Taking flight with Ogle

It’s a unique experience boarding a plane and sitting in a seat that you’ve been involved in creating. 

Ogle’s General Manager Dave Orman, who has led several projects in the aerospace sector, is one of the few people who can claim to have done just this. 

He said: “On a flight to New York, I remember sitting down and looking around, remembering the initial mock-ups for the seat I was sitting on. I guess that’s not something a lot of people can do.” 

Our aircraft interior expertise

We started producing aircraft seats in 2000 for the world’s leading design and engineering houses within large aircraft manufacturing companies. With that extensive experience, our team is firmly established as an expert in the industry and has built long-standing relationships with key design people in the sector.  

How we work

With so many skills, machines and processes, we’re able to manage a project from the original CAD file all the way through to paint and finishing. If design changes are made, the team can make the changes quickly, often within a day, giving designers the flexibility they need to really be creative. 

We pride ourselves on the quality of our models and include all the details that show how the wiring and lighting are able to function around the design. We also produce mock-ups of the surrounding furniture, including the galleys and bulk heads.  

The work always starts with a preliminary design release meeting, with a mock-up that shows the initial ideas of what is going to be produced. The model will be trimmed and coloured but, at this stage, it won’t be to a very high specification. 

At the critical design review, the final designs are locked down and this is where Ogle excels, delivering first-class finishes, integrating the lighting systems and ensuring the right amount of harness for the seat. 

Richard Savory, Senior Model Maker at Ogle Models, said: “You’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the model and the real thing when it’s ready to be sent to the client. It is incredibly satisfying to be able to create these top-quality mock-ups and the clients always appreciate the level of detail and accuracy.” 

Our work 

Ogle have been involved in a number of key projects for the sector, including the creation of mock-ups for Aim Altitude’s work on Emirates’ bar and seating area. 

And one of the most exciting jobs to work on was the creation of mock-ups for a premium economy seat, with Safran Group, for Singapore Airlines’ 19-hour flight from Singapore to the United States. 

Matt Punter, Senior Model Maker at Ogle Models, said: “Every project brings new challenges, but we have an incredible team here that can always find the solutions.” 

If you attend the Hamburg Aircraft Interiors Expo, you’ll be met by numerous mock-ups that have been made by the team at Ogle.

As a regular visitor to the Expo, Dave Orman, added: “It‘s always good to see our customers and celebrate their successes. We enjoy visiting the expo, as we’re able to see our final products on the stand, as well as seeing how potential customers respond to them. This sector is all about constant innovation and trying to find the best and latest way to improve customer comfort and the whole experience of flying and we’re so proud to play a key part in this.” 

Click here to learn more about our work in the aerospace sector.