ST Engineering today announced that its commercial aerospace division has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to provide Vaayu Group (Vaayu), an aircraft leasing and MRO company, with its Access expandable cabin lavatory. Under the terms of the agreement, ST Engineering will provide 20 of the Access lavatory units for installation on Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft, which will make Vaayu launch customer for the unit.
The Access lavatory solution is tailored for narrowbody aircraft, with its key selling point being that it can be expanded to create around 40% additional space when required – important for fulfilling all the proposed requirements by the US Department of Transport to make aircraft lavatories more accessible for passengers with reduced mobility. The additional space means a wheelchair user can access the lavatory space, plus an assistant, if required. The design, created with Acumen Design Associates, was first revealed in 2020 so that the former can use the facility with greater ease and safety.
You can find out more about accessible lavatory design, including Access, in our exclusive feature.
As well as user safety and convenience, Access has also been designed to minimise retrofitting costs for aircraft operators. The unit is able to accommodate the existing structural attachment points, electrical and system connections, while installation can be carried out without the need to alter the cabin layout or reduce galley space and seating capacity.
“We believe Access will change the dynamics of the sector considering the projected growth in the number of passengers with reduced mobility due to change of demographics of air travel,” said Emad AlMonayea, chairman and president of Vaayu Group. “As an entrepreneurial organisation, Vaayu must not only grow faster but also have to visualise the future of our businesses quicker than most. Vaayu Group has completed over a decade of successful operations, and we are geared to grow by leveraging both organic and inorganic strategies.”
“We look forward to partnering more like-minded operators to create more dignified and inclusive flying experiences for all,” added Ling Meng Geah, director programme office, Cabin Interiors and Engineering Solutions at ST Engineering.
