A visit to the Airbus mock-up centre - with full-scale cabins from all Airbus aircraft

A mock-up centre is a mecca for those who are interested in commercial air traffic and aircraft interiors, and the staff in place are both professional and knowledgeable. They can answer anything you have ever pondered while you were soaring through the skies, for example, why the lighting is poor on board or why the toilet looks like it does. The centre is used for visitors of all kinds as well as airlines, including purchasers and cabin managers who want to get information and inspiration for important decisions and future investments, which often end up in the millions. However, it is not possible to visit the centre as a private person, access is only given at the invitation of Airbus to booked groups who have a legitimate reason to go there. Normally, photography is strictly prohibited, but being media a photo permit was granted to us.

Airbus A380 mock-up

Airbus A350

The model of the Airbus A350 is, of course, the latest addition to the collection and the one that currently draws the most interest. The Airbus A350 has been a sales success and the aircraft has received much attention. We entered the aircraft at the back, in what would normally be called door 4. Economy class was at the back of the plane, as always, and it was unfortunately the only thing we got to see. The front part, which previously housed business class, was being rebuilt for first class. As this was not quite ready, we were not allowed to enter the front of the aircraft. At present, not a single airline has ordered the Airbus A350 with a business class cabin, something both Airbus and a series of seat manufacturers probably would like to change. However, only one airline has so far received delivery of the aircraft, most will have to wait a few years, therefore, there is still time to change requirements with regard to the cabin interior. It would have been nice to see what ideas Airbus cabin designers have with regard to a first class cabin design on the A350, a design that could well influence visitors and buyers.

The Airbus A350 XWB mock-up The cabin in economy class was the same as the test aircraft which Airbus have previously showcased. With the window guards pulled down, it was almost impossible to tell that we were not sitting in a real aircraft. This model incorporated the same luggage racks, lighting effects and electronics as the test aircraft. A fun aspect of the model was the variety of seats and configurations in the cabin. This offered the opportunity, for example, to compare a seat with 32 inches of legroom to a seat with 34 inches. One new member of the Airbus team told us about a new type of lighting effect they are working on, which can project, for example, company logos onto different surfaces. Close to the model was an exhibition with several smaller models of the Airbus A350. Here you could see the interior of the 900 and 1000 models from above, including both the passenger cabins and cockpit, as well as all other concealed spaces.

Model of the Airbus A350-1000

Airbus A320

Our next visit was to Airbus’ popular short-haul aircraft, the Airbus A320, which today can be seen at virtually all airports in Europe. In a year, a new model will be released, the Airbus A320 NEO. Interior-wise, it was actually an Airbus A321 that was on display, which is a little longer than the A320. At the front there was a proper business class cabin with business class seats in a 2-2 configuration, the same seat model which airlines such as Aeroflot use in Europe. On the tables were trays, glasses and porcelain to further simulate the atmosphere you get while flying on a real aircraft.

Airbus A320 business class mock-up cabin Business class was followed by several sections of economy class, with four common seat models on display. These seats are currently used by a number of airlines, such as Lufthansa, Air France and Swiss. Again they experimented with seat pitch (legroom) and seat width. We got to experience, for example, the difference between the 17 inch and 18 inch seat width and how much difference these seemingly small adjustments in width and surface actually make when it comes to sitting in the seat. For airlines that want to include in-flight entertainment on their short-haul aircraft, the cabin had also been installed with some of the different screens that are available to order from Airbus.

Airbus A320 Economy Class mock-up cabin Finally, a demonstration of Airbus’ new wheelchair accessible toilet was given. This means that a wheelchair user can get in and out of his wheelchair without assistance. This is achieved by having two toilets next to each other, which are connected on the inside via a door. By re-organising the door, you get one big toilet with adequate floor space for an aircraft adapted wheelchair.

Airbus A320 disabled toilet

Other aircraft and cabins

Unfortunately, I lost track of time in the mock-up centre and there was no time to look at any more models. It would have been very interesting to have a look at their full-scale model of the Airbus A380, which, just like in reality, has two floors. The mock-up centre is especially useful for showcasing various cabin solutions due to the plentiful space available. Otherwise, there was also a model of the Airbus A330 and Airbus A340. As these two aircraft are so similar they were merged into a single model.

Airbus A330 / Airbus A340 mock-up cabin

Airbus Corporate Jet

The most overlooked model was at the back of the hall, a model of the Airbus Corporate Jet. Airbus not only sells aircraft to airlines, but also to individuals, companies, and countries that need aircraft to transport heads of state, royalty and ministers. It would have been a lot of fun to see what ideas Airbus cabin designers had with regard to the decor of a large corporate jet. Most corporate jets are Airbus A319 / A320 as they are sufficient for the number of people who most often travel on board, although it certainly would be possible to order any of the other corporate jet aircraft.

Airbus Corporate Jet mock-up cabin