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Innovative EASA certified dynamic test method for 16g aircraft seat cushions

Objective

Airplane seat cushions are designed to be safe, comfortable, supportive for passengers' legs and backs, and lightweight to save fuel and CO2 emissions. But how many times did you experience worn out, uncomfortable cushions, too hard on legs and back? This happens because seat cushions should be replaced every 4-5 years, to maintain their safety and comfort characteristics. But cushions replacement is expensive: a cushions set may cost 600 € and, when original replacements are no more in production the whole seat must be replaced (~1.300 €/pax). In fact cushions need to be certified along with the seat, through expensive crash tests. So airlines delay cushions replacements and passengers travel on unsafe and uncomfortable seats. Testori Aero Supply (TAS) has found a way to overcome this deadlock: it has developed a test method for 16g monolithic models that certifies cushions only, independently from the crash test on the whole seat. This method has been approved by European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA). TAS is the unique company able to sell alternative 16g certified monolithic cushions, at an extremely competitive price (160 €/pax).
This project intends to extend this certification method (and obtain EASA/FAA approval) to a new type of airplane cushions, the 16g multilayer, that have been recently introduced in the market by Original Manufacturers (OEM) to increase passenger's comfort and lower weight. Grace to this method TAS will produce and commercialize certified 16g multilayer cushion replacements, at an average sale price of 240 €/pax, thus becoming de-facto the only authorized competitor of OEM. The feasibility study conducted in SME action Phase 1 has assessed the project feasibility, costs and impacts on the company and on other SMEs of the production chain, and has outlined a business scenario where TAS will more than double its turnover by 2020 (+160%), increase market share by 10%, and achieve 20% ROS and 72% ROI.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-SMEInst-2014-2015

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Coordinator

TESTORI AERO SUPPLY SRL
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 280 925,63
Address
VIA FRANCESCO PETRARCA 22
20123 MILANO
Italy

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SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Region
Nord-Ovest Lombardia Milano
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 845 893,75
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