The Business Blog at Intuitive.com

Dave Taylor has been involved with the Internet since 1980 and is widely recognized as an expert on both technical and business issues. He has been published over a thousand times, launched four Internet-related startup companies, has written twenty business and technical books and holds both an MBA and MS Ed. Dave maintains four weblogs: The Business Blog at Intuitive.com, Ask Dave Taylor, Dave On Film, and Attachment Parenting Blog. Dave is an award-winning speaker, sought after conference and workshop participant and frequent guest on radio and podcast programs.

Confessions of a Boeing Airplane Seat Engineer

I don't know if laptops have gotten taller or I've gained, um, girth, but I can remember ten years ago flying around the United States and being able to comfortably work on my laptop until my battery ran out. Now there's barely room for an open book, let alone some 17-inch marvel of digital engineering. Intuitively, airlines are adding more seats and more rows to offset the ever-rising cost of running an airline, but getting the inside scoop helps clarify exactly what's been going on with this price-sensitive commoditized business.

That's why when my friend and fellow writer Michael J. wrote recently about his experiences as a seat design engineering at Boeing, I couldn't resist getting his permission to include it here on my weblog for everyone to read...

As a former Boeing seat engineer, I've heard my share of comments and suggestions about size, spacing, and amenities.....

Everyone wants more recline on their airplane seats when they're travelling, but it does push back into the space of the next seat (and endangers the top of lots of laptops - and knees). Several years ago, American Airlines removed 1 or 2 seat rows on most of their airplanes to increase the pitch (distance between the same point on each seat row) to try to build customer loyalty. Alaska Airlines has always preconfigured their airplanes to do the same. A typical AA pitch is 37"; a typical AS pitch is 34"; typical United States domestic economy is 31" (In contrast, some of the UK charters, last I knew (Monarch, AirUK), have an economy pitch of 28" - and as low as 26").

The recline in front of exit rows are typically limited, as you know, but that depends on the actual location of the seats, and the regulatory minimums for emergency egress (ease of exit).

Every time Boeing or Airbus come out with a new airplane, they try finding ways to help airlines maximize seat widths. Unfortunately, some airlines will take advantage to sqeeze in an extra column of seats - witness the 10-across seating on Boeing 777s (and 9-across on the slightly narrower Airbus A340s).

As for the upgraded economy seats, the current trend was started by EVA of Taiwan in the early 90s, where they configured some of their Boeing 747s with 8 abreast seating (standard 747 economy is 10 abreast), 38" pitch, and seat back video systems.

Some of the major European airlines (BA/SK come to mind, especially their Inter-European service) have traditionally differentiated business and economy class with only upgraded service - the seats were identical. Then came the convertable seats, where 6 across seating on a Boeing 737 could be easily converted to 5 across with the twist of a lever - converting the typical 17" width seat to 19" widths.

On-board interactive video was my introduction into the world of networks, actually. Video on demand first appeared in seat back (and seat arm) monitors in the mid-1990s. Unfortunately, the monitors, servers, hubs, cables, etc, added several thousand pounds to each plane (each extra pound adds $100-$400 in operating cost per year). Naturally, that was a moderate fiasco.

The next step is coming, high-speed Internet access on the airplane. Because of weight issues, though, I'm sure that Internet (and newer tech cell phone - probably CDMA) access will be wireless.

Thanks for sharing this information, Michael. It's very interesting indeed...

Posted by Dave Taylor at February 16, 2005 10:12 AM

Comments

Dave I'm a designer and inventor with over 70 patents in my portfolio with a few more pending.
Two recent patent pendings cover air plane seats.
I would like to communicate with Michael Jang.
Could you please arrange this.
Thank you.
Luc

Posted by: Luc Lafond on October 19, 2005 1:53 PM

hi Dave i have an idea on seat design but dont know who or where to take it, i belive it will cut down DVT and make the long fligts more comfortable.

Posted by: craig kilburn on June 14, 2006 6:54 AM

Hi Dave
I also cover new airplane seat design with patent.Contact me with Michael Jang.
Thank you
Bosko

Posted by: Bosko Pjescic on July 20, 2006 1:47 PM

Mr. Taylor,
We are high school students, and we are doing an end of the year project on airplane seat comfort for economy class seats. We would like to contact you and get more information about what you do.

Thank you,
Katy and Stacey

Posted by: Katy and Stacey on June 4, 2007 11:03 AM

Hi Dave, I have a design idea for a retro fit. I have no patents just a good idea, where should I take it?

Posted by: Jeff martinelli on July 30, 2007 12:23 AM

I have a simple idea for airplane seats that should add ease of movement especially for coach passengers. No patent, but would like to know what is already out there. Where do I start to look or to do research?

Thanks.

Posted by: David on October 31, 2007 12:46 AM

Hi,
I was the person at BA that came up with the idea of 5 seats across with a sideways converter seat in shorthaul business class. It's over 15 years ago now.

Did you work on the design?
I'd be interested to chat. You might be interested to what customer and business knowledge let me to come up with the idea?

There was a lot of talk about a bigger seat, but it was about space and there was no way of commercially accepting only 4 seats across (a loss of 2 premium sales per row) with a traditional 3 into 2 converter seat on both sides.

Can you imagine the initial derision from people who said the aircraft would tip on one side and that it couldn't be done.

But I'd seen I'd seen 3 by 2 configurations on smaller aircraft and thought about whether that could be done on a 737.

"And what about the position of the aisle as you pass to Economy? they said." I thought for a while and said "Well, the position of the aisle changes".

Simon Green.

Posted by: Simon Green on January 14, 2008 3:44 PM

Dear Mr. Taylor,

We are a group of engineering students currently studying in the University of Malta who have recently been assigned a group project to design an airline seat. We are opting to design an economy class seat. We would really appreciate it if we could contact you so that we can learn from your expertise and improve our final product.

Thanks a lot in advance.

Regards,

Ian, Daniel, Matthew, Clive and Keith

Posted by: ianfenech on February 11, 2008 10:10 AM

Hello,
My name is Carol Miller and I am a headhunter in the Seattle area specializing in Aerospace. I am looking for a qualified individual to be a VP of Engineering. Any takers?
carolm@sriusa.biz

Posted by: Carol Miller on February 14, 2008 12:44 PM

I have a design idea for a plane seat that will make the travel more confortable. I need information about patenting the idea and taking it for testing.

Posted by: Mohammed Khan on March 17, 2008 2:45 AM

Hello,

I have questions regarding seat design and research for aviators. I will be an Air Force flight surgeon and I am looking into operator fatigue and seat design. Can you connect me with someone or people that I could communicate to find literature on this subject.

Thanks

Posted by: Steven M on September 23, 2009 10:03 PM

There's nothing I like more than to have a good sleep on a long haul flight in economy class. With some modest mechanical adjustments to the design of the seat, this could easily be accomplished and remain compliant. I have successfully trialed this. Furthermore, I would consider joining with a creditable party or parties to to take the project to its logical conclusion.

Posted by: Joel Levinsohn on February 3, 2010 4:27 PM

May I take the liberty of adding my email address to the above?

jhlevinsohn@gmail.com.

Thanks

Joel Levinsohn, Sydney, Australia

Posted by: Joel Levinsohn on February 3, 2010 5:16 PM

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