in-flight

Mark O’Brien – COO, Project Lambda

Posted on 09.08.11

Despite the recent arrival of many Android based tablets, Apple’s iPad still rules supreme in the consumer market. But, following initial optimism, the iPad is still awaiting the crucial backing of Hollywood distributors for use as an onboard IFE device featuring early window content. One man who’s been spearheading the campaign to gain that approval is Mark O’Brien, initially as part of the UK based BlueBox team and more recently as founder and COO of Project Lambda. PME’s Steve Harvey talks with Mark about the improvements in the iPad 2 and recent progress in his quest for the holy grail – obtaining the green light from Hollywood for early window content.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

David Coiley – Director of Aeronautics, Inmarsat

Posted on 24.07.11

When you meet with one of those terribly nice techie people at a trade show like APEX and they start talking about satellite communications and the fact that Ku band is better than L band but what they’re really looking forward to is Ka band, do your eyes glaze over or do you just feel horribly inadequate? Well here at PME we thought it high time to come to your rescue and shed some light on these mysterious terms and how they’re going to affect airlines and inflight entertainment in the future. Steve Harvey’s special guest today is the Director of Aeronautics at Inmarsat, David Coiley…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Tagged with: Aeronautics • airlines • APEX • communications • connectivity • David Coiley • entertainment • in-flight • Inmarsat • Ku band • L band • satellite

Julia Lewis – BBC

Posted on 09.07.11

Combine the words in-flight entertainment and the BBC and the name instantly springs to mind is Julia Lewis. Since the mid 80’s, Julia had attended countless WAEA conferences and TV markets promoting top rated BBC shows like Top Gear and Life On Earth to airlines. Then quite suddenly earlier this year, Julia made a life changing decision to take an early retirement to spend more time with her two children, Alice & George and to catch up with friends and family. In this PME Interview Julia talks about her introduction to the BBC and to in-flight entertainment and what happened when she became trapped in an elevator with two of Britain’s top comedians!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Tagged with: airlines • BBC • entertainment • IFE • in-flight • Julia Lewis • Life On Earth • markets • television • Top Gear • tv • WAEA

Craig Foster – IMS Research

Posted on 05.06.11

Mention the word “Connectivity” to an airline boss and his reaction may alternate between hope and horror. Hope that someone can provide a reliable service to keep passengers connected in the air, horror that the airline might end up making a substantial investment based on a predicted usage figure that turns out to be wildly optimistic. A UK company IMS Research has just published a report entitled ‘The Future of In-flight Wi Fi and Cellular Connectivity’ which addresses many of these concerns and contains details of those airlines that have taken the connectivity plunge and attempts to assess whether they are currently sinking or swimming. In today’s PME Interview Steve Harvey discusses the report with the author Craig Foster.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Tagged with: airlines • cellular • connectivity • Craig Foster • future • IMS Research • in-flight • passengers • Wi-Fi

Karen Schipper – Former El Al IFE Manager and Past WAEA President

Posted on 20.05.11

For many years, the larger than life figure of Karen Schipper was a familiar face at WAEA events such as the annual conference and the TV Market. Karen worked for El Al Israel Airlines for an amazing 35 years, many of those as Manager for In-flight Entertainment. She also helped to shape the future direction of the WAEA when, in 2000, she served for a year as President. She eventually chose to retire after a serious health scare but these days is in good shape and is in regular contact with many of her former colleagues in the industry. In the latest PME Interview, Karen talks with Steve Harvey about her years at El Al and her term as President.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Tagged with: El Al Israel Airlines • entertainment • IFE • in-flight • Karen Schipper • WAEA

Albert de Wet – Manager: IFE, Etihad Airways

Posted on 11.05.11

Our guest today on the PME Interview heads up the IFE department of one of the world’s fastest growing airlines. Formerly with South African Airways, Albert de Wet moved to Abu Dhabi in 2005 to join Etihad Airways. Steve Harvey talks to Albert about his reasons for making the move and the strategy for in-flight entertainment at Etihad…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Tagged with: Abu Dhabi • Albert de Wet • entertainment • Etihad Airways • IFE • in-flight • South African Airways

Arn Steventon – Founder, Individual In-flight Entertainment

Posted on 11.04.11

Once upon a time in the early eighties a young man was sitting on an airplane thinking about how the inflight entertainment experience might be improved. Since we’re unable to track down the other passengers on that eventful flight there’s no way of knowing whether Arn Steventon actually shouted “Eureka” but the idea that was born that day has transformed our industry and improved the inflight experience for millions of passengers. The idea that Arn came up with was for seat back TV, made possible by the development of the LCD TV screen. At the 30th anniversary conference in Palm Springs the WAEA presented Arn Steventon with an ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’. In the latest PME Interview, Steve Harvey interviews Arn Steventon about how he set about turning his idea into a reality…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Tagged with: APEX • Arn Steventon • entertainment • IFE • in-flight • LCD TV screen • Outstanding Achievement Award • WAEA

Jim Snyder – 2007 APEX Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

Posted on 10.03.11

Jim Snyder has worked in the in-flight entertainment industry for nearly 50 years kicking off his career with Sundstrand Aerospace back in the sixties then progressing via Trans Com, Sony Trans Com, Rockwell Collins and, more recently, Lumexis. Jim has served no less than 11 terms as a WAEA Board Director and was involved with and responsible for planning an incredible 16 WAEA Conferences – no wonder he was presented with a WAEA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007! As one of the most respected people in our industry, Jim can look back on a very colorful career and shares his experiences with Steve Harvey on today’s PME Interview.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Tagged with: APEX • entertainment • in-flight • Jim Snyder • Lifetime Achievement Award • Lumexis • Rockwell Collins • Sony Trans Com • Sundstrand Aerospace • Trans Com • WAEA

Tal Kalderon – In-flight Entertainment Manager, El Al Israel Airlines

Posted on 24.02.11

Many IFE managers in our industry started with an airline background and, when appointed to the position, had to learn about the entertainment business. Our guest today came from a television background and had to spend his first few months researching the airline industry. Tal Kalderon is In-flight Entertainment Manager at El Al Israel Airlines and on the PME Interview he talks to Steve Harvey about some of the challenges he faced when he first started in the job nearly five years ago.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Tagged with: airlines • El Al • entertainment • IFE • in-flight • Israel • Tal Kalderon

Ken Brady – Chief Engineer, Thales

Posted on 25.01.11

What will await passengers in the year 2015 when they board their 787 (hopefully in service by then) or the A350? As far as in-flight entertainment and connectivity are concerned, Ken Brady is the man with, at least, some of the answers. As Chief Engineer at Thales, Ken’s job is to look to the future, to predict what products and services airlines and their passengers will expect to find on board by the middle of the decade. On this latest PME Interview, Steve Harvey talks to Ken about how the future looks from the Thales point of view…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download