Dilip Chhabria design to change dynamics of aircraft interior market, Airworks bets big on this segment

From designing cars to interiors of a mid-size business jet for Dilip Chhabria it is a natural extension of his passion. And Airworks, a leading provider of aviation services, provided him a platform. DC Design, his company, has transformed a business jet, like never before, showcasing Indian design talent.

Developed at DC Design’s facility in Pune, the interiors showcase an asymmetrical design visible in the galley, the roof and the overall look of the cabin. The colour scheme in the interiors of the aircraft is far removed from the standard beige, brown and the like. The metallic blue has given the interiors of the jet a trendy and ethereal effect.

Vivek Gour, Managing Director of Airworks said ‘it gives us enormous pride to announce a totally Indian design’ which has an international appeal. The prototype which is on display at India Aviation has attracted serious attention. The prototype is a true depiction of the refurbishment excellence that Air Works together with Dilip Chhabria Design can offer to its customers, first in India and then in other markets too.

Air Works with tis legacy of over 60 years in the MRO business has in the last few years been focussing on strengthening its capabilities across the value chain of the MRO business. Last year the company entered into a joint venture with Scandinavian Avionics to set up an EASA certified avionics shop in India. This partnership with DC Design will help Air Works offer a one-stop solution to its customers for aircraft interiors refurbishment and avionics upgrade.

Dilip Chhabria said, “The prototype of this interior has been developed with the vision to provide customers a look and feel of the design capability, quality details and fit and finish which DC Design is well known for in the automotive community.”

Talking about growth plans of Air Works, Gour said, “Our plan is to leverage our airframe, avionics and now interiors refurbishment capabilities collectively to provide customers with an option to upgrade their aircraft both in terms of avionics (inflight entertainment, sitcom) design, comfort and ergonomics which will help them improve their flying experience as well as the value of their aircraft.”

Ravi Menon, Executive Director, said the ‘bespoke interiors’ with its international quality would be offered to the Indian market first and the world market. “There is considerable cost-saving and value-addition for the customer.” The market, he said, could be huge as the general aviation market was picking up steam.