Surround Sound for the BBJ

Bringing surround sound to a Mozart concert or special sound effects to the latest Arnold Schwarzenegger action movie while cruising at 33,000 feet is a tall order. Sound behaves very differently in a pressurized tube than it does in a movie theater, and an aircraft does not have unlimited space and capacity for bulky loudspeaker systems.

Lufthansa Technik has teamed with ELAC Loudspeaker Systems to develop loudspeaker systems that at minimum expense can be built right into the standard paneling on VIP aircraft. They have also developed flat-panel screens or wall pictures as loudspeakers, and obtained certification.

Panel loudspeakers make perfect six-channel surround sound possible, with the center speakers built into the main screen and the remainder in the aircraft's ceiling and side panels.

Lufthansa Technik has already obtained certification for panel-mounted surround sound in the Boeing Business Jet.