November 2023

Thomas Chatfield - Camber Aviation Management

SPECIAL FEATURE

All rights reserved - JetCabin Freshbook Magazine, a Jet Media Company

Issue # 13 / January, 2024

F E A T U R E S

1 Airborne Cafe - Thomas Chatfield - Sustainability - the New Status Symbol

7 JetZign Feature - Christopher Nobles, Sarah Mespelt & Agnes Guiu

11 Chatfield On Avion - Big Jets, Modular Design & Skiing British Columbia

18 SPECIAL FEATURE - CONDUIT Postcards to the Supplier Community

26 Textron Aviation - Full Interview with Christi Tannahill - CJ3 and Ascend

31 Yachtspace - Tecnomar's Radical 43-Metre Catamaran

39 Paul Sahanik - Signature Plating's Man of Myth & Legend!

FEATURE ARTICLES

I'm going to skip all the stuff about the coming new year and our eternal collective hopes for a prosperous 2024. Not because I don't have those hopes. Of course I do but as we lead off this year, it seems increasingly hard to focus on the free economy that serves our industry and our lives - without at least acknowledging the global threats and discord that loom across all of us. In my lifetime, I have never seen a time when the world is so dysfunctional. There is more armed conflict plaguing the world than at any time since WW2.

As if we need to be reminded, the Russia / Ukraine war rages on, the Israli - Palestinian conflict is obliterating innocent families on both sides, bitter civil conflicts and genocide continue in Myanmar, Sudan, Burkino Faso, Somali, Afghan, Columbia, the Mexican drug wars - and on, and on, and on, literally too many to list.

Current estimates are that one-third of the world's population is directly affected by war as we start the new year. That's 2.3 Billion people, their lives ripped apart by wars and conflict that most of them never wanted in the first place. And then there is the unconscionable fact that has played out in almost every war across human history - that when the dust settles, more civilians perished than soldiers, as if it even matters to the families of either group left behind.

Yet the one insidious never-changing reality, is that virtually all of these horrific wars are given fuel and ignited by solitary men, men for whom the expenditure of lives holds zero value in the pursuit of their personal or political goals. These are men whose appetites for aggression and power and a place in the history books, reign paramount over any and all interests.

Words From The Editor

Rick Roseman - Publisher / Editor

Editor

From Hitler to Stalin to Pol Pot to Mussolini and the list goes on. The world keeps churning out these useless tyrants - each one hell bent on adding their name to the list. As the old adage goes; "Power is given only to those who dare to lower themselves and pick it up."

But I would offer a more timely revision. I believe the day is at hand in which authoritarian power is never given in the first place, and certainly never to one man. I believe we have reached an era in which we say no to wars of agression on any basis. We have arrived at a point in our own cultural evolution where we can say that anything short of naked aggression is not worth forfeiting ourselves, our children and our families for. We're in a moment where as global citizens, we show the door to anyone who, via their own personal agendas, poses a threat to our families, to our livelihoods and a peaceful existence.

We're at a juncture in history when we need to recognize that in most cases, our enemies are NOT entire nations or some villainized ethnic race - that the real enemies are the lowly dysfunctional despot wannabees among us - the broken, the unbalanced that can no longer be tolerated in modern society as autocratic leaders of nations.

Let's let 2024 be the year we forge a new collective conscious, one that says no to anyone who purports to know best how we should live our lives, who our enemies are and what we should

be prepared to die for.

3 INSTALLMENT

It's a ubiquitous buzz phrase if there ever was one - in or out of aviation. But certainly the aviation community has glommed onto it as fervently as a bear cub to a jar of Tupelo honey. Everybody wants a piece of the sustainability pie these days and that goes double somehow for the owners and OEM's of private jets. If anybody has something to prove, it's those for whom excess, at least in prior decades, was worn like an emblazoned guitar strap. In the 2020's, flying around in private jets is far from passé. In fact it's enjoying a hay-day like never before. But owning a jet is one thing. Unless you wanna by shunned into submission by your hipper, more socially conscious guests, or worse yet, have your new Gulfstream riddled with paint balls the next time you set down at Teterboro . . . you'd better be talkin' and practicing some form of sustainability.

As the title to this latest installment of Airborne Café suggests - Sustainability is indeed the new Status Symbol among the privileged. Why? Well first, because there has to be a new status symbol, doesn't there? I mean, where would we be without a new 'thang'. But you know what, in this case, it's more than OK because reducing the carbon footprint of jets - be them private or commercial, as owners or as the industry that supports them - is inarguably one of the most relevant and imperative endeavors for humanity in the current era. And so, truth is, 'how' we maintain that momentum is really of little concern.

So, with no further ado, hit the link below and read Mr. Chatfield's thorough and thoughtful analysis on why this newest of status symbols might just rank among the worthiest

of all status symbols.

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This is the third installment of Airborne Cafe. We are proud to embark on this ongoing series of thoughts, extollings and stories from one of the premier figures in our industry. In each issue Thomas Chatfield will offer us thought provoking articles like the one above - each of them relevant and insightful from the perspective of private aviation. Simply hit the link at right to finish the article and while you're there, learn more about Camber Aviation Management and the importance of their work

Thomas Chatfield - Executive Contributor & CEO

Camber Aviation Management

T H E S T A N D A R D B E A R E R

"The top DESIGN studios around the world are absolutely the ones that inform the industry and set the trends."

Jetzign is where we highlight the very latest from the top designers and studios. Whether it be the iconic independents or the great design departments within the world's top completion centers, this is where you will find their latest works - and always with an emphasis on the near-term future of cabin design

Image courtesy of Sotto Studios

This entry of Jetzign foucuses on the talented young designer Autumn Elizabeth Duntz. Beginning her career with a successful tenure at Gulfstream Aerospace, she has now risen to the forefront of the independent design scene having completed a number of projects. Here we take a look at her latest, a freshly completed Bombardier C1300 20239.

L O N D O N

Christopher Nobles and Sarah Mespelt Larranaga provide a distinctive and exclusive service offering by pairing design with not only quality and schedule supervision, but the added capability of detailed technical inspections. If as a customer representative, you can bring aesthetic harmony and functional integration to a project, it is virtually assured of success.

Heading 1

Christopher Nobles founded his design studio in 2019. Based in London the studio is multi-disciplinary working across furniture, transport and consumer products. An Industrial Design graduate at Loughborough University in 2007, Mr. Nobles began his career as an Industrial Design consultant. After 5 years, he moved to London in order to work alongside Marc Newson, the famed furniture designer. There he led the Industrial Design of projects including the award-winning Qantas A330 business and economy class interiors, office furniture for Knol, private aviation interiors with Freestream Aircraft, and bespoke lighting projects with Flos. In 2017, Nobles moved to New York City and joined PepsiCo's Design & Innovation team. During Nobles’ time under Design SVP Mauro Porcini, he led major product design & innovation programs across structural packaging, most notably the first new Pepsi bottle redesign in 30 years.

Collaborating partner, Sarah Mespelt Larranaga began her aviation and design path at Gulfstream Aerospace. Following dual interior design and engineering degrees at Savannah College of Art and Design and Georgia Institute of Technology, Ms. Mespelt broadened her expertise into bespoke interiors - addressing innovative avionics, structures and lightweight composites. She has serviced this client base for over the 15 years. Ms. Mespelt has collaborated with many high-end designers and worked with clients all over the world on aircraft ranging from G650's to Boeing 777. One of Mespelt’s key edicts is to ensure her owners investment in their aircraft by extending its life and usage. Ms. Mespelt describes her core values as premier quality innovation and sustainability. In terms of philosophy, she cites elegance of process and a meticulous attention to detail in achieving the highest quality interior and exterior designs and completions.

Christopher Nobles and Sarah Mespelt Larranaga have paired their complimentary skill sets of furniture design and industrial engineering - with aircraft engineering and project management. This has resulted in an enhanced edge for their clients in sculpting harmonious interiors and innovative avionics.

Successful design integration into a wider environment requires a holistic approach that takes into account outside environment, clients desired use, material limitations and high-level engineering. The functional integration paired with the aesthetic unity of interior and exterior colors, shapes and materials, has created a well-integrated design that enhances the quality of life for the client, promotes creativity in furniture design and fosters sustainability.

For us, the most important elements in creating luxury for each of our clients are:

Quality Materials & carefully crafted, custom-made furniture that combines comfort and style.
Attention to Detail: Precision and meticulous craftsmanship in every aspect, from furniture to decorative elements.
Elegant Color Palettes: A sophisticated and cohesive color scheme that exudes opulence, often using rich, muted tones and bold accents.
Functional Integration: A well-designed product or project should seamlessly integrate into its intended function within the environment.
Lightweight Materials: Each aircraft interior designed using a significant amount of lightweight composite materials, including carbon fiber-reinforced composites. This reduces the aircraft's weight, making it more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly.
Texture and Layering: Mixing different textures and layering elements creating visual interest.
Innovative avionics, incorporating the latest and greatest systems to ensure owners enjoy the most of their machine.
Personalization & Spatial Layout: Tailoring the design to the homeowner's preferences and lifestyle to create a truly unique and luxurious space.

To learn more on the Christopher Nobles Studio and Freestream Aircraft,

visit below:

christopher-nobles.com

freestream.com

The DESIGN CONCEPT focuses on two main targets :

A. simplify the lining to the maximum so as to provide a new feel, wider and more modern.

Change the traditional seat design for something different : llighter with a more urban and sportive style but still extremely comfortable. Besides the usual face to face working/dining position, I also propose a real lounge chair with a large ottoman (that can also be used as an additional independant seating ) and a mini coffee table on the side for a real relaxing, cool and most enjoyable flight. Two huge screens (one in the main lounge, one in the bedroom) will allow a complete immersion while watching a movie, sharing a video conference, facebooking, skyping with family, friends and clients...

TRAVEL DIFFERENTLY says Paris designer, Agnes Guiu.

Consider a new cool and sportive look !

THE NEW LIVING BED-ROOM (Below)

The bedroom is very often (not always) the tiny thing at the end of the cabin.

Narrow, a bed with a mini side table, credenza on the side, tv cabinet at the front.

Let's change the lopa and consider the bedroom as a very private living place !

Every square meter counts, so let's maximize the use we make of them.

Change the bed position and open space - where you can freely walk around -with a super king size bed, two exta large bedside tables, two facing sofas (for him/ for her) where you can seat, lay, relax, work with your computer on your lap, watch tv... , side table with a large lamp on a tray.

Still a little room left for a quick gym session while watching your full height fitness program !

The discreetly illuminated dressing/wardrobe is a part of the room styling. You can select your clothes immediately and easily, it is simple, transparent with a nice at home look !

I love lighting nicely integrated in the furniture (around table top, glass holder...) it gives immediately a subtle futuristic touch!

....So let's travel differently and enjoy the trip even more.

And as a late coming entry to our January issue, Ms. Guiu would like to rollout this new concept for an A-340 full-cabin bedroom. It's a study in verticality while maximizing the width of the aircraft.

Enjoy the sneak peek!

lot of handles have been invented over the last few decades to describe really big private jets - that is to say airline size jets. There's VVIP, there's Bizliner, there's Large Cabin Jets, Flying Apartments and the list goes on. But they all mean the same thing . . . the king daddy, top of the heap, pinnacle of privately owned jets. They belong to the super-rich, foreign heads of state and word on the street is, even one Santa J. Claus has dropped a deposit on a BBJ Max 7 to speed up his efforts and stay a bit warmer this year. But while these groups might own the big daddy jets themselves, pretty much one individual owns the expertise and acumen to talk about them.

Thomas Chatfield, for those that don't already know him, is the founder and CEO of Camber Aviation Management up in BC, Canada. Over the last couple of decades, he and his team have assisted more owners in making the jump from Bizjet to BigJet and helping them through the completion process, than pretty much anyone else.

Today, I sat down with my friend to find out how this market is doing as we approach 2024, get his thoughts on Modular Design and what the ski slopes look like up in his neck of the woods.

Let's dive in . . .

Interview & Article by:

Rick W. Roseman

A

“Hello Tom. Thanks for joining me this afternoon. It’s been a while since we’ve done one of these, but our readers always love hearing from you! Maybe we can start with a few words about the big jet market currently and how narrow-body jets are now being offered in a modular format, build your LOPA from a catalogue, fixed price, shortened deliveries etc. If there’s anyone that has a good ‘independent’ perspective on this, it’s you. What can you tell us?”

“To be quite honest I believe what is happening is actually the creation of a third market segment: large private jet modular cabin offerings from the OEMs. I mean you've got your business jets and let's talk about the higher end of the market which is the large cabin business jets, Gulfstreams, your Falcon Jets and Bombardier products, of course. Then you’ve got the Airbus and Boeings. But in between those two distinct market segments, where you can spec out a new Global, or or Gulfstream and you can create a complete bespoke Airbus or Boeing aircraft whether it's a narrow body or wide body, you've got two entries to the market which are quite new. One is the ACJ220 and the other is the recently announced the BBJ Max 7 Select program. In both cases, the OEM’s have decided to offer a modular interior, which is very new to the marketplace.

Basically, what this means is that there are ‘set’ parts of the cabin which are standard in terms of what's already there - like the forward section, your crew lavatory, crew rest and the galley area, and in the aft section where the private suite and VIP lavatory (or really, washroom) is generally configured or positioned. But in between, throughout the rest of the cabin, you've got modules or sections of the cabin that can be configured out of a catalog. For example, the OEM may offer different lounge configurations with classic four place conference groupings or perhaps a more contemporary style with L-shaped divans, a private office, a second bedroom, the list goes on and is limited by the designer the OEM has retained to create these modules. This simplifies the design process for the buyer, as it allows them to select preconfigured modules for these “variable” zones – areas that are not pre-defined in the cabin, which greatly simplifies the engineering and obviously drives the engineering costs down. The amount of flexibility is not the same as a bespoke aircraft of course, but it is quite considerable with both OEM’s offering plenty of layout options that for many customers will accomplish their goals. It allows the buyer to relatively easily pick out what they'd like to have, settle on their desired layout – and make their purchase at a fixed price; a price that’s all inclusive down to finishes, material selections, color pallets etc.

Boeing Business Jet / 737-7 - Boeing Select

And then from there, when it’s time to go to contract, the buyer also understands their time to delivery – a set completion date. Both the cost and the delivery schedule will be measurably less than a completely bespoke aircraft, for obvious reasons. Within this modular framework, the OEM and the completion center, have a predictable sale. Also, for the modular buyer, it eliminates the additional cost of having a dedicated designer and a team to accomplish a one-off STC. That’s already factored into a modular purchase; all of which captures a reduction in price and shortened outfitting downtime.

This is what I mean by a third segment. Boeing and Airbus now both have these programs firmly established.”

Rick: “Yes, I can certainly see the appeal for a certain tier of buyers but do you think it will continue – that these modular programs will stand the test of time?”

“I personally hope so, because it's going to give more current and future owners of aircraft that may want to upgrade from their first aircraft - the opportunity to do something that’s larger than their existing Gulfstream or Global or what have you – without having to experience the complexities, cost and extended schedules normally associated with the outfitting of a completely bespoke aircraft.”

“Right, so in general how would you characterize the current market right now for bigger jets? Is it vigorous?

“It certainly has picked up. From my conversations with people at Airbus and Boeing, they're definitely clocking up more sales than they had in previous two years, obviously as a result of COVID.”

“And the completion centers? I assume they’re beginning to fill up as well?”

“Yes, the increased sales of these aircraft are now beginning to impact the larger centers in a positive way.”

“Has it reached the point where owners are waiting in line to have their aircraft completed?”

“I would say yes from what I'm hearing, and especially if you’re wanting to go to the top-tier centers. Right now, yes, you're probably looking at a wait. As an owner on the precipice of a purchase, it’s advisable to give these centers a call as soon as you can and state your interest, your green airplane’s anticipated completion date etc. What's interesting also is there's a number of projects that are being undertaken, especially wide bodies, which are being taken out of the airliner market and slated for conversion to private, charter or Head of State jets. So, these projects, as they mature, will further create capacity issues with the top centers – understandably so, as widebodies simply take up more hangar space and require more labor to engineer, outfit and certify.”

“Understood, thanks and yes, obviously we’re always going to have the occasional Head of State and so forth, but can you please try and quantify the rest of the mix? In other words, the buyer segment coming out of their large cabin bizjets vs. second or third time BBJ owners etc. etc. Can you talk a little bit about that?”

“Well, I can tell you from Camber’s own experience, we have a client who has ordered an ACJ220 - they previously had a business jet but only for a relatively short period of time before deciding they needed a larger cabin aircraft. And then we have another gentleman who's purchasing his first aircraft and he’s skipped right over the bizjets and bought a Boeing Business Jet. Now that aircraft is pre-owned but it does tell you that the market is changing – as well as illustrating some of its cross-section.”

You could walk over to Bombardier or Gulfstream, sit down, and say I have the cash and I want to buy an airplane. I want it as soon as possible and I want it to look like this. They will walk you through the whole process and to a certain extent they will allow customization within their

own catalog.

“Well, this emerging third segment is interesting so if it’s ok, why don't we delve a little deeper into the modular design concept. As you know, we just did this article on the Boeing Select program in the previous issue. Boeing, Aloft and Greenpoint are the partners, of course, and the interview captured all three parties. It was quite interesting. But I have to say at the outset, my first impression was gosh, why would any significant number of folks want to embark on a ‘modular’ BBJ when one of the great excitements of jumping to a large cabin jet is the very fact that you have a clean sheet of paper and can have anything you want. But the more I considered it and the more I listened to them talk, I realized that on the other hand, if it were me, you know I might just want to have an easy ride – to not be dragged through all the challenges and potential stress of a completely bespoke aircraft. I began to see both sides of it, especially the bespoke route where the schedule often change, the price escalates at every turn etc. I really began to see the value in a modular offering. It’s not for all buyers of course but maybe a significant portion. What portion of big jet buyers would you guess will embark on these modular programs?”

“So, if you were a wealthy individual and you wanted to acquire a business jet, you could walk over to Bombardier or Gulfstream, sit down, and say I have the cash and I want to buy an airplane. I want it as soon as possible and I want it to look like this. They will walk you through the whole process and to a certain extent they will allow you customize within their own catalog. But if you put enough money on the table, they may be willing to do a little bit more tweaking - you know including a few more customized features that extend beyond their catalog. The Global 6500 is the perfect example of that, and there's others.

But when you go down that road with a top-tier bizjet OEM, you’re really getting into the bespoke thing where, as you cite, your price is escalating, your completion date is moving to the right etc. At that point you might be saying OK, I'm going to buy myself a BBJ or ACJ and I'm going to have to hire a professional and experienced completion manager, a designer and contract a completion center. I'm going to take this massive undertaking. And that’s just not everybody's taste, let's be honest.

BBJ - Max Private Jet Main Cabin Interior. / RRAD Design

Courtesy: Citadel Completions

Imagine, for example, you and your wife buy yourself a beautiful piece of property on a lake and now she turns to you and says, we've bought it but what's the house going to look like? You're going to shrug your shoulders and say well, we need an architect and an interior designer. And pretty soon you're looking at a hefty sum of money and a huge amount of invested time and definitely some challenges before you will ever be able to enjoy it. I don't think there's that many people out there that really have the appetite, the patience, and the time to deal with all that. In fact, I would venture to say, that by offering modular cabin solutions, both OEMs are actually creating an opportunity for those buyers seeking a large-cabin Bizliner that have concerns about the complexity of a bespoke cabin. I am convinced that there is a market for this approach.

So, what happens if you want a big aircraft? Well, you have two choices. A) You go out and buy a used aircraft and refurbish it hoping it's going to look close to what you want, or B) you're going to go out and buy a new Gulfstream or Global and select from their catalog but obviously can get much closer to what you really want. But let's be really honest, I think that if you have the resources to acquire a Bizliner but have concerns about the perceived complexity, then you now have the option of selecting from modules, getting a firm completion date and a fixed price. That’s going to be really appealing.”

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F E A T U R E D V I D E O

At the 2023 Dubai Airshow, Emirates announced that will be purchasing ATG's aerBlade for it's entire new fleet. Emirates has 270 aircraft on order, all of which will have aerBlade aboard - representing $100MM to ATG over the next 8-10 years.

“I agree Tom. As I said a minute ago, I do see there's a good probability that BBJ’s Select program will succeed, certainly enough to find this new market of folks you describe. And who knows where it might expand from there? It’s interesting. I mean the same people that buy these really big jets are the same folks that buy really large yachts. Back early in my career as a designer, I did a handful of yachts and one uniqueness of yachts vs. aircraft that I quickly learned is that while it might be the same buyers, they are two completely different animals. One you sit on for a week or ten days at a time with your family – and the other, however opulent it may be, is a tool to get you from point A to point B as quickly as possible. What I observed is that for many large yacht buyers, it’s about the design & build – the “journey” - as much as it is about the use of it. I can name a dozen or more well-known yacht buyers who are already planning the build of their next yacht the moment they take delivery of this one. But for an aircraft, it’s different, even if they’re one of those yacht owners. For the most part, they are much more willing to wait and have fun with the design / build process on a yacht than with an aircraft – and I do think most of that is because one is like a home where they can go and relax, and one is a short-use instrument with a singular purpose.”

“Right, and you know we say these are time machines, the jets I mean, so with a time machine you say, I'd like to have it yesterday and I want to fly tomorrow, right? And that’s really where you want to be. Time in commercial airports is time out of your life, gone and unrecoverable.

Also coming back to the differences of a completely bespoke interior vs a modular one supported by a program, another consideration is the repair factor. It’s not always that easy to get your hands on replacement parts for a one-off aircraft, right? They’re not always available. If you have something go wrong or get damaged inside a one-off interior, you’re usually looking at a long wait and possibly longer down time as well. I've got a case right now where a BBJ, built by a very good company 20 years ago, that's still in business - but we can’t get certain parts of the interior because they’re just not made anymore because it cost prohibitive or whatever - as opposed to a Boeing Select or ACJ220 offering, where your program is heavily supported and long-term customer service is built into it.

Both the ACJ220 and BBJ Select programs do have a lot of value and to your earlier question, yes it’s going to erode the number of buyers willing to purchase a green BBJ and go the bespoke route. But not necessarily in a huge way. I think we’re talking about maybe three or four ACJ-220s and three or four three BBJ Max Sevens a year, with the majority of these buyers previously contemplating the purchase of a large cabin Global, Gulfstream or Falcon Jet.”

“Ok, and how will that potentially affect Gulfstream, Bombardier and let’s say Falcon?”

“I do think they're going to be taking a small amount business away from the likes of Bombardier and Gulfstream and Falcon and in some cases, you will have a few people joining the market that would have otherwise bought one of their products.

“Do you have any idea or have any insight into why Boeing sought to keep the completion centers in the US, their partner centers I mean?”

“I don't have any idea why that is, but I would venture that it may be simply to keep it an American aircraft. But I couldn't tell you in definitive terms.”

“Ok, lastly on the modular topic, do you believe this is going to be an ongoing trend, something of a permanent fixture in the big jet market?”

“For narrowbodies, yes. I think these programs will stay and do well. But in the wide-body sector, I think you will agree with me that most of those will be reserved for Head of State and super-wealthy folks that have other aircraft and therefore can wait to have a completely custom one-off aircraft.”

. . . Continued from above

“Ok, well thanks once again Tom for your perspective on all this. But in the spirit of the holidays, why don’t we close with something non-business related. I think if we’re honest, many of your extended business colleagues, your LinkedIn friends and probably some of your own billionaire clients, are just a wee envious of your digs up there in Squamish, British Columbia. One of those would be me, and I know my own wife was immediately overcome with paralyzing jealousy when I told her the outdoor sets for Virgin River are filmed there! I mean if the whole of BC wasn’t beautiful enough already, Squamish is nestled like an AI generated postcard, a few miles north up a ridiculously beautiful fjord from Vancouver and just below the massive Whistler Ski Basin. Not sure how Camber Aviation Management managed to call THAT home but we’re not about to leave this article without asking a little bit about what goes on with Tom Chatfield up there when he’s not poking around airplanes on other continents. I know that in the summer you like to ‘get the classic cars out’ and drive up in the mountains. You've told me that before and since I’m a car guy myself, I can only imagine how sweeeet it is to negotiate BC’s mountain passes and valleys in your little yellow Austin Healey 100.

But since winter is upon us, and I know you’re an avid skier, I was hoping you might give us a little pre-holiday glimpse of your downhill exploits up at Whistler.”

Well, to be honest I haven't been just yet. Whistler always prides itself on opening for American Thanksgiving, but this year there was only 55 centimeters of snow and since I’m not much on skiing the rocks, I’ve held off so far, but it won’t be long before we have a nice base. By the middle of December, we’re going to have lots of snow and all the runs will be open and you know being one of the locals, Whistler is only a 25-minute drive. Also as a local, I can take off in the afternoon and sneak off up in the middle of the week. I can go hit the mountain late morning and get in four or five hours of skiing. And that's fantastic! There's generally very few people around in the middle of the week, so I call a couple of friends and convince them to take the afternoon off. It’s pretty ideal.”

“I assume your son Colin skis. Does he go up with you?”

“He does of course, yes. We often go together but I also get together with a group of other guys who own companies in the area and that’s a fun getaway too.”

“I was lucky enough to ski Whistler once. I recall it snowing hard up on the hill and was raining in the village. It seemed so strange.”

Yes, at times it’s like that because the elevation of Whistler is only like 6200 feet, so yes, you can go from literally raining in the village dumping powder at mid station with the peak at -20°C and blowing wind up at the top. Whistler is a really big mountain, and it can get really cold. But that’s luckily not the norm. If you know the mountain very well and you know which way the winds are coming, you can always find the sheltered sunny area to go skiing and then it’s all about pointing the tourists in the other direction, right?!”

“Any other winter sports you like to do . . . snowshoeing or cross-country skiing?

“I do snowshoe quite a bit, with my wife. We have lots of good places to go that are close and there's also a gondola right in Squamish that takes you up to the mountain overlooking Squamsih and the Sound. From there you can snowshoe through Wonderland or, if you’re up for a challenge, to the top of Goats Ridge. There's some spectacular snow shoeing up there especially when we have a good snow dump overnight.

“I’ll bet. Let me get my coat!”

“Yea, it's not bad. We get ourselves some good food, put it in the backpack, maybe a half bottle of wine, make our way back to the start point - then go and have a picnic somewhere.”

Well, it sounds like a good life up there, Tom but since you’ve been a little under the weather this week, I’ll let you go and say thanks once again for bringing us your always savvy, unique perspective on big jets. It’s always a pleasure.

Happy Holidays!

To learn more about Camber Aviation Management, visit:

camberaviationmanagement.com

When you open the door to the Lou Hansell Bespoke studio, the possibilities begin. Our artisans and designers have selected a palette of exquisite materials, with 51 shades of ltalian leathers, five metal and inner trim pairings, and personalization options. Driven by their boundless creativity, they combine their talents and craftsmanship to create pieces you’ll cherish forever.

louhansell.com

Co-produced by: Melissa Tokoriyama

& Rick Roseman

One of our most enduring desires since our very first issue, has been to seek out a way of engaging the top Design Studios, Completion Centers and the global Cabin Supplier community in a meaningful ongoing dialogue. Why is that important? Because neither would exist without the other. Designers and Centers rely on cabin supplier groups to develop and ultimately manufacture the latest and greatest new products that will ensure their project's success. And, similarly the world's Cabin Supplier Groups look to the the Design community for the latest trends, to set a course for new innovations and to guide them in refining their own existing product / service lines.

In small measure, this happens organically at aviation conventions and other industry forums. But as a trade publication read by all three groups, we've long sought to establish our own forum, one that occurs regularly, here in each issue of our magazine - a place where all three groups can check in regularly and glean insights that can benefit their businesses and keep the innovations churning.

We've decided to kickoff CONDUIT by posing a single question to the world's top designers and then posting their answers here to the Supplier Community audience. Our hope is that their answers will offer supplier groups with hints and opportunities for the development of potential new products or other refinements - ideas that will keep interior innovations moving vigorously forward and the end users clamoring for the new products that come from it.

With that in mind, BELOW is our initial question to the designers and centers - and below that, their responses, for which we are grateful.

Q

JCF Magazine’s estimated roster of Jet Cabin Supplier Groups, exceeds more than 900 – worldwide. Even considering the myriad of product categories such as softgoods, brightwork, lighting, cabin entertainment, surface veneers etc., that number still yields a lot of options in each sector. In your professional experience and considering the current state of the art, in what categories do you see as needing expanded choices or further innovation, and what would they be?

Collective response from PriestmanGoode Private Studio:

A future that’s circular, and not just sustainable

So much progress has been made in recent years in recognising the importance of selecting sustainable materials for cabin interiors, but in the rush to find ways to comply and support net zero targets, the true meaning is getting lost. As the private aviation industry moves from awareness of sustainability, to action and integration, designers will be looking for solutions that are fully circular, from original source to end of use. The benefits of lightweight and durable materials are well understood but now is the time to think beyond single properties. A material may tick many boxes for sustainability but how is that impacted when it is applied to a substrate? And what are the implications when the material needs to be removed in a future refurbishment program? How far does the perfect material need to be transported as part of the manufacturing process? Designers will be looking for evidence that these questions and many others have been answered. PriestmanGoode has developed Route to Zero which are the guidelines we use with our clients to achieve fully sustainable outcomes. Collaboration, documentation and understanding requirements at the earliest stage are the ways in which we can work together to achieve a circular system for all materials, including those sourced for luxury interiors.

Invest today in the craftspeople of the future

Contemporary luxury may be about pushing boundaries in creativity and innovation, it also involves finding unique materials that contribute to the overall narrative of a cabin interior. Those small pockets of interest are both differentiators and are often the evidence of involvement that the client carries with them on every future journey. As part of that engagement with clients in the design process, we are regularly led towards traditional craft processes in our search for uniqueness. Whilst it’s always possible to find the perfect solution, often the artisan or specialist maker that has perpetuated their skill in hand-made techniques is a sole practitioner and very often approaching the end of their career. PriestmanGoode always takes the extra steps to find, engage with and reward these people who use unique skills to deliver the ultimate materials, but more must be done to ensure these skills are passed on to future generations. To help with the continuity of these techniques, we support creative education but we also advocate investment from across the supply chain to ensure that plans are in place to guarantee the bespoke materials we enjoy today continue to be made and aren't lost in history.

I feel that the Aviation industry is starting to make some really good strides in the direction of sustainability; every bit helps make a difference for the health of our planet and I hope they continue to push the envelope and develop new products.

There are a couple of other areas, that might be interesting to be revisited:

First the comfort of a 16G divan. I've never understood why they have to be so ridged and uncomfortable, almost like a concrete park bench. Where on the other hand 16g seats are so much more comfortable.

Secondly - Smart Interactive Voice Assistants that controls things such as Entertainment Systems, Lights, Shades, even Temperature. I'm sure the technology is there since we have it in our own homes, you just don't see it in private aircraft yet.

Ms. Lauri Church - Director of Design

How do we foresee the future landscape of aircraft interiors evolving?

The future of aircraft interiors will likely witness a convergence of functionality, aesthetics, and innovation. Designs will become more modular, allowing versatile cabin arrangements that seamlessly adapt to various passenger needs. There will be a fusion of aerospace technology with hospitality and interior design, resulting in spaces that offer comfort, productivity, and relaxation. Sustainability will continue to be a driving force, inspiring manufacturers to explore novel eco-friendly materials and manufacturing processes. Overall, the industry's future is about enhancing the passenger journey through technology, sustainability, and personalized experiences.

Where do we believe aircraft interior manufacturers should be directing their investments for future growth?

In an industry as expansive as jet cabin supplies, with a vast array of product categories and a significant number of suppliers worldwide, identifying areas for new products, innovation, or expanded options is crucial to further advancing the industry.

Aircraft interior manufacturers should strategically invest in several key areas to stay ahead in the market.

-Firstly, sustainability is crucial. Embracing eco-friendly materials and practices not only aligns with the industry's evolving ethos but also resonates with environmentally conscious consumers. Developing and introducing sustainable alternatives for softgoods, surface veneers, and other interior elements could significantly impact the market. Innovations in recyclable or biodegradable materials could pave the way for environmentally conscious cabin designs.

-Secondly, technology integration remains pivotal. Advancements in digital interfaces, connectivity, and personalized entertainment systems enhance the passenger experience and demand continuous investment. Continuous advancements in Cabin Management Systems (CMS) and In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) are essential. The market is ripe for improved connectivity solutions, especially those offering seamless integration of personal devices, augmented reality features, or immersive entertainment experiences for passengers.

-Thirdly, focusing on passenger well-being through ergonomic designs and enhanced safety measures is imperative for long-term success. Developing seats with enhanced ergonomic designs, adjustable features, and improved support could greatly benefit passengers, especially during long flights. Incorporating technologies like memory foam, adjustable lumbar support, or massage functionalities could set new standards for passenger comfort. Creating designated areas within the cabin focused on relaxation or well-being, such as meditation zones, stretching areas, or mini-spas, could redefine the in-flight experience. These spaces could include features like calming lighting, aromatherapy, or interactive screens providing wellness content. Lighting plays a crucial role in enhancing the cabin ambiance and passenger well-being. Innovations in adaptive lighting systems that mimic natural light patterns, adjust to time zones, or offer customizable settings for different phases of the flight could significantly impact passenger comfort and experience. Furthermore, post-pandemic, hygiene and safety have taken center stage, prompting investments in antimicrobial surfaces and improved air filtration systems. Advanced filtration systems or air purifiers with antibacterial and antiviral capabilities could ensure a healthier environment for passengers.

-Lastly, developing versatile cabin configurations that offer modular or adaptable spaces could cater to diverse passenger needs. This innovation could allow for multi-functional areas, transforming seating layouts to accommodate varied purposes such as workspaces, lounges, or rest areas during long-haul flights. Providing options for personalized cabin experiences is a growing trend. Suppliers could explore innovative ways to offer customizable interiors, allowing airlines or individual passengers to tailor cabin elements according to preferences, from seat configurations to decor."

What's the secret sauce for companies in the aircraft interior manufacturing business that drives success in the aircraft interior manufacturing sector and propels the industry forward?

Giuliano: "The only credo is: Keep pushing the envelope, always aiming for better. It's the secret sauce for staying ahead. By constantly raising the bar, you're not just upgrading your game but also lifting the whole aircraft interior industry to greater heights. It's all about meeting tomorrow's passenger needs with top-notch innovation and never settling for anything less than awesome."

Mr. Giuliano Sabadin - Director

Following NBAA, I was disheartened by the numerous suppliers who show old stuff on their booths. There was even an example of something that Design Q had done with the OEM partner sitting proudly at the forefront of a booth. We were proud of it 15 years ago but with no vendor design department, the vendor had given it a go which had the effect of pushing it back another 15 years and the colours they used pushed it back even further.

Sometimes it is good to get that warm feeling that you see something you have designed in a past life, usually cars, as I spend more time seeing cars day to day than I do seeing aircraft interiors. Having said that, I flew home from the Caribbean yesterday and in our first ever commercial aircraft interior with Virgin Atlantic. That Upper Class interior was a game changer.

It broke all the rules and changed the industry. First belt Airbags on a commercial aircraft, first full flat bed, first Herringbone configuration (Design Q shared patent with VA), largest table in class, Best comfort, First sperate dedicated bed comfort not bound by seat comfort, First bar, first chandelier, best storage of the day, first ottoman and the first automotive inspired quality of upholstery and trim (Design Q supplied the first 10 aircraft).

We did it with multiple partners in 2003 and it has been commercially successful for 20 years and counting.

All this work was driven by a mandate from Virgin Atlantic to be better and different, and empowered designers to think out of the box and be courageous. Courage, we see little of these days but with courage, great things can be achieved.

The uncourageous company not willing to change but more accurately not willing to invest in new product, continue to peddle old product, mutton dressed as lamb.

Lambs are happy things, jumping and leaping and playing, adventurous and naively courageous. Mutton by definition is lifeless and old, dull, staid and retired. Retirement never ends well!

It appears to me that unless a designer has had a hand in it and someone else is paying, then business continues with no change until it burns out.

The opportunity we find, is to get a customer and then show what might be possible. Visuals become the key to moving forward with an invention and new ideas, so we always ask the question, what and where can we do something new and something different.

Then with the crazy ideas we find a way to prototype and to prove out. A picture is not enough and these days with Ai anyone can do a picture and here lies another problem designers have. The value of Ai seems to be disposable images with no inherent value. Just type in the design brief and it will spue out visuals for those who are not artists and designers but copying and caricaturing other people’s ideas. But if you are a designer, then shame on you.

WE are designers & engineers, making things happen and creating new boundaries. New ceilings, new lighting, new seats, new carpets, new window panels and new side ledges that do things that others don’t, and provide surprises and delights not seen before. You won’t find this offer from the OEM and you might not find this from many vendors, but with one or two of them we are re-inventing and achieving the pleasure of future luxury flight.

Mr. Howard Guy - CEO

2023 stands out as a blend of innovation, customization, and a heightened focus on passenger experience. From the introduction of sustainable luxury materials to the call for comfort and connectivity, I’m happy to say that suppliers and clients seem aligned around the same goals, which makes our work as aviation designers infinitely easier.   

I’ll get to design trends in a minute but humor me first while I point to a trend that would be easy to overlook if it weren’t so helpful.  As aviation designers, we’ve come to expect—and, in fact, rely upon—leading suppliers to introduce new and improved products that empower us to present clients with a wide array of choices. But what we didn’t, perhaps, expect, is the heightened focus many suppliers are now giving to how they introduce and market their products to designers.  

Gone are the uninspiring, transactional websites of yore. Replaced by elaborately designed, responsive websites with beautiful interactive galleries, personal logins, and expanded online product libraries that allow us to select and save our favorites. In case you didn’t know, most aviation designers are content hoarders with indefatigable appetites and deep, deep hard drives full of images, ideas, and inspiration.

To appreciate the impact this has on our ability to deliver exceptional designs, you must understand the time investment an independent designer spends in product and industry research. It’s clear that leading suppliers are tuned into that and coming to our aid. 

So, we want you to know that we see (and have bookmarked) your sites. We’re reading your blogs, visiting your social media accounts, and cataloging your new product press releases. We’re also happy to see you at the trade shows and super grateful for those overnight deliveries that keep our design boards fresh and our libraries well stocked. We especially appreciate your efforts to address the needs of refurbishment projects while keeping the value proposition high and the market fresh with high-quality products our clients love. I can’t emphasize enough how helpful that is when you’re trying to solve a design challenge or complete a refurbishment project on time. 

Now, about those trends.  Products that punch above their belt.

The level of investment that an aviation client is making in their aircraft absolutely demands our due diligence before making design recommendations. In practice, we’re not just creatives, but custodians of our client's investments—like design fiduciaries.  We have an ethical responsibility to provide the highest possible value to our clients while also meeting the desired aesthetic and mission of the aircraft. So, we’re always on the hunt for products that can punch above their belt. Products that offer a high-value proposition without compromising the unparalleled quality that defines luxury aviation. 

We all know this is an industry where economies of scale are rare. Private aviation design is, for the most part, a design it once, build it once proposition—or if you’re really lucky—design once and build a few. So, any supplier who can help us deliver greater value to our clients without compromising quality—whether it’s by streamlining production processes, optimizing resource allocation, or through pure out-of-the-box thinking—is going to get our attention. 

For example, the price point and carpet space where we like to shop is where machine-made and precision tufted carpets meet hand-made goods. Then we can present samples in all three areas and have comparative discussions with our clients so they can make an informed decision.  Just recently, we received a carpet sample that had the appearance of an OEM demonstrator aircraft carpet but, because of the scale of pattern and design, was priced within refurbishment levels. We love that type of value and so do our customers.

Flooring, fashion, and flexibility.  

We continue to use mixed flooring in multi-cabin aircraft—from highly durable roll stock textured flooring to lightweight, high-wear magnetic tile and luxurious carpet, depending on which product best suits the mission and respective area of the aircraft. 

Clients still overwhelmingly choose carpeted cabins, but there’s a noticeable trend away from simple comfort towards statement-making carpet choices. As an independent aviation interior designer, it’s an exciting time to create unique narratives within the confined space of an aircraft from the floor up.  Luxury carpet designers have upped the ante on design, introducing gorgeous hand-made collections designed by renowned artists. Suppliers are pulling influence from artists and designers who don’t normally play in this space, so it feels like we’re seeing a true convergence of innovation and beauty   that, at its highest levels, could redefine the underfoot experience. 

Modular systems continue to gain popularity, allowing easier maintenance and replacement without compromising the overall design aesthetic. We’ve been experimenting with customized patterns for wider personalization such as herringbone, planks, and tiles, which is a lot of fun. That creative freedom can be attributed directly to the variety of design choices suppliers have created and the fantastic installation flexibility these products offer.  

We recently had an opportunity to explore using wood planks throughout an entire cabin of a 2013 Falcon 900EX for a refurbishment client. The owner, vendor, Service Center, and design team were in perfect unison on the aesthetic and the final spec design was just stunning. Sadly, we would have had to re-set the budget to pull it off, so we scaled back to the entry and lav with wood planks in a herringbone pattern that plays beautifully up against the luxury, hand-tufted carpet the owner ultimately chose for the rest of the cabin.  But it was really exciting to have a client and a vendor go that far with us without slamming the door on such a show-stopping design. The concept yielded an encouraging cert pathway and optimism from the OEM. So, we’ll keep pushing that design envelope. 

If I were to give any advice to suppliers looking to the future, it would be this. Keep your focus on the owner’s expectations and the passenger’s experience and you can’t go wrong. Get to know everything you can about who they are, how they live, and what drives their discerning choices. You’re not designing for us; you’re designing for an elite group of individuals who know and appreciate high-end luxury goods— and also know and appreciate value. Use the designer community to get to know the customer’s expectations. Pick our brains. Run things up our flagpoles. And keep bringing us innovative products and beautiful designs.  We’ll get them in front of our clients.

Guaranteed.

Mr. Ken Reita - Founder / Director

Ms. Natalie Rodríguez

Principal | VVIP Aircraft Interior Designer

“In regards to designing VIP seats, it would be wonderful to see increased flexibility in the seat frames to give way to more design options that can be readily certified and built. There are ways to work with what has functioned well for many years to create new and innovative seat designs, although there are still geometrical limitations. Some concept designs that have been developed over the years suggest seats with avant-garde silhouettes as well as diverse approaches to the seat base design that steps outside the norm of what’s built in practice. Many of these concepts have been yet to be realized due to certification constraints and costs. It would be wonderful if VIP seat manufacturers were to invest in producing updated seat frame model(s) that promote diversity in design styling options. Time and cost are factors for research and development - surely this effort has been ongoing.”

Refining subtle details within aircraft interiors can significantly enhance the overall aesthetic appeal. Exploring the following areas could improve the design experience:

Airstair Material Options: Currently, choices for airstair vinyl are quite restricted, typically available in just a handful of colors. While there are applicable products, they often exhibit issues such as bubbling over time or an inability to conform to the tight radius of the stairs. The transition zone between the exterior and cabin presents a great design opportunity that is often overlooked. A more extensive selection of high-quality, flexible materials tailored for airstairs would be extremely beneficial.

Galley Glass Rack Doors: Similar to airstair materials, options for galley glass rack doors are limited to a few standard choices. I invite aviation suppliers to explore alternative materials beyond the conventional clear, smoke, or bronze lexan. By doing so, we can open up new possibilities for innovative and visually striking galley designs.

Accent Lighting: Integrating accent lighting into an aircraft cabin is a complex and often expensive undertaking. The industry should explore and optimize this process to make it more efficient and cost-effective, thereby extending its availability to a broader spectrum of clients. Streamlining the incorporation of accent lighting fixtures will not only save time but also contribute to a more visually appealing and customized cabin ambiance.

Focusing on these aspects of interior design not only demonstrates a commitment to attention to detail but also positions aviation suppliers as pioneers in creating sophisticated, customizable, and visually stunning aircraft interiors. By pushing the boundaries of material options and refining installation processes, we can elevate the overall passenger experience.

Ms. Autumn Elizabeth Duntz - Director

Our sincere thanks to the above designers for weighing in on this, our first installment of CONDUIT. Conduit will become a regularly occuring feature within JCF Magazine; a way of fostering ongoing dialogue between the Supplier Community, Completion Centers and the Design Studios that collectively support the advancement of jet cabins interiors, year after year.

As a supplier, if you have responses to any of the above comments, please share them at: editorial@freshbook.aero

Jetcabin Freshbook.aero - Q&A with Christi Tannahill

How Textron Aviation works with its Customer Advisory Board on the designs for the Citation Ascend and CJ3Gen2

We have an effective process in place for our Customer Advisory Boards (CABs). During these meetings, our customers are split into groups to form mini CABs, to ensure every aspect of the aircraft is discussed. Each group goes through all areas of the product: performance (engine, avionics), cockpit (look, feel and workability of space) and interior space (sink, seats and movement, lighting).

The CAB works in mock-ups, at tables, with cabin components and in the factory. We have in-person meetings so that we can move around our design and production spaces. The CAB members need to experience the full form and function of a product, so it's a very thorough, interactive process. To ensure participation from our international customers, we do have the option for some of these meetings to take place virtually, but it’s important to be in person when possible.

Team members from our research and development, sales, design, engineering, manufacturing and supply chain teams attend CAB meetings to receive feedback in person, so they can ask questions and then engineer a change on the product and mock it up. They provide quick solutions to meet CAB customer expectations and ensure timely progress.

For 2024 Textron is announcing two new aircraft; the Citation Ascend and the CJ3 Gen2

TEXTRON Aviation is upping its game for 2024 with two new aircraft. Both new entries are the product of a long development cycle aimed at enhanced customer satisfaction, which in both cases are often pilot / owner buyers. Christi Tannahill, Textron's SVP of Customer Experience at Textron Aviation took a few minutes this week to sit down and answer a few questions about these new aircraft and what customers can look forward to as they are formally unveiled in Q-1 of this year.

Interview & Write Up:

N I C H O L A S R E I L E Y

The unique and comparable features of the Ascend and CJ3 Gen 2 to previous models.

The most unique feature of the Cessna Citation CJ3 Gen2 is the extra 4.5 inches of legroom for pilots. This was one of the most passionately requested features by the CAB, to improve comfort as so many of them fly this aircraft themselves. Making this happen involved moving and re-engineering some structural pieces and systems, so it was a complex process.

The CJ3 Gen2 also features new cabin seats, with optional swivel and the ability to lie flat. Customers can adjust the color of the lighting with our new RGB accent lights. We have also made changes to the lavatory, the most notable being the CoolView skylights. The lavatory is now externally serviceable, with a new optional sink and vanity design.

We have also integrated wireless charging on the side ledge, so now when customers board their aircraft and place their phone on the side ledge, it will charge.

A notable feature of the fully customizable interior of the Citation Ascend is the flat floor design that provides passengers with more room to swivel their seats. Customers can also opt for a dropped aisle design to match their preference.

The Citation Ascend comes with cabin windows that are 15% larger than the previous model as well as window shades, temperature, cabin lighting and onboard entertainment that can be controlled wirelessly.

The importance of an adaptable cabin space and the process from start to finish of how Textron Aviation curates cabin interiors to suit customer preference.

The customer advisory board is our main tool for integrating customer preferences into our cabin space design. By listening to their feedback, we create interiors that are curated to suit their needs. Demand for customization is on the rise, so it is important that we create adaptable cabin spaces. The percentage of customers who customize their aircraft has increased from 25% to 90%, with the majority of changes occurring in the jet product line.

The look and feel of a cabin is really up to each individual customer. We have various palette schemes to help them see what’s possible, but they often work with us to design something that’s really their own, something that matches their personality. Some even bring their family in to participate in the process.

I think our readers would like to know what the CJ3 Gen 2s range is - and a few words about the flight experience for owners & passengers.

Please see the CJ3 Gen2 page on the website, here, which has lots of information about the aircraft. The maximum range is 2,040 nm (3,778 km).

The CJ3 is a popular pilot owner aircraft, and the Gen2 is expected to enhance the overall experience for both pilots and passengers.

The CJ3 Specifications

TEXTRON AVIATION CONTINUES INVESTMENT IN BESTSELLING CESSNA CITATION BUSINESS JETS WITH INTRODUCTION OF NEW CESSNA CITATION CJ3 GEN2

Sahanek

Signature Plating's Man of Myth & Legend

ork relationships are funny, right? I mean you know these people, often for years, sometimes decades. But mostly we know our work colleagues, clients or vendors only in a professional context. Last year, at one of the NBAA's offsite parties, I struck up a conversation with one Paul Sahanek, a man I've known for some years - a man that long ago demonstrated his character to me in the throws of a difficult project.

But as I discovered, professional work ethic and character is only the very tip of this man. We've all got our stories, but as I listened to his, I felt like I was sitting on a saddle blanket under a prairie moon listening to man that had lived four lives. To say Paul Sahanek is an interesting dude is like saying Thomas Edison seemed fascinated with electricity.

W

Article / Interview by:

R I C K R O S E M A N

For them that don’t know about the Metrocom, it’s a sweet little piece of central Texas nestled near the banks of the Guadalupe River up in the Northeast corner of Bexar County. Smack in the middle is a little burg called Cibolo. That’d be the Comanche word for buffalo. The plentiful herds roaming that basin back in the day, supported many a feast for the Comanche and other native Americans. Then In 1876 the Southern Pacific Railway drove stakes through the little settlement connecting bigger places like Austin, San Antonio and Houston. And as far as anybody can tell, those forged steel rails were the shiniest things for more than a few hundred miles in any direction.

But talk to any of the 32,000 folks in Cibolo these days, and they’ll happily tell ya about the undisputed mecca of “shiny” in these parts. Signature Plating is one of the premier aviation plating and coatings companies in the US and while they probably don’t know a lot about the steam locomotives that once stopped through here, they dang sure know a lot about airplanes and all the shiny stuff that goes in them.

I’ve known about Signature for a long time now and the reputation they have for taking care of their customers, but for me, the best possible way I can impart that is by telling a quick little story about how they treated . . . well, me!

I had a high-profile customer on a wide-body aircraft and they wanted some downright fancy (a.k.a. downright complex) lamps scattered about the main lounge and a couple of bedrooms. The geometry alone was enough to give my CNC contractor up in Dallas, fits! But that’s only where it started. When we got down to the plating, the challenges only grew. Long story short, we were four days from delivery to the center and install on the aircraft. Early that morning, I inspected them, and it didn’t take a minute to see we had problems with the transition of Signature’s plated surfaces and the delicate painted canals that sat next to them. We didn’t have time to ship anything, anywhere. So, in a tizzy mind you, I called down to see if the folks at Signature had any ideas. Before I got off the phone, the man on the other end, with barely a moment’s hesitation, and without me asking, saddled up and struck out for Dallas. Now the whole story would simply take too long, but the bottom line is this. Paul Sahanek, a man I had never actually met until that day, arrived, looked at the problem, told me not to worry, declined an invitation for lunch and promptly loaded the lamps into his car and drove straight back to SA the same afternoon. For those keeping score, that’s 9 hours of driving in a forced march to get them back to their shop where he had a crew standing by, after hours, to work on them.

Obviously, I had worked with Paul and knew him by phone and email, but it was the first time I met him in person. It took no imagination to see what kind of stock he was cut from. He wore both character and resolve like a couple of six-guns on his hip – not to mention the others in their employ back in Cibolo.

Ok so . . . spoiler alert! All six lamps delivered on time – zero defect, spot on perfect, thanks to Sahanek and company’s take no prisoners, above and beyond responsiveness and technical expertise. But ya know, as much as I learned that day, it would be five years later, at this year’s NBAA in fact, before I knew the whole Paul Sahanek story . . . the one I’m about to tell you now.

During our video interview, Paul leans back in his chair and starts off, first telling that he was adopted at a young age and that both adopted parents were doctors and had medical labs the entirety of his growing up. Now Paul Sahanek for those that don’t know, has a well-polished South Texas accent, so try as you may, to hear that as I let him unfold his own very rich historical narrative - from then till present day. Take it away Paul…

“Yea So, my dad actually was one of the docs who first guaranteed 24-hour turnaround for a throat culture. He was one of The Pioneers in that and figured out there were a lot of sick kids out there in the world and he made it his mission to see they got their diagnosis quicker than the several day wait - common for the period. Growing up in that environment is where I get my sense of timing, I guess.

My mother was the baby daughter of eight and I come from a very military family. I have an uncle who is a general in the Canadian armed forces, another uncle who was a decorated Lefttenant in the English army during World War 2. I have another uncle who was a Sergeant Major in the Canadian armed forces and then my aunt was Regimental Sergeant Major, also in World War 2 – presiding over an artillery company.”

So, four out of those eight children were military. So not to disrupt such a longstanding familial tradition, halfway through 7th grade I went off to military school myself. It was a military high school was a very prestigious academy called Howe Military School up in Indiana. It since has closed down. Now I’d be lyin’ if I told ya I didn’t hate it the whole time I was there - but it's the best thing my parents ever did for me. It helped me become who I am today. So, I graduated military school, turned down an appointment to Annapolis and went in the Marine Corps . . .

“Wooh, hold the phone. I thought I just heard you say ‘I turned down an appointment to Annapolis’!!!! What?

He chuckles and clears his throat.

“Yessir, that’s correct. It’s like this . . . each accredited military academy in the US gets three appointments to Annapolis as a sort of standard operating protocol. They put my name in that hat and I received one of the appointments.”

“Ok but what about the turning it down part?”

“Well, I knew what it meant, but I reckon the prestige factor just wasn’t enough to cloud my distain of five and a half years of military school. I was done. My dad was a little upset mind you, so he kind of yanked the silver spoon out of my mouth. At that point I went down and enlisted in the Marine Corps. It was a far better environment for me than military school and I quickly worked my way up to a Warrant Officer and later became involved in military intelligence. I did some other things too during my tenure in the Corps – but that would take too long to go through. But the whole Marine Corp experience, taught me one resounding edict: Take care of your people and I've always prided myself in that. It permeates every aspect of my life especially in my professional life and my current position as president of Signature.”

Mr. Sahanek was quick to put a finer point on it, adding…

“We don’t refer to our staff around here as employees or partners. Instead, we say ‘we support 48 families.’ And it’s more than a catchphrase. That’s exactly the way we view our people. When we visit with them or see them in the halls, we see their families as well - and in most cases, we know them. That kind of perspective and philosophy translates to a happy, healthy workplace and low turnover.”

“Can you tell us more about your family? At NBAA I remember something else about WW-ll.”

“Yes, my Father, my Aunt and my Grandmother were all concentration camp survivors from former Czechoslovakia. My dad worked his way through school by himself after immigrating to Canada and eventually the US. That’s sort of significant because before that, he only knew how to speak Czeck, German, Russian, Portuguese French and Spanish. With a similar background, my Aunt spoke, and could read and write, in 13 languages.

“Seriously?”

“Yes, and backgrounds like that were hard to come by, even back then. Someone back then took notice and it led to my aunt being appointed as the US president’s personal librarian, from Reagan through Obama.

In fact, when I was at bootcamp, a rather unusual posted letter made its way to me. All it said was, The White House, to: Private Paul M. Sahanek, Platoon 1092 MCRD, San Diego. My drill instructor went ‘what’s this Sahanek?’ I said ‘that would be my Christmas card Sir’ he goes ‘From who?’ I said, ‘From the president sir, I expect.’ His language got a little more colorful at that point and decided to open it himself. The card read: ‘Paul, hope you're doing well. God bless. Merry Christmas - hope all goes well in the Marine Corps down there – Ron & Nancy Reagan.”