Rosen Aviation drives collaboration for premium classes
This is a special feature from the May 2025 issue of PAX Tech on page 72.
The Maverick VR First Class / Business Class demo from Rosen Aviation
Rosen Aviation, a boutique experience provider, brought a selection of its Premium Class products to the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) for the first time last month, to great success. Now, Lee Clark, Senior Vice-President Strategy at Rosen Aviation tells PAX Tech how the company is differentiating itself from other suppliers in the market.
Curating a credible alternative
Clark calls Rosen Aviation the “credible alternative” in the market for highly reliable and cutting-edge IFE solutions. The company has been designing and manufacturing products for 45 years, bringing a wealth of expertise and experience in Business and V/VIP aviation that it is now expanding into commercial aviation.
Lee Clark, Senior Vice-President Strategy at Rosen Aviation
“We offer bespoke solutions in the commercial space that big established players simply cannot deliver on – not necessarily due to inherent capabilities but instead due to scales of economy,” Lee explains. “That is where Rosen lends itself, and we have enjoyed great success working with manufacturers, operators and some of the IFE titans in the industry.”
Rosen Aviation is continually investing in R&D and pushing the envelope of possibilities in functionality, size, weight, power and performance.
“There is always a new threshold to strive for and every member of our team lives and breathes this,” says Clark. “We could not be a credible alternative if it were not for the engrained pursuit of innovation in our brand’s DNA. Our customer base recognizes and appreciates this and knows they can call on us to solve problems.”
In pursuit of innovation
For Rosen Aviation, attendance at the Aircraft Interiors Expo last month came down to three main brand objectives: visibility, perception and messaging.
“If we can increase the number of views and visits, instill a sense of confidence and credibility, and sufficiently educate customers on how Rosen can enhance their current capabilities and supply chains, then we have succeeded,” he says, adding that AIX 2025 was a very successful event for the company. “In just two short years, we have gone from relatively unknown newcomers to credible disruptors and have no plans to slow down any time soon.”
Advocating for a new procurement paradigm, Clark says the current one is lacking when it comes to innovation and speed to market. The solution? Partnering with an airline, its designers or IFE suppliers from the outset to ensure what the customer is asking for is possible and adds value.
“Transparent supply partner relationships with open dialogue earlier in the development cycle will have a bigger impact on the high-tech cabin of tomorrow than anything else,” says Clark.
“It is high time that airlines stop doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results.”
The push for premium
Clark says the most important takeaway from this year’s show is definitive validation of the trends and demands that Rosen Aviation has been pushing for.
“Our customers want to offer premium experiences because passengers are demanding premium experiences,” he affirms.
Emphasizing quality over quantity, Clark says Rosen will focus on premium, First Class and Business Class environments, where airlines strive to create a unique and differentiated brand experience.
“The bottom line is that we are not looking to compete as much as we are looking to collaborate [with existing suppliers],” he explains, “We will work with your IFE supplier or seat supplier to realize that vision and bring it to your aircraft on time and on budget.”
In late April, Rosen was acquired by the HEICO group via Mid-Continent Controls, forming a collaborative ecosystem that greatly expands the breadth and depth of solutions the supplier can offer.
Clark expects that by this time next year, Rosen Aviation will be able to propose cutting-edge technology solutions and the entire backbone architecture to support them for nearly any aircraft in any corner of the industry.
“We have cultivated this presence that is equally about innovation and thought leadership as much as it is about credibility and reliability, which now holds significantly more weight thanks to the massive increase in resources and support we have at our fingertips under new ownership,” he concludes.
