Field Aviation delivers two custom interior Bombardier Q400s

Field Aviation recently delivered two Bombardier Q400 aircraft with custom designed interiors - the first such installations in the type.

Both aircraft were delivered to Avitrade Belgium during a handover ceremony at Field Aviation’s Toronto facility. Selected by Avitrade on behalf of their end use customer, Field Aviation was engaged to design, engineer and integrate unique mixed class interiors for each aircraft.

Field Aviation has delivered two custom interiors in Bombardier Q400 aircraft, the first such installations in the aircraft type.

Field Aviation has a long history of converting commercial regional class aircraft into corporate shuttle and VIP configurations for corporate and government clients globally. This experience and the company’s long standing relationship with Avitrade were important factors in the selection of Field Aviation to carry out the work.

“Configuring the first new Q400 aircraft with these customized interiors represents an important milestone in the completions business for Field Aviation” commented David Jensen, Field Aviation’s vice-president, business development. “We view the Q400 as an excellent platform for this type of application and as global interest and awareness grows; we see expanded opportunities for modified Q400s.“ read more

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Terry Drinkard

State of the Interior

Neither are particularly well suited for actual work on board. The royal barge interior shall be with us always, hedonistic designs executed with exquisite materials, catering to the luxury crowd. As glorious a testimony to the art of sensual gratification as it may be, the royal barge interior is not designed to really support people doing actual work. I know it can be done, and I know people who have done it, but that's because of their personal persistence, not because of good design.

The corporate airline interior is no better. It's just seats in rows, facing forward - contrary to what the data tell us makes a more crash-worthy interior. Unless you have one of those special jets that never, ever crash, this should be a concern. These aircraft are intended to efficiently shuttle employees from site to site, to do whatever work is to be done and to do it Off The Aircraft. They are not designed to support passengers working on board. They are not designed to support a team. This may seem strange, but these aircraft function only as corporate airliners, buses with wings, really.

Inside work read more

Eagle Creek delivers first refurbished aircraft for Colombian Army

Eagle Creek Aviation Services has delivered the first of two contracted refurbished Grand Renaissance Twin Commanders to the Colombian Army.

Eagle Creek is the global leader in Twin Commander sales and service and performed the entire Grand Renaissance refurbishment program on the aircraft.

A Twin Commander Grand Renaissance 980

“We are very pleased with the way the aircraft turned out,” said Matt Hagans, Eagle Creek’s CEO. “After this level of refurbishment, it is hard to tell that it isn’t a new airplane. Moving forward, we are now focused on the completion of the second aircraft.”

The refurbishment was completed with an on-time delivery on a Twin Commander 980. The total workscope required eight months and over 7,000 man-hours to complete.read more

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People

Comlux Aviation Services

Jude Zimmerman Comlux Aviation Services LLC based in Indianapolis has recently appointed Jude Zimmerman to the position of Interiors Manager. “Despite the economy and shortages of jobs, true talent is very difficult to find but very essential to a strong organization”, said Tony Bailey, Vice President of Operations at Comlux. “Jude is one of those pprofessionals whose experience and knowledge coupled with his energy and dedication make him a key component to our continued push for excellence. We are pleased, and honored, to have him on our team.” Jude Zimmerman has over 39 years of aviation experience and held prior positions of Director of Completions for StarPort Aviation, Director of Completions & Refurbishment for Savannah Air Center, Interior Manager for Elliott Aviation, and Interior/Cabinet Shop Manager for Raytheon Aircraft Services.

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photograph by Paul Cordwell: www.cordwell.aero

Airbus corporate jet cabins - Space that goes a long way By David Velupillai, Marketing Director, Airbus Corporate Jets o read the newspapers, you might think that business jet customers want nothing more than to equip their aircraft with exotic items such as saunas, gyms and fireplaces. To listen to some politicians, you would think that business jets are for the privileged in our society, for whom they are the latest playthings. And to listen to some taxpayers, you would believe that business jets were for government leaders to travel in luxury, when much of the world is cutting back on spending. The reality, as those of us in the industry know, is different. Whether our customers are company executives, high net-worth individuals, or government leaders, they still have the same basic needs as you and me. They need a place to sit, a table at which to work and eat, somewhere to sleep, and a bathroom. So when we work with our industry partners to create an Airbus corporate jet cabin, what we are trying to do is to give our customers the ability to take into the air the kind of comfort and space that they already enjoy on the ground in their home and office. At Airbus we are well placed to do that, because we have the widest and tallest cabin, the kind of space that is more room-shaped than tube-shaped, and a living environment that, just like on the ground, allows you to move around more freely. Comlux Airbus ACJ318 Main Cabin Now, while a chief executive, billionaire or head or state might have similar living-space needs as you and I, they are probably used to a higher standard of furnishings in their home and office. So when it comes to creating a corporate jet cabin for them, they like the idea of having something that has a nice look to it, with tasteful use of noble materials such as polished wood, leather and quality fabrics. For leaders on the move, a corporate jet can literally become a second home read more Plus: Bruno Galzin, Head of Sales & Marketing, offers an insight into the work of the Airbus Corporate Jet Centre . . . read

Chameleon's illusions have the magic touch

Chameleon Products Ltd can change the way an interior looks with its decorative film technology - and save weight into the bargain!

The Company uses a film transfer process that can make plastic, composites or most other substrates look like other materials. It can, for example make plastic look like marble or wood, without the excessive weight penalty that real marble would give. Being a water transfer process, parts can be complex in shape or pattern and the transfer printing system is fully compliant with FAA and EASA smoke and toxicity requirements. Managing Director Trevor Whetter says there are many advantages to using this film
	B737 toilest with burl and carrara white marble finish.
technology: “It's 300% lighter than a wood veneer. It doesn't crack and lift off like veneer and for recycling and refurbishment it's great. We can apply the film, for example, to aircraft seat plastics. We can take a grey, dull piece of plastic and make it into something spectacular” he says.

Chameleon’s technology can be used on any furnishings in an aircraft and Whetter says that the company recently received a request from a customer who wanted his aircraft to have the same interior look as his Mercedes Maybach. The company duly obliged. Whetter jokes, “We can even decorate your briefcase to match your aircraft interior”. read more

Five-star food prep at 30,000ft  In the competitive business aviation market, operators are striving to increase their level of service and customer satisaction by differentiating their inflight food offerings. Modular Galley Systems AG, an innovation and engineering - driven German company owned by Italian IACOBUCCI HF Group, has developed the first and only induction oven solution for business and commercial aircraft, gaining three Mercury Awards. The MGS patented induction system technology offers a wide range of benefits over the conventional oven. It's safer - as the oven is not hot in any of its parts during operation; It offers a quicker food re-heating service, allowing cabin crew to easily prepare fresh five-star meals; and the re-heating tray allows pre-cooked meals to be warmed up in standard aluminium foils - halving the time from approximately 25 minutes in a normal oven to only 12. The MGS Multi Functional Unit can automatically detect and identify the trays and preselect the desired heating program. read more

New Cabin Concepts on Show at Aircraft Interiors Expo Americas

The latest solutions to meet the needs of aircraft interiors buyers' will be very much in focus at Aircraft Interiors Expo Americas 2011, which will be held September 12 - 14 at the Washington State Convention Center in downtown Seattle. Such is the appeal of the exhibition that all the booth space has been sold and there is a waiting list.

Highlights include AIM Aerospace which will be displaying a new business bar concept for Boeing B777's and Airbus A330's, with styling input from French industrial designers JCE. The company will also have its Front Row Furniture module, which is currently in service with Air China, on show. These units are being delivered on new B777-300's in support of B/E Aerospace's Diamond lie-flat seats.

In the galley equipment arena, Iacobucci HF Group (see above) will be demonstrating the MR4AA1 microwave. This new microwave is extremely light weighing in at only 14 kg when empty but has more than 12 litres of cavity capacity. There is no rotating plate which both saves on energy and reduces maintenance costs.

Meanwhile in the continuing search for ever lighter but cost effective seat and monument coverings, Perrone Aerospace will be showing its latest leather-alternative range - EnduraLite. Billed as economical, lightweight and a durable alternative to real leather, EnduraLite weighs 1.3 ounces per square foot - more than 50 percent lighter than traditional leather. The product looks and feels like leather and yet it is made using a 100 percent fire retardant polyurethane face and a proprietary blend of polyester backing which yields high levels of durability for years of service.

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United Kingdom

Ocean Sky installs stone floor in Global Express

As business jet owners strive to create increasingly exclusive flying environments, the interiors business of private jet company Ocean Sky has successfully installed a stone floor in the entrance and galley area of a Bombardier Global Express.

The jet was fitted with a Baltic Brown granite floor at Ocean Sky’s Manchester interiors centre over a two-week period. read more

MacCarthy Aviation wins contract for Somonair VIP cabin

MacCarthy Aviation Holdings, The specialist Aircraft Interiors manufacturer based near Gatwick Airport in the south of England, have been awarded the contract to design, manufacture and install a 737-800VVIP cabin for Somonair.

The contract which will include a berthable Divan, VIP seating and IFE with wireless audio, was won against stiff international competition.

Martin Longden, Managing Director says “we are delighted to be chosen for this prestigious project which fits with our catalogue of interiors projects for other VIP and Heads of State aircraft.”

MacCarthy will install the interior at Dushanbe in Tajikistan, the Somonair base.

Passing with Flying Colours Flying Colours Corp was launched over twenty two years ago and has since become a global leader in allaspects of aircraft completions & maintenance.

With an initial focus to accommodate a growing aircraft sales and leasing division based in Peterborough, Ontario, the team soon realised the need for a company that could provide a highly specified interiors and exteriors completion service. With the addition of a US base in St Louis, Missouri, the company now specialises in everything from green completions, conversions and refurbishments through to MRO and installation of auxiliary fuel systems.

Chief Executive Officer, John Gillespie, spoke to BlueSky . . . 

What's keeping Flying Colours busy at the moment?

We have a number of different projects in progress at the moment and most recently have seen dramatic renewal in the demand for mid-size aircraft refurbishments from both corporate and private owners in the North American market. They’re either looking to re-enter the aviation market after the economic turndown or are completing refurbishments that had been put on hold over the recession. We're currently working on a total of ten mid-size jet projects and have another four complete projects in the pipeline and are working on a variety of aircraft including Challenger 300, Challenger 604, Falcon 900 and Hawker 800 models.

Challenger 850 galley

The work involves complete refurbishments, external paint jobs, installation of communications technology and implementation of maintenance contracts, it really covers the whole range of our business.

What about the Asian market, how important is that for you?

Our customer base is truly global but the Asian market is one that we've been truly focused on for the past 3 years, particularly with the green completion side of our company. read more

Jet Works Air Center

Jet Works Air Center is an MRO company based 35 miles northwest of the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

The company undertakes maintenance, interior refurbs, VIP completions, avionics and paint on Boeings, Gulfstreams, Globals, Challengers, Lears, Citations, Piaggio, and Pilatus business aircraft. All work is done under FAA certificate CRS: JW0R647N.

Whilst Jet Works Air Center as a brand has only been in existence since 2004, the various components merged to create Jet Works Air Center have 15 years of interior, paint and maintenance and avionics services.

The company currently operates out of 100,000+ square feet of hangar and office space at the Denton Municipal Airport and employs approximately 175 personnel, including over 130 technicians who are experts in the above disciplines. read more