April 2010 Archives

American Airlines has issued a request for information (RFI) for in-flight connectivity across its entire fleet, including its regional jets!

A source with knowledge of the situation says the RFI covers all aircraft types in American's fleet. Long-range aircraft are also included! You may recall that there was some noise about a Oneworld RFP not so long ago.

American is a customer of Aircell's Gogo air-to-ground (ATG)-based connectivity solution. It has equipped a portion of its domestic fleet with the service.

The ATG offering cannot support connectivity on overseas flights (quite obviously).

This is not the first time we've heard of carriers mulling - and implementing - in-flight connectivity for regional jets.

Delta Air Lines, which is fitting its entire domestic fleet with Gogo, is understood to be eyeing connectivity for its regional jets. Republic Airways Holdings' Frontier Airlines unit recently announced plans to equip its E-Jets with in-flight connectivity, while, peculiarly, it continues to mull connectivity options for its A320 aircraft, which are already equipped with JetBlue subsidiary LiveTV's live television system.

(Photo above from Irargerich's Flickr photo stream)

The finalists for the Crystal Cabin Awards for excellence in aircraft interiors innovation have been named. One of them, a University submission from TU München in Munich, is for a so-called Time Economy Chair, a concept conceived for special short range flights, "where commuters and travellers have nothing but carry-on luggage with themselves", according to a brief distributed by the Aviation Cluster Hamburg Metropolitan Region, which spearheads the yearly awards. Is this music to the likes of Spirit Airlines or what?

Here is the rest of the brief:

Passengers store their carry-on luggage in a luggage compartment beneath their seats. The elevated position and the double folding mechanism of the seat are allowing an enormous gain of space between the seat rows. Therefore no aisle congestion arises and passengers can remain seated, while others take their seat without causing any inconvenience. The elevated seating position and the reduced and ergonomic form are providing a healthy and active sitting, without getting uncomfortable at the short distance. Even, the system is easier and faster to clean. Passengers and Airlines profit due to minimized waiting time at the airport and a reduced boarding time.

The awards will be handed out at the forthcoming Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg. In addition to the Time Economy Seat, a number of other interesting ideas have been shortlisted in various categories, including an "integrated flexible lavatory", the James Park Associates/Sicma Cirrus seat, Lumexis' fiber-to-the-screen in-flight entertainment system (nice graphic Lumexis!), Teague's Boeing SkyLoft concept and Teague's work with Weber and Panasonic Avionics on the first fully integrated in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC)/seat design, just to name but a few.

Executive briefs follow.

FINALISTS CRYSTAL CABIN AWARD 2010

Passenger Comfort
HILA - high integrated flexible Lavatory - Dasell Cabin Interior GmbH (Hamburg, Germany):
The lavatory is based on a flexible space concept that offers greater room, convenience, comfort and hygiene than a traditional lavatory compartment. During boarding, the lavatory is
compacted to the size of a standard lavatory. However, when the aircraft has reached cruising altitude, the cabin crew will enlarge the lavatory, which is done swiftly in a few steps. The lavatory then provides extra space and additional amenities such as a urinal or changing room facilities. The extra space is taken from the cross-aisle area near the main-door entrance, which is only used during boarding but not during flight. HILA has been developed and produced as a fully functional prototype by DASELL Cabin Interior GmbH together with Airbus Operations GmbH and in cooperation with iDS Hamburg.

Cirrus Business Class Suite - James Park Associates (London, UK) and Sicma Aero Seat (Issoudun, France):
JPA and Sicma Aero Seat have developed a unique reverse-herringbone configuration Business Class Suite. Because passengers sit at an angle, facing away from the aisle, the Cirrus design enhances privacy for all passengers. The attractive, symmetrical, 1-2-1 design also means that every passenger benefits from direct aisle access. Additional advantages of the seat include the open armrest design which provides greater passenger comfort by maximizing living space. The extra-wide centre console also provides extra surface
space for stowage, dining or working more comfortably. Cirrus' design provides unparalleled benefits to passengers whilst also offering airlines a high degree of flexibility for branding and
product positioning.

L&L Embedded Acoustic Solution - L&L Products (Molsheim, France):
L&L Embedded Acoustic Solution is a reproducible cabin acoustic treatment with high acoustic performance to added weight ratio. Its novel concept allows precious cabin space
savings with unprecedented incorporation flexibility on conventional interior lining panels for all types of aircraft. With limited manufacturing process intrusiveness L&L Embedded Acoustic Solution additionally improves panel mechanical properties. From engineered material to cabin comfort there is only a small step L&L Products has made to introduce a novel acoustic concept. This solution, which is both simple and efficient, should seduce interior part manufacturer and designer that are willing to bring cabin interior acoustic to another level.

Industrial Design / Interior Concept
Staggered Premium Class Suite - B/E Aerospace (Miami, U.S.A):
The Staggered premium suite presents an elegant solution to the socially annoying problem of stepping over a sleeping aisle passenger to get out of a window seat. The innovative layout
gives an airline a 2-2-2 or a 2-3-2 configuration while granting passengers substantial privacy and direct aisle access. The original suite reflects modern architectural design expressed by
the use wood veneer, rich burgundy suede fabric and chrome plating. An optional electro-chromatic glass privacy divider provides a surprise feature to offering flexible privacy at the
touch of a button. The glass gradually and politely transitions from clear to opaque using
LCD technology to provide a visual and sound barrier between adjacent suites.

Integrated Smart Monitor - Teague (Seattle, U.S.A.):
The integrated smart monitor (formerly known as Fusion) is the very first fully integrated In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) seat designed for commercial aircraft. It combines breakthrough industrial design with practical ergonomic solutions, advanced technologies and innovative materials. The result of a unique collaboration between Panasonic Avionics, Weber Aircraft and Teague, the in-seat display monitor and passenger seat were purposefully design with one another other in mind. The design inaugurates Panasonic's Eco Series TM Smart Monitor architecture, designed to reduce monitor power consumption, heat generation and weight while at the same time improving passenger usability. In addition, the design of the monitor eliminates the need for excess seat peripherals by incorporating all functionality and navigation into the monitor. On screen navigation, reading light and volume controls, flight attendant call, universal serial bus (USB) port and audio jack are incorporated into the IFE monitor and illuminate when needed through the use of proximity sensor, ensuring a streamlined entertainment experience. The seamless integration of next generation, touch-screen IFE with an ultra-thin, lightweight economy seat brings a previously unachieved level of class and comfort.

Boeing SkyLoft Concept - Teague (Seattle, U.S.A.):
The Boeing SkyLoft explores the impact of cabin-accessible facilities in the "crown" area of the new Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental. The design is intended for VIP individual passengers or groups. The space can include anything from private sleeping quarters to an open multi-media room, conference area, business center, bar or lounge. Access, available only by private staircases at the rear of the aircraft, underscores the sense of luxury aroused by the exclusivity of the SkyLoft. Completely customizable, the SkyLoft offers a unique opportunity for individual airlines to leave a lasting impression on their most valuable customers. Currently used to house air conditioning ducts and wiring, a reconfiguration of the crown area has the potential to establish an additional revenue stream to support current business as well as future growth.

Greener Cabin, Health & Safety
Temperature Accumulator (TempAccu) - B&W Engineering (Wildberg, Germany):
The Temperature Accumulators (TempAccu's) keep food or beverages within the required temperature range, selectable from -20 °C up to +1 10 °C. The TempAccu's are collecting heat (in case of "Frozen" and "Chilled" applications), or spending heat (in case of "Hot" applications) on the certain temperature level adequate to the individual application. Ice Cream will be kept at -8 °C through -5 °C, not frozen to be hard as a bone like with -80°C cold dry ice. Fresh food like sandwiches will be kept longer below +8 °C than with known cooling agents. Hot food (e.g. Lasagne) will be kept hot above 65 °C fo r up to 12 hours and more in ready-to-serve condition without overheating. TempAccu is a long-term multi-use equipment
which saves dry ice costs, and enhances on-board service possibilities. In addition, the Temperature Accumulator, which needs no certification, is a high-class environmental-friendly product that does not consume energy on board nor generates waste. Soon it will be generally approved by EASA.

Climatex® LifeguardFRTM - Lantal Textiles AG (Langenthal, Switzerland):
Climatex® LifeguardFRTM is an innovative seat cover fabric providing two compelling benefits: Unmatched ecological soundness and enhanced passenger comfort through climatized seating. The seat covers made of Climatex® LifeguardFRTM are fully biodegradable and compliant with all safety standards of the transport industry. The climatized seating has been developed as an optimal solution for prolonged seating. The selection of fibers, a combination of wool and Redesigned ViscoseFR™, and an appropriate weave construction are the basis for this patented function. The moisture accumulated while the passenger is seated is absorbed by the cover fabric. When the seat is vacated, the moisture is slowly released to the ambient air.

Innovative Lightweight Trolley - Norduyn (Montreal, Canada):
Norduyn and its partner LSG Sky Chefs introduce the lightest weight trolleys in the world. They developed a new type of aviation trolley entirely made of composites which are significantly lighter, better insulated, sturdier, easy to track and trace and comprising up to 45% fewer parts than legacy aluminum-frame trolleys. The trolley is made of a single‐body shell with top and wheel‐base attachments. All screw inserts are molded into the structure of the trolley. This weight reduction enables measurable fuel savings. A single Boeing 747 fullyloaded with Norduyn ultra-light, eco-friendly trolleys for example, would be carrying approximately 850 kg less weight, which amounts to about €80,000 a year in fuel savings and 13,600 tons
of CO2 emissions less over a year's time.

Material and Components
Digital Cabin Logbook (DCL) - Airbus (Headquartered in Toulouse, France):
The Digital Cabin Logbook (DCL) is one step towards e-cabin operation enabled by evolution of IT-technologies on ground and on board and thus the DCL provides commercial benefits
for cabin operation by the Airlines. One of the main advantages is the standardized cabin defect reporting. The cabin crew selects cabin defects from a standard defect catalogue, which is customized according to Cabin configuration. For selection of the location of a cabin defect, the user is guided via a graphical user interface. The usage of the web-based DCL application is very convenient for the cabin crew. The selected and stored standardised defect reports can be submitted to ground when the aircraft is still flying. This improves dispatch reliability because the logistics for repair can start before landing and thus delays can be avoided.

Pegasus Business Class Meal Table - C2 Composites (Devon, UK):
The new C2 table has been developed using a range of advanced composite polymers and a
stressed skin design. Elegant, lighter, stronger, rattle free, highly reliable and cost competitive compared to aluminium, the new C2 business class table can make a positive
contribution to both operator costs and the overall passenger experience. A weight saving of
15% to 40% per seat, when compared to a traditional aluminium table frame, translates into a
considerable saving per ship set and obvious economic benefit and thus is another step in the
quest for airlines to reduce fuel consumption and reduce their carbon footprint. The table has
undergone a full validation test programme, including abuse and cyclic testing, covering all
table functionality.

Powder coating of cabin interior parts - Diehl Aircabin (Laupheim, Germany):
Powder coating is a state of the art technology for metal coatings. In order to minimize weight and reduce fuel consumption, more and more cabin interior parts are made out of carbon or glass fiber reinforced plastics. Because of their non-conductive surface the existing powder coatings cannot be used. In addition, the currently available powder coatings do not meet the high requirements in case of fire. Diehl Aircabin succeeded in the modification of cabin
interior parts made out of glass fiber reinforced plastics that electrostatic coating becomes possible. Furthermore, scratch resistance, abrasion and cleaning properties of the powder coating have been optimized, so that all properties exceed the normal standard of the liquid coating or decorative foil.

Entertainment and Communication
Fiber-To-The-ScreenTM (FTTSTM) - Lumexis Corporation (Costa Mesa, U.S.A.):
Fiber-to-the-screen™ (FTTS™) is the first, fully fiber-optics based IFE system. The seat box and half of the other boxes required by legacy systems are eliminated. The technical benefitof the innovation provides huge bandwidth to each seat for future functionality to be addedover the 30-year life of the aircraft. FTTS™ reduces the weight and cost-of-ownership by half. Lumexis was able to expand all network channels to a Gigabit per second bandwidth while eliminating any possibility of radiated interference with aircraft systems. Against many skeptics, the fiber optic cabling came through without a scratch or in-line break during its first flight on USAirways' A320. On the contrary, it proved exceptionally durable in operation by standard cabin crews and maintenance personnel.

KuStreamTM 1000 - QEST Quantenelektronische Systeme (Holzgerlingen, Germany):
KuStream™ 1000 is a state-of-the-art antenna system that enables bandwidth-demanding services such as high speed Internet/E-mail access combined with GSM utilization (voice/data) and simultaneous live TV reception aboard aircraft. Due to its outstanding performance, KuStreamTM 1000 provides superior Ku band transmit and receive capability to
aircraft by fuselage mounted antennas communicating via geosynchronous satellites.
KuStream™ 1000 is a joint development of TECOM Industries and QEST. QEST's
contribution to the project are core radio frequency modules (i.e. antenna aperture and skew polarization control unit), whereas TECOM is responsible for the antenna positioning subsystem, antenna control unit, high power transceiver, overall system integration, product qualification as well as sales and after sales support.

VoCeM - TriaGnoSys GmbH (Wessling, Germany):
VoCeM is a satellite communications compression software that can be used in aviation for GSM calls, 3G/UMTS calls, and for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony. Inflight communication providers have long promised passengers the ability to communicate in the air as they do on the ground. VoCeM achieves compression gains of between 500% and 1,000% through advanced header compression, voice transcoding and channel multiplexing
techniques. It provides the most efficient use of satellite bandwidth on the market, enabling satellite operators to reduce the cost of inflight voice calls significantly.

University
Seat Concept Com.pax - FH Hannover (Hanover, Germany):
The Com.pax system is a 2-in-1 seat concept that offers more comfortable way of travelling for disabled passengers and a greater flexibility for airlines and flight attendants. The mobile board chair is waiting at the check-in counter to pick up the passenger. Then it is rolled to the base element within the aircraft and clicked into the lock-position (safety catch mechanism). The design is comfortable, sleek, and easy to manoeuvre. To unfix the mobile board chair from its base, the release button needs to be pushed. The passenger can roll freely through the small aisle to the lavatories. This innovative mobility solution allows the passenger to remain in the same seat for the duration of the airline experience.

Nested - TU München (Munich, Germany):
The cabin concept Nested uses the full capacity of the aircraft body in order to combine highest traveling comforts with the ability to carry many passengers. The perfect bearing is the position the body takes in absence of gravity. With Nested a modern interpretation of seating was born: (a significant shape of) a divan bed. You can reach the divan beds from different levels and sides. The entrances alternate in each level. The benefit for the passenger is the great legroom and the free view and space in front of him. With a continuously adjustable backrest you have the possibility to work, eat and sleep comfortably on the seat.

Time Economy Chair - TU München (Munich, Germany):
The Time Economy Chair is a concept, conceived for special short range flights, where commuters and travellers have nothing but carry-on luggage with themselves. Passengers store their carry-on luggage in a luggage compartment beneath their seats. The elevated position and the double folding mechanism of the seat are allowing an enormous gain of space between the seat rows. Therefore no aisle congestion arises and passengers can remain seated, while others take their seat without causing any inconvenience. The elevated seating position and the reduced and ergonomic form are providing a healthy and active sitting, without getting uncomfortable at the short distance. Even, the system is easier and faster to clean. Passengers and Airlines profit due to minimized waiting time at the airport and a reduced boarding time.

Aviation Cluster
Hamburg Metropolitan Region
Judges' Commendation Prize

1cm seat rail - Bishop GmbH (Hamburg, Germany):
The 1cm seat rail is the world's first metric seat rail designed with a distance of 1cm between two consecutive attachment holes of the seat track. This seat rail offers many advantages to Airlines in comparison to the conventional 1" rail (2.54cm): Improved revenues due to extra seat row(s), installed seats and monuments with more than double accuracy, reduced vibrations and along with that reduced maintenance. It has a compact and robust design. It is 5% lighter than the 1" seat rail and has a visual better appearance. Using adaptive plates, old and corroded standard seat rails can be updated and existing aircrafts can be retrofitted.

Airborne Combfort - TU München (Munich, Germany):
The students from the TU München have the vision to raise the number of seats of modern wide-bodied aircrafts while withdrawing the feeling of mass transportation from the air passengers and ensuring higher individualism. For their concept airborne combfort they disputed with the applied science of bionic and biomorphic structures, especially with cell and cubical structures. Based on honeycombed structures, the fuselage section can be used more efficiently. The honeycombed cabins differ in size and shape and divide the long aircraft fuselage whereby the feeling of mass transportation can be antagonized. As a result the single cabins can be accommodated superiorly to the target groups like families or business people. Hence more comfort, space and individualism can be ensured.

Modulair System - TU München (Munich, Germany):
The system transforms the interior of the aircraft into a modular capsule, which can be
extracted at the airport terminal completely. (De-)Boarding becomes faster, more comfortably and more flexible with the whole aircraft interior becoming part of the terminal. While one capsule is deboarding another capsule, prepared before the aircraft's arrival, can be inserted into the aircraft at the same time. Passengers benefit from a reduction of latency and (de)boarding times to a minimum, while the holding time of the airplane is shortened to the duration of refueling. The modular, mutable assembly of every capsule allows for a multitude of different module configurations guaranteeing the aircraft's perfect calibration for every passenger- and utilization-situation. A vast variety of modules opens up new markets and new business models can evolve. Modules can be designed individually and combined in alliance, so that different airlines can fly together in just one aircraft.

Have you read Aircell's 'Executive Guide to Airborne Communications'? If not, you should.

The brochure provides all sorts of information about the bizjet in-flight connectivity market, including the above figures on the cost of equipage and monthly service fees.

Aircell also says its air-to-ground (ATG)-based solution for the US mainland (and eventually Canada) is installed "in hundreds of business aircraft flying today".

Do you agree with Aircell's cost assessment?

B/E Aerospace held a first quarter earnings conference call yesterday, and it was a goldmine.

Asked by an analyst to comment on the size of the business opportunity arising from Japanese seat maker Koito's problems, company co-founder, executive chairman and CEO Amin Khoury said:

"Our Japanese competitor may not survive what they're going through. And we have done very well, and we expect to get some more orders here in the third and fourth quarters from customers which they've had. We've cherry-picked them. We've basically selected those programs and customers which we felt is fit what we're trying to do. We've been successful in all but one single campaign to get every program that we wanted from the Japanese competitor, which I tend to believe may not survive this."

In-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) experts are well aware of all the connectivity options on the market and all the services that air-to-ground (ATG), L-band, Ku-band and Ka-band satellite-based solutions are capable of supporting.

But what about everybody else? There is a lot of confusion out there. Helping to clarify the situation are connectivity stakeholders Arinc and Iridium.

The first slide below, from Arinc, shows us the multiple connectivity options out there (Ka-band-based solutions are still being developed).

The second slide, from Iridium, gives us an idea of where each option falls in terms of data speeds, although I'd imagine some folks might take a slightly different view.

Note to the uninitiated - Classic, Swift64 and SwiftBroadband operate over Inmarsat L-band satellites. Arinc, AeroMobile and OnAir are among the service providers using L-band-based connectivity to support their solutions. Aircell operates an air-to-ground service, while Panasonic Avionics and Row 44 are bringing Ku-band-based offerings to market.

Does that help?

Airbus is making great strides on its A350 XWB catalogue, known as the Aircraft Description Document (ADD), with most suppliers now well into the process of helping the airframer define what makes sense for the cabin. See the latest top story on the Flightglobal IFEC channel as well as the graphic above (you'll notice that Airbus is using about 40% fewer suppliers for the A350 but that the work packages are substantially larger).

At the very core of Airbus' approach is the A350 'enabling platform' - the standard structures/systems infrastructure forming the backbone of the aircraft that supports the wide range of enabling modules and options available from the ADD.

Learning from the A380 and long-range aircraft experiences, Airbus' cabin architects developed the enabling platform concept - which is protected in a 3D digital mock-up - to provide airlines with "more flexibility, more possibilities to reconfigure and adapt to different market needs", while enabling for Airbus the ramp-up and pre-development of all possible configurations, says head of A350 XWB product offering Alexander Herkner. "This will help both the customer and Airbus to realize the necessary customization but make it industrially feasible."

Essentially, the enabling platform "is all about bringing flexibility without touching the aircraft primary structures or secondary structure", he says. And it means that, if later you want to reconfigure, "you have the space to go there".

But what's an enabling platform without enabling modules? Airbus' modular approach to supplier furnished galleys and lavatories is pre-fab-ulous. Check out what C&D Zodiac is doing for the lavs. (This certifiable "laviator" - a person who takes photos inside aircraft lavs - is particularly jazzed about the pics, but stay tuned to this space for more on the A350 catalogue.)

Spirit Airlines has become the latest carrier to offer new fixed recline seats, with the announcement that it is deploying Brice Seating's new 'B3100 Featherweight Super Light seat design' across its Airbus narrowbody fleet (see specs).

The US low-cost carrier may receive some negative press for its move to a fixed recline, but is the solution really that bad? I recently spoke to Airbus head of aircraft interiors Bob Lange about fixed recline seats. Here is what he had to say:

We're seeing a step forward in short-haul in particular in that we're seeing a move to combine [lightweight slim designs] with a fixed recline. Traditionally the recline in the seat is very comfortable for the guy sitting in the seat, but is an intrusion for the person in the row behind. When it comes down to seats for short flights - a couple of hours or less in duration - there is a strong argument to optimize the angle and fix it, instead of having the recliner adjustable.

As well as optimizing the comfort, what that means is the increased living space gets shared between the passengers and the airline. You can improve somebody's knee room but at the same time close up the seat pitch by an inch and get another row of seats in the aircraft. So for price sensitive carriers, they can also translate some of that benefit into more seats in the aircraft and keep prices down.

It drives other [efficiencies] as well. By fixing the recline, the seat manufacturers can drive more weight out of the seat, so they are helping the aircraft to burn less fuel, keep costs down, get a better environmental footprint and they are also able to keep costs down in terms of price of the seat and its maintenance costs because typically in economy class seats without in-flight entertainment (IFE), the recline mechanism is the least reliable part of the seat. By eliminating it, they can improve reliability, keep weight down, and simplify the seat.

The seats for short range flying are proving to be as comfortable as the seats they replace. So far the airlines are not going for fixed recline for longer-range flights because passenger value the ability to adjust. In a longer range flight, you would typically not close up the seat pitch to that extent."

Here are the specs for Spirit's new fixed recline seats. The 28in seat pitch looks tight, but remember that additional room for knees and shins has been carved out (not that I'm jumping up an down about this...I've got a 36in inseam for God's sakes).

Air France recently introduced new fixed recline seats for short-haul flying. The solution, offered on Air France's A320 family aircraft, was jointly designed by Air France and Recaro (see photo above).

AirAsia X's experiment with fixed recline on long-haul flights was NOT a success, however, and the carrier recently began replacing those seats.

A picture says a thousand words and this little gem above - sitting on the In-flight Entertainment blog - is no exception. It is even sparking some fun discussion among the Twitterati.

Responding to the pic, Aviation Week writer and editor and well-known Twitter #avgeek Benet Wilson says: "Nature abhors a vacuum!"

Wow, what does that say about legacy IFE systems on transatlantic flights?

Lufthansa soon will reignite high-speed Internet on transatlantic flights. When it does, American et al are going to need to give a hard think about their own overseas offerings.

(Photo from the In-flight Entertainment blog. Does anyone know the proprietor of this blog? There are some good archives here).

It's a Gogo kind of week! In the following video, iPass explains how customers can access Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi as part of its iPass Mobile Network service.

Republic's decision to equip its Frontier Airlines unit with Gogo in-flight Internet - first reported here - has been confirmed. However, there is a twist.

Gogo will only be installed on Frontier's E-Jets (formerly operated under the Midwest brand) while Frontier's A320s, which already offer live television, will remain unconnected (for now), as Republic studies in-flight connectivity options for Frontier. Hmmm, interesting!

Full statement from Frontier:

Frontier Airlines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: RJET - News), is pleased to announce it's taking the inflight customer experience to another level with the addition of Gogo® inflight internet service on its Embraer fleet. Frontier plans to have the service installed on its fleet of 32 E170 and E190 aircraft by the end of 2010.

"Our customers have told us how important inflight entertainment and connectivity is in their travel experience," said Executive Vice President and COO Wayne Heller. "We look forward to providing our customers with internet service at 35,000 feet and are thrilled to have Aircell as a partner in this effort."

Gogo internet access will be available for purchase starting at $4.95, based on length of flight and type of device used to access Gogo. Once connected, customers can use Gogo to check e-mail, log into a corporate VPN, watch their favorite Frontier commercials and more!

"We pride ourselves in providing our guests with a comfortable and enjoyable inflight experience," said Vice President of Marketing and Branding Ian Arthur. "Each of these amenities, combined with our unmatched customer service, truly provides a differentiated and better experience. We always have an ear to our customers' needs and will continue to develop an airline that meets and exceeds those expectations."

"We are very excited to partner with Republic Airways and further enhance the inflight entertainment options available on Frontier Airlines," said Michael Small, Aircell's President and CEO. "We both share a common focus of service excellence and adding Gogo is simply the latest example of advancing that goal."

Frontier currently offers 24 channels of DIRECTV® service and first-run pay-per-view movies onboard its fleet of 52 Airbus aircraft. While the Gogo inflight internet service will be installed on the Embraer fleet in 2010, the carrier will continue to research inflight connectivity options to further enhance the Frontier travel experience.

For more information on Frontier's inflight entertainment options, please visit FrontierAirlines.com.

UPDATE: Republic has just announced that Gogo will be brought to its Frontier Airlines' E-Jets only, as it considers connectivity options for the A320s. See the latest blog post.

Republic Airways Holdings, the parent of Midwest and Frontier - which are being combined under the Frontier brand - tomorrow is expected to announce a deal with Aircell for Gogo equipage, reveals a source.

This is totally in line with comments made by Republic chief marketing officer Sean Menke, who in October said: "One thing we're spending a lot of time on is connectivity."

Separately, iPass has inked a deal with Aircell to offer Gogo as part of a new premium Wi-Fi service for mobile employees.

Key par:

"Through the partnership with iPass, enterprise customers can enjoy accessing Gogo without changes to the mobile worker's connectivity experience. Connecting is secure and seamless - with iPass, no need to set-up an additional account, enter credit card information or fill out an expense report. Cost mirrors Gogo's pricing structure with in-flight Internet passes starting at $4.95."

As part of the roll-out of the new service, iPass surveyed mobile employees, and received more than 2,400 responses. The survey uncovered "a resounding demand for in-flight Wi-Fi" with 63% saying it was critical for meeting business needs, especially on flights over one hour, says iPass. The full survey results are available at www3.ipass.com/about/news-room/mobile-workforce-report.

This is not the first time we've heard about a teaming of iPass and Aircell. The two firms first announced a roaming partnership agreement back in 2008.

Aircell wants to set the record straight about the "black box mystery" surrounding airlines' equipage of its Gogo in-flight broadband system.

Speaking to RWG for an upcoming Flight feature about in-flight connectivity, Aircell executive vice-president, airlines John Happ confirms that "some airlines took advantage early on of Aircell providing capital in exchange for other terms and revenue share but in all cases there is significant revenue share".

The way to think of this, says Happ, is that a portion of an airline's revenue share is going to be applied back to the pay down of equipment, if that carrier took advantage of capital assistance.

Key quote:

"It is very much so in the airline's interest to pay that down as quickly as possible so that they are able to participate in far greater revenue shares."

The Aircell executive notes, however, that there are "many other airlines and aircraft fleets flying today and in the pipeline that simply purchased the equipment and we, of course, share revenue in those scenarios as well".

He adds: "The main point I'm trying to drive here is that every airline, every Gogo airline, is compensated for every dollar generated, whether through session revenue, media or sponsorship dollars. Every single dollar that comes into that aircraft, whether it be a function of anything the airline or Aircell is doing to create a revenue stream for our onboard product, is being shared with the airlines. We have very aligned interests."

A big thanks to John and Aircell for providing this information.

I'd also like to thank the World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA) for allowing non-affiliated press to attend its recent in-flight connectivity single focus workshop. These workshops are invaluable to journalists like me. Here's why:

I work for the Flightglobal suite of publications, including Flight International magazine, Airline Business magazine, the Air Transport Intelligence news wire and the Flightglobal web site, which includes a dedicated IFEC channel. I am also proprietor of this IFEC/interiors-focused Runway Girl blog.

As such, I am tasked with supplying real-time news headlines on the day of an event - as I did at the WAEA workshop - but also to use information gleaned from the event to develop lengthier articles and features for the magazines and news wires in the weeks and months ahead.

As all modern journalists know, some of the best stories develop over time, but in the meantime, the real-time world begs to be fed in real-time. The WAEA single focus workshops provide plenty of fodder for journalists to fill both requirements, and I look forward to attending the next workshop - on IFEC and seats! - on 17 May at Airbus Operations in Hamburg.

(Photo above from Natalie's New York Flickr stream)

Earlier this month, Academy award-winning deaf actress Marlee Matlin tweeted the following:

"On Continental and they have DirecTV. DirecTV has captions on my TV at home but NONE here. Come on! What will it take? PLS RT"

Marlee makes a good point. Why isn't closed captioning (CC) available on LiveTV's newest generation LTV3 system, which is being fitted to Continental's Boeing domestic fleet?

The answer is that CC is coming to Continental!

LiveTV director of product development Scott Easterling tells RWG: "We are working closely with DirecTV on this to ensure the in-flight version of CC is consistent with their in-home experience. We plan to have the entire LTV3 fleet equipped with CC in the first half of 2011. We are very excited about this feature."

He adds: "The technology is advancing and in the case of CC, it translates to a great user experience."

You can follow Marlee on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MarleeMatlin.

(Photo above of LTV3 taken by my sister Angela, who loved watching 90 channels of live television on her Continental flight to Texas.)

On first blush, the new FlightPath application for Panasonic Avionics' in-flight entertainment systems looks simply like a cool flash interface. But look a little deeper and you'll see that it is an entirely different approach to the whole passenger experience.

Providing an event-driven, content-rich seatback environment, FlightPath was quietly shown to airlines at last year's WAEA conference and exhibition. Since that time, everything has "started to snowball in terms of capabilities", says Panasonic Avionics director of corporate sales and marketing Neil James. Airlines are lining up for FlightPath, and some are keen to totally "customize their own cities" to drive business to their own brand partners.

RWG is pleased to show FlightPath to the traveling public for the very first time. Is IFE still relevant in a connected world? Oh Yeah!


Fig 1: FlightPath is an innovative and highly brand-able iconic platform designed to enhance the passenger experience and offer a graphically immersive environment to explore



Fig 2: FlightPath equips the passenger with the tools to control and tailor their in-flight experience to their specific preferences. They can schedule movies or meal


Fig 3: FlightPath utilizes cockpit data to provide location based notifications to inform passengers of nearby landmarks and points of interest they can explore



Fig 4: With the addition of connectivity, FlightPath transforms into a powerhouse of rich content driven media and social interaction



Fig 5: Whether it's shopping, pay per view, or advertising, FlightPath is a full featured platform for ancillary revenue generation



Fig 6: FlightPath supports a wide range of applications and services that work together to provide a seamless user experience transforming the interactive into a truly integrated environment.

Have you ever flown on a regional aircraft operated by Mesa Air Group? If so, you know just how shabby are the carrier's aircraft interiors.

Personally, I'll never forget the interior state of the Mesa CRJ that flew me to Palm Springs last year for the WAEA conference and exhibition. The headrest area was all out of whack (making my neck feel out of whack). And everything looked really, really scruffy. The pic above is paradise in comparison to what I saw (and tweeted about).

One of Mesa's major airline partners, US Airways, has finally taken notice of this Messy Bessy in its network. In US Airways' latest employee newsletter, management reveals it is not pleased with the quality of Mesa's interiors, and has alerted the carrier.

Key quote:

"As part of our focus on appearance, this has been addressed with Mesa and a refurbishment programme that includes seat cushion and cover replacement as well as numerous other interior reconditioning/replacement items is under development."

US Airways' in-flight group, meanwhile, is ready to lay claim to achieving an important distinction in its safety management system (SMS). Read all about it here.

(Photo above from PhillipC's Flickr photo stream)

"It's not a Mercedes but it's a damn good Honda."

That's what LiveTV's Scott Easterline told me at the World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA) conference and exhibition in September 2006, following the JetBlue subsidiary's $7.02 million acquisition of a 1MHz slice of air-to-ground (ATG) spectrum during the US Federal Communications Commission's auction of ATG licenses.

It turns out that license was more like a lemon...at least from a commercial air transport standpoint (we'll talk about GA later).

Yesterday, the Wandering Aramean blog broke the story that LiveTV's Kiteline service - available on a single JetBlue Airbus A320 since December 2007 and talked about in-depth here  - was a dead duck.

I contacted LiveTV about Wandering's scoop, but when I still didn't have clarity today, I contacted JetBlue, which confirmed it is looking elsewhere for a connectivity solution (and will announce something this summer), but directed me back to LiveTV to discuss the fate of Kiteline.

Key quote from JetBlue:

"At this time, we're still evaluating what's possible so we don't have anything further to share. LiveTV is a separate company so you would need to follow-up with LiveTV directly. BetaBlue is still flying and offering connectivity for our customers."

A separate company? Ummmm, that's a little bit of a stretch. LiveTV is a wholly-owned subsidiary of JetBlue. If you're going to shout about the joys of Kiteline care of LiveTV in 2007, don't you think readers - and consumers - have a right to know about its status today? Vagaries are a little too convenient, me thinks.

That being said, the writing has been on the wall for Kiteline for some time. The company's marketing head Mike Moeller didn't even mention the product at the recent Satellite 2010 conference. Instead he spoke about Kiteline World/Aero Openport via Iridium for commercial fleets.

But was LiveTV's $7.02 million bid for that 1MHz slice at auction all in vein? Not entirely. I understand the firm's general aviation business, which is supported by that spectrum and the former Airfone network, is ticking along. And LiveTV is rolling out its Blackberry on Board (BOB) product for GA customers of its Magnastar telephone system.

Still, as far as the ATG-based Kiteline commercial air transport product is concerned, let's call a spade a spade. And a lemon a lemon.

(Photo above from Dr. Keat's Flickr photo stream)

The Flightglobal poll results are in, and an overwhelming majority of respondents say IFE firms will keep pace in an iPad world (like there was ever any doubt).

Just how will IFE firms keep pace? We'll get part of our answer in the coming months, I assure you.

Twenty years ago, the World Airline Entertainment Association's board of directors concluded that the name of the organization no longer defined the scope of the group, as evidenced by the above clipping from the latest issue of Avion magazine.

Today, the WAEA's current board is ready to formally press forward with a change that will include bringing seat vendors and others into the picture. I spoke with WAEA president Patrick Brannelly today about the board's decision to call a vote on re-branding the WAEA as the Airline Passenger Experience (APEX) group.

Be sure to read the article, but here is a key quote:

"If you talk to most of the airlines, their investment in seat-back technology is not just about entertainment. It's about enhancing the customer experience. As we look to the future, these seat-back systems and all the technology wrapped around them, including the way they are integrated into the seat, is becoming more and more important."

The World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA) wants to add the interiors sector to its mix, RWG can exclusively reveal.

A WAEA spokesman confirms that members received a letter yesterday about the matter. They have until 7 May to vote on whether or not to rebrand as the Airline Passenger Experience (APEX) group.

We're already seeing evidence of the closer ties between IFEC and interiors. Indeed, the WAEA is dedicating an entire single focus workshop to this very subject at the forthcoming Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg. Aircraft Interiors and the WAEA will get cozy again in September in Long Beach, California.

I do believe I predicted something very much like this last year in advance of the Hamburg show, ahem. (This year I'm going to the show...yay!)

Aircell is on schedule for a summer beta roll-out of its video download service, RWG can reveal.

The service allows passengers to download movies, television shows and other content for a fee on aircraft equipped with Aircell's Gogo in-flight broadband solution.

"Between the summer 2010 and the end of this year and into the first quarter, we're doing an extended test [of the service]," Aircell executive vice-president, airlines John Happ told RWG in a recent interview.

"We have one airline confirmed as of right now and there is still a pretty good chance that we'll expand that to a second airline."

Part of the test will be to look at various price points, notes Happ. $5.99 would represent "the low end of the first run movies", he says, adding that it "could be a little bit higher than that".

A preliminary image of the service (see above) was shown to attendees at the FFP ARAC 2009 Mega Event last year.

I like the name of the carrier at the top of the graphic - INCOGNITO AIRLINES.

Panasonic Avionics has grabbed some serious headlines of late for its Integrated Smart Monitor (formerly known as Fusion). And deservedly so. Everyone I've spoken to in advance of the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg has sung the praises of Smart.

But if you think Panasonic is alone in its effort to integrate lightweight in-flight entertainment with slim seats early in the development process, think again. Thales is poised to reveal some advancement in this regard too.

One of the big drivers to re-engineering in-flight entertainment systems is the Airbus A350, which is proving to be a great platform for innovation. To wit, during a recent conversation with RWG, Airbus head of aircraft interiors Bob Lange said:

"I would say that all the IFE manufacturers are looking at reducing the form factor and taking volume and weight out of the equipment going into the seat."

I think it's fair to say that we can expect some news from Thales soon...

Meanwhile, the good folks from Thales were kind enough to send along some photos of me touring their new connectivity suite outside of London. I can just see it now - Thales' new connected in-flight entertainment solution (represented in the pics above and below) attached to an ultra-slim economy class seat. Can't you?

Innovation is alive and well in the economy class seat manufacturing sector. Take Italian seat maker Geven, for instance. The firm this year started offering a 'convertible' slim seat.

Here's how it works. A row of three economy class seats can be transformed into a business class (or premium economy class) solution by retracting the middle seat's foldable armrests and converting its backrest into a centre table. Check out the specs below.

Slovenia's Adria Airways is among the carriers to select this convertible seat for its Airbus A320 aircraft, but "many customers are asking about this," Geven technical director Fabio Liccardo tells RWG.

Expect to see the seat on display at the forthcoming Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg.

Just because the vast majority of news agencies haven't yet cottoned on to the fact that the Koito seat chicanery deserves serious attention, doesn't mean that we here at RWG plan to leave it alone.

Indeed, multiple sources now tell RWG that Koito didn't just flub the numbers on its 9g and 16g test data (as much as 70% of the latter, says a source) plus flammability data, the wiley coyote also used its own rubber stamp to falsely indicate that some seats had been cleared by the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB).

I wonder who among the Koito staff was given the unfortunate task of pulling that rubber stamp from the bottom drawer? And why aren't more folks upset about this (do they all hope it will just go away)? Seriously?

Already, there are Continental Airlines aircraft sitting and waiting for seats (and others), but that doesn't come close to the fallout that will occur if EASA and FAA issue an AD for the estimated 150,000 seats on 1,000 aircraft impacted by Koito's deception.

(Photo above from Dan 4ths Flickr photo stream)

The first Lufthansa aircraft to offer in-flight entertainment (IFE) took to the skies 40 years ago. Can you believe it?

On that day, Lufthansa screened the film "Chariots of the Gods" with 16 mm projectors on flight LH404 from Frankfurt to New York. See clip below.

To celebrate this achievement, Lufthansa is further extending its IFE offering in economy class "with more films and TV programs and as a new feature: 100 CDs on demand", says the carrier in a new online update.

Of course, we already know that Lufthansa's long-haul economy class product is pretty sweet. But 100 CDs on demand for steerage is a mighty nice addition indeed.

Right then, I don't recall ever personally writing off the Apple iPad as a fad that won't impact in-flight entertainment (having simply posted a blog about why it probably won't do so in the near-term, ahem).

BUT, equally I don't think the argument posed by Shashank Nigam of Simpliflying - about how the much-touted tablet may revolutionize the airline industry - should be ignored.

So let's read and discuss.

A key quote from Nigam:

I'm not talking about every passenger carrying on-board an iPad. That's probably not possible. At least not very soon, and not across nations. What I'm suggesting is that it might be a good idea for airlines that do not have personal in-flight entertainment systems installed, to consider buying iPads to rent them out to the passengers.

(Photo above from Smays' photo stream on Flickr)

It's not a joke anymore, of course, what with Irish low-cost operator Ryanair apparently now moving fast-forward with a plan to charge passengers to use its bathrooms.

I wonder how long it will take before US carrier Spirit Airlines - which has just decided to charge for carry-on luggage -  follows Ryanair on the pay-to-pee model?

And will we be asking: "Do you have four quarters for a dollar???" Or maybe they'll have credit card readers (Oh, now there is an idea. Just don't expect any real-time transactions to occur unless Ryanair finds a replacement for OnAir, its former in-flight connectivity service provider).

Hat tip to Airline Reporter for the heads up on this classic 1987 video from Alaska Airlines.

Acknowledging that its 38" premium economy seats "were neither suitable nor comfortable for long-haul flights", AirAsia X has launched a refurbishment scheme that will see the carrier fit its aircraft with new 'flatbed premium seats' and reclinable economy class seats.

The carrier says the flatbed premium seats are standard business class specifications of 20" width, 60" pitch and stretch out to 77" in full recline position. They include universal power sockets, adjustable headrests and built-in personal utilities such as tray table, drink holder, reading light and privacy screen.

"After reviewing all the feedback that we received from guests on our services, the need for better and comfortable seats tops the list. As frequent flyers ourselves, we understand the great need for comfort especially for long-haul flights. We are happy to tell our guests that their wishes are granted. We thank our guests for the feedbacks and they will definitely enjoy the new level of comfort on our flights from now on," says AirAsia X CEO Azran Osman-Rani in a statement.

Business Traveller has an interesting forum thread that illustrates the type of feedback AirAsia X likely fielded.

Additionally, AirAsia X is revamping its unreclinable (is that a real word?) economy class seats with new reclineable seats at 31" pitch equipped with adjustable headrests. It has also decided to move away from traditional black leather and opt for a mix of red and grey, which it says "contributes to brighter cabin ambiance".

Key pars from AirAsia X's February blog post on the matter:

Ever since the first new A330 aircraft delivery for AirAsia X came with the "non-reclining" black leather seats in November 2008, we knew this was going to be a big issue for us. Sure enough, the complaints started pouring in incessantly about these uncomfortable seats.

We've been tackling this for almost a year and a half, and now, finally, we believe we have a much better seat solution for our long-haul guests.

When we first ordered aircraft in 2007, the global aviation industry was very different. It was the boom time, and airlines were ordering new planes by the hundreds. Seat manufacturers were buzzing with more orders than they could fill. We were left with only one seat supplier who was willing to design seats for our aircraft, at a reasonable price, according to our required timeframe. We had no other choices.

They pitched to us a new design called 'fixed-back shell' seats. The idea was that the seat would not recline backwards, but would achieve the same recline-angle by the seat bottom gliding forward and the seat back moving along to get its 'recline' angle. The advantage was supposed to be better personal space management, so that you're not bothered when the person in front leans back (especially when you've got the meal tray down trying to eat or work on your laptop, or when you need to get out to the aisle).

Lesson Learned. When the seats were manufactured, this design turned out to be very problematic, mainly because the cushion was too hard, the gliding mechanism too stiff, and edge of the seat bottom that was supposed to drop down to create 'knee-space' did not - which meant knees were banging on the seat in front. It was a disaster.

AirAsia X is currently upgrading its whole fleet with the new seats in stages for all long-haul flights to Melbourne, Gold Coast, Perth, Taipei, Hangzhou, Tianjin, Chengdu, London, Mumbai and New Delhi. The refurbishment process is expected to be completed by June.

The refurbishment will allow AirAsia X's A330 to have a seat configuration of 12 flatbed premium seats (28 currently) and 365 economy seats (355 currently). The new configuration for the airline's A340 is 18 flatbed seats (30 currently) and 309 economy seats (256 currently).

Until all aircraft are fully furnished with the new seats, the term 'flatbed' will appear next to the flight information during booking process, to inform guests that premium seats are available on the particular flight.

While viewing - and recording during landing! - live video feed from the tail-mounted camera on a Qantas A380, some passengers got a bit of a shock.

I had a brilliant chat with Panasonic Avionics executive director of corporate sales and marketing Neil James today about the Integrated Smart Monitor (formerly known as Fusion), and, whilst I don't have time to lay out all the goods, I can tell you the following delicious things:

1)    The design language used to create the Integrated Smart Monitor (which I'm calling Smart for short) for economy class seating is now being extended across all four classes. So expect to eventually see versions of this integrated IFE/seat offering in economy, economy first, business, and yes even first class.

2)    Panasonic is working with Weber (pictured above), B/E Aerospace and Recaro on bringing Smart to a cabin near you, but it has fielded  "lots of interest from other seat vendors and we're entertaining those", says James. Panasonic's priority, in the early days, is to these initial three, however (we can call them 'the big three' if you like).

3)    Panasonic has secured "several customers" for Smart, reveals James. The company just hasn't announced them yet. Will an announcement drop at the Interiors Expo in Hamburg? We'll just have to wait and see.

4)    One thing you will see in Hamburg (and if you don't, I'll tweet and twitpic about it for you) is that Weber, B/E and Recaro are each expected to showcase their version of a slim seat with Smart. Is this show going to be off the hook or what?