FLUG REVUE June 2006: Aircraft Interiors expands again

June 2006

AIRCRAFT INTERIORS EXPO – EVERYTHING FOR PASSENGER COMFORT

By Matthias Gründer

This year's AIE was the seventh such exhibition devoted to aircraft cabin interiors to have been held in Hamburg, and proved the biggest and most extensive to date. No end to the boom is in sight.

Eight halls instead of the seven of 2005, plus an open-air area together provided over 40,000 square metres of exhibition space at the Hamburg exhibition centre, accommodating some 400 exhibitors from all over the world. This specialist trade fair has thrived ever since it was moved from France to Hamburg shortly after being held for the first time.

The reasons for this are manifold and illuminating at the same time. Thus, many of the companies exhibiting here felt that they were underrepresented at the big air shows of Paris, Berlin and Farnborough. Only a few trade visitors were finding their way to their stands, while on the public days the crowd simply streamed past them without a second glance. In Hamburg, on the other hand, the three-day long fair is attended exclusively by trade visitors and the cost-benefit calculation is a lot more positive.

Moreover, everything to do with cabin equipment is to be found here under a single roof, from aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing through to the suppliers of quite different systems, modules and materials. The biggest attraction this year was the cabin mock-up of the new Airbus A350: Over 170 delegations from international airlines wanted to cast their eye over the cabin of the future European long-haul aircraft.

Meanwhile Boeing presented some interesting details on its Dreamliner, while the two giants' suppliers, both actual and especially those hoping for business, flocked around them. Manufacturers of passenger seats were particularly prominent at the trade fair, as airlines are increasingly no longer looking for a single standard seat with their colours or materials, but they actually want their own, unmistakable seat. Recaro of Schwäbisch-Hall had several products on offer in this area, for example, a new series seat for the Economy Class, in which a single load-bearing composite spar replaces the two which have been customary up to now. Passengers are guaranteed significantly more legroom.

Numerous other exhibitors were showing materials for cabin furnishings, including leather in variants hitherto unknown and a variety of materials for seats and coverings of all kinds. For example, the Dutch materials manufacturer AaBe was presenting a polyester fabric called Securelle, which is flame-retardant and, when combined with Teflon, is even dirt- and liquid-resistant.. Water and spilt drinks simply run off without leaving any trace. As a result, the material retains its new appearance for longer and is less inclined to become creased.

Another exhibitor to attract a lot of visitor attention was Lufthansa Technik, firstly as the user of services provided by many suppliers and secondly as the developer of its own solutions in the area of the passenger cabin.

“STRIPS OF LIGHT ON THE FLOOR SHOW YOU...”

Thus, for example, 500 metres of the currentless escape route guide system Guideline for installation into A380 prototype MSN002 had just been delivered. The company also rounds off its digital cabin management and in-flight entertainment system nice with a server for audio/video on demand (AVOD). Finally, Kuwait Airways announced its decision to be the launch customer for the latest engineering project, a stretcher whose installation does not depend on any specific seat design. It can be installed with minimal effort into virtually any Economy Class cabin.

Meanwhile Textron Fastening Systems was able to announce the certification of its intelligent Intevia fastening system with which, amongst other things, passenger seats can be attached to the usual seat rails. However, instead of the normal screwed connections, a kind of electronic claw clings to the ball head of a locking bolt. When connected, the fastenings can withstand an acceleration of over 16g, yet they can also be released by a single remotely transmitted radio signal.

As a fitting conclusion, one should take a look at Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, where a small but extremely high-quality group of aircraft component suppliers is becoming established. For example, EADS RST in Rostock has developed a door trainer for the electronically opened doors on the A380, which attracted throngs of visitors every day. FLUG REVUE will report in more detail soon.

From page 88 of FLUG REVUE 6/2006

Last updated 10 May 2006

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