Perusing the range of available cabin lighting sources, a few products seem worthy to mention here. For example, Islip, N.Y.-based Aircraft Lighting International has developed new LED lighting systems that replace fluorescent lamps directly without requiring any new wiring or connectors. Meanwhile, EMTEQ, the Milwaukee-based manufacturer, is expanding into more “intelligent” lighting systems with its Daylight and Quasar lines.

The passenger cabin with its various elements including seating, tables, lights, control and connectivity systems, flooring, galleys and lavatories, is certainly one of the most important spaces on any business aircraft, and it grows more integrated and complicated every year.

Among inflight connectivity trends as observed by OnAir, the SITA/Airbus satcom connectivity provider, three key findings stand out: (1) Over 95% of passengers use the GSM network, the default for most mobile devices, for calls, text messaging, emailing and mobile data. (2) Of those passengers buying inflight Internet access, more than half use smartphones or tablet computers, reinforcing the fact that on airplanes people prefer to use mobile devices, not laptops.