Cabin Seating, Part 3, Design & Styling

The seat design and its covering are usually the focal point of the completions interior. Classic, timeless styling can create the look that expresses the owners taste. It also can entice the occupant to feel cradled and comfortable for the long haul. It begins with the buildup of various densities of foam, from hard to soft that create the level of comfort and support after the first hour and long into the last hour of flight. A selection of foam build that is too hard and the passenger is in constant motion to find a pleasing position. Too soft and you feel if you’re sitting on the hard pan below the cushion. Then there should be the consideration that eventually the foam will breakdown and soften over time. It is best that the upholstery shop create several foam build ups for you to sample.

The design of the seats bucket also will dictate the comfort, not only as a seat but when it’s berthed for sleeping. A seat that is too sculpted and contoured will make a poor berth. A seat that is to flat and designed for berthing is then uncomfortable for seating on long flight legs. It is best to find the happy medium in this case depending on the type of berthing requirement your operation has. Where the design is tufted or rolled also impacts the level of comfort. Button, bars, pulls, seams, piping and stitching also affect the overall comfort. Some operators look to automotive styling for the sculpted bucket look but don’t consider the reclined or berthed seat. It is important to sit in as many designs that are available to you when making you selection.

Leather covering is a great choice for seats. It warms to the bodies’ temperature, has the look of luxury and is easily maintained. Upholstery fabric is also good where sound damping is a concern but looks worn over time and requires more cleaning. When selecting leather it is good to request a rub test like the Tabor test. This will allow you to select lather where this finish will not wear prematurely. Leather can also be repaired and the surface repainted should it be damaged. Custom dye can match the fading of your leather. Once delivered the window shades of you aircraft should be closed especially if you aircraft is not hungered. When selecting fabric covering for your seats it should be upholstery grade and not the type used in light traffic seating or draperies. Wool is always the best choice over blends and synthetics.

Be sure you perform a first article inspection of your seat. Inspect the stitching and workmanship, but above all sit in it. Not a quick trial either, but a good half an hour to get the sense that the seat will be comfortable on long flights. Make sure that there is a piece of carpet and pad below your feet to get the correct floor to thigh height. Spending this time and making any adjustment to the foam build or design of the seat will increase the comfort of your aircraft significantly.

Cabin Seating, Part 2, The Manufacturers

There are more manufacturer choices today than ever before in the arena of business jet cabin seats. BE Aerospace, DeCrane, PAC, AST and Iacobucci, just to name a few. Some aircraft are certified with only one seat option as part of a packaged completion. Others may offer a choice of two, but in the realm of airline class jets, the sky is the limit. Each of these manufactures meets the 16G TSO and has a host of options. These include folding leg rests, articulating head rests and drop down arms. They also offer electric options that utilize small servo motors that control leg rests, recline and lumbar supports. Others also have electronic features with digital control panels, in-arm LCD monitors that deploy with electric outlets and audio jacks.

There are also design and styling options that allow curved and contoured armrests. Sculpted seat backs w headrests that give a square back or tapered sides for a soft, rounded look. They offer high seat backs with flex-wing headrests that cradle the head. There are low back seats that can give the cabin a wider, open appearance. Some have storage compartments, seat base cover options and magazine pouches. These options can define the look, comfort and weight of the seat.    

All seats have a basic weight as per their respective TSO tags. This would have been established during the certification of the seat to gain approval. They also have their maximum weight, where the seat was tested along with the OEM’s seat track and structural installation for deformation. When you spec your seats and options, you must be aware of this maximum weight so options don’t eclipse the certified weight. Not all seats in the aircraft need all the bells and whistles either. Adding maximum features to all seats can eat into your interiors gross weight and affects your weight and balance significantly. So, choose your seat options carefully and find the balance between comfort, function and weight. 

Cabin Seating, Part 1, 16G & Dynamic Testing

All new aircraft certified since 1988 must conform to 16G seating that has been dynamically tested. What does this mean to you next completion, very little, however Head Impact Criteria or HIC does. You can find the criteria in the FAA, FAR’s in Sections 25.561 and 25.562. There are two separate tests that are conducted to determine the seat ability to withstand a 16G impact crash. The first test is a forward, directional sled test where a seat is placed on structural base in seat tracks and sent at an angle of incline at a rate of 44 feet per second and abruptly stopped. The load factor is at 16G’s, thus seats are referred to as 16G.

The second test utilizes a seated dummy in the seat for HIC testing. The dummy reacts to the restraint of the seat belt and shoulder harness. This demonstrates the head, arm and leg swing in a typical crash scenario. The HIC test is far more important when planning your floor plan configuration because cabinets, tables and bulkheads must be placed with enough room to allow to passengers clear obstacles is such extreme crash situations. With the dummy, deformation of the seat and structure can be measured as well. When planning you next floor plan, the completion center should fully understand the HIC requirements of your particular seat and airframe.

In addition to structural constraints are the burn certification requirements and tests. The covering and build-up itself must be flame proofed to meet the FAR’s 25.852 paragraphs A & C. Paragraph A includes the finish covering, in this case the fabric or leather used in seat upholstery. Paragraph C includes the flame proofed foam and glues used inside the cushions. Seats today from the manufacturers come with certification tags, but the actual TSO-127 must cover the finished, upholstered seat itself. So the upholstery shop itself must be compliant to fabricate 16G seats under the manufactures TSO. The OEM or completion center must provide flame proofed samples and built-up cushions for burn testing. It is important to track and log this information should you need to re-upholster or change a seat later in the life of your aircraft.