A Steam Bath for Your BBJ?

CoreMax Aerospace is designing and developing a steam bath for installation in large corporate jets, such as the new Boeing BBJ. The Denton, TX, refurbishment company, which opened its service center in June, is specializing in "innovative solutions" to refurbishment problems, such as showers and the design and installation of tables for the Learjet 20- and 30-series.

CoreMax president Fred Hensley said his team has carved a special niche in the refurbishment market as "professional problem solvers."

"Maintenance accessibility is at the core of every design decision," he said. "Our maintenance-friendly approach to interior refurbishment has generated market interest in the areas of composite shower design and installation, and in the installation of other refurbishment services.

"The design and installation of the steam bath is one of our most specialized services to date," he added. "We are currently designing two different units for a domestic customer and one international customer who has a VIP transport-type aircraft."

Every new design has its challenges, Hensley said. During the initial design stage of the steam bath, "we realized that the steam bath would create moisture in the cabin and would require proper venting elements to prevent corrosion in the cabin. The second was the challenge to heat the area quickly while maintaining a proper amount of steam. As a result or our research, we designed a lightweight, compact unit that produces steam very rapidly."

Hensley said another challenge has been to overcome a rather "inefficient" design of tables for the Learjet 20- and 30-series, which has been "a common complaint in the industry for years." The company's redesign allows maintenance technicians to replace the components in the unit as a whole to prevent the constant repair and replacement of individual components, which looks piecemeal. "We are currently researching the need to offer the same design to other aircraft as well, including the King Air and the Falcon 10 and 20."

He said the decision to provide composite shower design and installations was based primarily on market demand. "With the number of long-range aircraft, primarily BBJs, I have had several requests for shower design and installations. Throughout the world, companies are converting and upgrading their aircraft for long-range capabilities, which also includes shower installations.

"This demand is obviously a great market opportunity for companies like CoreMax." Hensley said the shower design is a standard unit, which is 38 inches round with a sliding Lexan door; his the firm has the refurbishment expertise to create new designs based on customer needs, too, he said.