The next WAEA Technology Committee meeting is shaping up to be a dandy! It’s the last full TC meeting of 2005 and will take place in two weeks: June 28-29 at the Long Beach Marriott (just off the I405 freeway next to Long Beach Airport in Southern California). This meeting’s agenda hits on both of the TC’s goals: IFE standards and technical education. The standards topic is Digital Content Management, and it will be covered on the morning of the first day (June 28). The spec is called WAEA 0403: Standard Methodology For The Delivery Of Digital Content For Airline In-Flight Entertainment and the leaders of each chapter (topic) will report out on their progress. Plus, Boeing is going to be providing a demonstration of video compression techniques. Note: the DCM Working Group will have an additional meeting at the Long Beach Marriott the day prior to the TC (June 27) to add to their spec.

Now for the educational side of the meeting! The TC will look at Advances in Cabin Networks: AEEC/ARINC will provide an in-depth look at their work on fiber optics for aircraft, Delta-Beta will expound on their comparison of the weight of copper vs. wireless networks, and Lufthansa Technik will describe wired and wireless Ethernet networks. Perhaps the hottest topic of all is Broadband and Wireless onboard, and this will be covered on the second day. Numerous providers will be giving updates and previews of upcoming trials and installations: AirCell, Connexion, Astronics, Qualcomm, and Miltope.

Regional jets will be a new focus at the TC, with both Bombardier and Embraer making appearances and presentations for the first time. And, though not yet announced, look for a prominent airline to give an update on its IFE plans. All in all, as we said before, this TC meeting looks to be a dandy, so don’t miss it. One final pointer: the WAEA’s special hotel room rate expired on Monday June 13 and there’s another convention in town so rooms will be tight. Book your room today and request the rate anyway…what do you have to loose? Get the hotel registration form and all the meeting info from the WAEA website at www.waea.org.