- Record Order From A European Airline, Valued At $11.4 Billion At List Prices
- Norwegian Is First European 737 MAX Customer

OSLO, Norway | January 25, 2012/PRNewswire/– Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Norwegian have announced a firm order for 100 fuel-efficient 737 MAX airplanes and 22 Next-Generation 737-800s. The total order is valued at $11.4 billion at list prices and represents the largest-ever Boeing order from a European airline.

Oslo-based Norwegian is the first European carrier to finalize an order for the 737 MAX. The order supports Norwegian’s plans to build on the success provided by its fleet of Next-Generation 737-800s for its rapidly expanding operations.

“Norwegian has become one of the largest 737 operators in Europe and has been a valued Boeing partner since the airline was established,” said Aldo Basile, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president Sales, Europe. “Since it began operating in 2002, Norwegian has achieved tremendous success with its low-cost model, providing significant value to both its passengers and shareholders.”

“This is a historic day for Norwegian – we have secured our fleet renewal for years to come and are very pleased with the agreement with Boeing,” said Norwegian’s CEO Bjorn Kjos. “Boeing has played a major part in our strategy to develop a cost efficient and environmentally friendly operation with high customer satisfaction. We are very happy to continue our valuable cooperation and we are proud to be the first 737 MAX customer in Europe.”

“The 737 MAX will deliver fuel savings better than any competing single-aisle airplane on the market,” said Basile. “We’re really pleased to provide this great performance to Norwegian. Improved financial performance and improved environmental performance go hand-in-hand as fuel burn is lowered.”

The 737 MAX is the new-engine variant of the world’s best-selling airplane and builds on the strengths of today’s Next-Generation 737. The airplane will be powered by CFM International LEAP-1B engines which will reduce fuel burn and CO2 emissions by an additional 10-12 percent over today’s most fuel-efficient single-aisle airplane. The 737 MAX will have the lowest operating costs in the single-aisle segment with a 7 percent advantage per seat over tomorrow’s competition.

This order continues the momentum for the 737 MAX. With the Norwegian order, the 737 MAX has orders and commitments for more than 1,000 airplanes from 15 customers and the Next-Generation 737 family has orders for more than 6,300 airplanes.

Norwegian currently operates a fleet of 62 airplanes: 48 Next-Generation 737-800s and 14 737-300s. Including today’s announcement, Norwegian has 184 unfilled orders for Boeing airplanes including: 100 737 MAX airplanes, 78 Next-Generation 737-800s and six 787 Dreamliners from Boeing and leasing company partners.

Carrying nearly 16 million passengers in 2011, Norwegian is the third-largest low-cost airline in Europe. Norwegian currently operates more than 300 routes across Europe into North Africa and the Middle East and employs approximately 2,500 people. The company was listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange in 2003.

Purchase Agreement Is Biggest For A Single Customer In Latin America History

January 26, 2012– AviancaTaca, which includes subsidiary AeroGal of Ecuador, has signed a purchase agreement for 33 eco-efficient A320neo and 18 A320 Family aircraft. The order, which is the largest from a single airline in the region in terms of number of aircraft, follows a MOU signed during the Le Bourget Air Show in Paris in June 2011.

The new aircraft will support AviancaTaca’s expansion into new markets in Latin America, while keeping the airline’s fleet among the youngest in the region.

“With this order AviancaTaca and our subsidiaries will continue the modernization process that includes fleet renewal as its primary focus,” said Fabio Villegas, President of AviacaTaca. “Our goal is to offer travelers the most comfortable and efficient aircraft in the market, and we are proud that the A320neo aircraft is recognized for its eco-efficiency and cutting-edge technology,”

“At Airbus, we are very proud of our contribution to the success story of AviancaTaca,” said John Leahy, Airbus’ Chief Operating Officer, Customers. “Thanks to its unbeatable operating costs and the comfort it offers to passengers, the A320 Family has become the first choice for single-aisle aircraft among the most important operators worldwide.”

AviancaTaca has placed firm orders for 190 Airbus aircraft (including the latest 51) and has currently in service 88 A320 Family aircraft and eight A330. AviancaTaca operates the entire A320 Family, A318, A319, A320 and A321 aircraft.

Over 8,300 A320 Family aircraft have been ordered and some 5,000 delivered to more than340 customers and operators worldwide reaffirming its position as the world’s best-selling single-aisle aircraft Family. The A320neo has over 95 percent airframe commonality making it an easy fit into existing fleets while offering up to 500 nautical miles (950 kilometres) more range or two tonnes more payload at a given range.

The A320neo is a new engine option for the A320 Family entering into service from 2015 and incorporates latest generation engines and large “Sharklet” wing tip devices, which together will deliver 15 percent in fuel savings. The reduction in fuel burn is equivalent to 1.4 million litres of fuel – the consumption of 1,000 mid size cars, saving 3,600 tonnes of C02 per aircraft per year. The A320neo NOx emissions are 50% below CAEP/6, and this aircraft also has a considerably smaller noise footprint.

To date, Airbus has sold 666 aircraft in Latin America and has a backlog of 351. The number of Airbus aircraft in operation throughout Latin America and the Caribbean reaches 435 units. In the last 10 years, Airbus tripled its in-service fleet, while delivering more than 60 percent of all aircraft operating in the region.

Stunning A320neo Sales Success Continues

January 25, 2012– Norwegian, one of the largest low-cost airlines in Europe, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus for 100 A320neo aircraft. The agreement, which makes Norwegian the latest customer for the A320neo and also a new customer for Airbus, was signed by Bjørn Kjos, Chief Executive Officer, Norwegian and John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers.

The new aircraft will support Norwegian’s growth and modernisation strategy. Norwegian (the brand name of Norwegian Air Shuttle AS) operates a network across Europe into North Africa and the Middle East, and is rapidly expanding its low cost operations. The new aircraft will feature a single class cabin layout, seating approximately 180 passengers. Norwegian’s engine decision will be announced at a later date.

“The A320neo will enable us increasing capacity while decreasing our operating costs,” said Bjørn Kjos, Chief Executive Officer, Norwegian. “With this aircraft we will continue to boost our reputation for offering high quality, low fares service with the most modern and eco-efficient fleet of aircraft in Scandinavia”.

“We are very pleased to welcome Norwegian as an all-new Airbus customer. Their A320neo commitment is a further demonstration of the undisputable success of the A320neo’s record-setting credentials. The A320neo sets new industry standards for eco-efficiency and passenger appeal.” said John Leahy.

Over 8,300 A320 Family aircraft have been ordered and some 5,000 delivered to more than 340 customers and operators worldwide reaffirming its position as the world’s best-selling single-aisle aircraft Family. The A320neo has over 95 percent airframe commonality making it an easy fit into existing fleets while offering up to 500 nautical miles (950 kilometres) more range or two tonnes more payload at a given range.

The A320neo is a new engine option for the A320 Family entering into service from 2015 and incorporates latest generation engines and large “Sharklet” wing tip devices, which together will deliver 15 percent in fuel savings. The reduction in fuel burn is equivalent to 1.4 million litres of fuel – the consumption of 1,000 mid size cars, saving 3,600 tonnes of C02 per aircraft per year. The A320neo NOx emissions are 50% below CAEP/6, and this aircraft also has a considerably smaller noise footprint.

LAKE FOREST, CA | January 27, 2012 -– Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), the world leader in in-flight entertainment and communications (IFEC), today announced that is has commissioned and tested its new service on the Yamal 201 Russian satellite via its partner RuSat’s teleport in Moscow, Russia.

The Russian satellite is a strategic addition to the company’s global aeronautical broadband network because it provides essential service for aircraft routes from Europe to Asia. With the Yamal 201 satellite, the more than 1,200 aircraft that have been committed to Panasonic’s Global Communications Suite will be able to fly around the globe, above the equator, with uninterrupted broadband coverage from the company’s Ku-band network.

Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer for Panasonic Avionics Corporation said, “We are now only a few months away from completing the world’s first global Ku frequency, high bandwidth aeronautical network. We are very excited to see our powerful broadband network offer global, uninterrupted in-flight connectivity, and look forward to helping our customers use broadband connectivity to enhance operational efficiencies and the in-flight entertainment experience.”

Panasonic’s Global Communications Suite system provides two-way broadband connectivity to an aircraft. It supports a wide range of passenger and crew applications including in-flight broadband Internet access over Wi-Fi to passengers, and mobile phone service offered in collaboration with AeroMobile. Panasonic’s in-flight connectivity service also includes the first and only global live television service to offer content from BBC World News, BBC Arabic, Bloomberg Television, NHK World Premium, France 24, Euronews, IMG Media’s Barclays’ Premiere League Channel, and IMG Media’s Sport 24. Today, there are more than 1,200 aircraft that have been committed to Panasonic’s global broadband service.

Row 44 Brings NFL Network Including Thursday Night Football Games to Passengers’ Wi-Fi Devices In-Flight

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.| January 30, 2012/PRNewswire/– Row 44, Inc., provider of the world’s leading In-Flight Broadband Entertainment Platform, is partnering with the NFL Network to deliver live and on-demand NFL Network programming, including Thursday Night Football NFL games, in-flight to passengers’ Wi-Fi enabled devices.

NFL Network is the destination for all that happens around the sport of football. NFL Network airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and provides viewers with nearly 2,000 hours a year of original programming, including: NFL Total Access, NFL GameDay, Top 10, Playbook, NFL Replay, NFL Classic Games plus the Emmy award-winning Sound FX and America’s Game series.

NFL Network is also the home of Thursday Night Football NFL regular season games, every NFL preseason game, AFL games, the Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine game, plus more coverage of the NFL Draft, Hall of Fame ceremony, NFL Scouting Combine and Super Bowl than any other network.

Passengers will also have access to NFL RedZone, the channel that every Sunday afternoon covers the most exciting moments of every game around the league. NFL RedZone, produced by NFL Network, whips around every NFL game on Sunday afternoons, delivering the touchdowns and most exciting moments as they happen. When a team goes inside the 20-yard line, fans see the crucial plays live. The channel keeps fans up-to-date in real time, switching from game to game with live look-ins, highlights and a chance to see every important play.

The new Row 44 service will also give passengers in-flight access to NFL Network’s video-on-demand library. This extensive library of exclusive NFL Network shows and NFL Films produced programming includes classic games, Super Bowls, documentaries and more.

Commercial airlines that select Row 44′s In-Flight Broadband Entertainment Platform will be able to offer their customers the service streamed to their own Wi-Fi enabled devices.

“NFL Network is a football fan’s fantasy, generously opening up the network’s suite of great football programming to air travelers – from exciting live games, to highlights, analysis, classic games and the world-renowned library of NFL Films,” said Row 44 Chief Commercial Officer Howard Lefkowitz.

Lefkowitz added: “We are thrilled that NFL Network and NFL RedZone will further differentiate Row 44′s In-Flight Broadband Entertainment Platform as the world’s most extensive broadband experience for passengers today.”

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 mall just south of Seattle we found the solution in a Ghost Armor kiosk and the installer happily told us about the mindset of the users who were lining up to drop anywhere from 20 to 35 clams to get their iPods and iPads clad with a clear plastic screen protection sheet (and back too). “Why?” I asked, “to keep the value” was the most common reply. “No scratches or screen divots means better resale value.” One user told us he spent $100 for a new screen for his $380 iPod – cheap insurance. Watching the installer, it was obvious that some skill was required to correctly place the shields and squeegee them in place. This was particularly true on the back more so than the front. We tried to contact Ghost Armor but it might as well haven been ‘Ghost Company’, so we sought out the ‘big dog’ in the industry – ZAGG. Their invisibleSHIELD-HD product works the same way so we contacted Nate Nelson at ZAGG and he told IFExpress, “We have over 5,000 different designs for various devices, with significant efforts in design and R&D on our end, and that we would certainly be willing to consider custom designs for big customers.” Custom designs, hmmm!

Then it hit us. This might work on aircraft? Probably not a new thought but the first issue would certainly be certification. So, we contacted the aviation certification experts at Chatsworth, CA-based SIE to determine if a new screen protection product, ZAGG’s invisibleSHIELD-HD, would be suitable for installation on passenger aircraft from a certification point-of-view. The answer is “YES,” according to John Courtright, SIE’s head of Sales and Program Management Director, noting that all aircraft cabin materials must meet applicable flammability and toxicity test criteria called out in 14 CFR 25.853, Part 1 of Appendix F. “However, since the invisibleSHIELD product, being a .2mm thick plastic film overlay, has already been installed as screen protection for avionics on military rotorcraft and aircraft, invisibleSHIELD undoubtedly underwent and passed MIL-Standard testing and thus would be permissible for commercial air transport applications.” Also, there is a possibility that the product would fall under the FAA’s small part waiver for cabin interiors compliance for flammability/toxicity testing. “But since the military is already using it, there should be little problem in satisfying the regulatory requirements for cabin safety,” says Courtright. He adds: “I think it would be a great product to have because it would likely reduce the number of screens needed to be replaced by ground personnel and that translates to a big savings in manpower and spares provisioning.”

If this concept rings your bell, contact Nate Nelson at ZAGG for more information about invisibleSHIELD custom made for your IFE seat-back screen solution or your handout player. If certification is your issue, you might contact John Courtright… and yes, tell them IFExpress sent you.

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Irvine, CA | January 23, 2012 – Lumexis Corporation, developer and manufacturer of leading edge, in‐seat HDTV over fiber optic networks, announces its introduction of WiPAX, a stand‐alone wireless delivery solution for Passenger Electronic Devices (PEDs) in narrowbody aircraft.

In introducing WiPAX, Lumexis CEO Doug Cline explained that the new product was developed as the result of customer demand. “Our FTTS® (Fiber‐To‐The‐Screen®) full cabin, in‐seat HDTV has built an unmatched record of performance and reliability with over ten million seat‐operational hours in revenue service for both widebody and narrowbody aircraft, and medium to long‐haul operations. But multiple carriers asked us to create a similarly endto‐ end solution for short‐haul, narrowbody routes which may not justify in‐seat monitors.”

The Lumexis answer, WiPAX, is derived from the highly regarded FTTS headend server/aircraft interface system and is differentiated from competitors’ wireless products in offering a turnkey solution already proven from end to end. The same Lumexis FTTS applications widely deployed in daily revenue service give airlines the opportunity for ancillary revenue in short‐haul, narrowbody applications. Passenger devices include iPads, laptops, smartphones and other PEDs streaming movie content and diverse data from Lumexis servers and real‐time, off-aircraft Internet.

WiPAX uniquely offers the high capacity to simultaneously provide HDTV over fiber to big screens in First and Business Class cabins as well. Lumexis marketing research suggests that the most popular configurations may well include in‐seat 12‐23” HDTV monitors in premium classes, while delivering full‐cabin wireless data to every coach passenger’s PED. Moreover, WiPAX is easily retrofit into existing wired FTTS installations, if desired.

“Successful deployment of any complex IFE system into airline fleet applications requires integration and management of broadly diverse elements. These include digital content integration, avionics‐quality design and manufacture, onboard broadband networking, secure handling and transmission for commercial transactions from passenger purchases and worldwide field support”, Cline concluded. “FTTS and WiPAX provide any airline an unmatched, seamless solution across its entire fleet. Whether widebody or narrowbody, long or short‐haul, payper‐view or customer amenity, Lumexis systems alone provide proven, leading‐edge solutions with highestcapability and reliability.”

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 months ago. Can you update our readers on your progress… customers, technology developments, installations, customer and airline feedback, etc.?
A: We have one announced customer that has been in service for about 6 months on one A319 aircraft with our 1Net Infotainment solution.  We have had positive reactions from the passengers that use our system and from advertisers on the value of the interactions with the passengers.  We also have signed agreements with content suppliers to increase the amount of content we can provide. Additionally we offer weather and other destination specific information. 

Thompson Aerospace is going to install our in seat power product, 1Net Power Solution, on the same aircraft during the first quarter of 2012.  As all of our products, our in-seat power solution provides for weight and power output advantages compared to existing products.  The in seat power plug, designed by IFPL uses no mechanical switches found in current products. We are using a highly power efficient power supply that has been designed by our other partner TDI power, who produces power supplies for many demanding applications. TDI has provided us with a highly efficient power supply design that does not require a Master Control Unit while utilizing a single wire for all aspects of power management.

We have two new products that we expect to place in to the market in the short run. 

The first one is our 1Net Health Monitoring product that allows us to monitor the Arinc429/ Arinc717/Arinc485 aircraft data buses and other discrete inputs through our Aircraft Network Adaptor.  With our patent pending 1Net technology we are able to mix different types of data on one single physical network. Our 1Net system architecture utilizes hardware programed switches and network access control to govern what data is sent to and from specific and different types of devices.  As part of our health monitoring solution, we have been looking at an Electronic Flight Bag solution. We will either design our own or partner with another supplier to provide this additional functionality to 1Net.

The second one is our 1Net Connect product, that will add a Wireless Access Point to our network. Through our patent pending technology we provide hardware security devices that will only allow pre-authorized and qualified users to access our system.  We view this as an attractive low cost product moving forward.  This product will be more useful in the market place once Inmarsat starts launching their high bandwidth Ka band satellites scheduled in 2014.  In order to get cell phone connectivity, we are evaluating a femtocell based product to add to our network in order to support the new capabilities that will be available in the 2014 time frame. Over the past year we witnessed several companies trying to provide an inflight ISP solution.  In our view, once Inmarsat launched its satellites, all existing inflight ISP providers will have competitive issues and most likely Inmarsat will be the provider of choice.

Q: As IFExpress remembers, your system uses an Ethernet-based network with box-to-box connections. Can you re-visit the design today and perhaps give our readers an update on the seat box unit?
A: We use a Power of Ethernet (PoE) solution that is customized to our application, based on specific requirements for aircraft installations, such as lower voltages and current requirements.  We are the first to use this technology, enabling significant reduction in weight and power, while providing the extra protective features of PoE. As this was a new technology for us, we experienced some technical challenges on the plane.  After in service evaluation we understood the situation, we substituted upgraded units that addressed this issue.  Our customer Bahrain Air has been a great partner working with us thru this challenge, and we thank Bahrain Air for being our launch 1Net airline.

Q: The Thompson Aerospace economic model was different from anyone else. Can you re-visit it for our readers and tell us a little about the advertising options that are a feature of your system – based on revenue share, we believe.
A: We view passengers as valuable consumers of information and products. Our system was designed to provide in flight passengers with useful destination specific information including maps with points of interest locations, discounts coupons that can be sent to cell phones/email address or scanned as QR codes. We offer airlines a revenue share agreement, where we provide all the content management service and work with a number of content suppliers to get interesting, relevant content and revenue producing content at no costs to the airlines. Our agreements are structured in such a way that the airline is expected to be cash positive on the system within 18 months. While our system is a full service AVOD product, we view information to be more important to passengers on short flights than traditional audio and video entertainment.


Q: Could you supply some technical documentation for our readers?
A: 1 Net Brochure

Q: As we remember, the Thompson system was quite a lightweight /low power winner. Can you revisit that subject and perhaps more about the design direction?
A: Our product, while meeting the certification requirements for an aircraft in the A320 class, is not designed to meet the criteria that the OEM require for their current assembly process. In order to save cost and weight, we have designed our system to remove some of the equipment that traditionally would be required by OEMs such as Area Distribution Boxes, Floor/Wall Disconnect Boxes and Master Control Units. We used a design for manufacturing and assembly (DFMA) approach. In some cases, we choose more expensive components such as flash drives and processor boards that lower the number of overall components, resulting in a Infotainment system that only requires 3 LRU’s, while providing all the traditional IFE functions . With our product we are able to support a 254 seat aircraft from a single 2 MCU server at the headend. We offer installing our seatbox, while small and capable of supporting up to 8 screens, behind the sidewall and not under the seat, avoiding interference from and providing more legroom to the revenue passenger.  For our inseat screen, we elected ARM9 type processors that are commonly used in tablet computers, providing for very efficient power usage of 10.5 watts max.

While we view our existing product as a best in class, we are testing new combination of screens and processors for the next generation of 1Net, with the goal to reduce our weight and power requirements by an additional 20 percent. While we currently have one of the lightest products on the market, we are always focusing on reducing long term costs for the operators driven by weight and maintenance. 

Our existing product has an 8.5 inch screen and our next generation product will be plug and play compatible. We entered into an agreement with Imagik for a new 1Net 17 inch LED screen. At the last year’s Aircraft Interior we showed a 17 inch screen and we will be using Imagik’s new product line to make an improved version.  As some of our customers have widebody aircraft in additional to their single aisle aircraft fleet, we will offer to these customers a complete integrated IFE product.  While we have a less expensive and lighter weight IFE offering for widebody, it is not a market that we focus on, as we view creating revenue opportunities on single aisle aircraft as our expertise.   

Our agreement with Imagik allows us to offer customized widebody premium class products, while Thompson Aerospace will focus on providing our single aisle customer with the industry leading narrowbody infotainment solution.

Our system is the based on inputs from many sources. We always welcome recommendation on the product line and how we can make it more economical for the airlines. 

Q: Are you offerable on any OEM aircraft manufacturer’s single aisle aircraft as a standard option, line-fit IFE system? Is there an STC on any retrofit today? What aircraft(s) if so?
A: Because our focus was to produce a very low cost system, we have decided not to adhere to the aircraft installation requirements of the two major OEMs.  As such our market is the upgrade/retrofit sector. While our screen fits into a standard Arinc cutout, it is lighter and uses much less expensive cabling, compared to the current systems.  We have worked with a few of the new regional jet OEMs on installing our core system as a CSS and received very positive feedback.  We have EASA approval for the A319, A320, A321 aircraft today and our system is flying on an A319 plane at Bahrain Air. 

Q: Will you be at Aircraft Interiors in 2012?
A: Yes, we will be at the show and will have our existing approved Infotainment and Power Solution products on display.  We will show our web based content management system that allows advertisers to create their own content and view it as it would show on a customer GUI.  We will show how the customer is able to approve the content before we upload over the cell phone link.  We are able to change content while the plane is on the ground without any operator intervention.  

Q: Have you added any new people at Thompson?
A: We have added Linda Maxwell to our board, http://www.walkersresearch.com/Profilepages/Show_Executive_Title/Executiveprofile/L%5CLinda__Maxwell_400172825.html

We have a number of aerospace insiders that have worked at high management that provide us with advice on our product development are expecting to add two more board members thru the year.
If you need more information, contact heikoWiedmannn@thompsonaerospace.com or visit http://thompsonaerospace.com. 

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Alameda, CA | January 19, 2012/Business Wire/– Wind River continues its leadership in safety critical systems by offering commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) evidence for RTCA DO-178C certified systems.

–Adherence to DO-178C is now supported in VxWorks Cert Platform and VxWorks 653 Platform.

–Leverages latest standards and methods for certifying avionics systems.

Wind River, a world leader in embedded and mobile software, today announced it has extended its safety critical systems product capabilities to support complete RTCA DO-178C certification evidence as a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) solution. Adherence to DO-178C, Level A guidelines is now supported in Wind River’s industry-leading VxWorks real-time operating system product line–specifically, VxWorks Cert Platform, for federated systems, and VxWorks 653 Platform, for ARINC 653 space and time partitioned, multi-vendor Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) systems.

DO-178 is the guidance document recommended by the FAA to ensure software will perform safely and reliably in an airborne system. The latest revision of DO-178, revision C, includes updates to address new software methodologies and technologies not addressed by DO-178B. DO-178C was released with four supplements that address emerging software trends and technologies, specifically: software tool qualification considerations, model-based design, object-oriented design, and formal methods of certification. These documents were created by RTCA SC-205 (together with EUROCAE WG-71), a DO-178C working group which includes worldwide members from industry and government agencies. DO-178C supplements include: DO-330, DO-331, DO-332, and DO-333.

“Wind River leads the industry with its COTS DO-178C compliant certification evidence. The VxWorks 653 DVD contains over 70,000 hyperlinked files to support the insertion of this evidence into a FAA-certified system,” said George Romanski, CEO of Verocel, Inc., which has been a member of SC-205 since its inception.

“This suite of COTS certification products continues to expand and advance Wind River’s leadership in critical software solutions,” said Joe Wlad, senior director of aerospace and defense at Wind River and FAA designated engineering representative. “This capability will be invaluable to our customers using our VxWorks product line by helping them to qualify their end systems to meet DO-178C software quality standards.”

To learn more about Wind River’s aerospace and defense solutions, visit www.windriver.com/solutions/aerospace-defense/ .

January 24, 2012– Hawaiian Airlines, Hawaii’s flag carrier, and JetBlue Airways, New York’s Hometown Airline, have announced a partnership agreement that will make it easy for travelers up and down the East Coast to enjoy the incomparable Hawaii travel experience.

Mark Dunkerley, president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, and Dave Barger, president and CEO of JetBlue, signed the agreement Monday, Jan. 23 at JetBlue’s Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy International Airport amid a festive Hawaii-themed celebration of Hawaiian music, hula dancing, fresh flower lei and other special gifts from Hawaii for travelers transiting the terminal.

Dunkerley said, “This partnership with JetBlue makes Hawaii more accessible than ever for our friends on the East Coast, and in June will put the islands at their doorstep with our new daily nonstop service between JFK and Honolulu.”

“We’re thrilled to partner with Hawaiian Airlines and look forward to welcoming them to our home in the Big Apple later this year,” Barger said. “Our customers have long asked for options to the Aloha State, and today we’re proud to partner with Hawaiian Airlines to get them there in comfort and style.”

Effective this week, customers will be able to purchase single tickets combining travel on both Hawaiian and JetBlue, allowing for seamless travel between the carriers’ networks. Connections are available for immediate travel via Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), where Hawaiian offers multiple daily departures.

In the near future, Hawaiian intends to codeshare on JetBlue-operated flights, placing its HA code on JetBlue-operated flights*.
The carriers plan to further expand their partnership on June 5, when Hawaiian launches the only nonstop service between New York City and Hawaii with its new wide-body, twin-aisle Airbus A330-200 aircraft seating 294 customers.

Hawaiian’s daily flights from Honolulu will arrive and depart from JFK Terminal 5, becoming the first of JetBlue’s airline partners to locate at the carrier’s acclaimed home.

At Terminal 5 – JFK Airport’s newest terminal – travelers can take in a host of shopping options and unique dining experiences, enjoy the convenience of gate-side food ordering and delivery, and surf the web with free terminal-wide Wi-Fi.

Hawaiian Flight 51 will depart JFK daily at 10 a.m. and arrive at Honolulu International Airport at 3 p.m. The return Flight 50 (“Hawaiian 5-0”) will depart Honolulu daily at 3:05 p.m. and arrive in New York at 6:55 a.m. the following morning.

The new flight’s mid-morning New York departure will allow travelers in markets served by JetBlue up and down the East Coast, such as Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Raleigh/Durham, to make a seamless connection to Honolulu and arrive in time to enjoy a first afternoon on the beach, or to make another easy connection on Hawaiian to Kauai, Maui, or Hawaii Island and settle in for a beautiful island sunset.

Hawaii residents will also benefit from a new level of access from anywhere in the islands to popular East Coast destinations that are home to world-class attractions, historical sites and major sporting events, all booked on Hawaiian.

Customers may book their connecting travel by calling Hawaiian Airlines or by contacting their preferred travel agent. Both carriers plan to sell each other’s flights on their respective web sites in the near future.

Hawaiian and JetBlue have reached a preliminary agreement to allow members of each carrier’s frequent flyer program to earn and redeem loyalty points or miles for travel on either carrier.

Under this agreement JetBlue’s TrueBlue members will soon be able to accrue points on any Hawaiian-operated flight, while HawaiianMiles members will be able to earn miles on any JetBlue-operated flights.

Similarly, frequent fliers will be able to redeem their points or miles for travel on either carrier’s network, bringing new, much-requested destinations to each program’s loyal members.

Travelers on JetBlue enjoy all-leather seating, the most legroom in coach of any U.S. airline (based on average fleet-wide seat pitch), free in-flight entertainment at every seatback, and unlimited free snacks and drinks.

Travelers on Hawaiian’s new flights between New York and Honolulu will enjoy Hawaiian’s signature “Hawaii Flies With Us” inflight hospitality showcasing Hawaii’s culture, natural beauty, and the Aloha Spirit of its people. They will also enjoy complimentary hot meals in all cabins, Hawaiian being the only carrier serving Hawaii that still offers this amenity.

Hawaiian’s A330s offer the comforts of a spacious wide-body interior, new generation seats with increased legroom, and a state-of-the-art, on-demand entertainment system in every seatback that offers a wide variety of movies and video programs, audio channels and video games. Each system also offers a USB port allowing system connectivity for personal media players. First Class customers enjoy larger in-seat LCD screens and iPod compatibility.