Cessna 185 Ski Plane

THE PROJECT >

This project included Generation Global completing a full interior refurbishment for a Cessna 185 aircraft. The project scope included seat upholstery, upholstered side trim panels, and floor coverings. For Cessna 185 interior upholstery kits, click here to be taken to Generation Global’s online shop.

GALLERY >

The Cessna 185 seating has a number of variants that have been fitted over the years. The seat designs include both pre-1975 and 1975-86 as well as high and low backs, split backs, and single second-row seats. The seats in this aircraft were the 1975-86 front seats, the second row is the auxiliary bench, and the third row is the rear bench seat.

The seat upholstery was completed in Truffle Brown (ADI-4141) aviation leather with matching stitching. The centre inserts in the leather were perforated for increased breathability for the occupants. The Cessna logo was embossed on the upper seat backrests of the two crew seats.

Other upholstery parts including the sidewall pockets and door trims were completed in the same truffle brown leather. The floor coverings were manufactured from a cut pile carpet set in ‘Black City’ (WN-120) and bound with black mesh binding.

THE CLIENT >

The refurbished aircraft is based at Mount Cook, New Zealand where it has flown around this majestic range of mountains since 1986 as a ski plane, taking tourists and skiers to land upon the snow, high up in the alps. The Company has a rich aviation heritage. The Company founder was the first to invest in retractable ski’s in the world. The retractable ski’s were first used in 1955 to land on the snow covered Tasman Glacier. Aboard on this first flight was world renowned explorer Sir Edmund Hillary, having become the first man to summit Everest two years earlier. The Company today operates Cessna 185 aircraft, Pilatus PC6 aircraft and Eurocopter AS350 Helicopters.