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Continued from page 24 SKYTHEATER TAKES MOVIES TO THE MAX completions Earlier this year, a flying theater rolled up to the Signature FBO on Teterboro Airport's SkyTheater. And as if life had determined to create a movie script for him, Launer's first cus- ,rake6 & refurbs south side in the form of a Global Express tomer and later friend was Alexander Zuyev, XRS equipped with an entertainment system the pilot who defected in spectacular man- called SkyTheater. With it came SkyTheater ner from the former Soviet Union in 1989, at founder Gregg Launer, 52, a friendly bear of a the same time delivering a MiG-29 into west- Goodrich Near Completion man who tries for modesty but whose enthu- ern hands. "He loved America and would have Last year, United Technologies speaking with a potential 787 customer siasm spills close to hubris when he describes the most incredible Fourth of July parties. But agreed to the acquisition of Goodrich who is a repeat client," said Jonas, "and the custom-built entertainment package as instead of beer and burgers, he would serve in a deal that called for UT to shell out the talks are pretty far along." being to the average movie experience what vodka and caviar. It was his belief in me that $16.5 billion cash and assume $1.9 Grecnpoint Technologies is cur- Sofia Vergara is to simply being female. Launer helped launch SkyTheater." billion in assumed debt. The acquisition rently modifying two 747-8s delivered by UT was to be finalized by the end of is something of a likeable version of Steven last month. from Boeing and installing the center's Jobs. His knowledge in the world of sound is Getting Off the Ground The acquisition would bring to UT such that he frequently stops and searches his Launer's first theater in the sky was for busi- Goodrich's rapidly growing interi- vocabulary for language that the average lis- nessman and entrepreneur Wayne Huizenga ors business, much of it acquired by tener will understand. And frequently failing, of Blockbuster and the airplane was a BAC Goodrich in 2010 from DeCrane Aero- he will offer an apology and start over. In his 1-11. Then came a Boeing 727-200 and Launer space. Goodrich describes the seating. cabin management and entertainment own circle, he is often described by clients as was off and running. systems and cabinetry as part of its a genius. To lesser human beings, his thoughts It was a time when digital technology "total cabin capability" for everything in seem to run like a pinball through the random was in its infancy and the reliability was still business jet cabin components. light and sound of an arcade game, with a pur- in question. So Launer devised a way for all pose difficult to recognize. the soundtracks to play through a single sys- Leather and Lace ". a true audiophile, and what • tem (either 7.1 or 5.1 surround sound), with Comes from Edelman building is a sensory experience that will so 19-inch touchscreen, video monitor/control- Edelman Leather has introduced a new Leather & Lace line, inspired by the work StandardAero in Springfield. Ill. does major completely absorb my clients that it becomes lers throughout the cabin and two 43-inch of artists from the studios of Belgium. refurbishment on large- to small-cabin jets. reality and they lose themselves in the world plasma monitors. "Ten years later," claims Hungary and Slovakia and transferred "Anything that can be done with an interior. we do that the director or cameraman or composer Launer, "that airplane was still state of the art." through the use of laser etching and in Springfield." says StandardAero's Scott Taylor. In the late 1990s some of those working for cutting technology. producer/director George Lucas' Skywalker Inspired by the die-cut felt work of Jas- Acroloft rest area in each before further Ranch happened to listen to the SkyTheater per Morrison. the Dutch designers have delivery of the airplanes to other comple- system Launer had installed in the 727. He was introduced to the M000i. Smog and Vitra tion centers for outfitting. immediately recruited and spent the next two The Acroloft is located in the area years-off and on-there, working and learning. above the main deck and aft of the Launer remembers being "incredibly fortu- upper-deck, forward lounge in the nate" to be part of a group that was "setting executive 747. It was designed, engi- the standards that still exemplify visual film neered and is built by Greenpoint. The ffi and movie soundtracks today." center is licensed by Boeing to do the necessary modifications and installa- SkyTheater founder Gregg tion. It will receive EASA certification Launer put nearly 1.000 this year and adds 393 additional sq movies into a Global ft to the 4,786 ft in the main deck and Express Avod. upper lounge. created," he explains. "I Sloan Benson, executive v-p at build every system as if it Greenpoint, said interest is growing in were going into my own the Aerolift elevator it designed for the Edelman's new Leather & Lace line is a airplane. I want to impress new play on age-old craftsmanship from 747-8. "We're expecting to book one even myself, and • my Belgium. Hungary and Slovakia. later this year." own worst critic." Greenpoint has contracts to modify His earliest memories lines hauntingly elegant chandeliers by three more 747-8s for the Acroloft. Two are of music and the- Diller Scofidio & Renfro for Swarovski, of them, like the first two, will go on to ater and lying awake in and the collections of Prada, McQueen. other centers for installation of the Aer- Louis and Lanvin. bed and listening to leg- oloft kit and for the full interior com- Edelman's artists describe the results endary DJ Cousin Brucie of this new line on its Cavallini hair-on pletion. A fifth green 747-8 will arrive lay down a cascade of rock and roll on New In the meantime, Launer had formed a Sky- hides as "chic and fun." Other leath- next year and remain at Greenpoint for York's powerhouse WABC. Even decades Theater partnership in Fort Lauderdale with ers appropriate for the Leather & Lace full outfitting. It will be the Kirkland, later, one of his favorite toys at home is a friend and fellow traveler Andrew Guenther, designs include Napoli and Royal Suede. Wash. center's first green completion Rock-Ola Jukebox. "When you listen to Dean who owns Advanced Audio Design, a home- of a twin-aisle airplane, an appropriate theater firm in Sarasota, Fla. Metrica Aviation Makes Martin, or Elvis, or Chuck Berry on a jukebox, way to mark Greenpoint's 25th anniver- Move at Nuremberg Airport you're hearing rock and roll the way it was "He handles a lot of the equipment and Maintenance, repair and overhaul sary in the business. made to be heard," he avows. designs the electronics that make everything specialist Aero-Dienst. in the process Gore Design Completion delivered And he recalls a summer when his parents work. Andrew does a guy's home theater, and of increasing its usable space at two twin-aisle airplanes in 2011: a 767 to took him on vacation to the Deauville Beach if the guy owns an airplane, SkyTheater does Germany's Nuremberg Airport with a central Asian head of state and a 777. Resort in Miami Beach, where The Supremes the cabin entertainment," says Launer. another hangar. has added 27,000 sq Kathy Gore Walters, co-founder and were performing. "They were in the room Guenther's talent and influence is such, ft and considerable refurbishment president, said the company expects to expertise through a partnership with across the hall from us, and Mary Wilson and claims Launer, "that high-end audiovisual elec- deliver its first BBJ3 in June for a Middle Metrica Aviation Interior. Flo Ballard shared a cabana next to ours. I was tronics manufacturers will often come to him "We are now able to offer an East client, and in the same month to turn too young to attend the show, but the resort for his input before introducing some new operator interior repair and refur- over an ACJ320 for a central Asian client. manager had mercy on me, took me by the technology at a major trade show." bishment simultaneous with other Later this year, Gore design expects also hand and put me in the front row? Among Guenther's home theater custom- maintenance, all under one roof." said to deliver two ACJ340s By the age of 18, Launer held a first-class ers are movie actor John Travolta, basketball Aero-Dienst managing director Mar- Pats Aircraft Systems continues to radiotelephone license from the FCC and by 19 coach Pat Riley, singer Gloria Estefan "and tin Bauer. The two companies began install its FAA-certified auxiliary fuel sys- working together in January this year was an audio engineer producing music tracks more who prefer not to be named," he says. and Metrica has already completed tems in BBJs. "We've done more than 140 at NBC in Miami. And along the way, he also Though focused on two different theater several refurbishments. aux fuel systems installations on behalf indulged what he describes as his alternative markets, Guenther and Launer are involved Metrica is an established business, a of Boeing," said senior v-p of sales and passion of flying, picking up his private license together in a music project designed to subsidiary of Qatar's Ghanim bin Saad al marketing John Eichten. and going on to become a flight instructor. "recruit and produce live venues for musicians Saad and Sons Group Holdings. At the age of 32, he and wife, Blanche, CISMITED formed a company that two years later became Continues on page 28 26 Aviation International News • July 2012 • EFTA01132461 ompletiQns ,a;ekerakes & refurbs lacobucel Shines at EBACE lacobucci HF appeared at EBACE with a new espresso maker for the business Eichten said Pats did a nine-year jet galley and a galley cart that doesn't look out of place on a large private jet. maintenance check on a BBJ last year The 28V espresso machine does not and included a major refurbishment work with the usual boiler but with at the same time. The center has also patented heat exchangers to ensure sent out "quite a number of bids" on instant and continuous operation with- BBJs due for the 12-year maintenance out waiting for the water to reheat check, and all include "substantial after each use. In addition. the heat refurbishment work." exchanger makes for a much lighter machine. and its "open system" allows King Aerospace is looking toward the use of all easy-serve espresso pods. the bizliner business for a boost. "We're A private lavatory in a narrow-body baliner features The serving cart. created by in discussions now with international liberal use of dark veneer and a marble countertop. DesignworksUSA. features attachable customers for executive conversions "skins" or even transparent windows to and even a green airplane comple- allow passengers to see available items. For tion," said Jerry King. "And they're all use in a private jet. the top surface can be SkyTheater I Continued from modified for a more formal appearance. widebodies." "We brought the style. fit and finish According to David Edinger, CEO at in unique multi-channel surround-sound, as explains that simply having a Blu-ray player or that customers expect to find in pre- Comlux America in Indianapolis, many well as to promote them to the film and televi- Avod and an HD monitor does not ensure an mium environments at home to enhance of the early Airbus A3I9s and Boeing sion industries for soundtrack recordings." HD experience. "You have to have the band- their on-board experience." said Lau- Business Jets have had minimal cabin In 2007, "an executive closely associated width to carry the signal that will allow 1080p renz Schaffer. president of BMW Group DesignworksUSA. with the Internet industry came to Launer between the origin and the final destination." with his new Global Express XRS, and made it While the system in the Global Express dear that what he wanted was far beyond any- XRS is now almost four years old, and thing off-the-shelf." In 2008 the airplane was SkyTheater has since done several more air- delivered with a complete and custom-built planes, including Donald Trump's recently SkyTheater that includes: completed Boeing 757, the entertainment • 1080p high-bandwidth wiring throughout package in the XRS remains, he claims, • monitors and speakers "years ahead of anything else." • audiovisual on-demand (Avod) with a library Warren Justice, chief pilot on the Global, of more than 1,000 movies. chuckles when he remembers his first meeting • a SkyTheater app to allow passengers to with Launer, "a big guy dressed like a biker and An espresso maker and an executive galley cart use personal iPhones and iPads to control all wearing a black beret. But he knew what he are two new items from Italy's lacobucci aspects of the entertainment system. was talking about and no one in this company AlrGilde Coatings Cut Fuel Burn • a customized touch-screen control package. has regretted listening," Justice continues. Aviation marketing consultancy Action "The owner can also customize the sound "I've never heard anything like what he put Aviation has signed an exclusive distri- balance in the cabin by simply going through into this airplane. Even after it was installed, bution agreement with AirGlide. a UK A technician in the Goodrich interiorpaint shop in the field until he finds a 'flavor he likes," he insisted on going with us on a flight test to company that claims that its new Avia- Wichita applies finish to a piece of cabin cabinetry. explains Launer. "In this particular airplane," tune the sound for cruise at 41,000 feet. He tion Shield nano-technology coating can says Launer, "SkyTheater is pre-tuned for the personally programmed the individual con- result in fuel-burn savings of about 4 upgrades since they entered service some owner's personal tastes to reproduce audio trols. It was so well thought out that the owner percent through a drag reduction of up 12 years ago, and the cabin electronics arc to 40 percent. identical to what he would hear in the Holly- went right into it on the first day and didn't practically antique. According to Action Aviation's web- wood Bowl or Lincoln Center or some other need a single lesson." site. an ACJ318 on a two-hour flight Edinger said Comlux America, part popular venue." Since installation, the airplane has been all might burn 9.500 pounds of fuel. With of The Comlux Group in Switzerland, is over the world and not a single component of the AirGlide coating. the same aircraft "really starting to roll." Totally Absorbed in the Moment the entertainment system has needed to be would burn 200 pounds less fuel over He told AIN the first green airplane Putting SkyTheater through its paces on changed, said Justice. However, he adds, on that same route. has been delivered-an ACJ3I9-and it the Global, Launer selects surround sound and Other advantages include reducing the several occasions, when the airplane was pass- came in 1,000 pounds below the comple- carbon footprint. reducing cleaning and asks visitors to walk through the entire cabin, ing through Florida with a stop-over, Launer maintenance costs and greater protec- tion allowance weight. It also tested with to sit anywhere they like, even lie on the floor has insisted on coming out to see if the system tion against corrosion and erosion. It an average cabin noise level of 48 dB(SIL), and note any change in the audio. His grin was still properly tuned. also means. the company claims, that "about what you might expect in a sub- broadens as not one individual professes to The system is not inexpensive, allows Jus- the exterior paint will last longer. urban living room, and it was under the detect a difference. tice. Just a little north of a million dollars. But projected noise level by 3 dB(SIL)." Launer goes on to select Star Wars Episode he adds, "If this is what you want, you'll defi- AkzoNobel Wins Currently undergoing refurbishment Airbus Approval In: Return of the Jedi, picking the scene of the nitely get what you pay for. I don't know how is a Boeing 757 and a pair of Airbus AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings of the chase on Ewok speeder bikes through the for- we could have done any better." Netherlands has received approval of its ACJs. In the second quarter this year, est of Endor. "Now listen closely," he advises. Theo Kalomirakis, president of Theo Kal- Aerobase base coat and Aviox UVR clear- a BBJ to be outfitted for Hyundai was As the action roars across the screen, it is per- omirakis Theaters of Brooklyn,., is one of coat system from Airbus as an option. scheduled to roll into the Comlux han- fectly paced by the sound in that reality, "and the foremost designers of home theaters in The system allows selective removal gar. Comlux America is approved by if I hadn't told you to listen, you would have the world and has consistently turned down of only the base coat/clear coat in both Airbus and Boeing for interior been totally absorbed by the experience with- requests to do an in-flight theater. "I have preparation for repainting, leaving outfitting. "We want to focus on BBJs the original primer intact and thereby out realizing why. been skeptical of the ability of anyone to con- and ACJs and do this segment well and saving the aircraft owner time and "What I aim for is not only a perfect audio trol sound in such an environment," he told money. according to the Amsterdam- on time," said The Comlux Group pres- system, but one that is perfectly synchronized AIN. "What Gregg designed and built on that based company. ident Richard Gaona. with the film," he says. Global Express is the first serious system I've Further. AkzoNobel said the system Lufthansa Technik in Hamburg, Ger- But is it high-definition? Launer expresses heard. Gregg has tamed the beast" "was developed in line with one of Air- many, is working on a Boeing 767 execu- mock surprise at the question. Then he admits But it isn't just a matter of being good bus's key objectives to produce aircraft tive interior and is looking for two 747-8s that not everything in the Global's film bank that are friendlier to the environment at what you do, says Launer. "It's a matter to roll in by year-end. and more eco-efficient." The base coat/ is HD; however, he also points out that with of passion, and of loving what you do. Think of Walter Heerdt, Lufthansa's senior clear coat system is ready for use in the technology to tune the system properly, SkyTheater as a personal transporter la la Star series production. v-p of marketing and sales, expects the even a pre-digital recording will be rendered Trek]. You step into it in New York City and you in sufficient high definition as to be almost step out of it in Los Angeles, and everything in Continues on page 30 tinues on page 30 unrecognizable as anything else. And he also between was just a moment in time." —K.J.H. 28 Aviation International News • July 2012 • EFTA01132462