Software for aircraft interior customisation

Citation

(2006), "Software for aircraft interior customisation", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 78 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2006.12778bab.013

Software for aircraft interior customisation

Software for aircraft interior customisation

Keywords: Aircraft, Design, Computer software

UK aerospace design consultancy, Engaero has become the latest company to adopt the cabin configuration tool, Pacelab Cabin, produced by PACE, the Berlin based software provider. Pacelab Cabin will be used to develop custom interior concepts for aircraft cabin refurbishment, carried out by airlines, aircraft leasing companies and aircraft manufacturers.

When aircraft are acquired by new owners, extensive modifications to the cabin layout are frequently required. Pacelab Cabin allows the engineers at Engaero to generate new cabin configurations for customers quickly and easily.

With the 3D capabilities of the software, Engaero can show the customer the appearance of different configurations in real time, speeding up the decision-making process. After the customer chooses a layout, the refurbishment is further accelerated since the layout can be exported directly to standard CAD programs, eliminating the need to create a new drawing from scratch.

A further plus for Engaero's use case is the way that Pacelab Cabin checks the cabin layout as it is being designed and ensures that certification regulations are met. Since the aircraft in question may be certified to different standards, the rules for cabin configuration are different from one aircraft to the next. With Pacelab Cabin, the rulebook can be easily tailored to each aircraft, ensuring compliance with the regulations.

“Pacelab Cabin will help us speed up the process of producing the new cabin configuration for clients”, said Jon Norris, managing director of Engaero. “It will also give us the opportunity to offer customers a wider choice of possible configurations, ensuring that the customer gets the best solution. As we are dealing with a range of different airline operators serving highly diverse fleets, we also appreciate that Pacelab Cabin offers a common user interface for any aircraft type, single and twin- aisle alike.”

Pacelab Cabin is described as an expert tool for rapidly creating layouts of passenger accommodation. Enabling significant hikes in productivity, the software is said to be widely used by aircraft and components manufacturers as well as airlines, leasing and consulting companies. With its clear- cut interfaces to standard CAD software and attractive visualisation options, Pacelab Cabin is considered highly suitable for engineering departments and technical sales/ marketing alike.

Engaero is a UK-based company founded in 2003 which provides design services and consultancy to commercial aerospace customers in a range of areas, including aerostructure and cabin design, certification, structural repair, aircraft inspection and engineering management support.

Details available from: PACE Aerospace Engineering and Information Technology GmbH. Tel: +49.30.293 62-0; Fax: +49.30.293 62- 113; Pace America, Inc. Tel: +1 706 354 5492; Fax: +1 706 354 4627.