Growing up in a village in Hungary, Aurora Saboir’s love of building furniture and miniature houses led to her study of engineering and furniture design. When an acquaintance requested styling advice for his private plane, the project was a “love at first sight” match for the woman who has become an award-winning designer of exclusive private and business jets and founder of Aurora Aero Design. “Basically, a plane is a tube,” she explains. “You can’t make it bigger or smaller. You’re making a luxury apartment in a very functional environment, and the individual things have to be perfect—industrial and aesthetic design going hand in hand. From the beginning, I was made for this.” While making regular visits to visit friends and relatives in Hungary, Saboir has relocated to Spain for its weather, food and people. She shares her house in a calm central Madrid neighborhood with Dio, her poodle/Havanese mix, and relaxes by creating rock and moss aquariums for a colony of more than 30 rescued frogs she nurtures.
You work closely with owners, consult, and offer on-site project supervision. How does the two-to-four years outfitting process begin?
You start with the layout. For the light four-to-six–seat planes, there’s not much to think about. Going up to the next levels, there are VIP configurations, where to put the staff, lounge, bedroom—you can really build rooms.
How do you find fixtures?
This is where creativity comes in, customizing each step of the design, you have to innovate and come up with something super stylish and luxurious. There’s a lot of collaboration.
What are the safety and design restrictions?
Everything on board needs to be certified for very high safety standards. All materials have to be fire resistant; there’s no escape if something flares up. Everything has to be anchored. Furniture moves on tracks hidden in the carpet. Chairs and table legs need to bear the impact of landing—there’s a complex frame design under the upholstery. Weight is critical: We use stone and wood veneer, which has to be 1–2 mm tops.
How do you manage utility systems?
Camouflage is the hard part. You’re working with the geometry of the plane and creativity needs to be realized in a very functional way. The console ledge next to the windows is a structure that conceals the pipes. You install tanks of water, but showers have to be limited to under five minutes.
What features enhance the on-board experience?
You are disconnected, so it’s a perfect time for wellness and relaxation. Changing from dark to daylight works with the rhythm of the body. Projecting images—forest, sky, mountains—on the walls and windows can change the environment. Internet must be speedy; humidity regulated to control dryness.
How do you impart beauty, luxury, elegance, timelessness?
I find natural materials—leather, wood, stone, cashmere, wool, cotton—to add beauty in touch. I lean toward natural colors used in harmony, an emotional connection, which is also beauty. Artisan and handcrafted details add personalization.
Is the entire project bespoke?
There’s not a thing in the space that’s not designed for it. In the final stage, you get to put together the surface items—tableware, cushions, glassware, blankets, even clothes.
What’s the difference between designing commercial or private planes?
Commercial is like the exterior of a dress, a showcase, it’s part of the marketing and sponsorship. Private is opposite, no one wants to be recognized by the plane, it has to blend in.
What ideas might you have for the new Air Force One?
I’d try to experiment with bringing in more natural items, real plants, developing a wall with plants in it.
What celebrity would you like to work with?
I think one of the Kardashians. I’ve seen Kim’s plane, and it could have been a lot better. When you’re an icon yourself, these types of environments are reflections of who you are, how people see you, and how you see yourself.
