Crystal Cabin Award-Winning Lightweight Seat Takes Off
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APEX Media: The “Crystal Cabin Award Winners: Where Are They Now?” series provides updates on past CCA-winning concepts. The 2018 Crystal Cabin Award application deadline is November 3.
Passenger comfort is central to the design of ZIM FLUGSITZ’s EC00 – ZIMunique seat, which features an ergonomic backrest and maximized personal space. The lightweight economy-class seat for short-haul flights took home the Crystal Cabin Award in the Passenger Comfort Hardware category in 2014. Since then, customers have included Swiss International Air Lines, SKY Airline and Lufthansa Technik. The EC00’s backrest concept was integrated into the next generation EC01, which was delivered to launch customer Air Transat this year.
“It means a maximum of motivation for the whole team as well as for each employee, that innovative performance will be visible and rewarded.” Angelika Zimmermann, ZIM FLUGSITZ
The submission phase for the 2018 Crystal Cabin Award, which recognizes the most significant innovations in aircraft interiors, onboard technology, passenger comfort, efficiency, safety and design, is currently active. Candidates may enter by filling out an application form by November 3. The awards now include seven categories, including a new Inflight Entertainment and Connectivity category. Crystal Cabin Award winners will be announced at a ceremony held during Aircraft Interiors Expo, taking place from April 10 to 12 in Hamburg.
Fabian Zimmermann, executive assistant, ZIM FLUGSITZ, gives APEX Media an update on the EC00 seat.
Can you provide a description of the winning concept?
This economy-class seat was especially developed to fulfill the special requirements of single-aisle airplanes in order to optimize the utilization without impacts to customer seating comfort or passenger satisfaction. The EC00 seat is a combination of high comfort and increased living space.
What makes this concept unique?
The EC00 seat has innovative features such as a single-arm meal table, a more ergonomic backrest structure and an interface between backrest foil and dress cover to ensure maintainability. Several patents, such as a new table concept, emphasize the quality of the innovative engineering work of the ZIM team.
How does the concept improve the airline passenger experience?
Due to innovative concepts, like the single-arm meal table and ergonomically shaped backrest, the living space and level of comfort increases. These developments result in benefits for the passenger as well as for the operator.
How has the concept developed since winning a Crystal Cabin Award?
After winning the Crystal Cabin Award, the EC00 seat reached its serial production standard. The new seat was installed in launch customer Swiss International Air Lines’ Bombardier CS100 aircraft by 2016. 4000 seats will be installed in 30 Bombardier CS100 and CS300 aircrafts. Other EC00 customers include SKY Airline and Lufthansa Technik. The EC00’s backrest concept was integrated into the next generation EC01, which was delivered as EC01 NG to launch customer Air Transat this year.
How has the Crystal Cabin Award contributed to the development of this concept?
We understood this award for our new product as an entitlement to continue our developments and implementations of new and innovative concepts. Winning the Crystal Cabin Award was the recognition of the work of the whole ZIM team and proved us that we were and are on the right track with our developments.
Have you since, or would you still like to enter any other projects for a CCA?
Of course we are working on further innovative solutions to optimize passenger comfort. The CCA is a platform to showcase a company’s innovative strength; we plan to announce a new concept quite soon.