Scheduled to be held from 19th to 21st of November 2024 at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC) Air Expo Abu Dhabi 2024 anticipates drawing 18,000 visitors and over 250 manufacturers and suppliers.

With over 37 years of operational experience, Sanad’s partnership with the Air Expo Abu Dhabi underscores its continued dedication to the advancement of the aerospace industry in the UAE. As a key sponsor, Sanad is set to play an integral role in the conference and exhibition, showcasing its latest accomplishments and contributions to the aerospace industry.  

Mansoor Janahi, managing director and Group CEO of Sanad said: "We are thrilled to support the Air Expo Abu Dhabi 2024. Our participation reflects our commitment to advancing aerospace excellence and innovation and reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s stature as a global aviation hub.”

The deal between ARC Aero Systems and the Riyadh-headquartered defence and security manufacturing specialist Life Shield will open the way for upwards of £300m of investment into the two nations’ aerospace sectors. 

Bedfordshire-based ARC Aero Systems is in the advanced stages of developing a specially adapted hybrid-electric powered aircraft which it plans to bring to market by 2026. The company’s modified design of the Avian Pegasus, a tried and tested jump take-off gyroplane with specific features including vertical lift and landing, requires virtually no infrastructure in accessing remote communities and supporting emergency responders. This newly developed air taxi has approval from the US Federal Aviation Administration and can transport passengers for commercial purposes.

ARC is also developing a larger nine-seat Linx P9 compound rotorcraft and a C600, one of the largest civilian unmanned aerial vehicles, capable of carrying payloads of up to 100kg across long distances. 

Supported by Saudi Arabia’s National Industry Development Center, this new partnership will see both the Saudi Government and Life Shield make an equity investment in ARC Systems with the creation of a new company, based in the Middle East nation, called Life Shield Aerospace.

The newly formed company will bolster UK manufacturing with the pilot production of each of ARC’s three designs: Pegasus, P9 and C600. Life Shield Aerospace will then set up facilities for wider scale manufacturing of aircraft in Saudi Arabia for domestic use by the country’s Ministry of Air Transport and for worldwide export.

The SPA also includes the delivery of UK-based pilot training and it opens the door to a strategic academic collaboration with Cranfield University.

As well as providing a major boost to UK aviation and manufacturing, the global partnership marks another key step forward for ARC Aero Systems as it prepares to launch into a market estimated to grow from its current value of around $9bn to $45bn by 2030. 

ARC’s founder and CEO, Dr Seyed Mosheni, said: “We are incredibly excited and honoured to be part of this global joint venture with Life Shield. Not only does this support ARC in bringing its innovative solutions to market, it also provides a huge economic boost to UK aviation by promoting manufacturing, further R&D and academic collaboration within the sector.

The event was formally opened by Dr Vandana Aggarwal, former senior economic advisor, ministry of civil aviation for the Indian Government.

Conference Chair, Alan Peaford MBE, gave his opening speech by saying: “With a commercial aviation history going back some 113 years, India is hardly an emerging market, I would argue it is re-emerging.

"No wonder too, as many of the ingredients are right to stimulate a growth for the air transport and the aviation support business. The growth is attributed to increased per capita income levels; increase in urban migration numbers and a shift of customers from other modes of transport. Increased spend on consumables has seen eCommerce boom that feeds down to the air freight sector."

He added: "Indians will quite rightly point to the achievement of moving to a third place spot for domestic connectivity behind the United States and China. However, there are significant issues facing the business in this renaissance.  Is MRO up to scratch? Is the government creating the right environment to support this industry or are government charges and taxation restricting growth?

“There are some world class airports here, or in the pipeline, but away from the main metropolitan first-tier cities are there sufficient landing and parking places for the business aircraft industry.

“And to get business jets, do we have the right MRO support, landing strips and freedom to support?  Are the country’s own HNWI’s able to base an aircraft here with ease?

"Airlines, GA, maintenance and other aviation services all face a similar challenge.  Retaining staff and training new ones

“Poaching is prevalent, not just from domestic competitors but from the nearby Gulf States as well. At the same time, we are facing pressures brought about by global warming both for the impact on operations and the future regulatory restrictions."

Peaford concluded: "These issues, and others, will be addressed here on the platform over the next two days.”

Already the inaugural event has attracted over 500 registered delegates.

Mark Brown, managing director of Times Aerospace Events, said of the conference: “This may be the first of the Aviation India events but it won’t be the last.”

Deals included national air service agreements, aircraft orders, cargo and logistics, advanced air mobility, human capability, information technology, maintenance, repair and overhaul sector deals.

Saudia Airlines announcement to purchase 105 Airbus A320-Neo and A321-Neo aircraft set the stage alight on the first morning, as more than 5,000 attendees from 100 countries assembled in the Saudi capital.

The host, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation signed Air Service Agreements with Mozambique and the Kingdom of Eswatini, with further agreements signed with Cambodia and Brunei Darussalam.

GACA also launched its inaugural State of Aviation report, finding the Saudi aviation sector made a $53 billion contribution to the Saudi economy and supported around 958,000 jobs across the country. The regulator also used the forum to release its General Aviation Roadmap to develop Saudi Arabia's business jet and private industry tenfold to $2 billion by 2030, with six dedicated general aviation airports and nine terminals – forecast to create 35,000 new jobs.

Minister of Transport and Logistics, Saleh Al Jasser said: "Saudi Arabia is enabling huge opportunities for the private sector and creating thousands of jobs for Saudi Arabia’s people. This Forum is bringing together the top leaders and brightest minds from the global aviation sector to collaborate and develop innovative solutions that will drive the sector into the future."

GACA President HE Abdulaziz Al-Duailej added: “The first day of the Future Aviation Forum has been a tremendous success, in terms of commercial deals, policy initiatives, and agreements to elevate global connectivity. Today’s announcements are a clear vote of confidence in the growth and investment opportunities being created across the Saudi aviation sector, and in Saudi Arabia’s global aviation leadership."

The aviation market intelligence and advisory company analysis shows that engine leasing activity has grown significantly with operators now favouring lease extensions to secure lift. 

In its recent webinar on the engine market, experts from IBA, Mike Yeomans, Director – Valuations and Consulting, Kane Ray, Head of General Aviation and Aftermarket, and Jamie Davey, Manager – Engines and Parts, discussed and explained the trends.

As the industry continues to cope with supply chain issues and a shortage of spare parts and raw materials, IBA is holding firm to its view that there will be around 2,500 shop visits in 2024 for CFM56-5B, CFM56-7B, V2500-A5, CFM LEAP-1A, CFM LEAP-1B, and PW1100G engines (excluding additional shop visits driven by GTF engine issues). IBA predicts that this will be followed by a significant jump to 3,500 visits in 2025 – representing a 40 per cent increase.

However, between 2025 and 2027, the situation should come to a slight plateau at around 3,800 visits annually, before peaking at over 4,000 visits in 2028. With the continued staffing shortages in MRO facilities and OEMs facing supply chain issues and scarce shop visit slots, operators will continue to extend current engine leases to combat shop visit turnaround times and uncertainty in new generation engine reliability. 

While quality issues still plague the new generation narrowbody fleets, market values remain stable. Driven by shop visit events, the greatest market value movements can be seen in the current generation fleet. The CFM56-7B is seeing the highest market value change with an increase of around 20 per cent from 2023 to 2024. As a result of GTF groundings and growing shop visit activity, A320ceo engine values have also increased. 

As the engine market recovers, lease rates for current and new narrowbody engines have risen above pre-pandemic levels. Due to smaller supply and higher demand, V2500-A5 lease rates are slightly higher than CFM56-5B in 2024. However, CFM56-7B monthly lease rates have grown the most from about $75,000 in 2019 to $100,000 in 2024. In the new narrowbody engine leasing space, A320neo engine-related groundings have led to increases in monthly lease rates with the LEAP-1A26 climbing from a value of $110,000 in 2023 to above $125,000 in 2024.

Lease rate increases can also be attributed to the rise in engine and aircraft lease extensions as the latter contributes to reduction of spare engine supply in the market. As extensions help avoid transition costs, they have become the most cost-effective option for lessors.

While the freighter market remains strong - demand has peaked. However, ideal widebody freighter conversion candidates such as the A330-300 and 777-300ER are surging in passenger demand driven by delays to new aircraft deliveries. Despite the rising engine values for New Generation Widebody Engines, the relationship between market values and base values have steadied with changes at barely 5 per cent.

With a shortage of spare parts and long turnaround times in shops, turboprop engines have experienced heightened demand. IBA has recorded market value increases to the popular PW127M and PW150A variants, although the trend is applicable to other PW120 engine family variants. Whilst PW1500G values have been adjusted to align better with base value, GTF issues will still affect the fleet. For mature regional jet engines like the CF34-8E, market values are stable. The CF24-8E and CF34-10E engine markets have had indications of demand increases and lease rate rises as Embraer E190 family lease extensions grow and, most importantly, signal future demand for engines.  

This becomes the first GE9X customer in Africa.

“GE Aerospace is honoured to power Ethiopian Airlines’ new Boeing 777X fleet with our latest generation technology GE9X engine,” said Russell Stokes, President and CEO, Commercial Engines and Service, GE Aerospace. “Today’s order represents the next chapter in our successful partnership that has spanned decades and ensures Ethiopian Airlines continues to be at the forefront of commercial aviation.”

The 777X will be the world's largest and most efficient twin-engine jet, delivering 10% better fuel consumption, as well as the lowest emissions, and operating costs of any aircraft in its class.

Mesfin Tasew Group CEO added: "Ethiopian Airlines and GE Aerospace have a long partnership and today we are continuing that into the future with this order of GE9X engines to power our Boeing 777X fleet. This will ensure that Ethiopian Airlines fleet remains among the most efficient and modern in the world."

In line with the objective of achieving net carbon neutrality of aviation by 2050, this partnership aims to contribute to the reduction of the sector's CO2 emissions, in which Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) play a key role. SAF supplied by TotalEnergies can reduce up to 90% CO2 emissions over their lifecycle compared to their fossil fuel equivalent.

The partnership will cover two main areas:

The supply by TotalEnergies of sustainable aviation fuels for more than half of Airbus’ needs in Europe.

A research and innovation programme aimed at developing 100% sustainable fuels tailored to the design of current and future aircraft. The impact of the composition of sustainable aviation fuels on the reduction of CO2 emissions and non-CO2 effects, such as contrails, will also be studied.

Airbus and TotalEnergies confirm their common ambition to promote SAF technology and to strengthen their collaboration to decarbonise the aviation industry:

TotalEnergies has been supplying the SAF used by Airbus for its aircraft deliveries in Toulouse since 2016.

TotalEnergies also supplied the fuel for several first SAF flights with Airbus aircraft:

In May 2021, the 1st long-haul flight using French-produced SAF with an A350 between Paris and Montreal;

In November 2021, the first flight of a H225 helicopter, from the "Super Puma" family, using 100% SAF;

In March 2023, the first A321neo flight with 100% SAF.

Patrick Pouyanné, chairman and chief executive officer of TotalEnergies, said: "The development of sustainable aviation fuels is at the heart of our Company's transition strategy. We are happy to form a strategic alliance with Airbus to play our part in meeting the challenge of aviation decarbonisation together. TotalEnergies has been working hard to respond to the sector’s new demand for a reduced carbon footprint. Our Company has set itself a target of 1.5 million tons of annual SAF production by 2030".

Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO, said: "Accelerating the deployment of sustainable aviation fuels is essential if we are to meet our targets for reducing carbon emissions from aviation by 2030. This partnership between Airbus and TotalEnergies demonstrates the willingness of aerospace manufacturers and major energy producers and suppliers to work together to meet this challenge. We are determined to meet our decarbonisation targets and ensure that aviation can continue to play its valuable role for society in the future."