LIGHTING R E V IEW
aircraftinteriorsinternational.com
078 NOVEMBER 2019
FLEXIBLE
LIGHTING STRIP
TT Electronics has launched a new mood-lighting system,
developed as a lightweight, homogenous, and powerefficient
design. Available in single colour or RGB, the
Flexible Lighting Strip (FLS) is designed with a variety
of electronic communication protocols and can be
mechanically fixed, with a bend radius of 75mm.
“Ambient lighting remains an important
element of the first and business class
passenger experience. In a departure
from the ‘old fashioned’ box design,
contemporary and future cabin design
is moving to a more aesthetically
pleasing and space-efficient
environment filled with curves,”
explains Terry Moss, sales
director at TT Electronics.
The Nuancia RGBW strip light was designed
by Astronics for wash lighting to highlight
cabin elements such as fixed-shell seats,
monuments or stowage compartments, with
direct control via a lighting management
system. The system allows clients to create
relaxing transitions between cabin lighting
phases to suit the mood – for example by
defining specific colours or programmes
such as sunset and sunrise, matching with
times of the day like day/night, take off/
lunch/sleep… The system can also be used
to change ambience, with homogenous
colour throughout the cabin and claimed
perfection in terms of light rendering.
The system can also be used to
reproduce different times of the day
in order to alleviate jet lag effects, to
reinforce airline branding, or even as a
design tool to emphasise cabin length.
The product is not yet flying, but
following discussions with seat
manufacturers and airlines, Astronics
is confident it will be delivered in 2019.
LIGHT UP
HIDDEN SPACES
Schott’s HelioCurve flexible
RGBW LED light can bend into
narrow angles in small spaces,
enabling curved surfaces and various
cabin features such as aisles, to be
highlighted in new ways, complementing
holistic mood-lighting scenarios. The
homogeneity of the system means no cover
or diffuser is required, making the system more
space efficient. The system also has an intelligent
multi-light controller, which enables power levelling
as well as ageing and temperature compensation.
Jewels in the sky
Schott’s latest generation of LED
reading lights is Inspired by the
luminescence of gemstones, hence their
names: Opal and Sapphire. Opal’s ultraslim
and compact design fits perfectly on
all kinds of surfaces. A soft-touch faceplate
facilitates intuitive switching, with a rotation
mechanism that allows for wide angles so the
light cone can easily be adjusted.
The Sapphire series was designed by
PriestmanGoode. “We saw the exceptional
opportunity to create designs that could adapt to,
not hinder, the aesthetic of a seat”, says Ben Rowan,
a director at the studio. “With both ambient and direct
lighting, and an opportunity to change the look and
feel of the product, airlines are able to have a bespoke
product unique to their aesthetic requirements.”
Smart and small
The μLED reading light from Collins applies
advancements in miniature, low-cost LED sources
to create a dense array of LEDs that work as a
variable geometry light source that is then projected
to create any shape of form, limited only by the
resolution of the LED density.
The light is essentially a miniature projector
with a software-tuneable lens. This concept can
be applied to other lighting designs such as highpower
dome lights or speciality accent lighting.
This technology can create, in software, reading
light spots of various sizes and shapes, essentially
eliminating the need for different part numbers. It
can also accomplish keystone and flux correction
and even convert into a wide-angle dome light.
Perhaps the most impressive feature is the
ability to create multiple spots from one LRU
(two or three seats from one part). Additional
functionality can be increased in future
software updates, such as logos, seat
numbers and animated effects.
Detail
lighting
Subtle nuances
Blue-glowing signage
STG Aerospace has launched
saf-Tsign blu, claimed to be the world’s
only blue-glowing photoluminescent
aircraft signage. Suitable for emergency,
informational and custom signs, the design
combines clarity and safety with minimal
maintenance costs (the non-powered system
is fully charged by cabin lighting in minutes).
Blue is one of the most popular colours in
aviation, and the cool blue look of saf-Tsign blu
can be tailored to match airlines’ CMF palettes.
STG says it is receiving positive interest in the
blue option, for everything from row numbers
to galley and washroom signs.
/aircraftinteriorsinternational.com