Electrochromic self-darkening windows are flavour of the month for new aircraft such as the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350XWB. But Florida-based Aerospace Technologies Group believes its new electrically operated pleated-fabric shades are the real wave of the future, consuming less power and producing the complete blackout that continues to evade the electrochromic solutions.
With orders from Emirates and six other leading international airlines under its belt, ATG is here to show its wares to other Gulf and Asia-Pacific airlines that may be inclined to follow the influential Dubai carrier’s lead.
The company was set up eight years ago in a West Palm Beach garage. “We’re the Microsoft of electric window shades,” jokes commercial sales VP Raymond Tollman. Its first product was aimed at corporate/VIP market and ATG now supplies Gulfstream, Dassault and Cessna.
Four years ago the company started work on a product for air transport. “The costs of certification were phenomenal,” comments Tollman. The system had to meet more stringent requirements for temperature, humidity, EMI and radio-frequency interference, and Airbus and Boeing demanded a much higher guaranteed mean time between failures.
“That’s all behind us now,” says Tollman. “We expect that most airliners will have this product in their premium cabins at least within ten years.” Emirates has ordered the shades for its Boeing 777s and Airbus A380s. All seven airline customers are installing them in first-class, while some will also put them in business.
ATG’s current order backlog for both corporate and air transport customers totals $30 million. First air transport installations are under way. The first three equipped Emirates 777s are due to be delivered at the end of this month – and the initial shipsets for the Emirates A380s and those of one other customer are due to delivered to Airbus in Hamburg next month.
ATG says the shades can be installed in less than two minutes per window, with no need to remove the cabin liner. The orders for Emirates and other carriers are being installed on the line, but ATG also holds an STC for retrofits to in-service aircraft.
Each unit comprises a pair of shades – one translucent, one opaque – plus two Swiss-made precision 28V DC electric motors and a Kevlar toothed drive-belt. Lowering the translucent blind produces a gentle natural light - “We’re using Mother Nature for mood lighting,” says Tollman – while the opaque shade produces a blackout as complete as that specified for conventional manual shades.
The traveller can control the shade with an up/down switch on the window bezel and also with the in-seat passenger control unit (PCU), which allows a group of shades to be operated simultaneously. And flight attendants can operate all the shades in the cabin from a central point.
ATG has provided a mechanical override for use in the event of electrical failure, as required for FAA certification. It consists of a household-standard hex-headed driver that can be inserted into hole above the switches and then turned to raise the blinds.
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Source: Flight Daily News
