work to adapt 3G CDMA systems "for the unique challenges of providing Inflight Internet service - including challenges of distance and speed differential between transceiver and receiver"?

Well it took a little while but Aircell has just sent me a picture of company EVP and CTO Joe Cruz with the CDMA award. Joe is the man on the left in the red tie. The man on the right with an award is George Sun, the CEO of ZTE.

Okay, so what is this tangent you speak of RWG? Well, Aircell and Panasonic - while technically competitors in the in-flight connectivity sector, depending on how you view such things - are going to be working with each other in the months ahead, as they have for about a year.

Here's why. Virgin America yesterday commercially launched and started charging for Aircell's Gogo in-flight Internet service following the 22 November beta launch and subsequent Thanksgiving holiday Gogo freebee for passengers. 

Multiple Virgin America aircraft will offer Gogo by the end of 2008, with the service expected to be available on all Virgin America flights by the second quarter of 2009. 

However, Virgin America also plans to offer Gogo through its embedded IFE system "Red", which boasts Panasonic hardware and CoKinetic software.

An Aircell spokesman now reveals: "The integration of Gogo with Virgin America's Red entertainment system will take place after Gogo has been deployed fleet-wide."

He adds: "Over the past year, the companies have been working closely with one another to build a strong foundation for the eventual addition of Gogo connectivity to the Red system. 

"At first, the plan is to enable text and instant messaging, but Red is a great platform from which Virgin America can offer a suite of connectivity-enabled products and services. We believe that connectivity-enabled IFE is going to be one of the hottest trends in 2009."

Aerospace and defence consultant G2 Solutions is highlighting a rather funny photo on its web site. Forwarded to G2 by a Montreal-based consultant, the snap speaks for itself.

Air Canada in 2005 awarded a huge contract to Thales to equip its aircraft - including Bombardier CRJ705s and Embraer E-Jets - with the TopSeries platform. The introduction of a single IFE system fleet-wide replaced multiple systems then in use by the carrier.

It goes without saying that economy-class lavs on most commercial aircraft are not even remotely inviting (unless, perhaps, you're using the plug socket as a free power source). How many times have you squeezed into that too-tight compartment only to have your senses bombarded with sights, smells and sounds of significant offence?

Lufthansa Technik tackles at least one of these problems with its new trash compactor. The mechanical device is a conversion kit that can be attached to any bin in an aircraft. With it, overflowing trash cans full of towels and other undesirables become a thing of the past. The flight attendant need only pull the lever and the trash is compacted. 

The system is currently being trialled at the moment. "There is an airline out there trialling the product," revealed Lufthansa Technik director innovation engineering Andrew Muirhead during our interview yesterday. Here's a look see...

Let the undisclosed airline come forward and take its due praise and glory. And now let's tackle the smell issue. Any new ideas?

Just as the IFE&C sector is getting ultra-exciting, so too has the world of aircraft interiors hotted up (hmmm...this is convenient since I'm now covering interiors). At present, I'm in the process of pulling together a feature for Flight's "festive" issue about innovative interiors that could be coming to a cabin near you. I promise to drop little nuggets of news from my fact-finding on RWG.

First up...

Lufthansa Technik is working on what it claims is a "revolutionary" new economy-class seat design that it hopes to be able to showcase in the near-term. Specific details of the new seat are not being disclosed (double darn). But Lufthansa Technik is being very honest about the driver behind the new design.

"The colleagues who thought this thing up too many times got downgraded to economy class and spent the entire time trying to find out how to make it more comfortable," reveals Lufthansa Technik director innovation engineering Andrew Muirhead in an interview.

Essentially, rather than sob about their own uncomfortable position in the back of the bus (with the rest of us), they decided to observe everyone else and come up with a new design.

"The idea I think is brilliant and we're definitely going to build a prototype of it," says Muirhead, adding that "probably we will have something to show at some point during 2009. We are filing some patents".

He believes the design will be "as revolutionary to the economy class seat as Aerokid is".  

Aerokid, you say, what's that? It is a seating system that can be quickly configured for babies and infants of up to two years in age or as a child seat. Flight Show Daily wrote about it in May.

A prototype for economy has already been made, and Lufthansa Technik is now working on an adapter system for business class seats. "We have a design for that but haven't built the prototype yet," says Muirhead.

It makes no sense to start the certification process for Aerokid until one of two things happen - either current regulations change in the near future or an airline says it is prepared to get the Aerokid even if rulemaking has not yet changed, according to the Lufthansa Technik executive.

Neither has happened yet, but there is enough debate going on in Europe over the use of loop belts to restrain babies and toddlers during flight to suggest that regulations are poised to change soon.

Lufthansa Technik isn't the only firm working feverishly on new economy seats. One company, UK-based Thompson Solutions, has a particularly cool staggered seat design that has already won at least one customer.

A spokesman for Thompson Solutions says the firm hasn't been given the green light to talk about any deal, but that would not explain why Delta Air Lines in April of this year was revealed as the launch customer for Thompson Solutions' "Cozy Suite", and why one week later CEO James Thompson talked extensively to IAG about the product, which will be offered on Delta's Boeing 767s and 777s in 2010.

The newly-mum attitude might indicate, however, that Delta wants the story to go away for a while in order to ensure some sort of competitive edge. If that is the case, and I'm not saying that it is, then I wish them the best of luck with that. 

During his highly-revealing April interview with IAG, Thompson also said the Cozy Suite would be standard on all of Delta's long-haul aircraft, including 787s in the event that such an acquisition was made.

Delta recently merged with 787 customer Northwest Airlines so I gather we can expect to see the Cozy Suite on those 18 aircraft when they finally arrive (and other widebodies formerly operated by the carrier known as Northwest).

According to reports, however, that order figure might be reduced as Delta considers upping its order for 777s.

(Photo of Cozy Suite from Thompson Solutions' web site at www.thompsonsolutions.co.uk/ts_economy.html)