Help create future airplane cabin for Japanese
 

Hi all Japan experts!

I’m a doctoral student at Aalto University in Helsinki, and I’m working in a project where we aim to design an airplane cabin for Japanese markets in year 2025. The project has just started and I ask help from the almighty community :) You can find more information at the bottom.


Do you, or someone you know, have insights into all or any one of these:

1) Any factors that are characteristic to Japanese in terms of culture, demographics, lifestyle, or basically anything that could have relevance for aircraft cabin design - we don't know yet what to ask so keep an open mind :)

2) Trends and megatrends, relevant or analogous to cabin design in the Japanese market - anything from general trends to trends directly related to air travel.

3) Someone else or any place (location, website, event, online forum, report, knowledgeable person …) who might have useful information or leads.

4) Have you made some solution of your own for example to help in traveling in Japan or on airplanes?

5) Whatever comes to your mind that may help in designing a cabin for future Japanese markets that I did not realize to ask!


You can also spread this message. Thank you!

Feel free to answer here for everyone, or if you wish so, you can send me email too.


Samuli Mäkinen
samuli.makinen@aalto.fi




--------------------------------
Some background:
Among other approaches, we will be implementing the lead user method to identify lead users, experts, trends, analogous areas and so forth, during the early phases of the project. This is the reason we ask for your help.

We would love to hear if you have any knowledge regarding the topic, or if you are aware of some relevant solutions, and/or if you know someone who could help us further. We would like to hear of absolutely anything that is or might be related to the design of cabin for Japanese market in 2025+. It can be related to anything from a cultural factor, some person, a news article, online forum to a trend/megatrend, technology - basically anything.

Concerning this term analogous areas; as you may know, what is common knowledge in other field, may be inspiring or new in the context you work in. For example, ABS brakes now common in all modern cars, were originally brought to car industry from the aircraft carriers where there was a need to have the jet planes stop within a short distance. The need was the same but the context was different. Then again, all seemingly obvious things like cultural aspects and trends in traveling are valuable and what may be basics for you, is likely news to us. Keep an open mind!

Do you mean passenger sheet by "cabin"? or cockpit?

I had experienced designing a product for Japan by studying 200 sample people. These kind of accurate information will not be provided for free.

Hi, I meant cabin, the space for passengers and cabin crew.

I'm aware that there are multiple studies related to Japanese and other nationalities made worldwide.

I'm trying to learn what is happening today and what people may want in the future. Those who travel but are not airplane designers (I'm really not either myself) and thus can't build planes for themselves :) can communicate their future needs and other information if they wish so.

Japanese air line "ANA" provided many advices for design team of Boeing 787.

Last year, I talked with one of my friends who works as a pilot in ANA. I told him "I have just had a flight on 787." and he told me it must be a nice flight. I did not understand what he meant.

Then he pointed out 2 points of advantage of 787.

1) 787 has very little air leak to keep the pressure in the cabin. I experienced very light ear troubles.
2) As 787 has carbon fuselage, ANA can use humidifier to have comfortable humidity for passenger. Metal fuselage does not allow humidifier to result dry circumstance.

Does it help?