Smart Cabin Design Concept for Regional Aircraft: Challenges, Future Aspects &amp; Requirements

Silva, Eduardo Leite Simões e; Moraes, Alison de Oliveira; Ciaccia, Flávia Renata Dantas Alves Silva

doi:10.1590/jatm.v15.1309

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Journal of Aerospace Technology and Management

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ORIGINAL PAPER • J. Aerosp. Technol. Manag. 15 • 2023 • https://doi.org/10.1590/jatm.v15.1309 copy

Smart Cabin Design Concept for Regional Aircraft: Challenges, Future Aspects & Requirements

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

New technologies are increasingly being implemented in people’s daily lives and with the growth of smart devices around the globe, the users’ needs and demands have changed in favor of more technological cities, cars, houses, and airplanes. Therefore, it is important to define the stakeholder’s needs and requirements to understand which technologies, smart or not, can be implemented on the cabin to support or even fulfill stakeholder needs. Consequently, those technologies enhance airplane operation and increase product competitiveness for airlines. This paper is the first of a two-part series where design thinking tools are applied to establish high-level requirements based on the concept of a “Smart Cabin” for regional airplanes from 60 to 120 seats. To achieve this goal, a series of methods such as stakeholders’ studies, personas creation and user journey methods are used. The Smart Cabin concept aims to enhance the passenger experience by granting a new level of cabin comfort, customization and connectivity that allows the reduction of airplane time on ground because of the real-time monitoring of airplane cabin components that enables the prediction of maintenance procedures, creates new profits and revenues opportunities for services, provides a more sustainable airplane operation and derived services, and creates new business opportunities for all companies that integrate regional aviation ecosystem.

Keywords
Aircraft Compartments; Design thinking; Smart Devices; Passenger experience; High-Level Requirements; Stakeholder Analysis

Information		Characteristics
Susan Gomez 41 years old	Businesswoman: CEO in a Bank	First class passenger, demanding high quality of service;
		Flexibility of routes and speed of travel;
		Be connected during the flight;
		Fast boarding with the reserved space for its carry-on baggage;
		A quiet ambient to enable online meetings and onboard conversations;
		Wants a different treatment, exclusive queues for check-in, baggage tagging, documentation-checking boarding etc.;
		Wants to know flight status and wait time at border control.
Juan Parker 27 years old	Student Low Cost: Law Student	Price centered;
		Comfort is not a decisive factor when choosing the airline;
		Wants to be entertained during the flight;
		Onboard space for its carry-on baggage;
		Will not spend money on extra services;
		Wants a fast travel experience, not needing airport staff to do procedures like check-in, baggage tagging, documentation checking, boarding etc.
Carter Williams 34 years old	Traveler with Disabilities: Wheelchair racer	Wants to be connected when on board;
		Wants to be entertained during the flight;
		Preferential boarding, with accessibility and comfort;
		Accessibility and customized care in all steps of the journey: Boarding, Toilet, cabin locomotion, deboarding;
		Customized experience, accepting to provide more personal data to have it;
		Easy way to check baggage is valuable;
		Wants to receive its wheelchair without damage at the end of flight.

Nº	Characteristics & Routine Observations	First Class	Economy	T. Disabilities
1	Wants to be entertained during the flight	X	X	X
2	Wants a fast travel experience, not needing airport staff to do procedures	X	X
3	First class passenger, demanding exclusive treatment	X
4	Total connectivity with her/his own device	X
5	Carry-on baggage only	X
6	Easy way to check baggage is valuable	X		X
7	Price centered, comfort is not a decisive factor and do not spend money on extra services		X
8	Wants to know baggage status if it is necessary to dispatch		X	X
9	Autonomy to do all cabin tasks			X
10	Accessibility in all steps of the journey			X

Information		Characteristics
Serena Alvarez 37 years old	Regional Airplane Pilot	Reduce cabin workload on critical phases of the flight;
		Ease the documents fill-up before and after the flight;
		Cockpit ergonomics is highly relevant;
		Training for each new procedure/airplane;
		On days with numerous flight hours, fatigue is an important factor.
Jonas Silva 46 years old	Regional Airplane Flight Attendant	Ease the locomotion of trolleys inside cabin;
		Ease the galley procedures when there is a small space to work;
		Have more experience with passenger interaction;
		Types of overhead bin could intensify some problems such as pain in the back;
		Types of shoes/floor can be a problem;
		Wants a way to communicate with passengers and cockpit without the necessity of going through all the corridor;
		Reduce the times of pre and post-cabin checks for bigger regional airplane;
		Easy and fast baggage allocation on overhead;
		Necessity of a different training for different airplanes.

Nº	Characteristics & Routine Observations	Flight Attendant	Pilot
1	High workload and pressure in most part of flight	X	X
2	Reduce the time spend on documents filling		X
3	Need of training for different planes	X	X
4	Small space and poor ergonomics to realize flight tasks	X
5	Communication with passengers and the pilot needs to be eased	X
6	Ease cabin security checks procedures	X
7	Valorize cockpit environment control and ergonomics		X

Information		Characteristics
Robert Boomer 51 years old	Ground Handling	Works for the main airline;
		He is highly experienced and recognized;
		Works under high pressure (schedule constraints);
		High occupation rate;
		He is constantly aware of is impact on safety;
		Works on outside weather.
Elliot Grand 47 years old	Hangar Mechanic	Ex-military. 15-year experience with multiple planes models;
		There is too much pressure everyday (stress management);
		Responsible and concerned about activities reporting;
		Real chances of getting hurt on the job;
		Continuous improvement on everyday-job;
		Usually concerned about maintenance issues.
Anthony Loth 33 years old	Line Mechanic	Recently got his work license;
		Must solve problems quickly under pressure from schedule constraints;
		Usually does not know in advance the next day workload;
		Sometimes needs to work long hours (fatigue);
		Deals well with pressure and has good communications skills.
		Accessible and up-to-date technical publication is primordial.

Nº	Characteristics & Routine Observations	GS & ST	Hangar MT	Line MT
Source: Elaborated by the authors.
1	There is too much pressure everyday (stress management)	X	X	X
2	Information to adequate the tasks to the required airplane	X	X	X
3	Reduce the time to training low the costs and accelerate the expertise	X	X	X
4	Ergonomics to execute required tasks	X	X	X
5	High necessity to report activities		X	X
6	Demands a plane with advanced maintainability		X	X
7	Sometimes he needs to work long hours		X	X
8	Need to deal with pressure and good communications skills is necessary	X		X
9	Ease to made necessary activities [Catering, Cleaning, W&W, Fuel, GSE]	X
10	Ease to exchange information between Airline-Plane-Ground Services	X
11	There are real chances of getting hurt on the job		X
12	Accessible and up-to-date technical publication is primordial to him			X
13	He usually does not know in advance the next day workload			X
14	Works on outside weather	X

Information		Characteristics
Reg Jet airways	Regional Airline in US	Takeoff and landing in small airports/short runaways;
		Point to HUB: Feed widebody planes for long haul flights;
		Efficiency airplanes to transport up to 76 passengers;
		Point to point (small city to small city, places not accessible by any other transportation);
		Two classes possibility;
		Scope Clause is a driver.
Windeco	Medium Haul Airline	Connectivity necessity;
		Capacity to fit baggages on overhead equivalent to those utilized on 737/A320;
		Low external noise;
		Fast Turnaround Time (TAT) to allow a more elevated frequency of daily flights;
		More ecological technologies: hybrid and electric power;
		Possibility to operate on smaller airports with less infrastructure.

Nº	Characteristics & Routine Observations	Regional	Medium-Haul
1	Limited Operation Station [Small Airports, poor infrastructure, no finger, limited GSE’s]	X	X
2	HUB Operation [Big Airports, capacity to use finger and bigger planes equipment services]	X	X
3	Connectivity during all the flight	X	X
4	Attractive IFE to short distances	X
5	Capacity of Medium-haul airplanes bin [737 – A320] and cabin baggage	X	X
6	Comfortable Seat and Cabin Space Sensation [comparable with bigger planes]	X
7	Fast boarding and deboarding	X
8	Cabin health environment, low emissions, and less trash		X
9	Possibility to 2 passengers’ classes	X
10	Cabin easy maintenance [High frequency of Flights]	X
11	Attractive IFE to medium distances		X
12	High Connectivity and Personalization for the passengers		X

Passenger Experience	PX	FA	PT	MG	AIR
Cabin cleaning perception
Communicate with flight attendant with more velocity
Possibility of use any type of personal device inside the airplane
Safe and healthy environment perception
Baggage storage accessibility and placement
IFEC^() ()** In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity. Source: Elaborated by the authors. should suit to each personal configurations
Connectivity during all flight journey
Receive real time information: estimated time of arrival, climate conditions and baggage location
Control of seat environment
Interior reliability perception
Receive information from the passenger in any part of cabin

Comfort	PX	FA	PT	MG	AIR
Seat comfort: cushion, armrest, leg room, width, reclination
Cabin accessibility: seat, lavatory, galley, IFEC, baggage
Ample cabin perception
Do the maintenance tasks on restricted spaces
Thermal and acoustic comfort
Control comfort aspects of the cockpit

Cabin Operations	PX	FA	PT	MG	AIR
Communicate with other crew members during the cabin tasks
Do the cabin tasks with a limited workspace
Fast and easy filling of pre and post-flight check-list checks
Speed up and simplify safety and security checks
Do cabin cleaning tasks during the flight: galley, floor, lavatory, full cabin
Board servicing on a limited space and time

Ground Passengers Services	PX	FA	PT	MG	AIR
Flight on time
Baggage tracking
Easy and fast boarding and deboarding
Easy and fast baggage take over

Ground Airplane Services	PX	FA	PT	MG	AIR
Reduce work daily stress
Ease pre and post-flight bureaucratic documentation filling
Communication between the airplane and the ground servicing
Reduce the time spent on maintenance and cabin services
Operate with limited airport services and GSE^() ()** Ground Support Equipment. Source: Elaborated by the authors.
Simple and fast cabin reconfiguration

Needs			ID	Requirements
Passenger Experience	1	Cabin Cleaning Perception	1	The cabin must have materials that are easy to clean
	1	Cabin Cleaning Perception	2	The cabin must have tools to assist in the cleaning and waste removal process.
	2	Communicate with flight attendant with more velocity.	3	The cabin must have an information exchange system to allow communication between attendant and passenger.
	2	Receive information from the passenger in any part of the cabin.	4	The communication system between attendant and passenger must be accessible for the attendant to utilize in any part of the cabin.
	3	Possibility of using any type of personal device inside the airplane.	5	The cabin must allow the connection of tablets, smartphones, notebooks, and other PEDs^() ()** Personal Electronic Device. to the internet.
	4	Safe and healthy environment perception	6	The cabin must provide a healthy environment for occupants considering air quality, humidity, pressure, temperature, contamination, lighting, and noise.
	5	Baggage storage accessibility and placement	7	The aircraft must have an easily accessible baggage compartment that assists in the storage of the user’s baggage.
Passenger Experience	6	IFEC should suit to each personal configurations	8	The IFEC system must be customizable in terms of content [Applications, Language, Accessibility for people with any type of disability]
	7	Connectivity during all flight journey	9	The aircraft must provide uninterrupted connectivity.
	7	Connectivity during all flight journey	10	The aircraft must provide a speed connection that provides media streaming.
	8	Receive real time information: Estimated time of arrival, climate conditions and baggage location.	11	The aircraft must provide passengers real-time information on: Estimated time of arrival, climate conditions and baggage location.
	9	Control of seat environment	12	The cabin must provide means for controlling the temperature and lighting in the seat region.
	10	Interior reliability perception	13	The cabin components must support abuse loads.
Comfort	11	Seat comfort: Cushion, Armrest, Leg room, Width, Reclination	14	The seat must comply with the minimum comfort dimensions
	11		15	The seat must provide control for reclination, headrest and armrest.
	12	Cabin accessibility: Seat, Lavatory, Galley, IFEC, Baggage	16	The cabin must be accessible for people who have a disability or reduced mobility. [Physical, Sensory, Cognitive]
			17	The cabin functions must be accessible for Female [5%] and Male [95%] percentiles
			18	The IFEC system must have a navigational interface to an objective that must be complete and without misinterpretation. [The IFEC system must be immersive and have a navigational interface to an objective that must be complete and free from misinterpretation.]
	13	Ample cabin perception	19	The cabin height must be at least 2 meters [The cabin must provide tools that help to optimize space]
Comfort	14	Do the maintenance tasks on restricted spaces	20	The cabin components should be easy to remove and rated for Female [5%] and Male [95%] percentiles.
	14	Do the maintenance tasks on restricted spaces	21	The cabin components should require only standard tooling for maintenance.
	15	Thermal and Acoustic Comfort	22	The maximum cabin internal noise must be X dbs
	16	Control comfort aspects of the cockpit	23	The aircraft must allow temperature control of the cockpit and passenger cabin separately.
Cabin Operations	17	Communicate with other crew members during the cabin tasks	24	It shall be possible to use a crew communication system within the cabin that is accessible throughout the cabin.
	18	Do the cabin tasks with a limited workspace	25	The cabin tasks performed by the crew must be possible for the Female [5%] to Male [95%] percentile range.
	19	Fast and easy filling of pre and post flight checklist documents	26	The aircraft must enable the use of a tool for the exchange of data with the ground service team in order to fill out pre and post-flight documents.
	20	Speed up and simplify safety and security checks	27	The cabin must have systems to assist with cabin security checks.
	21	Do cabin cleaning tasks during the flight: Galley, Floor, Lavatory, Full Cabin		HLR 1, 2
	22	Board servicing on a limited space and time	28	The cabin must provide tools that assist in the preparation and task of on-board service.
Ground Passengers Services	23	Flight on time	29	The aircraft must allow the use of tools that assist in the organization and performance of on-board tasks that are in the critical line of the TAT.
	24	Baggage tracking	30	The cabin must allow for the receipt of baggage location information during the flight.
	24	Baggage tracking	31	The cabin must allow the transmission of baggage information to passengers.
	25	Easy and fast boarding and deboarding	32	The cabin allows the use of tools to assist in the embarkation and disembarkation of passengers.
	26	Easy and fast baggage take over	33	The aircraft must have an organization system that assists in the loading and unloading of baggage
Ground Airplane Services	27	Reduce work daily stress	34	The cabin must implement Poka Yoke solutions to reduce maintenance errors.
	27	Reduce work daily stress	35	Routine maintenance tasks must be capable of being performed utilizing standard tools during TAT.
	28	Ease pre and post flight bureaucratic documentation filling	36	The aircraft must allow the use of a data exchange system with the ground service team to fill in maintenance documents
	29	Communication between the airplane and the ground servicing	37	The aircraft shall provide means of transmitting information about the status of its components to teams on the ground.
	30	Reduce the time spent on maintenance and cabin services		HLR 28, 35, 36
	31	Operate with limited airport services and GSE	38	The cabin must provide, when on the ground, all its main functions to the occupants even without the support of GSE’s.
	32	Simple and fast cabin reconfiguration	39	The cabin must have ways to be reconfigured within 70 minutes for use as a freighter [Considering 120 passengers].

Stakeholders adjustment	Value	Stakeholder Prioritization
Pax	1.00	1. Passengers 2. Flight Attendant 3. Pilot 4. Ground Support & Servicing Team 5. Maintenance Teams 6. Airline & Leasing 7. Engineering 8. Requirements & Certification
All occupants	1.00
Attendant	0.95
Crew	0.95
Pilot	0.90	[Importance + (Importance – Actual Satisfaction)] = Opportunity Obs.: Importance – Satisfaction cannot be less than 0
Ground support	0.85
Maintenance	0.80	(OPPORTUNITY X STAKEHOLDER VALUE)/20 = OPPORTUNITY ADJUSTED [%]

ID	Final High-Level Requirements	Mainly affected stakeholder	Importance	Actual satisfaction	Opportunity	Stakeholder value	Opportunity adjusted
1	The cabin shall have tools that assist in the cleaning process.	Attendant	10	2	18	0.95	86%
2	The cabin shall have a system that enables the exchange of information between attendant and passenger.	Attendant	9	3	15	0.95	71%
3	The cabin shall have a communication system, attendant-pax and attendant-cockpit, accessible to the attendant on any part of the cabin.	Attendant	8	3	13	0.95	62%
4	The cabin shall enable the battery charging and internet connection of any type of Personal Electronic Device (PED).	Pax	9	5	13	1	65%
5	The In-flight Entertainment & Connectivity (IFEC) system shall have a navigation interface that is complete, without misunderstanding errors, and similar to PEDs.	Pax	5	7	5	1	25%
6	The In-flight Entertainment & Connectivity (IFEC) system shall allow the customization of its content such apps, language, theme.	Pax	10	3	17	1	85%
7	The cabin shall provide an immersion between the passenger and the cabin entertainment system.	Pax	8	3	13	1	65%
8	The aircraft shall have a compartment for user’s hand luggage that is easily accessible and helps with the luggage storage.	Pax	7	4	10	1	50%
9	The aircraft shall have an organization system that helps on the loading and unloading of cargo.	Ground support	7	5	9	0.85	38%
10	The aircraft shall provide uninterrupted connectivity during all the flight phases.	Pax	9	4	14	1	70%
11	The aircraft shall have a minimum connectivity velocity to allow media streaming.	Pax	6	3	9	1	45%
12	The aircraft shall provide real time information of estimated time of arrival, climate conditions and baggage location to passengers.	Pax	6	7	6	1	30%
13	The cabin shall provide accessibility to users with any kind of disability: Physical, Sensory or Cognitive.	Pax	7	6	8	1	40%
14	The cabin shall have a health environment for its occupants respecting air quality, humidity, pressure, temperature, contamination, illumination, and noise.	All occupants	10	3	17	1	85%
15	The cabin shall have instruments to control temperature and illumination on the seat zone.	Pax	5	6	5	1	25%
16	The cabin shall have an internal noise lower than [X] dbs.	All occupants	4	8	4	1	20%
17	The cabin shall have instruments to control the passenger cabin and the cockpit temperature separately.	Crew	7	3	11	0.95	52%
18	The cabin shall allow that users from [X%] to [Y%] percentile - according to each specific program - performs all the functions and tasks related to the cabin operation.	Attendant	6	7	6	0.95	29%
19	The cabin inboard systems such as galley, lavatory, illumination, entertainment, and cabin environment shall communicate with each other using a common language.	Ground support	8	1	15	0.85	64%
20	The cabin shall assist on safety and security checks.	Attendant	7	1	13	0.95	62%
21	The cabin shall assist the preparation and fulfillment of the on-board service tasks.	Attendant	8	3	13	0.95	62%
22	The cabin shall have instruments to assist the passengers’ boarding and deboarding. [Not necessary]	Pax	3	5	3	1	15%
23	The airplane shall have an exchange information system with ground support team to allow the filling of maintenance documents, and pre & post flight documents.	Ground support	9	4	14	0.85	60%
24	The airplane shall transmit the components status data to the ground support team.	Maintenance	10	5	15	0.8	60%
25	The airplane shall provide all the main cabin functions for the passengers, even during its time on the ground.	Pax	7	6	8	1	40%
26	The seat shall have instruments to control all of its adjustments.	Pax	5	4	6	1	30%
27	The cabin shall provide means to elevate the space perception for its occupants.	All occupants	8	3	13	1	65%

HLR ID	Final high-level requirements	Class
1	The cabin shall have tools that assist in the cleaning process.	Cleaning
2	The cabin shall have a system that enables the exchange of information between attendant and passenger.	Cabin communication
3	The cabin shall have a communication system, attendant-pax and attendant-cockpit, accessible to the attendant on any part of the cabin.	Cabin communication
4	The cabin shall enable the battery charging and internet connection of any type of Personal Electronic Device (PED).	Entertainment
5	The In-flight Entertainment & Connectivity (IFEC) system shall allow the customization of its content such apps, language, theme.
6	The cabin shall provide an immersion between the passenger and the cabin entertainment system.
7	The aircraft shall have a compartment for the user’s hand luggage that is easily accessible and helps on the luggage storage.	Baggage handling
8	The aircraft shall provide uninterrupted connectivity during all the flight phases. [Excluding certification requirements that must be attended].	Connectivity
9	The cabin shall provide accessibility to users with any kind of disability: Physical, Sensory or Cognitive.	Flexibility
10	The cabin shall have a health environment for its occupants respecting air quality, humidity, pressure, temperature, contamination, illumination, and noise.	Cabin environment
11	The cabin shall have instruments to control the passenger cabin and the cockpit temperature separately.	Cabin environment
12	The cabin inboard systems such galley, lavatory, illumination, entertainment, and cabin environment shall communicate with each other using a common language.	Cabin tasks
13	The cabin shall assist on safety and security checks.	Safety checks
14	The cabin shall assist the preparation and fulfillment of the on-board service tasks.	Boarding service
15	The airplane shall have an exchange information system with ground support team to allow the filling of maintenance documents, and pre & post flight documents.	Support
16	The airplane shall transmit the components status data to the ground support team.	Support
17	The cabin shall provide means to elevate the space perception for its occupants.	Cabin comfort

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