2002 | 2001 | Future Calendar

WAEA 23rd Annual Conference & Exhibition
24-27 September 2002
Washington State Convention & Trade Center

Session Articles

KEYNOTE SESSION: IFE PART OF INDUSTRY RECOVERY

"Now is the time to chart a course for a better future" and information technology (IT) is the key to help the industry emerge from the current economic crisis, stated Daniel P. Mooney, Vice President of Product Development for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, in his keynote address 24 September at the 23rd Annual WAEA Conference & Exhibition.

"IFE is part of the recovery," Mooney told the audience, but asked delegates to "look beyond your corner of the industry."

Mooney forecasts a strong industry in the long-term and believes the choices made today will determine the future. Admitting that economics are driving "tough choices," Mooney said the technology that can transform the industry is available today. The challenge is to use this technology to create a seamless solution. "The industry cannot afford missteps," he said.

Future airplane deliveries, he believes, should have fewer and simpler systems that provide all inflight solutions including IFE, passenger connectivity, cockpit and cabin crew reporting and management, maintenance, and satellite-based air traffic management.

Airlines should explore how IT can add value, not just cost. Acknowledging the need for an initial investment in new technology, Mooney said, IT could reduce costs long-term and generate revenue.

"It is more important than ever to make wise investment decisions," he said. "There is a brighter future out there. Let's get there together."

NEW IFE OPTIONS FOR SINGLE-AISLE AIRCRAFT

Approximately 14,000 single-aisle aircraft will be flying in 2020, twice the number of twin-aisle aircraft. Airlines will require future single-aisle aircraft IFE systems to offer increased reliability and functionality-including passenger connectivity, digital media, and functional integration-at a lower cost.

Future systems should have a minimum of "moving parts" and accommodate the migration from analog to digital content.

"Commonality" among IFE systems providing compatibility across both single-aisle (narrow-body) and wide-body fleets should be a primary goal in future development to meet those needs, according to a panel of Rich Salter (Salter Group), Dave Frankenbach (Rockwell Collins), Chris Lundquist (Matsushita Avionics Systems), Frank McNeal (TEAC America, Inc.) and Dan Reed (Thales Avionics In-Flight Systems).

A common IFE architecture has several advantages. Integrated power reduces weight and cost, provides for a highly scalable solution, and provides passengers familiarity with the airline's image, look and brand.

Care must be taken to avoid a "lowest common denominator" solution that could hurt twin-aisle technology; and, admittedly, a seatbox for wide-body aircraft supports more power than might be needed on a single-aisle aircraft.

Today's single-aisle IFE systems generally include a head-end system with drop-down overhead video distribution, but a move to seatback systems is predicted. Content management will be a key challenge for airlines as developing technology will be able to play video and audio programming based on route, date or other qualifiers determined by the airline, eliminating this job from the cabin crew's functions.

The WAEA Technology Committee is working to establish standards to assist vendors in developing new technologies and to make the technology scalable.

"To look at new technologies and shy away from them because they are not clearly defined would be a mistake," stated McNeal.

CONNECTIVITY: WIRELESS ACCESS UPDATE

The use of personal electronic devices (PEDs) by business travelers is widespread and growing rapidly. Providing business travelers with the ability to remain connected wirelessly while inflight will help airlines attract and retain this key segment of passengers. Wireless connectivity also offers airlines tremendous savings through reduction weight, power, and size of hardware.

Some PEDs, such as laptops and portable digital assistants (PDAs), have been approved for inflight use, while cell phones and computing peripherals such as external CD/DVD drives and printers have not.

Mary Rogozinski (United Airlines) explained that FCC regulations state the airlines determine which PEDs, other than cell phones, can be used onboard an aircraft. Cell phones are banned by the FCC to protect ground cellular networks, not aircraft systems, she stated. Similarly, the FCC bans usage of ultrawide band (UWB) on aircraft to protect ground networks, and enforcement of the ban is left up to the airline. Many devices have imbedded wireless technology, that the passenger may not be aware of, and flight attendants cannot be responsible for policing PEDs, she added.

The common objective, stated Robert Dietterle (Connexion by Boeing), is to ensure future standards to preserve avionics safety and to educate the public regarding PEDs and UWB.

Airlines are introducing more technology to passengers in their seat through IFE systems, allowing passengers to perform many of the services they perform on their PEDs. Peter Lemme (Tenzing Communications, Inc.) said IFE can enable safe PED use and provide PED functionality with built-in features designed specifically for safe airborne operations, seamless billing and connectivity solutions.

The WAEA has scheduled a Single Focus Workshop - Wireless Onboard Aircraft (in conjunction with the University of Oklahoma's Wireless EMC Center) 19-20 November 2002, Washington, D.C. to continue exploring this issue.

AVOD: SUCCESSFUL BRANDING STRATEGIES & USER INTERFACE OPTIONS

Providing passengers control of their IFE is the single most important benefit of an AVOD system, agreed the panel of Pablo Astudillo (LanChile), Sarah Blomfield (Cathay Pacific Airways), Michael Planey (US Airways) and David Tharp (Inflight Digital).

AVOD can be a valuable differentiator among airlines, especially in economy class if price and schedules of airlines are comparable. Blomfield found that expectations in premium classes are higher, but offering AVOD in leisure classes creates a "big bang."

IFE is an integral part of how an airline is perceived-and, done well, can raise any customer's perception of an airline.

Being a digital platform, AVOD offers better audio and video quality, provides a wide range of IFE choices, and supports the implementation of other technologies such as PC games, Internet, and e-mail, Astudillo explained.

LanChile experienced a significant positive increase in passenger evaluations of the airline's IFE and an increased usage of the system. Passengers evaluated the same content more positively on AVOD aircraft than on non-AVOD aircraft.

Planey illustrated how US Airways used AVOD in its 1997 re-branding, reinforcing the image the airline wanted to project. The graphic user interface (GUI) was designed in the airline's "elegant" color scheme, the new technology communicated the "contemporary" image they wanted to project and the ability to provide something for every taste reinforced the airline's "understanding."

US Airways' customer satisfaction survey results reached an all-time high for the Transatlantic route following the introduction of AVOD. AVOD, stated Planey, succeeded for US Airways by exceeding customers' expectations.

One problem faced by all three airlines was communicating to passengers how to use the system.

Blomfield delineated some of the challenges faced when developing an appropriate look and feel of a GUI. The airline must maintain consistency between the IFE systems and across all media, even if products offered are slightly different. Software and content should have as much commonality as possible between AVOD and broadcast systems to reduce ongoing maintenance efforts, such as updating synopsis screens.

Passengers should be able easily to understand how to use controllers to navigate through the system, and Blomfield suggested continuous and consistent on-screen instruction and using pictorial illustration instead of text when possible.

Other suggestions shared include conducting usability testing prior to launch and, on any subsequent changes, creating designs that require minimal changes in software to achieve updates, soliciting support from experts, and not underestimating the cost of the effort.

Airlines should acquire accountability and performance guarantees from hardware providers before committing to an AVOD system.

All agreed the cost and effort of implementing an AVOD system is vast…and worth it.