When preparing for such an extensive refurbishment, it’s vital to develop a detailed strategy. This helps ensure the Designer and customer are on the same page with regard to the vision, minor details, cost, and downtime. Our Designers will often travel to meet with the customer and review design concepts through physical samples and illustrations. Duncan Aviation Senior Lead Designer Stephanie Kuhn says it’s important to have images and actual samples of what will be installed into the aircraft to ensure the design concepts and customer expectations align.
“I always create numerous illustrations that precisely depict my proposals,” Stephanie says. “This owner either approved or considered many of the suggestions I made beforehand. It is very important to be as detail-oriented as possible, capturing everything from the overall mood of the interior, down to the soap dispenser and towel bar. It’s important for the customer to be able to envisage the vision for the refurbishment.”
Duncan Aviation Senior Completions & Modifications Sales Rep Tracey Boesch explains that the more work that is done on the front end, the better. While it’s not impossible to add work while the aircraft is in-house, it’s easier for everyone to understand the details ahead of time.
“If we are able to address suggested design enhancements or upgrade requests during the quoting process, it allows us to integrate them into the proposal
and provide the most accurate price and downtime for the project,” says Tracey. “The benefits realized by both our client and our teams are that the project runs smoothly, as planned, and on budget.
Together, Tracey and Stephanie have designed hundreds of private jets over the years. Combined, they have nearly 50 years of experience in the industry, and in that time, have learned the ins and outs of how to redesign an interior to be unique and functional. They know the best materials to use and modifications to make, and how to raise the bar. More importantly, they are backed by the most experienced technicians in the industry who are capable of bringing just about any vision to life.
When Tracey started at Duncan Aviation, there were only 400 Duncan Aviation team members.
“I worked on just about every model long ago as a Designer and when I started as a Completions Sales Rep,” says Tracey. “Once it became evident there were many nuances, various floorplans, and varying designs by each manufacturer, as well as certain limitations between models, our team began to specialize in certain manufacturer models to better serve our clients. My focus has been on Falcon aircraft for quite some time. This has given me the ability to communicate more effectively regarding the specific details of the various Falcon models.”
Having customer-provided inspiration helps our team pinpoint the exact look or atmosphere the owners desire. The clients liked the aesthetics of their Falcon 7X, so Stephanie assembled several materials and paint scheme options that reflected those preferences while ensuring a unique identity tailored specifically for the Falcon 2000.
The carpet is the most defining part of the interior. The field is 100% silk with a luxurious, marbled, and soft appearance.
“Typically, carpets feature a flatter tone or incorporate accents of silk,” explains Stephanie. “In this case, the silk covering the entire field provides a shimmer effect and serves as a prominent focal point.”
Silk, while more delicate than traditional wool carpet, still maintains durability. Its shimmering appearance emanates a luxurious look that feels soft to the touch. This natural beauty must be appreciated for its organic material.
“Silk carpet often exhibits a marbled, natural appearance,” says Stephanie. “Appreciating its natural beauty is key because silk fibers naturally resist laying uniformly in one direction.”
To truly appreciate this aircraft’s new interior, one must fully embrace the natural beauty of authentic materials.
“It’s a statement piece in luxury investments,” says Stephanie.
The team incorporated our Duncan Aviation-designed, one- piece PSU overlay panels and modernized the drinkrails to create an updated look in the cabin that is also functional.
We developed the PSU overlay panels to provide an updated look to the cabin interior and integrate with existing or new LED lighting. They also allow for easy removal and installation compared to traditional PSU panels. The new recessed areas have a radiused design and are covered in the same material as the PSU overlay.
We designed the updated drinkrails to have a streamlined profile that modernizes the interior and gives it contemporary appeal. The existing cupholders were relocated to fit the new lid that accommodates the cabin switch panels.
Because the interior space can be narrow between the conference table and the settee, the owners wanted more aisle clearance and a clearer pathway. The previous settee was outdated, bulky, and protruded into the aisle. By reducing the thickness on the backrest and streamlining the design, we were able to provide two more inches in the aisle without sacrificing seating area or comfort.
Stephanie initially presented a few options for the new paint design. After selecting their favorite elements from the different designs, Stephanie used the client’s input to reimagine the possibilities and create a final design that incorporated everything the client desired.
The new paint features a sleek, modern design with sweeping stripes in blue, navy, and silver grey. The timeless and professional appearance enhances the aircraft’s overall presence.
The plating offers a modern look and coordinates beautifully with the veneer. Black pearl satin is featured on metal surfaces like latches, lights, air vents, faucets, sinks, and cupholders.
The new fabric on the window panels enhances the space with a soft texture. We apply a soil protectant to give the material liquid-repellent properties similar to an Ultraleather material.
Additionally, the fabric offers slightly better sound absorption than Ultraleather.
The blue leather lower sidewalls coordinate perfectly with the accent yarn in the carpet and complement the exterior paint stripe. The new composite brown, ebony veneer on the drinkrails, tabletops, galley and lavatory give off an exquisite touch. The new polycarbonate on the galley and lavatory slider doors has a soft linen texture that provides an opaque look to the illuminated compartments.
The grain of the solid surface galley and lavatory countertops offers a marbled appearance, providing a stylish alternative to natural materials.
We also installed new Prizm LED lighting, USB ports, Collins Venue Cabin Management System (CMS), and the Alto Technology sound system.
Tracey says it is fun to see what the aircraft looked like before and compare it to what it has become.
“From the upgrades in the build, layered with newer, contemporary details and materials, we brought new life into the aircraft,” she says. “It was really a treat to see the before and after. It’s always a fun and enjoyable process, and I have to remind myself to take it all in.
Typically, we get the project done, take photos, then it’s on to the next one. I took an extra moment to linger and enjoy the great artisanship our teams performed on this aircraft.”
View the full gallery of photos here.