Above: The The Side-Slip Seat is on the brink of market-readiness and will be displayed to the public for the first time at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Singapore from October 25 – 27, 2016
October 18, 2016 – Remember the Side-Slip Seat? We first reported on this innovative seat in 2012, with its unusual design that allows the aisle seat to be slipped over the middle seat during boarding, doubling the width of the aircraft aisle to speed up boarding. Now the developer of the design, Colorado-based Molon Labe Seating, has revealed that it expects the seat to be market-ready in October following recent success in 16G dynamic tests.
Below: The Side-Slip Seat undergoing 16G testing
The economy class seat, specifically designed for short- and medium-range operations, is claimed to enable savings for airlines of up to 30% on boarding time and the potential to reduce block times, leading to less cost on the ground, a reduction of emissions and higher aircraft utilization.
In addition to the boarding efficiencies of the ‘side-slip’ action, Molon Labe claims that the staggered design of the seat offers each passenger in a triple seat more living space. The window and aisle seats are 18in-wide, while the center seat provides 20.8in of width at the shoulders. According to company founder, Hank Scott, the increase in lateral space as well as the staggered design enhances passenger comfort and consigns shoulder-to-shoulder contact and fights over the armrest problems of the past.
Molon Labe Seating has partnered with industry experts for production, testing and certification of the seat to achieve lean and flexible operations, with Primus Aerospace – a Tier 1 aerospace industry supplier – in charge of production, and NIAR (National Institute of Aviation Research) conducting testing and certification.