F. LIST Opinion Leader Magazin 2016

BEYOND THE SURFACE 

With 

foresight. 

And 

confidence. 

In the last issue, we wrote about the new F/LIST 

branding. We were delighted to receive such positive feedback 

from so many sides – feedback that has encouraged us as we 

move forward. 

The pages that follow will give you insight into what specifically 

has been keeping us busy at F/LIST in recent months, 

what customers and partners think of us, the people behind our 

products, and what the next steps at F/LIST will look like. 

To start, statements from the management take a look at our 

day-to-day business / PAGE 4. Our INAIRVATION section not only 

gives you a closer look at our joint venture with Lufthansa 

Technik. It also takes content to the supersonic level / PAGE 8. 

Read about the tremendous amount of development work we 

put into a new coating system / PAGE 18. And we interviewed 

Kenneth Klein and Tom Chatflield, two well-versed aircraft 

specialists, who gave us their views of the industry, and F/LIST 

in particular / PAGE 24, 36. 

Four of our employees share what they do at our company 

/ PAGE 26. Ignore gravity – that’s F/LIST’s approach in its new joint 

venture HILITECH. The results are impressive / PAGE 30. 

We are delighted to be able to tell you more about these 

people and topics. And we promise you’ll be hearing more from 

us. After twelve years in the aircraft business, our journey is 

just beginning.

2 

Vision 

statements 

3 

Two generations, one goal: 

Katharina List-Nagl 

and Franz List 

about the present and 

future of their expanding 

c o m p a n y.

VISION STATEMENTS 


“2016 began with a symbolic event for us: the 

we will be setting up a veneer competence center there. For 

delivery of our 1,000 th shipset was an important milestone. 

a long time we have regarded our production plant as the 

You have to remember that we have only been operating 

ideal showroom for our products and services. But as space 

in the aircraft sector since 2004. When I look at the signifi- 

is becoming more limited there, we need to find new ways of 

cance attributed to us in the industry today, I’m really proud 

showcasing what our company has to offer, and new spaces in 

4 

of our past accomplishments. 

We have extensive expansion plans for the coming years. 

which to do so. 

One of these ways leads us to North America in the near 

5 

A third plant will be built in Thomasberg, and in Mürztal we 

future. We want to be even closer to our customers to show 

are planning for our joint venture HILITECH to have its own 

them directly the work that actually lies beneath the surface 

production facility. Based on completely new technology, we 

of our products. Our performance should be noticeable. Locally 

are once again ahead of our competitors. Our goal is to make 

it is easier to have a permanent presence, to be able to take on 

the world’s lightest furniture in the aviation field. By doubling 

smaller projects too and, as a development partner, to provide 

the size of plant 2 we plan to continue increasing our capacity 

rapid assistance and support. It is not without reason that we 

and optimize work processes once again. In addition to this 

consider ‘visionary’ to be one of our core values.” 

“We need to 

continue offering 

good reasons why 

customers from 

all over the world 

should choose 

F/ L I S T. O u r 

joint ventures 

I N A I RVAT ION 

and HILITECH 

are very important 

in this context.” 

KATHARINA LIST-NAGL 

CEO 

“Consistent quality is vital to our 

progress. What is also particularly 

important is that we broaden the 

range of our innovations.” 

FRANZ LIST 

CHAIRMAN 

“The inventiveness must continue. Developments are 

our future. Today we can’t just sit back and wait until a customer 

comes along. We are constantly thinking about what benefits 

our clients, and how we can make existing things new and even 

better. To do this, you need ideas. You need visions. But what’s 

more important: you need the right team. Therein lies the strength. 

Good ideas flow by working as a team. 

Our forthcoming internationalization is connected to our own 

growth. If we want to continue growing, there’s no alternative. 

Customers demand it. This must be recognized and understood. 

Now is the right time for it. Taking such a step requires a certain 

basic size and stability in the company. Both are an absolute given 

at F/LIST.”

VISION STATEMENTS 


6 

“2015 was by far the best year in our company’s 

history. This is due to the excellent work in recent years. 

We have gained a very good reputation on the market and 

are now seen as an innovation and quality leader. But we 

must prove and ensure this position every day. For this 

reason, in the future it will be extremely important for 

us to find out what the market wants. And when we see 

potential behind it, we will work tirelessly to develop in 

this direction, as in the past. 

With every success, our financial cushion grows. This is 

also because our owners leave a substantial proportion of 

revenue in the company for further expansion. This allows 

us to be more courageous. One of the key projects for the 

future is to establish offices in North America within the 

next two or three years. Not as an alternative to Austria, 

but to offer a range of services that can only take place 

locally. We want North America to strengthen our business 

location in Austria.” 

7 

MICHAEL GROISS 

CEO

INAIRVATION 


F/LIST and Lufthansa 

Technik are setting 

new standards in 

Rapid 

development 

8 cabin-outfitting with 

9 

the joint venture 

INAIRVATION – even 

breaking the sound 

barrier as a development 

partner.

INAIRVATION 


10 

The passengers of 

the Aerion AS2 will 

travel at Mach 1.5, or 

approx. 1,120 mph. 

11 

EXCEPTIONAL COMFORT 

AT EXCEPTIONAL SPEED. 

RE-IMAGINED CABIN SOLUTIONS. 

INNOVATIVE SPIRIT LEADING THE WAY: FIRST 

TEST FLIGHTS OF THE AERION AS2 SLATED FOR 2021, 

WITH OPERATIONS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN IN 2023. 

This bold and ambitious project grabbed the headlines 

upon its announcement, not just in specialist aviation industry 

media, but far beyond too. US company Aerion Corporation is 

planning to manufacture a supersonic business jet called Aerion 

AS2. Together with European aircraft manufacturer Airbus, they 

want to break fresh ground with speed once again, which has 

been unthinkable for civil aviation since the decommissioning of 

Concorde more than ten years ago. The passengers of the Aerion 

AS2 will travel at Mach 1.5, or approx. 1,120 mph. This goal should 

be reached no later than 2023. Twenty aircraft with a total value 

of more than USD 2 billion have already been pre-ordered. 

The race in the business jet sector will be thrown wide open 

again with this supersonic aircraft. Work on the project has long 

since been underway. In Reno, Nevada, where Aerion Corporation 

has its headquarters, in Seville, Spain, at a production facility of 

Airbus Defence and Space, as well as in Thomasberg in Lower 

Austria, where the company INAIRVATION was founded in 2014. 

The inclusion into one of the boldest and also most ambitious 

civil aviation projects of recent decades proves that this joint 

venture between F/LIST and the leading in-flight entertainment 

systems company Lufthansa Technik AG meets the needs of 

demanding customers perfectly. INAIRVATION has dedicated 

itself to integrated cabin innovations, and with the preferred 

contract partners Design Q and Schott AG it has the best coordinated 

team for industrial design and lighting technology too. 

The main advantage for the customer is that with INAIRVATION 

there is just one partner coordinating all the work on the aircraft 

cabin, enabling them to create immeasurably better results 

through perfected interaction. 

Yet the business as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) 

represents only one of INAIRVATION’s areas of work. The second 

is retrofitting, which involves the fundamental overhaul of business 

and private jet interiors during their mandatory inspection 

every eight to ten years. 

But let’s get back to the incomparably better results, which 

were a hot topic even before the Aerion AS2 contract was awarded. 

Specifically this means that INAIRVATION can draw on many 

strengths at the same time for the supersonic aircraft, which is 

simply vital in this case.

INAIRVATION 


In addition to a completely new interior concept, traveling 

at supersonic speed on the Aerion AS2 requires the use of 

extremely lightweight materials to save as much fuel as 

12 

possible. INAIRVATION wants to set new benchmarks in this 

sector and in particular benefit from the extremely light materials 

which are currently in development at HILITECH, another 

joint venture of F/LIST. More than 20 percent of weight will be 

saved compared to conventional cabins, thereby creating the 

lightest aircraft cabin available on the market. The extreme 

determination and close cooperation in the development of the 

Aerion AS2 quickly turned into the best-case scenario hoped for, 

which is what underlies the establishment of INAIRVATION: 

there is rapid communication between the aircraft manufacturer 

and the cabin outfitter because both sides only have 

one contact partner. Even when the resources come from 

the two parent companies, everything is coordinated directly 

at INAIRVATION. The fusion of the indoor and the outdoor 

world, combining a high-end interior with technical progress 

to create a visionary project. At an extraordinary time. 

In addition to 

a completely new 

interior concept, 

t r a v e l i n g a t 

supersonic speed 

on the Aerion 

AS2 requires the 

use of extremely 

lightweight 

materials to save 

as much fuel 

as possible. 

FULL-SCALE MOCK-UP OF THE COCKPIT AND 

CABIN AT DESIGN Q IN REDDITCH, ENGLAND. 

13 

“To be brought in at such an early stage is a unique and highly 

interesting opportunity for an interior designer,” says Werner 

Kartner. He is one of two managing directors at INAIRVATION 

and throughout his many years working for F/LIST has gathered 

profound development and production knowledge. Of course he is 

incredibly pleased that his company INAIRVATION can exploit all 

its advantages, and, on a project that the entire industry is following 

with great interest. The joint venture, which is just two years old, 

could not wish for a better business card. In addition to the innovative 

materials and the proven weight savings, he also believes that 

the integrated prefabrication represents a significant advantage. 

The mid-term goal of INAIRVATION is to completely finish 

the interior of the Aerion AS2 in Thomasberg as a whole, ready to 

integrate and deliver to the final assembly plant in the USA. “Plug 

and play” as Kartner calls it. Approximately 30 of these cabins will 

later be produced every year at F/LIST. 

It will still take several years though until series production 

starts. Recently, besides Thomasberg, the activities of 

INAIRVATION have been concentrated mainly in Redditch, 

a town south of Birmingham in the English Midlands. There, 

at the office of Design Q, a first design mock-up of the 

Aerion AS2 has already been built, on which the ergonomic 

properties of the seats and the like will be tested. 

Werner Kartner has obviously already collected a few 

thousand air miles working on the supersonic jet project. 

He doesn’t regret a single one of them. The experience 

gained on this new and innovative project is huge, and the 

possibilities for INAIRVATION are endless. To harness this 

potential, you would gladly fly around the world several 

times. Even at subsonic speed.

INAIRVATION 

Completely 

14 

unusual 

The first supersonic business jet is a 

completely new challenge for both the aircraft 

manufacturer and the cabin outfitter. 

Much to the delight of INAIRVATION CEO 

Werner Kartner. 

“ The earlier 

we a r e 

i n v o l v e d , 

the more 

we c a n 

contribute 

t o t h e 

success.” 

15 

At the start of a new joint venture is there any better project you 

could wish for than the Aerion AS2 supersonic jet? 

Hardly! In terms of innovative drive, INAIRVATION 

and Aerion really are the perfect fit. We have known Aerion for 

years from exhibitions such as EBACE and NBAA. They have 

developed a lot of expertise in supersonic aircraft and their focus 

has been additionally strengthened thanks to a development 

partnership with Airbus, which began over two years ago. One 

of INAIRVATION’s product lines is the original equipping of 

aircraft. We strive to create complete cabin solutions with our 

preferred partners, and of course the earlier we are involved in 

a project, the more we can contribute to its success. Usually as 

an interior supplier you get involved at a very late stage. You come 

in at a time when you can do nothing more to influence anything 

creatively. With the Aerion AS2, however, this is quite different. 

In what way? 

The project is at a stage where the turbines and the 

supersonic properties are still being developed. Nevertheless, 

Aerion has clearly specified that the interior should now also 

be focused on. Our engineers and certification specialists, for 

example, are now defining with the manufacturer where to locate 

the entrance and emergency exits, and how the window areas 

should be best arranged. This is completely unusual. Normally for 

interior suppliers, everything is already fixed and clearly defined. 

To be brought in at such an early stage is therefore a unique and 

highly interesting opportunity. 

What prompted Aerion to choose INAIRVATION? 

Every gallon of fuel counts these days. No matter 

what kind of aircraft it is. And as an overall development partner, 

we are in a position to save at least 20 percent of the weight due 

to perfect integration and our lightweight construction expertise. 

It also makes a big difference for the customer if a concept is 

developed in which the future interior design is not just beautifully 

rendered, but where thought is given to optimum production 

and integration in this phase too. It pays off that we have a very 

innovative industrial design partner by our side in the form of 

Design Q, who goes through all of these fine details with us. 

What are the particular challenges with a supersonic jet? 

Normally a tubular shape is prescribed for an 

aircraft. Sometimes longer, sometimes shorter. The supersonic 

fuselage, however, is shaped significantly different. In the case of 

the AS2, the cabin is wider in the aft section and the wings are 

even further back. This gives us very different ways to organize 

the cabin. For example, it is possible to have a proper living room 

on the plane. This is a big selling point for future aircraft owners. 

It was therefore decided to subsequently build a full-scale 

mock-up. What is so remarkable is that the Aerion AS2 has a total 

length of almost 60 meters. 

Are there other differences apart from the shape which absolutely 

have to be taken into account for supersonic aircraft? 

This really is an enormous challenge for the aircraft 

manufacturer. Real aircraft pioneers are needed for such a 

project. In the interior, the main challenge is sound insulation. 

A supersonic flight is louder than a normal flight. Because light 

materials are usually less sound-absorbing, you need to find 

the right material which is not so heavy but has satisfactory 

noise-reduction properties. 

How is INAIRVATION managing the increasing resource 

requirements? 

We are using resources from the two parent 

companies. So far we are still in the study and testing phase. 

As soon as the aircraft manufacturer “freezes” its data, as they 

say in engineering, we can start to develop in detail and bring 

the assignment to the production stage in three to five years. 

For this, as well as for serial production, we will add the required 

resources in the parent companies. But of course we will have 

our own project management team on-site, wherever the Aerion 

AS2 subsequently undergoes its interior fittings. INAIRVATION, 

however, is not a manufacturing company itself. We are a 

development and certification partner. We will always develop 

the cabinets with F/LIST, integrate innovative equipment from 

Lufthansa Technik, and, if required by the customer, we will 

rely on our proven partners Design Q and SCHOTT for design 

and lighting. 

What role will HILITECH, the joint venture from F/LIST and 

Hintsteiner, play in this project? 

HILITECH is our development partner for lightweight 

cabins. The technological expertise from HILITECH is 

of course really useful for the Aerion AS2. Whether it is for the 

required stability, or the special 3D cabin shape, which is nothing 

like the standard 2D tube. All the benefits that HILITECH 

provides can be implemented here.

INAIRVATION 


The heavy maintenance check of an aircraft every 

Twelve weeks is a long time when your own aircraft is not 

eight to ten years is not usually a long-awaited event in the cal- 

available for use. But when you think of it as a general overhaul 

endar. For aircraft owners it means doing without their business 

of the interior and the technology, it is actually an extremely 

or private jet for the next twelve weeks. Until now, fittings were 

short period. Especially when it results in an onboard inflight 

overhauled in the course of this inspection, when the cabin is 

entertainment system featuring the latest technology that is 

completely removed, especially since the jets have already been in 

compatible with other electronic devices, and which, depending 

16 

operation for a good number of years, which can make the interior 

design and entertainment systems appear antiquated. Expecta- 

on the configuration, can be controlled by mobile phone. To 

perform such an upgrade in the shortest time, INAIRVATION 

17 

tions regarding intuitive operation and availability of consumer 

has planned ahead and has scanned and recorded the dimen- 

electronics have fundamentally changed in recent times. Smart- 

sions and configurations of the Global and Challenger series 

phones, tablets and the constant connection to the internet have 

from Bombardier. Based on this data, and in collaboration with 

set entirely new standards. Standards that aircraft owners now 

the designers from Design Q, a pre-designed sideledge was 

expect at high altitudes too. And, if possible, without additional 

created, which can be quickly and easily installed together 

time spent on the already costly retrofitting itself. 

with nice ® HD. 

Newly equipping aircraft within a few weeks, thus making the 

To guarantee this, INAIRVATION has entered into an alliance 

most of the time spent during the inspection process, is exactly 

with various partners in Europe and North America. The compa- 

what the customer-centric approach of INAIRVATION means 

nies are licensed maintenance and overhaul service providers and 

when it comes to retrofitting. The joint venture between F/LIST 

all have long and successful partnerships with INAIRVATION or 

and Lufthansa Technik draws on proven synergies in the area of 

F/LIST. Such demanding work can ultimately only be realized 

refurbishment. Aircraft owners who are ready to upgrade get an 

with highly qualified personnel and appropriate infrastructure. 

integrated high-quality interior solution thanks to INAIRVATION 

So if you are prepared and well organized ahead of time, the 

and the leading entertainment system on the market: nice ® HD 

next inspection will not be a chore, but instead an ideal opportu- 

from Lufthansa Technik. 

nity to retrofit your plane and navigate towards the future. 

Time 

flies 

Making optimal use of the inevitable idle time – this is 

the idea of the retrofitting services by INAIRVATION. 

During major aircraft inspections, the specially 

selected maintenance partners in Europe and North 

America offer an integrated upgrade of interiors and 

in-flight entertainment systems.

NEW VARNISH FORMULA 


18 

19 

A systematic 

change 

Stuttgart, summer 2012. What got off to a rather 

unspectacular start at the laboratories of German varnish 

manufacturer Votteler would lead to several sensational optimizations 

at F/LIST in spring 2016. The Thomasberg company 

tasked a small team of chemists with developing a new varnish 

system. The long-standing polyester varnish of choice was to 

be replaced by a polyurethane varnish intended for treating 

surfaces and finishing aircraft interiors. Like the existing 

system, the new varnish system needed to meet the aircraft 

sector’s fireproofing standards, and achieve a perfect high-gloss 

finish to boot. In other words it needed to comply with legal 

guidelines and offer the quality workmanship that attentive 

customers require. 

On the surface, those standards corresponded exactly to 

the status quo at LIST components & furniture, as the company 

was still called in 2012. But as is so often the case, there were 

true differences hiding just below the surface. For those who are 

driven to do a good job simply for the sake of doing a good job 

– in the best craftsmanship tradition – the status quo is merely 

the basis for taking things to the next level. The reason for 

the change is the European REACH regulation. REACH stands 

for registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of 

chemicals. F/LIST decided to undertake a wide range of activities 

to ensure that it complies with the regulation’s requirements for 

fire retardants used during the veneer process now and well into 

the future. Instead of just replacing the existing fire retardant 

with a new one, the company set out to make the maximum 

improvement in quality as well – by implementing a brand new 

varnish system. Doing so would justify the high cost of certification 

nearly twice over, making it more than worth it. Sandro 

Obojkovits, now Director of Materials & Processes at F/LIST, 

explained the approach at the start of the process: “We needed 

a new varnish formula, but didn’t just want to adapt the existing 

one. We wanted to aim for a dramatic improvement. New binder 

systems made it possible for us to achieve qualities in polyurethane 

varnish that had previously only been possible with 

polyester varnish. And the new varnish is not prone to fissures, 

discoloration or aging.”

NEW NEUE VARNISH LACKFORMEL FORMULA 


20 

SANDRO OBOJKOVITS, 

DIRECTOR MATERIALS & PROCESSES 

Minimum 

requirements are 

just that – the 

minimum: 

F/LIST sets higher 

standards for 

itself. 

21 

THE NEW 2K SYSTEM FOR ALL SPRAY 

BOOTHS – FINE ADJUSTMENTS BEING 

MADE BY WALTER MOHR AND 

THOMAS NIX. 

The fact that it still 

took until 2014 to pin 

down the new formula 

had to do with the 

unpredictability of 

chemical reactions. 

Hardeners, flame 

retardants and solvents 

frequently interacted 

with each other during 

trials, usually canceling 

out their effects. It took a lot of different combinations and 

tests to find the right blend that would allow each component 

to do its job. 

But that was nowhere near everything. Trial after trial was 

conducted and minor modifications were made before the official 

certification tests could begin in Thomasberg in 2015. Everyone 

involved still had a year full of work, and occasionally frustrations, 

ahead of them. In the end, the process involved 15 series of tests 

and thousands of test parts. Yet throughout it all, the company 

stood behind its lofty aspirations of achieving extensive improvements. 

Visual quality, scratch resistance, resistance to chemicals, 

aging behavior, UV stability, shrinkage and, most of all, fire performance 

needed to be taken into account and optimized. Hence the 

enormous effort. 

In June 2015, it became necessary to involve a machine manufacturer. 

Live tests on a ship set in the spray booth made it clear 

how much needed to be 

taken into account. “We 

began varnishing conventionally, 

with a gravity spray gun,” 

says Walter Mohr from the 

Materials & Processes 

Department at F/LIST. “We 

anticipated that this application 

method wouldn’t work 

for our series production, 

and we were right.” They 

then had to find the right application technology for the new 

polyurethane varnish system. Various equipment was tested 

at the Votteler subsidiary in Wels, Upper Austria, together 

with the machine manufacturer Hausleitner & Schweitzer. 

The optimal choice proved to be a 2K spray unit. When polyester 

varnish is applied, the hardener is added in the spray jet itself. 

In contrast, polyurethane requires a stable mixture ratio, which 

eliminates the need for manual mixing. The polyester varnish 

used up to this point consists of components from three suppliers, 

while the polyurethane comes from just one. The new 

equipment and the new varnish have given F/LIST a brand new 

way of working. There are a number of advantages, says Sandro 

Obojkovits: “Since we no longer need to mix by hand, we can 

work completely under industrial conditions. Our new process is 

entirely modern, we spend more time ‘doing’ instead of traveling 

back and forth, and the quality of the result is assured.”

NEW VARNISH FORMULA 

22 

But there was still much to be done. By late summer 2015, 

F/LIST was still taking care of some fine-tuning, with the hopes of 

getting the last 5% to 10% ready for series production on time. The 

2016 deadline, when the changes to REACH would take effect, was 

fast approaching. There were still many more steps before the varnish 

conversion project could be brought to conclusion, however: 

new equipment, a new operating process and employee training. 

“It was a challenge for everyone in manufacturing to conduct 

tests during day-to-day operations,” says Thomas Nix, who began 

working on the project only in March 2015. But during that time 

the new head of the Surface Department experienced the special 

F/LIST spirit. “The mood was overwhelmingly positive. We were 

all heading toward the same goal. That helped us motivate each 

other and get back on our feet when we experienced setbacks.” 

The advantages of the practical fine-tuning were becoming 

apparent. The varnish specialists and production employees 

brought on board were able to share their experience directly. 

When the developers had to concede in September 2015 that 

the internal deadline couldn’t be met, everyone gained renewed 

strength instead of becoming discouraged. 

By November 2015, it was finally time to celebrate. Technicians, 

varnish specialists and polishers came together to examine 

their most recent promising test result after it had been polished. 

Did all the work pay off? Yes. The result: perfectly glossy furnishings. 

“Just like a trophy,” says Thomas Nix. A trophy earned for 

a polyurethane varnish system that has all the necessary certifications 

and is now ready for series production. Since February 

2016, all of F/LIST’s new orders are being finished using the new 

varnish formula and new application process. Longer-running 

projects will switch over to the new system in June 2016. 

23 

ONCE POLISHED, THE PIECES PROVE THAT 

ALL THE HARD WORK HAS PAID OFF. 

AT F/LIST, EVERY INDIVIDUAL 

COMPONENT IS MADE TO SHINE 

THROUGH PRECISE CRAFTSMANSHIP.

INTERVIEW 


24 

KENNETH KLEIN 

Understanding 

the product perfectly 

25 

is Vice President of Technical Operations 

at Qatar Executive, where he is responsible 

for the VVIP fleet. The business jet 

subsidiary of Qatar Airways has had 

a long-standing business relationship with 

F/LIST. A relationship built not least on 

the two companies’ shared passion 

for real craftsmanship. 

H a v i n g a 

F/LIST product 

in your aircraft 

is like having 

a piece of art. 

Mister Klein, you’ve come a long way in the aviation industry. One of 

the few constants in your career seems to be the ongoing relationship 

with F/LIST. Can you tell us about your personal path and how 

you first got in touch with F/LIST? 

I first got in touch with F/LIST when we were having 

a clear coat cracking issue with the varnish on our Bombardier 

Challenger and Global fleet. The solution by F/LIST and their 

approach made sense so we elected to go ahead. 

How would you describe your current relationship with F/LIST? 

Excellent as they understand fully the product we 

are trying to provide to our customers on a daily basis. 

What are the biggest advantages of working together with 

a comparatively small company? 

The ability to make changes to a process and to 

develop a new procedure that works the first time, in a minimal 

amount of time is the biggest advantage working together with 

F/LIST. Also dealing with individuals that have hands-on 

experience. 

When it comes to refurbishment services, what are the biggest 

challenges in this field of expertise? 

Dealing with individuals that have the knowledge, 

experience, and skill set to complete the task correctly to our 

expectations and high standards. 

You’re known to be a big fan of innovative thinking and new ideas. 

How closely do you work together when it comes to new projects 

and innovations? 

We were very involved in the development of the 

stone flooring for the Global Series, a product that has exceeded 

our customers’ expectations. I am also a representative on many 

of the aircraft OEM customer advisory boards. 

F/LIST has a background in traditional crafting. How does that 

impact the way the company carries itself in the rather complex 

and innovation-driven aviation industry? 

This by itself makes F/LIST a world class leader, 

traditional craftsmanship is no longer understood by those 

other competitive companies in the industry as they deliver the 

traditional cookie cutter experience, with very little attention to 

detail. Having a F/LIST product in your aircraft is like having a 

piece of art. 

How will the field of private and executive aviation change 

in the future? 

As the pricing of the intercontinental long range 

private/executive aircraft increase there will be a demand for a 

cabin that is not only unique but personalized to an individual’s 

taste that will take the expectation of craftsmanship to a whole 

new level, one that not only exceeds perfectionism in looks, 

detail, but functionality as well.

SPIRIT AT WORK 


26 

27 

Success: 

the tie 

that 

binds 

At F/LIST, we are confident 

that our success story is 

written at every single 

workstation. We are proud 

of what we do – and we are 

proud of our employees. 

We’d like to introduce you 

to four of them. 

PETRA WUNDERER 

Head of Quality Assurance 

with the company since 2008 

Where wood is chopped, splinters must fall. Last-minute 

project requirements have been known to crop up, meaning 

that creative solutions need to be tried out and minor 

mistakes occur. Petra Wunderer is responsible for ensuring 

that everything is as it should be in terms of production and 

customer satisfaction. “When it comes to new projects, we 

deviate from the plan 99% of the time,” the trained potter 

says, laughing. She enjoys seeing things appear before her 

eyes and was born with a passion for wood. This mother 

of a 15-year-old son (Paul) spends more time on her feet 

each day at the different departments than she does at 

her desk. So it’s no surprise that she likes to communicate 

(and that she communicates a lot), can anticipate problems 

and always has a sympathetic ear. At home, she relaxes by 

quilting – sitting down. “It is important to accept mistakes 

and to stay calm and open so that you can make the best 

out of every situation and can learn lessons for the future,” 

Wunderer says, who could be considered the company’s 

head archivist as well as customers’ advocate. Ongoing 

quality controls and seamless documentation of all 

projects lay the foundation for current and future success 

– standardized, certified and in all conscience.


MONIKA PUTZ 

Executive Director Human Resources 


“It’s something else entirely when you have a tangible 

product behind it,” Monika Putz assures us. She believes 

that this concrete aspect is also evident in employees. 

You gain a lot of clarity when speaking with skilled tradespeople, 

she says. Which is the case at F/LIST. That’s how 

28 

this legal scholar knew immediately that her own structured 

nature and impartiality meant that she would fit right 

in at her new company when she joined five years ago as 

Director of Human Resources. She had previously worked 

for years in human resources at a multinational corpora- 

MICHAEL MÜLLER 

Program Management 


29 

tion. It was only when her employer relocated that she realized 

that premium products were being created for a global 

clientele just a half an hour’s drive away from her home, 

in Thomasberg. Since that time, the 42-year-old, with her 

open and likeable manner, has played her part in the development 

of F/LIST and its employees. Systematic further 

education for potential executives, specialists and skilled 

workers; basic training for new employees; and the best 

possible vocational training for apprentices are all part of 

her wide area of responsibility. She finds the right balance 

by spending time being active together with her family 

and dog. 

When speaking with 26-year-old Michael Müller, it quickly 

becomes clear that his title has always evolved along with his 

goals – something that isn’t unusual at F/LIST. He began as 

an intern, in the middle of the financial crisis. Then, after six 

months in production, he made a name for himself in design 

engineering. He completed two part-time degree programs 

(business engineering and industrial management) and 

moved up more than three rungs on the career ladder. Today 

the avid volleyball player and tennis league player is program 

manager, which means he is used to stressful situations. 

He still begins his workday at 6:30 am – back in his early days 

at the company, he had to be at work in time for the start of 

production at the two plants in Thomasberg. Old habits die 

hard, especially if they’re something you’re passionate about. 

Müller sees himself as a communicator within his team and 

outside of it, as a filter, as a translator and as an escalation 

level. His day is perfectly timed, and he spends it dealing 

with customer requests, which are often quite demanding. 

His mobile phone is always on, not least because of the time 

difference between Austria and his most important custom- 

CHRISTIAN REITHOFER 

ers in Canada and Brazil. Still, or maybe precisely because of 

this, he’s right at home in such an active role. 

Head of the Pre-production Department 


How did a conventional carpenter’s workshop become an 

innovative supplier to the international aviation industry? 

Christian Reithofer, 45, knows how. He can describe every 

important step along the way since he has been there 

through it all. If you speak with him about this incredible 

journey, you’ll realize that what you need along with an 

entrepreneurial mind is people like him. This fact comes 

across in Reithofer’s own path from a carpenter’s apprentice 

to head of department and in his enthusiasm when he speaks 

about his work and the potential of F/LIST. These days he 

coordinates over 80 employees in the three pre-production 

areas for the aircraft sector, but he still sees himself as a 

team player rather than captain. Lofty goals can only be 

reached by working together, Reithofer says. And what he 

specializes in is group dynamics and teamwork. He played on 

his local football club team in his hometown of Mönichkirchen 

for 17 years. Even then, it was important for everyone to play 

for the team rather than for themselves. It is not least 

thanks to Reithofer’s knack for interfaces that everything 

works so well in his department and in general at F/LIST. 

He always completes his passes. And in the end, the right 

team always wins.

HILITECH 


B e 

30 

different, 

remain 

succesful 

New location, 

same pioneering 

spirit: HILITECH, 

the joint venture 

between F/LIST 

and Hintsteiner, 

is continuing to 

take its ultralight 

cabin systems to 

new heights. 

Below is 

a stock-taking 

of its vision. 

31 

Being able to name the enemy is the first step in defeating 

the enemy. Knowing the enemy is perhaps your best trump 

card. In HILITECH’s case, the advantages of this relationship 

are obvious. Not only does HILITECH know its enemy. Every 

last detail of it has been the subject of centuries of scientific 

research. HILITECH knows what it’s dealing with. The disadvantage: 

The adversary is one of our most elementary laws of 

physics. Gravity.

HILITECH 

32 

Ignore 

gravity 

33 

Everything we do defies gravity – this sentence 

could soon decorate the foyer of the new HILITECH production 

building, which is currently in the planning stage, in Kindberg in 

the Austrian province of Styria. It was devised following a recent 

strategic and visual honing of the brand identity, which aims to 

express the singularity and production expertise that has set 

the company apart ever since it was founded. The joint venture 

between F/LIST and Hintsteiner – a manufacturer of feather-light 

composite components for motorsports-racing – took off in 2014 

and has been on a steady climb ever since. Its business model 

relies on trust based on partnership and a proven pioneering 

spirit. HILITECH makes components and cabinets for F/LIST, 

painstakingly working to reduce weight as much as possible. The 

HILITECH standard means offering the lightest weight solutions 

for cabin systems, whether that involves combining different 

materials such as carbon fiber, glass fiber, aramid fibers, foams or 

honeycomb materials to create composites during development 

or whether a component is created by a 3D printer. Manfred 

Nagl has been following the development of the F/LIST aircraft 

segment since the very beginning, and he was familiar with the 

CEO MANFRED NAGL IS PROUD TO DELIVER 

THE FIRST HILITECH LIGHTWEIGHT 

CABINETS IN 2016 

THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF PRECISION 

AND SKILLED CRAFTSMANSHIP 

SERVE AS THE BASIS FOR PRODUCING 

HILITECH LIGHTWEIGHT COMPONENTS. 

innovation incubator Hintsteiner even before he joined 

F/LIST. So it only makes sense, then, that he took on the role 

of managing director of HILITECH at the beginning of 2016. 

When asked about the essence of the company, he can’t help 

but rave: “Thanks to our special production methods, we have 

been able to reduce the weight of components during development 

by 15% to 25% compared to the previous design. This 

reduction gives us a key advantage in an industry where every 

gram counts.” This is one of the ways that the idea of applied 

product development is brought to perfection. And it is this 

perfection that becomes apparent in the aviation industry’s 

special requirements for rigid, strong and flame-retardant 

designs. Despite its eagerness to try out new things, HILITECH 

is a company that knows exactly what matters in the industry. 

And it is able to deliver like no other company can.

HILITECH 


NEW PRODUCTION SITE TO OPEN 

IN 2017. WITH ROOM TO GROW. 

Vision 

and present 

34 35 

There is no doubt that the initial entrepreneurial 

phase has been a success. HILITECH already counts renowned 

representatives from the aviation industry among its customer 

base. Long-term orders are laying the foundation for the company’s 

ambitious expansion plans. Managing Director Nagl 

knows that investing in ideas and infrastructure will continue to 

strengthen the company’s already excellent position in the global 

competition. He is confident that HILITECH’s capacity to innovate 

lightweight technology is nowhere near reaching its limits: 

“We keep looking for opportunities to improve production 

further and to optimize processes and workflows, even if we’ve 

already begun series production.” Satisfaction is measured by 

discoveries. Stagnation is akin to taking a step backwards. 

On the company’s path forward, as of 2017, about 30 employees 

will work on perfecting upcoming orders at the new 20,000 

square meter factory premises. If, as expected, the company 

acquires new business, Nagl says that “[it] will quickly revise 

that number upward.” HILITECH aspires to expand its considerable 

competitive advantage, which is based on the unique 

combination of materials used, at the new location. Treating 

one another with respect and ascribing to the highest quality 

standards serves as the model for the young company, where 

the tradition of two successful family companies doesn’t stand 

in the way of a dynamic future based on innovation. 

A company like HILITECH has to walk a fine line in the sensitive 

aviation industry. A pioneering spirit and pragmatism are 

needed in equal measure, and creativity and the ability to adapt 

are constantly put to the test. 

Making constant leaps in development but staying fully 

grounded in the here and now; being ready to use today’s knowledge 

to develop the right solutions for tomorrow; being different 

and settling only for the best: That’s what HILITECH sets out to 

do. It’s well on its way. Ignore gravity. It’s that simple. 

B e i n g 

different 

a n d 

settling 

o n l y 

for the best 

HILITECH RELIES ON 

SELF-DEVELOPED, PATENTED 

LIGHTWEIGHT CONSTRUCTIONS

INTERVIEW 


36 

Unrivaled in 

production 

37 

TOM CHATFIELD 

has 35 years of experience in the 

aviation industry, at companies 

including Contact Air, the jet 

division of DaimlerChrysler, and 

Qatar Executive. He has run Camber 

Aviation Management in Squamish, 

British Columbia, Canada, together 

with Stephen Vella since 2014 – and 

he swears by collaboration with 

F/LIST. 

How long have you been in a working relationship with F/LIST and 

You are one of the two founders of Camber Aviation Management. how has collaboration evolved over the years? 

How would you describe your business model? 

Six years ago, while working with Qatar Executive, 

We provide tailored consultancy services for high several of our Bombardier Global and Challenger aircraft had 

net worth individuals, corporations and heads of state related issues with cabin finishes due to the large variations in cabin temperature 

and humidity. Together with Bombardier and F/LIST, 

to the acquisition, design, completion oversight and entry into 

service of larger corporate jets. We work with the very best we worked closely together to identify sources of mechanical 

designers, suppliers and completion centers to create corporate stress in the cabin, develop minor modifications to resolve these 

aircraft that exceeds the expectations of our discerning clientele. 

While the concept is simple, the execution is an incredibly prevent these issues from re-occurring. The program was very 

issues and develop processes to refinish the veneered surfaces to 

challenging process; however, it gives us tremendous satisfaction successful, with Bombardier incorporating many of these changes 

to work closely with talented individuals and specialist companies 

to develop unique solutions to complex design issues. For to perform similar work on their business jet cabins. This collab- 

into their production cabins and other operators selecting F/LIST 

example, we recently worked with F/LIST to create a fantastic orative effort evolved into a close working relationship between 

stone vanity for the master bathroom on a Boeing 787BBJ using Camber and F/LIST focusing on developing new cabin concepts 

newly developed veneer and assembly processes. 

and products, often implementing them into our clients’ projects. 

What makes working with F/LIST so remarkable for you? 

The F/LIST team is skilled at listening to its clients. 

They understand a client’s unique requirements through open 

dialogue and by then developing bespoke solutions. F/LIST is 

matchless in the cabin monument fabrication business by combining 

design, engineering and production functions in one facility 

and using CAD/CAM to build very precise individual components 

which, when assembled, create monuments that are beautifully 

executed with precise function, smooth movements and extremely 

high-quality and durable finishes. The process of defining and 

developing monuments with F/LIST is characterized by a very 

collaborative process that results in an excellent product. 

The aviation sector is determined by precision. In this regard: what 

are the decisive factors when it comes to interior design and aircraft 

completion? 

A successful cabin completion team for a large 

corporate jet requires incredible clarity and precision throughout 

the design, engineering, fabrication, assembly, inspection 

and entry-into-service phases of the project. Why? Quite simply 

because this process involves professionals from numerous 

disciplines working together to create what essentially amounts to 

a prototype: the first cabin of its kind, whose success reflects not 

only design but execution and functionality. Unlike other industries, 

one-off corporate jet cabins do not have the luxury of developing 

and building numerous prototypes to refine the design; for 

corporate aircraft cabins, the first time has to be right! Without 

clarity and precision from all parties, this would be impossible. 

What do you think will be the three main requirements for exceptional 

cabin interiors in the near future? 

Exceptional cabin interiors are defined by esthetics, 

innovation and maintainability both currently and in the future. 

New materials and processes will allow cabin designers to make 

more complex curves, finishes and features that will challenge the 

monument fabrication industry. Innovation is and will continue 

to be the hallmark of successful cabin monument builders and 

completion centers, by offering new, well-thought-out features, 

improved ergonomics and kinematics. Maintainability has often 

been an afterthought for aircraft cabins, but corporate aircraft 

owners and operators are demanding cabins whose appearance 

and functionality can be maintained without excessive downtimes 

or long lead-times. 

What does this mean for production, budgets and timing? 

Quite simply, if a company, such as F/LIST, is precise 

throughout its internal procedures from design to engineering 

to fabrication and operational support, then it already has the 

corporate attitude and processes in place to deliver on time and 

on budget. Each company has challenges when involved in such 

complex projects; the differentiator is being able to understand 

these challenges early in the program and resolve them before 

they become issues that can affect the project cost, weight and 

timeline. Our experience with F/LIST has been positive throughout 

our relationship, with all products well-designed, built and 

delivered on time and on budget, every time. We always enjoy 

working with the F/LIST team!

AIRCRAFT SERVICES 

Partitions 


Cleared for take-off 

with services from F/LIST 

F/LIST 

wood veneer 

Electrical 

systems 

Bedroom 

Lavatory 

Shower 

Credenzas 

38 

Excellent quality, reliability and innovations have made us one of the world’s m o s t 

sought-after partners in the production of custom interiors for business and private jets. 

Our partners include aircraft manufacturers, owner representatives, designers, MROs and 

completion centers around the world. F/LIST offers services including engineering and 

including engineering and production, certification support, testing and more. 

Sliding door 

mechanisms 

Liners 

39 

Stowage 

compartments 

PSU 

Tables & table 

mechanisms 

Handrails 

Water systems 

Our Aircraft Divisions 

OEM INTERIORS 

VVIP INTERIORS 

CABIN 

REFURBISHMENT 

AND RETROFIT 

IFE rack 

Galleys 

Wardrobes 

Real stone 

veneer 

ECS integration 

Sideledges 

Upholstery 

services 

F/LIST ® 

LEATHER 

FLOORING 


STONE 

FLOORING 


WOOD 

FLOORING 


CABIN INTERIORS 


WOOD PRODUCTS 


STONE PRODUCTS 


METAL PRODUCTS 


UPHOLSTERY 


FLOORING SOLUTIONS 

HILITECH 

LIGHTWEIGHT TECHNOLOGY 

ADDITIONAL 

SERVICES 

• Cabinets 

• 1-ply, 3-ply and customized multiply 

• Ultrathin, flexible real stone veneer 

• Custom-made production and 

• In-house shop for textile and 

• F/LIST WOOD FLOORING 

• Innovative composite technology 

• Conceptual design, engineering 

• Liners 

• Showers 

wood veneer 

• Treated with own flame retardant 

(REACH compliant) 

• Stone surfaces, stone flooring and 

decorative stone applications for 

all areas of the aircraft 

special-purpose solutions from 

our in-house metal shop 

• Decorative metal applications 

leather manufacture 

• Consulting and services for 

refurbishment projects 

• F/LIST STONE FLOORING 

• F/LIST LEATHER FLOORING 

powered by Boxmark 

including patent-registered 

light-weight structures, refined 

with F/LIST Wood and Stone Products 

and integration 

• Research and Development 

• Stress and certification 

• Inlays & marquetries 

• Handrails, functional components, 

• F/LIST CARBON FLOORING 

• Liners 

• In-house flammability test laboratory 

• Exclusive live-log program 

• Microlumber and hard wood products 

metal constructions, etc. 

• Mechanisms 

• Weight reduction of 15-25% 

compared to conventional 

• Decorative material selection 

• In situ repair 

construction techniques 

• Mock-up production 

• System integration

MIXED ZONE 


New Yorker Edése Doret has made a name 

for himself with his elegant, innovative VIP 

interior designs for airplanes. His current 

design projects include two Boeing 737-700 

From apprentice 

to expert 

BBJs for Royal Jet of Abu Dhabi, which are 

For the second time F/LIST has been named one of 

being outfitted by Lufthansa Technik. A very 

Austria’s top ten companies that provide training in the 

40 

special commission came from the United 

States. Doret converted a Boeing 747-2G4B 

national “Best Training Companies – Fit for Future 2015” 

competition. Apprentice advisors Franz Hausmann and 

41 

into a potential new Air Force One through a 

Markus Bauer play a key role in that success. Their objective 

government contractor that consults for for 

is not only to train young people to become experts; they 

the United States Air Force. Conceived as a 

also aim to show them prospects and career opportunities 

design study and teaser, the rendering meets 

at the company. The catchy “Karriere mit Lehre,” which 

the requirements of the President of the 

roughly means “career through apprenticeship,” is more 

United States (POTUS) for a higher level of 

than just a catchphrase at F/LIST – rather, it’s truly com- 

Design study 

Air Force One 

with F/LIST 

products 

executive cabin that rivals the aircraft of other 

heads of state. Doret opted for stone flooring, 

stone applications and cabinets from F/LIST 

to create a design that is true to reality and 

lives up to the highest quality standards. An 

animated video of the interior is available on 

Edése Doret’s YouTube page. 

youtu.be/vBYdaJel1_I 

edesedoret.com 

pany practice. The cooperative education program in carpentry, 

metal technology and paint technology has proven 

extremely popular. Each year some 10% of applicants 

make it through the internal selection process and qualify 

for a training spot. Apprentices participate in seminars, 

excursions and competitions together, where they begin to 

learn what it takes to achieve technical mastery. They also 

strengthen their team-building skills and social skills and 

grow personally. 

f-list.at/en/jobs/apprenticeship 

Award-winning 

elegance 

We made it to the top three in the 2016 Crystal Cabin 

Awards with our F/LIST ® WOOD FLOORING – the 

first fully certifiable real wood flooring solution 

in the aviation industry. The ultralight design and 

ingenious installation method make it possible to 

lay our wood flooring in all areas of an aircraft and 

on all types of aircraft. The system is available in 

multiple types of wood and designs and can be used 

in combination with F/LIST ® STONE FLOORING and 

F/LIST ® LEATHER FLOORING. The sky’s the limit 

when it comes to customized design requests. Natural 

wood is an elegant alternative to conventional 

options like carpeting and other non-textile floors.

MIXED ZONE 


42 43 

Twelve years, 

1000 business 

jet interiors, 

one event 

REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE AVIATION INDUSTRY 

AND PROMINENT GUESTS FROM THE FIELDS OF 

SPORTS AND POLITICS GATHERED AT THE F/LIST 

PLANT IN THOMASBERG FOR TECHNICAL 

DISCUSSIONS, SMALL TALK AND NETWORKING. 

February 11, 2016, was a special day for F/LIST. It celebrated 

the delivery of its 1,000th business jet interior 

in Thomasberg together with over 220 guests. The 

figure is an impressive one, especially since the company 

has specialized in fitting out aircraft only since 

2004. The highlight of the celebration was a high-level 

business talk on the topic of visionaries and lateral 

thinkers in aviation. F/LIST CEO Katharina List-Nagl 

spoke with three-time Formula One world champion 

and long-time F/LIST client Niki Lauda, the head of the 

innovation department at Lufthansa Technik Andrew 

Muirhead, and aviation expert Kurt Hofmann. Guests 

included Lower Austria Governor Erwin Pröll, Member 

of Lower Austria’s government Petra Bohuslav, and 

stunt pilot Hannes Arch, who single-handedly landed 

his helicopter right in front of the gates of the production 

facility.

44 

IMPRINT 

responsibility for the content 

F. LIST GMBH List-Strasse 1 A- 2842 Thomasberg 

T +43 (0)2644 6001-0 E office@f-list.at 

concept/design/editing/photography moodley brand identity 

rendering Aerion Corporation and Design Q (page 8–13) / Industrial Design by Design Q (page 16–17) / Design Q (page 38–39) 

Edése Doret Industrial Design, Inc. (page 40) illustration Blagovesta Bakardjieva (page 24, 36) 

lithography Mario Rott print Print-Sport Handels GmbH & CoKG

F. LIST Opinion Leader Magazin 2016

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