DESIGN B R I EF
disruptive influence
Pininfarina and AMAC joined forces for
a “disruptive” concept based around
the ACJ350 XWB, but applicable to other
airframes. Waleed Muhiddin, director of business
development and marketing at AMAC Aerospace,
says the completion centre “left the creativity
to Pininfarina”, but contributed its production
expertise. “All too often, designs are presented
that can lead to more questions than answers,”
he says. “Pininfarina created a space and we
helped to ensure that it is feasible.”
Pininfarina called upon its eclectic design
expertise to create a luxury residential feel
suitable for very long flights. The cabin is
designed as an open space, with a flowing band
that creates three main environments – a
welcome/bar area, a modern-looking sofa space
and a dining area, as well as a relaxing green
space with a chaise longue.
“Pininfarina have taken on board the areas
that we typically see on aircraft,” says Muhiddin.
“All three areas are different to classical design,
take advantage of technology to offer new
applications, and recreate the space and elegance
of any fine villa, yacht or automobile.”
The welcome area features a wet bar equipped
with AMAC’s patented and certified induction
cooking top. Muhiddin says pre-certified
equipment such as this and its dishwasher
simplifies demand on its engineering team when
it comes to completions.
In a big departure from the norm, the sidewalls
feature giant displays. Muhiddin doesn’t think the
design should be too challenging to implement,
but says it is difficult to tell as the product is not
available for aircraft at present.
“We expect that with the speed of technical
development they will be available in the
foreseeable future,” says Muhiddin. “It is up to
the completion centre to implement new
technologies in a manner that the authorities
approve the implementation on future completion
projects. Anything that deviates from the
standard needs to be approved and we expend
a lot of effort to ensure that the authorities
understand our logic. Until we have a client for
this project we can only speculate.”
Both parties are excited to see what the
market thinks of their concept.
businessjetinteriorsinternational.com
016 OCTOBER 2019
PLANTS
“There are natural green elements
that you would not expect on an
aircraft, to recreate the domestic
atmosphere,” says Francesco Lovo,
head of transportation design at
Pininfarina. “These can be used
thanks to a process of stabilization.”
/businessjetinteriorsinternational.com