Refuelling the delegates at the 2019 Paris Air Show

We love creating unique experiences for our clients at the events they exhibit at, and the 2019 Paris Air Show has been no exception. One way to elevate a unique design feature beyond being simply a gimmick is to cleverly tie it in to what the client does, their brand or heritage.

A beer tap crafted from an air-to-air refuelling nozzle

So we wanted to share with you a piece that we are really proud of, which we made for aviation services business Cobham plc. Among the many innovations throughout their history is air-to-air refuelling. And when we were planning their stand, they had a special request: “Can you make a functioning beer tap out of one of our original air-to-air refuelling nozzles?”

Relishing a challenge we took this request away and gave it some thought. With in-house designers, engineers and carpenters we knew we’d find a way to do it, and before long we had decided upon our solution.

Cobham provided the nozzle and we approached a local brewery to supply the cask, pipe, pump and, of course, the beer. We built the frame to house the cask and support the refuelling nozzle, and fitted the necessary plumbing work. We needed to engineer it so that the nozzle would remain in an open position, and to do this we cut a transparent acrylic disk which would do the job whilst not obscuring the nozzle.

The pictures say it all. Cobham have a unique crowd-pulling feature on their stand which incorporates an iconic part of their history. They can delight their invited guests and passing delegates with a refreshing beer pulled from a pump like no other. Perfect for a scorching day at the 2019 Paris Air Show.