Aircraft trolley, Swissair Trolley,

ca. 1979

Heinrich Bucher, a trained sheet metal specialist, began working in Swissair’s repair service in 1943. One of his responsibilities was to overhaul the onboard kitchens—so-called galleys, which store the packaged food prepared on ground, keeping it at the correct temperature. Like all airplane installations, they need to be as lightweight as possible while still withstanding heavy use as well as the forces of deceleration and acceleration. Bucher drew on his experience to begin independently manufacturing his own onboard kitchens in 1953, developing a new series of “trolleys” in 1973–74 that could be used as service carts, waste containers, or to sell duty-free products. Like the standard models of the time, these trolleys were modular aggregates that could be fitted and replaced without the use of any special tools, and also took into account the ergonomic aspects of the airplane cabin as workplace. What was new, however, was that he used “monocoque” construction, which draws its stability from the skin itself, in this case solid aluminum panels, rather than from welded, pressed, or cast elements. These “integral structures” minimize the amount of material used, reducing the trolley’s overall weight while still guaranteeing a high level of sturdiness. Thanks to the CNC process, they can be easily adjusted to customer specifications. The corrosion-proof panels are powder-coated in the respective corporate color. These trolleys have a life span of ten to fifteen years, and although they are more expensive than rival products, their maintenance costs are lower. (Renate Menzi)