Brian Richards has a unique combination of skills – an aircraft engineer by profession who also has experience of supporting people with reduced mobility. This unique combination enabled him to create an on-board wheelchair that caters for passengers and helps airlines comply with regulations and expectations.
We asked Brian to explain how he created the perfect on-board wheelchair:
Brian: “I began my career, many years ago now, as an aircraft engineer. This foundation meant I understood the design and workings of aircraft and spent decades supplying specialist equipment to the airlines. A conversation with Virgin Atlantic in 2005 made me aware of the inadequacy of on-board wheelchairs and the need to develop a new product, that supported the passenger but worked for airlines too.”
“I’ve had first-hand experience supporting people with disabilities and reduced mobility in my personal life, so I understand the difficulties they can face. This experience inspired and helped me to design the ideal on-board wheelchair.”
Brian: “For the passenger the top concerns are comfort and safety; for the airline it is product weight, ease of use and storage. The dignity of the passenger must be considered all the time, so an on-board wheelchair that provides a comfortable, safe experience is essential. We now have two models in the range, the original Airchair and Airchair II, produced to meet the latest updates to the ACAA regulations. The Airchair is robust and can take weights of up to 250kgs (550lb), so the passenger feels safe when they are seated.”
“Conversely, the Airchair only weighs 6kgs (13.2lb) and Airchair II 6.8kg (15lb), adding little weight to the aircraft and helping to save fuel. Both fold small enough to be stored in an overhead locker or dog box, negating the need to have special fixings installed. It’s extremely simple to deploy too, so the cabin crew find it very easy to use and move around the cabin.”
Brian: “Weight aside, although this is a big advantage, both models of the Airchair have a retracting backrest. This is a unique feature, which I purposely included so the cabin crew, or carer can get closer to the passenger and help them slip from the airport wheelchair to the Airchair, or from the Airchair to their seat on the aircraft. This reduces the possibility of back strain which can be a real concern for those involved and helps airlines avoid their employees suffering muscular skeletal injuries.”
“But a feature that is pertinent today is the anti-microbial powder coating on Airchair’s framework. At the time of designing the Airchair I wanted to ensure it could be cleaned and kept as hygienic as possible, so I decided to finish the framework with Sterilcoat.”
This is an anti-microbial powder coating which prevents the spread of dangerous micro-organisms, by significantly reducing microbial activity and suppressing the growth of mould, or bacteria. Of course I had no idea how important that would be today, making the Airchair and Airchair II an ideal addition to any Covid-19 compliant cabin.”
Brian: “This is a misinterpreted area of airline regulation and one that can create confusion with our customers. There is no standard or regulation for on-board wheelchairs, only specifications that make recommendations such as: ARP4120, EU 1107/2006, UK DPTAC and US DoT 14 CFR 382. However, the recent update to the US DoT regulations now specifies certain design and capability requirements for onboard wheelchairs. We have worked swiftly to adapt our original Airchair to comply with the new standards and have launched Airchair II.
Many customers ask if a Form 1 is required but we carefully explain that as the Airchair is a carry on piece of equipment and can be stored easily in the overhead lockers or dog box, Form 1 is not required. This is usually acceptable and helpful for our customers. Of course, The Airchair is released with a Certificate of Conformity (CofC).”
Brian: “The Airchair is rapidly becoming the on board wheelchair of choice for airlines across the globe. Our customers include both long and short haul airlines such as Virgin Australia, Norwegian, Eurowings, Wizz Air, FlyDubai, SAS, Aegean, Flyadeal, Cebu, Viva Aerobus, Flynas, Starlux and many, many more. As the number of passengers needing special assistance increases, being able to help them board and move around an aircraft safely, with dignity, remains our number one priority.”
