COMPANY PROFILE: PGA ELECTRONIC
Innovation
in motion
PGA provides motion, lighting and IFEC/CMS systems for aircraft seats and cabins
PGA Electronic continues to make strides in the aeronautical equipment sector, with several projects in the works and new innovations ready to take flight by MELISSA SILVA
I
n the world of aeronautical equipment, specifically the field of motion, lighting and inflight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC), PGA Electronic (PGA) has been a long-standing player for many years. An Astronics Group’s subsidiary, PGA provides motion, lighting and IFEC/CMS systems for aircraft seats and cabins, many of which can be found on major airlines today. Just recently, PGA announced its partnership with Interact, media provider for IFE systems. This alliance allows PGA to offer customers a legal public-use solution approved by Major Hollywood studios for legacy systems. As a result, PGA customers can now access digital rights management (DRM) late content and distribute it in their aircraft. Movies will be a high quality, broad-appeal mix of DVD release blockbuster movies and TV series from six major studios. “This system is easy to integrate, is adjustable to any cabin configuration without a hardware upgrade and also offers the capability to retrofit old IFE systems,” explains Marc Piaulet, Sales and Marketing Director for PGA Electronic. “This new offer completes the existing system, the PGA Full IP system, which provides access to early window content.” Although PGA has several projects in the works already for this year, two new products in particular are garnering the industry’s attention: the Smart Cabin Player application and the new Optimized Seat Control Box. The Smart Cabin Player application is a new product, joining the already-existing “Smart Touch Cabin,” an application developed several years ago by PGA that allows users to easily control all in-cabin features from any part of the aircraft by way of a device and a Wi-Fi network. The Smart Cabin Player allows customers to manage
their media at any time and in every room. This new remote Wi-Fi IFE software portal provides access to all content available in the server, including movies from AVOD, HD media player, USB media player and a 3-D interactive moving map. Some of the main objectives of the Smart Cabin Player include: offering a multi-platform application, allowing the same app to be used for all types of monitors, including in-seat screens, large screens and PEDs; to be customizable through defined themes to fit any cabin interior; to be intuitive, ergonomic and offer modern graphical user interface (GUI); and to provide a multilanguage platform. PGA’s second leading development, its new Optimized Seat Control Box, is currently in its completion stages and will be delivered to a seat manufacturer during the fourth quarter of this year. The control box can manage up to two seats, eight actuators, six reading lights, two pneumatic units, four keyboards and other devices, like electromagnets, switches and buyer furnished equipment (BFE). “This new product can justifiably claim to be the smallest and lightest seat controller (115 VA) available with such capabilities,” says Piaulet. “This new unit is capable to power management in order to reduce consumption.” The weight and volume of the control box have been reduced by 25% to facilitate maintenance and integration into the most demanding seat frames, while simultaneously reducing
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the maintenance and acquisition cost per flight hour for the airline and the seat manufacturer. Another advantage of the control box is that it severs as a single product for use on Airbus and Boeing aircraft. It also includes improved power supply technologies, allows an in-depth diagnostic to reduce intervention time for the maintenance team and it is the first eco-designed control unit. “The new control box product has been developed with a special consideration for the principles of sustainable development and environmental impact,” says Piaulet. “Our in-house design team has relied on experts in order to incorporate an environmental friendly-design philosophy for this new generation of products.” In keeping with this line of thinking, PGA developed the new control box by using less power and RoHs, fewer parts and rare resources and using materials that produce lower CO2 emissions. Aside from completing its many projects this year, PGA is looking forward to exhibiting at the upcoming Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg in April, alongside Astronics, where it will showcase its latest innovations. PGA’s Smart Cabin Player application