A IX L A P REV IEW
STAND: 2407 The beauty
of wood
Many aircraft interiors are inspired by luxury hotels
and residential design, with wood gaining the
attention of many aircraft owners because it can
make a cabin space feel luxurious and calming.
Weight is a major factor when designing an
aircraft interior, so the use of real wood is not
always an option. Thus Lonseal aircraft sheet vinyl
fl ooring is a good option for wood-look fl ooring in
the cabin, and the Cirrus Collection has a range of
realistic wood fi nishes. From copying the intricacy of
grain details to the unique characteristics of real
wood, this collection provides the timeless beauty of
wood in the cabin. All fl ooring within this collection
has Lonseal’s Featherweight formulation, which
reduces weight by up to 30% compared with some
standard fl ooring.
SLIDES AND RAILS
aircraftinteriorsinternational.com
SEPTEMBER 2019
098
Accessible
design
WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF ALL
WHEELS UP?
Our mission statement is that through
research and advocacy, we work to
increase awareness and ultimately the
feasibility of a wheelchair spot on
airplanes. Our ultimate goal is to have
a wheelchair spot on planes, just as
you find on buses, trains and Disney
rides today.
WHAT OBSTACLES HAVE YOU
ENCOUNTERED IN YOUR CAMPAIGN?
In the early years, it was getting
organisations to believe that a wheelchair
spot was possible. Now that we have
invested in the initial research, and have
proven the feasibility, the conversations
are about research and facts, and as the
only organisation in the world that has
invested and funded the research
needed, it puts All Wheels Up in the
unique position to discuss and share
engineering opportunities and research.
Today our biggest obstacle is funding.
We always get asked how we raised
enough money to do our crash testing.
I say we are funded US$25 at a time.
We are not funded by large grants or the
FAA – we are supported by individual
donors who want to see a more
accessible future. Individuals’ fundraising
and hosting events on behalf of All
Wheels Up and a wheelchair spot is how
we have funded our research.
However, we are starting to see
organisations sponsor some of our
initiatives. We have followed the model
of cure-based organisations and are
working to build a pipeline of solutions,
just as a cure-based research
organisation would. We not only focus
on the research, but general white
paper studies as well as support data.
We need to be prepared to answer all
questions raised by the industry, whether
it be regarding the safety facts or
financial data.
WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN CONCERNS
FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS ON BOARD
AIRCRAFT?
While our goal is for a wheelchair spot
on planes, our main focus is safety for all
passengers. That is why All Wheels Up
has invested in crash testing wheelchair
tie-down systems and wheelchairs under
the guidance of the FAA, and our testing
passed the initial criteria for safety
standards. While there is a lot more work
to be done, we have not just proven the
feasibility, but that it is safe.
Because All Wheels Up’s main focus is
safety, we have introduced a new board
member who is a cabin safety expert to
help us address the concerns from the
industry. All Wheels Up understands the
importance of research & development,
and all the phases that must be met to
get to proper certification of both
wheelchair restraint systems and
wheelchairs. Because of this, All Wheels
Up does not quote a timeframe for
implementation.
WHAT COULD THE AIRCRAFT
INTERIORS INDUSTRY DO TO HELP
THE CAUSE?
As a not for profit, we have so many
different “asks”, but the aircraft interiors
Industry provides us a unique
opportunity. A4A has asked us to build up
our board with experts from the aviation
industry so we can have a bigger seat at
the table. If anyone has an interest in
working on a great cause and would like
to share their valuable expertise, we
would love to hear from you. If you are
with an organisation and want to help us
succeed, we can discuss sponsoring one
of our initiatives or sponsoring one of our
next working group sessions.
STAND: 2336
Radial Aerospace specialises in telescopic slides,
drawer slides and linear rails for aircraft, to
facilitate the sliding, transfer and withdrawal of
loads. In Los Angeles the company will be showing
a range of seating slides designed for strength and
rigidity (load capacities of 304kg and 170kg are
available), high-strength aerospace grade T6
beams, cross-roller bearings for stability and
rigidity at full extension, a wiper system to prevent
dirt ingress, and shock-absorbing end stops.
The slides are made from lightweight,
non-corrosive metal and
have been independently
tested and approved for
aircraft seating, with
AS9100 approval.
MICHELE ERWIN, FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF ALL
WHEELS UP, WILL BE SPEAKING AT THE CABINSPACE LIVE
SEMINAR, DISCUSSING ACCESSIBLE CABIN DESIGN. AHEAD
OF THE EVENT, WE ASKED HER A FEW QUESTIONS…
AIX is
co-located with
APEX Expo.
See p106 for a
preview of the
show
/aircraftinteriorsinternational.com