Quarter Century: Satair Group & Pall Aerospace

Satair Group prides itself on the long-standing agreements and deep relationships it enjoys with many of the best-known companies in the aerospace industry.

Nowhere is this better illustrated than the celebration in 2016 of the 25 year association with Pall Aerospace, the global leader in filtration and separations solutions.

Pall’s filtration solutions have become the byword for protection in commercial aircraft applications with a range of products that protect aircraft occupants and systems by removing dust, allergens, microbes and viral contaminants from the recirculated cabin air.

In 1991, Satair Group and Pall Aerospace signed their first distribution agreement under which Satair Group became exclusive distributor for Pall Aerospace products outside North and South America – making Satair Group the world’s largest distributor of filtration products for the commercial aircraft industry.

Pall’s filter technologies have been developed over time into ever more effective devices to protect both aircrews and the travelling public and, today, they are to be found on most major commercial jet aircraft types including Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer, as well as Dornier and Saab turboprops.

With such a large and dynamic airline customer base it is vital that an efficient, effective and rapid distribution service is in place for the commercial aviation aftermarket and so Satair Group has been alongside Pall Aerospace step-by-step for the past quarter of a century to provide this vital service.

Pall Aerospace has been at the forefront of filtration product design for decades and in 1985 worked with Airbus to design and manufacture the first cabin air filters for the A300-600/A310. The primary function of these filters was to protect the fans and downstream ducting from contamination.

In the 1990s Pall used its medical filtration experience to introduce the first HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Arrestance) filters for Boeing and Airbus types. But the primary function had changed to provide passenger and crew protection by removing airborne contamination including bacteria and viruses from re-circulated air.

These HEPA filters have been microbiologically tested to demonstrate a microbial removal rate measured at greater than 99.999%, so providing a safer, healthier and more comfortable environment for passengers and crew.

The latest filter development – the A-CAF (Advanced Cabin Air Filter) - is designed to perform exceptionally well in cabin air environments. Using a uniquely formulated carbon adsorbent material (activated charcoal), A-CAF addresses odour and VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) removal and ensures better quality of air for both crews and passengers.

Being fully interchangeable with the existing HEPA cabin air filter elements, the combined HEPA/odour adsorbent filter has a list of unique benefits and proven results from extensive performance testing and experimentation programmes and has now been adopted by a number of major airlines around the world.

Further research and testing is underway at Pall Aerospace laboratories to further improve cabin air quality and cover all aspects of the air delivery system.

As filter technology develops at Pall Aerospace to achieve even better results, Satair Group is proud to work alongside Pall to help ensure that passengers and crew enjoy the best protection inside aircraft and looks forward to the next twenty-five years.