When this Citation 750 arrived at Duncan Aviation’s full-service facility in Battle Creek, Michigan, the interior was simple, beige, and lacked any pattern or design. The headrests were uncomfortable and didn’t function well, the seat design was plain and standard, and the interior was worn. The experts at Duncan Aviation completely overhauled the aircraft’s interior and exterior, turning it into a masterpiece that will withstand the test of time.
Focus on Seating
The owner of the aircraft envisioned a classic updated scheme that included subtle patterns in a cool grey, almost navy color scheme. Highlights of the interior included quilted double-stitched diamond pattern inserts in the seats and dark, rich navy sidewalls.
“He wanted the seats to be the stars,” said Duncan Aviation Lead Designer Heather Pridemore. “The contouring shape of the seats, accentuated with blue accent stitch lines, make the seats feel taller and definitely help them stand out.”
The stitching was done using Duncan Aviation’s new state-of-the-art CNC machine that allows the upholstery team to create perforation, multi-color sewing, and multi-color embroidery on aircraft seats and panels.
“This machine allows us to control the quality and turntimes, and lets our imaginations run wild with possible designs,” says Duncan Aviation’s Upholstery Team Leader Travis Smith. “The designs are pretty close to endless with what we can do on quilted panels.”
The owner liked the dark, cool grey theme in his interior, but wanted to bring in a splash of color. The result was dark, rich blue lower sidewalls that give a classic, yet unique look to the interior. They tie in perfectly with the blue stitching on the seats.
The carpet is another highlight of the interior. The owner told Pridemore he wanted a darker carpet, so she picked a pattern that had light accents in it to help balance the darkness of the lower sidewalls and the lightness of the seats.
“Everything tied in so well together,” said Pridemore. “Being a small aircraft, it was a priority to make everything look and feel cohesive and flow seamlessly.”
Pridemore incorporated black composite ebony veneer, and updated all the plating to a satin chrome finish. The result is a straightforward, classic, clean, and updated interior.
Exterior Coordination
The owner came to us with an idea of what he wanted for the exterior, and Pridemore made tweaks until it was perfected. The result was a scheme that brings the outside of the aircraft to the inside, highlighted by navy blues, silver, and gold accents.
The finished product was a modern classic, sleek look that Pridemore said fit perfectly on the Citation without looking overwhelming.
“The long, lean lines running aft to forward made the Citation look bigger than it actually is,” explained Pridemore. “The lines pull the aircraft, making it feel longer and more spacious.”
While the aircraft was down, Duncan Aviation technicians also performed a few minor maintenance due items and installed the Collins Pro Line Fusion integrated avionics system and the Collins Venue cabin management system.
