Schott (stand 5G80) and Lufthansa Technik (6D65) are displaying LED cabin lighting technology developed through their HelioJet collaboration, as they work towards securing certification around mid-year.

The HelioJet LED lights - designed to replaced conventional fluorescent tubes -are being trialled by an undisclosed European carrier.

Alexander Goessel, Lufthansa Technik section manager innovation (commercial aviation), says the design means that only around 10 LEDs are required per metre, compared with 50-60 for a standard LED light strip.

"There are LEDs at each end, which bring light into the tube," he says. HelioJet also offers a modest weight reduction compared with flourescent tubes.

"Our advantage is not that you save a lot of weight, but that you save a lot on maintenance," says Goessel, who adds that the tubes offer a five-fold improvement in mean time between failure.

Schott and LHT are targeting the retrofit market, with a strong focus on Airbus A320, A330 and A340 aircraft, as they are all equipped with the same type of fluorescent tube in the cabin.

Source: Flight Daily News