PILOT’S GUIDE In-Flight Entertainment Systems

BY DALE SMITH

’m really going to date myself HiFi while you fly. here, but back when I was I can hear a lot of you “high- Ilearning to fly, I thought the timers” saying to yourselves, “I neatest thing was to be able to don’t want music blaring in my tune the trusty old ADF to an AM ears while I’m trying to fly. I’ve radio station and listen to a base- got enough to do already.” Well, ball game while I trudged around during an instrument approach or in the skies over Florida. I can under IFR conditions, you From simple AM/FM still remember that crackly signal undoubtedly do. But what about blaring over the 150’s single those severe-clear days when receivers to blow-your-socks- speaker. And what a mad dash it you’re flying over the middle of off in-cabin video systems, was to turn down the volume if nowhere? Wouldn’t it be nice to “Center” called. Stereo was pass the hours with a little back- today there’s an in-flight something you were lucky to ground music? After all, you have have in your car. And a head- a lot to do when you’re driving in entertainment system to set—well those were reserved for traffic and you still find time to match anyone’s budget and the “pros.” have the radio on and probably a Today, as an entertainment cell phone glued to your ear. imagination. tool at least, the ADF is all but “A lot of pilots see in-flight forgotten. And that’s a good entertainment (IFE) as a distrac- thing, because it’s monaural AM tion,” explained Jim Kantor, sound has been replaced a owner of Eastern Avionics. “But seemingly endless assortment of the truth is, pilots who have it ways to deliver your favorite and use it wisely, actually find it music and even movies into your makes the flight more relaxing airplane in the highest fidelity and enjoyable. Pilots really have imaginable. much less fatigue after a flight and you can never say enough of the benefit it gives your pas- sengers.” Besides, when you get ready to begin your approach, all you have to do is flip a switch and the music is gone. “With the capabilities of today’s stereo audio panels, the pilot can easily bypass the music chan- nel,” added Ron Shabbott, avion- ics manager for Eastern Avionics.

- 1 - “The co-pilot location and the stereo and full-intercom capabili- But, that’s not the only time a passengers can listen to whatev- ties,” Shabbott added. “A lot of portable may be your best solu- er they want and it won’t interfere them have an external input jack tion. Say you’re an “infrequent” with the pilot’s ATC communica- that makes it easy to plug in a flyer or maybe your panel is tions at all.” portable cassette, CD or even already over-stuffed with avion- In fact, a growing percentage MP3 player. And even if the unit ics. Or maybe you’re lucky of pilots are opting to install or doesn’t have the jack, it’s a real enough to fly a “classic” and upgrade their IFE systems simple thing for your installer to don’t want to ruin the aesthetics because it is such a benefit to add one on your panel or in the of your panel. All of these are their passengers. After all, your glove box.” good reasons not to choose a friends, kids or even your “signifi- Yes, amazing as it sounds, the panel-mounted box. cant other” may not share lowly old audio panel And while a portable unit is your love of that for years has certainly better than nothing, they aviating. gotten no do have their limitations. The first Having their respect one is that it’s portable. Which favorite music from the means you have to remember to along will real- other avion- bring it along with you every time ly increase their ics is now you fly. And then there’s the need comfort level the heart to run a wire to plug the unit into and will help pass and soul of your in-flight your audio panel. And don’t for- the time. In fact, if you do it right, entertainment system. get that portables eat batteries you may never-again hear the “The newest thrust is to like kids eat candy. So you’ll words: “When are we going to upgrade to a stereo audio panel have to remember to bring get there?” that has the built-in intercom,” spares. And while using your passen- Kantor explained. “Now you’ll Of course, you can plug the gers’ comfort and entertainment have an all-in-one box that has player’s adapter into your air- is a good excuse, the truth is all the normal audio switching, as plane’s cigarette lighter … er, once you have a good IFE sys- well as the switching for a panel auxiliary power outlet, but therein tem in your plane you won’t want mounted AM/FM radio and CD lies another problem—electrical to fly without it. I heard the story player. “noise.” If you use the cigarette of a guy who flies his Mooney “And the beauty is,” he added, lighter for power and plug the about 500-hours a year all over “all of the units have the built-in player into the intercom’s audio the Midwest. His in-dash CD circuitry that automatically mutes jack, you can create an electrical player went down and he imme- the music whenever an ATC loop and actually hear the CD diately called the manufacturer communication comes through player’s electric motor running for a “loaner” while his was being the radio.” Isn’t technology over the audio system. It’s not fixed. He didn’t want to take great? hazardous, but it can be annoy- another flight without it. ing. Will that be panel-mount or Of course, built-in players elim- The hardware at the heart of portable? inate all those problems. They’re your IFE system. Your decision to go with a always there and ready to enter- The one thing that is driving portable music source or a tain you so you’ll end up using it the increase in popularity of in- panel-mounted unit may not be more. Plus, because they have a flight entertainment is how easy it as cut and dry as you think. built-in amplifier, there will be can be added to your cockpit. Sure, if you recently finished an plenty of volume to do your “What we’re seeing now is a lot avionics upgrade and don’t have favorite music justice. And built- of aircraft owners changing out the desire or disposable income ins are especially nice if you their old switch-style audio pan- to go with an installed unit, a want to listen to AM or FM radio els for the new models with portable is the only choice. Continued on following page…

- 2 - ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS Continued from page 2 because you won’t have any portable antennas to deal with. The last and, often least con- sidered piece of your in-flight entertainment system, is your headset. It makes no sense to spend the money for a quality stereo intercom and an equally good music source and then try and listen to it through your how- many-year-old mono headset. offering subscription satellite And even most “stereo” headsets units for installation in your air- aren’t any good for music. plane. But the experts suggest They’ve been specifically you shop wisely for your satellite designed for reproducing voice system. The hardware and pro- over VHF, not music over HiFi. gramming packages are not So take your time and “test fly” a interchangeable so check out the variety of quality headsets. Hey, available programming package who doesn’t like to buy new carefully. And don’t forget to fig- goodies for the cockpit? ure in the monthly subscription fees. You have to pay them Take a look at this! whether you use the radio or not. As it has throughout its entire So if you really don’t fly a lot, it’s evolution, IFE is following the probably a better idea to stick lead set by car entertainment with one of the “free” sources. product development and that And, last but not least, if you’re means the next-generation of on- one of those music lovers who the-go entertainment goodies enjoys creating your own music including satellite radio, DVD collections on the new digital players and MP3 players are MP3 format, there’s reason for now available for your airplane. you to celebrate too. You not With the growing availability only have the ability to plug your and shrinking cost of those tiny MP3 portable player into a panel LCD video screens, DVD players jack, you can now also buy a are beginning to make their way panel-mounted MP3 player for into some upper-end cabin air- real “digital” music on the go. craft. But, with a price tag of So there you have it my air- around $8,000 for a “basic” DVD borne audiophile friend. When it IFE system, it’s still a bit pricey comes to what you can do to cre- for the average single-engine ate your ideal in-flight entertain- owner. And, then again, if you ment system, the sky is literally really want the coolest Bonanza the limit. Or as Kantor put it, or Saratoga on the ramp, maybe “Just like your car or home enter- a DVD system with individual tainment system, what you put in monitors at each seat and some your airplane is only limited by ultra-cool wireless headphones your imagination—or better yet, isn’t really out of the picture. your wallet.” As you read this there are a couple of avionics companies

- 3 -