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Elliott Aviation, another popular up- grade today is increasing cabin stor- age space.
“Functionality is a major part of cab- in upgrades today. We need to make sure that the finished cabin meets all of the customer’s needs no matter the use,” she said. “Whether it’s upgrading the galley or reconfiguring the space, we never want a customer saying, ‘I wish I had thought of that.’ We have on- staff engineering, which really helps ease those types of changes. We start with what their ultimate goals are and then design the solution that best fits their needs.”
Popular Cabin Upgrades
Okay, so we’ve established that mak- ing your cabin look newer and more comfortable is a great way to maximize your ROI. But, what in particular are your options?
“The sky’s the limit as far as what you can do with the design and materi- als. But today the trend is towards less is more,” Welch said. “Contrast is still a very popular design direction – darker cabinetry with lighter upholstery and finishes. Look at popular automotive interior trends.”
As for what’s new with materials and finishes, Walker said that some new leather materials look like fabrics but are much more resistant to wear and stains. Those will be great if you travel with children, pets or if your airplane ever finds its way into Part 135 service. Regarding those 80s era “ugly wood finishes,” Duncan Aviation is now offering hydro-dipping, which is a cost-effective way to totally change the look of any hardgoods in the cabin at a very affordable price.
“This is a larger application of hydro- graphics technology,” Coleman said. “With the hydrodipping application, we can get the same deep, long-lasting finish. It’s becoming more affordable and is a great option now for smaller cabin aircraft.”
“The upgrades that we see as the most popular right now are those that solve a problem and update the cabin’s appearance,” Lowe stated. “For exam- ple, if you have a King Air with the fac- tory [cabin window] polarizers, we can replace them with our new 360-style
pleated shades. They not only give the cabin a modern look, but they also eliminate the ongoing issues owners have with replacing those polarizers every few years.”
Cabin Connectivity and LED Lighting
While a full-on WIFI solution may be too expensive for most smaller cabin aircraft, there are connectivity options. Most of the major avionics manufac- turers have some type of lower-cost texting or voice solution, whether it’s satellite- or air-to-ground-based.
“There is a solution for practically any type of aircraft to stay connected with the earth – voice, texting, even streaming – it’s all more affordable today,” Stearns said. “We work closely with our customers to find what will work best in their situation, what’s re- liable, what works, and what’s afford- able? Their best solution may be to not do anything.”
While connectivity is probably on every passenger’s must-have list, it’s not the only electronic upgrade you
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April 2021 / TWIN & TURBINE • 15