WELCOME
businessjetinteriorsinternational.com
006 JANUARY 2020
NEW ARRIVALS
W alking onto the NBAA-BACE static
display on media day, my eyes were
immediately drawn to an imposing
stage structure in the distance. It looked like
the setting for a rock show, but in fact was the
platform for a high-production unveiling by
Gulfstream later that day – of a mock-up
showcasing its new flagship, the G700. When
guided through the mock-up, I was pleased to
see it has the substance to live up to the fanfare.
This ranged from the obvious – for example the
extensive Ultragalley – to little details designed
to make life on board intuitive and comfortable.
You can read all about it from page 14.
The G700 mock-up has a few intriguing
technologies that are currently in research and
development, including a safe opened by
fingerprint, and a mirror that can display flight
information. These were far from being the only
high-tech developments I noticed at NBAABACE
– there has been a lot of progress on
several technologies that have long been on cabin
designers’ wishlists. Turn to page 42 to learn
more about OLED panels, li-fi, voice control,
health monitoring and more. Some of the
technologies featured are now flying, some of
them seem on the cusp of availability, and
others are currently only at the theoretical stage,
but all are exciting.
Another big event at NBAA-BACE was the
unveiling of the next generation of the Pilatus
PC-12 NGX, which you can read about from
page 34. The single-engine turboprop’s cabin is
now more recognisably akin to that of its PC-24
stablemate, with key improvements made to the
seats, design packages, windows, headliner and
air conditioning system.
Elsewhere in this issue, you will find a
continuation of our series rounding up all the
production aircraft in a certain category – this
issue we look at midsize jets (page 28). You
can also read about the biggest trends in highend
automotive seating (page 22), which could
show the way forward for business jet seat
development. The feature examines ideas for
more sustainable materials, along with biometric
monitoring and greater personalisation – surely
trends with broad applicability.
Izzy Kington, editor
/businessjetinteriorsinternational.com