This week the future aircraft cabin were revealed at the 2015 Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany. Seven of the world's sm...
This week the future aircraft cabin were revealed at the 2015 Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany. Seven of the world's smartest ideas for the aircraft cabin were awarded on Tuesday, April 14th with the "Cabin Oscar" - the Chrystal Cabin Award.
On Monday evening the international Judging Panel announced the winners of the Chrystal Cabin Award 2015 in Hamburg, Germany. B/E Aerospace, Embraer, SABIC Innovative Plastics, SII Deutschland, ViaSat, Etihad Airways and Hamburg University of Applied Sciences received the most prestigious prize in one of seven categories for their extraordinary cabin concepts and products.
The 21 finalists were chosen from a total record of 68 submissions from 18 nations. They all show innovations passengers can experience in the upcoming generations of aircraft cabins:
Crystal Cabin Award 2014 - The Winners
- Premium Class & VIP: A380 Upper Deck by Etihad (UAE).
One highlight this year was in the head-to-head A380-First Class race between two airlines from the United Arab Emirates. Etihad Airways won by a nose with its "A380 Upper Deck".
Etihad is the first airline in the world to install a three room apartment in a commercial airliner, the "Residence by Etihad". Behind the Residence is the First Class Cabin with nine compartments and 70 Business Class seats.
- Greener Cabin, Health, Safety & Environment: Solar Eclipse by B/E Aerospace (USA).
A thin solar cell film is installed in the sun visor of the cabin window, providing passengers with electricity to charge their electronic devices during flight. Although the system is still under development, the manufacturer is already working on achieving production approval soon.
- Passenger Comfort Hardware: SANTO Seat by SII Deutschland (Germany).
The "SANTO Seat" (Special Accommodation Needs for Toddlers and Overweight Passengers) is beneficial for both passengers and airlines. The normally wasted space at the rear of the aircraft cabin, where the fuselage narrows, is used by a special seat, one-and-a-half times the width of a normal seat. The seat is ideal for overweight passengers and for passengers with small children. For these passengers, the seat is safer than a standard seat.
- Passenger Comfort Systems: Exede in the Air by ViaSat (USA).
The satellite-powered "Exede in the Air" solution brings a 12 Mbps internet connection to every seat, allowing passengers to stream films or shop online above the clouds without difficulty.
- Material & Components: LEXAN XHR2000 by SABIC Innovative Plastics (UAE).
The "LEXAN XHR2000" film has a transparency level of 80 percent, currently the highest possible level. Application possibilities range from windows to surface elements within the cabin, providing interior designers in particular with completely new possibilities.
- University: Trash Compactor by Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (Germany).
Marc Spillea student of aviation studies, in collaboration with Airbus, developed a mobile trash container which uses the vacuum technology of the on-board lavatory to compress trash bags into a space-saving format within seconds.
