Aviation

Boeing Commits to Partnership with Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025

In order to support wounded, injured, and ill servicemen and women worldwide, Boeing announced a multi-year commitment to the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 and the Invictus Games Foundation.

Boeing will invest in the Invictus Games Foundation, the nonprofit organization that oversees the Invictus Games, in addition to sponsoring the inaugural Invictus Winter Hybrid Games, to support the organization’s comprehensive resources and programmes for both physical and mental recovery.

The 2025 Games are scheduled for February 8–16, 2025, and will feature wheelchair curling, alpine skiing, snowboarding, biathlon, Nordic skiing, skeleton, and indoor rowing in addition to the wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, swimming, and indoor rowing that are the main events of the Invictus Games.

“Boeing’s continued commitment to the welfare of our global community is demonstrated by its extended support.” As demonstrated by their emphasis on recovery and employability, Boeing’s workforce and leadership are deeply connected with respect for the armed forces, according to Dominic Reid OBE, CEO of the Invictus Games Foundation. “They help ensure that our sport recovery opportunities are available year-round for all members of our community because of their unique connection to our work beyond the Games.”

Boeing’s partnership with the 2025 Games builds on a longstanding commitment to veterans and their families. Prior to this, Boeing sponsored the Invictus Games in Sydney (2018), The Hague (2020), and Düsseldorf (2023).

Boeing gave more than $12.3 million in 2023 to support global programmes for the recovery, rehabilitation, and workforce transition of veterans. Boeing supports Canadian veterans and their families in Canada through partnerships with Veterans’ House, True Patriot Love, Citadel Canine Society, and Perley Health.

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.