Aircraft upholstery includes seat coverings, carpets, and fabrics on walls and bulkheads. Upholstery varies depending on the type of aircraft and must meet safety standards. Comfort is important, with multi-density foam seats and noise-reducing walls. Carpets are lightweight, durable, and flame-resistant. Private jets may have luxurious leather upholstery, while some companies offer bespoke designs.
Aircraft upholstery is not just a matter of seat coverings. It also encompasses the carpet of an airplane and the fabrics on the walls and bulkheads. Depending on whether you’re traveling economy or private jet, the upholstery will vary in sumptuousness, but will still need to be lightweight and durable to meet exacting safety standards.
A passenger can spend many hours at a time hunched over, so the one item of aircraft upholstery that will have the biggest impact on him is undoubtedly the seat. To cushion passengers during takeoff and landing, the standard aircraft seat will consist of multi-density foam, meaning a rigid inner layer of foam bonded to a softer, body-supporting outer layer. The seat is covered in nylon, vinyl, synthetic leather, or genuine leather fabric.
Equally important for the comfort of the passenger are the walls and bulkheads, which protect him from the noise of modern travel. After receiving a fire-retardant foam coating, they can be given a variety of coatings. Aircraft upholstery on a luxury private jet may include buttoned leather walls and bulkheads. Commercial aircraft use specially formulated fabrics that offer low smoke toxicity and high durability measured in tens of thousands of rubs.
A similar care is taken with the choice of rugs. Manufacturers produce a range of carpets specifically for use as aircraft upholstery. Made of wool or nylon, these mats need to be lightweight so they don’t add significantly to a plane’s fuel consumption, but they also need to be durable and comfortable underfoot. In addition to meeting industry-approved standards for flame resistance, they’re treated to repel stains and the types of microbes that can thrive in a sealed, air-conditioned environment. Factors such as weight/fuel ratio, flame resistance and comfort apply equally to helicopter interiors, for which fabrics must meet recognized standards for testing for burn, heat release and smoke toxicity.
Despite all these technical considerations, there is still room for fantasy and imagination in the world of aircraft upholstery. There are numerous small companies that serve the rich and famous by restoring aircraft to certain specifications. They install accessories of wealth such as shag rugs, gold-plated light fixtures, and fine-grain leather recliners with hidden drink compartments, veneered in walnut and spring-released.
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