Jamco Corporation, a Japan-based aircraft interiors manufacturer, is focusing its attention on incremental, cost-effective passenger-experience improvements amid the COVID-19 crisis, in a new initiative called Project Blue Sky.
The global leader in building aircraft galleys and lavatories revealed a new door handle and locking knob that enable passengers to open the lavatory door with their elbows and forearms, as part of its global, collaborative effort between Jamco and its affiliates to develop and produce touchless, hygienic cabin interior products for the aerospace industry.
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| Jamco Corporation's new hands-free lavatory technology. |
The initiative, announced Aug. 8, hopes to increase cabin cleanliness and to alleviate passenger stress during air travel. The pandemic will change travel habits, and Jamco has already started looking into how that will affect aircraft cabins.
Hands-free, low-touch concepts for the toilet seat lid and waste flap are close to follow the new door handle. Used in conjunction with frequent disinfecting, the new lavatory door system can help passengers keep their hands cleaner longer after washing, thus helping stop the spread of illness.
Jamco engineers are also working on quick solutions including cabin dividers, UV light for surface disinfection and studying more radical, long-term interior changes they can implement in response to the pandemic when airlines can invest time and money into those changes.
The company manufactures business-class seats, so it is studying new interior configurations with greater passenger separation and looking into how current interior materials could be replaced to improve onboard hygiene.
These advancements are proof that there is no shortage of ideas for how aircraft cabins could change to meet the new requirements brought on by the pandemic. The challenge now, is how to bring these new solutions to an environment that cannot afford to implement them.
Implementing new technology requires Jamco to present a proposal to the airlines, and then modify the concept according to their feedback and suggestions. Robert Nakamoto, from Jamco's product innovation department said this is not the largest priority for carriers in the current environment, as many are taking a "wait and see" approach to see how travel behavior will change.
Nakamoto told Cirium that the effort required to test and certificate new interior equipment, combined with the current financial state of airlines amid the pandemic have influenced the company's decision to concentrate its efforts on minor "rapid-release solutions".
These can be developed and implemented on aircraft at a "small financial cost" to airlines, yet still make a noticeable difference in the passenger experience.
The hands-free lavatory door lock and handle is patent-pending, and one airline already looking into implementing this modification is All Nippon Airways. The door handle and locking knob were recently demonstrated to ANA customers with a mock-up lavatory at the airline's lounge at Tokyo Haneda airport, according to Nakamoto.
Jamco is still waiting on ANA's response to whether they will modify the lavatory doors as of Sept 22, but one thing is for sure. When airlines are ready to upgrade their aircraft with low-touch technology, Jamco will be ready to supply it.
For more information on aircraft structural recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic, follow Airframe Structural.
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