High Profile Product Launches and VIP Visits Mark the Opening Day of Aircraft Interiors Expo 2015
On an opening day packed with highlights, Senator Frank Horch from the German Ministry of Economy, Transport and Innovation was warmly welcomed to Aircraft Interiors Expo 2015 by Katie Murphy, Senior Event Director. There was plenty for the Senator and the many visitors that thronged the seven halls to see in the way of innovation to meet the current and emerging needs of the global air transport industry.
"The Future of flight is an extremely important topic for Hamburg. Cabin and interiors are some of our Northern German companies' core competences. I'm very happy to see Aircraft Interiors Expo, as the leading international trade show for aircraft interiors, being our guest here in Hamburg for so many years. For our aviation cluster, this is a fantastic enriching dimension," said Senator Horch.
On a busy day for exhibitors, Airbus and Recaro Aircraft Seating announced that they plan to offer for the first time a "supplier-furnished-equipment" (SFE) Economy Class seat option for A320 Family operators. The proposed new seat, named "3530Swift", is based on Recaro's "BL3530" already developed for the A320 Family.
The showcased 3530Swift is planned to become available later this year, both in line-fit and retrofit. Up to now, all economy-class seats for the A320 Family are supplied as "buyer-furnished-equipment" (BFE). Being SFE, rather than BFE, the new seat would be available in predefined, pre-qualified and pre-certified Airbus layouts and catalogue configurations which would save considerable time normally required for individual product approval. The new SFE option would sit alongside the existing Airbus BFE product offering and the A320 Family's BFE catalogue will continue to be updated.
Once it is fully available to order for the A320 Family, airlines would be able to customise the 3530Swift with various catalogue options which include leather dress covers, comfort cushions, more stowage space and a six-way adjustable headrest. Customers would also be able to select a tablet PC holder and tablet PC stowage, as well as a power socket for USB and PC. Moreover, the seat would take full advantage of A320's wide cabin to offer a comfortable 18-inch width between armrests, while its excellent pitch efficiency will also enable airlines to install more rows in an aircraft whilst maintaining leg room.
Vistara has selected BAE Systems' IntelliCabin™ in-flight entertainment (IFE) system, which provides inflight wireless streaming of preloaded content to customers' personal electronic devices across all three cabin classes in its fleet of A320 aircraft. The system also includes fully integrated Samsung Galaxy Tab S tablets for business class customers. With its state-of-the-art wireless technology and unique user interface, the fully integrated IFE system provides travellers with entertainment options beyond those currently available aboard commercial flights.
The entire fleet of Vistara will incorporate the IFE system, expected to go live in another six months. In the interim, BAE Systems is providing Vistara's business class customers with customised Samsung Galaxy tablets with specially selected preloaded content. This interim solution will be available to Vistara's business class customers on flights of more than two hours duration beginning in March 2015.
Global technology leaders BAE Systems and Samsung have partnered to deliver the state-of-the-art IFE system, which can be experienced in business class using customised Samsung Galaxy tablets and on customers' personal electronic devices across all cabins. It delivers movies, TV shows, magazines, and games through a rich and responsive user interface.
The tablet-driven IFE system is one component of BAE Systems' IntelliCabin suite of products, which provides an integrated, scalable approach to aircraft cabin management through in-seat power, dynamic LED lighting, and a cabin crew interface.
Northern Avionics has introduced WAvES (Wireless Avionics Entertainment System) which is its latest line of wired and wireless IFE and Cabin Management Systems. WAvES is all about flexibility, customer customisation and ease of retrofit without any compromise in quality. It is designed to fit or retrofit any aircraft, from large airliners down to private jets and helicopters. Every part and every line of the WAvES software is produced in-house, which means that Northern Avionics can work with its customers to develop the system and the user interface exactly according to their requirements.
Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic) announced the acquisition of Tactel AB, a leading mobile app and software consultancy in Sweden that counts many prominent Scandinavian companies as its customers. The move is part of an ongoing strategy to enhance Panasonic Avionics' leadership and capabilities in software and design.
Panasonic also announced that China Southern Airlines, Asia's largest airline, is to be the launch customer for Panasonic Avionics' eXO system, the industry's most sophisticated overhead in-flight entertainment system. The eXO system is designed with single aisle aircraft in mind and China Southern has chosen it for its new narrow-bodied fleet of Airbus A320s and A321s being delivered from early in 2016.
"The high profile announcements and the many new innovative products launched on the opening day have really set the scene for the aircraft interiors industry's biggest event this year. It was an honour to welcome Senator Horch and he certainly seemed very impressed with the broad range of exciting new innovations on display," said Katie Murphy, Senior Event Director of Aircraft Interiors Expo.
