Aircraft Refurbishment Options
By: Duncan Aviation

Acquiring an aircraft is often a catalyst for interior and exterior refurbishment. If you are new to the world of aircraft refurbishment, carefully consider your needs and options.

First, find out when the aircraft was last refurbished. Many factors determine the life of an aircraft interior-passenger loads, flight hours and its use. In general, however, five years is the typical interval between refurbishments for a corporate aircraft. In five years of average usage levels, the wear and tear that has taken place inside the aircraft begins to show. The seats are worn around the edges, the carpet has a traffic pattern and the color scheme, seat design and cabin technology may be dated. Aside from the visible deterioration of the materials, you may notice that some of the interior mechanisms are showing signs of age. Moving parts wear out-latches, slides, window shade mechanisms, seat mechanisms and tambour doors all have a life limit. If it has been five years (or more) since the aircraft has had a major refurbishment it is time to consider your options.

Depending on your budget and your plans for the aircraft, you have a range of choices. No matter what you choose, one thing is certain-a high quality, new interior will increase the value of your aircraft. Here are some examples of the range of refurbishment levels:

¤ A small partial refurbishment is a good option if your budget is tight and you want to put off a full refurbishment for another year. This work scope should address the most commonly worn items. These items, called "soft-goods," include: seats, carpet, upper and lower sidewalls and headliner. As part of a partial refurbishment, most service providers will inspect and replace worn interior mechanisms as part of the project. Many also offer woodwork touch-up and cleaning services. When choosing a partial refurbishment option, it is still important to choose quality materials that will last. Also keep in mind that adding a few new materials to an interior in desperate need of a full refurbishment may only call attention to the items that are not replaced. 

¤ A full refurbishment is a good option if your aircraft shows signs of wear and you would like to update the look of your aircraft and get a few improvements incorporated into the new design. This work scope may include all soft goods as well as refinishing all of the wood and plating in the aircraft. You may also want to consider some customization of the interior components by incorporating new seat frames, lighting upgrades, new galley electrical components, custom galley storage and entertainment upgrades. 

¤ A full customization with reconfiguration is the option for you if you want to customize the aircraft interior to exactly reflect your lifestyle and match your needs. Think about incorporating all of the things that will give you the ultimate in comfort and convenience when you're in the air. This work scope often includes all soft goods, a custom carpet and new chairs. Additional items to consider are new custom cabinetry, new lighting, a new shell package for more headroom and interior space, soundproofing, high-speed data connections, personal flat-screen monitors, granite work surfaces, new sinks and fixtures. With an unlimited budget, the choices are also unlimited. Do you need more space for baggage? Would you like a more comfortable sleep option for long flights? Do you have specific catering requirements that would require the galley to be altered? Do you need a second lavatory? Virtually any desire for your aircraft can be addressed during a full custom refurbishment and reconfiguration.

Consider cabin technology upgrades. Emerging technologies in lighting, entertainment and communications may be a part of the refurbishment. Also, an interior that was cutting edge eight years ago may look dated. A new lightweight seat frame may be in order and a new seat design, whether duplicated or created just for you, is usually included during the refurbishment of the cabin seating. It is important to note that if your aircraft has 16G dynamically certified seats, specific upholstery specifications must be followed. Be sure that any facility you are considering understands the unique specifications of 16G seat refurbishment.

Timing is everything. In order to maximize the amount of work that can be done in a minimum downtime, most aircraft refurbishment projects are completed in conjunction with a major inspection-a C Inspection for a Falcon or a 72 month for a Gulfstream for example. Current FAA mandate requirements (RVSM or TAWS) may also have you considering putting your aircraft down in the near future. A refurbishment project can take place in as little as three weeks and as much as 24 weeks depending on the work scope and the type of aircraft. Combining multiple events into a single project can save you several valuable days, or even weeks in downtime. 

Planning is imperative to a smooth job. If you are considering custom options, lead time on materials and components can be a factor. A great deal of time may also be required for design, engineering and certification of a new interior cabinet design or reconfiguration. Making decisions on the design of the interior well in advance of the project start date will result in an efficient project. Tools such as material samples, mock ups, sketches, CAD drawings, paint renderings and 3D modeling can be created by a design team to assist you in making decisions.

Don't forget the exterior. Exterior paint refurbishment can range from a simple one color, two stripe design to anything you and your designer can imagine. Corporate colors, logos and murals can be incorporated in to your paint scheme. Beyond being visually pleasing, an aircraft kept in a quality coat of paint is less likely to develop corrosion. For this reason, aircraft should be stripped, inspected and repainted by a reputable aircraft paint facility every five to seven years. Paint technology has improved considerably in recent years. The new High Solids primers and paint have evolved into excellent products with proven performance on all surfaces, including composites. Flexible agents in High Solids paint and primers, combined with skilled paint technicians, ensure a long-lasting, top-quality finish and maximum protection for your aircraft. Also consider that inferior or old paint can cause electrical problems affecting comm radios and navigation receivers. In addition, many aircraft manufacturers' "continuing maintenance instructions" for RVSM aircraft stress that the paint around the static ports needs to be kept in "new condition" with no paint chips allowed to disrupt the airflow over the static-sensing areas, which could cause altitude errors.

There are a lot of choices available for aircraft refurbishment and differentiating between facilities can be a lengthy process. Evaluate more than just price-innovative design, competitive downtimes, service, reputation, tooling, training, engineering and certification capabilities, experience and references are important factors to consider when comparing facilities. You can better determine the value and quality of an aircraft refurbishment facility by asking questions that get to the heart of the matter, such as:



 ¤ How many projects of this type has the facility completed recently?
 ¤ What experience do they have with coordinating and managing large projects?
 ¤ Is the service provider innovative and do they employ creative solutions?
 ¤ Are they constantly trying to improve processes and service?
 ¤ Do they invest time and money in developing STCs, new technology and training?
 ¤ Do they have a portfolio of work for your aircraft type?
 ¤ Is the product of a quality that it is "built to last?"

Finding answers to questions that show the true quality of a service provider may not be easy over the phone. The best way to get answers to these questions is to personally visit the facilities, take a tour inside some of the aircraft they have recently completed and check references.

Explore value and quality. When considering a major refurbishment, you want to be sure that you will get a high quality job at a fair price. Some corporate aircraft operators use the services of a professional design firm or a consultant to assist them in making the decision of which refurbishment facility will best fit their needs. Other operators work directly with a refurbishment experts and design teams of a narrow field of service providers. 

No matter which road you choose, be sure that all of your needs are covered in detail in the proposal and design specifications. Do the research, ask questions, get answers, plan ahead and choose the best solution for you.

The information in this article was provided by Duncan Aviation, a full-service aircraft support company with refurbishment facilities in Lincoln, Nebraska (800.228.4277), and Battle Creek, Michigan (800.525.2376).