Rebel Aero announces that it received EASA ADOA approval for its Rebel S:two seat design.
This alternative seat aims to give Economy passengers some respite in crowded cabins conditions by allowing them to stretch their legs when reclining upright.
The seat cushion can be placed in a normal seating position or lifted up, similar to a theatre seat, for easier row egress. When upright, the cushion also functions as a lean-to seat, allowing passengers to travel in a semi-upright position.
Source: Rebel.aero
While the design is compelling, the designers must pass regulatory hurdles before they can persuade airlines to give the Rebel seat a chance. One of the main challenges of developing aircraft interiors products is getting a good notion to pass the laws of physics, particularly on flammability and impact. That’s the main reason plane interiors are full of aircraft interiors products that are gentle iterations of previously successful designs. Those designs passed testing, even if they don’t necessarily pass muster with passengers. Aircraft interior companies go through great expense designing products to be successfully destroyed in testing.
With an ADOA (Alternative Procedures to Design Organisation Approval), Rebel.aero says it can now move forward towards ETSO (European Technical standard Order) C127 approval–certification for flight. Because the design is a functional deviation from airline seats flying today, it required this exception to the design standard.
The manufacturer will conduct 16G dynamic testing of the seat, to gain final C127 approval. The Rebel S:two design has already undergone 9G static and abuse testing.
Source: Rebel.aero
Rebel Aero says new enquiries about the seat come in daily.
Who knows, soon we could be flying semi-upright for as long as we like–and getting to the restroom on long flights could be easier.