Collins Aerospace, an RTX business introduced its Helix main cabin seat for narrow body aircraft at the 2024 Aircraft Interiors Expo. Helix is intelligently engineered to reduce weight in comparison to previous generations of economy class seats while maintaining ergonomic comfort and improving living space without impacting cabin density.

"Helix seating was developed with three key pillars in mind – comfort, reliability and sustainability," said Christophe Blanc, vice president and general manager of Aircraft Seating at Collins Aerospace. "The contemporary design increases passenger living space and under seat stowage, while the seat back is optimised to accommodate a greater number of integrated inflight entertainment (IFE) solutions, literature pockets and full-sized meal trays.

High strength-to-weight composite materials and advanced design enable a definitive weight savings over similar economy class seats, reducing the overall carry weight of aircraft, associated fuel burn and carbon emissions.

A reimagined frame design not only optimises passenger seat back angles for longer lasting comfort, but also improves cushion integration – enhancing ergonomics, product longevity and consistency across cabins and fleets.

Collins is currently engaged with a number of airline customers to introduce the Helix main cabin seat into their narrowbody fleets.