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Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 0158.PDF
Interiors uid waste don't compact very well in a trash compactor, so the cabin crew would try to dispose of the waste down the galley drains," says Khteian. "The problem was that traditional galley sinks are fitted with a 0.5in [12.7mm]-wide drain line designed to accommodate potable water, but not solid waste, especially when combined with liq uids such as wine or milk. That resulted in clogged drains and corrosion, mandating costly maintenance and repair." Efficient evacuation GWAD uses a 5 lmm-wide drain line and Monogram's vacuum lavatory waste dis posal system technology, used throughout the airline industry. As Khteian points out, the vacuum system more efficiently evacu ates the food and liquid waste from the gal ley sink to the existing lavatory waste tank located below the aircraft cabin floor. Since Cathay Pacific became the launch customer, the GWAD has been installed on Qantas Boeing 747-400s. The Australian carrier has also ordered the system for its A330s and A340s, which will be delivered this year. GWAD has also been specified as the baseline equipment on the A380. "Our customers say they have seen a significant reduction in drain clogs, and the associ ated maintenance costs," says Khteian. Another market for GWAD is the top-end business jet. "Several have been installed on Boeing Business Jets; but, as the reputation of the system grows, we believe it will be specified on most commercial widebody long range aircraft." Airline passengers have long been sub- 36 23-29 MARCH 2004 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com jected to cabin noise and vibration levels that interfere with normal conversation and contribute to jet lag. While electronic noise canceling systems have been deployed on some aircraft, a relatively new approach has been taken by Flight Environments. The Paso Robles, California- based company specialises in aircraft-spe cific noise and vibration attenuation solu tions, using thermal and acoustic insulation technology. The customised solutions, according to company president Eamon Halpin, draw from more than 80 different insulating materials made of fibre- glass reinforced plastic, polymers, ceramics and felts. The lightweight materials require minimal maintenance and meet new regu lations governing flame propagation and burn-through, which will be implemented in 2005 for aircraft with more than 19 seats. "We use four criteria for the noise-treat ment materials selected," Halpin says. "They must be lightweight, fireproof, easy to install, and have little to no moisture Advances in retention." Before the material is chosen, waste Flight Environments performs a complete disposal noise and vibration survey of the aircraft, units could through a series of ground and flight tests reduce involving the aircraft's complete flight pro- clogging file. "By establishing a noise signature for the aircraft, we can determine the source of the noise and the direction it is coming from. Based on that, and using the manu facturer's design, we can select the right material and components to produce a tai lor-made solution," says Halpin. More than 550 custom installations have been completed worldwide over the last four to five years on a wide range of aircraft. The company holds 30 STCs, mostly for installations on corporate and 4iead-of-state aircraft including 22 Boeing Business Jets. More recently, the company has obtained STCs on the Bell 407, Bell 430 and Sikorsky S-76 helicopters. But Halpin believes that future uses will increasingly include commercial airliners. Insulation "The new FAA [US Federal Aviation Administration] ruling on aircraft insula tion, coupled with the realisation that they can provide commercial airline passengers with the same level of comfort as on corpo- Airbus cabin rate aircraft, has airframe manufacturers tak- concepts for ing a fresh look at this whole area," he says. the A380 "We expect to see an increasing percentage promise of our revenue coming from this sector." greater Cabin environment is also connected to comfort- ambient lighting, and light emitting diode for some (LED) technology holds much promise for travellers airline operators now that it has proven
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