EBACE: Acropolis Aviation builds partnerships

Acropolis is due to receive the first ACJ320 in the world during the fourth quarter of 2019. The aircraft is due to be delivered green by Airbus to Acropolis’ chosen outfitter, AMAC Aerospace before year end. AMAC will be installing a new Alberto Pinto cabin at its Basel, Switzerland facilities.  

Maintaining the tradition of making supplier announcements coinciding with Europe’s largest business aviation show, Acropolis, via AMAC Aerospace of Switzerland, has specified Rockwell Collins as cabin management system provider for the ACJ320.

Acropolis is specifying Rockwell Collins’ high-definition Venue cabin management and entertainment system; Stage on demand; Air show moving map and the company’s innovative Viet LED interior lighting system. Venue is now installed on more than 1,100 aircraft ranging from turboprops to long-range business jets and VIP aircraft. Also included in the product suite is the Stage on demand wireless streaming solution, Airshow Moving Map and the company’s innovative Viu LED interior lighting system.

The decision to keep loyal to Rockwell Collins builds on a successful relationship which first began with the introduction of Skybox IFE in 2015, through to the upgrade to Stage aboard G-NOAH earlier this year, said Acropolis CEO Jonathan Bousfield: “In choosing Rockwell Collins to provide the cabin management system for our new aircraft, we are continuing a successful relationship which began in 2015 and continues through to the introduction of Stage earlier this year.”

Bernd Schramm, Group Chief Operating Officer at AMAC Aerospace said: “We are honoured to have been selected by ACJ’s launch customer, Acropolis Aviation, for completing the first ACJ320neo in V/VIP configuration at our facility in Basel. With Rockwell Collins, we have a strong team and we look forward to continuing a fruitful relationship.”

Acropolis Aviation will benefit from Venue’s fault-tolerant, rugged fibre optic backbone, which ensures maximum system availability while providing necessary bandwidth to integrate the latest consumer technologies. It also features intuitive cabin controls for its passengers to easily manage their ride environment, both from on-board interfaces and personal devices.

Stage on demand, recently introduced on Acropolis Aviation’s ACJ319, G-NOAH, features a total content delivery solution from Rockwell Collins that will allow all its 19 VIP passengers to stream media, including Hollywood digital rights management (DRM)-protected movies and TV shows, to their personal devices from an easy-to-refresh, robust onboard server through wireless access points. Content is selected by flight departments from a frequently updated cloud-based media catalogue. The selected content can then be loaded on the aircraft server in a variety of ways, including both physical and wireless.

Rounding off the cabin offering is Viu LED lighting, which includes a series of innovative products customisable to fit different brands via a full range of easy to integrate high intensity colour options for any type of aircraft, new or retrofit. Viu is integrated with the Venue CMS to allow for control functions.

“Acropolis will be among the first customers to experience our expanded cabin offering featuring industry-leading comfort and entertainment solutions all from one source,” said Craig Olson, vice president and general manager of Business and Regional Systems for Rockwell Collins. “We are committed to delivering a new level of productivity and enjoyment to VIP passengers in all aircraft types, and we look forward to working with AMAC Aerospace as they outfit the first ACJ320neo.”

G-NOAH is participating in the EBACE static park this year, available for viewing by appointment, taking time out from what has been a busy year to date, on both sides of the Atlantic.

The aircraft is booked through to mid June, undertaking increasingly more leisure / family flying to destinations including the Middle East. Saudi Arabia is especially strong and the USA, where there is increasing demand for flights to movie premiers and music tours - covering the US, Europe and Asia, adds Kuky Salazar, VP Americas.

Acropolis is also showcasing its new website.



Above: Acropolis Website screenshot (www.acropolis-aviation.com).

A new addition to the site, which has been created by creative partners, London based Design Inc, is empty leg availability.

Acropolis often repositions G-NOAH to other global locations in time for its charter flight, notes Charter Manager Carlo Montanni, who joined Acropolis a few months ago from VistaJet.

“Where there is availability, our charter sales team is pleased to be offering empty leg flights at a competitive rate,” he notes.

Acropolis Aviation is a provider of luxury charter aviation and turnkey aircraft management services based at TAG Farnborough Airport, the UK's premier business aviation airport, with a complementary sales office in Fort Lauderdale, USA. Headed by CEO Jonathan Bousfield, the company employs 28 personnel. Its flagship Airbus ACJ319 entered service in March 2010 and has gained a reputation for excellent service in the high-end charter market.  Acropolis holds Wyvern Wingman safety accreditation.

At EBACE 2015 Acropolis Aviation announced it would be launch customer for the Airbus ACJ320neo. The team is working on the specification of the new aircraft now having selected Alberto Pinto as designer and AMAC Aerospace as outfitter during EBACE last year.