Now Taking to the Air - Lantal’s Innovative Pneumatic Seat Cushion for Aircraft Seats
21 June 2005 11:31
Lantal and RECARO Aircraft Seating are happy to declare that the ambitious project is on track: visitors to the stands of Recaro and Lantal were able to test for themselves the comfort of Recaro’s premium business-class full-flat seat, equipped with the pneumatic seat cushion developed by Lantal and Recaro. The seat has just been specified by Eurofly, a new all-business-class airline, which has decided to fit the seats throughout the cabin of its A319 aircraft.
Imagine you’ve just stowed your carry-on luggage in the overhead bin, sorted out the magazines you’re going to read, and moved the crossed seat belts so you can finally sit down. And then, you experience whole-body contact with the seat. After a brief moment, your torso says: “This is not an ordinary aircraft seat.” And then you start looking at it because you feel as if you are sitting on air. You are. The bodies of most frequent flyers know what to expect when a flight is on the agenda. They have to stay put as long as humanly possible, forever trying to jockey into comfortable positions for reading, snoozing, eating, watching a movie, or just plain whiling the time away. And as we all know, human bodies come in countless more shapes and sizes than aircraft seats. One size definitely does not fit all.
The Countdown Began in 2001
The idea for pneumatic seat cushions with air compartments for a customized anatomic fit was born at Lantal Textiles in the fall of 2001. Less than a year later, the company presented the first proto-types to a few airlines at its headquarters in Swit-zerland. By the “seat of their pants," the airline representatives instantly recognized that nothing in any airborne cabin could match this latest-generation seat cushion.
In the meantime, extensive tests were conducted with different types of airworthy puncture-proof materials, computer-aided design approaches, inflation and pressure-holding systems, posture support zone geometries, pneumatic actuators for the backs and footrests, control modules, and many other design features. Since spring 2004, the testing and certification process for airworthiness of the entire seat concept has been carried out with Recaro Aircraft Seating.
The project was professionally managed from the very beginning, with strict milestones as well as cost and scheduling benchmarks. The objectives were clear: to create a 21st-century aircraft seat cushion that would redefine the term comfort, would save weight at the same time, and could be cost-effectively manufactured.
Heading for the Finish Line
The two key benefits of pneumatic cushions for aircraft seats – greatly enhanced comfort plus weight savings – are a compelling argument for airlines. Conventional seats are becoming more luxurious, more feature-packed, and, therefore, heavier. So replacing foam with air makes perfect sense. The premium comfort of the pneumatic seat cushion with its nearly unlimited options of individual ergonomic comfort will place passengers on a cloud. To offer this comfort to business class passengers, Lantal joined development know-how with Recaro to interface with existing controls and drives in Recaro’s Full-Flat seat. The existing seat platform provides the right interfaces for the pneumatic seat cushion.
The two companies predict that airlines which introduce the pneumatic seat cushion will gain a distinct competitive advantage. Trendsetting VIP airlines are eyeing up the offer to further underscore their premium comfort offered to all business passengers. The first ideas to furnish entire ACJs or BBJs are already under discussion.
The heavenly comfort of air-filled cushions will initially be reserved for the F/C and B/C passengers of early-adopter airlines, but chances are good that these cushions will become standard issue in the not-too-distant future. Good ideas deserve to fly, and the unique seating proposition is one of them.
For more information on this company:
Lantal Textiles - Aircraft Interior Fabrics and Transportation Fashion
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