UK-based Acro Aircraft Seating is on the lookout for a launch customer for its conceptual premium-economy-class seat, which it is displaying for the first time at Aircraft Interiors in Hamburg.
The product is in the early stages of development and the company is “looking at delivery in 18 months to two years”, says Acro executive vice-president Cameron Allen. However, this could be moved forward for the right customer. “Like most speculative developments, if we get a very interested customer we could probably accelerate that.”
The seat incorporates “all the things Acro does well”, such as a slim-line, lightweight design with a low part count for easy installation and maintenance. It is “the first slim-line premium-economy-seat to work from a 34in [86cm] pitch”, says Allen, which is “lower than most, if not all” competing products.
Acro is targeting the seat at the narrowbody and widebody markets and it will be available in three width variants, with 19.5in between armrests described by Allen as being “optimum”. Weight has yet to be determined but part of the engineering plan will be to ensure it is lighter than the competition, says Allen.
The manufacturer had planned to launch the seat at an earlier date but decided to postpone it to focus on its economy-class line. “Right now it’s a concept, back then it was an idea,” says Allen.
Source: Flight Daily News
