Airbus Unveils Its Airspace Cabin Vision 2035+

DALLAS — In the lead-up to Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX), Airbus unveiled its Airspace Cabin Vision 2035+ today at its Toulouse, France headquarters.

The French airframer brought together ten airlines and eight technology companies to contribute to a vision that rethinks how the cabin should look and feel while maintaining superior passenger comfort.

Decarbonization

Airbus states that at the core of the new cabin designs is decarbonization. Currently, research indicates that the cabin can contribute 10-20% of the aircraft's overall environmental impact during its lifecycle. Airbus says that lightweight solutions are one of the most powerful emissions-cutting levers in the cabin.

Lighter, bionic designs will help reduce cabin weight by up to 40%, and new catering concepts such as pre-ordering your meal on long-haul flights or picking up your snack at the boarding gate on short-haul flights will help reduce food waste and weight by up to 15%.

Airbus' lightweight designs incorporate bionic principles and 3D printing technologies. The company intends to reduce the number of cabin materials used and to concentrate on less carbon-intensive solutions than those currently in use, such as biobased fabrics and recycled polymers.

Furthermore, smart system design will optimize energy consumption and resource utilization.

Circularity

Another key component of Airbus' new cabin design proposal is the concept of circularity. As the world transitions to a more circular economy, enabled by End-to-End digitalized data transparency, Airbus says it's rethinking the materials used inside the cabin so that they can be recycled, reused, and repaired throughout their lifecycle.

Airbus' plan is for its engineers and designers to be able to develop the best solutions for the entire product life cycle using digital tools. All cabin elements, such as galleys, seats, and lining, will be managed and eventually recycled thanks to traceability.

"Rethink, recycle, repair, and reuse" are Airbus' guiding principles for its cabin design approach going forward.

When Will We Start Seeing the New Cabin Changes?

Airbus says that its smart processes, lightweight design, and circular approach will all contribute toward clean aerospace by the end of the year.

Cabin lining and components will be developed for current aircraft using new materials, and full implementation will begin with the next-generation aircraft.

You can visit the Airbus AIX stand 5A20 in Hamburg between June 6-8, 2023, for more information on the Airbus Airspace Cabin Vision 2035+.

Featured image: Airspace Cabin Vision 2035+. Render: Airbus