Aircraft Maintenance Technology - 9

As an aircraft ages, an interior face lift
can help it look and feel anew.
By Jennifer Wilberschied

t is quite common - especially in the world of celebrities - that when
someone reaches a certain age, they get a "little work done." A little face
lift, a little liposuction, a little lift here, a little tuck there or even a hair
transplant. Same goes for aircraft. The number one reason aircraft owners, airlines and corporations make the decision to upgrade the interiors
of their fleets are due to age and general wear and tear. And, once the
cosmetic upgrades are complete, a younger, more vibrant and more upto-date aircraft remains - looking almost like new. Just like those celebs.
"We've experienced owners doing refurbishments primarily due to
age of the interior, as well as desire to update their current design taste,"
explains Joe Bonita, managing director, Citadel Completions. "While they
typically don't operate their aircraft very often, allowing the aircraft itself
to remain viable for very long periods of time, the interiors do need
refreshing periodically."
"The number one reason that owners and operators have for considering
an interior refurbishment is wear and tear," echoes Meghan Welch, director
of paint and interior sales, Elliott Aviation. "Naturally, as the aircraft interior
ages, it encounters wear and tear from passenger use, regular pressurization and differentials in temperature. There are a number of items that
an owner or operator can do to maximize the life of an interior, such as
selecting high-quality materials during a refurbishment, regular cleaning with proper cleaning products and procedures and stain-blocking."
Other factors that weigh heavily on these refurbishments include the
demand to stay competitive in the marketplace, the need to modernize
interior systems, such as in-flight entertainment and transfer of ownership
with the purchase of a used aircraft. Interior refurbishments offer a more
cost-effective alternative compared to purchasing a new or used aircraft
for clients seeking to update an outdated and worn aircraft interior or
fleet. "The industry is experiencing a lot of used aircraft movement and
customers are personalizing their newly-acquired aircraft to better suit
their style, character and technology needs," says Gordon Ross, director
of interiors/regional MRO sales manager, Pentastar.

THE SEVEN-YEAR ITCH
SOME PROJECTS
are simple accessory
changes, while others
strip the entire plane
down to its raw
state to complete an
entirely new interior.
COMLUX

A popular time frame for customers to complete refurbishments is every
seven to 10 years and the cycle is often driven by when the customer
has the money to invest in their fleet. "Keeping up with the competition
and what they're doing obviously impacts decisions," notes Grant West,
vice president business development, interior products and aftermarket
services, Collins Aerospace. "Or, if customers change their brand or service
strategy, that will drive them to make changes."
Oftentimes, a major refurbishment is coupled with a large maintenance check that requires the interior to be removed to accommodate the
inspections associated with the check, such as a paint job or major avionics retrofit, allowing the customer to minimize downtime for an overall

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Aircraft Maintenance Technology

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