Drinks cans and bottles onboard aircraft will be a thing of the past for airlines that opt for the new Sky Tender automated drinks trolley from SkyMax.
Sky Tender, which will enter ground-testing this month and in-flight testing in June, can produce up to 30 different drinks - including mixed beverages - at the touch of a button, removing the need for bottles and cans.
Airlines have the option of either buying a new trolley with the system installed, or installing it on their existing lightweight trolleys, says SkyMax managing director Oliver Kloth.
The drinks come in the form of "syrup bags", which are mixed with three boxes of hot and cold water in the trolley as and when the drinks are required. Each 1 litre syrup bag provides 11 litres of juice and 41 litres of coffee. Also included in the system is a carbonator, which enables certain syrup bags to be turned into fizzy drinks.
Flight attendants select the required drink on the touchscreen, which also lets them know how much of each drink remains.
SkyMax is in "deep negotiations" with eight airlines in Europe and Middle East and will be ready to deliver the product in March 2012, says Kloth. "We hope to sign contracts in the middle of this year."
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Source: Flight Daily News
