I had a soft spot for Mirus Aircraft Seating, with their range of Hawk seats. Well, it seems that they wish to move into the ultra-lightweight categories with their new Kestrel seat.
The Kestral comes in at 7.5kg, making it an ultralight seat, with a fixed back. It is targeted at low-cost and ultra-low-cost carriers, with it designed to be pitched at 28″.
Now, I can see some of you running away. But hold your horses. I spent some time sitting in the seat with a representative and I think they’re onto a winner here with this design if an airline goes down this route
Whilst the seat is thinly padded, it was pre-reclined for comfort, with the back having a bucket-like back. What was more impressive is how much legroom there was, with a clear when sitting legs apart. Even when sitting legs closed, there were a good few centimetres between my legs and the seat back.
The weight factor is interesting – the model shown was fully dressed to give a 7.5kg, which when airlines are seeking to save fuel – every gram matters.
The design is configurable to customer requirements, for example, Personal Electronic Devices holders, document holders and USB ports can be added to the seat and integrated as required.
The seat also has a low part count – meaning that maintence of them will be a doddle, as well as low-cost over the life of the seat.
In Quotes
CEO of Mirus Aircraft Seating, Ben McGuire, said:
“We have adopted a zero-compromise mentality with the design of Kestrel to offer maximum living space, privacy and comfort whilst delivering an elegant, modern aesthetic. Whilst initially intended for the shorter-range market, the exceptional comfort and living space Kestrel offers means we are seeing strong interest from airlines flying much longer routes as they seek maximum cabin densification without compromising passenger comfort. We are working with a group of airlines in strategic markets and expect to announce our initial launch customers later this year.
“Currently available for Airbus A320 and B737 aircraft types, Kestrel is a game-changer in enhancing cabin appearance, reducing weight, reducing cost of ownership and extending seat life compared to previous generation economy seats, and probably all of the seats being offered in the market today.”
There is plenty of space for innovation in the ultra-light categories
As airlines clamour to squeeze the maximum number of people in an aircraft, 28″ pitch seating isn’t a pipe dream – it’s real life. And that means seat manufacturers have to innovate if they want to capture this important part of the market.
Mirus Aircraft Seating offers a solution that increases the passenger living space, whilst having minimal sacrifices in comfort.
And considering the target of these seats, a little legroom could be the ultimate comfort needed for these short-haul segments.
It’ll be interesting to see which airlines Mirus can attract – they have had success with TUI and AirAsia for their Hawk seats.
Disclosure: Economy Class and Beyond was a guest of Mirus Aircraft Seating at Aircraft Interiors Expo. At the time of visiting, no photos of the new seat were allowed.
Welcome to Economy Class and Beyond – Your no-nonsense guide to network news, honest reviews, featuring in-depth coverage, unique research, as well as the humour and madness I only know how to deliver.
Follow me on Twitter at @EconomyBeyond for the latest updates! You can follow me on Instagram too!
Also remember that we are part of the BoardingArea community, bringing you the latest frequent flyer news from around the world.
