FoCuS on inflight entertainment
“The 2012 Aircraft Interiors show in Hamburg this March attracted 7990 visitors from 87 countries, who came to see 500 exhibitors”
Left: Bluebox Ai inflight entertainment application for iPad - Thai Airways International has introduced it to its Upper Class Cabin. Below: IMS seatcentric IFE system RAVE is now onboard Royal Air Maroc and Air Niugini
passengers’ portable electronic devices. The company also featured a WiGig technology demonstration with the potential to provide very fast data bursts to passenger devices. Another major attraction at the Expo was
Panasonic’s new live television service, which is being adopted fast by many airlines. This is the first and only global live television service to offer content from BBC World News, BBC Arabic, NHK World Premium, France 24, Euronews, IMG Media’s Barclays’ Premier League Channel, and IMG Media’s Sport 24. Turkish Airlines and Gulf Air are two of the first customers to show it. David Bruner, vice president of Panasonic Avionics Corporation’s Global Communications Service said it had taken Panasonic "years and years of hard work to get to this stage and now it’s moving forward. It changes the business now. Things like live TV are incredibly expensive to launch but it is such a good product. There is no other operator who can do this. You’ve got to be global and the money to do this is huge. We realised this is something special, we have to bring it to the international marketplace." He added, "This year is about selection, everybody selecting the service and next year is going to be unbelievably massive in terms of number of airplanes being fitted …" There are already 1300 aircraft on order to be fitted with connectivity from Panasonic, and
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many of these will include the eXTV service. Panasonic showed an array of innovations on
its stand including a 3D video monitor which requires special spectacles to view. Other interesting IFE developments at the
show came from the IMS Company, which has announced two new customers for its seat- centric IFE system, RAVE: Royal Air Maroc and Air Niugini bringing the number of installations on all customers to more than 150 aircraft. Three airlines are already in service and the fourth – Brussels, launched its maiden RAVE flight during the show. By end of 2012 IMS anticipates nearly 40 aircraft in service. Zodiac Aerospace’s SiT (Seat Integrated
Technology) introduces a new IFE concept called Seat Centric. It has a 3D game accelerator, and open platform architecture to enable easy integration of content and applications. The Plug and Play technology is reinforced with a quick release solution for seat integration. It comes with an extended range of newly designed screens from 8” to 23”. Thai Airways International has chosen
Bluebox Ai inflight entertainment application for iPad in its upper class cabin, Royal Silk. This will include 650 iPad units starting in June. Content will include early window Hollywood movies and a range of TV, music video and CD content. Bluebox will create a custom-branded user interface and also provide technical and
media support services. digEcor has secured a second digEplayer L10 customer – Kenya Airways (KQ). Launching in early June, the players will be offered on a B767 flying to Paris, London, Rome, Dubai, Bangkok, Mumbai and other destinations. They will be offered free to Business class passengers. DigEcor is also testing a new wireless distribution system. At Expo Thales announced it had struck a significant deal in China. Effectively it gives Thales entry into future IFE deals on the new Chinese built aircraft C919. The Joint Venture Agreement signed at the Expo in Hamburg last month will enable Thales to develop IFEC solutions for the planned C919 aircraft, manufactured by Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC). Operations are expected to begin in the third quarter. The 2012 show had 7990 visitors this year
when it was held in Hamburg last month. They came from 87 countries to see 500 exhibitors who in turn came from 30 countries. Event director John Hyde said, "We are delighted by the level of attendance and the feedback from delegates and speakers."
CONTACT US
IFE Focus is now a regular feature in OnBoard Hospitality. If you have a new product, new technology, a relevant report, or a new partnership to announce please email sally@
gethinsinflight.com (text only, please). Please send any picture files, marked IFE in the subject line, direct to
jo.austin@
onboardhospitality.com.
©Sally Gethin
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