APEX Experience - The Education Issue

official publication of the airline passenger experience association

volume 5, edition 1

airline passenger

The Education IssueHUB AND BESPOKE | LIGHT THE NIGHT | ASPIRATIONAL AERONAUTICS

ENGINEERING THE EXPERIENCE | TRAINING FOR THE TOP | POISED FOR SUCCESS

©2015 Gogo LLC. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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To discover more, email [email protected] or visit phitek.com

Helping you create the ultimate in-flight experience

Phitek is the world’s leading supplier of electronic innovations in noise cancellation, audio enhancement and other electronic touch points in the aircraft cabin.

Phitek’s proprietary active noise-cancellation technology is now specified by major airlines and sourced by all of the major manufacturers of in-flight entertainment systems.

We work closely with our customers to provide turnkey aircraft-certified hardware solutions that offer longevity and ease of serviceability, lowering lifetime operational costs.

Phitek is based in Auckland, New Zealand, with representation in California and the UK.

Connect SmartOur cost-effective connector solutions open up a whole new world of in-seat connectivity. The Phitek SmartJack™ incorporates noise-cancelling electronics, and Phitek’s magnetic jacks mean that expensive pin breakage is a thing of the past.

www.phitek.com

Listen SmartPhitek is the leader in premium in-flight noise-cancelling headphones that deliver concert-quality sound. Our advanced technology helps create the ultimate in-flight listening experience by eliminating background noise and outperforming the competition on all critical points – clarity, comfort, design, longevity and reliability.

Power SmartPhitek is developing in-seat power options that anticipate the future directions of power supply and use, such as inductive charging and smart charging. Working with Phitek, airlines will be able to set the level of power delivered, ask for passenger payment and collect information about power usage across a fleet.

Time Flies When You’re ConneCTed.From wireless IFE and crew mobile devices powered by Samsung, to dynamic LED lighting and an in-seat power system that provides a lighter, lower cost power solution at every seat, IntelliCabin enables a fully connected cabin that will enhance the passenger experience while reducing crew workload.

Learn more at: www.baesystems.com/intellicabin

™

www.baesystems.com/intellicabin

75Training for the Top

With automatization technologies threatening to eliminate jobs and promising to create new ones, how are avation organizations like IATA educating future employees? Jordan Yerman

82Engineering the Experience

The persisting rivalry between MIT and the University of Michigan – both celebrating the recent milestone of 100 years of aeronautical education – has produced some of aerospace’s leading educators and engineers. Nicolás Rossel

89Poised for Success

Unconventional and tailored training programs have become the new vogue as the hospitality industry strives to raise the bar in service excellence. Marisa Garcia ph

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The Education IssueWhether among students at an aviation high school, engineers at world-renowned aerospace universities or crewmembers who refine their skills in a ballet class, we find ourselves in wise company within the aviation industry – where learning is a lifelong commitment.

> FEaTurEs

54Hub and Bespoke

As the third largest site for aviation in the world, Hamburg’s government and academic institutions work from the ground up to foster the aerospace sector and maintain the city’s world-class status. Maryann Simson

52 Venus Kitagawa-StojsicAudio Programmer/Producer, Spafax

62 Luay QunashDirector In-Flight Services & Product, Royal Jordanian

72 Christelle CuencaVice-president, Content Programming & Acquisitions, Global Eagle Entertainment Inc.

80 James RaisbeckFounder and CEO, Raisbeck Engineering Inc.

Contents

> In ProFIlE

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46Power Plants

Biofuels are key to helping the aviation industry reduce its carbon footprint, but a cost-competitve infrastructure isn’t going to grow overnight. Jasmin Legatos

10 Airline Passenger Experience Association

apex experience Visit us at apex.aero

volume 5, edition 1

interact.aero

32 Streaming in the Air

Airlines bring binge-watching to the skies with larger and more exclusive content programs. Shannon Tien

34 Around the World in 43 Episodes

We chart how far your favorite series can take you in-flight. Katie Sehl

36 DIY Distribution

Do user-generated content platforms like YouTube, Vine and GoPro have a place in IFE? Tomás Romero

39 Throwback Weekly

The popular hashtag #ThrowbackThursday, or #TBT, is a fun way for airlines to get social, share historical tidbits and promote their brand. Jenn Wint

40 Project SiVulindlela

Boeing and SAA team up to help young South Africans realize their aviation dreams. Shallom Johnson

42 Culinary Class

Refining the culinary skills for in-flight cuisine is no piece of cake. Jason Kessler ph

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Comfort & Ambience Entertainment & ConnectivityCatering & Services

> InduStry

25 Sound Science

Researchers at the University of Illinois work to quiet noise produced by jet engine airflow. Fergus Baird

26 Dear Library

Airport libraries help make the downtime travel hours fly. Katie Sehl

28 An Airplane Named Desire

What’s in an airplane name? Branding, creativity and popular opinion, turns out. Cameron Watt

30 Discover Aviation

Young travelers at Hong Kong International Airport learn about aviation history and careers. Nadja Sayej

> StAndbyS

16 Editor’s Letter

18 Featured Contributors

34 Tear-Out Poster: Light the Night

100 Reading List

> APEX

14 President’s Letter

15 Board News

20 APEX in Action

102 - 106 APEX News

108 IFSA News

> LIStIngS

110 Movie Listings

129 Advertisers’ Index

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Contents

65 Roundtable: Aspirational Aeronautics

Educators and students at the Raisbeck Aviation High School discuss what specialized learning means for the aviation industry professionals of tomorrow. Howard Slutsken

95Travelogue: A Moveable Teach

When wanderlust and education are brought together by study abroad programs, traveling and learning become one and the same. Katie Sehl

130Throwback: 46 Years of 747

A look back at the high-flung history of the “Queen of the Skies,” and her new home in the Museum of Flight. Howard Slutsken



volume 5, edition 1

PANASONIC AVIONICSDELIVERS GREAT AUDIO

AUDIO TECHNOLOGY \ IN-FLIGHT AUDIO DESIGN \ HEADPHONE ENGINEERING \ HEADPHONE SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

Driving a revolution in in-flight audio .

When it comes to in-flight audio, it's clear there's room for improvement. At Soundchip we're changing this. Drawing upon our consumer electronics expertise and development-level relationships with leading IFEC equipment and headphone suppliers, we're driving a revolution in in-flight audio - enabling airlines to offer the same sonic thrills in the air as passengers are used to on the ground.

In 2011, Soundchip and Panasonic Avionics Corporation joined forces to modernize the in-flight audio experience. Our mission was to rethink all aspects of a passenger aircraft's audio delivery system, from the formatting of media through to the headphone itself. Two years on and our work is complete, the outcomes of which are nothing short of game changing.

Contact us today for more information: [email protected]

[email protected]

www.soundchip.ch

I hope your 2015 is off to a productive start! APEX has a busy year ahead as we continue to make progress on our strategic goals – one of which I would like to outline now.

As many of you know, the mission of APEX is to “strengthen the industry and enable business opportunities through education, innovation, networking and recognition.” To that end, one of the association’s key strategic objectives is to become a known and respected source for news and information as it relates to the passenger experience – both for APEX members and the industry at large.

In recent months, we have made a strong push to become a primary hub for industry news. That includes a total revamping of the APEX Media platform, which encompasses Experience magazine, the APEX Weekly Connection e-mail newsletter and our multiple social media channels. We have renewed

our focus on original, quality reporting while giving more attention to individual member companies.

Also, last year we initiated a research program to track passenger behavior and deliver original research data to APEX members. The findings of our first research effort are being promoted to the industry through APEX and trade publications, underscoring the growing recognition of APEX as a true industry thought leader. A complete report of this study is available to all members on our website. And you can expect more research of this type in 2015 and beyond.

In addition to generating our own news and information, we also want to keep you informed about what is making news in both trade and general media – including what is being said about our industry in major newspapers, influential blogs and other international outlets.

Dear Fellow APEX Members,

> Alfy Veretto apex presidentVirgin America

“One of the association’s key objectives is to become a known and respected source for news and information.”

President’s Letter

For that reason, we deliver to members a daily aggregator newsletter, the APEXnews Daily SmartBrief. SmartBrief tells you exactly who is saying what about the industry on any given day.

Judging from the high open rates and other feedback we’re getting from you, APEX is making good progress to become a known and respected source for industry news and information. As always, your Board members are eager to hear what you have to say, so please feel free to reach out to any one of us. Our contact details are listed online at apex.aero.

All the best,



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The Board reviewed and approved 2015 budget and committee plans. A few highlights:

The MarCom Committee will continue an initiative to survey airline passengers and distribute that data to APEX members.The Education Committee will make efforts to secure speakers and agendas well in advance of each APEX event.The Awards Committee will roll out a new condensed and more effective Passenger Choice Awards program.The MultiMedia Market Task Force will develop an expanded event for Prague this April.

After hearing your feedback, the Board agreed to the following regarding EXPO:

A networking event will be held for APEX members only on Wednesday night of EXPO.EXPOs for 2019 and 2020 will be in the United States, with locations to be determined. Please see page 102 for a listing of other EXPO events.

The new APEX website will launch in early 2015 with features to make it a solid industry resource and member tool.

the apeX Board of Directors uses this space to inform members about ongoing Board work and decisions. In addition to apeX association information in the magazine, the Board sends e-mails after each Board meeting to update the membership and to be as transparent as possible. Board information is also shared in apeXnews Daily smartBrief and direct e-mails to the membership.

Meet the Board

> alfy Veretto presidentVirgin America

> Joan Filippini treasurerParamount Pictures

> Brian richardson vice presidentAmerican Airlines

> patrick Brannelly immediate past presidentEmirates

> Dominic green secretaryThales Avionics

> Kevin Bremer Boeing Commercial Airplanes

> Éric lauzon Air Canada

> Michael Childers Lufthansa Systems

> Mary rogozinski

Gogo

> luay Qunash Royal Jordanian Airlines

> Ingo Wuggetzer Airbus

Awards: Dominic Green (Thales), Éric Lauzon (Air Canada), Brian Richardson (American Airlines), Alfy Veretto (Virgin America), Patrick Brannelly (Emirates), Luay Qunash (Royal Jordanian Airlines), Michael Childers (Lufthansa Systems), Katie Goshgarian (APEX)

Events & EXPO: Jennifer Clark (GEE), Dominic Green (Thales), Joan Filippini (Paramount), John Courtright (System Integrity), Rowena Falcinella (Panasonic), Marcus Goncalves (Interact), Kate Groth (GEE), Betsy Hamlin (Cinesky), Brandi Wilson (NBCUniversal), Kirsten Arthur (APEX)

Education: Kevin Bremer (Boeing), Mary Rogozinski (Gogo), Brian Bardwell (Panasonic), Kenneth Briggs (Thales), Lee Casey (Lumexis), Maura Chacko (Spafax), Ian Dawkins (OnAir), Andy Grant (Emirates), Pravin Jumabhoy (Images in Motion),

Stefan List (Airbus), Alan McInnes (DMD), Corinne Streichert (United), Jovita Toh (Encore Inflight), Elliot Wagner (Discovery), Ruth Walker (Disney), Shaun Londono (Delta Air Lines), David Withers (Digecor), Lauren Beneri (APEX)

Executive: Alfy Veretto (Virgin America), Brian Richardson (American Airlines), Joan Filippini (Paramount), Dominic Green (Thales), Patrick Brannelly (Emirates), Russ Lemieux (APEX)

Finance: Bill Grant (Entertainment in Motion), Katie Goshgarian (APEX), Vy Duong (American Airlines), Joan Filippini (Paramount)

Governance: Dominic Green (Thales), Maura Chacko (Spafax), Mariana Pecanha (Touch Inflight), Katie Goshgarian (APEX)

MarCom: Ingo Wuggetzer (Airbus), Dominic Green (Thales), Éric Lauzon (Air Canada), Joe Carreira (Touch Inflight), Yodit Fikre (Ethiopian Airlines), Adrian Lambert (GEE), Melissa Pauléat (GEE), Jose Racowski (TAM), Matthias Walther (Panasonic), Garen Moreno (DesignworksUSA), Stephanie Goldstein (LRA Worldwide), Dani Kolb (APEX), Chris Peterson (APEX), Bonnie Sonnenschein (APEX)

MultiMedia Market: Joan Filippini (Paramount), Éric Lauzon (Air Canada), France Capor (Sony), Melanie de Leiros (GEE), Ed Harris (CBS), Lissa Laubertie (Spafax), Cathy Walters (Virgin Atlantic), Maura Chacko (Spafax), Mary Rogozinski (Gogo), Kirsten Arthur (APEX)

Membership: Brian Richardson (American Airlines), Luay Qunash (Royal Jordanian

Airlines), Loren Bolstridge (Delta Air Lines), Joe Carreira (Touch Inflight), Markus Gilges (VT MIltope), Joel Joslin (Stellar Inflight), Joan Russell (GEE), Dave Sampson (Mezzo), Tobego Selokane (GEE), Dana O’Donnell (APEX)

Nominating: Alfy Veretto (Virgin America), Brian Richardson (American Airlines), Lee Casey (Lumexis), Mark Horton (Paramount), Katie Goshgarian (APEX)

Technology: Michael Childers (Lufthansa Systems), Barry Atkinson (Gogo), Andy Beer (Spafax), David Coiley (Inmarsat), Victor Hernandez (GEE), Erik Miller (American Airlines), Jonathan Norris (Lumexis), Rich Salter (Lumexis), Bob Kisor (Paramount), Guillaume Vivet (Air Canada), Ian Walberg (Airborne Interactive), Ashley Woodall (Panasonic), Lauren Beneri (APEX)

your committee members

Airline Passenger Experience Association

apex experience

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Follow us @theAPEXassoc

volume 5, edition 1

Board News

> Al St. Germain publisher

> Terri Potratzeditor

Our industry has no shortage of people who want to learn. In fact, terms like “avgeek,” “airline dork/nerd,” and even “propeller head” are worn not as insults, but instead as badges of honor.

School of Thought

The Education Issue cover and editor’s letter illustrations were crowd-sourced from APEX staff, contributors and association members. Curious about which items belong to whom? Check out the magazine online at apex.aero/education and click on the interactive illustrations to find out more. Il

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Our first issue of 2015 looks at how our members around the world are both learning and teaching every day. For example, we are proud to feature the efforts of generous individuals such as James Raisbeck, whose philanthropy helped start the aviation high school at Boeing Field in Seattle, where students are already helping to shape the future of our business. (We know that there are several people on the APEX Experience team who wish that was an option back in their high school days!)

In fact, the Raisbeck Aviation High School story ignited the inspiration for our cover: As students the desk is the forum for learning, and when we graduate into professionals we continue to educate ourselves on a daily basis from our swivel-chairs and desktop control centers. The tools, supplies and knick-knacks we keep around us to help inspire and facilitate that learning are, as you can see, incredibly varied and often quizzical.

Our airline members are also learning in new and exciting ways, particularly when it comes to powering their aircraft. Airlines such as United, Lufthansa and Finnair are experimenting with new biofuels that will hopefully prove to increase the sustainability of our industry and reduce its environmental impact.

And, as with every issue, we have an opportunity to learn about each other. We have an exciting, diverse group of members featured in this month’s Q&As, where we not only find out more about what they do, but more importantly find out more about who they are, including the aforementioned Mr. Raisbeck.

Albert Einstein said the true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination. After meeting many of the people featured in this issue, we know that APEX members have a lot of both! Terri and Al


16 Airline Passenger Experience Associationvolume 5, edition 1

Editor’s Letter

blog.apex.aero/education

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FeaturedRicardo Polo is a graphic designer and illustrator who has spent most of his career working for magazines. He always carries good headphones and music with him when he travels, and his favorite classes in school were drawing and history. He believes anyone who has made his or her dreams come true has a valuable lesson to share.

María Corte is an illustrator by vocation, a Barcelonian by condition and a sleepyhead by choice. She always carries a notebook for drawing and writing when she travels, which eventually doubles as a souvenir. Her favorite class in school was drawing, and while she’d like to learn more about everything in general, she’s particularly interested in taking on food as her next subject.

Jasmin Legatos is a writer and editor from Montreal, Canada. She learned the hard way that good shoes are necessary when traveling. She loved all subjects in school, except gym and art (funny, because she likes them now), and she’d like to learn more about gardening: Right now she just plants things and hopes they’ll grow.

Nicolás Rossel is a writer based out of Chile who rarely wears matching socks, and strongly believes a 15-minute airport neck and shoulder massage marks the start of any good trip. His favorite subject in school was literature, and he’d like to learn more about the societal and environmental impact of tourism in emerging markets.

See Ricardo’s work on the cover.

Read Jasmin’s work on page> 46

Read Nicolás’ work on page> 82

See María’s work on page> 89

> PublisherAl St. [email protected]

EDITORIAL

> EditorTerri [email protected]

> Copy EditorKatie [email protected]

> Community Manager Jessica [email protected]

> Research AssistantElla Ponomarov

> ContributorsFergus Baird, Marisa Garcia, Shallom Johnson, Jason Kessler, Jasmin Legatos, Tomás Romero, Nicolás Rossel, Nadja Sayej, Maryann Simson, Howard Slutsken, Shannon Tien, Cameron Watt, Jenn Wint, Jordan Yerman

ART

> Art DirectorNicolas [email protected]

> Graphic DesignerEva Dorsch

> ContributorsAlexandre Affonso, Julie Carles, Marcelo Cáceres, Óscar Chávez, Manuel Córdova, María Corte, Gabriel Ebensperger, Ricardo Polo, Clara Prieto

APEX Experience Magazine1507 West Yale AvenueOrange, CA 92867+1 714 363 4900

PRODUCTION

> Production DirectorJoelle Irvine

> Acting Production DirectorMaureen Veilly

> Production ManagerAndréanne Lafond

> Assistant Copy EditorsDiane CarlsonAnn Ward

> Fact CheckersTara DupuisLeah EsauDaniel Viola

> ProofreadersKatie Moore Robert Ronald

ADVERTISING

> Sales DirectorSteve O’[email protected]+44 207 906 2077

> Ad Production ManagerMary [email protected]

> Ad Production CoordinatorAnne Marie Nguyen

SPAFAX CONTENT MARKETING

> PresidentRaymond Girard

> Senior Vice-President, Content StrategyArjun Basu

Contributors

Cover illustration by riCardo polo

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content on the go



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www.astronics.com

APEX in ActionAssociation members convened in sunny Newport Beach, California on 18–19 November, 2014 for the APEX Technology Conference.

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Social

Read coverage of the entire event online at> apex.aero/apexTeC

Do you have social photos that are

fit to print? E-mail submissions to

> [email protected]

1. Nigel Greig, Phitek Systems Limited and Mark Reed, IFPL

2. Cathie Trotta, Penny Black Media; Kenneth Briggs, Thales; Danette Christine, Soundtrack Marketing

3. Stephanie Buchanan and Ryan Zavadil, Thales

4. Andy Beer, Spafax and Bill Evjen, NT Digital Partners

5. Matt Goldstein, Sony Pictures and Ryan Dai, United Airlines

6. Pierre Schuberth, Thales and Eric Diehl, Sony Pictures

7. James Pan, Rockwell Collins; Gordon Shelhon, Avis Landrum and Mark Smith, American Airlines

8. John Salzman, StoreBox InFlight and Michael Pearce, Global Eagle Entertainment

9. Tony Taverner, Spafax and Steve Harvey, Global Eagle Entertainment

10. Jelani Lawson, Fox Group Legal and Robert Kisor, Paramount Pictures

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Social

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Introducing in-seat USB power from the new digEcor

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rising need of airline passengers. To meet this need, GLIDE In-seat USB Power by digEcor

provides 5V USB at the lowest cost on the market. It’s lightweight, easy to install and with

optional cabin crew outlet control you can even sell power to drive your ancillary revenue.

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Innovation StationEtihad Airways opened their Innovation Centre in May 2014 as a research

forum where people could collaborate and share ideas. The Centre features reconstructions of the A380 and B787 cabins, as well as mock-ups ranging

from The Residence, First Apartment and First Suites to Business Studio, Economy Class and Economy Smart Seats. Attendees of the APEX Middle

East Conference will have an opportunity to visit the Innovation Centre, which also features meeting and project management rooms containing

high-tech AV and IT equipment, and an auditorium for guest lecturers. The Centre is complemented by the world-class Etihad Airways’ Innovation

Training Academy for cabin crew.

More information on APEX Middle East> on page 103

apex experienceFollow us @theAPEXassoc

volume 5, edition 1Airline Passenger Experience Association 23

www.jaguardc.com

There’s a reason property values take a nosedive the closer you get to the airport: The drone of air traffic gets old pretty quickly. Prolonged exposure to jet-engine noise can cause health problems for people living near airports, including sleep loss, anxiety, hypertension and irritation. These problems can also affect airplane passengers as much as people on the ground.

Needless to say, thundering jets can cause headaches for airline PR departments. Unfortunately, noise pollution and its side effects are the price we pay for the convenience of air travel. However, engineers are working to change this, and their research is yielding game-changing results for the aerospace industry and beyond.

Dr. Daniel Bodony is a fluid mechanics researcher at the University of Illinois

at Urbana-Champaign. He studies the aeroacoustic properties of turbulent airflows, including those generated by jet engines. While scientists have been unable to pinpoint the singular factor that makes jet engines so loud, Bodony hopes to find the solution to sound produced by the engine nozzle, using data provided by a supercomputer called the Stampede.

Bodony explains, “The engine creates most of its noise in the high-speed plume of hot air that exits the nozzle.” The plume that exits the nozzle is unsteady, and that unsteadiness is directly tied to the loudness of noise produced. Using the Stampede, Bodony runs simulations that try to level the plume’s unsteadiness and make the noise less intense. The data gathered from these experiments will be used to develop new engine nozzle designs that will quiet the jet engine.

As scientists study the aeroacoustic properties of turbulent airflows from jet engines, the future of flight could become surprisingly quiet.

by Fergus Baird | illustration Alexandre Affonso

Sound Science

Theoretical advances in aeroacoustics research hold great potential for technological improvements within the aerospace industry. Quieter airplanes will mean more relaxed in-flight experiences for passengers and crew. Reduced noise from jets may open up the possibility for more flights over residential areas, which would have a huge impact on flights that currently alter their routes to accommodate for ground noise restrictions, making them both shorter and more fuel-efficient.

For more on residential noise regulations, visit

> apex.aero/sound

the sky is not the limit

Bodony’s research with the Stampede has applications beyond the aeronautics field. Currently, he’s using the supercomputer to learn more about the role air jets play

in making our vocal folds vibrate: This physiological process is what enables us

to speak. Bodony plans to use the findings from these experiments to help surgeons develop procedures to prosthetically fix

damaged vocal cords for people who have lost the power of speech through illness

or accidents.

Sources: ICAO, Aviationbenefits.org

Ground Noise Measurement LocationsThe effective perceived noise decibels (EPNdB) that form the cumulative margin for ICAO’s noise standards are taken from three separate locations: 6,000 ft. from the threshold below the approach path; 1,500 ft. offset laterally from the runway midpoint, or sideline; and at a flyover point 20,000 ft. from the brake release point.

In 2013, ICAO introduced the fourth noise certification standard in its history, Chapter 14. As of December 31, 2017, new aircraft types must be at least seven decibels (summed over the previous three assessment points) quieter than those that adhered to the Chapter 4 requirement.

Aircraft are roughly 50% quieter today than they

were 10 years ago, and 75% quieter than they were

50 years ago.

The noise footprint of each new generation of aircraft is at least 15% lower than that

of the aircraft it replaces.

6,000 ft.

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10 years ago

1st gen

1,500 ft.

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Flyover pointApproach point

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What is the difference between being a regular librarian and an airport librarian? “None,” says Jeanine Deckers, Schiphol Airport’s librarian, except that they have to go through security to get to work. And, she adds, “The people you get to meet at the airport are more interesting.”

Airport Library at Schiphol (currently closed due to renovations) opened to much fanfare in 2010, providing travelers, including the 42 percent in 2013 who were making transfers, with a literary sanctuary open around the clock. “I’ve been sitting here for more than 12 hours,” reads one of the comments left in the digital guestbook. “Seven hours passed in a flash,” reads another.

Airport Library’s collection is centered on Dutch culture, offering 1,250 books (and four

iPads) ranging from Dutch literary classics to volumes on Dutch art and architecture, translated into over 30 languages. Dick van Tol, senior adviser at ProBiblio and leader of Schiphol’s library project, explains, “The Airport Library is a showcase of what is around the airport,” intended to “get people acquainted with Dutch culture.” In four years, over a million visitors have all made good use of the facility. “Dear library,” opens another comment, “we were so surprised and delighted to find such a treasure.”

Though the primary goal of Schiphol’s library is to promote Dutch culture, it may also be encouraging stopover visitors to make a return trip – likely a reason why Amsterdam Marketing is one of the library’s most active partners. “This place makes me

Libraries and airports might seem an odd match at first, but both can be a bastion of solitude amidst a chaos of ideas, people and cultures. And a good book has always been a trusty travel companion – better at times, even, than actual companions.

by Katie Sehl | illustration Julie Carles

Dear Library

Comfort

A 2013 Skyscanner survey revealed that 32 percent of travelers would like to see libraries in airports.

want to stay in Amsterdam instead of flying away to my actual destination,” writes one enthusiast. “I may be planning an escape to Holland very soon.” Indeed, van Tol shares that the general topic “Amsterdam” is among the library’s most popular, especially “short videos on Amsterdam that give a general idea of the city.”

Being in a place of transit also lends itself to the idea of traveling books, which is why many airport libraries are happy to see their books go on journeys of their own. Over a three-year period, concourses in Seattle-Tacoma International Airport were furnished with “Quick Read” stations provided by the local King County Library System (KCLS).



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See a list of airport libraries online at

> apex.aero/library

Since all of the books were donated, “People could either sit there and read the material … or they could pick ’em up and walk away with them,” Julie Acteson, KCLS’s interim director explains. Unlike Schiphol’s airport traffic, about 60 percent of Sea-Tac’s travelers live in the general area, so the campaign could also direct local travelers with library cards to the online library system, Acteson explains.

Cape Town International Airport’s aptly named Flybrary, complete with a replica Victorian fireplace and a futuristic circular shelf, also gives their books clearance to fly. By putting their collection up for grabs, forgotten books are given a chance to find a new home. As Deidre Davids, the airport’s

spokeswoman explains, “As an airport, we also see it as a way to support passengers who are environmentally conscious by reusing the books.”

Estonia’s Tallinn Airport library lets patrons borrow books with the hope that they’ll find their way back eventually. Describing themselves as a “passenger-to-passenger library,” they even request that each reader leave a message for the next reader when they’re done with the book, along with a log of where they’ve traveled with it. A reader’s inscription in Paul Theroux’s The Old Patagonian Express reads: “This book has been pre-read for your convenience and deemed safe for general consumption. It’s what we do in Estonia: Take care of people like you. Happy traveling.”

The airport’s quality manager, Raul Ratasep, shares, “Many books have traveled to different countries … [and] have quite long logs with different dates and places.” According to Ratasep, “The library helps a lot in making Tallinn Airport the coziest airport in the world.” Cozy, indeed: The library staff even came to the rescue in a nearly-gone-awry love-letter romance, helping a traveler find the last of four letters her boyfriend had penned and hidden in books.

With more passengers traveling with tablets and eReaders, it’s become possible for airports to offer access to virtual library collections as well. Several airports, including Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, San Antonio International Airport and many others, provide stations that allow books to be downloaded.

Regardless of how books are offered and obtained, airport library services bring a welcome serendipity back into reading and air travel. And, as one visitor to Schiphol’s Airport Library puts it, “These small ideas are what distinguish good airports from great ones.”

Many airport libraries that encourage book-swapping build their collections through donation. At Tallinn Airport, pictured above, books were donated by the airport employees, the community, and even Estonia’s president and first lady.


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The Dreamliner, Boeing’s 787 twin-engine airliner, has become a household name, but it almost wasn’t given that moniker. Three other names – eLiner, Global Cruiser and Stratoclimber – were also on Boeing’s shortlist. If it had been up to Boeing employees, the 787 may have been named Global Cruiser, but after putting it to a public vote, Dreamliner won by a small margin.

The 787 is now flown by more than 20 operators, though, curiously, very few have chosen to give the aircraft names of their own. Of the carriers that have, only two – LOT Polish and Thomson Airways – followed Boeing’s

lead by holding a naming competition, a method that helps generate buzz and public interest. Franek, or Frank, was the winner for LOT, and Angel of the Skies was chosen for Thomson.

Famous for the ladies painted and named on its liveries, it came as no surprise that Virgin Atlantic’s first 787 would be given a name fit for their “flying ladies” fleet. Birthday Girl was the effeminate name chosen to mark Virgin’s 30th year of transatlantic flight.

“Naming our aircraft gives each one its own unique identity and personality,” explains Reuben Arnold, Virgin Atlantic’s Brand and Customer Engagement director. “Many of our customers also make a point of looking out to see who is flying them to their destination.” The names chosen aren’t just referencing pretty ladies, they always have a connection to the registration numbers: Uptown Girl is registered as G-VNYC,

What do Audrey hepburn, the eyjafjallajökull volcano and binary code have in common?

by Cameron Watt

An Airplane Named Desire

Sleeping Beauty is G-VNAP and Bubbles was chosen for G-VFIZ.

JetBlue’s blue-themed naming system has inspired dedicated forums that list spotted names (Bluebird, La Vie En Blue, Bippity Boppity Blue) and suggest future names, like Blue Barry Manilow.

Geographical names help airlines promote their home countries or their destinations. Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Qantas, Air New Zealand and Malaysia Airlines are among the many that have named aircraft after places. Icelandair even named its entire fleet after Icelandic volcanoes, including Eyjafjallajökull.

As for the airplane named Desire, there are at least two of them: Thomas Cook Airlines’ Desire, and Virgin America’s An Airplane Named Desire.

See the gallery of planes with names at

> apex.aero/names

JetBlue promoted their Fly-Fi service with binary code on the tail reading: CONNECTED TO 01000010 01001100 01010101 01000101, which translates to “blue.”

28 volume 5, edition 1 Airline Passenger Experience Association

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The Aviation Discovery Centre is an aviation-themed multimedia facility at HKG that opened in 2007. This is heaven for avgeeks, where visitors can explore the fascinating world of aviation far beyond the confines of the passenger seat. Curious as to what came before HKG? Visit the exhibition that takes you through the history of airports and aviation in Hong Kong. Try flying an airplane in the cockpit simulator (for

hong kong international airport is the 11th busiest airport worldwide, serving almost 60 million passengers in 2013. Located on Chek Lap kok island, hkG is also home to two educational centers, which deepen the passenger flying experience.

by Nadja Sayej illustration Gabriel Ebensperger

Discover Aviation

Located on Level 6 of Terminal 2 in Hong Kong International Airport, the Dream Come True Education Park lets children aged nine to 12 play dress-up and role-play over 20 different jobs, from astronaut to surgeon to pilot.

the child in all of us), and check out the historical exhibition featuring 13 aircraft models. You’ll even find an exploration pavilion which introduces the principles of flight alongside aircraft structures like a giant propeller. Another must-see is the nearby UA IMAX Theatre, which boasts the largest IMAX screen in Hong Kong.

Also in the airport is the Dream Come True Education Park for children aged nine to 12, where they can role-play over 20 different jobs – from pilot or flight attendant to firefighter or journalist – while dressed up in their uniforms. The park features flight simulation for junior astronauts and a leadership camp, which includes a segment on developing team spirit.

Another highlight at HKG is the SkyDeck, an airport lookout spot. Take an elevator to the roof for a photo-worthy 360-degree view of the entire airport and beyond – see the tallest buildings in Hong Kong amid the landscape. “If you try the powerful binoculars, you can even gain a true sense of the busy takeoffs and landing[s] at the airport,” says an airport spokesperson.



volume 5, edition 1

Ambience

FTTS eliminates all equipment boxes between the server and the

seat-back IFE screens. With fewer parts, FTTS is lighter than other

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Binge-watching began with the invention of DVD box sets more than a decade ago, and gained popularity as a natural result of DVR and on-demand services. Now, inexpensive streaming networks like Netflix and Hulu have made bingeing the norm – and not just on the ground.

According to Maura Chacko, vice-president, development at Spafax, airline passengers expect to consume media at 30,000 feet in the same way they would in their living rooms.

“Passengers do request having not only the most current seasons of programming available onboard, but also box sets of full seasons, or as many episodes as possible … especially on long-haul flights,” says Chacko,

who oversees the in-flight entertainment (IFE) television programming for many of North America’s major airlines.

For Chacko, the option of binge-watching television onboard definitely “enhances the passenger experience.” Many airlines have responded by providing full-length television series on their IFE systems. Some offer streaming entertainment systems via onboard servers, allowing viewers to stream binge-worthy content on their own devices. House of Cards, Netflix’s first original series to win an Emmy, has been added to several airlines’ IFE catalogs, including Delta Air Lines, United and Qantas. British Airways has launched its own in-flight HBO channel, offering favorites such as True Detective and

You’ve probably heard the term by now: “Binge-watching” describes the practice of viewing several sequential episodes of a television show in one sitting, rather than over the course of a season. and the practice is changing how tV shows are both created and critiqued.

by Shannon Tien

Streaming in the Air

Game of Thrones. Passengers don’t even have to wait for takeoff to tune in.

Qantas’ recently overhauled IFE system, Q Entertainment, includes a higher volume of content, designed to accommodate passengers with binge-watching tendencies. Olivia Wirth, Qantas Group executive of brand, marketing and corporate affairs says, “This means … 100 more hours of TV and movie content, 160 hours of box set viewing, triple the number of new release albums and double the number of blockbusters.”

Chacko confirms that an airline’s television package matters more than ever before. “The price of a flight is always going to be the main differentiator when passengers are picking one airline over the other, but if you have similarly priced flight tickets and one of them offers 300 TV shows while the other airline only has 20…” she trails off, concluding that passengers are more likely to pick the flight with more TV shows.

For many airlines, binge-worthy entertainment is only one step towards a more customized and connected IFE future.

See our list of binge-worthy programs at> apex.aero/binge

The nexT episode will sTarT in...

5 secondswatch now >cancel



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Entertainment

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IRENE CASELLI, VENEZUELA

ALASTAIR LEITHEAD, SOUTH SUDAN LYSE DOUCET, GAZA

With journalists in more countries, we break stories from more places than any other international news broadcaster.

bbc.com

If you were to ride out a binge session in a plane, how far would your favorite TV show take you?

by Katie Sehl | illustration Clara Prieto

Around the World in 43 Episodes Read our expanded list

of episodes and trivia > aPex.aero/tv

24,859.82 miles

5days 16h 16’

24 | 6days 4h 37’

207 Episodes

Star Trek: The Next Generation

The Good Wife | 4days 13h 51’

Lost | 3days 15h 59’

Dexter | 3days 12h 59’

Battlestar Galactica | 2days 11h 37’

The Wire | 2days 11h 26’

30 Rock | 2days 7h 27’

Breaking Bad | 2days 1h 43’

Downton Abbey | 1day 19h 53’

Homeland | 1day 19h 41’

176 Episodes

122 Episodes

118 Episodes

96 Episodes

73 Episodes

60 Episodes

43 Episodes

62 Episodes

48 Episodes

138 Episodes

Mile

s85

,457

78,3

5063

,164

50,5

8948

,864

34,2

8234

,172

31,8

8428

,589

25,2

3125

,116

The GPS coordinates for where Walter White, in Breaking Bad, buries his meth money, +34° 59’ 20.00”, -106° 36’ 52”, are actually the coordinates of Albuquerque Studios, where the show was filmed.

You could watch the entire series of Star Trek: The Next Generation 167,275,882 times if you were traveling at the speed of light to the galaxy Andromeda.

61% of Americans binge-watch regularly.

Game of Thrones averages: About 172 character deaths per episodetotaling over 5,100 (so far).

If you ate an average size bag of potato chips for each episode of 30 Rock, you’d eat roughly 20,700 chips.

All 24 cast members are required to have their hair trimmed every five days.

True Detective episodes averaged 11 million viewers, making it the most watched first season of an HBO original series since 2001.

= 1 million viewers

As of 2013, Downton Abbey is the highest rated PBS Masterpiece of all time.

Over the course of the series, Dexter kills approximately 130 people.

61%

1 round 2 rounds 3 rounds Season

All information presented reflects data captured as of December 2014



volume 5, edition 1

Entertainment

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E X P LO R I N G G LO B A L T R E N D S , I F E , C O N N E C T I V I T Y A N D B E YO N DFOR MORE INFORMATION, V IS IT APEX.AERO, OR CONTACT LAUREN BENERI ,

APEX DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, [email protected]

R E G I S T E R N O WA B U D H A B I , UA E 2 4 - 2 5 M A R C H 2 0 1 5

Join your APEX colleagues in Abu Dhabi as we delve into passenger experience issues relevant to the Middle Eastern market. World-class speakers, including local airline executives, will discuss connectivity, technology, global and regional regulations and more! Registration opens in February at apex.aero.

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REL RIL THL

GreenWhite

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Touchdown

Approach Lighting System

Airports must have standardized lighting so that pilots can navigate effectively at night, and be able to differentiate between runways and highways.

by Terri Potratz | Illustration Marcelo Cáceres

Light the Night

RUNWAY ENTRANCE

LIGHTS

RUNWAY INTERSECTION

LIGHTS

TAKEOFF HOLD LIGHTSdisplay warning signals

at key areas

runway status lights (rwsl)> Warn vehicles and pilots if the runway is not safe to enter. This new system of lighting is currently being tested at several airports in the US.

beacons> Assist pilots in differentiating between runways and highways. These rotating lights usually flash green and white lights to indicate a civilian airport (military airport beacons flash red), and are highly visible to pilots.

taxiways> Are indicated by blue lights or reflectors that run alongside taxiways.

> Taxiway centerline lights or reflectors are green, except for lead-on and lead-off lights, which alternate yellow and green to indicate you are entering or leaving the runway.

> Guard lights flash yellow and can be in-pavement or elevated. These lights identify a runway holding position.

> Runway exit taxiways may be indicated by substitution of one or two of the white runway edge lights with blue ones.

Edge: These lights are omni-directional and located along the edges of the runway area, where they may be embedded in the runway surface or elevated alongside the runway. They are white, with some exceptions.

The first fixed runway lighting is thought

to have been installed at Cleveland Municipal Airport in 1930.

Approach lighting systems in the US

have a feature called the Decision Bar, which is located 1,000 ft before the threshold on approach and serves as a visible horizon to ease transition from instrument visual flight.

Runway lighting can come in several different configurations,

but most approach systems have high-intensity lights, which can be complemented by additional light systems such as REILs and TDZLs.

Runway lights are typically

managed by a control tower. Some uncontrolled airports are equipped with pilot-controlled lighting.

Runway End Identifier Lights: REILs are comprised of two units which simultaneously flash intense white light to mark the approach end of the runway.

REL RIL THL

GreenWhite

Master REIL

Slave REIL

Touchdown

Approach Lighting System

Lead On/Lead Off

Embedded Centerline Lights

Edge Lights

Runway End

Touchdown Zone Lights

Runway Centerline Lighting System

Runway Edge Lights

Runway End

HIRL MIRL LIRL

900 m

300 m

Lead On/Lead Off

Embedded Centerline Lights

Edge Lights

Runway End

Touchdown Zone Lights

Runway Centerline Lighting System

Runway Edge Lights

Runway End

HIRL MIRL LIRL

900 m

300 m

Sources: Skybrary.aero, Virtual Skies NASA, ICAO, FAA

vehicle light gun signalsIf radios fail, air traffic controllers will use a light gun that flashes different colors to communicate instructions to pilots and drivers.

Steady Green

Cleared to go; OK to cross runway

or taxiway

Cleared to taxi (aircraft only)

STOP! Clear taxiway or runway

immediately

Return to starting point

Exercise extreme caution

Flashing Green

Flashing Red

Flashing White

Alternating Red/Green

SteadyRed

runway lights are classified as

Most lights are unidirectional facing,

except for the edge lights, which are omni-directional.

Threshold: These green lights form a line along the landing threshold at the touchdown edge of the runway. They define the beginning of safe landing distances.

HIGHINTENSITY

mEdIumINTENSITY

lOw INTENSITY

> Embedded centerline lights are white and run the full length of the runway, except where they alternate red and white for 900 meters from the runway end, and then switch to continuous red for the remaining 300 meters of runway.

Runway End: Red lights mark the end of the runway and any obstructions, and can only be seen in the direction of runway use.

> Stopway lighting may be used to show the extent of a stopway beyond the designated end of a runway. Red unidirectional edge lights, visible only in the direction of use, are provided at intervals until a further transverse line, which marks the end of the stopway.

> Caution Zone lighting may be provided on ILS-equipped runways that do not have centerline lights. The usual white edge lights are replaced with yellow ones for the lesser of the last 600 meters or last one-third of the lighted runway length available to provide a visual warning of the approaching runway end.

> Touchdown Zone (TDZ) lighting must be provided in low visibility conditions to provide enhanced identification of the runway touchdown area. The lighting must extend from the landing threshold for either 900 meters or to the midpoint of the runway, whichever is the least.

ICAO dictates that runway lighting must not be operated unless the runway is in use for landing, take-off or taxiing purposes.

When YouTube launched in 2005, it was hard to imagine a day when anyone, anywhere in the world, could and would post amateur videos to the site on a regular basis, much less watch videos posted by others. But 10 years on, even the Pope has a YouTube channel. And these days, user-generated content (UGC) platform pioneers like YouTube and Vimeo are just the tip of the new-media iceberg.

Twitter’s looping-video app, Vine, has changed the way we watch online videos, with more than 100 million people watching six-second Vines every month. Instagram’s Hyperlapse mobile app allows users to instantly convert raw, unwieldy, first-person video footage into smooth, Hollywood-quality time-lapse videos. Hipstamatic’s new Cinematic app offers users a chance to punch up their 15-second video clips with an array of retro, art-house-friendly filters. And the hugely popular Pippit mobile app – which bloggers are already excitedly describing as “Pinterest + Instagram + Feed Reader” – invites users to create and share video, photo and blog “pips” from their favorite bloggers, friends and brands within a single mobile app.

But perhaps the biggest news on the new-media frontier is the savvy way that UGC purveyors like digital camera/content providers GoPro and “visual storytelling” mobile app Storehouse are teaming with larger, established brands like Xbox Live and National Geographic, respectively, to spread the UGC gospel to a global audience.

And though the jury is still out on the relative success of Virgin America’s much ballyhooed partnership with GoPro (through a dedicated GoPro in-flight entertainment [IFE] channel), according to a recent piece in the Los Angeles Times, the popularity of GoPro’s unique brand of extreme, action-oriented UGC is soaring, with the company’s stock surging a whopping 279 percent since its IPO in June.

GoPro’s success elsewhere doesn’t necessarily translate to increased viewership in-flight, but it does highlight the fact that new-media content providers, especially those who traffic in UGC, are definitely having a moment. So, one has to wonder if there’s a way for these new-media/airline partnerships to work on other carriers’ IFE systems as well.

DIYDistribution

“Much will depend on the demographics of an airline’s customers, the degree to which its customers engage in this type of [UGC], and whether the airline’s IFE configuration is extensive enough to justify dedicating a channel to this type of content,” says veteran industry analyst Henry Harteveldt, founder of the San Francisco-based Atmosphere Research Group.

Another potential stumbling block, says Harteveldt, is the fact that UGC, by its very nature, tends to be a bit more irreverent and freewheeling than some airlines may be comfortable with: “Airlines [have to] recognize that they cannot ‘direct’ or otherwise ‘script’ or ‘control’ an individual’s content.” That’s why it’s important for carriers to establish a set of guidelines regarding how its brand is presented. “I believe that any intelligent filmmaker would understand this,” says Harteveldt, “[especially if ] they want their content shown on the airline’s IFE system.” And though

some have accused the airlines of being slow to jump on the UGC bandwagon, Harteveldt insists that’s simply not the case.

“I don’t think airlines are ignoring [UGC]. Airlines [just] want their IFE content to please the largest number of customers ... [and] it may simply be a matter of determining that it’s not worth sacrificing limited IFE resources for [UGC].” Or, as Harteveldt wryly notes, it might also boil down to the simple fact that “more people may want to watch The Big Bang Theory than UGC.”

More than a billion unique users visit

YouTube each month. GoPro is the best-selling camera in the world.

Vine loops play more than a billion times

every day.

As user-generated content platforms proliferate, consumers are now becoming content producers and distributors through popular media sharing websites.

by Tomás Romero | illustration Óscar Chávez



volume 5, edition 1

Entertainment

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Throwback Weekly View our gallery of

throwback photos at> apex.aero/tbt

Nostalgia is powerful. Who doesn’t love getting misty-eyed over their baby photos or laughing at the dress they wore to the prom? Looking at old photos can make us smile as we recall events and holidays gone by, so it’s no wonder an alliterative social media hashtag was created to enable us to revisit the past on a weekly basis, re-posting our best moments every Thursday.

Participating in the buzz of popular hashtags is a great way to join the online conversation and build a social media following, and many businesses have recognized this. Companies like to reminisce

about their shining moments just as much as individuals do. #TBT makes it easy to demonstrate the depth of a brand’s history as well as its progress: In 2013 Southwest Airlines posted a #TBT anniversary photo of their first day of service out of Houston, taken in 1971. Capitalizing on a company milestone by sharing documented evidence of its history not only demonstrates the company’s longevity, but also its successes.

Other brands, such as Expedia, are using the hashtag to run contests, encouraging social media users to tag their company handle, as well as #TBT, in travel memories

for a chance to win prizes. Delta Air Lines regularly posts #TBT photos showcasing vintage aircraft and smiling flight attendants in their classic 1940s uniforms. These posts generate hundreds, if not thousands, of likes, comments and shares on Facebook.

We will always be wistful about the past and want to share positive memories, artifacts or photos – whether simply to remember or to boost our social media engagement. And for businesses, sharing the past can strengthen their brand. But it’s only appropriate once a week, on Thursdays. Unless it’s #flashbackfriday, of course.

Air Canada United

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are in full swing and we’re reminded of this #throwbackthursday image from our archives.

In 1954, we were the first airline to purchase the latest in flight simulators.

Our first Boeing 747.

KLM

Hawaiian AirlinesDelta Air Lines

the #tBt, or #throwbackthursday, trend began on instagram in 2011, gained popularity in early 2012 and is now a weekly social media staple across all social media platforms – for airlines, too.

by Jenn Wint

Capt Sharyn Emminger, FO Karen Squyers & FA Trude Asada: The 1st all-female crew to operate on a major airline.

In the 1940s, food took flight. The DC-3 was the first plane with a galley for food service. #TBT

Great vintage photo of a temporary ticket counter in 1974, when Southwest moved to the west concourse @DallasLoveField.

Southwest Airlines

2 Favorites

4 Favorites10 Favorites

1 Like 8 Likes

681 Likes


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With youth unemployment at 70 percent in a country where more than half of the population is under the age of 35, programs that help bridge the gap between high school graduation and gainful employment are sorely needed. Not only are placements for training and entry-level employment in short supply, there is a need for programs in which information about career choices is made available to young people in a format which empowers them to make educated decisions about their futures, and inspires them to work toward opportunities in fields that may have previously seemed out of reach.

Boeing and South African Airways (SAA) are helping build that bridge with the

September 2014 relaunch of the SiVulindlela Aviation Awareness Project, an interactive and educational program for students in grade eight through 11 that aims to make the opportunities available to them in the aviation and airline sectors more accessible. Daniel Mosely, Boeing communications manager, Europe and Africa, notes, “At Boeing we project a demand for 17,000 pilots and 19,000 airline technicians across Africa over the next 20 years. Project SiVulindlela is one way of connecting with the pilots and technicians of the future and opening the way for a successful career.”

With the innovative aid of an aircraft replica created within a mobile, flatbed-mounted

For many south African youth, particularly those living in townships and rural communities, the world of aviation is far removed from day-to-day reality. project siVulindlela is a joint initiative between Boeing and south African Airways that’s inspiring south Africa’s youth to take flight.

by Shallom Johnson | illustration Clara Prieto

Project SiVulindlela

Students have access to hands-on learning opportunities and hear personal stories from aviation specialists.

shipping container, Project SiVulindlela offers youth hands-on access to a Boeing 737-800 cockpit, cabin seats, storage cabins and a demonstration engine. A typical workshop begins with talks by SAA employees, who volunteer their time to share the personal journeys they have each taken to reach their current positions with the airline. Specialists share information on which subjects are important for students to focus on, should they choose to follow a career in aviation or with an airline. Then, students are encouraged to walk through the truck, handling the equipment and controls, and asking questions of facilitators who are on hand to explain each aspect of the aircraft in a language that’s accessible for the students.

Western Cape

At Boeing, job projections across Africa over the next 20 years call for:

19,000

17,000

AIRLINE TECHNICIANS

PILOTS

6.7 MILLION JOBS

$67.8

Aviation in Africa supports:

BILLION IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

From 2021 to 2030, air traffic in Africa is expected to rise by

4.9% A YEAR

4.3% WORLDWIDE YEARLY GROWTH

Project SiVulindlela by the NumbersThe truck will visit all 9 provinces in South Africa

About 6 high schools per province will be visited

The truck spends 1-2 full days per province

Target: 30,000 young people per year

Roughly 3,000 students per month will visit the truck

Grades: 8, 9, 10, 11



volume 5, edition 1

Services

Afterwards, a short question period concludes the day, with facilitators asking questions based on the previous activities. Students who provide the correct answers are rewarded with giveaways such as caps, backpacks and T-shirts.

“The project seeks to inspire young South Africans from disadvantaged backgrounds to take an interest in the wonders of flying,” says Tlali Tlali, spokesperson for SAA. “[It aims to] assist the youth to make informed decisions when choosing careers in aviation and to take a keen interest in mathematics, science and technology subjects. The SiVulindlela truck is a practical and unconventional way of creating interest and awareness in aviation.”

This project builds upon SAA’s Vulindlela Aviation Awareness Programme, which has been running for the past nine years. Until recently, the project was using an out-of-date aircraft replica lacking recent technological advancements. Boeing’s contribution enabled the custom-build of a new replica, a small-scale mock-up of the interior of a Next-Generation 737, with SAA providing the personnel and logistics. A partnership with the South African Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) and Basic Education (DBE) has connected the project to a wide network of students, with access granted to all schools across the country through the provincial departments of education.

“The project seeks to inspire young Africans ... to take an interest in the wonders of flying.”Tlali Tlali South African Airways

The truck is scheduled to tour all of South Africa’s nine provinces, visiting as many schools as possible before moving on. It will also appear at career exhibitions, fairs and air shows that are open to the general public, to ensure as wide a reach as possible. SAA’s target is to reach a minimum of 30,000 young people per year, many of whom have never flown before or conceived of the possibility of working in the airline or aviation industries.

“Young learners have limited knowledge and access to information pertaining to aviation,” Tlali notes. “Gearing the sector for specialist skills and transforming the talent pipeline, Project SiVulindlela will allow for the provision of information, which includes a wider spread of career opportunities in the aviation sector, such as technicians, communicators and marketers.” While the main goal of SiVulindlela is to raise awareness of the airline and aviation industries and inspire young people to consider them as career choices, SAA also provides many longer-term training programs for interested youth, from business courses tailored to an aviation environment to commercial-pilot development to flight-dispatcher and cabin-crew training, as well as a series of technical apprenticeship programs.

Youth development will continue to play a key role in shaping a positive future for South Africa, with programs such as these at the forefront, spearheaded by companies like Boeing and South African Airways who possess the foresight to develop interest and knowledge in their industries at a crucial moment in young people’s lives. Their efforts to make resources, information and inspiration available to students could be the turning point that guides them into successful and fulfilling careers with the airlines or in aviation.

UNEmPloYmENT rATE AmoNG YoUTh

IN SoUTh AfrIcA 70%Northern Cape

Eastern Cape

KwaZulu-Natal

SouthAfrica

66%

OF POPULATION UNDER 35 YEARS

Sources: UNFPA South Africa, Boeing, IATA

North West

Free State

Mpumalanga

Gauteng

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esTaste buds react differently at higher altitudes, so when designing an in-flight menu, careful consideration must be paid to each and every ingredient that goes into a dish, along with the understanding that standard kitchen equipment like gas stoves and broilers have no place on an airplane.

Singapore Airlines puts experience first. Any chef hired by the carrier must have achieved the rank of executive sous chef or higher, possessing 10 years of experience on the ground before they are educated in the ways of air-food preparation. The chefs are then schooled in both in-flight catering and quality mass production before working with the airline’s impressive roster of International Culinary Panel chefs to develop dishes to be enjoyed during a flight. These chefs aren’t the ones preparing the meals on a day-to-day basis, however – that job falls to the airline caterers.

LSG Sky Chefs is the biggest airline catering company in the world, serving 210 airports with a staff of over 2,000 global culinary professionals. With so many employees, education becomes the cornerstone for the company’s success. Joerg Tuettelmann, vice-president of culinary excellence, helms the Global Culinary Leadership Team that oversees and implements all training at the company. He explains that training is based on three levels: “Enhancing our own expertise by learning from external expert organizations, sharing know-how and best practices around developed standards, applying those practices on the job and localizing them to meet the different requirements at each location.” That means that some chefs may train in a specialized simulator that mimics the conditions in the air while other chefs in various regions receive elite certifications and additional training from groups like the American Culinary Federation

for chefs trained in traditional earthbound kitchens, cooking for onboard consumption can seem as intimidating as the idea of cooking on Mars. so how does a chef learn to take their skills from the ground to the sky? it’s all in the training.

by Jason Kessler

Culinary Class

and the Culinary Institute of America. To further emphasize the training process, LSG Sky Chefs recently introduced their new Culinary Excellence Strategy, which will keep the company at the forefront of the airline catering industry for years to come – even when they eventually expand their altitudinal reach to Mars.

For more news on catering visit

> apex.aero/catering

Chefs train in a special simulator that mimics conditions in the air.



volume 5, edition 1

Catering

blog.apex.aero/catering

BoardConnectA word of caution to your passengers before they take their next tablet on board: our wireless IFE platform BoardConnect may cause them to experience feelings of satisfaction and wellbeing on your aircraft.

Your airline may experience side-effects as well in the form of a significant decrease in costs and a healthy increase in ancillary revenue.

The switch to BoardConnect is fast and easy. The options it offers are virtually endless.

Lufthansa Systems AGCorporate MarketingAm Weiher 2465451 [email protected]

Run the future, not cables.

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A bout 20 miles southeast of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), in Paramount,

California, an idle portion of a petroleum refinery is in the final stages of a retrofit that will allow it to pump out 30 million gallons of low-carbon, renewable jet fuel a year. Slated to open in the first quarter of 2015, it’s the first commercial-scale biofuel refinery for Seattle-based AltAir Fuels. Adopting a process developed by Honeywell UOP, AltAir uses inedible or leftover vegetable oils and agricultural waste to make a fuel that’s 50 percent cleaner overall than Jet A or Jet A-1.

In 2011, United Airlines became the first American carrier to fly a commercial airplane on a blend of biofuel and regular jet fuel. The flight was remarkable because nothing happened, says Mihir Thakkar, the company’s environmental strategy and sustainability director. “It was a marker to push the industry forward,” he explains. In 2013, United entered into a purchase agreement with AltAir to buy 15 million gallons of their renewable fuel over three years – a move that helped their facility get off the ground. The carrier will use the green fuel to power select flights out of nearby LAX.

“It’s a drop in the bucket but it’s a great step forward,” Thakkar adds, noting that United consumes four billion gallons of fuel per year. Thanks to government incentives and inexpensive feedstock (the base biological material used to make the fuel), he confides that the biofuel is

cost effective (within a few cents) or cost neutral when compared with traditional jet fuel.

With the price of crude in constant flux – a one-dollar increase can cost a carrier like United up to $400 million a year – airlines have long looked for safe, cost-competitive alternatives to traditional jet fuel. Spurred by aggressive industry targets for carbon-neutral growth by 2020 and a 50-percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, biofuel has emerged as the great hope to wean airlines off their dependence on fossil fuels. But experts say that deals like the one between United and AltAir, coupled with government support, are essential to getting the biojet industry off the ground.

“I’m more optimistic than a year ago,” says Dr. Bruno Miller, principal researcher at Metron Aviation, a company that offers air-traffic management products and services to the global airline industry. Starting in 2012, governments pulled back funding, which slowed down the certification process for certain biofuels, he notes. But in recent months, renewable aviation fuels seem to once again be in favor, with the US departments of Agriculture and Energy and the US Navy banding together to offer certain biofuel producers $200 million to create production facilities. And in July 2014, the California Energy Commission awarded nearly $50 million to advanced biofuel production facilities – including $5 million to AltAir. >

Power Plants

The airline industry has always relied on petroleum to power its airplanes, but a new crop of innovative start-ups are providing carriers with alternatives:

biologically derived fuels. While the efficacy of cleaner energy has been proven, getting it onto aircraft is going to take a lot more than smart science.

by Jasmin Legatos | illustration Marco Romano


Visit us at apex.aeroapex experienceBiofuel


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Follow us @theAPEXassoc Biofuel

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Even so, the main problem remains financing. Miller asks, “How do you finance the start of companies so they can build their own facilities? The technology has been proven; the access to capital has been fairly scarce. It’s a chicken-and-egg kind of thing – initial production was small, so when you hear reports that biofuel costs $20 [per] gallon, of course it’s expensive.”

Agreements between airlines and producers will help the industry scale, he says – a fact that many carriers seem to recognize. In August, Cathay Pacific announced a 10-year promise to buy 375 million gallons of biofuel from Fulcrum BioEnergy, which converts solid municipal waste into jet fuel, resulting in an 80-percent CO2-emissions reduction compared with fossil fuels. But Cathay isn’t just a buyer; like United, they are also an investor, tying their fate to Fulcrum’s. In the United Kingdom, British Airways brokered a similar deal with waste-to-fuels producer Solena Fuels, which will build a production plant in Essex called the GreenSky London facility. Brazilian airline GOL is following up several green demonstration flights undertaken during the World Cup with a commitment to run its 737s between São Paulo and Miami on a 10-percent blend of farnesane, a recently approved renewable jet fuel produced by Amyris, in partnership with French energy giant Total, from Brazil’s abundant sugarcane crop. And at the recent United Nations Climate Summit, KLM, too, announced its intention to partner with Amyris.

For Finnair, part of driving down the cost of biofuel also means building the infrastructure to support it. While airlines are currently only considering drop-in

solutions – meaning fuels that can be blended with Jet A or Jet A-1 and used on existing airplane models – not all carriers have biorefineries near their major hubs. Says Kati Ihamäki, Finnair’s vice-president of sustainable development, “In Finland, for example, the refinery where biofuel can be made is not actually linked up to the wider aviation fuel delivery infrastructure. There’s a need to physically get more biofuel to airports, whether by using existing pipelines or trucks, or by building new infrastructure.” The company is currently exploring the idea of building a biofuel hub at Helsinki Airport – a pipeline that would deliver biofuel straight to HEL. “But this will move forward in 2015,” Ihamäki adds. >

Certifly-ably Green

For energy companies hoping to commercialize their product, it must meet the ASTM standards, an independent certification for all jet fuel. Experts agree that the aviation industry will rely on many different feedstocks that can be blended with traditional jet fuel and “dropped in,” meaning they work with airplanes already on the market. While the ASTM has approved certain feedstocks to be blended up to 50 percent, it’s more likely that biofuels will make up between 10 and 40 percent of fuel in an airplane, due to cost and supply. At this time, biofuels need to be blended with Jet A and Jet A-1, which contain aromatics, a hydrocarbon that helps prevent fuel leaking from tanks and that isn’t found in biojet fuel. However, scientists are continually developing the ability to synthesize these aromatics so that one day airplanes can fly 100 percent green.

Lufthansa completed a series of commercial flights to study the long-term effects of biojet fuel on engines, noting no adverse results.IATA

> Can be mixed with conventional jet fuel

> Can use the same supply infrastructure

> Is “ drop-in” – does not require adaptation of aircraft or engines

> Meets specifications of conventional jet fuel, in particular, resistance to cold (Jet A: -40˚C, Jet A-1: -47˚C) and high energy content (min 42.8 MJ/kg)

> Is sustainable: life-cycle carbon reductions, limited freshwater requirements, no competition with food production and no deforestation

Requirements for sustainable alternative jet fuels

United was named Gold Eco-Airline of the year in 2013 by Air Transport World for their efforts in fuel efficiencies.


apex experience


Follow us @theAPEXassoc Biofuel

If momentum is on the rise, that’s because, unlike other transportation companies, airlines previously had little choice when it came to the type of fuel that powers its mode of transport – jets. While corn has been used for years to create ethanol as an additive to regular gasoline, this first-generation biofuel doesn’t meet the safety and performance standards necessary to propel airplane engines. Ethically and environmentally, it also poses well-documented problems that include displacing agricultural land and driving up the cost of food. The aviation industry is looking for biofuels to be sustainable from all points of view, Thakkar says. This includes using feedstocks that don’t eat up other resources, like land and water, and can be grown around the world in large quantities.

In the next five years, Miller thinks more airlines will jump on the biofuel bandwagon, driving down costs in the process. This will give the industry time to build up its supply and production capacity while using inexpensive feedstocks like waste. When these are depleted, the infrastructure around biofuels will allow companies to pursue more expensive feedstocks without impacting the market too much. But there are risks, Miller admits, and he fears that unless there’s even more support for renewable jet fuel, companies might use technology to make renewable diesel instead.

“You basically use the same process to make green diesel as you do biojet [fuel], but it costs a little less to produce. But by investing in these producers, like United and Cathay are doing, it helps tilt the balance in the favor of jet [fuel].”

21 airlines have performed over 1,600 commercial passenger flights with blends of up to 50% biojet fuel from used cooking oil, jatropha, camelina and algae. IATA

Effective Biofuel Feedstocks

Sugarcane < Sugarcane is commonly known as a

sucrose-producing crop, but in places like Brazil, where it is abundant, crops

used for the purpose of biofuel have already been designated for industrial

use. In the case of aviation biofuels, one company, Amyris, uses fermentation to

convert the sugar into fuel. As technology develops, biofuel companies will be able to use cellulosic sugars in the same way

they can use sugarcane.

Municipal waste < Any biological material we throw out can

be converted into energy – think food scraps, grass clippings, paper, wood

chips, etc. Though burning the garbage does result in greenhouse gas emissions,

life-cycle analysis (how much pollution the waste-to-fuel would emit) shows that the net results still have this process winning

by a long shot over traditional fuels.

> HalophytesThese grasses thrive along seashores, mangrove swamps and other areas where their roots come into contact with saltwater and where other crops traditionally cannot grow.

> Jatropha The seeds from this inedible plant produce 30-40 percent of its mass in oil and are resistant to pests and drought, and can be grown in difficult, otherwise non-arable soil.

Algae < This green stuff may seem like a nuisance

to some, but it’s king in the bioenergy field. Algae can be grown almost

anywhere, even in the most inhospitable places, and thrives off carbon dioxide,

making it a true carbon-neutral option. It’s been estimated that algae produces up

to 15 times more oil per square kilometer than any other biofuel crop.

> Camelina Cultivated as an oil-seed crop and mainly used for renewable energy, camelina is found in many regions around the world and can be used as a rotational crop to wheat.


apex experience Visit us at apex.aeroBiofuel

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THE ORIGINAL HIGH PERFORMANCECOMPOSITION LEATHERAnything else is a compromise


“I’m blown away by the many

people, pieces and processes

that the system is composed of – even

before in-flight entertainment

makes it onto the plane. ”


Visit us at apex.aeroapex experienceQ&A

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W hat does your typical workday look like?

Get to work, answer e-mails, open mail and download new music. After lunch the rest of the day is spent doing the following: hearing music; getting licenses sorted; researching lyrics; listening to music (different than hearing!); acquiring information and images for audio synopses; selecting CDs for the current cycle; noting new and upcoming releases; ordering or requesting music; reading magazines, trades, web and social media; corresponding with label and promo people. Last month we had 10 airlines, for which I was assigned 27 channels and playlists, 56 CDs and 65 song library entries.

Album currently on rotation? I just discovered The 2 Bears’ The Night is Young on Southern Fried Records! One of the guys is from Hot Chip. It’s one of those records that I expected to review for some key tracks and move on, but the more I heard, the more I wanted to hear. I always start on track number four. The entire album is dance music and pop, but super eclectic, for lack of a better word. Like what happens when artists/producers who really know their gear and themselves channel all the music they like, and it just goes out of their brains and lands onto tape successfully.

Talent you wish you possessed? I wish I could repair cars – beyond just replacing oil filters or changing brake pads. I have always wondered how things work, but I always look it up in a book or online to learn about it abstractly because I am too afraid to open it up and take it apart. I’ve gotten over that fear but I’m still unable to put anything back together.

Something that never ceases to amaze you in your industry? I’m blown away by the many people, pieces and processes that the system is composed of – even before in-flight entertainment makes it onto the plane.

Three things about where you live that make you want to live there. I live in Buena Park, which is in north Orange County in southern California. In no particular order: Dolphins and sea lions – we’re lucky to see them because the beaches are just a short drive from us. KCRW – it’s a local public radio station that I’ve grown up with. They have a strong signal and they turn me on to good music. Mexican food – I think I have to live in a place where it’s available. Mexican cuisine is diverse and varied and a lot of regions’ styles are available here. Plus, I need chilies and spicy food.

Venus Kitagawa-Stojsic Audio Programmer and Producer Spafax

Kitagawa-Stojsic obtained her Bachelor of Music in Music therapy from Chapman University, and remains a board-certified music therapist in clinical, behavioral and developmental settings. She has worked in radio as an assistant producer, writer and programmer for Swedish egil, and as an on-air personality for Mars-fM and Sirius. She’s also a secular minister and can officiate your wedding.

To read Venus’ full Q&A, please visit us online at > APex.Aero/venuskitAgAwAstojsic

> Fast Facts

Hero: Dr. Alexander

Shulgin

Must-HAve AlbuM:

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H amburg was strongly affected by World War I and completely

devastated in Allied bombing raids during World War II. Yet the city, its people and its economy have subsequently not only persevered but excelled. Today, Hamburg is a municipality of over 1.8 million people (with the highest purchasing power in Germany) and is currently ranked as the third-largest worldwide site within the aviation sector, after Seattle and Toulouse.

hamburg’s aviation history Hamburg’s first airstrip was built in 1911 in the city’s Fühlsbuttel district. Scheduled flights by the world’s first passenger airline, DLR (Deutsche Luft-Reederei, or German Air Transport Company), commenced there in 1919.

Global recession affected aviation and many of Hamburg’s other business sectors in the early 1930s, including the city’s main industry: shipping. Convinced that aircraft would very soon traverse great distances of water, shipping magnate Walther Blohm created Hamburger Flugzeugbau (Hamburg Aircraft Construction) and incorporated it as a subsidiary of his shipbuilding and engineering works, Blohm & Voss. Located at the current site of Airbus’ completion center and airstrip in Finkenwerder, Hamburger Flugzeugbau manufactured a number of notable aircraft including large “flying boats” which had no landing gear and a hull-like fuselage for water takeoff and landing. In the ’30s and 1940s, this location also produced warplanes for Hitler’s Third Reich.

In the aftermath of World War II, Hamburg’s industrial areas and transportation networks lay in total ruin. The airport was swiftly rebuilt

and within a decade things were getting back on track. “1955 was a very distinctive year for the German aviation industry and also for Hamburg aviation,” explains Uwe Kleber, aviation cluster representative at Hamburg Ministry of Economy, Transport and Innovation. “Lufthansa was refounded and Hamburger Flugzeugbau resumed the construction of aircraft in Finkenwerder with the HFB 320 business jet.”

ode to airbusBy the 1970s globalization had caused much of the world’s maritime business to shift to

Hub and BespokeNorthern Germany has a long history and a bright future in aviation, currently home to over 300 aviation-related firms including Airbus, Lufthansa Technik, Diehl and Zodiac Aerospace. We revisit the city of Hamburg’s flying foundations, and see how government and academia are collaborating to meet future demand within an industry increasingly renowned for personalized and curated service standards.

by Maryann Simson

Students gather around at the Lab for Cabin and Cabin Systems (CCS) at HCAT II.


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Asia. Hamburg responded to this downslide of one major industry by focusing more energy into another. In 1969 the Airbus program launched with French and German participation, and Finkenwerder became its home in Germany. The following year, the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences instated “Aircraft Construction” as a new degree program, and by 1971 large structural elements for the A300 were being produced in the shadows of towering ship cranes on the banks of the Elbe River. “Without aviation I think Hamburg would be in a very different place than it is today,” Kleber admits.

Twenty years later, in 1992, final assembly work for the A321 began in Finkenwerder. The A319, A318 and A320 were soon added to the list of Airbus aircraft completed or partially assembled in Hamburg. The infrastructure and talent pool (not to mention political support) that grew up around Airbus’ early programs (and Lufthansa Technik’s growing influence) cemented Hamburg’s role as a power-player in global aviation and contributed to the selection of the Finkenwerder site as a completion center and paint shop for the famed A380 jumbo jet. >

“Without aviation I think

Hamburg would be in a very

different place than it is today.”

Uwe Kleber


apex experience


Follow us @theAPEXassoc Hamburg

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an expanding workforceAt the turn of the millennium roughly 14,000 people in the Hamburg metropolitan area earned their wages from the aviation trade. Officials had then estimated that the newly launched A380 program would add another 4,000 to this sum, but A380 completion actually brought that total up to 26,000 jobs. Today, just seven years after the first of the giant birds was delivered to launch customer Emirates Airlines, Hamburg’s aviation sector boasts a workforce of 40,000 men and women – and that number is quickly rising.

“Hamburg recognized at a very early stage that education and joint development of expertise were central drivers for the economy and in 2000 founded the Aviation Industry Qualification Initiative,” explains Ingrid Schilling-Kaletsch of Hamburg’s Ministry of Economics, Traffic. “When Hamburg decided to apply to be the final assembly line site for the A380, there was a clear need for qualified personnel. This effort was not initiated by the ministry of education. The ministry of economics had the responsibility to develop these programs

because ultimately they needed to meet the needs of the industry.”

Schilling-Kaletsch was selected to develop a plan that would bring the industry together with educational institutions and the physical equipment needed to train a bigger and brighter talent pool in the region. Together with the head of Hamburg’s University of Applied Science (HAW), a vocational college renowned for its outstanding Aeronautic Engineering program, Schilling-Kaletsch hatched an idea to develop the Hamburg Centre of Aviation Training (HCAT).

centre of aviation trainingBuilt in two stages between 2008 and 2011, HCAT is located next door to HAW and also stands beside Berliner Tor station, a well-connected point on Hamburg’s extensive local and regional train network. Here, students of aeronautic engineering receive instruction on either engineering for cabin and cabin systems or aircraft design and lightweight structures, depending on their personal educational directives.

The facility is 32,292 square feet (3,000 square meters) of classrooms, workshops, test rigs and laboratories. It very effectively >

[CLOCKWISE from ABOVE] Diehl Comfort employee installing a lavatory module; HCAT’s Fascinating Club targets kids with demonstrations and lectures by HAW professors; Scientists from the German Centre for Aerospace (DLR) conduct research in the Aircraft Cabin Light Laboratory.

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The facilities in Hamburg’s Centre of Aviation Training bring together schools, universities and companies in the same hall, creating a unique atmosphere for working and learning.

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brings industry partners Airbus and Lufthansa Technik into direct and constant contact with students and educators. The industry speaks and HCAT responds. “If there is a special demand from the industry, we can realize special courses for it,” says Schilling-Kaletsch. “We have installed the infrastructures that allow both practical work and theoretical study.”

While dozens of professors from HAW use the center, four of them are more or less “resident.” One of these individuals is Mark Wiegmann (formerly of Airbus), who specializes in electronic cabin systems and system design. “Practical insight and experience are not usually found in textbooks,” he says. “Clearly [students] must learn all the skills of an engineer, but they also should know how things are actually done. I can tell the difference, having studied at and finally received my doctorate degree in electrical engineering from a ‘regular’ university. Currently, I think we are more or less unique with our [Cabin and Cabin

Systems] lab in the world… but I would take a bet that there are plans somewhere, inspired by our work, to outperform us.”

HCAT does not target university-age students alone, but also offers continuing education programs to individuals already employed in local aviation. Special considerations have also been made that allow some of these mature students to continue working as they earn a higher

“Clearly students must learn all the skills of an engineer,

but they also should know how things are actually done. ”

Mark Wiegmann

degree – something not possible before. Additionally, HCAT runs workshops reaching out to parents and children as young as eight years old. “Professors develop special lectures for the children at the university, which are at their level and presented in a fun way,” says Schilling-Kaletsch. “And we want to inform parents, too, about the fascinating possibilities the aircraft industry can offer their children.”

1911 Construction of Hamburg Airport begins

1919 The world’s first passenger airline, DLR, starts flights from Hamburg Airport

1920 KLM flies from Amsterdam to Hamburg and on to Copenhagen, making Europe’s first scheduled cross-border commercial flight

1923 Hamburg Airport becomes the first German airport equipped with a radio transmitter

1933 Aircraft company, Hamburger Flugzeugbau, opens

1939–1945 Hamburg is hit by air raids during World War II

1955 Lufthansa is refounded after WWII; Hamburger Flugzeugbau resumes commercial aircraft construction

Specialists from the Hamburg model building company Moebius Models work on an aircraft and flight deck mock-up, displayed in the HCAT.

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A 269,098 sq ft (25,000 sq m) facility is currently under construction in the Finkenwerder district of Hamburg. Located near Airbus’ final assembly lines and airstrip (but not part of the Airbus complex), the structure is also close to dozens of other firms engaging in the manufacture of aircraft components or the provision of other services in the aviation industry.

This building, the ZAL TechCenter, is slated for completion at the end of 2015 and is being jointly driven, much like HCAT in the heart of the city, by local government, industry and academic institutions – yet on a much larger scale. The project has “nine shareholders with a common vision,” including Airbus and Lufthansa Technik, the city of Hamburg, cluster groups and four major learning institutions. The purpose of ZAL TechCenter is to allow the industry and academic community to collaborate in one of the most modern research sites for civil aviation in the world, complete with meeting rooms, office space, presentation areas, labs and high-end test rigs, in six technical domains. Unlike HCAT, which focuses entirely on qualifying personnel for careers in aviation, ZAL will be home to ongoing research and development of important innovations that carry real industry applications.

Ralf God is head of the Institute of Aircraft Cabin Systems at Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) and the voice of a committee that represents the interests of the universities involved in the center’s development. Although much is yet to be decided, he says the universities have discussed many ways to work with shareholders and future “tenant” enterprises at the location. “We intend to engage in programs for lifelong learning, which can be perfectly done at ZAL. We are already doing research with Airbus and its suppliers, however this center will be the first place in Hamburg to unite research teams from Airbus, suppliers and universities under one roof,” he says. “Our students are enthusiastic about aviation … We expect to do a lot of project-based learning together with the companies, as well as sophisticated research for higher academic education.”

ZAL TechCenter: A New Home for Research

1967 Airbus launches operations

1970 Hamburg University of Applied Science instates “Aircraft Construction” as a new degree program

1992 Final assembly work for the A321 begins

2001 Hamburg Aviation Initiative is established

2008 Construction for the Hamburg Centre of Aviation Training begins

2009 Center of Applied Aeronautical Research (ZAL) is established

2015 Construction of the ZAL TechCenter is slated for completion

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Inside Airbus’ A350 XWB Customer Definition Centre, where customers can experience cabin showrooms and virtually customize interior configurations.



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“Put your feet in the shoes of

the passenger to understand what

they like and what they dislike. ”



Q&A

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W hat are your ritual travel habits?I prepare a list of everything that I

need to pack so as not to forget anything, and I pack my bag two days before my travel date. I try to pack clothes of matching colors to avoid carrying too many things. For long flights I make sure I have comfortable attire to wear onboard so I can sleep easily, and I bring my own amenity kit and noise-canceling headphones.

What is the most effective way for an airline or brand to connect emotionally with the passenger? To always look out for the comfort of the passengers and their needs. Put your feet in their shoes to understand what they like and what they dislike. Seek easy methods for check-in, boarding, comfort onboard, facilities and, above all, an on-time schedule.

The best way is to brainstorm socially – to find out what passengers prefer to see or expect from an airline – through social gatherings, frequent flyers’ meetings and social media.

First travel memory?I was young and traveled with my family to New York … I wanted to pack almost all my clothes, thinking that I might not find a flight back home.

Describe the view from your favorite window.A green land with all colors of flowers, an

infinity swimming pool, birds flying here and there, a little cottage at the end of the garden with a nice, colorful flowering tree.

Something that never ceases to amaze you in your industry?The continuous changes and the non-routine of the nature of the work; the new technologies that keep on coming up for the comfort of the passengers.

The achievement you’re most proud of?What I am doing now and the fact that I could move fast … from cabin attendant to officer, senior officer, supervisor, superintendent, manager and now director of In-Flight Services & Product.

Did you choose the airline industry or did it choose you?I did choose it, and I really enjoy working in this industry – I can’t imagine working anywhere else!

Musical instrument you wish you could play?Piano – I took lessons when I was young but never continued this hobby.

Biggest challenge you’ve ever overcome at work?When I quit flying as a cabin crewmember to seek better opportunities at the airline itself.

The career path you considered but never followed?Fashion designer.

Luay Qunash Director of In-Flight Services & Product royal Jordanian airlines

Born in amman, Jordan, qunash moved to the united states to study at the university of tennessee, then to Italy to study language and drawing before joining royal Jordanian airlines in 1998. after working as a steward for eight years, he was offered a ground job of crew scheduling and eventually was promoted to Manager of entertainment in the In-Flight Production Department before moving on to become the Director of In-Flight Services & Product.

To read Luay’s full Q&A, please visit us online at > aPex.aero/luayqunaSh

> Fast Factsnow reaDIng: The Monk Who

Sold His Ferrari

BeSt aIrlIne InDuStry

acronym: RJA

the Future oF FlIght wIll Be:

Amazing


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volume 5, edition 1

Q&A

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Aspirational Aeronautics

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It’s a school of only 400 students, yet there’s a palpable energy, generated by youthful enthusiasm focused on a shared

passion. the gleaming sculpture hanging in the atrium is an aircraft winglet, and the prototype Boeing 747 sits just outside.

Welcome to Raisbeck Aviation High School, the first stop in training tomorrow’s aviation industry professionals.

by Howard Slutsken

> nikhil Joshi Math TeacherRaisbeck Aviation

High School

> reba Gilman Founding CEO &

PrincipalRaisbeck Aviation

High School

> sophia cassam Student

Raisbeck Aviation High School

> sameer romani Student


> Bruce kelly Principal

Raisbeck AviationHigh School

> Marcie wombold Founding Teacher



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I n the early 2000s, professional educator Reba Gilman saw that students

graduating from technical high schools weren’t fully prepared for the workforce. “Academic standards were increasing in step with industry standards. Some graduates didn’t know how to analyze and problem solve. I was concerned, and started looking at what we could do to make kids engage at an earlier level,” says Gilman. Along with her team, she came up with a concept that blended the best in technical learning with high academic standards. Recognizing the needs of the region’s huge aerospace sector, she set out to create a school where aviation would be the context for learning. The new model was a STEM school (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) that was “focused on professional aviation careers, rather than on trades, because our technical colleges and skills centers do a marvelous job of training,” says Gilman.

After receiving funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Aviation High School opened in 2004 in its first temporary quarters, with a freshman class of 100 students. Gilman became the school’s first principal and led the drive to find a permanent home. “It took us almost a decade to get the funding,” she says. $43.5 million was raised from public and private sectors, including the State of Washington, the Port of Seattle, Boeing and Alaska Airlines. Recognizing the major contribution of Sherry and James Raisbeck of Seattle’s Raisbeck Engineering, the new school opened in fall 2013 and was renamed Raisbeck Aviation High School (RAHS).

new school orderRAHS is located at Boeing Field, surrounded by more than 200 aerospace companies and next door to the world-renowned Museum of Flight. Building on a long-standing

partnership, RAHS augments the museum’s successful educational programs. RAHS is operated by the Highline Public Schools district and is open to all students, without tuition fees. It’s in demand: Last year, 366 grade 8 students applied for RAHS’s 105 freshman slots. >

She set out to create a school where aviation would be the context for learning.


apex experience



“The application process is like applying to college. I’m looking for a self-directed interest that’s aligned to aviation and aerospace. It might be, ‘In fourth grade, I started folding paper airplanes,’” says current Principal Bruce Kelly. Prospective students are interviewed by a panel of RAHS staff and students. “Students commit to apply to two colleges in their senior year, and parents must volunteer 10 hours a year. We’re not just here to know the student, but to know the family,” he adds.

curriculum vitaeThe successful students enter a learning environment that’s highly collaborative, and has extensive mentorship and internship programs. They’re given a laptop to use during their four years at RAHS, and then dive into the aviation-themed curriculum. “Freshmen don’t take English, they take ‘Aviation English.’ They read about pilots and write essays dealing with aerospace. Ninth grade science isn’t called ‘ninth grade science,’ it’s called ‘The Physical Science and The Physics of Flight,’” says Kelly.

RAHS is still a high school, with courses that meet state standards and requirements. Marcie Wombold is one of two founding teachers still at RAHS, and helped develop the humanities curriculum. “I loved the idea of learning why people write, why they think, and how these things are related to each other. When we designed the curriculum, we blended our social studies and English program into one core humanities curriculum,” says Wombold. “Students learn very quickly how to communicate ideas through speaking and writing, and that it’s a necessary skill for being a scientific leader,” she adds. Nikhil Joshi is RAHS’s math teacher. “I came to this school because there’s a theme, there’s a context. How I teach it in my classroom is left to me. I’m given the trust to do what I think is best,” says Joshi.

a project approachThere’s an intense focus on project-based learning, designed to represent authentic workplace challenges. Juniors and seniors use the school’s wind tunnel to design, build and test airfoils. Sophomores have an Airport Environmental Challenge based on a current issue at Sea-Tac Airport. And

“It’s fun, and empowering. When these adults take you seriously, it gives you confidence.”Sophia Cassam


apex experience Visit us at apex.aeroRoundtable

freshmen have to come up with a shock- and thermal-protection system for a chocolate bunny. The projects are iterative, with students first working solo, then as a team. They present their projects to their class, and then face a panel made up of industry experts. “They have to articulate and defend their learning to professionals. Occasionally, the students do so well that they’re told, ‘If you want a job, call me,’” says Kelly.In describing her presentation experiences, senior Sophia Cassam says, “It’s nerve-racking at first, but it’s fun, and empowering. When these adults take you seriously, it gives you confidence, and you can take yourself seriously.” Cassam’s team won her grade’s Airport Environmental Challenge project, which prompted her to apply for an internship with the Port of Seattle. “I’m hoping to go to Cal Poly to study environmental engineering, and I’d love to work at Sea-Tac,” she says.

going upAll of the students at RAHS get their own business cards, and learn important skills in Aviation Careers, a freshman course. “We talk about how to shake someone’s hand, and what it means to look someone in the eye. If they meet a VIP, we make sure they’re prepared with their ‘elevator speech,’ and can talk about themselves and their career and college plans,” says Joshi.

Freshman Sameer Romani’s ultimate goal is “to be an airline pilot, for Emirates.” Although Romani has only been at RAHS for a few months, he’s clear about what makes the school special: “Everybody here is so passionate. The experience we get puts us ahead of other students our age. I believe that our level of respect and maturity is at a higher standard than students at other high schools.” >

[CLOCKWISE from LEFT] A student inside the Computer Assisted Design (CAD) lab; View from the RAHS lunchroom, with the prototype Boeing 747 in the Museum of Flight Airpark; Students at work in the Robotics lab.


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team workRAHS doesn’t have a football team or a marching band, but it has a robotics team and an Ultimate Frisbee team. Students go to schools in their home district for required physical education credits, and the focus on aviation flows through to their weekends. “Instead of watching football, you’re at the end of the runway at Boeing Field, plane spotting,” says Romani. Students at RAHS are the first to admit that they “celebrate their geekiness.” Nikhil Joshi smiles and says, “They’re a delightful bunch – yah, they’re dorky, and they do goofy things.” Dorky or not, a remarkable 96 percent of

[ABOVE] Formulas on the wall in the Collaboration Station.[LEFT] Students show off the RAHS wind tunnel, with an airfoil section ready to test.

James Raisbeck modestly describes himself as a technologist. But one might be tempted to add innovator, engineer, entrepreneur, aerodynamicist and visionary.

Raisbeck has had a long and distinguished career in aeronautical engineering, from his first job with Boeing through to founding his own firm, Raisbeck Engineering. Giving back to the community is one of his key personal values, so Raisbeck and his wife, Sherry, established the philanthropic Raisbeck Foundation. The Foundation contributed generously to ensure the launch of RAHS.

How does he feel about having his name on the school? “I think it’s extremely important for kids who want to chase

technology for a living to know that a guy, who came close to flunking out of high school, can dig himself out of that hole and do something as an engineer and is able to have a high school named after him.”

“Truthfully, it’s been one of the best things that’s happened to me. To be at this age and to be respected by the kids, who have no reason to, except that they’re just great kids, is a godsend to me. All of that is a tremendous reward as the payoff for a lifetime of work,” says Raisbeck.

james raisbeck

last year’s graduating students went on to college or university.

As well as being recognized for superior academic standards, RAHS is also the first school chosen in the state’s Lighthouse Education Initiative. If all goes according to plan, RAHS may soon be a model for other schools using the contextual curriculum structure. In her new role as Lighthouse’s executive director, Reba Gilman is promoting the model to other school districts. “It doesn’t have to be aviation. It can be green technology or arts, or whatever works for a community. All can use the same practices,” says Gilman.

Read our Q&A with James Raisbeck > on page 80

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“The entertainment industry will continue

to be reshaped by innovations and digital

media outlets. ”

Airline Passenger Experience Association72 volume 5, edition 1


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W here do you see the entertainment industry headed in the next year?

The entertainment industry has already started to go through a transformation with the transition to digital media; however, it will continue to be reshaped by innovations and disruptive digital media outlets. This will in turn force more traditional forms of media to adapt themselves to changing consumer habits, which is another trend that will continue to impact and transform the media industry, with targeted and curated media growing in popularity.

Something that never ceases to amaze you in your industry?When I stepped into IFE, I was amazed by how friendly people are in this industry, and how supportive our business partners and clients have been over the years. These relationships are the cement of our business.

What’s the one item you can’t travel without?My credit card. I love to shop in exotic locations and my most exciting memories while traveling for business involve a visit to local malls and markets.

The career path you considered but never followed?I grew up convinced I would be a flight

attendant and once I turned 21, I applied to join an airline. I was turned down and immediately realized it was for the best.

Two things that you miss most about home when you’re traveling?My family and my cooking. I am not a fan of eating out for the sake of eating so I prefer taking a trip to the local supermarket and buying a few groceries.

Did you choose the airline industry or did it choose you?I started my career in entertainment working for an independent production and distribution company. I was not aware of the in-flight entertainment business until a friend of mine got a job at DMX and recommended me for a position. I was very excited about joining the IFE industry as I saw many opportunities to improve the airline content offering. Fifteen years later, I am still convinced I have the coolest job on the planet.

Musical instrument you wish you could play?The castanets. I have not said my last word and will take a class someday.

Luckiest moment of your life?Every day is a lucky day for me. I always seem to be in the right place at the right time.

Christelle Cuenca Vice-president, Content Programming & Acquisitions global eagle entertainment inc.

Cuenca started her career in iFe in 2000 at DmX and joined post modern group in 2007 to launch amp international, acquired by gee in 2013. During her 15 years in iFe, Christelle has managed video programming and operations for over 40 airline accounts.

To read Christelle’s full Q&A, please visit us online at > APex.Aero/ChristelleCuenCA

> Fast FactsFrequent

Flight: LAX-LHR

now wAtChing: The latest

French movies

YeArs in industrY:

15 years in IFE

the Future oF Flight will be:

Personalized


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blog.apex.aero/christellecuenca

Training for the TopAs technology evolves at a rapid pace, so too does the potential for jobs to be replaced by automated devices. We look at how organizations like IATA are preparing to educate employees for the future.

by Jordan Yerman

illustration Manuel Córdova

Read The Future of Employment report

> apex.aero/autoMation

Service personnelWaiters and waitresses are

extremely likely to be replaced by computerization in the coming years,

facing a 0.94 probability (with 1 being the most computerizable).

Hosts and hostesses, and restaurant, lounge and coffee shop staffers will

fare even slightly worse facing a 0.97 probability their jobs will

become automated.

Source: The Future of Employment

(IATA), a trade association representing over 240 airlines internationally. On the future of airline-industry job training, she says, “It is impossible to know what the future holds, but jobs are not necessarily phased out through automation, but evolve.” Remember how, in Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charlie’s father ends up rehired to service the robot that originally took his job? Such is the true path of automation, and it’s happening now: Leave the drudgery to machines, and the humanity to humans. Aubin says, “For example, as airlines have introduced automated check-in kiosks and even self-bag check, airport customer service staff have been freed up to come out from behind the counter to help passengers in need of special assistance.”

As the industry grows, evolves and automates, so too must the education of the people who operate and manage the world’s critical air-transportation systems. “The general trend for training is to make it more available, using advancements in technology and innovation,” says Aubin. >

I t’s been a hundred years since the first commercial flight, and much has changed

for airline industry employees. Far-flung corners of the world are now intimately connected, and technology is changing in a way that extends the air-travel experience well beyond the confines of the airport and the airplane cabin. All of this means that how we train our airline industry staff is also changing.

Mona Aubin is a spokesperson for the International Air Transport Association


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Follow us @theAPEXassoc Jobs

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the industry. As the aviation world becomes bigger, more complex, with wider scope for different business models, aviation professionals will increasingly face multiple tasks in different areas of the operation.” An individual employee’s skill set will become deeper instead of wider: “As the industry diversifies, new jobs will be created that will require a specific set of skills and competencies.” Competency – and, indeed, excellence – in these skills will have to be quantified, and a standard set accordingly.

IATA, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and similar organizations already assign professional designations from excellence in pharmaceutical cargo handling (to prevent World War Z) to travel agency accreditation (so Brad Pitt gets a direct flight to the premiere of World War Z). Aubin predicts more of these standards are on the horizon.

Automation and streamlining will also allow – or perhaps necessitate – the combining of once separate jobs.

Rohit Talwar, CEO of Fast Future, reckons flight attendants are better situated to handle customs and border security than >

Virtual AttendantsUshers, lobby attendants and ticket takers are already being usurped by self-service kiosks – a strong indication of the reliability of the 0.96 probability that these roles will become computerized in the future. We should see even more virtual attendants at check-in, security, and border control touchpoints.


“In the next five years we will see a lot more true long-distance training using mobile applications, social media, and a lot more virtual classroom environments where training is administered remotely.” And it’s game on, adds Aubin: “Training programs will evolve into more hands-on, entertaining training where new generations utilize the modern tools they have grown up with. The gamification of training programs is now a reality, and the trend will continue.” Without cheat codes, one presumes.

Meanwhile, some sectors of the industry are facing a skilled-worker shortage that has been held at bay by past travel-disrupting events like the global financial crisis, SARS and 9/11. Meeting that shortage is “issue number one, two and three.” So said Roger Cohen, president of the Regional Airline Association, at the 2014 IATA annual general meeting. Training that speaks the new generation’s language, says Aubin, becomes its own recruitment tool.

Channeling her industry insight, Aubin looks a bit further down the road: “Ten years from now, we envision an increase in the adoption of professional designations in


apex experience Visit us at apex.aeroJobs

content on the go

spafax.com

www.onair.aero

Sorters and Samplers Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers and weighers are up against a 0.98 probability that they’ll be replaced by computerization. This could affect baggage handling and tracking mechanisms, as well as security screening protocols.


the systems we currently use: “They’re in a better position to form intelligence about whether you’re a risk or not, because they see more of you than a customs officer. Now, that’s a radical piece of thinking for most people, but it would suddenly cut the cost of doing customs clearance quite dramatically.”

The horse has fled the barn, leapt into the air, and reached cruising altitude: Fully networked air travel is now a reality. There’s plenty of time during the trip from Singapore to San Francisco to figure out who might be a risk, and those edge cases can be interviewed in greater depth upon landing. Overall, Talwar believes that we’ll eventually let go of the redundancies in our customs and security processes. Such a major shift would radically impact training and certification.

A physically changing airport ultimately affects training, but the relationship between education and airport design goes even deeper: Training establishes best practices, and best practices inform how a space is laid out to accommodate the people who bring it to life. Meanwhile, airports are growing ever more complex and multifunctional. Wouldn’t you love to watch Tony Jannus, the first commercial pilot, try to navigate the halls of present-day labyrinthine hubs like Heathrow or Narita?

Airports are no longer just where you board an airplane, but integral parts of their urban and suburban environments – if not small cities unto themselves. Commercial revenue from beyond the actual movement of aircraft is now a given. This affects decision making about how an airport will look and feel, says Aubin. She diplomatically adds, “It’s fair to say that the level of engagement varies among projects.”

Training is part of a complex push-me-pull-you relationship that entangles everyone from airport maintenance crews to the local mayor. Aubin points out, “Airports are a long-term capital investment for a city or cities using the facilities. At different levels, depending on what area of the world we examine, a large number of relevant stakeholders will be involved in the Master Plan, including airport staff.” So, while airport employees’ voices may be part of the design process, they’re part of a very loud and somewhat disjointed chorus.

The very first commercial pilot would probably not recognize the modern air-travel industry, but groups like IATA are making sure that future employees will be ready for the changes tomorrow will bring.

The very first commercial pilot would probably not recognize the modern air-travel industry, but groups like IATA are making sure that future employees will be ready for the changes tomorrow will bring.


apex experience


Follow us @theAPEXassoc Jobs

“To me, the most consistent marvel is the astonishing

number of successful takeoffs and landings

per minute, 24 hours a day, seven days

a week. ”80 Airline Passenger Experience Associationvolume 5, edition 1


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W hat emerging technologies do you think have the most potential to

improve the airline passenger experience?Emerging Systems Technologies carry with them the parallel responsibility of Systems reliability. Most of us get visibly frustrated when our flights are delayed because one system or another won’t check out after we passengers are all onboard and waiting for the boarding door to close. The downstream effect this has on making connecting flights puts a certain edge to our worries. Our engineers would do well to pay attention to reliability as we go forward.

Second is the noise certain systems make when activated (e.g., when the gear goes down, the flaps are activated, etc.). Those who do not know these things think a wing has just fallen off.

What past technologies do you think most significantly improved the airline passenger experience? Without question, the jet engine and the swept wing. They came along about the same time, and both were required to fly high, fly fast and fly quietly (at least inside the cabin). I’m 78 and can still remember when the best place in a Connie or DC-7 was in the back, and it still was noisy. Gone are the engine run-up times before taking the active runway, the labored takeoff runs, silently waiting for the sound of an engine failure, and the laborious climbs to 24,000 feet.

Something that never ceases to amaze you in your industry? To me, the most consistent marvel is the astonishing number of successful takeoffs and landings per minute, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s truly a statistical miracle that we don’t have more serious incidents, especially when considering the mix of older technology passenger aircraft in service; speaks well for the pilots!

The scariest situation you’ve ever been in? In 1980, on final approach to Hartford in a DC-9, the pilots elected to brave an approach and landing through a very active front. We were mercilessly tossed about, pulling Gs and rolling up to 60 degrees or more. It was so bad we couldn’t taxi for 20 minutes after clearing the active runway… but, we lived through it.

What’s the achievement you’re most proud of? Probably the introduction of the first Supercritical Wing in business/commercial service, on the Sabreliner 65. We contracted with North American Rockwell to design, develop, flight-test, certify and manufacture these wings for the Sabreliner production line in El Segundo, California, and delivered all 75 shipsets to them successfully. We also did several retrofits to the existing fleet of Sabreliner 60 and 75 models.

James Raisbeck Founder and CEO Raisbeck engineering inc.

Raisbeck began his career in the aviation industry when he joined the air Force in 1954. he attended purdue University to pursue aeronautical engineering and mathematics, later joining boeing as a research aerodynamicist before founding Raisbeck engineering, where he is now chairman and ceo. he has received numerous awards and accolades for his contributions to the aviation industry.

To read James’ full Q&A, please visit us online at > apEx.aErO/jamEsraisbECk

> Fast Facts

NOw rEadiNg: When Paris Went Dark

iFE staNdby: News, sports,

NASCAR racing

yEars iN iNdustry:

53 (Boeing, Raisbeck)

thE FuturE OF Flight will bE: Unpredictable


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Engineering the Experience

We look back through 100 years of history within the aeronautics departments at the massachusetts institute of technology and the University of michigan, and forward to how these renowned

universities will educate future engineers of the passenger experience.

by Nicolás Rossel


apex experience Visit us at apex.aeroAeronautics

T he last few months of 2014 saw two of the most significant anniversaries

in American aviation history, but we’ll forgive you if you missed them. Both the University of Michigan (UM) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) celebrated the centennials of their respective pioneering aerospace programs, marking 100 years of aeronautical education in the United States. Academic celebrations generally consist of speeches, forums and panels, and both universities adhered to form, with the UM’s Aero100 Weekend in mid September followed a few weeks later by the MIT Aeronautics and Astronautics Centennial Symposium. Both events brought together some of the foremost minds in academics and the industry to talk about aviation’s future, and the education that will get us there.

Now, because great academic programs are grounded in history – and no strangers to rivalry – the first question that needed answering during this historic month was:

Who pioneered the study of aeronautical engineering in the United States?

There is little doubt that MIT holds court as the most influential aeronautics school in the country. Its formal history dates back to 1914, when 28-year-old Jerome Clarke Hunsaker gave what is commonly billed as “the nation’s first course in aeronautical engineering.” Though his initial stint at MIT was short – Hunsaker left in 1916 to head up the Aircraft Division at the Navy’s Bureau of Construction and Repair, and later served as assistant vice-president and engineer at Bell Labs and vice-president at Goodyear-Zeppelin – he returned in 1933 as head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and is widely considered one of the foremost thinkers in aeronautics.

Meanwhile, in Ann Arbor, the story of who was first is told differently. In 1964, professor Robert Weeks published a short history of UM’s pioneering aeronautics program entitled The First Fifty Years. In it, he tells the story of colorful Polish engineer

[LEFT] A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey aircraft in an MIT athletic field. The MIT Aeronautics Department has sponsored aircraft campus fly-ins since the 1930s.

[BELOW] Aerospace Day at the University of Michigan.

Felix Pawlowski – or “Pavvi” – who came to America hell-bent on advancing the field of aeronautical engineering. He reached out to 18 different universities with his ideas and received a few responses – among them MIT and Michigan – and only one offer of a teaching position. In addition to his 1914 class, Theory of Aviation, ’30s-era Ann Arbor was also treated to the sight of the mustachioed professor patrolling campus in his souped-up Model T and swimming the Barton Dam in a bright red bathing suit. >

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Jaime Peraire, current department head of the AeroAstro program at MIT, speaking in rival territory at the University of Michigan, quipped, “Just to dispel any confusion… you guys are the first undergraduate program. We’ll give you that; however, what happened in 1914 at MIT is that we had our first master’s program in aeronautics.” Peraire’s comments, made during a 2014 panel discussion entitled “Future of Aerospace Academics,” were a precursor to a much broader discussion – alongside Michigan’s Alec Gallimore, Earl Dowell of Duke University and Charbel Farhat of Stanford – covering a series of hot-button issues, including the rise of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and their role in aeronautical engineering, as well as a

discussion on the bearish tendencies of university research funding.

In a short time, MOOCs have become both magnets for institutional investment and lightning rods for heated debate among university administrators, educators and students. Speaking at MIT’s conference, Sanjay Sarma, the university’s director of Digital Learning, pointed to the 155,000 learners signed up for the very first edX course, a joint MIT and Harvard project that today offers courses such as Introduction to Aeronautical Engineering and Flight Vehicle Aerodynamics. Sarma points to the global reach of these programs, with over 2.5 million learners in 196 countries, and highlights the success story of Battushig Myanganbayar, a Mongolian teenager

now at MIT following his success in an engineering MOOC.

Now, while the picture is rosy and the technology is hot, universities and venture capitalists continue to pour billions of dollars into higher-ed tech projects. There are, however, cracks beginning to appear in the model and pointed questions being asked. Students (and parents) are wondering aloud: Why are we paying huge sums for educational content that is available for free online? Despite the lengthy presentations touting the MOOCs at both conferences, this very question was posed to a panel at MIT, and met with applause from a crowd of alumni. Meanwhile, university administrators are scrambling to make business sense of the new platforms, and educators point to the difficulties in transferring experiential learning online, particularly in fields as complex as aeronautical engineering. Gallimore holds that “because of global competition, [the industry] wants engineers who are, dare I say, shovel-ready,” and that the higher-education community at Michigan believes that this is best achieved through “engaged learning, hands-on experiential learning.” Some areas of study, like computer science, stand to make great strides with online >

“Because of global competition, the industry wants engineers who are, dare I say, shovel-ready.” Alec Gallimore, University of Michigan

Aboard NASA’s C-9 Reduced Gravity Research Program aircraft, MIT Professor Dava Newman performs the Man Vehicle Lab’s MICRO-G experiment, an investigation of zero gravity crew reactions.

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The approach to aeronautics engineering seems to leave the discussion of the passenger experience outside the classroom.

[BELOW] In 1953, a U.S. Air Force B-29 flew from Bedford, Massachusetts to Los Angeles guided by Charles Stark “Doc” Draper’s Space Inertial Reference Equipment, the forerunner of today’s autopilot systems.

[RIght] Professor Mark Drela and research scientist Alejandra Uranga prepare a model of the MIt-designed D-8 aircraft for testing in NASA’s Langley, Virginia wind tunnel. A 737-size commercial aircraft design, the D-8 has the potential of achieving a 70-percent reduction in fuel use compared to current aircraft.

for the next 20 years, not even matching inflation rates, according to Peraire. Given the bleak outlook, industry investment has begun to play a much more prominent role in funding research. Peraire pointed at some MIt departments that are currently receiving funding support of 20-25 percent from industry, up from 10 percent just a few years ago. there is a balancing act that needs to happen, believes Peraire, so that industry doesn’t turn to universities as a means of bringing down their own cost of research. But according to gallimore, there is no doubt that “the opportunity is industry.” Pointing to another potential opportunity, Stanford’s

learning, but application to fields such as medicine and aeronautical engineering isn’t so clear-cut.

Despite the uncertainty shrouding the way forward, there is, in many, a sense that the MOOCs are here to stay. “I think the change that is happening is somewhat irreversible … and it is going to have an impact on the way that we educate in campuses, and on the way that people learn,” says Peraire. But beyond the campus effect, the broader impact is on “the hundreds of thousands of people out there who don’t have access to information [and] education.”

Back on campus, the panelists found themselves at a difficult crossroads regarding the future of research funding. Federal funding, long the lifeblood of university research, has dropped by five to seven percent and is projected to stay flat

Farhat noted that private donors “have the opportunity to contribute on some scale that is noticeable at the scale of government [funding]; and that is probably part of the solution … if this country wants to stay where it is and keep its leading edge.”

Strikingly, it wasn’t during the education panels that the issue of passenger experience came up. Despite a growing tendency towards multidisciplinary modes of education, the hyper-focused approach to aeronautics engineering seems to leave discussion of the passenger experience outside the classroom. It was during an MIt panel entitled “the Future of Air

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MIT graduate student Tony Tao holds a Locust, a tiny unmanned aerial vehicle that was designed and built for the U.S. Air Force by Aeronautics and Astronautics Department undergraduates.

Transportation” that a savvy audience member and alum asked, “Who is it that is responsible for that total experience in terms of the educational system, and if the answer is nobody, how can we expect to see an integrated, systemic change in the passenger experience?”

The question is no doubt complex: The technical challenges of the aircraft are daunting, the technology is in constant flux, who has time for experience? Or perhaps the view is that in terms of experience, the scope of engineering is limited to comfort. Certainly, Recaro engineers should be celebrated for winning the German Design

Award 2015 for their CL6710 business seat, an award announced fours days after the MIT conference. So, the question remains, how are the premier educational institutions looking at passenger experience?

William Litant, director of communications at MIT’s AeroAstro program, explains that in 1997 the program completely rethought its approach to an engineering education, “creating a syllabus for engineering education that’s now in place in over 100 universities around the world.” The CDIO Initiative (Conceive, Design, Implement, Operate) was born in Cambridge and has looked to return engineers to the “hands-on” approach to learning.

Speaking at the panel, R. John Hansman, director of the International Center for Air Transportation at MIT, highlighted a “holistic class on airline management that attempts to look at all of the aspects” of the passenger experience. He also mentioned a recent initiative at the university, Transportation@MIT, which takes a multidisciplinary approach to the major transportation issues of the future, particularly in terms of sustainability. He

points at MIT and UCal Berkeley as the leaders in this kind of thinking, but concedes that systematic adjustments will take time. Echoing a discussion his colleagues made in Ann Arbor, he underlines that “it’s often hard to get people to fund research that is cross-modal.”

With IATA projecting 16 billion passengers aboard flights in 2050, it seems that passenger experience should be understood beyond comfort, and not solely as a management issue… it needs engineering.

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Poised for SuccessLuxury travelers appreciate an all-knowing Jeeves

to anticipate their needs and a merry Mary Poppins to entertain the kids, so airlines are seeking out

specialized training programs to ensure their cabin crew etiquette is up to par.

by Marisa Garcia | illustration María Corte


apex experience


Follow us @theAPEXassoc Training

T o meet higher expectations of travelers, Etihad Airways has

incorporated best practices of hospitality in its cabin service, through collaboration with specialists in the field.

Butlers in Etihad’s The Residence – their on-board three-room suites – undergo a three-week training program in London to prepare for their roles. Two weeks at the London School of Hospitality and Tourism, University of West London, cover the basic principles of high-end hospitality. One week of on-the-job butler training follows, during which the cabin crew works side by side with the Savoy Hotel’s own world-renowned butlers.

This training, Etihad explains, covers “all areas essential to catering to the personal tastes of guests staying in The Residence,” including “international protocol and etiquette, VIP guest care, valet skills, luxury food and wine service standards and organizing travel arrangements.”

Aubrey Tiedt, Etihad Airways vice-president of Guest Services, explains in a statement that the butler program aims to help the airline “provide levels of discretion, dedication and sophistication hitherto not experienced by the modern airline traveler.”

Etihad’s Flying Nanny service is not limited to The Residence. The popular service, available to all passengers, is provided by dedicated cabin crew who undergo a specialized training course conducted through collaboration with the world-renowned Norland College. Flying Nannies receive the same core safety and service training as their colleagues, with specialized training on the principles of family and childcare. The customized course educates Flying Nannies on children’s developmental stages and the different types of behavior, to better understand the travel experience from the child’s perspective and adapt to the needs of families traveling together.

We asked the head butler at The International Butler Academy to quiz us on our corporate etiquette prowess and social business skills.

Answers on following page.

How Sharp Is Your Business Etiquette?

These are service standards the ultra-premium passenger receives on other forms of transport. Jeff Solomon, founder of CruiseCX.com and an expert consultant and advisor to the maritime and aviation industries, explains that high-end cruise lines have similar training partnerships.

“Silversea butlers receive training from The Guild of Professional English Butlers,” he tells us. “Viking and Azamara use Warsash Superyacht Academy. Most of the mass-market companies will typically hire head butlers (with impressive training and experience) and it is then up to this person to manage the butler program on his or her assigned fleet.”

This high-end service is critical to the brand image of these cruise companies, Solomon says. “The cruise industry has built its reputation on service and pampering. Butler and concierge services (and similar) take this to the next level.” >

question 1

You are entering a cab with a client. You position yourself so the client is seated curbside. Is this correct?

question 2

You are at a table in a restaurant for a business dinner. Midway through the meal, you’re called to the telephone. The other members of the dinner party are aware that an urgent call was possible. After excusing yourself, what do you do with your napkin?A. Take it with you.B. Fold it and place it to the left of your plate.C. Loosely fold it and place it on the chair seat as you depart.D. Loosely fold it and leave it on the armrest of your chair (or the back, if there is no armrest).

question 3

You are at a dinner and champagne is served with the dessert. You simply cannot drink champagne, yet know the host will be offering a toast. You should:A. Tell the waiter “No champagne, thank you.”B. Turn over your glass.C. Say nothing and allow the champagne to be poured.D. Ask the waiter to pour water into your champagne glass instead.

question 4

You are hosting a dinner party at a restaurant, and have invited three other couples, including your most valuable client and his wife. You instruct the waiter to:A. Serve your spouse first.B. Serve your client’s spouse first.C. Serve you first.D. Serve you and your spouse last.

question 5

You are introduced to a new colleague. Which sentence is clearly wrong?A. Hello, I have heard so much about you.B. How do you do?C. It is a pleasure to meet you.D. Hello, how are you?

question 6

You have forgotten a lunch with a business associate. You feel terrible and know he is furious. You should:A. Write a letter of apology.B. Send flowers.C. Keep quiet and hope he forgets about it.D. Call and set up another appointment.

question 7

At a social function, you meet the CEO of an important corporation. After a brief chat, you give him your business card. Is this correct?

question 8

Your boss, Ms. Alpha, enters the room when you’re meeting with an important client, Mr. Beta. You rise and say “Ms. Alpha, I’d like you to meet Mr. Beta, our client from San Diego.” Is this introduction correct?


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Seven-star hospitality giant Jumeirah Group recruits butlers from the best academies, who, in turn, train the Jumeirah butlers in-house. The company also offers its own butler courses at its Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management. Professional butlers, with enviable resumes, conduct special training sessions at the academy.

The values represented by Jeeves and Mary Poppins go beyond mere dutifulness, however, to the graceful and poised manner in which the duties are performed. A polished bearing is an essential foundation of high-end hospitality.

JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts has found a unique way of ensuring that their staff possess a graceful demeanor by collaborating with the Joffrey Ballet. The “Poise and Grace” video series of training tutorials, led by Ashley Wheater, artistic director of the Joffrey, aims to inspire Marriott staff to put their best foot forward during their pas de deux with hotel guests.

Steve Conklin, director of Sales and Marketing at the JW Marriott Chicago describes the new training in a statement: “When you think of poise and grace, the perfect metaphor is ballet. It’s an easy association for the team. The exercises, which include everything from practicing flow of movement through an obstacle course of tight spaces to noticing eye and heart placement when making a connection with the guest, have truly helped our associates to carry themselves with confidence and deliver a superior level of service to our guests.”

“Poise and posture are globally recognized cultural cues that reflect the care and dedication our associates provide in every service interaction,” states Mitzi Gaskins, vice-president and global brand manager of JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts.

The videos form part of what the JW Marriott describes as a “Daily Rehearsal – a team stand-up meeting where associates focus on JW Marriott’s unique service

culture and discuss the business of the day.” Associates can view the videos one on one, in a group setting, during a hotel-wide meeting – or even via Orchestr8, an in-house social-media app where associates share their guest experiences online.

For Singapore Airlines, cabin crews are key brand ambassadors, and their Singapore Girl represents a long-standing icon of poise, grace and service. To ensure consistent service and presentation, SIA conducts a comprehensive 15-week program for trainees.

“SIA’s Cabin Crew Readiness Program is currently one of the most extensive and rigorous cabin crew training programs in the airline industry,” a SIA spokesperson says. “Cabin crew trainees undergo customized classroom and on-the-job training, which includes modules on social etiquette and deportment, personal grooming, passenger handling skills, meal service procedures and food knowledge, language and communication, fleet training, as well as safety, security and first-aid procedures. Carrying out community work and exposure to different cultures during training are also valuable experiences that prepare SIA’s cabin crewmembers to cater to the international profile of the airline’s customers and equips them with the skills to handle customers with special needs.”

In its many forms, hospitality, by definition, is about being hospitable: attentive and generous to guests and strangers alike. All travelers, regardless of cabin class, appreciate a warm welcome and relief from the stress of their journey.

“When you think of poise and grace, the perfect metaphor is ballet.”Steve Conklin

Answer Key

q1

Yes. When disembarking from the cab, the client is leaving on the “safe side” and so does not have to negotiate traffic or awkwardly slide across the seat.

q2

D is the correct answer. Putting the napkin on the table only occurs at the end of the meal. Putting the napkin on the chair seat is putting it where you sit. Taking it with you just is not done.

q3 C is the correct answer. The other possibilities draw undue attention to you. Allow the champagne to be poured, raise your glass to acknowledge the toast but do not sip. By the way, “clinking” glasses is inappropriate. Instead, raise the glass slightly and make eye contact with the rest of the party.

q4

B and/or D are correct. You, as host, should be served last. Serving the spouse

of the client first is both courteous and gracious.

q5

A is clearly wrong. Gossip is not acceptable and this response suggests that you have been talking. It will leave the new colleague wondering what was said.

q6

D is the correct answer. Call as soon as possible to make the new appointment. Begin the conversation with a sincere apology.

q7

No, this is not correct. Unless the CEO asks specifically for your business

card, it looks like you are trying to “score” a quick, high-powered contact. Likewise, it is incorrect to ask for the business card of the CEO. It is a social event, not a business meeting where exchanging cards might be appropriate.

q8

The correct way is this: “Mr. Beta, may I introduce Ms. Alpha” or “Mr. Beta, may I introduce to you Ms. Alpha.” In this case the client is introduced, or somebody is introduced to him. The client is the most important person. People are introduced to the client, not the other way around.


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BRINGING AIRLINES TOGETHER WITH TV, MOVIES, GAMES, GUIS AND APPSFORMERLY TV MARKET CONFERENCE

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The new math…

forInteractive ‘Geotainment’ moving map

www.flightpath3d.com

A Moveable Teach What do traveling and learning have to do

with each other? During her undergraduate studies, Katie Sehl decided to find out.

by Katie Sehl | illustration Óscar Chávez


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Follow us @theAPEXassoc Travelogue

www.erosnow.com

K eener that I was, I would always get to my Twentieth-Century American

Literature class early. In the hallway outside the lecture room, I’d occupy myself by reading the often boring announcements posted on a bulletin board. One day, several glossy flyers were pinned to the board for the taking, one of them spread fully open, showcasing course offerings for the University of Toronto’s Summer Abroad program. I snatched one down reflexively, and have kept it to this day.

A flight to a mysterious country – all of them were mysterious to me, at 22, I hadn’t been anywhere outside North America – was something I never thought I’d have access to, but this Summer Abroad flyer was my ticket. Peeling it open, I luxuriated in imagining myself “studying” in each of the programs. Getting my hands dirty learning archeology field methods in the desert of Huaca Colorada, Peru. Summering in Tuscany, the birthplace of the Italian language, learning

important phrases like: Sì, mi piacerebbe un po ‘di vino. But as an English major, practicality made me gravitate towards the program’s lone English credit: a British literature course in Oxford, England.

I tucked the flyer into my notebook as the professor arrived, but during the class my mind was wandering. Partway through the term, we’d already plunged headlong into The Norton Anthology of Modern and Contemporary Poetry, tumbled through Willa Cather’s portrait of A Lost Lady in a small Western town in the 1920s, and been introduced to the Harlem Renaissance by the powerful voices of Toni Morrison and Nella Larsen’s haunting characters. Now, American expatriates like Gertrude Stein and Ernest Hemingway were bringing us to Paris in the 1920s, and I wanted to go there, too. England wasn’t calling me anymore.

After devouring our next assignment, Hemingway’s Paris-based novel A Moveable Feast, in a single, gluttonous sitting, it was

decided: I would be going to Paris. Well, not exactly. I would be going to Tours, a medieval city in central France where the Summer Abroad program was offering French courses. Or, as I saw it, a place that was only a short train ride away from Paris. Practicality be damned.

a higher education But practicality is a huge element of study-abroad programs. The cost for two university courses, a round-trip flight accommodations for a lengthy stay, though not cheap, was surprisingly affordable. Had I planned to go to France (or anywhere) without the added goal of earning a few university credits, it probably would have cost just as much – but, quite frankly, I would have had a harder time justifying it in the midst of my degree.

Record numbers of students are embarking on study-abroad programs around the world. In 2012 the International Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development reported that the number of international students worldwide rose from 800,000 in 1975 to 3.7 million by 2009. And UNESCO’s Institute for Statistics reports that the number of students studying abroad will continue to increase by 12 percent each year. In the past 13 years, more than 1,200 students have participated in the University of Toronto’s Summer Abroad Program in Tours, France, that I signed up for. >

I luxuriated in imagining myself

“studying” in each of the Summer

Abroad programs.Airline Passenger Experience Association

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Follow us @theAPEXassoc Travelogue

A considerable percentage of our younger generation are making their first flight, or their first flight alone, as students. I had flown before with my family, doddling mindlessly behind my parents through check-in and security – probably causing them much grief. But Flight AF353 from Toronto Pearson International Airport to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport was different. This flight ushered me into a higher form of education and, since then, flying and learning have been inextricably tied.

french lessons On the flight to Paris, I pored over Hemingway’s book again, marking the places I intended to visit, the experiences I intended to have. He launched into a passionate defense of one of France’s greatest pastimes, explaining: “Drinking wine was not a snobbism nor a sign of sophistication nor a cult; it was as natural as eating and to me as necessary …” as the meal-service cart came round, the flight attendant offering me a warm baguette and a tiny bottle of red wine. If this was a lesson in French culture, I liked learning it.

In class at the Institut d’études françaises de Touraine, I worked on my French. The courses were divided into two sections: a labo where we all wore headphones and recited French passages into a microphone, and classroom-based lessons and discussions. The labos terrified me.

Periodically, while reciting a script I was barely at the point of comprehending, Madame Mariage would tap in and silently listen. Without warning, her voice would crackle through my headphones: “Non! Répétez!” At one point, we had to spell our names out, letter by letter, in front of the other students. “Kah,” I started. “Non!” Was I mispronouncing the “K”? Turns out, Madame Mariage was convinced I should be spelling my name with a “C.”

In the classroom, Monsieur Bollo taught me the most indispensable French phrase I’ve ever learned: “Comment on dit…?” or “How do you say… [blank]?” He probably regretted it after I put the phrase into high rotation, but for me it was a password – a phrase that would help me unlock more words, a ticket that would bring me to more places. I would spend every weekend in Paris, testing it out. How did I like Paris? “Comment on dit ‘ineffable,’ en français?”

I was one of four Canadians in my classroom of about 15. There was an American woman, two men from Qatar, a woman from Switzerland and other fellow students who contributed to making French lessons an international affair. One of the more humbling lessons I learned in this classroom was how readily I took English for granted: It was the common language in the classroom, despite it being the second language for most. I thought I was so worldly, going to France to learn a second language, but really, I had a lot more to learn.

Heading home, I opened Hemingway’s book once more, each word now weighted with the new meaning I brought to it. One passage especially moved me: “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man [or woman!], then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.”

A considerable percentage of our younger generation are making their first flight as students.


apex experience Visit us at apex.aeroTravelogue

A History of the World in 100 Objects Neil MacGregor

Following the success of the BBC radio show, the book became a bestseller, appreciated for its concise and insightful explanation of both historical and modern objects. It’s a great kitchen-table standby for occasions where you just have a few minutes of reading time and wouldn’t mind feeding your brain as well.

> Terri’s Pick

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity David Allen

Productivity guru David Allen has reached cult status among professionals around the world. This is the book that started it all. I have tried to implement his simple, yet effective system but my education on it is still very much incomplete.

> Al’s Pick

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking Malcolm Gladwell

I might categorize this book as “self-help” since it explores the human tendency to make snap judgments and looks at how we can utilize our power of “rapid cognition” to make better life decisions. As a psychology major (and someone who tends to overanalyze), I found the insights from this read truly influential.

> Jessica’s Pick

A Moveable FeastErnest Hemingway

One of Hemingway’s more tender novels, imbued with nostalgia, A Moveable Feast has indeed moved me in many ways – to tears, to travel and to read, over and over. A great companion for any journey, filled with quirky historical anecdotes.

> Katie’s Pick

Editors’ Reading List Read our extra picks at

> APEX.AERO/BOOKS



volume 5, edition 1

Reading List

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JamesPEDs!

CaitlinSEATs!

BenpramarGUIs!

At APEXvibrant debate about

the passenger experienceis always on the table

connect learn & create togetherA I R L I N E PA S S E N G E R E X P E R I E N C E A S S O C I A T I O N

TO JOIN VISIT APEX.AERO

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UpcomingAPEX Events

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apex tec conference 12-13 May universal city, ca usa#apeXtec

apex / ifsa expo 28 Sept. - 1 Oct. portland, or usa#apeXifsaeXpo

apex asia conference Novembersingapore#apeXasia

apex tec conference 17-18 Novembernewport Beach, ca usa#apeXtec

apex / ifsa expo24-27 October, 2016singapore#apeXifsaeXpo

eXpo Dates:

2017 – Long Beach, CA USA 25-28 September

2018 – Boston, MA USA 24-27 September

next up: The Technology Issue2015: volume 5, edition 2

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Our technology issue will examine the latest trends out of the Consumer Electronics Show that pertain to aviation, the latest gadgets that crewmembers are using to manage passengers and the cabin environment, a roundtable on social media and an exclusive tour of the Honeywell facility in Phoenix, AZ. You’ll also find a preview of the 2015 APEX MultiMedia Market in Prague, Czech Republic, and an update on closed captioning within your member pages.

tweeting from one of our upcoming events? Be sure to use the designated hashtag so other members can join the conversation!

For the most up-to-date event

calendar visit > apex.aero

apex middle east conference 24-25 March abu Dhabi, uae#apeXuae

apex multimedia market 20-22 April prague, czech republic#apeXmarket

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APEX Heads to Abu Dhabi for APEX Middle East Conference in MarchThe list of successful APEX Regional Conferences continues to grow. After a hugely popular event in Australia last March and APEX’s second venture into Asia in November, the association continues its intercontinental trek with the APEX Middle East Conference, 24-25 March in Abu Dhabi.

Registration for APEX Middle East is now open. Read on for more information about what promises to be one of our most riveting Regional Conferences yet.

Read more about APEX Middle East at

> APEX.AERO

why should you attend?

An Up-close Look: In addition to being on the ground in one of the most fascinating regions of the world, APEX Middle East attendees will be treated to a tour of Etihad Airways’ Innovation Centre. This is an opportunity you don’t want to miss.

Connect: APEX Regional Conferences are famous for their invaluable networking

opportunities. Regional Conferences attract the top names in the industry and put you in direct touch with key decision makers.

Learn: The educational programming of APEX Regional Conferences is unmatched, and APEX Middle East is no exception. Among the most highly anticipated sessions in Abu Dhabi will be Arabic content licensing and audio licensing (performance rights issues)

panels and a wide range of topics specific to the Middle East. This is your chance to get an in-depth look at a region that routinely sets the standard in the passenger experience.

World-class Speakers: APEX Regional Conferences are a major industry draw partly because of our high-caliber speakers. In Abu Dhabi, hear from high-level passenger experience experts.

what do you need to know?

> when: 24-25 March > where: Hyatt Capital Gate Hotel

> registration: Opens in February at apex.aero

For more information on this event, e-mail [email protected] or contact Lauren Beneri, APEX director of Programs and Services, at

[email protected]


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The Time to Plan for the Condensed Passenger Choice Awards Schedule Is Nowthe 2015 Passenger Choice Awards cycle – this year open in may and June – is just around the corner, and the time to start scheduling your airline’s promotions is now!

what’s new this year?A notable change to this year’s program is a smaller voting window. Unlike previous awards cycles, this one has been condensed to two months. The program aims to help each airline better focus its promotional efforts and to give all airlines – big and small – a shot at earning bragging rights. Going forward, the window for completing surveys will occur during the two months leading into the summer.

While the schedule will change, the benefits to airlines will not. Participating airlines will continue to receive invaluable passenger data and comments.

what to do now?Airlines should begin ramping up promotions now so that their passengers know where to go when the voting period opens. While passengers may rate their entire flight experience during the months of May and June only, they may rate their experience based on any flight since July 2014. The online survey is available at passengerchoiceawards.com.

To help airlines promote the awards program to their passengers, APEX has made available print and digital advertising (at apex.aero) as well as general messaging. Ads are available in 13 languages.

The association encourages airlines to use that collateral however they choose and to reach out to APEX staff at [email protected] with any requests or recommendations.

The Passenger Choice Awards were created by APEX in 2010 to give passengers a direct way to communicate with airlines and to give the passenger experience industry a better idea of what’s working and what isn’t. Categories cover the ground experience, cabin comfort, entertainment options, connectivity and general services. Winners are honored yearly at the APEX Awards Ceremony at EXPO – this year to be held in Portland, Oregon.

gulf Air takes home the 2014 John White Publication Award.



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Committee Highlight: Events & EXPO

APEX events are known around the world for bringing together the best and brightest in the industry to network, learn and showcase members’ products and services. The opportunities to connect and do business are unmatched, and for good reason. The APEX Events & EXPO Committee works tirelessly to secure convenient global locations and create events that attract global industry decision makers. As a result, APEX members – regardless of location – are able to shape the future of the passenger experience. Here is a look at what the Events & EXPO Committee does to bring events to every part of the world.

Read more about the Event Committee at

> APEX.AERO

objectivesThe Events & EXPO Committee meets regularly to bring members quality events. The group’s key objectives include:

> Organizing APEX’s flagship event, APEX/IFSA EXPO, including securing venues and organizing all social functions, menus and entertainment> Securing locations for APEX Regional Conferences and ensuring that all events are supportive of APEX’s stated strategic goals and objectives and are meeting the needs of members and the marketplace> Improving airline participation at APEX events to add value to all members> Establishing partnerships with related organizations to achieve goals and objectives

membersThe Events & EXPO Committee is made up of a team of industry professionals representing multiple sectors.

Co-chairs: > Jennifer Clark, Global Eagle Entertainment (Connectivity) > Dominic Green, Thales> John Courtright, SIE> Rowena Falcinella, Panasonic Avionics Corporation> Marcus Gonzales, Interact> Kate Groth, Global Eagle Entertainment> Betsy Hamlin, Cinesky Pictures> Staff Liaison: Kirsten Arthur, CMP


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On day one of the conference in Newport Beach, CA, APEX techies heard the latest on the integration of closed captions for sensory-impaired passengers, updates in satellite connectivity and keynote speaker Patrick Préfontaine, vice-president of Strategic Partnerships, Global Eagle Entertainment, provided members with an overview of the current state of wireless IFE.

Highlights from day two of the conference included a review from Michael Childers, APEX Technical Committee Chair and Board Member, on APEX’s accomplishments regarding the implementation of closed captioning in IFE systems and a session from Michael Planey, co-founder, HMPlaney Consultants, as he moderated the discussion about the “chip-and-PIN technology” shift and the steps APEX is taking to address the impact on the industry.

Day two also brought APEX Media’s “APEX is Social: Taking the B2B Conversation to Twitter” presentation, an interactive session that educated members on how to leverage social media tools for B2B relations success. The conference wrapped up with a discussion led by APEX technical director, Bryan Rusenko on future technical trends.

As always, members can access APEX TEC presentation slides online at apex.aero in the members-only section.

APEX Technology ConferenceThe final APEX TEC conference of 2014 involved discussions on chip-and-PIN technology, conversations on social media, an update on closed captioning developments and much more.

[TOP] Patrick Préfontaine of Global Eagle Entertainment updated attendees on the latest in wireless IFE.[LEFT] Ada Juristovski of Hootsuite shared common social media misconceptions, and introduced tools that can help members manage their online presence.

Read more about upcoming events at

> APEX.AERO

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IFSA

Nearly two years ago, the International Flight Services Association’s Ideation Task Force began with the purpose of expanding our organization’s scope beyond that of food and beverages by finding new ways to integrate other elements of the on-board customer experience. As chairperson, I’m very proud to say that we’ve come a long way since then and I’m excited to share our vision of IFSA in 2015.

This year, we will continue to generate new ideas for the betterment of the IFSA organization as a whole. This includes expanding the membership to encompass innovative service and technology providers. For those of you who attended the 2014 IFSA Annual Conference & EXPO, you saw the first step in this endeavor: The Onboard Innovation Pavilion. It was a successful addition to the EXPO and it will be an even more impressive feature at the 2015 EXPO in Portland this September.

Continuing on the theme of innovation, we also have made it our mission to attract the next generation of the on-board services industry. We are actively planning to attract more members at a junior

and mid-level and to inspire them to be engaged with the organization. An example of this is our new global initiative, the IFSA Mentorship Program, which we hope you will share with your colleagues.

However, the most important part of IFSA is our commitment to providing additional benefits and value to our membership. To that end, we will be doing the following in 2015:

> Creating new networking opportunities to encourage interaction beyond the conference

> Looking to offer additional sponsorship options for the IFSA conference to create value and possibly generate revenues

> Making reliable, valuable and trustworthy resources available to our members.

> Enabling members to connect with and support each other with our new membership directory and forums of discussion via the relaunch of www.ifsanet.com

> Helping integrate new members to the IFSA community

> Continuing our support of the IFSA Foundation

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I want to thank our Ideation Task Force members for all their hard work to make this all possible. It’s going to be a very exciting year for IFSA and we look forward to providing our members with the best experiences and value possible, while helping to take the on-board services industry into the future.

Sincerely,

> Celine GordonPresident

IFSA Ideation Task Force Chairperson

IFSAPresident’s Letter



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IFSA Foundation: 2015 Scholarship Award Sponsorship Opportunities The International Flight Services Association Foundation is proud to globally offer multiple scholarships to help exceptional students and current on-board services professionals further their education.

In 2014, through generous donations, the IFSA Foundation administered over $60,000 in scholarship awards. Thank you again to our 2014 sponsors.

In 2015, we are asking that our members help us increase our awards by $40,000 so more scholarships can be awarded. Together we can make 2015 our biggest and best year yet. The Foundation Scholarships cover tuition, books, living expenses and associated costs with college. Your sponsorship helps relieve the financial obstacles that current and returning students face in pursuit of higher education. More importantly, it supports the future leaders of the on-board services industry. If you or your company would like to become a 2015 IFSA Scholarship Award Sponsor, please contact Hope Felshaw at [email protected] or T 1 678 303 3019.

The IFSA Mentorship Program is a new initiative, designed to bring experienced members of the on-board services industry together with junior members who are interested in further career development.

Please look within your organization and encourage your highly motivated professionals (five years or less of experience) to submit their enrollment form at www.ifsanet.com.

The current mentors are: Peter Wilander Former Managing Director, IFS Onboard Services, Delta

Sandra Pineau-Boddison Senior VP, United Express

Heinz Naef President, Gourmet Foods

MaryAnn Dowd Senior Manager, Regulatory Compliance, United Airlines

Richard Tuttle Managing Partner/CE, RMT Global Partners

Tim Baldwin Senior Manager of Catering, Express Jet Paolo Zambrano Regional Executive Chef/Asia Pacific, Gate Gourmet

Denise Poole Chief Executive Officer, AMI Inflight Inc.

Ayong McWhorter VP of Operations, En Route

Alejandra Almonte Division General Counsel, North America & Latin America, gategroup Airline Solutions

On-board Service Industry Mentees Wanted

We are looking for high performers of the in-flight services industry to apply to the mentee program, as they will be paired with a senior professional. This is a global initiative that is open to employees of IFSA members.

This is a great opportunity for junior members to gain valuable career guidance and a framework for career planning through a four-month one-on-one partnership with a seasoned professional.

Through a selection process, IFSA will match qualified mentors with deserving mentees who are looking for development in an area that matches the experience of the mentor.

Questions? Contact Hope Felshaw at T 1 678 303 3019 or [email protected]

About IFSA’s Mentorship Program


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w American Sniper Director: Clint Eastwood Cast: Bradley Cooper, Cory Hardrict, Navid Negahban, Eric Close, Eric Ladin, Rey Gallegos

An astonishing autobiography of SEAL Chief Chris Kyle, who was a record-holding sniper in US military history. Kyle had more than 150 officially confirmed kills (the previous American record was 109), though the Pentagon has not made his full career total public.

DistRiButoR: WaRNER BRos. ContaCt: Jeff Crawford

* Black Sea Director: Kevin Macdonald Cast: Jude Law, scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn, David threlfall, Grigoriy Dobrygin, Jodie Whittaker

Outside a submarine thousands of leagues under the sea lies a dark, cold death. Inside the sub is a crew on a mission that could salvage their lives. Mining full-speed-ahead tension from a fathoms-deep treasure hunt, Black Sea is a suspenseful adventure thriller.

DistRiButoR: soNy PiCtuREs RELEasiNG ContaCt: rana Matthes

* DoMiNiCaN REPuBLiC, EastERN EuRoPE, EuRoPE/GERMaN, LatiN aMERiCa, LuxEMBouRG, sCaNDiNavia, ExCLuDiNG FRENCH GuiaNa, iCELaND, suRiNaM, u.s.s.R. (FoRMER)

w Big Hero 6 Directors: Don Hall, Chris Williams Cast: Ryan Potter, scott adsit, Jamie Chung, Damon Wayans, Jr., t. J. Miller, Maya Rudolph

This action-packed comedy-adventure follows robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada, who harnesses his genius with the help of his brilliant brother and their friends. When they are catapulted into a dangerous plot, Hiro turns to his robot companion and transforms the group into a band of high-tech heroes.

DistRiButoR: DisNEy stuDios NoN-tHEatRiCaL ContaCt: ruth walker

i Black or White Director: Mike Binder Cast: Kevin Costner, octavia spencer, Jennifer Ehle, anthony Mackie, Gillian Jacobs

Elliot has raised his granddaughter Eloise since his daughter died in childbirth, but his world is turned upside-down when the child’s grandmother demands that Eloise be brought under the care of her father Reggie, a drug addict.

DistRiButoR: ENtERtaiNMENt iN MotioN ContaCt: Bill Grant

Coming AttractionsWhat to look for in the months ahead

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apex experience Visit us at apex.aeroife

DISTRIBUTION RIghTS cODeS N: North AmEricA I: outsidE North AmEricA W: WorldWidE

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w Cape Nostalgia Director: Izuru Narushima Cast: Sayuri Yoshinaga, Hiroshi Abe, Yuko Takeuchi, Tsurube Shofukutei

An elderly woman named Etsuko runs a café, serving delicious coffee and selecting music for the guests. People with personal problems are somehow attracted to the café. By meeting Etsuko, their lives begin to change.

DISTrIbuTor: EmpHASIS VIDEo ENTErTAINmENT LImITED ContaCt: GraCe Lau

* ExCLuDINg jApAN

w Chappie Director: Neill blomkamp Cast: Sharlto Copley, Dev patel, Ninja, Yo-Landi Vi$$er, jose pablo Cantillo, Sigourney Weaver, Hugh jackman

Every child comes into the world full of promise, none more so than Chappie. Like any child, Chappie will come under the influence of his surroundings – some good, some bad – and will rely on his heart and soul to find his way. But there’s one thing that makes Chappie different from anyone else: He is a robot.

DISTrIbuTor: SoNY pICTurES rELEASINg ContaCt: rana Matthes

n Clouds of Sils Maria Director: olivier Assayas Cast: juliette binoche, Kristen Stewart, Chloë grace moretz

At the peak of her international career, Maria Enders is asked to perform in a revival of the play that made her famous 20 years ago, this time as the older character. When a young Hollywood starlet is to take on the younger role, Maria finds herself on the other side of the mirror.

DISTrIbuTor: TErrY STEINEr INTErNATIoNAL ContaCt: nadja rutkowski

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* Coming Home Director: Zhang Yimou Cast: gong Li, Chen Daoming, Zhang Huiwen

A devoted couple, Lu and Feng, are forced to separate when Lu is arrested and sent to a labor camp as a political prisoner, just as his wife is injured in an accident. Released during the last days of the revolution, he returns home only to find that his beloved wife has amnesia.

DISTrIbuTor: SoNY pICTurES rELEASINg ContaCt: rana Matthes

* AuSTrALIA, CArIbbEAN ISLANDS, LATIN AmErICA, NEW CALEDoNIA, NEW ZEALAND, uS; ExCLuDINg NEW ZEALAND ADj ISLANDS, ST. mArTIN

Airline Passenger Experience Association 111

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DISTRIBUTION RIghTS cODeS N: North america I: outside North america W: WorldWide

Follow us @theaPeXassoc

volume 5, edition 1

w Electric Slide Director: Tristan Patterson Cast: Jim Sturgess, Isabel Lucas, Chloe Sevigny, Christopher Lambert, Patricia Arquette

Los Angeles is full of beautiful girls, luxurious mansions and glamorous parties. When Eddie meets the cool and aloof Pauline, the attraction is instant and the two live out each other’s fast-paced fantasies until Eddie’s high-rolling life catches up with him and loan sharks start knocking on his door.

DISTrIbuTor: JAguAr DISTrIbuTIon CorP. ContaCt: Peter GeorGe

w Ex Machina Director: Alex garland Cast: Domhnall gleeson, oscar Isaac, Alicia Vikander

A 24-year-old coder wins a competition to spend a week at a private mountain retreat. When he arrives at the remote location, he finds himself a participant in a strange experiment in which he must interact with the world’s first true artificial intelligence, housed in the body of a beautiful robot girl.

DISTrIbuTor: unIVerSAL ContaCt: Phyllis BaGdadi

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w Exodus: Gods and Kings Director: ridley Scott Cast: Christian bale, ben Kingsley, Sigourney Weaver, Joel edgerton, ben Mendelsohn, Aaron Paul

Using state of the art visual effects and 3-D immersion, Scott brings new life to the story of the defiant leader Moses as he rises up against the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses, setting 600,000 slaves on a journey of escape from Egypt and its terrifying cycle of deadly plagues.

DISTrIbuTor: TWenTIeTh CenTury Fox ContaCt: Julian levin

i The Bélier Family (La famille Bélier) Director: eric Lartigau Cast: Karin Viard, François Damien

Everyone in Paula’s family is deaf but her. Not that it’s an issue: Her father is running for mayor with her mother’s active support. At school, Paula falls for Gabriel. When he joins the school choir, so does she. From the minute she starts singing, everyone is speechless.

DISTrIbuTor: SKeye ContaCt: isaBelle BéGin

* exCLuDIng FrAnCe, gerMAny, AuSTrALIA, neW ZeALAnD




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w The Gambler Director: Rupert Wyatt Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Brie Larson, John Goodman, Jessica Lange

Mark Wahlberg moves into dramatic territory with this remake of the James Caan 1974 vehicle, The Gambler, based on a script from William Monahan (The Departed ) about a compulsive gambling college professor who finds his life spiraling out of control.

DistRiButoR: PaRaMount contact: mark horton

w Girls Director: Barbara Wong Cast: Fiona sit, shawn Yue, Van ness Wu, ivy Chen

Three very different young women – who have nonetheless been inseparable best friends since their school days – have their happy lives brutally upended when an unexpected incident with three men puts their friendship to the test.

DistRiButoR: EMPhasis ViDEo EntERtainMEnt LiMitED contact: Grace Lau

* ExCLuDinG China

w The Golden Era Director: ann hui Cast: tang Wei, Feng shaofeng, Wang xiwen, Zhu Yawen

The Golden Era tells the life story of Xiao Hong. Born in 1911, the early death of her mother and estrangement from her tyrannical father sparked a quest for an independent, satisfying life that led her to become one of China’s most famous essayists and novelists.

DistRiButoR: EMPhasis ViDEo EntERtainMEnt LiMitED contact: Grace Lau

* ExCLuDinG China

w Hello Ladies: The Movie Director: stephen Merchant Cast: stephen Merchant, Christine Woods, Kyle Mooney, nate torrence, Kevin Weisman, sean Wing

When Stuart learns that his British ex-girlfriend Trudy is planning to visit LA with her husband (who stole Trudy away from Stuart a few years earlier), he sets out to impress them with his glamorous lifestyle, enlisting a Russian model to play the role of his girlfriend.

DistRiButoR: hBo contact: kaLLiope diakos




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w I Am Eleven Director: Genevieve Bailey

From an orphanage in India, to a single-parent household in inner-city Melbourne, to bathing with elephants in Thailand, I Am Eleven explores the lives and thoughts of children from 15 countries. These young minds provide us with powerful insights into the future of our world.

DistriButor: terry steiner international ContaCt: nadja Rutkowski

* excluDinG us

w Ice Forest (La Foresta di Ghiaccio)Director: claudio noce cast: emir Kusturica, Kseniya rappoport, adriano Giannini, Domenico Diele

In the harsh snowy landscape of the Italian Alps, a young technician arrives to repair an electric power plant of a village plagued by blackouts. There, he encounters a strange disappearance.

DistriButor: encore infliGht limiteD ContaCt: Edwin ChEung

* excluDinG france, switzerlanD, italy, australia, new zealanD

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w Into the WoodsDirector: rob marshall cast: meryl streep, emily Blunt, James corden, anna Kendrick, chris Pine, Johnny Depp

This humorous, heartfelt musical is a modern twist on beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tales, intertwining plots of classic tales, tied together with an original story involving a baker, his wife and a witch who has put a curse on them.

DistriButor: Disney stuDios non-theatrical ContaCt: Ruth walkER

w Kingsman: The Secret Service Director: matthew Vaughn cast: samuel l. Jackson, colin firth, michael caine, taron egerton, mark strong

Based upon the acclaimed comic book, Kingsman: The Secret Service tells the story of a super-secret spy organization that recruits an unrefined but promising street kid into the agency’s ultra-competitive training program just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.

DistriButor: twentieth century fox ContaCt: julian lEvin




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* Love, Rosie Director: Christian Ditter Cast: Sam Claflin, Lily Collins, Suki Waterhouse

Rosie and her best friend Alex take a leap of faith, both in life and on each other, when they decide to go to the US to attend university. But fate has other plans for Rosie. Over the next 12 years their lives change dramatically but the connection remains.

w McFarland, USA Director: Niki Caro Cast: Kevin Costner, Maria Bello

Based on a true story, McFarland, USA follows coach Jim White whose job-hopping leads him to a predominantly Latino high school where he struggles to find common ground until he notices his students’ exceptional running ability. He forms a team of unlikely runners who bond to build an enduring legacy.

DiStriButor: DiSney StuDioS non-theatriCaL contact: ruth walker

w Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb Director: Shawn Levy Cast: Ben Stiller, robin Williams, owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, ricky Gervais, Dan Stevens

Get ready for the most wild and adventure-filled Night at the Museum ever, as Larry spans the globe, uniting favorite and new characters while embarking on an epic quest to save the magic before it is gone forever.

DiStriButor: tWentieth Century Fox contact: Julian levin

DiStriButor: entertainMent in Motion contact: Bill grant

* outSiDe north aMeriCa exCLuDinG GerMany, auStria, SWitzerLanD

DiStriButor: ParaMount contact: Mark horton

* uS, CanaDa

n Paddington Director: Paul King Cast: hugh Bonneville, Sally hawkins, Julie Walters, Ben Whishaw, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi

Paddington tells the story of the comic misadventures of a young Peruvian bear who travels to the city in search of a home. He meets the kindly Brown family who offer him a temporary haven, and it looks as though his luck has changed until he catches the eye of a museum taxidermist.

DiStriButor: terry Steiner internationaL contact: naDJa rutkowski

* uS onLy


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i Playing it Cool Director: Justin Reardon Cast: Chris Evans, Michelle Monaghan, Ioan Gruffudd, Luke Wilson, Ashley Tisdale

The narrator is a writer and wants to write action but his publisher Bryan wants him to write about romance first. The problem is, the narrator doesn’t believe in love. But when he meets a woman, he falls for her, only to find out that she is already engaged to Stuffy.

DisTRibuToR: EnTERTAinMEnT in MoTion contact: BIll grant

w Predestination Directors: Michael spierig, Peter spierig Cast: Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook

Predestination chronicles the life of a temporal agent sent on an intricate series of time-travel journeys designed to ensure the continuation of his law enforcement career for all eternity. On his final assignment, the agent must pursue the one criminal that has eluded him throughout time.

DIStrIbutor: EnCorE InfLIGHt LImItED contact: edwIn cheung

* ExCLuDInG uS, AuStrALIA, nEW ZEALAnD

w Project Almanac Director: Dean israelite Cast: Sam Lerner, Jonny Weston, Sofia black-D’Elia, Amy Landecker

Project Almanac is a fun coming-of-age tale in the vein of Back to the Future. A teenager prospers after using an almanac when time traveling, but doesn’t understand the ramifications of what he’s done until it’s too late.

DisTRibuToR: PARAMounT contact: mark horton

w Roaring Currents Director: Kim Han-min Cast: Choi min-sik, ryu Seung-ryong, Cho Jin-woong

After six years of conflict with the Japanese, Joseon navy morale is at its lowest. In a battle that is all but inevitable, 12 Joseon ships face 330 Japanese vessels. In despair, Admiral Yi leads the charge through the dangerous waters of the Myeongnyang Strait into battle.

DIStrIbutor: EmpHASIS VIDEo EntErtAInmEnt LImItED contact: grace lau

* ExCLuDInG KorEA




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w Robot Overlords Director: Jon Wright Cast: Ben Kingsley, Gillian Anderson, Callan McAuliffe, Ella Hunt

All humans have been fitted with transmitters to ensure they obey the cardinal rule of the robot empire – that they stay indoors at all times or be incinerated. When an accident leads to one of the transmitters short-circuiting, Sean and his friends seize the opportunity to infiltrate their alien adversaries.

DistriButor: JAGuAr DistriBution Corp. contact: pEtEr gEorgE

w Ruth & Alex Director: richard Loncraine Cast: Diane Keaton, Morgan Freeman, Cynthia nixon

A long-married couple hoping to sell their New York City apartment of 40 years is overwhelmed by a bidding war that ensues during their open house. As they make an offer on a new apartment, they look back over the years of memories.

DistriButor: JAGuAr DistriBution Corp. contact: pEtEr gEorgE

w The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Director: John Madden Cast: Bill nighy, Maggie smith, Judi Dench, richard Gere, tamsin Greig, ronald pickup

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is the expansionist dream of Sonny, and it’s making more claims on his time than he has available, considering his imminent marriage to Sunaina. As the demands of a traditional Indian wedding threaten to engulf all the characters, an unexpected way forward presents itself.

Distributor: twEntiEtH CEntury Fox contact: Julian lEvin

w Selma Director: Ava DuVernay Cast: David oyelowo, Cuba Gooding Jr., tessa thompson, Giovanni ribisi, tim roth, oprah Winfrey, tom Wilkinson

For three months Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign and epic march from Selma to Montgomery to secure equal voting rights. The campaign culminated in the signing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement.

Distributor: EntErtAinMEnt in Motion contact: bill grant




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i Spare Parts Director: Sean McNamara Cast: George Lopez, Jamie Lee Curtis, Marisa Tomei, Alexa PenaVega, Esai Morales

A true-life story about four Hispanic high school students who form a robotics club under the leadership of their school’s newest teacher. With no experience, 800 bucks, used car parts and a dream, this rag tag team goes up against the country’s reigning robotics champion, MIT.

DiSTribuTor: ENTErTAiNMENT iN MoTioN contact: BiLL Grant

w The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water Directors: Paul Tibbitt, Mike Mitchell Cast: Antonio banderas, Tom Kenny, Clancy brown, rodger bumpass, bill Fagerbakke, Carolyn Lawrence

SpongeBob SquarePants, the world’s favorite sea-dwelling invertebrate, comes ashore to our world for his most super-heroic adventure yet. Based on the series SpongeBob SquarePants, created by Stephen Hillenburg.

DiSTribuTor: PArAMouNT contact: marK horton

* Still Alice Directors: richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland Cast: Julianne Moore, Kristen Stewart, Kate bosworth, Alec baldwin, Hunter Parrish

Alice Howland, happily married with three grown children, is a renowned linguistics professor who starts to forget words. When she receives a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, Alice DQG�KHU�IDPLO\�ŊQG�WKHLU�ERQGV�WKRURXJKO\�WHVWHG��

w Tada’s Do-It-All House: Disconcerto Director: Tatsushi omori Cast: Eita, ryuhei Matsuda, Masatoshi Nagase, Kengo Kora, Yoko Maki

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DiSTribuTor: ENCorE iNFLiGHT LiMiTED contact: edWin cheunG

* ExCLuDiNG JAPAN

DiSTribuTor: SoNY PiCTurES rELEASiNG contact: rana matthes

* bAHAMAS, bErMuDA, FrANCE, SAbA, ST. EuSTATiuS, ST. KiTTS-NEViS, ST. MAArTEN, uS

DiSTribuTor: SKEYE contact: isaBeLLe BéGin

*ouTSiDE NorTH AMEriCA (i), ExCLuDiNG FrANCE, bENELux




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* Taken 3 Director: Olivier Megaton Cast: Liam Neeson, Forest Whitaker

Ex-government operative Bryan Mills has his life shattered when he’s falsely accused of a murder that hits close to home. As he’s pursued by a savvy police inspector, Mills employs his “particular set of skills” to track the real killer and exact his unique brand of justice.

DistributOr: tWeNtieth CeNtury FOx ContaCt: Julian levin

* NOrth AMeriCA, sOuth AMeriCA, AsiA (exCLuDiNg ChiNA), AustrALiA, NeW ZeALAND, uK, ireLAND, spAiN, itALy, pOrtugAL, CeNtrAL AND sOutherN AFriCA, isrAeL AND Other seLeCteD territOries

w The Theory of Everything Director: James Marsh Cast: eddie redmayne, Felicity Jones

Based on the memoir, Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen, by Jane Hawking, this is the extraordinary and uplifting story of one of the world’s greatest living minds, the renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, and of two people defying the steepest of odds through love.

DistributOr: uNiversAL ContaCt: phyllis Bagdadi

w Top Five Director: Chris rock Cast: Chris rock, rosario Dawson, tracy Morgan, Cedric the entertainer

A comedian tries to make it as a serious actor when his reality-TV star fiancé talks him into broadcasting their wedding on her TV show.

DistributOr: pArAMOuNt ContaCt: mark horton

i Testament of Youth Director: James Kent Cast: Kit harington, Dominic West, emily Watson, Alicia vikander, Miranda richardson, hayley Atwell

A powerful and passionate journey from youthful hopes and dreams to the edge of despair and back again, based on the WWI memoir by Vera Brittain. It’s a film about young love, the futility of war and how to make sense of the darkest times.

DistributOr: JAguAr DistributiON COrp. ContaCt: peter george

* exCLuDiNg uK


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w Turn It Up! Director: Robert Radler Cast: Kevin Bacon, Slash, B.B. King, Les Paul, Robby Krieger, Paul Stanley

Kevin Bacon hosts the chronicling of the electric guitar, from its invention in the 1930s, right through the phenomenon of the “Guitar Hero” video game and digital guitars of the future. Rock stars, members of congress, CEOs and teenage virtuosos share anecdotes about their emotional connections to their guitars.

DiStRiButoR: teRRy SteineR inteRnationaL ContaCt: nadja rutkowski

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w Unbroken Director: angelina Jolie Cast: Jack o’Connell, Domhnall gleeson, Jai Courtney

Adapted from Laura Hillenbrand’s popular book, this epic drama follows the life of Olympian and war hero Louis “Louie” Zamperini who survived in a raft for 47 days after a near-fatal plane crash in WWII only to be caught by the Japanese navy and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp.

DiStRiButoR: univeRSaL ContaCt: phyLLis bagdadi

w The Wedding Ringer Director: Jeremy garelick Cast: Kevin Hart, Josh gad, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, Ken Howard, Cloris Leachman, Jenifer Lewis

Doug is a lovable but socially awkward groom-to-be with a problem: He has no best man. With less than two weeks to go before the wedding, he’s referred to Jimmy, CEO of Best Man, Inc., a company that provides flattering best men for socially challenged guys in need.

DiStRiButoR: Sony PiCtuReS ReLeaSing ContaCt: rana matthes

w We’ll Never Have Paris Directors: Simon Helberg, Jocelyn towne Cast: Simon Helberg, Melanie Lynskey, Maggie grace, Zachary Quinto, Jason Ritter, alfred Molina

After royally screwing up his marriage proposal, Quinn Berman, hyper-neurotic and in the middle of a quarter-life crisis, sets off to the “city of love” to win back Devon, the one and only love of his life.

DiStRiButoR: teRRy SteineR inteRnationaL ContaCt: nadja rutkowski




volume 5, edition 1

interact.aero

Apex 1-2 Hor.indd 1 14-12-17 11:53 AM

ContactDeutsche Welle | 53110 Bonn | [email protected]

Animal EncountersWitness a unique bond between people and animals

www.dw-transtel.de

www.emphasis-video.net

www.dw-transtel.de

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w Wild Tales Director: Damián Szifrón Cast: Ricardo Darín, Óscar Martínez, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Érica Rivas, Rita Cortese

Inequality, injustice and the demands of the world can cause stress and depression for many people. For some, it becomes explosive. Vulnerable in the face of a reality that shifts and suddenly turns unpredictable, the characters tread the thin line that separates civilization from barbarism.

DiStRibutoR: EnCoRE infLight LiMitED contAct: EDwin chEUng

* ExCLuDing noRth AMERiCA, LAtin AMERiCA, SpAin

I The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death Director: tom harper Cast: Jeremy irvine, phoebe fox

The sequel takes place in the same house 40 years later, when a group of children who are evacuated from London during World War II come to stay, awakening the house’s darkest inhabitants.

DiStRibutoR: JAguAR DiStRibution CoRp. contAct: pEtER gEoRgE

w Wonder Mama Director: Clifton Ko Cast: petrina fung, Kenneth tsang, Susan Shaw, babyJohn Choi

Torn between her parents’ dramatic divorce at an old age, the pressure of raising a newborn, her missing husband and her 30-year-old unemployed son who still lives with her, Lovely finds herself stymied – she can never get the peaceful, ordinary, drama-free life she desires.

DiStRibutoR: EnCoRE infLight LiMitED contAct: EDwin chEUng

* ExCLuDing MAinLAnD ChinA




volume 5, edition 1

interact.aero

On the air, in the airWorld-class inflight news, streamed live, to keepyour passengers in touch with what’s happeningon the ground as they travel above it.

For a comprehensive listing of all our content please visit turnerinflightservices.com.

turnerinflightservices.com

WWW.PENNYBLACKMEDIA.COM [email protected]

QUALITY, INDEPENDENT FEATURE FILMS

www.pennyblackmedia.com

Airborne Interactive ltdwww.airborne.aero > See page 61

Airbuswww.airbus.com > See pages 44 & 45

Arinc (Rockwell Collins)www.rockwellcollins.com > See page 29

Astronicswww.astronics.com > See page 19 & 91

Avid Airline Productions www.avidproducts.com > See page 99 BAE Systems www.baesystems.com> See pages 8 & 9

BBC Worldwide Limitedwww.bbc.co.uk> See page 33 Betria Interactive LLC www.flightpath3d.com> See pages 94 Carlisle interconnect Technologieswww.carlisleit.com> See page 38 Cine Magnetics Inc www.cinemagnetics.com> See pages 107

Deutsche Wellewww.dw.de > See page 125

DigEcorwww.digecor.com> See page 22

E-Leatherwww.eleathergroup.com> See page 51 Emphasis Videowww.emphasis-video.net > See page 125

Entertainment In Motion www.skyfilms.com> See page 121

Eros International www.erosintl.com > See page 96

Gogo LLC www.gogoair.com> See pages 4 & 5 Guest Logix www.guestlogix.com> See page 84 Inflight Canada Inc www.inflightcanada.com> See page 88 Inflight Entertainment Productswww.ifeproducts.com > See Infographic feature

Inflight Peripherals ltdwww.ifpl.com > See page 37 Interactwww.interact.aero> See page 11

Jaguar Distribution Corporation www.jaguardc.com> See page 24

KID Systeme GmbH www.kid-systeme.de> See page 56

Linstol www.linstol.com> See page 74

Lufthansa Systems www.lhsystems.com> See page 43

Lumexis www.lumexis.com> See page 31

OnAir www.onair.aero > See page 78

Panasonic Avionics Corporation www.panasonic.aero > See page 132

Paramount Pictures www.paramount.com > See pages 2 & 3

Pascall Electronics Limited www.pascall.co.uk > See page 17 Penny Black Media www.pennyblackmedia.com > See page 128

Phitek Systems Limitedwww.phitek.com> See page 6, 7 & bellyband Sony Pictures Releasing Corporation www.sonypicturesinflight.com> See page 115

Soundchipwww.soundchip.ch> See page 13

Spafax www.spafax.com> See page 77

Stellar Entertainment www.stellargroup.com> See page 70

T-Mobile www.telekom.com> See page 66

Thales Avionics Inc www.thales-ifc.com> See page 29

Turner In-Flight Services www.turnerinflightservices.com> See page 127

Video Technology Services www.videotechnologyservices.com> See page 48

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictureswww.ebvnt.disney.com> See page 113

Warner Broswww.warnerbros.com> See page 119

Zodiac In-Flight Entertainmentwww.imsco-us.com> See page 131

APEX EXPOThis is the industry’s largest trade show, featuring 250 exhibitors and thousands of the latest in-flight products, systems and services.

MULTIMEDIA MARKETAttend the only global industry event focused specifically on bringing together in-flight content buyers and leading providers of short-subject programming, TV, movies, games, GUIs and apps.

REGIONAL CONFERENCESParticipate in interactive sessions around the world, led by industry experts and early adopters as they share their knowledge on issues related to comprehensive, high-interest passenger experience-related topics.

TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCESJoin industry leaders in creating quality and compatibility standards.

APEX.AEROThe members-only section of the APEX website includes the Member Directory, a virtual “who’s who” of the airline passenger experience industry, as well as educational reference materials, research reports, event transcripts and video presentations.

APEX MEDIAIn addition to the bimonthly publication of the magazine, APEX will be refocusing our online media presence in the coming months to provide members with a comprehensive platform on which to connect, interact and contribute.

For association and industry news, follow @theAPEXassoc on Twitter

It is the APEX mission to offer members a wide range of opportunities to excel in the airline passenger experience industry by keeping them current with the latest industry news, trends and developments, and providing the means to foster a communicative relationship with clients and colleagues around the world.

airline passenger experience:

MEMBER ACCESS

Advertiser’s Index

apex experienceFollow us @theAPEXassoc Ad Index

twitter.com/theapexassoc

www.airborne.aero

www.airbus.com

www.rockwellcollins.com

www.astronics.com

www.avidproducts.com

www.baesystems.com

www.bbc.co.uk

www.flightpath3d.com

www.carlisleit.com

www.cinemagnetics.com

www.dw.de

www.digecor.com


www.emphasis-video.net

www.skyfilms.com

www.erosintl.com

www.gogoair.com

www.guestlogix.com

www.inflightcanada.com

www.ifeproducts.com

www.ifpl.com

www.interact.aero

www.jaguardc.com

www.kid-systeme.de

www.linstol.com

www.lhsystems.com

www.lumexis.com

www.onair.aero

www.panasonic.aero

www.paramount.com

www.pascall.co.uk

www.pennyblackmedia.com

www.phitek.com

www.sonypicturesinflight.com

www.soundchip.ch

www.soundchip.ch

www.spafax.com

www.telekom.com

www.thales-ifc.com

www.turnerinflightservices.com

www.videotechnologyservices.com

www.ebvnt.disney.com

www.warnerbros.com

www.imsco-us.com

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The Boeing 747 prototype RA001 went on to work on a multitude of flight-test programs. At one point, she even had an air-to-air refueling boom installed under her rear fuselage. After flying over 12,000 test fights, the airplane landed for the last time at Boeing Field, in 1993. RA001 was left outside, exposed to Seattle’s rain and wind, and languished on the ramp before being towed to the city’s renowned Museum of Flight. The airplane has been on display in the museum’s Airpark for years, and until recently had become a fading shadow of her previous glory.

But on July 16, 2014, a crew of 10 began the process of restoring RA001’s exterior. Using over 70 gallons of white, red, black and blue paint and primer, 750 rollers, 150 rolls of tape and 15,000 sheets of sandpaper, the crew completed the project

The very first Boeing 747 took to the air February 9, 1969, barely four months after the airplane rolled out of its then-new factory in Everett, Washington. The prototype, “Queen of the Skies,” was known by her serial number RA001. She was soon joined by additional test aircraft, all working towards the airplane’s entry-into-service in January 1970 with Pan American World Airways. Since then, over 1,500 747s have been delivered.

by Howard Slutsken

46 Years of 747

on September 29, the day before RA001’s 45th “birthday.”

Dan Hagedorn, the museum’s curator and director of collections, says, “We decided to do the exterior as close as we could to her roll-out configuration, while having restored the interior to one of her many test configurations.”

The team was able to re-install some of the main deck’s early 1970s vintage test equipment, make small cosmetic fixes in the cockpit, and even restore the upper deck lounge, including the original garish orange ’70s-style fabric. But RA001’s restoration “is still a work in progress,” says Hagedorn. “We have to do the engine pylons and other exterior work, and we’re going to wait until we get her under cover.” The museum will continue to work on the airplane, which is currently located in the Museum of Flight Airpark.

Read our Q&A with Joe Sutter, the “Father of the 747,” at

> apex.aero/joeSutter



volume 5, edition 1

Throwback

blog.apex.aero/joesutter

ZODIAC INFLIGHT INNOVATIONSAIRCRAFT SYSTEMS

Entertainment & Seat Technologies

© 2014 Panasonic Avionics Corporation. All Rights Reserved.AD227

Panasonic Avionics Corporation

panasonic.aero

Earn more, every flight.Every time an aircraft climbs to 35,000 feet, you have a unique opportunity to engage your passengers and increase your

bottom line. At Panasonic Avionics, we are constantly developing new ways to help you maximize revenue. From

broadband connectivity to Near Field Communication (NFC), we’re making revenue generation easier than ever.

We’re creating new revenue streams with higher levels of personalization and passenger-specific advertising. We’re

enabling real-time credit card transactions so you can offer higher value items from your in-flight shopping catalog.

And we’ve designed our solutions so that you can offer items through both the seatback and your passengers’ own

devices.

So if you’re looking to use the power of IFEC to increase your bottom line, look to Panasonic Avionics and visit us

online at panasonic.aero.

panasonic.aero

APEX Experience - The Education Issue

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Transcript of APEX Experience - The Education Issue