Collins brings galley inserts online with low-cost retrofit option

Is the aircraft cabin finally ready to report its health autonomously? Collins Aerospace believes the answer is a resounding yes, with the introduction of a low-cost retrofit solution for galley inserts. Described as a “cost-effective wireless connectivity solution for airplane galley inserts,” the minor modification allows appliances on board to automatically transmit data in real-time from the aircraft to
maintenance operations.

People kept coming up with million dollar solutions that thousand dollar opportunities. It was a great idea; it seemed like it would be valuable. But the cost of implementing it just didn’t make sense. The big thing that we’ve been able to figure out is how to deliver the benefits with just a simple modification to an existing unit.

– Brian Schmalz, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Galley Inserts

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Technically viable and valuable solutions to bring aircraft into the Internet-of-Things era have been bandied about for the past several years. IFC providers love the idea because it helps justify the cost of installing a solution on board. And, obviously, the companies making the connectivity bits are keen to gain access to the commercial aerospace market. But the solutions suggested typically come in as too complex, too expensive, and too cumbersome to implement, especially given the typical retrofit lifecycle of planes.

Collins has a very different approach with the galley inserts program. The component is relatively inexpensive (the company declined to provide pricing specifics), and the alteration process is transparent from a regulatory perspective. As Schmalz explains, “You can take the unit you already own, make a small modification to it, have the unit otherwise perform exactly as it does today – not even have to change the part number of the unit – and all of a sudden have it provide you with intelligent information that you can use to run the operation more smoothly.”

Initially, Collins anticipates airlines can use the reporting to identify failures of galley hardware, allowing for quick(er) replacements during an aircraft turn. But Schmalz suggests the value there is relatively low compared to the broader potential of a connected galley environment. “Having one connected unit on one airplane, frankly, isn’t very valuable. Even having all your units connected on only one aircraft type is not very valuable. In order for an airline to really leverage the benefits of or all of the benefits that this can provide. That they really needed throughout their fleets.”

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With a full fleet of aircraft updated and continuously reporting systems status, “big data” takes over. “We’ll be able to predict when something is going wrong. And not two hours before it fails, but two weeks or more,” Schmalz explains. The goal is to “provide enough insight so the airline can address the problem during a scheduled maintenance visit, when mechanics are already going to be on board, when spare parts are readily on hand.”

In some cases the appliances are already collecting all the data. It is stuck inside, unable to be reviewed without a technician visiting the aircraft. In other cases, particularly on older models, the retrofit adds sensors and storage, along with the Wi-Fi connection. Either way, adding the connectivity module unlocks that data from the insert, allowing it to be easily shared via a common internet link.

And the system can connect to any Wi-Fi network on board. For airlines with an existing broadband solution the devices can simply connect to the same access points and satellite link, passing their reports in the background. For airlines with less robust data links, perhaps additional integration work would be needed. But the data usage is so low – kilobytes per report – that the transfer costs should be bearable by an airline.

Indeed, Collins expects that, because of the low acquisition costs and low bandwidth, the retrofits could ultimately pay for themselves in reduced spare inventory and improved passenger experience (and fewer compensation payouts for broken systems or services not delivered).

Schmalz also expects the link to eventually become bidirectional. Rather than only pulling data off the components, he anticipates being able to adjust the settings from a connected crew tablet. Switching settings on the ovens for a different type of meal or on the fancier coffee makers on a flight-by-flight basis becomes easier and more repeatable with a “normal” tablet interface rather than many button taps on the insert directly.

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