“A new technology for a new world”: Pexco Aerospace develops AirShield to enhance passenger wellbeing on commercial flights

• Pexco’s AirShield technology reduces shared air particles between neighboring passengers by 76 percent
• AirShield more than doubles the rate at which air particles are removed from the cabin
• 89 percent of passengers feel more comfortable travelling on a plane with Pexco’s AirShield installed
• 91 percent believe having AirShield installed demonstrates an airline is taking care of them
• Pexco’s AirShield is a finalist in the prestigious Crystal Cabin Awards 2022 which celebrates ground-breaking innovation in the aviation industry. Discover more: www.flyairshield.com

UNION GAP, WA: Pexco Aerospace today announces it has acquired AirShield from Seattle-based design company, Teague. Deploying almost 50 years’ experience in aerospace engineering and manufacturing to fine-tune the design and performance of the technology – Pexco has spent two years developing AirShield from a concept to an air management system proven to reduce shared air between passengers.

Installed over the top of existing passenger air vents, Pexco’s AirShield works in harmony with existing HEPA filtration systems in the aircraft cabin to personalize passenger airflow, re-directing purified air around and in-between each passenger to create protective air barriers. These create uniform airflow throughout the cabin, minimizing the sharing of exhaled air and increasing the rate at which spent air is removed.

Following rigorous testing in partnership with several of the world’s leading airlines, Pexco’s AirShield has been proven to reduce the spread of airborne particles and odors in the cabin, enhancing the onboard experience for all passengers but especially those in economy class.

Using a combination of both computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and on-wing tests aboard B737 and A320 aircraft, Pexco’s AirShield technology reduces shared air particles between neighboring passengers in an economy cabin by 76 percent¹. It also doubles the rate at which particles are expelled from the cabin and replaced by freshly purified air, while being 50 percent quieter than standard air vents. While Pexco’s AirShield reshapes air flow from the vents it does not alter the temperature of the cabin or the volume of air supplied beyond that of a traditional air vent, ensuring passengers can reap the benefits of the improved inflight experience it offers.

Jon Page, President of Pexco Aerospace, comments: “We all want our personal space to be protected from unwanted germs and smells when we fly, especially in economy class, and AirShield provides that. With mask wearing being phased out, it is the ‘virtual social distance’ the industry needs, providing every passenger with what they want most - a premium and personalized inflight experience.”

With aircraft cabins now returning to full capacity and passengers no longer mandated to wear face masks onboard, there is anxiety from some travelers about returning to the sky. While HVAC systems onboard commercial aircraft are already effective, AirShield offers an additional layer of protection from airborne germs of all kinds while also enhancing the inflight experience – restricting unwanted odors from entering a passenger’s personal space.

In an independent passenger opinion survey ², 91 percent agree that AirShield makes them feel like an airline is taking care of them, while 89 percent would feel more comfortable flying with AirShield post-pandemic. 86 percent of respondents also stated they would choose to fly with an airline that has Pexco’s AirShield installed over one without.

Page adds: “AirShield elevates the standard of passenger wellbeing to a new level at an important time for the airline industry - reinforcing its long-term commitment to ever-increasing levels of safety and comfort. The easy-to-install technology creates breathing zones that maximize the performance of the HEPA filtration system, without the need for airframe modifications or special tools required for installation. We have purposely designed AirShield this way to prevent any barriers to adoption and ensure our innovation can improve the flying experience for as many passengers as possible.”

Pexco’s AirShield is an extremely lightweight product designed to be simple to manufacture and quick to install on an aircraft. With its new, unique design consisting of a three-piece clip-together assembly, installation can be completed during overnight aircraft maintenance. Crucially for airlines, because Pexco’s AirShield does not impact passenger’s entering or exiting from their seats and is not located in the head-strike zone, there is no need for expensive seat re-certification processes – meaning AirShield has the potential to be installed and ready to enhance the inflight experience for passengers around the world this year.

Pexco’s AirShield is expected to be certified with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) by July 2022 and
is a finalist in the prestigious Crystal Cabin Awards 2022.

Discover more: www.flyairshield.com

¹ Tests conducted assuming B737 and A320 aircraft cabins were at maximum capacity and no passengers were wearing face masks.
² Independent IPSOS survey of 1,000 US-based passengers who have traveled for leisure within the last two years. Survey conducted November 2020.
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Notes to editors:

About Pexco Aerospace:

Founded in 1973, Pexco Aerospace (a Transdigm company) is a world-leading manufacturer of aircraft related components and assemblies for commercial aerospace applications. Our highly engineered solutions have been utilized on thousands of programs and critical applications including many of today’s most innovative and groundbreaking programs, including the Boeing 787. Headquartered in Union Gap, Washington, Pexco Aerospace has long been recognized as the leading supplier of plastic extrusions and fabrications by Boeing and many other aerospace OEMs, we provide quality, custom products that meet the most demanding standards. Discover more: www.pexcoaerospace.com

Media contact:
Liam Andrews
liam@xl-comms.com
+44 (0)7552 236 724