An Innovative Partnership
Sustainability-related innovation gets a boost at Jet Aviation thanks to university partners and government funding.
Jet Aviation’s Engineering team is working with the University of Applied Sciences FHNW on continuing to develop bio-based resins and sustainable composite materials for aircraft interiors. The combined team has been awarded a grant by Innosuisse, the Swiss Innovation Agency. Innosuisse will fund the university’s research efforts, and Jet Aviation will match that commitment with its own research and development efforts and investment.
This collaboration recognizes Jet Aviation’s commitment to delivering certified, customer-ready solutions that offer more sustainable choices, while meeting the aviation industry’s stringent safety standards. By partnering with the Swiss university, Jet Aviation aims to further enhance its capabilities and offerings in this area of increasing interest to the market.
Jet Aviation has long been a pioneer in the business aviation industry. The company introduced the first-ever bespoke completion for a business jet at the Paris Airshow in 1977, and continues to build on that trailblazing heritage. In 2023, the team launched a bio-based resin for composite parts, using up to 25% plant origin biological sources.
The scope of the new project aims for bio-based resins with a higher percentage of sustainably sourced materials, and covering natural fiber sandwich panels, while meeting Jet Aviation’s industry-leading acoustics performance levels. The goal is to explore more sustainable materials that could lower emissions, improve recyclability, and enhance cabin safety, while meeting required visual appearance and mechanical properties, all while cutting production costs. Emissions savings would be achieved by delivering lighter cabins that contribute to improved fuel efficiency, while also lowering the carbon footprint of the materials production process.
“This project has a really exciting scope,” said Michael Benson, Eco-Design Engineer at Jet Aviation. “FHNW brings deep technical expertise and pioneering research capabilities. The team there are looking forward to the opportunities this will provide for their students. For us, securing this funding from InnoSuisse is a major boost, as it reinforces our leading position in sustainable interior innovation in the business aviation industry.”
“FHNW brings deep technical expertise and pioneering research capabilities. The team there are looking forward to the opportunities this will provide for their students.”
“This project represents an outstanding opportunity to translate applied research into real industrial impact,” said Christian Brauner, Group Leader Lightweight Design and Composite Technologies, FHNW. “Working closely with Jet Aviation allows us to combine our research strengths in bio-based polymers, lightweight structures, and fire-safe composites with clear industrial and certification requirements. The collaboration creates a highly valuable learning and research environment for our students, researchers, and professors, while directly addressing the sustainability challenges faced by the aviation sector. The support from Innosuisse is a strong endorsement of this joint approach and enables us to accelerate innovation from the laboratory to certified aircraft interior applications.”
“Our proposal emphasized Jet Aviation’s capacity for rapid implementation of innovative solutions. We look forward to combining our proven capabilities and robust certification processes with the expertise of FNHW to continue our exploration into more sustainable options for VIP Completions,” said Laurent Grahn, Chief Engineer at Jet Aviation.
This funding follows earlier recognition of Jet Aviation’s sustainability innovation from the French government, with eco-design tax incentive secured in February 2024.