COST - EFFECTI V E R E FURBISHMENT
WILL LI-FI ELIMINATE WIRING?
Light fidelity (li-fi) – a way to transmit
data using the light spectrum – may soon
simplify wireless IFE content distribution
and internet access on board.
Latécoère has partnered with Signify
(formerly Philips Lighting) on the industrial
scale-up of its li-fi technology for aviation
applications, the Trulifi platform. In 2019,
the partners signed an MoU with South
Korean aerospace and defence specialist
businessjetinteriorsinternational.com
040 APRIL 2020
Huneed Technologies to support data
communication electronics and software.
The system uses infrared light to share data
and does not require overhead lights to be
switched on. It was put through inflight
trials on Air France in 2019.
Trulifi would transmit IFE content from
an overhead transmitter to a receiver
connected to PEDs, without complex
wiring. It could also be used for connectivity
through the same transmitter and receiver.
An advantage mooted for li-fi is that it
uses the light spectrum for transmission,
avoiding radio signal interference and
thereby alleviating a strain on aircraft
systems while providing large data capacity.
Lufthansa Technik has also been
exploring li-fi. “Li-fi is going to change
things in aviation, maybe in the mid-term,”
says Wieland Timm.
ABOVE: LATÉCOÈRE AND SIGNIFY
ARE WORKING TO BRING LI-FI TO
THE AVIATION SECTOR, ENABLING
IFEC DISTRIBUTION WITHOUT
COMPLEX WIRING
TOP LEFT: PLUG-AND-PLAY LED
LIGHTING UPGRADE PRODUCTS
SUPPLIED BY AIRCRAFT
LIGHTING INTERNATIONAL
BELOW: DPI LABS’ SMARTLIGHT
LED LIGHTS ARE ANOTHER
PLUG-AND-PLAY SOLUTION
maintenance costs,” says Soret. “LED bulbs can last for
down-wash lights, toe-kick and aisle lights.”
The biggest costs in an LED upgrade are the initial
equipment cost and the amount of cabin disassembly
involved in the installation. “The difference in the quality
of lighting and reliability after the upgrade more than
makes up for this, however,” says Soret. “Operators and
owners are pretty knowledgeable about the systems and
upgrades that are available nowadays. While the cost of
the initial upgrade, purchase of new components and so
on can be significant, they realise they are making an
investment in reliability and functionality.”
THESE THINGS TAKE TIME
Soret believes that the industry will continue to
develop both wi-fi and Bluetooth-based applications
that will reduce the amount of wiring required in
interiors overall. Still, it’s not yet possible to eliminate
all wiring work. “Many aircraft are built to last for
decades, so it will be quite some time before we designout
the challenges of removing interiors to replace
wiring,” comments Gillespie of Flying Colours. “The
processes are changing as more providers recognise the
need to future-proof aircraft to keep up with rapidly
evolving technology, particularly in terms of connectivity.
We advise customers when they talk to us to really think
about what they need their aircraft to do now and in the
future. We are aware there is more to come in terms of
OEMs and suppliers creating solutions that are easier to
transition and upgrade.”
PLAN TO SUCCEED
Overall, the greatest savings can be gained by planning
the project carefully, experts agree. That includes making
changes that extend the service life of the aircraft, and
defining the design early to ensure that parts and
materials are ordered and the workflow can be planned
in the most efficient way.
“One of the most important ways that a customer
can save costs and downtime is through planning,”
explains Klenke of Duncan Aviation. “When a client
makes material selections and approves layouts early on
in the process, that planning not only saves downtime,
it also saves costs.”
Lufthansa
Technik
demonstrated
the potential
of li-fi at
NBAA 2019
50,000-60,000 hours. There really are no limitations. LED
lighting upgrades can be made for can lights, up- and
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