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Diamond Aircraft receives EASA and FAA certifications

eNethersole — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 11:28:49 +0000

Mathias Hutterer, head of engineering & ops, special mission aircraft division at Diamond Aircraft Austria: “With the development of the BR-700, a further achievement in the direction of comprehensive platform performance was reached. The challenge of creating a high-performance radome made from low-loss material and with excellent radiation characteristics in an aerodynamic shape was met within only nine months, EASA approval included. This would not have been possible without the spirit for innovation at Diamond Aircraft.”

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Fri, 03/12/2021 - 12:00

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Diamond Aircraft has achieved two major EASA and FAA certification milestones.

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Acquisition of 80 Rafale F4 by the United Arab Emirates

eNethersole — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 10:50:45 +0000

In the presence of the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, and Sheikh Mohammed ben Zayed Al Nahyane, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Vice-Commander of the Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, signed a historical contract with Tareq Abdul Raheem Al Hosani, CEO of Tawazun Economic Council, in charge of security and defence acquisitions, for the acquisition of 80 Rafale F4 for the United Arab Emirates Air Force & Air Defence (UAE AF & AD).

The contract is the result of total mobilisation by Dassault Aviation alongside the Emirates Air Force and comes on the back of a more than 45-year long relationship of trust between the United Arab Emirates and our company, built on the Mirage family of fighter aircraft, notably the Mirage 2000-9, the modernisation of which began two years ago.

Eric Trappier, chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, said: The Rafale F4, for which the Emirates Air Force will be the first user outside France, will provide the Emirates armed forces with a tool capable of guaranteeing sovereignty and operational Independence.

“The sale of 80 Rafale to the UAE Federation is a French success story: I am very proud and very happy as a result. I wish to thank the authorities of the Emirates for their renewed confidence in our aircraft. After the Mirage5 and Mirage2000, this Rafale contract consolidates the strategic relationship that binds our two countries and the satisfaction of the Emirates Air Force, a long-standing and demanding partner of our company. I wish to underline the quality and effectiveness of the relationship between the French authorities and industry, which contributed to this success by team France.

This contract is excellent news for France and for its aeronautical industry, for the entire ecosystem of 400 companies, both large and small, which contribute to the Rafale: this represents thousands of guaranteed jobs in our sector for the coming decade. This contract, which is the largest ever obtained by the French combat aeronautics industry, consolidates a national industrial base, which is without doubt unique in Europe, comprising as it does major groups and SME/SMIs, around a company which has been the prime contractor for all the generations of military and civil aircraft for the past 70 years. The success of the Rafale with our armed forces and its sale to the UAE Federation, as well as its export to five other countries who are already customers, clearly shows that French combat aviation is an internationally recognised center of excellence on the national industrial landscape.”

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Fri, 03/12/2021 - 12:00

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A historical contract for the acquisition of 80 Rafale F4 by the United Arab Emirates has been signed.

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AJW Group appoints new director of aircraft and engine procurement

eNethersole — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 21:03:18 +0000

Whitty who joined the business on 29th November 2021, will be responsible for aircraft and engine acquisitions across the AJW Group.

Whitty will be based at AJW's Headquarters in Slinfold, West Sussex, UK and will report directly to the Group President and CEO, Christopher Whiteside.

Whiteside said: "At AJW, we rely heavily on the excellent relationships we have with airlines, banks and lessors across the industry to help us source inventory for our business. Tony’s appointment reflects our commitment to delivering market-leading services as we continue to expand and support our customers in their pursuit of ever-improved efficiency and operational reliability.

"Tony’s wealth of industry experience will be instrumental to our future aircraft and engine procurement strategy and we warmly welcome him to the business."

Whitty said: "I am delighted to join AJW as Director of Aircraft and Engine Procurement. As a fast-growing and global business, AJW's strategic procurement strategy is central to ensuring it maintains the high standards that it is known for around the world."

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Thu, 02/12/2021 - 12:00

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AJW Group, which has offices across, Africa, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East, has appointed Tony Whitty as director of aircraft and engine procurement.

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Air cargo demand Up 9.4% in October

eNethersole — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 10:43:27 +0000

As comparisons between 2021 and 2020 monthly results are distorted by the extraordinary impact of COVID-19, unless otherwise noted, all comparisons below are to October 2019 which followed a normal demand pattern.

Global demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs), was up 9.4% compared to October 2019 (10.4% for international operations).
Capacity constraints have eased slightly but remain 7.2% below pre-COVID-19 levels (October 2019) (-8.0% for international operations).

Economic conditions continue to support air cargo growth but are slightly weaker than in the previous months. Several factors should be noted:

Supply chain disruptions and the resulting delivery delays have led to long supplier delivery times. This typically results in manufacturers using air transport, which is quicker, to recover time lost during the production process. The global Supplier Delivery Time Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) reached an all-time low of 34.8 in October; values below 50 are favourable for air cargo.
Relevant components of the October PMIs (new export orders and manufacturing output) have been in a gradual slowdown since May but remain in favourable territory.
The inventory-to-sales ratio remains low ahead of the peak year-end retail events such as Christmas. This is positive for air cargo as manufacturers turn to air cargo to rapidly meet demand.
Global goods trade and industrial production remain above pre-crisis levels.
The cost-competitiveness of air cargo relative to that of container shipping remains favourable.

“October data reflected an overall positive outlook for air cargo. Supply chain congestion continued to push manufacturers towards the speed of air cargo. Demand was up 9.4% in October compared to pre-crisis levels. And capacity constraints were slowly resolving as more passenger travel meant more belly capacity for air cargo. The impact of government reactions to the Omicron variant is a concern. If it dampens travel demand, capacity issues will become more acute. After almost two years of COVID-19, governments have the experience and tools to make better data-driven decisions than the mostly knee-jerk reactions to restrict travel that we have seen to date. Restrictions will not stop the spread of Omicron. Along with urgently reversing these policy mistakes, the focus of governments should be squarely on ensuring the integrity of supply chains and increasing the distribution of vaccines,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general.

October Regional Performance

Asia-Pacific airlines saw their international air cargo volumes increase 7.9% in October 2021 compared to the same month in 2019. This was close to a doubling in growth compared to the previous month’s 4% expansion. The improvement was partly driven by increased capacity on Europe-Asia routes as several important passenger routes reopened. Belly capacity between the continents was down 28.3% in October, much better than the 37.9% fall in September. International capacity in the region eased slightly in October, down 12.9% compared to the previous year, a significant improvement over the 18.9% drop in September.

African airlines saw international cargo volumes increase by 26.7% in October, a deterioration from the previous month (35%) but still the largest increase of all regions. International capacity was 9.4% higher than pre-crisis levels, the only region in positive territory, albeit on small volumes.

Middle Eastern carriers experienced a 9.4% rise in international cargo volumes in October 2021 versus October 2019, a significant drop in performance compared to the previous month (18.4%). This was due to a deterioration in traffic on several key routes such as Middle East-Asia, and Middle East-North America. International capacity was down 8.6% compared to October 2019, a decrease compared to the previous month (4%).

North American carriers posted an 18.8% increase in international cargo volumes in October 2021 compared to October 2019. This was on par with September’s performance (18.9%). Demand for faster shipping times and strong US retail sales are underpinning the North American performance. International capacity was down 0.6% compared to October 2019, a significant improvement from the previous month.

European carriers saw an 8.6% increase in international cargo volumes in October 2021 compared to the same month in 2019, an improvement compared to the previous month (5.8%). Manufacturing activity, orders and long supplier delivery times remain favorable to air cargo demand. International capacity was down 7.4% compared to pre-crisis levels, a significant improvement from the previous month which was down 12.8% on pre-crisis levels.

Latin American carriers reported a decline of 6.6% in international cargo volumes in October compared to the 2019 period, which was the weakest performance of all regions, but an improvement compared to the previous month (a 17% fall). Capacity in October was down 28.3% on pre-crisis levels, a decrease from September, which was down 20.8% on the same month in 2019.

Posted date

Thu, 02/12/2021 - 12:00

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IATA has released October 2021 data for global air cargo markets showing that demand continued to be well above pre-crisis levels.

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Jazeera Airways launches first ever route between Kazakhstan and Kuwait

eNethersole — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 10:14:19 +0000

This marks the first ever route to be operated between Kuwait and Kazakhstan, supporting high demand for new tourist destinations as well as trade opportunities between the two countries.

Rohit Ramachandran, CEO Jazeera Airways, said: “Jazeera continues to expand to unique destinations that are rarely served by other airlines in our region. We’re giving travellers more choice and value offerings for them to enjoy the many activities that Kazakhstan has to offer with its vast landscape, rich culture, and advanced economy.”

The Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the State of Kuwait, Azamat Berdibay added: “We welcome the launch of this direct service as it will without a doubt contribute to strengthening economic, trade and political relations between both countries.”

Jazeera Airways will fly to Almaty twice a week, leaving Kuwait on Wednesdays and Sundays.

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Thu, 02/12/2021 - 12:00

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Jazeera Airways took off with its first flight to the largest city in Kazakhstan, Almaty on the evening of December 1.

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Inmarsat celebrates fifth anniversary of GX Aviation

eNethersole — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 10:04:51 +0000

Since entering commercial service in 2016, the award-winning solution has been selected by more than 35 airlines and activated on over 550 aircraft, with approximately 1,000 additional aircraft in the order book.

Powered by Global Xpress (GX), the world’s first and only globally available broadband network, GX Aviation has transformed the airline passenger experience, offering reliable, consistent and high-speed infight connectivity on par with mobile Wi-Fi on the ground. It unlocks a host of new ancillary revenue streams for airlines and ensures they meet rising expectations from passengers to stay connected, browse the internet, stream video and audio, enjoy social media, shop online and more while on a flight.

Millions of passengers have enjoyed access to GX Aviation over the years, with major airline customers including Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, AirAsia, Eurowings, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, Philippine Airlines and Virgin Atlantic. This list continues to grow, with installations underway or planned with existing and new customers, including Saudia, as announced at the Dubai Airshow last month.

This latest milestone for GX Aviation comes at a critical time for the aviation industry, with the pandemic having accelerated passenger demand for digital inflight experiences. Inmarsat’s 2021 Passenger Confidence Tracker, the largest and most comprehensive global survey of its kind since the pandemic began, found that digital solutions that keep passengers connected and minimise their contact with cabin crew and fellow passengers can go a long way in boosting confidence. In addition, out of the 10,000 respondents, 41% believed inflight Wi-Fi had further increased in importance after the pandemic.

Philippe Carette, President of Inmarsat Aviation, said: “GX Aviation has transformed the global inflight broadband market, offering unprecedented performance that has been truly embraced by airlines and their passengers. We celebrate its fifth anniversary with our world-class partner ecosystem, including industry-leading distributors such as Safran, SITA, Thales, Collins Aerospace and Honeywell.

“Each of these companies has a relentless focus on providing the best possible onboard experience, so airlines can meet evolving passenger needs and maximise the vast commercial possibilities of inflight connectivity. Together, we have established GX Aviation as our most successful passenger broadband service and Inmarsat is investing more than ever to cement its leadership for decades to come.”

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Thu, 02/12/2021 - 12:00

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Inmarsat is celebrating the fifth anniversary of GX Aviation, its most successful passenger inflight broadband service to date.

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Emirates restores services to Nigeria

eNethersole — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 09:55:33 +0000

The airline will operate to and from its Nigerian gateways with daily flights, providing travellers from Nigeria convenient access to Dubai.

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Thu, 02/12/2021 - 12:00

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Emirates will resume its passenger operations between Dubai and Nigeria from 5 December 2021.

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First in-flight 100% sustainable-fuels emissions study shows early promise

eNethersole — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 16:28:44 +0000

The ECLIF3 study, involving Airbus, Rolls-Royce, German research centre DLR and SAF producer Neste, marks the first time 100% SAF has been measured simultaneously on both engines of a commercial passenger aircraft – an Airbus A350 aircraft powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines.

In-flight emissions tests and associated ground testing on the ECLIF3 programme began earlier this year and have recently resumed. The interdisciplinary team, which also includes researchers from the National Research Council of Canada and The University of Manchester, plans to publish its results in academic journals towards the end of next year and 2023.

Findings from the study will support efforts currently underway at Airbus and Rolls-Royce to ensure the aviation sector is ready for the large-scale use of SAF as part of the wider initiative to decarbonise the industry. Aircraft are currently only allowed to operate on a 50% blend of SAF and conventional jet fuel, but both companies support the drive to certify 100% SAF use.

In April, the A350 flew three flights over the Mediterranean Sea pursued by a DLR Falcon chaser plane to compare in-flight emissions of both kerosene and Neste’s hydro-processed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) sustainable fuel. The team also carried out compliance tests using 100% SAF and no operational issues were experienced.

In-flight emission tests using 100% SAF and a HEFA/Jet A-1 fuel blend resumed this month, while ground-based emissions testing to quantify the benefits of SAF on local air quality were also performed. The research team found SAF releases fewer particulates than conventional kerosene at all tested engine operating conditions, which points to the potential for reduced climate impact and improvement in air quality around airports.

In addition, SAF has lower density but higher energy content per kilogram of fuel compared to conventional kerosene, which brings some aircraft fuel-efficiency advantages due to lower fuel burn and less fuel mass to board to achieve the same mission. Detailed analysis by the team is on-going.

“Engines and fuel systems can be tested on the ground but the only way to gather the full set of emissions data necessary for this programme to be successful is to fly an aircraft in real conditions,” said Steven Le Moing, New Energy Programme Manager at Airbus. “In-flight testing of the A350 offers the advantage of characterising direct and indirect engine emissions, including particulates from behind an aircraft at high altitude.”

Simon Burr, Rolls-Royce Director of Product Development and Technology, Civil Aerospace, said: “This research adds to tests we’ve already carried out on our engines, both on the ground and in the air, which have found no engineering obstacle to our engines running on 100% SAF. If we are to truly decarbonise long-haul air travel, then 100% SAF is a critical element and we are committed to supporting its certification for service.”

The DLR Falcon chaser aircraft is equipped with multiple probes to measure emissions at cruise level down to a distance of only 100 metres from the A350 and feed them into scientific instrumentation for analysis.

“SAF has been shown to have a significantly lower carbon footprint over its life cycle compared to conventional jet fuel and now we are seeing it is advantageous in reducing non-CO2 effects too,” said Markus Fischer, DLR’s Divisional Board Member for Aeronautics. “Tests such as these are continuing to develop our understanding of 100% SAF, its use in flight and we are seeing positive signs for its potential in climate mitigation. We look forward to studying the data from the second series of ECLIF3 flights, which restarted with a first chase flight above the Mediterranean earlier this month."

Posted date

Wed, 01/12/2021 - 12:00

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Initial findings from a world-first study of the impact of 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on both engines of a commercial jet have provided promising early results.

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NEOM and Volocopter create bespoke public eVTOL mobility system

cbrown — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 11:24:41 +0000

Air taxi and vertical logistics services will be fully integrated with the overall multi-modal and zero-emission public transit system in NEOM. The JV will be the sole operator of initial public transit routes across NEOM, while enabling an open eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) ecosystem for vertical mobility services including logistics, emergency response, and tourism. NEOM has placed a confirmed order of 15 Volocopter aircraft to commence initial flight operations within the next 2-3 years.

Nadhmi Al-Nasr, Chief Executive Officer at NEOM, said: “In designing cities and urban infrastructure for the 21st century, mobility is at the center of the equation. Through this joint venture with Volocopter, we are demonstrating to the world that NEOM is the ideal region to implement urban air mobility rapidly and create a fully integrated vertical mobility ecosystem. NEOM is on a mission to become a global living lab for future mobility, and we are very excited to see what the future holds as we grow.”

The collaboration between NEOM and Volocopter will lead the design and development of a truly three-dimensional public transportation system, advancing the technical, regulatory, and infrastructure solutions for eVTOL operations across NEOM. The JV will offer vertical mobility services as an integral part of NEOM’s multi-modal and zero-emissions public mobility system, providing seamless connectivity for passengers and goods.

Florian Lennert, Head of Mobility at NEOM, said: "We are incredibly excited and proud to partner with Volocopter to make vertical mobility a reality here at NEOM. Volocopter is internationally recognized for leading innovation in the eVTOL industry and is a perfect match for our ambitious goals to create the first truly sustainable, shared, and seamlessly integrated mobility system in the world. Volocopter’s expertise, experience, and vision will allow us to lead the design and implementation of eVTOL operations regionally and globally. I am truly looking forward to jointly revolutionizing mobility.”

Volocopter and NEOM have agreed an initial order of 10 VoloCity passenger and 5 VoloDrone logistics aircraft to support early activation of flight operations. The JV will scale-up its activities from the beginning of 2022 to incubate urban air mobility (UAM) in the region and seed a vertical mobility ecosystem. The partnership delivers on NEOM’s mission to be a global living lab for future mobility and a center of excellence for eVTOL innovation and industry.

On this new partnership, Christian Bauer, Chief Commercial Officer at Volocopter, stated: “The partnership with NEOM and the new JV we are creating together is going to be an exciting journey. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be an essential part of designing and operating a completely new UAM ecosystem from the ground up without the constraint of legacy infrastructure or regulation, and as pioneers in the industry, Volocopter is honored to be the trusted partner to contribute to NEOM’s ambitious vision.”

eVTOLs are an essential part of NEOM’s mobility mission, enabling transportation of people and goods without extensive surface infrastructure. Vertical mobility services will connect NEOM’s core urban development THE LINE, reimagined industrial city OXAGON and other regional destinations, avoiding extensive road construction and thus protecting its unique natural environment.

NEOM is implementing the first truly sustainable and seamlessly connected mobility system powered by 100% renewable energy, deploying zero-emission vehicles across all urban and regional mobility modes. NEOM will shape the future of mobility by closely integrating advanced smart infrastructure and advanced transit systems with active, shared, and autonomous mobility solutions to overcome the adverse legacy of the car-centric city. Working with a range of innovation partners, NEOM has initiated shared electric mobility services, autonomous shuttles, electric boats, personal eVTOLs, delivery drones, and solar-powered mobility hubs.

Posted date

Wed, 01/12/2021 - 12:00

Short title

First bespoke public eVTOL mobility system

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NEOM and Volocopter establish joint venture to create the world’s first bespoke public eVTOL mobility system.

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NEOM, the smart and sustainable regional development in northwest Saudi Arabia and Volocopter, the pioneer of urban air mobility, have established a joint venture (JV) company to design, implement, and operate the world’s first bespoke public vertical mobility system in NEOM.

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