Aircraft Interiors Expo 2012 opened its doors at 0900 on 27 March with more than 500 exhibitors from 30 countries participating – and a record amount of exhibition space taken by industry.

The show is firmly established as a premier platform for launching new products and this year was no exception. B/E Aerospace demonstrated its Angled Oasis Super First Class Suite, which enables passengers to use controlled sliding screens to achieve a high level of privacy, while the seat can be elongated into a long, fully flat, horizontal bed.

Pitch Aircraft Seating unwrapped a pre-production model of a new retrofit seat, the PF2000. Stewart Cordner, Sales & Marketing, said, ‘This is the second year we have exhibited at Aircraft Interiors Expo. Last year we presented the design concept of PF2000 and the feedback was extremely positive from airlines, operators, leasing companies, manufacturers and suppliers. On the strength of that we have now moved into the pre-production phase and are very encouraged by the reception the seat is getting.’

Lufthansa Systems announced that passengers on airlines using its BoardConnect IFE system can now view the latest blockbuster movies. BoardConnect is the first IFE system to have won the approval of leading film studios for their ‘early window content’. Dr Jörg Liebe, Chief Information Officer, said, ‘Aircraft Interiors Expo is a very important show for us. Our BoardConnect product has received a great deal of interest from airlines, so we are really pleased with the exhibition so far.’

Thomas Cook used the first day of the show to announce that it has chosen the Rockwell Collins Paves 3 in-flight entertainment system, which will be installed in Airbus A320 and A321.

Tapis introduced Ultraleather BOLERO which it believes sets a new standard for sound absorption. The company claims that during independent testing Ultraleather BOLERO outperformed fabrics and genuine leather by improving low and mid frequency absorption, thereby significantly reducing cabin noise.

New exhibitor Cobra Global gave visitors a first viewing of what the company claims is the world’s lightest economy seat. Key to the seat’s performance is the chemical metalizing of high strength polymers. Managing Director Gary Seale said, ‘We are getting a fantastic level of interest, not just in the product but also the manufacturing. process. We have taken an automotive industry technology and thought outside the box to create a new weight saving concept for the airline industry. Aircraft Interiors Expo is providing an ideal platform to demonstrate our capabilities.’

Also making its Hamburg debut was the world’s first child seat certified for take-offs and landings in all configurations. Manufactured by Gama Engineering the seat is being demonstrated at the show by Starling Aerospace.

Exhibition Director John Hyde said, ‘There is a very upbeat mood here amongst visitors and exhibitors, reflecting the drive and commitment to progress that typifies this industry. We have mounted a sustained and very targeted marketing effort to support this event and the indications from today are that the Aircraft Interiors Expo message is getting across, loud and clear.’