Frequently Asked Questions

Generally, if your aircraft has a GTOW of less than 12,500 lbs, our materials must meet 14CFR 23.853(a). This is a 15-second horizontal burn requirement. If the aircraft is heavier, materials must meet 14CFR 25.853(a), a vertical burn spec. The installation details will determine if the material must meet a 12-second test (floors, seating or curtain) or a 60-second vertical burn requirement (walls, window panels, ceiling panels, etc.).

We only use test facilities that are staffed with an FAA Designated Engineering Representative (DER) for flammability. This assures you that testing has been performed by a laboratory that is current with all FAA flammability regulations.

Sure! We ask that you remove the old kit, box it up and send it to us. We use it as a template to construct your new kit. This assures you that you can drop your new carpet kit right into place and it will fit as good as the old kit you retired.

Unfortunately, we do not have stock kits. Each airplane has slightly nuanced differences, and we prefer to produce a kit for you that is customized to your aircraft.

Our Broadloom tufted carpets are not shipped with a spool of serging yarn from our manufacturer, as it is not possible to offer that from their facility. OmnAvia offers several choices of off-the-shelf serging threads that provide a clean finished edge that looks great and prevents raveling and fraying on the carpet edges. One is a textured filament polyester yarn with a slightly lustrous finish. There are 100 colors available in this selection. The second is a multicolor heathered continuous filament nylon yarn that is textured to resemble wool. We have 180 colors available in this offering. The third is a 2-ply 100% wool product, available in 52 stock colors.

If you elect to install a custom-made hand-tufted carpet for your cabin, we provide a serging yarn that is the same is the field color of the carpet.

One piece of information for your consideration. When selecting the color of your serging yarn we must decide if we are trying to match the cut pile or the loop pile in the carpet pattern. Cut pile yarn always reads darker, so if you elect to match that, the serged edge will be darker than if you match the loop pile. It’s a matter of your or your client’s personal preference.

We also offer a polyester binding tape that is used on the edges of some carpet pieces. These are also matched to the carpets in our collection.

Top-grain leather covers should be wiped down regularly with a mild solution of plain soap and water. Do not use a detergent with a degreaser, as it removes essential oils from the leather and causes premature drying and cracking of the covers. Occasionally the covers should be wiped with a leather conditioner that will restore the covers and keep them soft and supple.

The most important factor is to try to treat the stain quickly. First, blot the stain with a clean absorbent towel or cloth. Dabbing the cloth first with club soda will help dilute the stain and assist in transferring it to the cleaning cloth. Never rub the stain vigorously, as this can damage the pile and set the stain with frictional heat, and never use warm water or soda, as this can set the stain. Continue blotting with a clean towel and club soda until as much of the stain as possible has been removed. Always work from the edges of the stain inward to confine the discoloration to the initial area.

Depending on the type of stain, one must select the proper cleaning agent to finish removing the stain. For acid-based stains, use a solution of one-part ammonia diluted in five parts water to continue blotting the stain. For protein-based stains (urine, blood, vomit, etc.), after removing all solids and blotting with club soda, blot with a 2:1 solution of water and white vinegar.

Chewing gum can be removed first by applying ice to the gum until it freezes, then breaking the gum apart before it thaws. Certain stains that are petroleum-based will require the application of a solvent to remove the stain. Others will require a mild detergent solution to be blotted on the stain, and then rinsed with cold water or club soda.

Wool is associated with luxury, and wool carpet pile general has a nicer “hand” than most nylon aircraft carpets. Wool is inherently flame-resistant and generates less smoke when burned. Wool carpets are the choice for any aircraft with a GTOW of 12,500 lbs or more, because they can be treated to meet the vertical burn requirements of 14CFR 25.853(a).

Nylon fiber has a higher tensile strength than wool fiber, and can be engineered to be more stain-resistant. They tend to shed loose fibers less than wool carpets, particularly loop pile nylon carpets. Our nylon carpets will conform only to the horizontal burn requirements of 14CFR 23.853(a).

Wool carpets are more expensive, generally speaking. OmnAvia does have a line of wool carpets that offer a very approachable price point for the more discriminating owner of a small personal aircraft. Contact us to learn more!

Sheepskin, like leather, is sold by the whole hide, but priced by the square foot. Each hide carries a slightly different price, depending on its size. Our sheepskins, which come from Australian sheep, average about nine square feet each. We have 25 standard colors of sheepskin hides for your selection.

Both types of material that OmnAvia offers are flame-resistant and very easy to keep clean. There are differences in the two. Firstly, there is a distinct chemical difference between vinyl (PVC) and urethane (PU). Urethane tends to be softer and more comfortable than PVC-coated fabrics. There is also a distinct difference in weight. Most PU fabrics are about half the weight of PVC fabrics. Strength is based as much on the substrate fabric as on the finish coating, so it is difficult to assert that one polymer is stronger than the other. Finally there is a price difference. PU fabrics tend to be more expensive because of the higher cost of polyurethane polymer and higher production costs. 

IZIT (pronounced “is it”) Leather is a synthetic leather whose construction is a polyurethane surface coated onto a fabric base cloth. IZIT is produced in rolls that are 54’ – 57” wide, depending on the product. Leather obviously comes from cows, and is produced in whole hides. Each hide is a unique shape and size, with hides averaging between 50 and 60 square feet, depending on the source of the cattle. This results in IZIT having a higher yield than leather.

There can be a fairly wide variation in the thickness of any hide, but the typical range is between 0.8 and 1.2 mm. IZIT Leather has a consistent thickness of 0.8 mm. The weight difference is measurable; leather weighs in the range of 24 to 28 ounces per square yard, while IZIT Leather’s weight ranges (depending on the specific version) from 10.8 oz/sy to 13.4 oz/sy. IZIT is an ideal product for headliner, sidewall and window panels, and seating. It has excellent stretch characteristics for these applications.

Natural leather is most often used in seating, and users prefer its character, feel and fragrance. IZIT Leather is very easy to maintain, and can be cleaned with nearly any household cleaner. Greater care must be taken with leather when cleaning and conditioning the product.

Lastly, leather can vary greatly in price per square foot, depending on source, grain, finish, treatments and other factors. IZIT Leather is priced per square foot at a point that is equivalent to the least expensive aircraft leathers on the market today.