Airbus Connected Experience

2019

Flight tests of "smart salon" of Connected Experience

On September 16, 2019 the Airbus company reported that it began full-scale flight tests of "smart salon" of Connected Experience by the A350-900 airplane laboratory and became the first-ever producer of the aircraft equipment testing digital technologies for passenger salon in the conditions of real flight.

According to the company, the Connected Experience elements set on test A350-900 represent a set of various digital technologies which Airbus studies for September, 2019 in close cooperation with suppliers and airlines and which can be available already in the near future. The problem of flight tests consists in estimating work of all elements of the Connected Experience platform in the conditions of real flight, in particular the accuracy and the continuity of data transmission.

The A350-900 airplane laboratory is equipped with the following Connected Experience elements: "a smart chair" (production Recaro), "smart kitchen" (production gategroup), wireless management of elements and systems of salon (shutters of illuminators, temperature, light, calls of passengers, control of work of toilet rooms), multimedia solutions for information display (the interactive OLED display, the system of visual projections of information messages for passengers in salon). Airbus is going to add digital Connected Experience technologies for their testing based on the A350-900 airplane laboratory in process of their readiness.

Connected Experience are the cornerstone of technology of Internet of Things which provide communication between basic elements of salon: chairs, catering carts, kitchens, luggage regiments and main systems of salon (lighting, the system of entertainments in flight, temperature control, etc.). This digital platform simplifies interaction between passengers and stewards, allows to make flight even more personalized.

Connected Experience for passengers: the technology will allow passengers to make a reservation for the suitcase on the luggage shelf or to order a favourite power supply and drinks from the onboard menu still before landing or service begins. The technology of the "smart" chairs equipped with sensors and sensors will allow to remember and save individual preferences of each passenger. Data on last trips will be collected in the single database that will allow a chair most to offer the passenger his favourite inclination of a back or provision of a head restraint during flight. Besides, the system of entertainments in flight will offer passengers the personalized content, based on their interests, preferences and the most frequent requests on the Internet.

Connected Experience for stewards: information on salon is loaded on the tablet using which stewards can quickly control work of all systems of a cabin, be aware of what occurs onboard, and, as a result, more quickly to react to requests of passengers. In particular, "the smart chair" will show whether the seat belt is fastened, whether the chair back is given to vertical position and whether the table is removed. Thus, time for preparation of salon for landing/take-off is reduced, and stewards should not disturb the sleeping passengers covered with a plaid which did not allow to see a seat belt earlier. Besides, "the smart kitchen" which provides data exchange between basic elements of kitchen and carts of catering at the expense of RFID sensors will provide to stewards all necessary information on quantity of portions of a power supply, the location of positions from the menu onboard.

Connected Experience for airline: all acquired information from run will be saved in the cloud storage that will allow airlines to understand better preferences of passengers on the different directions, to monitor operation of the saloon equipment, to carry out preventive service. It will allow to optimize housekeeping overheads of cabins.

The beginning of implementation of the Internet platform during creation of passenger cabins

On April 11, 2019 the Airbus company announced the beginning of active implementation of technologies of Internet of Things during creation of passenger insides of the airplanes and provided such "smart" salon. The Internet platform received the name Airbus Connected Experience. The largest equipment suppliers among whom also take part in the project: gategroup, Stelia Aerospace, Recaro Aircraft Seating. It is expected that this project will be supported also by other players of the aviation industry.

According to the developer, the Airbus Connected Experience platform will collect and analyze all data obtained from basic elements of salon, for example, of chairs, luggage shelves, the systems of entertainment and lighting, carts of an onboard power supply, toilet rooms, etc. Collected information will be loaded on iPad using which stewards will be able to control work of all systems of a cabin. So, instant personal notifications on the screen of the tablet will allow to trace quickly what of luggage shelves is not completely closed which of passengers did not fasten seat belts on take-off or landing who asks an additional glass of tomato juice how many portions of hot meals remained onboard and many other things.

Airbus considers that such approach considerably will simplify work of stewards, will allow to react more quickly to requests and, as a result, to provide higher level of service to passengers. Besides, all data retrieveds will remain in the special cloud storage in case this information will be required to airlines for the analysis of preferences of passengers, identification of certain trends concerning these or those routes or job evaluation of the saloon equipment and carrying out preventive service.

However, as noted in Airbus, the main objective of the platform – to make air flight more personalized. It is expected that the salon will "communicate" with passengers as using personal mobile devices, and the built-in systems of interactive communication. For example, "smart" luggage shelves will show whether is there the empty seat and how many things in them still will be located. If desired the passenger will be able even to make a reservation for a suitcase from the phone still before gets aboard. The technology of "smart" chairs will allow to scan and remember individual preferences of each passenger, and data on last trips will be collected in the single database that will allow a chair most to offer the passenger his favourite inclination of a back or provision of a head restraint. Travelers will be able to order a favourite power supply and drinks from the menu onboard via phone still before service begins. Besides, the system of entertainments in flight will offer passengers the personalized content, based on their interests, preferences and the most frequent requests on the Internet. If desired passengers will also be able to synchronize the device with the system of entertainments and to watch favourite movies from the personal screen which is built in a back ahead of the standing chair.

According to the developer, Airbus Connected Experience first of all will be available to customers of airplanes of A320 family, both new, and being in operation. Late Airbus is going to implement the Airbus Connected Experience platform and on other models.