TRB Lightweight Structures provided pressed phenolic panels for luxury private suites on five Singapore Airlines A380 aircraft.
It worked closely with international high technology company Safran to create the private suites which were commissioned to celebrate the airline’s 70th birthday, and feature over 100 different phenolic panels.
Safran was appointed to design and build the luxury cabins and, with a tight deadline to meet, approached TRB, recognising the company’s expertise in composite materials and complex project management. The design of each room was dependent on its position within the aircraft, requiring the production of over 100 different types of complex, press-cured phenolic panels in a narrow timeframe.
Every panel also needed to be supplied with a cure graph, and to undergo vigorous quality assurance checks to ensure a high standard finish. Safran assigned a programme manager to work on site alongside the TRB team, and this joint effort ensured the project met all specifications and was delivered in a timely manner.
The collaboration allowed TRB to showcase the management capabilities necessary to complete large-scale, complex projects in a relatively short space of time.
Following the success of this project, TRB has also been chosen to manufacture over 100 doors as part of an ongoing scheme to fit Skyroom suites to the rest of the Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 fleet.
Tim Harrison, Technical Sales Manager at TRB, commented: “We are pleased to have been chosen for this opportunity to demonstrate our engineering skills in the development of luxury facilities on board the A380 – one of the most advanced commercial aircrafts of its time.”