Associated Air Center (AAC) has completed and redelivered its first BBJ 747-8 to a Middle Eastern head of state. The aircraft departed from the company’s facility at Dallas Love Field, Texas, USA, on February 26, 2016, 35 days ahead of the contractual redelivery schedule, on a 15-hour, non-stop flight to its home base.
Following a thorough review of several cabin design concepts offered by outside designers, the customer chose AAC’s in-house design department to create the interior. The cabin features zones for resting, meetings, dining, lounging and gaming, as well as a medical area. AAC’s in-house Organizational Designation Authorization (ODA) team, working with multiple aviation regulatory agencies, obtained several FAA STCs for the highly customized cabin, as well as other validations from EASA and the customer’s home country.
The 4,786ft² upper and main deck cabins are supplemented by a 393ft² module installed above the aft passenger cabin, accommodating eight private sleeping compartments and a changing area.
AVOD is available to all passengers through in-arm LCD touchscreens and 55in bulkhead-mounted LED monitors. The IFE includes HD videos and a Passenger Flight Information System (PFIS), providing passengers with HD 3D worldwide moving maps. Cabin equipment also includes multi-region satellite TV; broadband satcom, which enables internet access and video conferencing; in-seat outlets for charging PEDs; external HD cameras; LED mood-lighting, providing an array of pre-programmed scenarios; and a multi-zonal humidification system. Additional potable and gray water tanks were installed to support the integration of nine lavatories, three of which are equipped with showers, and three galley complexes.
“This project demonstrated both the depth and breadth of our completions expertise,” said James Colleary, president at AAC. “Extensive engineering resources and elaborate program management were required to deliver this amazing aircraft, as promised, to our customer’s exacting specifications.”
In February 2016, AAC also redelivered a head-of-state BBJ 787. The company is currently bidding on numerous wide- and narrow-body completion programs for induction in 2016.
March 17, 2016
