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An innovative approach to galley design
The future of galleys will be displayed by Airbus in prototype form at Aircraft Interiors Expo Americas. You only need to walk onto an
aircraft to be reminded that galleys have hardly changed in over 40 years. It is no surprise then, that Airbus has been hearing from their customers that the time is long past for an improvement in galley architecture. Key issues that are raised for
improvement include galley weight, space utilisation, and ergonomics. And there is a long wish list for new galley features. Things like easier reconfiguration, improved chilling, less complicated latching, better inventory control, quicker service times, and not forgetting better aesthetics. Needless to say, coming up with a concept which offers all those benefits is not an easy task. However, Airbus has been working hard with various partners across the industry to overcome the key hurdles and solve today’s problems. The result of several years of design and testing is a new standard of galley system, called SPICE (SPace Innovative Catering Equipment), the prototype of which is on display at Aircraft Interiors Expo Americas. Weight saving is one of the key benefits of SPICE, saving around 600kg on a typical wide-body or
Reaching new heights
At Aircraft Interiors Expo Americas, SABIC Innovative Plastics will showcase its five new high-performance thermoplastic materials specifically designed for aircraft interiors, and will be showcasing its robust industry-leading portfolio of advanced resin and sheet technologies. • New Lexan XHR (extremely low heat release) 6000 sheet: Lexan XHR sheet provides superior weight-out of up to 11 per cent vs. traditional polyvinyl chloride/acrylic products, providing better weight-out for fuel economy while meeting current and future OSU requirements for aircraft seating, cockpit linings, window surrounds, door shrouds, and other interior components.
• New carbon-filled Ultem* resins: SABIC Innovative Plastics is introducing 40 per cent carbon-filled Ultem resin technologies featuring exceptional stiffness and double the flow. At the show, the company is showcasing tray table arms under development with Vaupell.
• New transparent Lexan F2000A sheet: This new sheet product offers
excellent FST performance and impact strength. It’s a candidate for windows, light diffusers and signs where clarity is requested. Additionally, the next generation of the popular Lexan F6000 sheet product will be launched later this year, and will deliver superior melt strength and surface quality.
• New transparent Lexan FST copolymer resin: Now available in a clear formulation, this resin offers improved aesthetic flexibility.
• New Ultem 9090 resin: Next-generation, low-heat-release Ultem resin offers a combination of improved ductility, chemical resistance and UV stability, allowing it to withstand typical cleaning cycles over 25 years with minimal performance degradation.
double that on an A380. This is made possible by the use of lightweight boxes weighing as little as 6kg for food storage.
SPICE saves space as well as weight by using an efficient modular design, enabling enough improvement in space utilisation at a typical rear galley complex to yield an additional 2 to 3 economy seats. The modular design also brings true Plug & Play functionality to Galley Inserts (GAINs), enabling exchange of any GAIN type with another within 5 minutes. Cabin attendants have long identified the ergonomic difficulties of working in today’s galleys. Improved ergonomics is integral to the SPICE design, with a device to remove lifting, a solution to trolleys getting stuck in galley bays, and equipment to speed up service preparation.
Airbus’ intention with SPICE is to make it an industry-wide standard, available for all airlines and for application on all aircraft types. To ensure that this happens, Airbus has been working with airlines, caterers, and equipment suppliers. Key questions which have been addressed include the changes to In- Flight Service processes, the impact on operations in the catering chain, and the impact on aircraft Turn- Around-Time.
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