Story ID: 
Infusion Design to shed its 10-year anonymity
By: James Wynbrandt
Caption: If you’ve walked the floor of NBAA’07, you’ve seen their work.
Word Count: 477
If you’ve walked the floor of NBAA’07, you’ve seen their work. But the company behind the interior designs showcased in more than half-a-dozen cabin mockups on display around the convention has preferred to keep a low profile. Now Infusion Design, celebrating its 10th anniversary, is ready for a little recognition. “We’ve always worked behind the scenes,” said Sean Elsner, president of Infusion Design. “We haven’t advertised, and our work has come by word of mouth.”Here at the convention that work can be seen in the cabin mockup of the Spectrum Freedom S-40, the Adam A700, the Aerion supersonic business jet currently in development and in a new Learjet program Bombardier will unveil here.“Three things make us unique,” said Elsner. “We’re a full-service design firm. We can take a project from conception to delivery. Second, we’re not just pretty picture guys. We build interiors that work and meet budgets. Our specialty is understanding the airplane. And third, we take our design influences not just from aviation, but from a variety of industries.”Based in Bonner Springs, Kan., the company has a staff of 18 design specialists. An integral member of the team is Benn Isaacson, former director of interior for design for Learjet, with 44 years of experience in aircraft interior design. “He has no title,” said Elsner. “He’s a legend in the industry, and we’re lucky to have him.”Said Isaacson, “We understand the people who can afford these airplanes, and what they want and expect.”Infusion works with any size aircraft, from single-engine piston to the Airbus A380, where they have designed interiors for the business-class sections. Now they’re also eyeing the expanding VLJ interiors market.“You have to be very conscious of weight, and they have to be inexpensive,” said Isaacson. “It’s a different realm of design.Infusion’s overall design philosophy, Elsner said, is about combining utility with attention to passenger comfort. “Every interior needs to be a piece of art, yet it needs to be configurable,” he said.An example of that approach can be seen in the interiors the company recently developed for the Embraer Legacy, which is luxurious, easily modified and takes into account what the people sitting in the back want. “In designing the interior, we met with every customer who bought a Legacy for the last four-and-a-half years,” Elsner said.The company’s expertise can also help OEMs avoid extra costs and reduce unforeseen problems. “Changing the upholstery can mean recertifying the seat,” Elsner noted.Infusion has designed interiors for most major business aircraft OEMs. For anyone with limited time who wants to get a feel of the company’s capabilities, Elsner suggested they drop by the Spectrum Aeronautical booth (No. 6761). “The two mockups [of the Spectrum S-40] really showcase everything we can do in one booth,” he said.