At the world's leading trade fair for aircraft cabins, the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Lufthansa Technik AG is presenting its revolutionary chair[TM] seating concept for airline customers for the first time. A family of chairs with a design that breaks new ground for the customization of aircraft cabins, chair[TM] is among the finalists for this year's Crystal Cabin Award.
With chair[TM], designers of aircraft interiors can adapt chair structure and functionality to the specific purposes and requirements of airline, business jet and VIP customers. The seating concept runs the gamut from basic office chairs to lounge and dining chairs and beds, with considerable savings in space and weight.
"On board an airplane, the seats are the central interface between the passengers and the cabin," says Andrew Muirhead, Head of the Original Equipment Innovation unit at Lufthansa Technik. "For decades, seats have mostly changed only in shape and color. Today's passengers have much higher expectations at every level, from the most basic to top-of-the-line seats. They expect the comfort and convenience of an innovative cabin along with the diversity they're accustomed to from home furnishings, and more freedom of movement in the cabin."
The chair[TM] concept was developed in cooperation with the renowned cabin interior designer Jacques Pierrejean, founder of Pierrejean Design Studios. He describes chair[TM] with this analogy: "This chair is my friend. It dresses differently depending on the comfort I need, the situation I'm in and the culture I'm living in. The concept of chair[TM] gives cabin interior designers an unequaled degree of freedom."
"chair[TM] makes it possible to rethink cabin design," says Oliver Thomaschewski, chair[TM] product manager and Head of "Seating and Structures" at Lufthansa Technik's Product Division "Original Equipment Innovation". "It's a completely new design approach intended to give designers unprecedented flexibility in choosing the perfect chair configuration and arrangement for any cabin floor plan.
The chair[TM] family concept offers thousands of configuration options.""
The new chairs are made in Germany in cooperation with the premium automotive supplier Dräxlmaier. All chair[TM] configurations are based on a primary seat structure perfectly adapted to the human body. Seat backs in different heights and with custom-contoured ribs, customized upholstery in any desired thickness, ergonomic features in arm rests and seat backs, and a wide variety of other flexible add-on elements allow hitherto undreamed-of versatility.
The chair[TM] product family is currently undergoing certification by the aviation authorities (certification as a 16g seat according to crash safety regulations). Many of the tests have already been completed.
The mechanical engineer Oliver Thomaschewski, Head of "Seating and Structures" at Lufthansa Technik's Product Division "Original Equipment Innovation", will be at the Lufthansa Technik booth (Hall B6, booth 6B80) at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg from 14 to
16 April - with an example from the current chair[TM] product range.
Lufthansa Technik:
The Lufthansa Technik Group, with more than 30 subsidiaries and about 26,000 employees worldwide, is one of the leading providers of services for the aviation industry. Lufthansa Technik is licensed internationally as a repair, production and development enterprise. The Group's portfolio encompasses the entire spectrum of services in the areas of maintenance, repair, overhaul, modification and conversion, engines and components.
