Lufthansa Technik has developed a dishwasher that allows cabin crew to wash dishes inflight.
The new 'Dishwashair' gives airlines the option of washing small amounts of dishes mid-flight and reusing them, rather than stockpiling dirty dishes and cutlery.
Lufthansa Technik said the unit can complete a wash in just six minutes with three litres of water.
The "Dishwashair"
The Dishwashair can be installed and connected in standard aircraft galleys, and baskets that fit in any standardised galley can be used for placement of dishes and silverware. And, the machine can easily be attached to the available on board connections for fresh and waste water or vacuum systems.
A single fill-up of the two required cleaning agents is enough for up to 40 wash cycles. The unit, which features "complex safety mechanisms", is now in series production and can wash a load of dishes in only.
"Long-haul aircraft in particular take along lots of dishware, amounts that can be reduced considerably with clever logistics," said Oliver Thomaschewski, Lufthansa Technik's head of "seating and structures" in the original equipment innovation product division.
"No normal household would keep a separate set of dishes for every meal. Now our Dishwashair makes it possible, even in an aircraft, to bring along only the amounts actually needed to provide service."
Tom Otley
