From its London, UK headquarters, ALTEA offers a portfolio of aviation services to corporate, business and VVIP customers. Ranging from cabin refurbishment to aircraft finance, its capabilities include an in-house design studio that is experienced in bizjet, helicopter, corporate jet and bizliner cabin design and refurbishment.
Bizliners, exemplified by ACJ320 family and BBJ 737 airframes, frequently combine more luxurious cabin features with seating for entourage, staff, or media like that found in premium airliner cabins. Alternatively, an airliner might be flown as a corporate or VIP transport for larger groups, on regular commutes between factories, or for sports teams or musicians on tour.
Whether seating media in a separate cabin section, or equipping an entire cabin for a sports team, a bizliner requires plenty of seats. ALTEA founding partner Robin Dunlop reveals that whenever appropriate, ALTEA looks to recycle and refurbish used seats rather than buy new. Dunlop agrees it’s good news for sustainability but emphasizes: “The decision is normally budget and schedule driven.”
Robin Dunlop, founding partner, ALTEA. Image: ALTEA
The complicated process involves ALTEA sourcing appropriate seats, then working with suppliers while protecting the interests and aspirations of its clients. Dunlop explains: “The process of refurbishing an aircraft seat usually falls into one of two main categories depending on the seating OEM’s original certification classification. Generally, the simplest, quickest and most budget-friendly route is to replace only the soft goods – supporting foams, scrim foams, and seat covers – with like-for-like materials, matching in all but color.”
Such an approach complies with the original certification, but proving the point relies on good data from the documentation of the aircraft the seat came from, plus accurate and detailed seat OEM data. If no data or only partial data are available, Dunlop says ALTEA embarks upon a little detective work.
He continues: “Failing that, as a last resort we can have original materials tested for compliance with the original specification. If the new design requirements require a change in the seat’s form, perhaps through thicker foam or different seat covers with additional shaping and décor laying, then we look very carefully at how much of the seat’s original compliance remains and what needs re-testing. Most operators, owners and refurbishment centers are familiar with flammability re-testing, and it is manageable when all parties are aware of the additional costs and schedule required.”
ALTEA managed refurbishment of this ERJ135 cabin, transforming the seats at left into the pristine form on the right. Image: ALTEA
Dunlop’s refreshing candidness in recognizing that recycling is rarely the driving factor in customers selecting refurbished seats is in line with his wider philosophy on sustainability:
“I believe our industry needs to be transparent on sustainability. We need to use complete product lifecycle strategies and as designers and experienced advisers, at ALTEA we can drive the process.”
“We look to the manufacturers of materials that not only have natural sources but are also adopting a complete product lifecycle governance and outlook,” he says. “This is happening in the automotive market, for example, where plastic parts are regenerated for other products with less stringent requirements, so why not in the aviation sector?
“Several aviation suppliers are researching and developing new materials and production methods that look at the whole product. They are considering where they can really reduce the overall footprint, even taking back the original product into their processes. I tell my non-industry friends that business aviation is like the Formula 1 of aviation. It’s where innovation happens that eventually trickles down into mainstream development. Yes, its costly and time consuming, but some very bright people are working across all these areas and high net-worth individuals and VVIP customers are indirectly, in some cases directly, funding this development.”
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Featured image ctedited to ALTEA
