invisibleSHIELD HD ® – Can It Fly With Passengers?

Since in-seat IFE screens were introduced in the late ‘80s and now installed on thousands of passenger seats, there has been an ongoing airline maintenance and customer service problem about scratched and damaged LCD screens in the seatbacks. IFE providers have done a good job providing good quality screens but the inevitable wear-and-tear scratching, and the less common screen vandalism, does occur. This lead-in brings us to the Hot Topic subject that began with an attempt to protect an iPad screen from the inevitable screen and scratch problem that plagues so many portable devices. On a recent trip to a ...

Single-Aisle Solutions: Thompson Aerospace

At the last Aircraft Interiors Conference in Hamburg we met up with Mark Thompson-CEO and Heiko Wiedmann-CFO, of Thompson Aerospace respectfully. The technical whiz, Mark, gave us a bewildering tour thru their new system and because of the new spin they placed on the hardware and business model, we thought they would be a prime revisit for our Single-Aisle Solutions series. We think you will find their system worth a second look and be sure to visit them in Hamburg and tell them IFExpress sent you. Q: The last time we met you folks was at Aircraft Interiors some 9 ...

In-Flight Wi-Fi Testing, Predictions, & Steve!

Wi-Fi TESTING Inflight Wi-Fi is fast becoming the technology that fliers plan their flight by. One recent traveler told IFExpress that their flight was "ruined" by the lack of Internet on an overseas trip. As fliers depend on wireless services on planes, the responsibility falls on the airline techs to deliver a product that is difficult to test, especially on the flight line. Today, most WiFi testing is done with laptops with special software or USB dongles that require test runs in each location to be tested and this can run into schedule problems for the tester and the plane. Along ...

Single Aisle Solutions, A New Book, and Predictions!

This week IFExpress features Terrence Bonar's, AIRVOD in the ongoing Single Aisle Solutions series, with a few IFE surprises to boot. We also got wind of a new book by non other than SATCOM-famed Liz Young and snagged a review for our readers - good stuff! Lastly, our call for 2012 predictions received the first input from Thales Chief Engineer, Ken Brady. Read on, reader: When we first ran into the AIRVOD SEATCENTRIC system at the 2011 APEX Conference we were taken a little aback at the system sophistication and seatback screen image quality. CEO Terrence Bonar told IFExpress about the ...

It’s A Jungle Out There!

Happy New Year and we hope 2012 is an IFEC improvement over 2011! While looking for an image to accompany this Hot Topic, we scoured our files and found the fitting graphic theme in our coverage for the Wall Drug story we did this past summer. Our team thought with increasing inflation, the European financial mess, US political indecision, the Middle East turmoil, and the predicted Mayan Apocalypse, the "Do Lunch or Be Lunch" seemed fitting. Hey, if we cant predict the future, we are happy to invent it! This coming summer we will celebrate 20 years in this crazy business ...

Hot Topics

invisibleSHIELD HD ® – Can It Fly With Passengers?

Single-Aisle Solutions: Thompson Aerospace

In-Flight Wi-Fi Testing, Predictions, & Steve!

Wi-Fi TESTING Inflight Wi-Fi is fast becoming the technology that fliers plan their flight by. One recent traveler told IFExpress that their flight was “ruined” by the lack of Internet on an overseas trip. As fliers depend on wireless services on planes, the responsibility falls on the airline techs to deliver a product that is... [Read more]

Single Aisle Solutions, A New Book, and Predictions!

This week IFExpress features Terrence Bonar’s, AIRVOD in the ongoing Single Aisle Solutions series, with a few IFE surprises to boot. We also got wind of a new book by non other than SATCOM-famed Liz Young and snagged a review for our readers – good stuff! Lastly, our call for 2012 predictions received the first input from Thales... [Read more]

It’s A Jungle Out There!

IMS RAVE & EDGE First Delivery Record – Ten Days Apart!

In the IFE industry, delivering first editions are a big deal. Literally years can pass and millions of dollars are spent rolling the first unit out the door. But what if an IFE company delivered two first editions within 10 days of each other – one, an installed system (RAVE) and the other, a portable with a new operating system (EDGE)?!... [Read more]

InTheAirNet Unveils THER

Sometimes a bit of an enigma, InTheAirNet’s, Michael Rogerson told IFExpress at the latest APEX meeting in Seattle that ITAN was in the process of developing a few new tricks, “There are too many vendors chasing the same market.” As the interview went on, it was obvious that the ITAN team was thinking ‘outside the... [Read more]

Single-Aisle Solutions: Thales TopSeries AVANT

IFExpress has talked with the busy people at Thales to get their spin on our Single-Aisle Solution series and without further adieu, here is our Internet interview with the Thales IFE team, and it might just possibly be the longest Hot Topic yet! Q: Please describe the Thales system destined for single-aisle aircraft? In 2010, Thales announced... [Read more]