Smart Cabin Design Concept for Regional Aircraft: Technologies, Applications & Architecture

ABSTRACT

The use of smart devices is driving the growth of modern systems markets, resulting in more technological cities, cars, houses, and airplanes. Therefore, it is important to understand which smart technologies can support or even fulfill stakeholder needs and consequently enhance airplane operation and increase product competitiveness for airlines. This paper is the second of two-part series and has as its main objective the study of smart technologies that can be implemented on cabins of regional airplanes, from 60 to 120 seats, to comply with the needs and requirements pre-established on the first part of this series of articles. The integration of those technologies results in a “Smart Cabin” architecture which its purpose is to enhances the passenger experience by granting a new level of cabin comfort, customization, and connectivity that allows the reduction of airplane time on ground because of the real-time monitoring of airplane cabin components that enables the prediction of maintenance procedures; creates new profits and revenues opportunities for services, provides a more sustainable airplane operation and derived services, and creates new business opportunities for all companies that integrate regional aviation ecosystem.

Keywords
Aircraft compartments; Design thinking; Smart devices; Passenger experience; High-level requirements; Stakeholder analysis