Flying Colours Corp. signs launch customer for INAIRVATION Global Retrofit

Flying Colours Corp. returns to this year’s EBACE in a buoyant mood, (Booth WO63) having confirmed signing the first customer for INAIRVATION’s pre-engineered retro-fit cabin solution for Bombardier Global aircraft types. Flying Colours, which was named a North American partner by the Austrian-based joint venture between Lufthansa Technik and F/LIST during NBAA 2015, is already working with the European partners on the design engineering for the cabin. The undisclosed client confirmed the order in late April. Work on the project has already begun. The aircraft induction at Flying Colours is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2016, whilst re-delivery is anticipated to be in the first quarter of 2017.

The launch customer has selected the baseline INAIRVATION package to blend with the new interior. The refit will incorporate the nice® HD Cabin Management and Inflight Entertainment system (IFE/CMS) from Lufthansa Technik. The system’s functionality will be integrated into new ergonomic side-ledges which are pre-engineered and manufactured by F/LIST. These modules will be delivered and installed during the retrofit process, which will take place at the Flying Colours’ Peterborough, Ontario headquarters. 

The INAIRVATION components are just one piece of the larger cabin refurbishment project. The Global Express will undergo extensive reconfiguration of just about every part of its interior. The existing seats are to be replaced with Global 6000 frames and covered in a variety of exotic leathers. The lighting system will incorporate a rainbow spectrum of choices all controlled by the nice® HD CMS. A stone granite floor will be installed in the entrance galley area, including the forward lavatory, as well as the aft lavatory, and will complement the veneers and design of the monuments and seats. Carbon fiber veneers will be laid on the cabinetry to enhance the contemporary style of the interior. The final designs are expected to be ready by the end of June 2016. The exterior of the aircraft will also be re-painted following a custom paint scheme using all metallic paints.  The retrofit will be certified via an STC obtained by Flying Colours. 

“We are really pleased to have signed up the first customer for the INAIRVATION offering. Having worked with the customer before on a number of other projects he trusts our engineering design experience, and knows we will effectively realize his cabin vision. We explored a number of options for him, but he chose the INAIRVATION concept knowing that combined with our interior capabilities it was the most cost, and time efficient solution for him. He really appreciates the value the INAIRVATION elements bring to the mix,” said Sean Gillespie, Executive VP Flying Colours. 

INAIRVATION Co-CEO Philip von Schroeter adds, “When we started the JV, we had concerns that it could take us a while to really bring across the added value of the  INAIRVATION offering to the market. Our excellent partnership with Flying Colours helped us to quickly develop the joint retrofit offering for the Bombardier Global family. The fact that only six months after announcement of our retrofit program we are well into our first project, with more in the pipeline, shows that we must have hit “a sweet  spot” in the market. INAIRVATION and its shareholders Lufthansa Technik and F/LIST are very pleased with this outcome.”