It’s the cabin that counts, and what counts in the cabin is the electronics.

There was a time in the completion and refurbishment industry when customer demand drove technology. Now, says Hawker Beechcraft v-p Brian Howell, it’s the near light-speed progress of technology that’s driving customer demand for cabin equipage.

Completion and refurbishment centers today are faced with customers who are more tech-savvy and more demanding than they ever used to be. They keep up with the latest software and equipment in the commercial world, and when they’re handing over anywhere from $12 million to $200 million for an airplane, they are reluctant to accept “no” for an answer.

The race to provide true in-flight high-speed Internet connectivity is an example. More and more customers are demanding the same speed they have in the home or office. But it isn’t there yet for bizjet cabins.