Sitting pretty ST Aerospace enter aircraft seat market

by CHIEF CORRESPONDENT, TOM BALLANTYNE  

May 1st 2013

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Singapore-based global maintenance, repair and overhaul major, ST Aerospace (Singapore Technologies Aerospace), has ventured into the airline seat business, strengthening its involvement in the aircraft interiors sector. Read More »

ST Aerospace: boosted its role in the aircraft interiors market by launching a new seat

The company unveiled a new long-haul economy seat at last month’s Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany. The seat was jointly developed with Japanese aircraft seat manufacturing company, Tenryu Aero Component Co. Ltd.

Branded as “Ergo”, ST Aerospace said the seat had several innovative features including:

• Unique teardrop-shaped head rest, which provided passengers with extra head and neck support.

• Tray table with an integrated personal electronic device support that allowed comfortable viewing of devices.

• A seat design that gave larger shin clearance, allowing wider legroom for better personal space and comfort.

• Adjustable lumbar support that provided tailored support for the spine.

• An articulating seat pan that tilted up when sliding forward to enhance passenger comfort.

“Strengthened by the recent acquisition of DRB Aviation Consultants and Volant Aerospace, leaders in their respective engineering design and aircraft interior parts manufacturing industry through its U.S. affiliate VT Aerospace, ST Aerospace is able to offer integrated cabin reconfiguration solutions to customers worldwide,” said a company statement.

ST Aerospace has secured contracts and letters of intent with four airlines to provide cabin reconfiguration solutions for six A330-300s and 31 B767-300s. The work includes detailed engineering design and analysis, supply of modification kits, overall programme management to full turnkey solutions, including modification implementation services.

As part of the programme, ST Aerospace will be developing Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) with approvals from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety Agency for the respective projects.

Release of the new seat came as ST Aerospace announced a strong start to 2013. It sealed contracts worth about US$390 million in the first quarter for airframe, component and engine maintenance, as well as engineering and development.

A total of 180 aircraft were redelivered after airframe maintenance and modification work during the three months, in addition to five B757-200 freighters converted through its MRO network. ST Aerospace processed 15,161 components, 72 landing gears and 60 engines for both commercial and military customers in the quarter.

The company is stepping up its participation in the engine leasing business. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, ST Aerospace Engines, has injected additional capital into its 50%-owned associate company, Total Engines Asset Management, bringing its share capital contribution to US$8.21million. It has expanded its customer base by securing new engine leasing contracts during the period.