LOUISVILLE, Ky. — With a striking black and blue exterior, Forest River’s new Aviator travel trailer uses no wood and needs (almost) no hands.

The new recreational vehicle, unveiled this week at the 49th Annual National RV Trade Show, is the first to incorporate smart technology into its design. All the remote-control devices that typically operate the electronics in the units, like the fireplace and televisions, have been replaced by a Sony tablet computer.

Cody Schade, regional sales manager for the Aviator, flipped back the cover of the tablet and demonstrated all it can do. Dubbed Mobile Onboard Smart Technology (MOST), the tablet will allow the dealer and Forest River to have direct contact with the buyer. In addition, it contains all the electronic versions of the owners’ manuals and has a series of instructional videos.

When the RVer is in the mood for a more entertaining video, it can stream movies live to the three flat-screen televisions in the travel trailer.

“It’s a niche product,” acknowledged Aviator general manager Kevin McArt. “We’re coming to the market with a lot of industry firsts.”

A year and a half in development, the all-composite RV will soon go into production, Schade said. Forest River has dedicated an entire plant in Goshen, Ind., to the Aviator and will potentially be hiring up to 40 employees.

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