Rugged keyboard from Staco chosen for in-flight entertainment system on Airbus A350 jet

Cabin electronics designers at Panasonic Avionics Corp. in Bothell, Wash., needed rugged keyboards for the remote control center of the in-flight entertainment to be installed on the Airbus A350 widebody passenger jet. They found their solution from Staco Systems Inc. in Irvine, Calif.

Staco is providing Panasonic Avionics with custom-designed 64-key panel mount keyboards for Panasonic's next-generation eX3 in-flight entertainment and aviation communications system on the Airbus A350 jumbo twin jet.

The compact Staco USB keyboard has 64 keys and supports U.S. and multi European language layouts. It is designed to Airbus certification requirements for environmental, electrical, electromagnetic interference, and flammability, Staco officials say.

The keyboard also has an environmental seal and has IP66 and NEMA 4X contaminant ingress protection ratings. It is designed to meet decompression, over pressure, and altitude requirements typically found in aerospace applications.

The keys are LED backlit and offer illumination control with a five-step dimming control circuit.