Welcome to Episode 48 of the #PaxEx podcast. Our guest is Jon Norris. A long-time aviation industry veteran with plenty of OEM experience, Jon works as senior director, corporate sales & marketing for Panasonic Avionics.

First, Panasonic recently unveiled its NEXT inflight entertainment and connectivity system, which will debut in full on the Boeing 777X. Co-hosts Max Flight and Mary Kirby get the low-down from Jon about what this platform ecosystem will mean for the passenger experience.

Next, we hear a lot about how nose-to-tail connectivity on aircraft will improve operations (and indeed safety). Panasonic is on the forefront of aircraft e-enablement; Jon gives us update on some of the progress being made, and how are airlines benefitting.

Finally, it’s no secret that #PaxEx suppliers benefit from gaining what’s called “linefit offerability” with airframers, as it means that their systems and services are offered as part of the airframer’s catalogue, and can be installed for airlines on the production line. But Runway Girl Network has observed some confusion in the market. Since we have Jon on the show, he discusses the difference between what constitutes “linefit” versus “retrofit”, and explains why we’re seeing aircraft roll off the line with antenna radomes atop their fuselages, but no antennas under the hood.

“One of the things which I think probably isn’t fully understood is the level of qualification and certification that you have to go through to get approval from an airframer for linefit is above the level of qualification and certification required for retrofit because airframers tend to have higher levels of expectations of how that system should interact, be integrated with their aircraft,” says Norris.