Lufthansa Technik is developing an induction cooker for use on board aircraft, in collaboration with German galley equipment specialist HS2 Engineering.
The maintenance provider is showing a demonstrator at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, while the major electronic components for a production version are under development, says HS2 general manager Karl-Heinz Haas. The equipment could become available within nine to 12 months if a launch customer is recruited, he adds.
Service entry for such a product would "classically" be on VIP aircraft, notes Haas. However, Lufthansa Technik's head of marketing and communications for original equipment innovation Gerolf Dietel believes the technology will also be attractive to airlines as there is "a trend toward live cooking in premium classes".
Discussions about potential orders are ongoing with several airlines, Dietel reveals.
Where fresh food is cooked on board, it tends to be with off-the-shelf equipment that is not specifically designed for in-flight operation and is therefore used at the carrier's own risk.
The demonstrator features a single ring for sauce and frying pans, with the equipment dimensioned to fit into standard galley slots.
HS2 has developed inserts for toasting bread and cooking rice, plus a standalone wok.
The rice cooker has been designed to ensure that only the saucepan becomes hot, without any warming of the equipment's other surfaces.
An extraction fan has been designed to prevent smells from emanating into the passenger compartment. The fan is fitted to the cooker and can be lowered onto the pans like a lid.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
