Though the designs have changed, the planes of choice have remained mostly the same. Gleis’s clients generally prefer larger commercial aircraft from Boeing and Airbus. It is crucial to have the most amount of space possible for these custom designed planes, Gleis said, because comfortability is a high priority for the plane owners who spend lots of time in the air traveling internationally.
‘That size airframe allows for more “home-like” amenities such as a full size bed, shower, dining room, etc,’ Gleis continued. ‘It’s really not very comfortable to fly in a smaller aircraft like a Gulfstream, Falcon or Global Express for 10-14 hours, believe me, I’ve done it. You still arrive tired and sore from the long flight in a smaller cabin.
‘However, the larger the aircraft the fewer places you can fly and needless to say, the more expensive they are to own and operate. You need special support equipment on the ground and minimum runway lengths, along with other factors that come into play. What type of aircraft you choose is really defined by your individual needs.’
Another important aspect of the plane’s interior design is weight – which especially concerns the furniture allowed on board.
The tables, chairs, closets and even cabinets on these custom jets differ substantially from their counterparts on land – given that they have to stay steady while flying through the air.
The process of plane-proofing these materials is very specific, and is similar to techniques used on cars.
Gleis said: ‘Keep in mind, whatever is in a plane has to fly through the air at 500+ mph, withstand temperatures below -30, be light as a feather, comfortable as the softest pillow, strong as the devil himself, safe as in your mother’s arms and pass all the red tape the government can muster up. The aircraft will expand at altitude, sometimes as much as 3-4 inches. Everything aboard has to perform at altitude the same way it does on the ground. It has always been a mystery to me how they can make a tightly fitting door or closet work both on the ground and in flight.
‘In order to achieve the strength and weight requirements most of the furnishings and cabinetry are made of composite material laminated to a light weight honeycomb. The fine wood grain and inlays you see on the cabinets is a very thin laminate covered with multiple layers of polyurethane and a two part clear coat, similar, but much thicker, to the finish used on cars.
‘The end result is a beautiful high gloss finish on a cabinet that weighs 10 per cent of what it would if it were made out of the actual wood and about 10 times as strong.’