Lufthansa Technik's nice Touch cabin management system, which is making its debut this week, is among many products the company is displaying at its EBACE booth (H71) this year. The system, which was designed in collaboration with Bombardier (Z125) for the Global 7000, features both digital and physical interfaces that allow passengers to have control over cabin settings and entertainment options. Lufthansa Technik also recently celebrated the 10-year anniversary of its StartTechnik training program and hopes to highlight some of its VIP-configured airliner accomplishments at the convention in Geneva.
At EBACE, Lufthansa Technik products on display include a Boeing 747-8 aircraft model with LHT VIP interior (1:20 scale); a Global 6000 model (1:20 scale); a sound system with new sound bar with demonstrations performed on the hour; and an OLED video wall with curved screens; a Bombardier Global side ledge featuring nice HD.
“At our booth, we will present different unique VIP interior designs to demonstrate our in-house design competence, including a brand-new variant of our exceptional Mercedes-Benz Style cabin,” Wieland Timm, head of sales for VIP and special mission aircraft at Lufthansa Technik, told AIN. “In addition, we present different cabin products and technologies to increase comfort on board, like our cooking plate, our cabin management system nice, or connectivity solutions.”
Preparing the Next Generation
At the same time, Lufthansa Technik recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of its StartTechnik program, which trains university graduates who studied engineering, industrial engineering, economics, and business information technology. The program starts twice a year in April and October, and new trainees are required to complete four project assignments, one of them at a foreign subsidiary or associate. Since 2008, approximately 100 trainees have completed the program.
“StartTechnik is not a program to hire technicians but to help successful graduates from universities to start a career, for example as a project leader with multinational tasks,” Timm told AIN. “The StartTechnik program has become an important instrument in attracting talented young people to Lufthansa Technik. Technicians are part of the vocational training programs [apprenticeship] of Lufthansa Technik.”
This is not the only program Lufthansa Technik offers for technicians or mechanics. According to Timm, the company believes its apprenticeship programs dealing with mechanics and technicians will grow significantly in the years to come because of strong economic opprotunities in these fields. Additionally, the company is ready to expand its Original Equipment Innovation portfolio.
“We are now ready for radome development and manufacturing projects as an extension of our Original Equipment Innovation product portfolio,” Timm told AIN. “Following the successful development and in-house manufacturing setup of a new Ka-band-suitable version of our proven VIP aircraft radome TIOS [Two-In-One-Solution] we are now going to set up a unit dedicated to radomes of all kinds.”
At EBACE, attendees will be able to see the nice Touch CMS on display. The system delivers 4K, ultra-high-definition content at high speeds. It also incorporates the Bombardier Touch dial, which both companies claim is business aviation’s first use of an OLED display in this manner. The Global 7000’s living spaces are also outfitted with Suite controllers for passengers. Both the Touch dial and Suite controllers work in conjunction with the nice Touch mobile application, which is available for iOS and Android devices.
Lufthansa Technik is also highlighting accomplishments in the bizliner sector while at EBACE. The company recently won a completions contract for a VIP Boeing 787 and gained a customer for a VIP variant of the Airbus A330 multi-role tanker transport.
