July 23 2024  |  Cabin Equipment

Stepping into the future with Diehl Aviation

By Robynne Trueman

This is a special feature from PAX Tech's July 2024 issue, on page 46.


Diehl Aviation’s Future Cabin on display at AIX 2024

Diehl Aviation’s booth at AIX 2024 was 40 percent larger than last year’s. Providing an extra 100 square meters for exhibits, the company’s aim was to take visitors on a journey through time.


The ultra-lightweight ECO Sidewall, designed by Diehl’s Sabrina Schaible

The ultra-lightweight ECO Sidewall on display uses Kepler honeycomb material and carbon fibre to reduce weight by 10 percent. Innovative manufacturing processes cut waste by 33 percent, minimizing wasted material. The sidewall uses an eco-powder coating on the inside to achieve the lightest weight.

The Future Cabin showcased displays, projections and lighting features to enhance passenger comfort.

The ECO Grey Water Reuse System enables airlines to reduce water waste and consumption, saving approximately 25 percent by reusing the hand wash water for flushing toilets. According to the company, it offers up to 250 litres (estimated for a 787) in weight savings per flight. 


Iris Hollinderbäumer, VP Innovation & Digitalization Management and Guido van Geenen, VP Corporate Communications at AIX 2024

Iris Hollinderbäumer, VP Innovation & Digitalization Management, says there is a trade-off between circularity and lightweight products, but Diehl aims to minimize and eventually eliminate that with lightweight cabin products made of recyclable or recycled materials.

“What airlines say at the moment is that lightweight products are creating the most impact [for sustainability]. If we manage to also use recycled or recyclable materials, or ideally both, then that's another step,” she says. She cites Diehl’s ducting solution made of thermoplastic particle foam as an example of a lightweight material that is fully recyclable.

Guido van Geenen, VP Corporate Communications, adds that while much of what visitors saw at the booth is a future concept, the company is introducing new materials and data-driven and AI-integrated solutions.

“We see ourselves as lightweight specialists and every gram counts when it comes to sustainability,” he explains.

Next Diehl is developing its North American presence with the recently announced Mexico site. Construction will begin soon, and production will kick off next year with the A320 XL bins.

Diehl also has a collaboration space in Seattle, and another will open shortly in Hamburg.

“Seattle is already a great success and we hope to reach the same level of success in Hamburg,” concludes Carsten Laufs, SVP Product Innovation and Digitalization, of Diehl Aviation.

Copyright 2025 PAX International. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Sitemap