It could soon be possible to fly in a wheelchair
British design house PriestmanGoode has today unveiled a new product that is set to revolutionize passengers with reduced mobility travel.
Created in partnership with Flying Disabled and SWS Certification, Air 4 All is a system that will allow powered wheelchair users to stay in their own chairs for the entire journey
At present, flying with a wheelchair involves handing the chair over to the airline on arrival at the airport and the passenger is then transferred into a smaller, less mobile ‘aisle chair’, suitable for use on the aircraft.
Boarding the plane, the passenger is transferred into their seat, often involving a good degree of manhandling by the crew. Their own wheelchair is transported in the belly hold, along with baggage and cargo.
All too frequently, this ends in the wheelchair becoming damaged or broken, leaving the passenger stranded at the other end of their trip but with Air 4 All, the passenger will be able to travel in their own powered wheelchair on the aircraft.
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The consortium has designed the solution to ensure no seat count is lost to the airline, and that the passenger can fly safely. Chris Wood MBE, Founder of Flying Disabled, commented on the product saying,
“Air 4 All is the first system that has been developed jointly by a design agency, a certification body and with input from the disabled community. With a leading global wheelchair manufacturer as well as the subsidiary of a major airline on board to develop the product, it’s a truly collaborative project.
“We’re actively working with all the necessary parties, including initial discussions with some of the key National Aviation Authorities, to ensure our solution is harmonized and fit for purpose, thus significantly improving the travel experience for severely disabled passengers.”
Air 4 All will work a bit like the ISOFIX systems in passenger cars, which will be familiar to anyone who has driven with a baby seat on board. A modification is made to both the airline seat and the wheelchair to allow both parts to attach together, providing a secure installation of the wheelchair in a seat position.
PriestmanGoode and the consortium are planning to release the first prototype of Air 4 All in December. The product has applications in the wider transportation field too, and the developers have stated they are actively looking for other partners to take this system forward for things like rail and metro.
