Cabin Outfitting Industry Showing Signs of Recovery Cally a List of Interior Centers Approved by the Aircraft Manufacturer

A Boeing 787 cabin proposal by Gore Design Completions of San Antonio, Texas, stretches the design envelope.

In this report: • Electronics Briefs Pg 21, 22, 24, 26 • Startups Signal Growing Comp & Refurb Demand Pg 26

• Comp & Refurb Briefs Pg 28, 30, 31 • GAL Aviation Launches Operations Pg 32 • Lufthansa Innovations Pg 33 • Pats Emerging On Its Own Pg 33

Web exclusive: • Completion Centers directory www.ainonline.com/ resource center GDC • Vendors directory www.ainonline.com/ resource center

president Tom Langeland. This, he added, is especially true of larger bizlin- ers for which the only guidance is typi- Cabin outfitting industry showing signs of recovery cally a list of interior centers approved by the aircraft manufacturer. In Singapore, ST Aerospace is a major by Kirby J. Harrison MRO facility that also has the capacity to handle interior outfitting for aircraft up There are growing signs that business charter arm. The first three will be based that includes a broad range of comple- through an Airbus A330 or Boeing 747. aviation is entering a recovery period, in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from where they tion and refurbishment project super- Like the OEMs and completion and and reports from the completion and will provide nonstop service to Beijing, visory and management services. More refurbishment centers, cabin designers refurbishment side of the house suggest among other destinations. telling, the company has also opened recognize the potential of the China that cabin outfitting is also shaking off Flying Colours is more than happy with the new office in Xiamen, China, not far market and are designing cabins that the effects of a prolonged recession. the Chinese market. The Peterborough, from the (similarly named but different) appeal to regional tastes. Major analysts–JPMorgan, UBS, Ontario-based completion and refurbish- Taeco aircraft heavy maintenance facility, Earlier this year, Airbus announced Argus, JetNet and Avinode–are taking ment center specializes in Challenger 850 which recently expanded to include cabin its Phoenix cabin concept, with a color positive if tentative positions, reporting green completions and Canadair CRJ200 completion and refurbishment. scheme and layout that will appeal to a reduction in the used aircraft for-sale reconfigurations for executive use. Flying “A lot of Chinese buyers are start- the Asian sense of aesthetics. Taeco is inventory and increases in flight activity. Colours and its Chesterfield, Mo.-based ing at ground zero when it comes among the cabin outfitters that Airbus And at the European Business Aviation sister company, JetCorp, have already to outfitting the cabin,” said Talco has approved and audited. Convention & Exhibition (Ebace) in May, delivered two completed 850s to China the good mood that permeated the open- and expect to deliver five more in China ing was even better as the show closed. and another in India by the end of next Nine-digit jet deals were again in year. “We have three more scheduled for vogue at Ebace. Most were for large- 2012 delivery, and we’re negotiating for cabin aircraft, but there were orders for more,” said director of completion sales midsize and smaller airplanes as well. and management Sean Gillespie. And there was plenty of proof that a “Our Chinese customers like the large growing market outside North Amer- cabin, a range that will take them nonstop ica and Europe–primarily Brazil, Russia, to most destinations in China, and a price India and China–is a trend with legs. in the $26 million range,” he explained. “In 2011, the European market is still active,” said Richard Gaona, CEO of China Poised To Become Comlux The Aviation Group, a Zurich- the Next Big Market based aviation services company that Bombardier estimates the China mar- counts among its subsidiaries Indianap- ket potential at some 600 business jet olis-based completion and refurbish- deliveries between 2010 and 2019, and ment specialist Comlux America. And he Brazilian OEM Embraer rates it at about added, “The Chinese market is growing 950 deliveries over the next 20 years. All and the Middle East seems to be recover- that activity spells work for the world’s ing despite the turmoil there.” completion and refurbishment centers. Comlux recently placed an order for Talco Aviation and DRB Aviation An Airbus A318 Elite, similar to that above outfitted by Comlux America, will make an appearance next month seven Embraer Legacy 650s for its own recently formed a “strategic partnership” at the Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition in São Paulo, Brazil.

20 Aviation International News • July 2011 • www.ainonline.com

At the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany, in April, AirJet Electronics Briefs Designs of Toulouse, France, unveiled two luxury interior renderings reflecting the Asian aesthetic. The proposals–Art If there is one single word that describes this brave de Vivre and Xin Ge–are influenced by new world, it is “connected.” We are all connected, French, Italian and Chinese design styles. tied to one another and the world at large by smart- Associated Air Center in Dallas is phones, tablets and laptops. We are connected by working on two completion projects for voice and by text, transmitting and receiving at virtu- the same Asian customer, both of which ally every moment of the day. The cellphone rings, or incorporate the 3,000-year-old Chinese chimes an alert to an incoming text and we answer, at principles of Feng Shui. Lufthansa Technik will be provid- the breakfast table, in a meeting, on a date. ing cabin outfitting for a new Boeing There is no place so sacred that we are out of Business Jet destined for corporate ser- touch. Especially not the cabin of a business jet, vice with the new Beijing Airlines. Also 41,000 feet in the air, 2,000 miles from land and hur- on the schedule at the Hamburg-based tling toward the next destination at Mach 0.85. center is completion of an A319 for In this Completion & Refurbishment Special Re- another Asian customer. port, we have compiled a series of news items that il- Widebody Ambitions lustrate in some part what is going on in the world of In fact, centers like Lufthansa Technik cabin electronics–from high-speed Internet to high- that are devoted primarily to the recon- definition entertainment. In the August edition of figuration of single- and twin-aisle air- AIN, the Cabin Electronics Special Report will take liners for executive use made it through the story further and into greater depth. the recession with minimal heartburn. A small number of owners deferred deliv- Embraer Picks ery, but in nowhere near the numbers Honeywell Ovation for New Jets who deferred and even cancelled deliver- A well equipped galley, such as this one in a 328DBJ by 328 Support Services in Germany, is commonplace ies of smaller business jets. on larger business jets, and in particular those designed with extended range capability and those with larger Brazilian OEM Embraer has picked Honey- passenger capacity. Airbus Corporate Jet Centre (ACJC) well’s Ovation Select cabin management saw business slow down “a little bit” last Galzin noted growing interest in cabin and we’re starting to bid on twin-aisle system to equip the newest additions to its line year, but according to head of sales and refurbishment work, in particular during work again,” said Associated president of executive jets–the Legacy 450 and Legacy marketing Bruno Galzin, “We have green the Ebace show. Jack Lawless. “We are also considering 500. In addition to controlling the system’s aircraft to complete into 2012 for sure In the U.S., few centers are as busy partnering on some 747-8I projects. This entertainment and productivity components, [and] we’re starting to fill in 2013,” he as Gore Design Completions in San way we would continue our single-aisle says Honeywell, Ovation Select puts lighting, added. ACJC delivered its eighth outfitted Antonio. In a recently expanded han- work and still support a large project like seats, temperature, galley and window-shade cabin in late May. “And we will deliver four gar, the center is working on three Air- a 747-8I.” cabins this year–maybe even a fifth one.” bus A340s and an A320, a Boeing 777 Lawless said Associated did well in controls at the passengers’ fingertips. The Following the example of other com- and a BBJ3. The most recent delivery 2010, with deliveries of five outfitted air- first ship sets have already been sent to pletion centers, the Toulouse-based was a Boeing 767 in April. The Boeing craft. “We have a healthy backlog and Embraer’s São Jose dos Campos facilities. ACJC has expanded from dedicated 777 and one of the A340s currently in things are going well for us.” First customer deliveries of the Legacy 450 green completion work to include main- the shop are scheduled for delivery this Comlux America in Indianapolis are expected in 2012, with the Legacy 450 tenance checks, engine work and cabin year. “We were so booked over the past is also having a good year, according scheduled for 2013. upgrades and refurbishment. couple of years we didn’t experience any to Gaona. A new A320 completed in In the past, ACJC has focused exclusively downturn,” said co-owner and president Indianapolis was on display at Ebace. on green completion of the Airbus ACJ line Kathy Gore-Walters. A BBJ2 and an A319ACJ are currently TrueNorth Express Means Speed of business jets, but the company is looking Following a restructuring, Associated in the completion process. TrueNorth Avionics has introduced a closely at expanding into larger, twin-aisle Air Center in Dallas is resuming its place In the two years since it opened, the more compact Wi-Fi cabin-networking device, airliner conversions, said Galzin. “Maybe in as one of the country’s premier centers. center has received approvals from Air- dubbed TrueNorth Express+, that “easily, one or two years,” he mused. “We are part of For the past couple of years Associated bus, Boeing and Bombardier to provide effectively, securely and affordably” manag- the Airbus organization, so it makes sense.” has been doing single-aisle airliner recon- completion and refurbishment. Comlux es all wireless cabin communications. Using a ACJC is also considering an expansion of its figurations but has recently begun bidding America is delivering aircraft–BBJs and built-in Ethernet-to-Wi-Fi link, TrueNorth Ex- facilities to accommodate what it expects will on twin-aisle aircraft outfitting. ACJs–at the rate of about three a year. be a growing demand for outfitting. “We have stabilized operations here Like some other centers, Com- press interfaces with all FCC-approved airborne lux America is anticipating a growing wireless devices, from handsets, intercoms and demand for cabin refurbishment as the smartphones to early BBJs and ACJs reach 12 years in-flight enter- in service and come due for a major tainment devic- inspection. At that point, Comlux es such as DVD America CEO Dave Edinger expects players, music a substantial number of those owners players and game consoles. Amac Aerospace will take advantage of the down time to include cabin refurbishment. In in Basel, Switzerland, is performing the first in- fact, the facility recently opened a new stallation, on an executive Boeing 777. hangar dedicated to refurbishment. TrueNorth has also introduced HD Voice, The focus at this point is on single- a high-definition enhancement of its Simphone aisle airliner reconfiguration and refur- OpenCabin. The Canadian company claims bishment, but Gaona believes the time “a significant quality improvement over other will come to expand into twin-aisle air- phone systems on calls made via the Inmarsat liners, “maybe in two or three years.” SwiftBroadband and Swift64 Satcom links. King Aerospace in Ardmore, Okla., has in the past been a refurbishment center for Airbus Corporate Jet Centre in Toulouse, France midsize and smaller business jets. During is the launch customer on its ACJ line of busi- the recession when that business dropped ness jets, to be followed by installation in a off, the company’s extensive military Boeing 777 by Amac. The galley redesign for the Nextant 400XT from Warm veneers and modern fixtures blend nicely in a contracts carried it through. Coming out Nextant Aerospace is compact but surprisingly roomy. lavatory by King Aerospace. Continues on next page u Briefs continue on next page u

www.ainonline.com • July 2011 • Aviation International News 21

uContinued from preceding page markets, said Heerdt. He added that the be eclipsing its Midcoast Aviation Electronics Briefs on the other side, King is expanding to Hamburg facility, as well as the company’s origins but, like its former entity, include refurbishment and green com- Tulsa, Okla.-based BizJet International continues to grow, and did so even uContinued from preceding page pletion of single-aisle airliners converted completion and refurbishment center, is through the recession. to business and private use, “Maybe well positioned. But Heerdt was far from Its green completion work on Bombar- TrueNorth is also gaining entree into the even an A330,” said company president declaring that the industry recovery has dier Challengers and Globals continues helicopter industry with FAA approval of its Ron Soret. begun, saying simply, “We are carefully and even a couple of owner cancellations Simphone OpenCabin telecom system in He added that King has plans to optimistic.” were barely hiccup in the work flow. the AgustaWestland AW139. The system in- build a new exterior paint shop capable Careful optimism also describes the “Activity in refurbishment is strong,” corporates such capabilities as Iridium Satcom of taking aircraft as large as the A319 completion and refurbishment centers said interim general manager Rodger voice, BlackBerry and PDA data-over-Wi-Fi and and BBJ next year. “The idea is to be a that focus on outfitting aircraft from large- Renaud. “And that activity is turning into world-class completion center; a one- cabin Gulfstreams down to King Airs. contracts, not just for recovering seats but cabin/cockpit intercom via True North’s network stop shop for everything from heavy Ron Jennings, director of completions for some pretty sizable jobs.” audio interface unit. The first helicopter maintenance to green completion.” sales at Elliott Aviation, said activity started Perhaps more important, Jet Avia- installation was by Air Concepts International of Describing Lufthansa Technik’s picking up earlier this year, “mostly people tion St. Louis, like some other centers, is Teterboro, N.J. current pace of completion and refur- who had been waiting to have an interior expanding its completion and refurbish- bishment, Walter Heerdt said the num- refurbished, and others who just acquired ment repertoire to include single-aisle JetCorp Wins Challenger bers for the center are on track and a used airplane and want a cabin upgrade.” airliner conversions to executive use. 300 Wi-Fi Approval approximately the same as last year.” Jennings said the exterior paint busi- The center is currently involved in turn- He pointed out that the newest air- ness has been particularly busy. “We’re key cabinetry for two BBJ3s and a BBJ2 JetCorp Technical Services of Chesterfield, planes–Boeing’s 747-8I and 787–are getting now six months out in terms of paint and for the parent company in Zurich where Mo., has received an STC for the Aircell closer to delivery and the facility is gearing interior slots, primarily Challengers and the installation is being performed. “We cabin telecommunications router (CTR) on a up for its first 747-8I in mid-2012. “We’re Citations.” He added that most of the expect to take in our first airplane here Challenger 300. Installation and certification of already beyond the design phase and well Moline, Ill. facility’s customers are also next year.” the CTR provides in-cabin Wi-Fi capability for into the engineering cycle.” having some cabin work refurbishment Approximately 60 percent of the work is Aircell’s Gogo Biz in-flight Internet connection. As an Airbus-approved maintenance done in addition to paint. coming from outside the U.S., “both green Gogo Biz allows passengers to use Black- center working on all the Lufthansa StarPort USA in Sanford, Fla., saw completion and used aircraft refurbish- Berry, iPhone and other Wi-Fi-enabled devices German Airlines fleet of 747-8s, Heerdt a strong start to this year but refurbishment,” said Renaud. figures Lufthansa Technik is well posi- ment work took a hit in early spring when As for 2011, he concluded simply, to surf the Internet, retrieve and answer e- tioned to do not only interior comple- owners of two airplanes in for major “We’re going to get significantly better.” mails (including attachments) and access their tion but also to provide maintenance and refurbishment stopped sending prog- Interest in refurbishments has been corporate VPN (virtual private network). service for executive versions of the air- ress payments. Since then, said executive growing, said Duncan v-p of sales John A Flying Colours company, JetCorp has plane as part of a total package. director of sales Eddie Hidalgo, “One Slieter. “Our first quarter this year got completed more than 30 Wi-Fi installations on owner has come through. But we’ve since busy [with] aircraft changing hands and More Business From multiple aircraft types. Wi-Fi installation on the gotten busier and when the other guy owners deciding to do some upgrades.” Challenger required just four days’ downtime. Emerging Markets resumes payment, it’s going to be difficult Customers, he said, are coming from Like other centers, Lufthansa Tech- to work him back into the schedule.” both the corporate and charter sides of nik is seeing more business from emerging Jet Aviation St. Louis appears to the industry. Jet Aviation Basel Corporate flight departments have been Picks Honeywell CMS flying more in the last year, and it seems as Jet Aviation will install Honeywell’s Ovation if most of them were getting through the Select cabin management system in a BBJ first quarter before deciding whether to currently undergoing completion at the center’s spend the money budgeted, he explained. Basel facilities. This has created a workload scheduled out The system provides total command of six months for some Duncan shops, such as maintenance and avionics. And while the cabin environment through icon-based Duncan is working at close to capacity at touchscreen passenger interface controls; this point, it is mostly the result of some either a drink-rail-mounted personal control layoffs as well as losses through attrition unit or wireless hand-held device. when the company began pulling back in 2009. “We’re hiring again, but we’re being OnAir Keeps Comlux careful,” said Slieter. Passengers Connected Duncan Aviation is a cabin refurbish- Passengers travelling in Comlux The The number of private jet interior designers is growing and bringing a fresh perspective to business jet cabins, ment center, and like Elliott, is also an such as this French “Art de Vivre” creation for the dining area. outsource provider for components from Aviation Group’s new executive Airbus A319s cabinetry and upholstery to composite will be able to remain in touch during flights cabin shells and exterior paint. using their personal cellphones, thanks to Duncan is happy with work as a sub- OnAir’s in-flight connectivity service. With contractor to Dassault Falcon, doing the service, sending and receiving voice calls Falcon 7X interiors at the rate of three and text messages, emails and mobile data or four a year. transfer are possible. Slieter concluded, “I honestly believe The A319 is the second Comlux aircraft to we’ll be up 10 percent over last year.” The Wichita Cessna Citation Service be equipped with the OnAir service and will go Center reports an increase in business, into service in January 2012. The first Comlux “simply because a lot of aircraft owners airplane to be equipped, an Airbus A320 Pres- are keeping [their airplanes],” said super- tige, entered service in May this year. visor of sales and marketing Tom Heck. “They’ve realized that they’re not going 328DBJ Gets Rockwell Collins Venue to find a purchaser at a fair price in the Rockwell Collins announced in May the near future and they want to make the cabin new again.” One of these, he added, successful aftermarket installation of its Ven- was an all-new interior and flight deck in ue CMS on two Dornier 328DBJ executive jets a 10-year-old Citation V. that will fly for charter operator Skybird. A Boeing 747-8 proposal by Greenpoint Technologies features a roomy master suite in which warm umber seats There are some 5,000 Citations in The installation, by independent completion and other appointments break up the expanse of off-white sidewalls and ceiling. Continues on page 24 u Briefs continue on page 24 u 22 Aviation International News • July 2011 • www.ainonline.com

uContinued from page 22 Business is brisk enough that Innotech was the first time we’ve had an empty service, said Heck, and Cessna recognizes is now building a 26,000-sq-ft hangar paint slot in a long time,” said Johnson. Electronics Briefs the importance of customers bringing that will be capable of accommodating “I was at Ebace last year and it was those airplanes back to Cessna for refur- two business jets the size of Bombardier’s a positive show,” said Robinson Air- bishment work. recently launched Global 7000. craft Interiors v-p of sales and mar- uContinued from page 22 He also took note of the growing Growth at Innotech, he said, has been keting Shadd McKinney. “This year and refurbishment specialist 328 Support number of owners outside the U.S. who steady year over year. He added, “If the was even better. Services of Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, bought an airplane in the U.S. and are quotes we’re doing turn into contracts, “Our pipeline is absolutely packed makes the 328DBJ (Dornier Business Jet) the having it refurbished in the U.S. “There we’ll be pretty happy.” full,” he said of the Fort Worth, Texas- first European-manufactured aircraft to fly aren’t a lot of facilities outside the U.S. Denton, Texas-based Jet Works is based interior components vendor. Fortu- with Venue, according to Rockwell Collins. with our experience and expertise, looking forward to a sustained recov- nately, he added, “We took advantage of explained Heck. And, he added, with the ery, according to Marc Johnson, direc- the lull during the recession to build a new Dave Austin, Rockwell Collins’s v-p continued weak dollar compared with tor of sales for VIP aircraft. “We have an 78,000-square-foot facility and we’re in a and general manager of cabin systems, other currencies and that isn’t going to MD-87 in the works and a BBJ arriving position to handle everything from cabine- emphasized Venue’s “flexible design,” which change anytime soon. in July,” he said. “Things are definitely try to upholstery to electrical buildup for allowed installation despite a short lead time. Kirk Rowe, president of Innotech Avi- looking up.” customers from anywhere in the world. ” “No other HD cabin management system spans ation in Montreal, is also seeing growth Johnson pointed out that U.S.-based McKinney is at least as optimistic such a wide range of aircraft,” he added, “from in green completion work from outside completion and refurbishment centers regarding an industry recovery as rep- a forward-fit position on the King Air 350i to the U.S. “A lot of our business is from are more aggressively pursuing clients in resentatives of any of the other comple- airliner conversions for executive use.” outside the U.S.–Europe, the Middle East the European market, and Associated Air tion centers and vendors interviewed for and Russia–and particularly for Bombar- Center, Duncan Aviation, Elliott Avia- this story. Maybe more so. “In 2010, the dier’s Global Express XRS.” tion, Gore Design Completions, JetCorp industry was stabilizing, 2011 is looking Aviator 300 Gains Traction Innotech Aviation has long been a pre- (represented by Flying Colours) and Jet fantastic and 2012 is going to be even Aircell’s Aviator 300, powered by Thrane ferred outfitter of certain of Bombardier’s Works–just to name a sampling–were all stronger,” he declared. & Thrane, has been selected for 12 factory Challengers and Globals. “We’re now well represented and exhibiting at Ebace. “Last year was the low point, and this airframe programs, including those at doing five aircraft a year for [Bombardier] Like King’s, Jet Works’ exterior paint industry is now at the beginning of a Bombardier, Cessna, Hawker Beechcraft and one more than in past years,” said Rowe. is one of the busier shops. “Last month seven- or eight-year upswing.” o Gulfstream. Aviator 300 provides global data connectivity for e-mail and light Internet service at speeds up to 332 kbps. Aviator 300 allows crew and passengers to send and receive e-mail with attachments, surf the Web and access a corporate VPN, as well as use their personal Wi-Fi-enabled laptops, tablets, electronic flight bags and smartphones. They can also place and receive voice calls using integrated cabin handsets. After-market certifications for the Aviator series have recently been granted for the King Air 200, Citation CJ1 and Bombardier Challengers. Addition certification programs are under way for the Falcon 2000EX, Falcon 2000LX, Embraer Legacy, Beechcraft King Air 350, Cessna Citation XLS, Gulfstream IV and DC-8.

What appears to be a mailing tube lined in aluminum foil is actually the interior of an MD-87 lined with a A Hawker 800 interior by Elliott Aviation is Thrane & Thrane thermal/acoustic barrier. Technicians at Jet Works Air Center are installing wiring before fitment of overhead highlighted by a two-tone veneer table with accent and sidewall panels, flooring and cabinetry. trim plating. Aviator 200 Finding Favor A King Air 200, fitted with Aviator 200 pow-

Ruag Performs First European ered by Thrane & Thrane, was on display at the Installation of Flight Display CMS Ebace convention in May. The system delivers Internet and e-mail to Ruag Geneva is performing the first WiFi-enabled smartphones, tablets and European installation of Flight Display laptops at data transfer speeds up to 158 Systems’ Select cabin management sys- kbps–not a particularly high transfer rate, but tem. The system is going into a Falcon reasonable in these economic times at a cost 50 as part of a cabin refurbishment of approximately $75,000. project and includes several of Flight The package includes a short-blade Display’s iPad arm mounts, a Blu- antenna and larger VHF unit also mounted ray DVD player and two 15-inch LCD atop the fuselage. According to Andy Beers, bulkhead-mount monitors. Thrane & Thrane’s director of aero sales in Passenger control units are installed North American, some 100 units have been at every seat to offer passengers full shipped to date. It has been certified in the access to the audio/video options. King Air 200, Cessna Citation models 500 Somewhat out of the ordinary, through 560, and the Citation CJ1. Hawk- according to Flight Display, it is consid- er 800 and 800XP retrofits are alos being ering production of a 3-D system that considered. would facilitate an air-to-air, military air- Side-facing divans and warm veneers at the bar area create a comfortable atmosphere in this Boeing Business craft refueling simulation. n Jet outfitted by Pats Aircraft. Pats also provides extended-range auxiliary fuel systems for the BBJ. Briefs continue on page 26 u

24 Aviation International News • July 2011 • www.ainonline.com completions for Airbus and Boeing executive customers. Electronics Briefs Avocet will provide the MRO services that are “a key ingredient to jump-starting M&D,” said Avocet director of air- uContinued from page 24 craft technical services Patrick Arellano. M&R Associates Design of Geneva Thrane & Thrane Demos was formed through a merger of the True ‘Hand’ Set creative talents of Vincent Rey and Thrane & Thrane was dem- Florent Magnin and its initial foray onstrating its new Aviator wire- into cabin design was for a rendering for an executive version of the new Air- less handset at Ebace, offering M&D Aviation has teamed with Avocet Aviation to create a new completion and refurbishment center in bus A350 XWB. at last a handset of a size to Sanford, Fla. with a 56,000-sq-ft hangar. Interior touches include large, OLED warrant the term “small.” screens set into transparent walls and The 6.2-ounce Aviator large dining table with a thin, marble features noise and echo Startups signal growing surface through which “E-foil” light can cancellation and comes pass, resulting in an interplay of diffused in a compact package that includes a 2.2-inch light with crystal tableware. color display and tactile controls familiar to refurbishment demand SR Technics, best known for its maintenance, repair and overhaul busi- mobile phone users. The lithium-ion battery If start-ups are indicators of a center in southwest France. ness of 80 years, is expanding into the allows up to 24 hours standby time and up to healthy completion and refurbishment The 53,800-sq-ft hangar, representing a business aviation completion and refur- six handsets can be installed on any Thrane & industry, there is cause for optimism in $3.91 million investment, is the first step in bishment business. Thrane Aviator satcom system. an industry that has been hard hit over establishing a presence in the cabin outfit- The Swiss company has already A 28-VDC cradle, available for handset the last several years. Recent months ting industry. The company has plans for opened a 55,666-sq-ft dedicated han- charging, is expected to receive FAA saw the creation of new centers, design- a second hangar of the same size, where gar at its Zurich Airport site and in certification in the very near future, to be ers, vendors and consultancies as well as it will build its own cabin components, May signed contract for executive out- followed by EASA approval. expansion by existing MRO facilities to primarily cabinetry and upholstery. JCB fitting of an Airbus widebody air- include cabin outfitting. Aero is also providing interior compo- liner. The major reconfiguration will Aero Comfort, a completion and refur- nents as an outside vendor. be carried out in parallel with a heavy EMS Aviation bishment specialist in San Antonio, has In December, JetTech Aerospace com- maintenance check. Introduces Aspire opened a 10,000-sq-ft hangar adjacent to pleted acquisition of Cascade Aero- Talco Aviation and DRB Aviation EMS Aviation of Moorestown, N.J., brought San Antonio International Airport. space’s Spokane, Wash. facilities and has Consultants have formed a “strategic its Aspire satellite-based, in-flight connectivi- The new facility supports cabin com- been approved by Boeing as a completion partnership” to provide a range of com- ty systems to Ebace, including its new AirMail pletion and refurbishment. Aero Comfort center for its BBJ line. pletion and refurbishment project super- portable e-mail product and a touch-screen, also serves as an outsource vendor for a JetTech was founded by former Cas- visory and management services. variety of high-end cabinetry, upholstery, cade executive Bret Burnside for the pur- In cooperation with DRB Aviation color handset. carpeting kits and panel upholstery for pose of acquisition and now boasts a Consultants, Talco will cater to owners EMS began shipping its Aspire 200 in North airplanes and helicopters. 61,000-sq-ft facility at Spokane Inter- and operators of single- and twin-aisle America this spring and the first installation is Virginia-based BaySys Technolo- national Airport. The hangar is large Boeing and Airbus jets being converted in a Hawker 4000. Additional installations on gies’ MRO and completion and refur- enough to accommodate two ACJs or to executive use. The partnership also a Citation Sovereign and several other aircraft bishment facility is moving ahead with two BBJs simultaneously. includes a recently opened office in are expected by the end of summer. plans for an executive cabin completion The first BBJ rolled into the center in Xiamen, China. Aspire delivers voice and data connectivity to and refurbishment center in Casablanca, December 2010 and the outfitted airplane Taeco Aerospace Company in Xia- small- and medium-size business aircraft, using Morocco. The agreement with Royal Air is scheduled for delivery in November. men, known throughout Asia for heavy Maroc and “a strategic regional investor” M&D Aviation has teamed with Avo- maintenance, recently announced its standard wiring configurations and interfaces to was signed in the fall 2010. cet Aviation services to meet demand for intention to launch an executive cabin support either Inmarsat or Iridium components. The new center, said BaySys founder completion and refurbishment in central completion and refurbishment business. EMS plans to expand Aspire in phases and is and CEO Steve Walton, “will provide a Florida. M&D, based at Orlando-San- Airbus recently named Taeco an pursuing additional STCs for several other air- much-needed capability to the Gulf and ford International Airport in a 56,000- authorized outfitter for its ACJ line of craft, including the Challenger 300, Cessna Cita- Middle East regions, as well as serve the sq-ft hangar, will offer turnkey interior corporate and private jets. –K.J.H. tion XLS and Citation XLS+, and the Falcon 2000. needs of the European client base.” Inairvation is the recent offspring of Duncan Earns Service Mark a partnership of four completion and refurbishment industry companies with for iCabin Application the goal of designing the next-generation Duncan Aviation has received Service environments for top-level business jets. Mark approval by the United States Patent The alliance includes the Innovation and Trademark office for its iCabin, an Business Unit of Lufthansa Technik integrated iPad application for wireless of Hamburg, Germany; List compo- control of cabin systems in a Falcon 900 nents and furniture of Edlitz-Thomas- using an Aircell CTR Wi-Fi source and an berg, Austria; Design Q of London; and Schott lighting and imaging of Mainz, interface unit to communicate instructions to Germany. The parties will act under the Honeywell’s MH CMS. common Inairvation brand to “share According to Duncan, the customized their knowledge and assist each other in iPad cabin control interface does not affect gaining access to new markets.” any existing functionality or tie up system “We believe that the Inairvation alli- resources. The Lincoln, Neb.-based MRO, ance will revolutionize the way in which completion and refurbishment specialist says cabin systems are integrated into the inte- it is “the first of many iCabin systems that rior,” said Andrew Muirhead, director of the Innovation Business Unit. Duncan plans to deliver over the next M&R Associates Design offers this Airbus A350 high-tech cabin design proposal that includes two large several months.” n JCB Aero has moved into its new “floating” OLED screens. One of the main concerns in the design “is to avoid the feeling of apprehension and cabin completion and refurbishment sense of restricted space.”

26 Aviation International News • July 2011 • www.ainonline.com Completion & Refurb Briefs Lufthansa Offers a Good Night’s Sleep The investment of more than €1 million, explained Hilarius, Teroforma Features Something Stone Cold Lufthansa Technik’s VIP and Executive Jet Solutions Division allows OHS to respond more quickly to increasing demand, As growing numbers of business jets include refrigerator/ is now offering what it claims is a new standard in sleep comfort and to occupy a full-service provider niche, “from polishing freezers as part of galley equipment, new products are intro- in the form of its Flexidreamer mattress for executive aircraft. scratches to leather repairs for single items right through to duced to enhance the dining experience. The claim is based on Lufthansa Technik proprietary and pat- complete refurbishments.” A couple of years ago, ented development and “not only sets new standards in comfort Townsend Leather Group of Johnstown, N.Y., recent- Connecticut-based design but also satisfies all aviation authority requirements.” ly appointed OHS a “preferred provider.” With that, OHS “incubator” Teroforma, with The mattress features a core of foam material with a new- is expanding its range of leather goods and leather care home stylist Tara Riceberg of ly developed fabric covering. The design, says the Hamburg, products and services. California-based Tweak, in- Germany-based completion and refurbishment and MRO troduced the whiskey stone, a specialist, allows adjustment in firmness to suit individu- Fly Comlux Adds A320 To Charter Fleet means of keeping expensive, al preferences. It also comes in different standard sizes and Just two years out of the box, Comlux America has delivered aged spirits chilled but not al- The Ekke Shot Glass made of can be customized its first executive completion of an Airbus A320 Prestige. The lowing them to become dilut- soapstone keeps cold drinks cold to nearly any con- twinjet was designed by Comlux Creatives and has joined the ed. Soapstone is non-porous, and warm drinks warm. tours, permitting charter fleet of Zurich-based Fly Comlux. notes the company, and will not trap flavor or aroma from one designers consid- The main cabin features a lounge with L-shaped divan, two round to the next. The frozen soapstone blocks do not melt and erable flexibility. club seats and a dining table for six guests. The center cab- are more efficient chillers than ice. If required, ap- in section contains a private compartment that doubles as a Now the company is introducing the Ekke Shot Glass, which propriate notches lounge by day and a bedroom by night. Also part of the suite is also takes advantage of soapstone’s inherent ability to retain and strap slots can a dedicated lavatory with shower. cold. Stored in a freezer, or simply prepped there for a few hours be incorporated in The 19-passenger airplane was designed specifically for use before use, they are perfect for preserving frozen vodka or, the mattress to ac- in the Middle East market, with separate middle and economy when warmed first, for keeping sake at the proper temperature. Lufthansa Technik’s new mattress for an commodate safety executive cabin suite promises a good class seating. Each glass holds two ounces (a pony shot) and is hand- belts. night’s sleep. Among cabin amenities are so-called “mood lighting,” high- polished by Amit Stoneworks in India. A gift-boxed set of four speed Internet access, iPod and iPhone docks, touch-screen “glasses” sells retail for $40. A gift box of 9 Whiskey Stones Goodrich Ramps Up for Platinum HD CMS controls and a GSM in-flight cellphone communication system. retails for $20. Goodrich, which completed its purchase of a majority of Comlux America and Fly Comlux are divisions of Comlux The DeCrane Aerospace assets last year, has introduced its Plati- Aviation Group of Zurich. StandardAero Installs Pro Line 4-to-Pro Line 21 num HD cabin management system. StandardAero Business Aviation announced at the Aircraft The system, which featured two Blu-ray players in dem- Jet Falcon Cabin Refurb Is In Fashion Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany, it has completed the onstrations at the Ebace show, offers 1080p resolution and A new Jet Falcon cabin interior refurbishment program for first Rockwell Collins Pro Line 4-to-Pro Line 21 cockpit up- comes with monitors ranging in size from 12 to 42 inches. the Falcon 2000 is not only fashion forward, but also timely in grade on a Falcon 50EX. The first customer Boeing Business Jet to be equipped with terms of market demand. According to the Tempe, Ariz. maintenance, repair and overhaul Platinum HD is to be delivered in the third quarter, according In fact, Jet Aviation in Basel has already outfitted more than center, it is authorized to perform the work at any of its four MRO to Mike Hammers, head of Goodrich Cabin Electronic Systems 120 Falcon 2000s in executive fashion. And as those and hun- facilities–Springfield, Ill.; Augusta, Ga.; Los Angeles and Houston. Pro Line 21 features four configurable 8- by 10-inch LCDs that dis- business development. dreds of other Falcon 2000s come due for inspections and up- play Rockwell Collins’s integrated flight information system (IFIS). grades, Jet Aviation expects to see customers planning a cabin With IFIS, pilots will have access to high-resolution elec- Aircell Picked for Citation Line refurbishment during that downtime. tronic charts, XM graphical weather, including lightning data, Cessna Aircraft has picked Aircell to provide air/ground The Jet Falcon refurbishment program was introduced in late satellite images and winds aloft. Also part of the retrofit is connectivity for its three larger aircraft–the Citation XLS+, 2010, and at the Ebace show in Geneva in May, Jet Aviation was Rockwell Collins’s flight management system with wide area Citation Sovereign and Citation Ten. showing a cabin mockup to promote the idea. augmentation, as well as GPS localizer performance with ver- Hardware includes the Aviator 300 satellite communica- The program offers three distinct cabin interior upgrade op- tical g uidance approaches. tions terminal developed by Denmark’s Thrane & Thrane tions–Classic, Style and Fashion–“all of which are designed to en- and Aircell’s own Axxess cabin communications system. sure cost-effective cabin PPG ‘Green’ Paint Promises Savings The Aviator 300 will support global voice and data at up to refurbishment, while re- PPG Industries’ aerospace business has introduced a chro- 332 kbps. flecting customer style mate-free coating that, according to the Pittsburgh-based coat- It will permit passengers and crew to use Wi-Fi-enabled preferences and mini- ings specialist, “reduces environmental impact, lowers aircraft smartphones, laptops, tablets and electronic flight bags to send mizing down time.” weight and provides a smooth, glossy and highly durable finish.” and receive e-mail with attachments, surf the ’Net and more. It Based on a custom- Regional operator Jazz Aviation in Mississauga, Ontario, was will also allow them to place and receive voice calls using the er request, Jet Aviation the first to take advantage of the green coatings technology, Axxess cabin handsets. has also introduced an according to Ron Nakamura, PPG general manager and busi- extension for the right- ness manager for aerospace in Canada. The paint was applied hand table on the Fal- OHS Aviation Showroom and Cabin Configurator Jet Aviation’s “Style” is one of three by Springer Aerospace of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. OHS Aviation Services, a Berlin-based specialist in cabin in- distinctive interiors as part of its Jet con 7X, “to make it more On the Jazz Aviation Dash-8 twin turboprops, Nakamura said terior refurbishment and detailing, has added a new showroom Falcon cabin refurbishment program for conducive to working the weight saving was 30 pounds, and he also noted that the the Falcon 2000. to its in-house upholstery and cabinetry workshops and two and dining.” chromate-free pre-treatment and primer formulations require paint facilities. The extension fits over the existing table and reduces the no special handlings or waste disposal. “The showroom is at the core of our new company prem- space between the number-three seat and the table. The exten- ises…where customers are given in-depth advice about sion mounts securely and can be finished to match the existing Jet Aviation Ramping Up To Meet Demand new options in the area of interior design,” said managing table. It is also hinged to allow passengers to get up and into the Jet Aviation has signed another BBJ2 cabin completion director Ornulf Hilarius. A “cabin configurator” adds virtual aisle without first removing the extension. The underside of the contract with an unidentified customer, even as the Basel, reality to the process. table is padded to prevent damage to the original table surface. Briefs continue on page 30 u

28 Aviation International News • July 2011 • www.ainonline.com Completion & Refurb Briefs

uContinued from page 28 The new composite canis- 747-8 Outfitting Spurs Amac Growth Switzerland-based center gears up to meet growing demand ters, which come in two sizes, After signing a contract to complete a Boeing 747-8, Ba- for single-aisle and twin-aisle airliner reconfigurations. include an automatic shut-off sel, Switzerland-based MRO and completion and refurbish- Jet Aviation has completed more than 30 such interior out- to the water supply when they ment center Amac Aerospace has also inked a deal to build an fitting projects over the past 15 years and this year expects to are being removed and al- 88,000-sq-ft hangar capable of handling larger airplanes. deliver several executive aircraft, including a Boeing 747-300, a low inlet flow when installed. It will be Amac’s third hangar and, like its second, will be Boeing 757-200, two Airbus A340s and an Airbus A319. If necessary, said Williams, capable of accommodating a 747-8, an Airbus A330 and two “Interest in customized completions of both widebody and canisters can be changed single-aisle airliners for conversion to executive use. The ex- one-handed at arm’s length. narrowbody aircraft continues to be high,” said Eugen Hartl, pansion will increase Amac employment by an expected 150 Sanitary bypass connectors v-p of sales, market development and customer services for Jet jobs over the next 12 months, bringing the total workforce to are supplied for periodic distri- Aviation’s completions business unit. approximately 250. bution system sanitization and The new 747-8, destined for a Middle East customer, is ex- for sanitary protection when Versa-Pure replacement water Flying Colours Foresees More Business filters are available in two sizes pected to arrive in Basel in July this year and completion is canisters are not installed for Canadian independent completion and refurbishment specialist and are lighter and easier to scheduled for 2014. Flying Colours of Peterborough, Ontario, is anticipating a growth any period of time. replace. in business from outside the traditional North American market. BAE Systems and Design Q Create Elegante Associated Delivers 21st BBJ Completion The company was at Ebace to promote its MRO, comple- BAE Systems and de- Associated Air Center of Dallas, a Boeing Business Jet-ap- tion and refurbishment work, but in particular the outfitting sign consultancy Design proved center since 1998, delivered its 21st BBJ completion ear- of green Challenger 850 Q have unveiled their lat- lier this year. Associated’s organization designation authorization large-cabin aircraft under est interior concept for contract with manufac- (ODA) was responsible for the supplemental type certificate. the Avro Business Jet, turer Bombardier as well The installation included multi-channel Aero H+ satcom. The the ABJ Elegante. as with end-users. thermal/acoustic package from Aerocon Engineering of Van Designed with “space Flying Colours’ most re- Nuys, Calif., reduced average cabin noise to 52 dB (SIL). Also and grandeur,” the Ele- cent delivery was a com- installed at Associated was a cabin humidification system from gante is the fourth of five pleted Challenger 850 to Dynamo Aviation of North Hills, California. interiors commissioned Flying Colours has five Challenger Hong Kong aviation ser- The new BBJ, according to Associated, is the first Boeing by BAE from Worcestershire-based Design Q for different exec- 850s, similar to that above, vices provider Metrojet on Business Jet to be based in the Philippines. scheduled for delivery in China and a utive aircraft market segments. sixth for delivery in India. behalf of a private owner. CTT Systems Wins Contracts for Cair System According to BAE, there are 24 ABJs in service in executive configurations of the BAe 146 and Avro RJ regional jets. The Ateliers Pinton Brings Weaving To Bizav In March, CTT Systems of Nykoping, Sweden, received an or- Hampshire, UK-based aerospace conglomerate claims it can Les Ateliers Pinton of Felletin, France, is bringing more than der for its CTT Cair cabin humidification system to be installed deliver an Elegante ABJ for $12 million to $15 million. 100 years of the Pinton art of weaving carpet and tapestries to in a Boeing 777 executive aircraft for an unidentified client. The Elegante cabin features a forward galley segregated from business aviation. The firm was at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Less than a month later, CTT picked up another order for the the main cabin sections. The forward passenger section con- Hamburg with samples of its work, including examples by re- same system to go into an Airbus A319 being outfitted by Com- tains two divans, an offset dining table and 46-inch monitor. nowned designer Ulrika Liljedahl, who draws inspiration from lux America in Indianapolis. The Cair system was installed ear- the plants and minerals. lier in an executive Airbus A320 outfitting by Comlux America The aft section accommodates an additional lounge and office Since 2008 Liljedahl has created a unique collection of carpet and now in service with the Comlux Aviation charter service that can be quickly converted into a private stateroom. The aft designs, mixing modern materials and yarns such as rubber, based in Zurich, Switzerland. lavatory stretches the width of the airplane and includes a full- metal threads and vinyl with silk and wool blends. CTT also has an order for its Cair system for installation in a height wardrobe. Boeing 747-8i in executive configuration. Hybrid Pro Cleans Up Business Aviation Lufthansa Technik Gets Contract for China BBJ Brush and Clean, a Fort Lauderdale manufacturer of commer- Greenpoint’s Aeroloft Passes Certification Test Independent completion and refurbishment specialist Luf- cial carpet and upholstery dry cleaning systems, has announced Aeroloft, a private rest area above the main deck of the new ex- thansa Technik will be providing cabin outfitting on a new Boe- Hybrid Pro, a carpet and hard-floor cleaner designed for aviation. ecutive Boeing 747-8, recently passed structural strength and du- ing Business Jet destined for corporate service with the new It comes in two models, the Hybrid Pro 25 and 45, both designed rability testing, according to designer Greenpoint Technologies. Beijing Airlines, a subsidiary of Air China. around counter-rotating brushes to scrub and lift dirt, grime and The latest certification test established that “the robust de- The center’s Hamburg facility will be the second stop in the cleaning compound “to instantly produce dry, clean surfaces.” sign, engineering and manufacturing accommodates the load BBJ’s journey to China. The first stop is Pats Aircraft Systems According to Brush and Clean, the cleaner works on carpet borne during flight.” The Kirkland, Wash.-based company’s in Georgetown, Del., where an auxiliary fuel system is to be and equally well on PVC, tile, grout, natural stone, rubberized Greenpoint Products and Services division expects to re- installed to increase the range of the executive twinjet. and non-slip safety floors. The cleaning speed is 6,000 sq ft per ceive EASA certi- According to Walter Heerdt, Lufthansa senior v-p of mar- hour on carpet and 9,000 sq ft per hour on hard floors. fication in time to keting and sales, 2011 has been a busy year for the cab- Brush and Clean says the dry-cleaning compound consists of begin deliveries in in outfitter, which has already delivered three Boeing 737s. renewable, natural materials that are pH-neutral, non-toxic, bio- the fourth quar- As of mid-May, the hangars held an Airbus A340, an Airbus degradable and free of phosphates. ter, according to Corporate Jetliner and a BBJ2. v-p of engineering The BBJ2 is for Freestream Aircraft and the project is ex- New Versa-Pure QC Filter Is ‘a Breakthrough’ Bruce Kay. pected to start late next year. The interior is being designed by The new Versa-Pure QC is “an important breakthrough,” As with other independent completion and refurbishment MN Aerospace’s Marc Newson’s London-based Aviation De- claims Versa-Pure founder and president Richard Williams. centers, Greenpoint is ramping up its airliner reconfiguration sign Studio. Lufthansa has also recently signed a new con- Not only does it meet all EPA standards, said Williams, but it business. The company recently welcomed its 18th Boeing tract to outfit an A319 for an Asian customer. The aircraft is also offers a 50-percent weight saving and as much as 60 per- Business Jet, a BBJ3, following modification work by Aviation expected to arrive in Hamburg early next year. cent less in labor costs for c anister replacement. Technical Services in Everett, Wash. Lufthansa delivered the last of two A340s outfitted for the

30 Aviation International News • July 2011 • www.ainonline.com Completion & Refurb Briefs

German government earlier this year and has some Bombar- monitors as large as 19 inches. A special app will allow passen- ACJC also believes dier Global 5000s remaining to be finished on that particular gers to control all cabin functions via an iPod Touch or iPhone. it is the first on the contract. This year, Lufthansa also expects to take in an A318 market to propose to Prestige for completion. Vision Systems Means Solar Protection its customers full HD Vision Systems of Brignais, France, has introduced Noctis, quality on up to four Falcon Teams With DesignworksUSA what the aircraft cabin interior specialist describes as innova- screens in each private Dassault’s new Falcon 2000S begins with the basic Falcon 2000 tive shading that allows passengers to “instantly and uniformly area simultaneous- platform, but that’s pretty much where the resemblance ends, control at any level, light and heat intensity entering the cabin.” ly, either from a local from high-Mach blended winglets to the next-generation Pratt & Also recently developed is the company’s Comfort Shade HD source, such as a Blu-ray player, or from an external device Whitney Canada PW308C engines to the EASy II cockpit redesign. Dual featuring two electrical shades in a single system “for op- with an HDMI plug, such as a video game console or laptop. The But for the passengers, it is the cabin that will catch the eye. timized solar protection.” The first rolled shade is designed for HDMI format system developed by ACJC with its partners allows The interior was designed in collaboration with BMW ultraviolet limitation and the second for blackout. It can be op- distribution of video signals from four internal or external sourc- Group Design- erated directly from the passenger seat or by the cabin manage- es to four outputs, with no degradation. works USA, which ment system controls. ACJC recently delivered its first executive cabin completion was also responsi- An additional feature is an anti-jamming mechanism with for Chinese customer Deer Jet, the largest private jet charter ble for the award- manual unlocking device in case of emergency. The non-pleat- provider in the People’s Republic of China. winning interior ed shades can be customized through a broad choice of colors. The twinjet ACJ cabin was designed and outfitted by ACJC option for the Fal- and features a forward private office with en suite lava- con 7X. ACJC Offers HD, Multimedia Interface tory and shower. The private office can be configured as a The new Falcon 2000S will be a collaborative Standard in the Airbus Corporate Jet Centre (ACJC), a Toulouse-based spe- bedroom with deployment of a foldout sofa. The suite includes effort by Dassault Falcon’s design team and cabin is Rockwell cialist in ACJ business jet cabin completion, claims to be the a 43-inch monitor. BMW DesignworksUSA. Collins’s Venue first to offer its customers the highest image quality with a full The aft cabin contains 20 full-flat “cocoon” seats, all of CMS, placing more intuitive controls in the hands of passen- high-definition (HD) system based on the latest high-definition which are electrically actuated and all of which are equipped gers. The entertainment system will be HD with wide-screen multimedia interface (HDMI) standard. with individual monitors. –K.J.H.

www.ainonline.com • July 2011 • Aviation International News 31 tionary bicycle) approved by the as “Nice.” Only this year’s itera- EASA, a new and more comfort- tion is a major upgrade dubbed Lufthansa Technik makes Nice with HD able executive aircraft mattress “Nice HD.” It offers a signifi- and a much-improved emergency cant weight saving, more pow- Having Lufthansa Technik year’s Ebace was no exception. LHT chairman August Henning- cabin strip lighting system. erful hardware and, according show up at an aviation trade It began in 2009 with the open- sen, “Concepts for future stan- Nice. And at this year’s Ebace to Innovations Business Unit show is a bit like having Santa ing of the Hamburg, Germany dards in aircraft cabins will be cre- Lufthansa Technik showed off director Andrew Muirhead, Claus show up at the company company’s new Innovations Busi- ated.” In just the last few months, its networked, integrated cabin “the number of new features it party with a bag of toys, and this ness Unit where, according to there has been an ergometer (sta- equipment system, also known will support is a quantum leap over the old system.”

Advanced Cabin Systems The Nice HD, installed in a Challenger 300, would weigh about 100 pounds less than the original Nice, said Muirhead. The weight loss is the result of a lighter housing, smaller electronics due to progress in chip technology and more integration of LRU (line replaceable unit) features. In addition, the Nice HD system wiring saves another 25 percent in weight. But don’t expect LHT to reveal all its “Nice” secrets–at least not until the NBAA Convention this fall. “We’re letting the cat out of the bag slowly,” said Muirhead. The first Nice HD upgrade is scheduled for aircraft installation in the first quarter of next year. Since more passengers are boarding business jet cabins with their own entertainment, LHT has taken notice and at Ebace introduced its own iPhone and iPad app, which will allow the passenger to control all cabin functions through those personal devices. Remote maintenance is also part of Nice HD and available as an upgrade to Nice systems already in service. At its heart is a small box with a 3G cellphone connection to LHT maintenance anywhere in the world whenever the aircraft is on the ground, “as long as there is an available cell network.” “In some cases,” said Muir- head, “the system may recognize an issue and contact maintenance” before the operator even recognizes a problem. So what is this nifty remote maintenance system called? “Nice Mate,” of course. The first package was installed in late April. The Innovations Business Unit may not be Santa’s work- shop, and Muirhead, lacking beard and belly, might bear only the most faint resemblance to Santa Claus. But he does laugh when he acknowledges that in addition to the “toys” shown at Ebace, there are more still in the bag, “to keep the competition busy.” –K.J.H.

32 Aviation International News • July 2011 • www.ainonline.com facility has four hangars capable of housing green aircraft cabin completion, a job that Pats emerging on its own seven BBJs simultaneously. year and roll out next spring. Customer deliveries of BBJs began in Hill said Pats’s green completion strat- 1999, and Pats anticipates a growing business egy is not based on volume, and the shop Pats Aircraft Systems, best known tank aux fuel systems for the 757-200 as the first executive twinjets come due for the expects to have no more than two projects for its auxiliary fuel systems, is emerging executive variant. Pats is seeking EASA 12-year maintenance check. overlapping at any one time. “This way, our from a major restructuring phase to focus certification of those packages. In addi- “At that point, the interiors of a lot of those customers know that we are focused on their on four core competencies as a stand- tion, the company holds STCs for auxil- airplanes will be showing their age, and we airplane,” he explained. “We think it’s the best alone company. iary fuel systems for executive variations expect to be doing a lot of minor and major plan for the customer and best plan for Pats.” Georgetown, Del.-based Pats has of the Boeing 767, Bombardier’s CRJ200 cabin refurbishment during the 12-year check In addition to the restructuring, Pats also long been under the DeCrane Aerospace and the Fokker 100. downtime,” said Hill. He noted that Pats expects to see a major rebranding and a new umbrella but found itself an only child Now, according to v-p of sales and already has one BBJ in for the 12-year check. logo, though not before this fall’s NBAA when DeCrane sold most of its other marketing Matt Hill, Pats is exploring the Another is in the shop for a sale-driven cabin Convention in Las Vegas. Part of that assets to aerospace systems and services idea of marketing similar auxiliary fuel and cockpit avionics upgrade. restructuring will also see a dissolution of provider Goodrich last October. packages to airline and cargo operators Pats is a Boeing-approved center for the DeCrane association. –K.J.H. Since then, under the leadership of as well as military customers. “We’re also new CEO John Martin and with the monitoring the newest aircraft platforms financial backing of Wayzata Investment to see which airplanes we could apply our Partners, Pats has devoted its resources to aux fuel system to as a means of enhanc- GAL Aviation begins operations its core competencies; auxiliary fuel sys- ing range,” said Hill. tems; maintenance, repair and overhaul; With the full package of eight addi- GAL Aviation began formal operations to the cabin completion and refurbishment green aircraft completion; and manu- tional tanks, Pats’s system can deliver a in April, focusing on two niche markets in requirements for single- and twin-aisle air- factured products (with the exception of max range of 6,000 nm in a BBJ. In the the executive industry with two divisions: liners reconfigured for executive use. auxiliary fuel systems). 757-200, the aux fuel system bumps the GAL Interiors and GAL Technical. Meanwhile, marketing is already ramp- Auxiliary fuel systems have long been a range to nearly 5,500 nm from about Formerly CAF Aviation Consultants ing up on an international scale, including major part of the Pats portfolio, and the 4,100 nm. and now part of the GAL Group of discussions with possible partners in the company has provided range-extending In Boeing Business Jets’ green aircraft, Ottawa, the new GAL Aviation is based in Middle East. The company is also trans- auxiliary fuel packages on more than 130 Pats installs auxiliary fuel systems under Montreal, and some 60 skilled craftsmen ferring STC approvals from CAF to GAL Boeing Business Jets to date. contract with the Seattle-based manufac- will occupy its 40,000-sq-ft facilities in St.- and “integrating the best of the past to The company holds STCs for auxil- turer and has a 100-percent on-time deliv- Joseph de Beauce, near Quebec City. “With create a new future,” said v-p of sales and iary fuel systems for virtually all the 737 ery record, according to Martin. key financing already in place, we feel the business aviation Marc St. Hilaire. models in executive configuration. Pats Maintenance and modification contin- opportunity is there to become an impor- St. Hilaire emphasized the experience recently expanded that product line with ues to be another major core competency, tant player in this niche market,” said GAL and resources brought from CAF, pointing FAA certification of four-, six- and eight- and the company’s Sussex County Airport Aviation president Guy Lapierre, referring out, “We’re not new. We’re better.” –K.J.H.

www.ainonline.com • July 2011 • Aviation International News 33