Rockwell Collins PAVES® Goes In-Seat

IRVINE, CA (September 07, 2001) - Rockwell Collins is enhancing its PAVES® product line by adding in-seat, on demand entertainment for single-aisle aircraft. PAVES® allows an airline to deliver entertainment to multiple seating classes while minimizing cost of ownership and allowing for branding and product differentiation.

The PAVES® in-seat system utilizes the entertainment industry’s leading content delivery medium, Digital Versatile Disk (DVD), as its source for in-seat Audio and Video On Demand (AVOD).

"To give an airline maximum flexibility, we have developed two installation types that take advantage of the versatile nature of the DVD," said PAVES® product manager, Mark Bennett.

The first configuration places the DVD source under the passenger’s seat and content changes are handled by the airline allowing it to offer customized content to the passenger. There are multiple, customized configurations ranging from the graphical user interface, such as a menu, to movies, games, magazines, short format video presentations, audio, magazine content and advertising, duty-free shopping catalogs and airline information.

The second configuration is Personal Video (PV) with the DVD player mounted in the seat console providing passenger accessibility. The passenger can select CDs or DVDs from the airline’s customer content portfolio and all the benefits and controls of a home CD or DVD are available to the passenger.

With both configurations, the in-seat DVD system can be integrated with PAVES® Audio Distribution System (ADS) allowing the passenger to also access the 22 standard audio channels and overhead video soundtracks. In addition, arm mounted 8.4-inch LCD monitors and passenger control units complete the system.

"PAVES® in-seat for single-aisle aircraft provides a unique opportunity for an airline to capitalize on branding and product differentiation opportunities while delivering personal entertainment to the passenger," said Graham Macdonald, vice president of marketing and strategic management for Rockwell Collins Passenger Systems. "With PAVES® in-seat, this can be accomplished without many of the usual trade-offs, such as significant power and weight increases and occupying valuable cabin space with large head-end equipment."

Rockwell Collins Passenger Systems and IEC International, a UK-based company, are working together to provide a certified In-Seat DVD System. Currently, Rockwell Collins and IEC are jointly installing a line-fit In-Seat DVD System on Airbus A320 aircraft.

Rockwell Collins plans to demonstrate PAVES® in-seat at the upcoming World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA) annual conference and exhibition in Brisbane, Australia, September 11-14, 2001.

Rockwell Collins Passenger Systems produces cabin management and in-flight entertainment systems for over 100 commercial airlines around the world. The organization employees approximately 1,400 people at its facilities in Irvine and Pomona, California.

Rockwell Collins (NYSE: COL) is a world leader in the design, production and support of communications and aviation electronics solutions for commercial and government customers worldwide. The company employs a global workforce of 17,500 people and has estimated FY2001 sales of approximately $2.9 billion. Additional information is available at www.rockwellcollins.com.

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