Change often begins with the most peculiar little things. Take this bowl of pasta, for example (blog picture). As it accelerates towards your carpet, you must be thinking about how difficult it will be to clean it afterwards. But, this could also be the moment you decide to replace that old carpet. What an inspiring moment this could actually be! And while you can perform this project yourself very nicely at your home, the same cannot be said for your corporate jet. Installing a new carpet into the cabin of your aircraft and achieving a perfect fit can be quite the challenge.
Camber’s professionals have had to solve this challenge on some large aircraft with complex floorplans. The perfect fit is always demanding work, as each aircraft has its unique requirements. Recently, we managed the installation of an exquisite carpet into a Boeing 747-8 at the end of the cabin outfitting. This incredible hand-woven carpet was extremely expensive and on several large and heavy rolls that had to be fitted into the more than 500 m2 interior in less than a week. Camber experts developed a process, worked closely with the completion centre, supplier and owner representatives, planned and managed the whole process.
Carpet Installation, How Hard Can It Be?
It sounds easy, but actually even cabin carpet becomes a project on its own when we talk about corporate jets. Before we can begin, a new carpet needs to be selected, keeping in mind not only its design and finish, but also balancing its ability to provide excellent sound insolation with the weight of the carpet. It takes time for a new carpet to be produced and certified, so carpet selection needs to be done well before it will actually be needed.
When the aircraft arrives at the facility, the old carpet must be carefully removed and the temporary carpet installed to protect the floorboards during the final reinstallation of the cabin. The new carpet, when it arrives, needs to be sized outside the aircraft. Here, a template is used – often the old carpet – to shape the carpet with small overlaps. The trick is to size the carpet it without breaking its unique pattern and having a minimum number of seams that will be invisible, once installed. When the sized carpet is carried carefully into the cabin, you have to be extremely careful not to damage the delicate finishes of the already installed monuments and seating. More so, you absolutely must not interfere with the finishing work being performed throughout the cabin during the day shift. Trimming is performed in the cabin, carefully removing the excess carpet to ensure a perfect fit into each corner, each edge and under the seating. To sum it up, you have to get impeccable fitting throughout the cabin. There’s no space for any mistake.
From Pasta Drop to a New Look
What was the final result? A perfect fit of course, finished on time for a very happy client. A bowl of pasta on your jet carpet could happen anytime. It may just inspire you to update your aircraft with a new one. Or, if you had a spare carpet made during your jet’s last fitting, the stained section can be replaced and the stained section cleaned. But how to clean delicate aircraft carpets perfectly is another story. Just remember, whether your aircraft is large or small, if you want a perfect fit, you will definitely need professional help.