The Future of VVIP Aviation Interiors

Jet Aviation Engineering and Design are working with five students from TU Delft to imagine what the ultimate passenger experience of the future might look like.

To innovate, we have to imagine a potential future, and who better to do that than the people who will be a part of that future? Jet Aviation in Basel is collaborating with a team of students from different disciplines studying at TU Delft to develop a concept of a futuristic VIP aircraft interior which meets the needs of the future customer by providing state-of-the-art technology and luxury while utilizing the most sustainable alternatives to conventional designs.

“The project is a fantastic way to get insight from other industries, and other experts, on how we might imagine the VIP cabin experience of the future,” says Jeremie Caillet, vice president completions. “Our ability to innovate is key to staying relevant in an ever-evolving world, where customers expect more and more of their ‘home comforts’ while in the air. We are committed to remaining the partner of choice for our customers, and we recognize the need for a strong focus on innovation in VIP completions to remain relevant in a rapidly evolving world.”

“We are committed to remaining the partner of choice for our customers, and we recognize the need for a strong focus on innovation in VIP completions to remain relevant in a rapidly evolving world.”

The collaboration is one of several with top universities around the world, notably MIT, who we connect with as part of the MIT Industrial Liaison Program.  Working with these external experts, who operate at the forefront of known technologies, gives us a greater insight into how the world is evolving, and how this could benefit our customers now and in the future. And, of course, projects such as this allow us to impart our own knowledge to aviation artisans of the future, engaging in lively discussions that both help them understand our industry, and help us to see it the eyes of a younger generation. 

“Working with universities and students not only offers them access to a real aviation scenario, but also allows us to tap into their fresh and forward-thinking mentality – they push us to be more imaginative and more adventurous in our own ideas and it is fantastic to have the opportunity to pursue this two-way exchange,” says Grischa Schmidt, senior director Jet Aviation design Studio.

The project team is made up of the students alongside representatives from Jet Aviation’s Engineering team and Design Studio. It kicked of at the end of August when the students visited Basel to find out more about our capabilities and discover the ins and outs of the incredible work we do every day. 

Their idea is to create a new innovative way of working, which not only considers what the passenger of the future would like to see in their cabin, but also changes the way we create it for them. They are starting with a study of different VIP industries, to establish best practices, while also looking into our own project history to predict the trends of the future. This will lead into a study of materials and processes, with a focus on sustainable alternatives.
 

“Working with universities…offers them access to a real aviation scenario and pushes us to be more imaginative and more adventurous in our own ideas”

Then the real fun begins as the team start to think about how to apply all of this to create the ultimate passenger experience of the future, whatever that might look like. 

“Exploring more innovative ideas not only benefits our own customers, but aviation customers all over the world,” explains Laurent Grahn, chief engineer. “The implementation of new technology or processes in the aviation industry requires a large investment of time and money due to the process of certification and proof of safety. VIP customer aircrafts can serve as a valuable precedent for commercial aviation to implement new technologies which both improve passenger experience and can contribute to making aviation more sustainable.”

“Working with universities…offers them access to a real aviation scenario and pushes us to be more imaginative and more adventurous in our own ideas”