The concept
In brief, EarthBay is a product replacing the cargo door, composed of large window sets and reinforced by a metallic frame structure.
A general presentation is also available in the donwloads section.
Principal features
Fixed structure
The EarthBay is designed to fit to the existing interfaces on the fuselage side. But the opening and locking functions of the cargo door are removed.
Large windows
Each set of windows is composed of several layers of transparent material, each one with a specific function (impact protection, pressure sealing, redundancy). Replacement of the sets is integrated in the design specifications.
Stiffening structure
The windows are tightly assembled on a framing structure composed of aluminum and titanium materials. This structure is then fixed to the fuselage.
Retrofit solution
Airlines can take advantage of this solution with a heavy maintenance campaign, which is also the opportunity to renovate the cabin. Even if the cost to convert the cargo hold may be significant, the increase of revenues will allow an interesting return on investment.
Operation limitations
The converted cargo hold will be accessible once in cruise conditions. During the taxiing, the take-off and the landing, the passengers will remain on their seats on the main deck for security reasons. Cargo would be loaded in the remaining bay, which is sufficient in many cases.
Certification
The product is committed to comply with all regulatory requirements in order to obtain the necessary supplemental type certificate.
Cargo Hold adaptation
For long-range aircrafts, the cargo hold height is similar to the mid-size business jets category. In order to improve comfort, it is possible to have a lowered aisle in the center: it will allow more height, comparable to the large-size business jets category.
