DUBAI Airshow News 2023 Day 2 by Aviation International News

DUBAI AIRSHOW NEWS

NOVEMBER 14, 2023

DAY 2

AINONLINE.COM

MILITARY Fighting Eagle Interest is growing in Boeing’s FA-15EX, with MOUs signed by several countries | 4

ORDERS Airbus A220

The Boeing 777X participated in the flying display on the opening day of the Dubai Airshow while executives from Emirates Airline inked a landmark firm order for 90 of the big twinjets.

DAVID McINTOSH

AirBaltic placed a firm order for 30 A220-300s, with purchase rights for 20 more | 8

ORDERS FLY IN BOEING BUYS By Kerry Lynch Boeing opened the Dubai Airshow with a nearly $100 billion sales day that culminated in more than 200 orders, options, and purchase rights across its airliner product lines. They included firm orders from Emirates Airline for ninety 777X and five 787 Dreamliner widebodies, as well as from FlyDubai for thirty 787s. The Emirates order announcement followed word of a contract from SunExpress Airlines for up to ninety 787 Max narrowbodies, 45 of which were firm; EgyptAir for 18 leased 737-8 Maxes; Royal Jordanian for nine 787s, three of which will be on lease; and Royal Air Maroc for two 787s. While not calling it a record day (that may have come with the unveiling of the 777X), Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stan Deal called the events on the opening day of the show “pretty darn big.” He added he was “not counting my

chickens yet,” implying that more might come. Regardless, the orders mark a welcome reprieve for a program whose sales performance turned somewhat tepid in the years following its commercial launch during the 2013 Dubai Airshow. Emirates provided a reaﬃrmation of its plans for the 777X and 787s with its orders, which it valued at $52 billion. Under the contracts that culminated in a signing event attended by Emirates chairman and CEO HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and Deal Tuesday afternoon, Emirates will take delivery of fifty-five 777-9s and thirty-five 777-8s. The order almost doubles Emirates’ 777X family backlog to 205 airplanes. Emirates is set to become one of the launch customers of the 777-9 variant with plans to take delivery of the initial copy in 2025 and the balance through 2035. It also expects to serve as a launch customer for the 777-8, with first continues on page 17

ATC Tower Promotion Saab’s large-airport remote towers could be the future of air traffic control | 13

AAM India eVTOLs IndiGo’s owner signs for up to 200 Archer Midnight electric VTOL aircraft | 16 alerts

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Boeing is demonstrating the power and maneuverability of the F-15EX Eagle II and export Advanced Eagle during the Dubai Airshow flying display using an F-15QA of the Qatar Emiri Air Force.

F-15EX ignites renewed interest in Eagle fighter By David Donald Boeing will soon fly the third F-15EX Eagle II development aircraft for the U.S. Air Force, having rolled out the fighter from its St Louis factory in August. That event occurred more than two years since the first two F-15EXs went to the U.S. Air Force in early 2021 to begin testing. While Boeing attributed some of the delay to supply chain issues, the urgent nature of the USAF’s program was the main reason. The initial aircraft—EX-1 and EX-2—were Advanced Eagle airframes already in production for Qatar but reassigned to the U.S. Air Force to get testing underway at the earliest possible date. In the intervening period, Boeing implemented a major update in its manufacturing process, based on a digital redesign of the F-15’s forward fuselage. The third aircraft— EX-3— is the first to emerge from the line with the new design, which has become the standard for all future production. The redesign allows for more eﬃcient production, including the increased use of robotics. Due to the wealth of experience gained with earlier versions of the F-15, the EX has

become the first U.S. Air Force aircraft to enter concurrent developmental and operational test and evaluation (DT&E/OT&E), and the first two aircraft have now completed Initial OT&E Phase 1. The next four aircraft are also to be allocated to trials duties, while EX-3/4 joins the fleet this year and the first two operational aircraft (EX-7/8) get handed over to the Air National Guard at an unspecified time. Boeing is under contract for Lots 1-4, with Lot 5 imminent. The slated Air Force buy involves 104 aircraft in six lots, but that is not firm. The current production rate equates to 1.5 aircraft per month, but plans call for that to rise to two per month by 2025, with production of the 104 aircraft due for completion in 2028. The F-15EX is based closely on the Advanced Eagle that Saudi Arabia (F-15SA) and Qatar (F-15QA) both procured. Those models introduced iterative enhancements, such as General Electric F110-GE-129 engines, ALQ-82(V)1 AESA radar, 10- by 19-inch largearea display in the cockpit, and the ability to carry up to 12 air-to-air missiles or 15 tonnes of ordnance. A digital fly-by-wire flight control system

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alleviates the previous need to avoid asymmetric loads and cross-control maneuvers, while restricting normal airframe load to 9Gs and speed to Mach 2.5, although the airframe can exceed both in extreme situations. The aircraft’s power and maneuverability is being exhibited at the Dubai Airshow in the spectacular flying display flown by a Boeing test pilot in a Qatari F-15QA. Another key element of the F-15EX is the BAE Systems ALQ-250 Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS), which represents a major enhancement in the ability of the system to adapt rapidly to emerging threats. EPAWSS has reached the final stages of development, and an export-optimized version is also being formulated. Boeing has received considerable interest in the F-15EX and its new systems, including from all current legacy Eagle customers and covering both new-build aircraft or using elements of the EX/Advanced Eagle for deep modernization programs such as that underway in Japan. Israel has voiced intentions to buy new F-15EXs, but talks remain on hold due to the Gaza crisis. Naturally, the F-15EX also has sparked a new round of interest in the Eagle from several other nations. In August, Indonesia signed a memorandum of understanding with Boeing to pursue a requirement of 24 aircraft, while Poland has recently initiated discussions concerning the potential acquisition of 32. z

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Block III Thunder makes int’l debut at Dubai show By David Donald

While Block II Thunders grace the skies over Dubai in the flying display, the latest Block III variant of the Sino-Pakistani fighter appears on static display alongside an array of weapon options.

Among the exhibits making their first international air show appearance during Dubai Airshow 2023 is the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC)/Chengdu JF-17 Thunder Block III multirole fighter. The first batch of the modernized variant entered service with the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) at the start of March, joining No. 16 “Black Panthers” Squadron. One of them appears on static display at Dubai, where it is accompanied by a pair of Block II aircraft that are sharing flying display duties. The static aircraft carries a range of stores of Chinese and U.S./Pakistani origin, including the C-802AK anti-ship missile and ASEL targeting pod.

PAC—which is responsible for final assembly and 58 percent of construction—has built 50 Block I aircraft and 62 in Block II, the first of which entered service in 2010 and the last of which went to the PAF in June 2019. Both versions feature the Chinese KLJ-7 X-band mechanically scanned radar. The Block II introduced several improvements, including inflight refueling capability. Included in the Block II production run are 26 JF-17B two-seaters, the first four of which Chengdu in China completed. The latest Block III, of which Pakistan expects to procure at least 50, represents a major modernization of the aircraft. It

features a new quad-redundant three-axis digital flight control system and revised avionics with a helmet-mounted display/sight and a wide-angle head-up display. It also employs an enhanced electronic defensive suite, including mission approach warning. The most important change is the introduction of the KLJ-7A active electronically scanned array radar, which significantly increases air target detection and tracking. Chengdu flew the first of two Block III prototypes on December 15, 2019, and the latest Thunder variant went into series production at PAC’s Kamra facility at the end of 2020. z

Russian Knights display team leads country’s presence at DAS 2023 Despite being barred from exhibiting at many of the world’s aviation exhibitions and trade shows, Russia’s aerospace industry projects a significant presence at the Dubai Airshow, with a large dedicated pavilion adjoining the static display. The industry’s attendance highlights the return to Dubai of the air and space force’s Russian Knights display team, which flies a mix of Sukhoi Su-30SM and Su-35S fighters. United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), part of the Rostec State Corporation and encompassing the greater majority of Russia’s fixedwing aircraft output, features a number of its products in the pavilion. One of them—the latest version of the Ilyushin Il-76 airlifter—has been a popular aircraft for both commercial and military cargo/airlift

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operations in the Middle East. Although externally similar to previous iterations of the transport aircraft, the Il-76MD-90A(E) has undergone considerable modernization with new avionics and a glass cockpit. Aviadvigatel PS-90A-76 engines power the aircraft. UAC also promotes the related Il-78MK90A military tanker/transport version. Russia’s other major airframer, Russian Helicopters, also is well represented. Designs from Kamov on show include the Ansat light helicopter, Ka-32A11M heavy multi-purpose helicopter, and Ka-52E attack/scout. Mil has brought the Mi-171A3 utility transport, while the Orlan-30 fixed-wing and BAS-200 rotary-wing UAVs appear in the static display. D.D.

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By Peter Shaw-Smith

Left, AirBaltic CEO Martin Gauss and Airbus chief commercial officer Christian Scherer celebrate an order for 30 A220s.

DAVID McINTOSH

AirBaltic places firm order for thirty A220-300s

Latvian flag carrier AirBaltic placed a firm the fourth quarter of 2026,” he said. order Monday for 30 Airbus A220-300s at the The airline logged 37,300 flights in 2022, Dubai Airshow, bringing its total order count carrying 3.3 million passengers. for the airplane to 80. The deal includes purOperating from Riga, Latvia; Tallinn, Estochase rights for an additional 20 aircraft. nia; Vilnius, Lithuania; and Tampere, Finland, Founded in 1995, the airline, based in four the airline is studying a fifth hub and today northern European cities, operates a fleet of temporarily bases two aircraft in Gran Canaria. “We are expanding in the Nordics,” he said. 44 aircraft and expects to take its 50th next year, according to CEO Martin Gauss. “The “We have laid out a plan to take us up to 100 first aircraft from the new order is coming in aircraft. We have identified other bases but

GA-ASI teams with Edge on SkyGuardian RPA General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., (GA-ASI) has announced an agreement with the UAE’s Edge Group for the integration of smart weapons onto the MQ-9B SkyGuardian remotely-piloted aircraft (RPA). The UAE already operates GA-ASI’s unarmed Predator XP and hopes to acquire the larger and weapons-capable MQ-9B. Despite being approved by the U.S. State Department in November 2020 to receive up to 18 SkyGuardians together with associated systems and weapons, the estimated $2.97 billion deal was frozen as part of the cancellation of the UAE’s F-35 fighter purchase. Efforts to resurrect the MQ-9B sale continue. Under the deal with Edge, a range of the

Emirati company’s weapons will be integrated, including the Desert Sting guided glide weapons and Thunder family of lowcost precision munitions from Edge member Halcon, along with the Al Tariq family of modular precision-guided munitions. “We’re excited to work with Edge on this initiative,” said GA-ASI president David Alexander. “Integrating home-grown capabilities onto our customer platforms is something we’ve done a lot, but we’ve never before integrated a non-NATO weapon system onto one of our RPA platforms.” GA-ASI hopes that the deal will lead to further integration of Emirati weapons, sensors, and systems into the company’s RPAs, for both the UAE and other nations. D.D.

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they have not yet been announced.” In 2016, AirBaltic became the global launch operator of the A220 and since 2020 has operated all flights using a single-type fleet. Today, it ranks as the world’s largest operator of the aircraft. “The market outlook for the A220 is quite strong,” said Christian Scherer, chief commercial oﬃcer and head of international at Airbus. Several Middle East airlines are interested, he said, but wouldn’t identify any particular company. “There is demand for the A220 in every region of the world, including in this region,” he told AIN. “It’s a very versatile airplane. This region, in particular, has longer and thinner sectors that the airplane lends itself to particularly well.” The delivery of a business jet version—the TwoTwenty—from Comlux in Indianapolis to Five Hotels and Resorts in Dubai earlier this year created a flurry of regional interest. “I went over to see the corporate jet [on static display],” Scherer said. “I encourage you to go and see it. It’s really impressive.” Gauss said the airline had a diﬃcult summer due to engine problems. This month, it will have all aircraft at its disposal, although some heavy maintenance checks need completion first. “We expect, because of the maintenance intervals, that we will also have a few missing next year,” he said. “But today, we don’t know the exact number.” z

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Emirates expanding pilot training capacity By Peter Shaw-Smith Emirates Airline has set its sights on boosting flight crew training capacity by opening a new facility housing six full-flight simulator bays for its future Airbus A350 and Boeing 777X widebodies in March 2024. Coupled with existing colleges at Garhoud in the UAE, the new training facility will allow the airline to expand its pilot training capacity by 54 percent, bringing the total to 17 full flight simulator bays offering a capacity of more than 130,000 training hours annually. The airline has operated the Emirates Flight Training Academy (EFTA) in Dubai South since 2017, offering training for UAE nationals and international cadets. The facility has graduated more than 100 cadets since 2020, an Emirates spokesperson told AIN. EFTA operates a fleet of 27 training aircraft to train cadets with no previous knowledge of flying. Today, the fleet includes 22 Cirrus SR22 G6 single-engine piston aircraft, three Diamond DA42-VI diesel twin-engine machines, and five Embraer Phenom 100EV very light jets. The facility offers six full-motion flight simulators, an independent air traffic control tower, and a dedicated 5,900-foot runway. Cadets undergo 53 weeks of ground school, 900 hours of training on simulators, and more than 250 hours on the Cirrus, Diamond, and Phenom aircraft. According to the U.S-based pilot-employment platform PilotsGlobal, traffic among Middle East carriers in May 2023 had grown by 17.2 percent over May 2019 levels, as measured by revenue passenger kilometers. “This is by far the best pre-to-post-Covid rate of recovery in any region, with North America the only other region with an increase at 1.8 percent above 2019 levels in terms of international passenger traffic,” PilotsGlobal v-p Gregory Newman told AIN. According to UAE news reports, Riyadh Air COO Peter Bellew has set a goal to hire

700 pilots for the 39 Boeing 787-9 airliners on order. Newman noted the airline appears on track to meet its hiring target. “If the option to acquire 33 additional widebodies is exercised, the hiring will only go up from there,” he said. “PilotsGlobal has referred over 1,700 pilots to Riyadh Air as of September, and it is our assessment that they will not have any issue hiring their targeted 700 pilots.” The new Saudi carrier is looking to recruit flight crew at a time when, not only have the

aircraft in the Middle East, proving the strong proliferation of low-cost carriers coming into the market in a region that was dominated by widebody aircraft for many years,” he said.

Emirates-CAE Focuses on Business Aviation Emirates-CAE Flight Training primarily trains business aviation pilots, while FlyDubai accounts for the bulk of its work for scheduled carriers. The airline and the flight training firm entered an agreement to collaborate in 2002, and the relationship led to a 50-50 joint venture in 2006. According to the company’s Dubai-based managing director, Nimrod Meuleman, it now manages a total of 19 simulators and trained a total of about 12,000 pilots a year. Business

Emirates-CAE Flight Training trains 12,000 pilots per year, said managing director Nimrod Meuleman. mainline carriers fully recovered in terms of demand, but business aviation employers and flight schools in the region are beginning to recruit pilots and instructors again. As of September 30, the PilotsGlobal platform had processed 22,000 pilot referrals across Middle East vacancies, underlining strong interest among the pilot community to work in the region. PilotsGlobal’s recent estimates—if current aircraft order backlogs in the Middle East ultimately result in a corresponding number of deliveries—foresee a total of roughly 13,500 new pilots needed by the market in the relatively short term, split evenly between widebody and narrowbody aircraft. “This is a new trend in terms of the need for narrowbody

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jet training includes instruction on the Bombardier Global 7500, 6500, and Global Express models, as well as the Challenger 604 and 605. “We have what we call a Bombardier Center of Excellence here in the Middle East, which is the only one outside of North America,” he told AIN. “Five of the simulators are for scheduled airlines and the rest are for business aviation.” Meuleman said about 30 percent of the company’s business came from Europe, 30 percent from Middle East customers, 30 percent from Asia, including China, Japan, Australia, and Southeast Asia, and about 10 percent from the Americas. “We have 38 diﬀerent national authorities that have approved our training center here in Dubai,” he concluded. z

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Global tensions call for strong defense presence The strong defense presence at international air shows means their significance in terms of military strategy and diplomacy is always at least as great as the potential for commercial advancement. The extreme tensions across the Middle East unleashed by Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel makes it more true of almost any Dubai Air Show since the 2001 event held just weeks after the 9/11 terror attacks on the U.S. The circumstances underscore the prominence of the U.S. industry’s presence at the 2023 Dubai show, where some 180 American companies exhibit on-site, alongside other major national industry groups such as GIFAS from France and the UK’s ADS. In an interview ahead of the event, Eric Fanning, president and CEO of the U.S. Aerospace Industries Association, acknowledged the importance of a strong presence to signal abiding support for key allies like the UAE at a time of grave instability. “The lesson of what’s happening right now is that we can plan for scenarios and focus on certain parts of the world, but at the same time our adversaries get a vote on where we need to dedicate our attention,” Fanning told AIN in a pre-show interview. “I’m not aware of the world previously having so many issues that we need to pay attention to: Russia invading Ukraine; our eﬀorts to have the strongest deterrents possible [given the] Chinese scenario; and the Hamas invasion of Israel.” While soaring demand for military hardware and services at times of tension might, superficially, appear good for business, it doesn’t come without its challenges, and for U.S. companies they include ongoing domestic political paralysis. For AIA members, their ability to respond to shifting military imperatives is founded in dealings with their undisputed key customer, the U.S. government. Inconsistent shifts over recent years in Pentagon spending, combined with ongoing

post-Covid supply chain difficulties, have made it hard for the U.S. military to sustain a surge in output. AIA remains concerned about the prospect of another federal government shutdown if the current stop-gap budget agreement isn’t extended or replaced when it expires on November 17. “It is important for the U.S. government to always remember that they have stewardship of this industrial base,” Fanning commented. “The signals that they send shape that industrial base. It has taken years to get it to where it is now, which is a very efficient base built for a different type of conflict with a different type of duration. So to have all these conflicts spike simultaneously has put a spotlight on the fact that the U.S. hasn’t consistently invested in the base to ensure there is capacity when it is called on.” At the same time, AIA is concerned that inflationary pressures could worsen the pressure on the defense supply chain. “The industry can be more agile on inflation on the commercial side than on the defense side,” Fanning commented.

A Competitive Edge No less challenging is the existential threat to air transportation posed by the climate change crisis and the legal-binding global agreements to achieve net zero carbon no later than 2050. But here too lies opportunity for American aerospace companies and their competitors around the world. AIA expects its member companies’ redoubled eﬀorts to decarbonize aviation through new propulsion technologies, composite materials, components, and fuels will be much in evidence at the Dubai Airshow. The trade association sees the eﬀort as an opportunity to gain a competitive edge as the global industry scrambles to deliver first incremental, and then transformative, paths for airlines to turn their fleets “green.” In its view, that challenge also demands consistent, strategic backing from governments, balancing the supply of carrots to incentivize the industry to do the right thing for the planet, with sticks to cajole companies into compliance. “If you just use the stick you will stifle innovation,” Fanning warned. z

DAVID McINTOSH

By Charles Alcock

“Some [companies] may go out of the defense business saying that the government hasn’t fully accounted for the impact of inflation so we can’t aﬀord to do these contracts.”

A variety of civilian and military aircraft add some much-needed color to the warm and hazy blue skies that greeted visitors to the 2023 Dubai Airshow.

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Saab launches remote tower for large airports By David Donald Saab has launched the latest addition to its growing portfolio of remote/digital tower air traﬃc control systems. The Integrated Digital Tower Solution (i-DTS) is aimed at large airports, initially as a “mirror” contingency tower to ensure they can maintain operations in the face of adverse events, but ultimately to develop into a system that could replace the traditional ATC tower. In 2015 Saab began operations with its first 360-degree camera-based remote tower (r-TWR) at Sundsvall airport in northern Sweden. Since then the company has become an acknowledged pioneer in the sector, with an increasing number of its systems in operation

at locations such as London City and the NATO air base at Geilenkirchen. In the meantime, the capabilities on offer have grown, and now include the ability to integrate an r-TWR into a traditional ATC tower system. Along with its tower solutions, Saab has been developing integrated automated air traffic control systems (i-ATS) that cover a wide range of ATC functions. The company won a contract in 2022 to install its i-ATS at Dubai International and Al Maktoum airports. Now Saab is bringing together its r-TWR and i-ATS expertise to offer the i-DTS as a system for controlling large airports, providing greater resilience to weather events and system component failures, as well as threats such as terrorism. The i-DTS also provides the ability to

train controllers in an airport-wide setting without aﬀecting real-world ATC functions. The i-DTS employs the same airport-wide panorama camera view presented on a large wrap-around screen array, as used by the r-TWR system. However, each controller works at a console with a role-based display of their particular area of interest, along with the regular 2D radar ground display. While each controller has the tools available to perform their tasks at their consoles, they can also view the airport-wide picture on the screen wall in front of them. ATC supervisors also have the whole airport picture available, as well as the ability to view more detailed areas if required. Controllers can see relevant imagery on their console, which then gets highlighted on the main screen wall. Similarly, events generated within the i-ATS, such as runway incursions detected by ground radar, immediately appear on the camera display. Air and ground “avoid” areas can be displayed graphically on the camera view, while the positions of drones and other potential threats can be visually highlighted. z

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Middle East fleet replenishment slowed by airliner program delays at OEMs Delays to major new airliner programs continue to hamper plans for fleet renewal at Middle Eastern carriers. Since the outbreak of Covid, the region’s fleets have remained static but as demand for air travel approaches pre-pandemic levels, one might anticipate an increase in new orders as 2023 draws to a close. For instance, as of October 12, Emirates flew 260 aircraft—119 Airbus A380s and 144 Boeing 777s, including 123 777-300ERs and 11 freighters. Back in September 2019, Emirates operated 268 aircraft and awaited delivery of another 231. Qatar Airways now has accumulated about 255 Airbus and Boeing aircraft and awaits another 195 on order, while Etihad Airways’ fleet consists of 90 aircraft from the same airframers, with a further 105 units on order. According to Rob Morris, global head of consultancy with Cirium, delays to the 777X program represent a key to fleet replacement, if not expansion, at the region’s major airlines. “Fleet growth at Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar is inextricably linked to the 777X and A350 programs,” he told AIN. “The timeline for certification of the former remains uncertain and the A350 backlog at all three typically includes small scale in 2024 with concentration from 2025 onwards. Hence, fleet growth is likely to remain limited until greater progress is evident on the B777X.” Dan Taylor, head of consulting with IBA, said that Middle East commercial passenger air travel broadly had returned to pre-Covid levels, despite some significant global headwinds aﬀecting the industry. “Airlines are facing unprecedented challenges including high oil prices, supply chain delays and cost inflation, continuing geopolitical instability, and elevated interest rates,” he told AIN. “On the positives, airlines have been able to successfully increase fares as demand for air travel remains strong for now. Delays at the OEMs are having a knock-on

DAVID MCINTOSH

By Peter Shaw-Smith

An Emirates Boeing 777-300ER performs a fly-past ahead of the show. impact on airlines’ ability to grow capacity at expected rates, but the production volumes are set to return to 2018 levels by mid-2025.” With an expected available seat kilometer (ASK) growth of 5 percent per year forecast for the next five years, airlines have accumulated a large order backlog to both support the growth and to replace aging aircraft, Taylor believes. There are currently 1,169 commercial aircraft on order for Middle East operators; the largest backlog resides with Emirates, which carries orders for 120 Boeing 777s, 30 Boeing 787s, and 50 Airbus A350s, Taylor explained. According to Richard Aboulafia, managing director of AeroDynamic Advisory, Emirates needs to replenish its fleet but delays have confounded that plan. “Everyone else thinks smaller is beautiful: the A350, the B787, and, in Qatar’s case, intriguingly, A321s. When you talk about the challenge and the importance of scaling down and being more flexible in your route network with smaller jets, it really hits you just how badly the aircraft delivery delays damage or delay that strategy.” In his view, turning around the situation will prove critical in the ongoing contest between the world’s top two airframers. “It could be an irony or just bad news, but Boeing has the better widebody strategy,” he said. “Then again, Boeing’s execution has been much worse. If you win with the A350, you’re probably on safer ground, and more likely to get your

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replacement jets faster. Will [the B777X arrive in] 2025? Will it be 2026? Who the heck knows? And then the B787, of course, has had problems all of its own. Obviously, the line shut down. It sure looks like it’s a much smaller number of airlines cheering for the return of widebodies.” Aboulafia believes Emirates’ fleet in two years’ time will not look radically different from its current form. “This is a maturing market that faces a lot of competition from upstart players, and whether it’s Turkish or Ethiopian [airlines], everybody, most of all Air India, wants some of their traffic back,” he said. “Emirates did amazing work expanding over the past 15 to 20 years, going after other people’s traffic, and now they want it back. “Then, of course, there’s the giant elephant in the corner: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi wealth fund, and whether they can turn Saudi Arabia into another giant Dubai. That’s a long-term thing. Nevertheless, if you’re in strategic planning at Emirates, you’ve got to be just a little bit terrified.”

Opportunities for Low-cost Carriers IBA’s Taylor said the region had seen the rise of low-cost carriers (LCCs) in recent years with the emergence of Flydubai, Air Arabia, and, more recently, WizzAir. “LCCs now make up 13 percent of the overall region’s capacity [ASKs], and with large numbers of aircraft on order; this will only increase,” he said. “LCCs

in Europe and North America have been very successful in competing with legacy carriers on mature routes as well as creating new markets such as in the price-sensitive leisure segments.” According to IBA, in the Middle East, much of the traﬃc growth to date has centered on long-haul transfer, using its prime location to connect many global destinations. The UK-based consultancy now sees the LCC airlines creating and growing new domestic and intra-region routes aided by better intergovernment traﬃc rights agreements. As a result, regional LCCs have expanded their fleets rapidly with record aircraft orders. “Flydubai has 137 Boeing 737 types and Air Arabia 120 Airbus orders, for example,” Taylor explained. “Airbus is leading the order count in the region with a total of 594 ahead of Boeing’s 560 aircraft. Airbus already has 795 aircraft in service in the region against 727 aircraft for Boeing and the new aircraft orders will only increase the lead.” Cirium’s Morris said Flydubai has illustrated the potential for the co-existence of LCCs in the Gulf region, with its network complementing Emirates rather than cannibalizing it. “The significant order backlog for LCCs across the region—Jazeera, SalamAir, Flyadeal, FlyNas, Air Arabia, and others—indicates the potential in other parts of the region for the LCC model to stimulate and fulfill local demand in the medium- and longer term,” he commented. In Cirium’s view, the freighter market in the region has not mirrored Airbus’s dominance with passenger jets. “Airbus does have some progress with Etihad’s A350F commitment but that is relatively small scale when compared to Qatar’s 777-8F order,” Morris said. “It does seem likely that Boeing will retain freighter dominance in the Middle East for a while longer yet.”

Airlines to serve the new residential developments in the Kingdom’s northwest region. “A national aviation strategy, which was launched last year, aims to connect 250 direct destinations [compared with today’s roughly 100] to and from the Kingdom’s airports, and triple air traﬃc to 330 million passengers, bringing the Kingdom to first place in the Middle East by 2030,” the Al Jazira Capital report concluded. “Under the aviation strategy, the government seeks to boost investments of more than $100 billion and transport 500 million passengers by the end of the current decade.” Upon launch, Riyadh Air announced in March 2023 its agreement with Boeing for a sales agreement covering seventytwo 787-9 Dreamliners. Of those agreed upon, 39 involve a firm order, with a further 33 remaining as optional purchases. “In addition, Riyadh Air is presently in discussions with both Airbus and Boeing for a large order of narrowbody aircraft,” Abdullah Aljawini, CEO of Dawli Aerospace in Riyadh, told AIN. “An agreed-on delivery schedule between airlines and aircraft manufacturers is legally binding, and variations from the new aircraft delivery dates can result in substantial discounts in favor of the airline.” Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas anticipates that Riyadh Air’s first flight will depart in mid-2025 and connect the Saudi capital city to more than 100 destinations around the world by 2030. “We are running on schedule, having already completed several defining milestones,” he told AIN. Initially, Riyadh Air will operate from the city’s existing King Khalid International

Airport before later moving into the new King Salman International Airport, which the kingdom anticipates opening in 2027. Given the big-spending moves made in the sporting domains of football, boxing, and golf, by Saudi entities, the airline might have to pay top dollar to attract pilots and other staﬀ, although Douglas chose not to address that point directly. “Riyadh Air will become a prominent driver of employment, creating 200,000 job opportunities directly and indirectly and we are recruiting the brightest minds and talent to be part of the airline,” he commented. “We’ve been very encouraged by the response and have already had over 900,000 applications from within the kingdom and around the world. Over the next few months, we will be running a series of recruitment roadshows with a view to recruiting our first intake of cabin crew by the end of 2024, with the first of those joining in the first quarter of 2025.” However, Aboulafia said Riyadh Air could find that facing the supply-demand curve could be a huge challenge even in such a deep-pocketed market as Saudi Arabia. “This is an enterprise that’s starting up right in the middle of the worst aviation industry inflation we’ve seen in decades,” he explained. “First and foremost, it’s pilot wages, but it’s pretty much wages for any skilled workers in the aviation segment. It’s labor. Beyond that, I think it’s the first time we’ve seen any hope of aircraft price increases for decades—in real terms, not in fake ‘here’s the list price’ terms, but genuine terms. You’re actually talking about things firming up, which of course you have to do because otherwise the OEMs are just going to take a bath” z

The anticipated launch in 2025 of the new national carrier, Riyadh Air, and plans for fleet expansion by existing players such as Saudia, Flyadeal, and FlyNas would facilitate the arrival of a higher number of visitors and enable tourism growth, according to Al Jazira Capital’s recent analysis of the Saudi Arabian travel and tourism sectors. Plans call for new carrier Neom

DAVID MCINTOSH

Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air and Other Airlines To Challenge Gulf Rivals

An Air Arabia Airbus A320 participates in flight validations. a i n o n l i n e . c o m • November 14, 202 3 • D u b a i A i rs h ow News 15

By Charles Alcock Plans to launch eVTOL air taxi services in India came to light last Thursday when InterGlobe Enterprises, parent company to the country’s largest airline IndiGo, signed an agreement that could lead to a purchase of up to 200 of Archer Aviation’s Midnight aircraft. The electric vehicle is on display at the Dubai Airshow, as Archer looks to cement its ambitions to get established in the UAE on the basis of a partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Oﬃce, the U.S. startup also announced last week. The memorandum of understanding signed with InterGlobe could see eVTOL commercial flights starting in cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. Archer aims to achieve FAA type certification in late 2025 and has plans to start operations in the U.S., working with partners including United Airlines. It says an air taxi network could materialize in

IndiGo could purchase up to 200 of the four-passenger Midnight eVTOL aircraft, on display at the Dubai Airshow, for air taxi operations in India.

DAVID McINTOSH

Archer signs India eVTOL market push with IndiGo

both India and the UAE starting in 2026. The Midnight is a piloted, four-passenger eVTOL aircraft that the company says will be capable of flying up to 100 miles (160 kilometers) on a single charge. Archer expects operators to use the vehicle primarily for backto-back flights of between 10 to 20 minutes. InterGlobe will work together with Archer and some as-yet-unnamed “select in-country business partners” to finance and build vertiport infrastructure, train pilots and other personnel, and operate an air taxi service in India, with initial routes launching in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. An Archer spokesperson told AIN that the company expects to be “heavily involved in operations, infrastructure, pilot training, and receiving all necessary regulatory approvals in India.” Along with commercial passenger flights, the partners intend to pursue a variety of other

applications for the Midnight aircraft in India, including medevac operations and cargo logistics. According to Archer, the air taxi services in New Delhi could allow passengers to make the 17-mile trip from Connaught Place to Gurugram in about seven minutes, whereas that same trip by car typically takes 60 to 90 minutes. The company has said that pricing for air taxi rides will compare favorably to premium ground ridesharing services such as Uber Black. “Over the last two decades, InterGlobe has been involved in providing safe, efficient, and affordable transportation to hundreds of millions of Indians across the country. We are excited at this new opportunity of bringing an effective, futuristic, and sustainable transport solution by introducing Archer’s electric aircraft to India,” said Rahul Bhatia, group managing director of InterGlobe. z

Vertiport Management System to support VTOL aircraft operations Anra Technologies introduced the Vertiport Management System (VMS) at the Dubai Airshow. The U.S. company says the web-based software platform serves multiple aircraft types and will support flights at vertiports and other locations used for urban air mobility (UAM) services. The company developed the technology to support increasing levels of autonomy in flight operations by piloted eVTOL aircraft and uncrewed drones. The system exchanges real-time data between the aircraft and all the various services needed to support arrivals and departures. “While many vertiport providers are busy building the physical infrastructure and conceptualizing the passenger experience, Anra has developed the digital layer,” said founder and CEO Amit Ganjoo. “VMS facilitates intelligent operational and safety decisions by

16 Dubai Airshow News • November 14, 2 0 2 3 • a i n o n l i n e . c o m

seamlessly connecting the various systems at the vertiport, aircraft, and the broader advanced air mobility ecosystem.” According to Anra, the VMS is available for immediate use by organizations developing UAM concepts of operation, urban planning, airspace management systems, and vertiports. The company said the system can integrate with existing air traffic management networks and align with the guidance given in NASA’s Vertiport Automation, Software Architecture, and Requirements report. The platform’s services include: real-time vertiport resource status; flight reservation and clearance requests; flight status; live telemetry for monitoring aircraft data; micro weather services; and aircraft surveillance. C.A.

Jekta moving ahead on electric flying boat By Kerry Lynch Research from Switzerland-based Jekta has reinforced the underlying potential for its PHA-ZE 100 amphibious electric flying boat, particularly in areas where lack of infrastructure hampers accessible regional air mobility and costs of operation are notably higher with the use of jet-A, the company said on the eve of the Dubai Airshow. Jekta unveiled plans for its electric PHA-ZE— which stands for Passenger Hydro Aircraft Zero Emissions—at the Abu Dhabi Air Expo last year, presenting an aircraft that could fly up to 150 kilometers (94 miles) carrying up to 19 passengers at speeds of up to 135 knots. PHA-ZE will employ a fully battery-electric propulsion system with 180-kilowatt electric motors attached to a 30-meter (98-foot) wing. Jekta also is considering options for a hydrogen-powered version using fuel cells. Since its introduction, the company has lined up orders from Mehair in India for 50 and from Gayo Aviation for another 10. Jekta CEO and founder George Alafinov called the orders “an indication that we’re on the right path with this aircraft and the need for this particular niche.” During the Dubai Airshow, Jekta is hosting virtual tours of the interior concepts. Jekta on Sunday announced the research findings, showing that in regions where electricity might be costly, the market for the PHA-ZE 100 could prove minuscule. But

in other regions—including across much of Africa, the Middle East, the Arabian Gulf, India, and Asia—the aircraft could significantly lower operating costs and open opportunities in hard-to-reach areas without the need for costly new land infrastructure. Alafinov noted that an electric aircraft will not be practical everywhere. “The price of electricity in some European countries is so high that the operators will not be opting for electric aircraft,” he said. “We can talk about sustainability, but nobody is going to buy a very expensive aircraft for the sake of sustainability if they’re not gaining any advantage over legacy aircraft.” Alafinov said the company plans to work with potential customers on outlining a business case for the flying boat, including mapping out optimal routes and networks. Another key aspect involves partnerships on a charging framework designed to minimize ground infrastructure needs. “Infrastructure is as important as the aircraft itself,” Alafinov said. “Our aircraft [will be] supplied with a local power generator, which is a solar panel system that creates energy and stores it in a capacitor or accumulator and then charges the aircraft.” In terms of development, the company has lined up about 70 percent of its suppliers. Plans call for the start of work next year on a scaled model that would help further define the aircraft and ready it for shows later in the year. A full prototype would follow in 2027 with certification perhaps in the 2029 timeframe. z

Big Boeing buys continued from page 1

deliveries slated for 2030. Along with the 777X orders, Emirates confirmed an agreement for 202 GE9X engines, bringing that total to 460 units. In addition, Emirates increased its 787 tally with the addition of five more, bringing its Dreamliner backlog to 35 while converting orders for thirty 787-9s to twenty 787-8s and ten 787-10s. “These additional aircraft will enable Emirates to connect even more cities, supporting the Dubai economic agenda…to add 400 cities to Dubai’s foreign trade map over the next decade,” Sheikh Ahmed said. “By the early 2030s, we expect the Emirates fleet to be around 350-strong, connecting Dubai to even more cities around the world.” Meanwhile, FlyDubai valued its orders for thirty 787-9 Dreamliners at $11 billion. The contract moves the carrier into the widebody realm, building on its all-737 fleet. Boeing kicked oﬀ its spate orders on Monday with the SunExpress Airlines deal for up to 90, 45 of which are firm, five options, and another 40 purchase rights. Other orders included an agreement with Royal Jordanian Airlines for six 787-9s. Another contract, with EgyptAir, was placed through Air Lease Corporation for eighteen 737-8 Maxes. A confirmation of an order from Royal Air Maroc for two 787-9s rounded out the day. z

DAVID McINTOSH

The Passenger Hydro Aircraft Zero Emissions 100 flying boat offers an electric alternative to traditional aircraft.

Seated (L-R) Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stan Deal, Emirates Group chairman and CEO HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, GE chief executive Larry Culp and, standing, Crown Prince of Dubai HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, sign a landmark order for Boeing 777X widebodies and GE9X engines.

a i n o n l i n e . c o m • November 14, 202 3 • D u b a i A i rs h ow News 17

Despite conflict, Israeli industry maintains Dubai show presence Despite the continuing intense military conflict in Gaza, Israeli aerospace and defense companies stand among the exhibitors at this year’s Dubai Airshow to build on its historic debut at the event in 2021. As the event opened on Monday morning, Elbit Systems and Rafael projected a low-profile presence at their stands in the exhibit hall while the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) exhibit remained roped oﬀ. Still, company representatives indicated that they can arrange meetings with senior leaders. Also among the Israeli contingent, government-owned rocket propulsion group Tomer and Flyvercity, an air traﬃc management and uncrewed air vehicles specialist, made the trip to Dubai. Last week, several Israeli industry executives, speaking with AIN on condition of anonymity, indicated they want to build on the prospects for partnerships in the Gulf region made possible by the September 2020 Abraham Accords agreement brokered by the U.S. Trump Administration between Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain. The first Israeli commercial airline flight landing in Abu Dhabi marked the occasion. Morocco and Sudan followed suit, signing on to the agreement in December 2020 and January 2021, respectively, but for now, prospects for a normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia appear indefinitely on hold. In the first instance, two of the biggest winners from the Abraham Accords were the U.S. defense industry and the UAE armed forces. The agreement paved the way for a $23 billion arms export deal. The initial proposed sale included 50 or more F-35A fighters, 18 General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper drones, and an estimated $10 billion in advanced weaponry.

In response to inquiries last week about the presence of Israeli firms at this year’s Dubai Airshow, company representatives emphasized that they are soldiering on building relationships with the UAE. Nonetheless, the conflict in Gaza, and the prospect of hostilities widening to include Iran-backed Hezbollah forces based in Lebanon, has led to a scaled-back presence at the show this week. “The number of company personnel that are actually Israeli citizens may be less than two years ago,” said one marketing executive from an exhibiting company. “But any reduced presence of Israeli-based specialists is in no way an indication of the relationship with the UAE being downgraded. The only reason would be based strictly on security considerations, or the complications associated with commercial flights in and out of Israel.”

Local Presence in the UAE Over the past three years, some Israeli companies have established a presence in the UAE,

DAVID McINTOSH

By Reuben F. Johnson

18 Dubai Airshow News • November 14, 2 0 2 3 • a i n o n l i n e . c o m

including local staﬀ and colleagues. “[These include] any number of UAE nationals now employed and performing engineering work for our companies,” said the marketing executive. “Even if none of the personnel normally based in Israel are participating in Dubai there will still be a full contingent of our own local, UAE employees.” The local employees are generally employed by UAE-registered subsidiaries of the parent company in Israel. Furthermore, the work they carry out in the UAE largely happens under contract with those UAE-registered entities. For instance, in February 2023, IAI announced it would develop an unmanned surface vessel in conjunction with UAE defense company Edge. What is essentially a water-borne version of a drone will come equipped with advanced sensors and imaging systems and can be employed for surveillance, reconnaissance, and detecting mines. IAI also has indicated plans to work with the UAE on air defense projects. In January, Elbit Systems Emirates won a $53 million contract to supply direct infrared countermeasures and airborne electronic warfare systems for the Airbus A330 multirole tanker transport aircraft of the UAE Air Force. The work is to be completed over a fiveyear period. Rafael partly sponsored the Air Chiefs’ Conference held on Sunday. Notably, the agenda completely avoided addressing the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. z

While the IAI exhibit was roped off during the Dubai Airshow, other Israel exhibitors such as Elbit Systems and Rafael held forth from their own booths, although with a fairly low profile.

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By Charles Alcock

to 175 km at speeds of 250 km/h. The partners signed the purchase agreement for 10 Lilium Jets in Dubai on Monday, and the deal remains subject to an undisclosed “commitment fee.” ArcosJet is now Lilium’s fifth international dealership, joining a network that already includes EMC Jet in Texas, Volare Aviation in the UK, Air Dynamic in Switzerland, and ASL Group in the Benelux countries. ArcosJet plans to take deliveries in 2026 and 2027. ArcosJet founder and CEO Mikhail Alenkin expressed confidence that the aircraft will quickly find buyers and “lay the foundations

DAVID McINTOSH

ArcosJet has agreed to purchase 10 of Lilium’s eVTOL aircraft, which it will offer to private buyers in the Middle East. Last week, the Dubai-based aircraft broker became the German manufacturer’s first authorized dealer in the region for the all-electric Lilium Jet. At the Dubai Airshow, Lilium and ArcosJet are exhibiting a mockup of the four-passenger Pioneer Edition of the eVTOL vehicle, which features 30 ducted-fan engines in its wing and canard. Lilium expects the aircraft, which it will also offer in a six-passenger configuration, to enter service in 2026, offering a range of up

With the addition of ArcosJet as the first authorized Lilium Jet dealer in the Middle East, local interest in the electric vehicle appears sure to grow.

DAVID McINTOSH

Middle East dealer orders 10 Lilium Jets

A welcome attendee at the Dubai Airshow, the Eurofighter Typhoon from the Kuwaiti Air Force (KAF), makes its first major overseas public appearance. The KAF ordered 22 single-seaters and six two-seaters in April 2016, with Eurofighter partner Leonardo taking the lead in overseeing the

order and assembling the aircraft at its Caselle plant near Turin. Deliveries got under way in late 2021. Kuwait’s aircraft are notable for being the first operational Typhoons to be fitted with the Captor-E radar with an active electronically scanned array.

20 Dubai Airshow News • November 14, 2 0 2 3 • a i n o n l i n e . c o m

for the development of sustainable air transport in the Middle East.” The Dubai-based company has traded since 2014, and its main focus involves business aircraft transactions in the Middle East, Europe, Russia, and the Commonwealth of Independent States. On Friday, Lilium announced the extension of its partnership with InoBat, which will produce large volumes of battery cells for the Lilium Jet at factories in Slovakia. The company, which is partly owned by China’s Gotion High-Tech, is now building a second plant called Volta II that will serve as its first “gigafactory,” generating up to four-gigawatt hours of production capacity. Munich-based Lilium has invested in InoBat. “Consistent with best practice and our stated strategy, we expect that multiple cell suppliers will support our aircraft program, with the aim to ensure a reliable volume production of battery cells for years to come,” said Lilium chief operating oﬃcer Yves Yemsi. Last week, Michelin signed an agreement to design and produce tires for the Lilium Jet. The French company has supplied aircraft manufacturers for more than 100 years and expects to deliver the first tires to its new customer later this month. Lilium has begun assembling the first full-scale prototype and expects to start flight tests in 2024. “The Michelin tire designed for the Lilium Jet is truly one of a kind and a major advancement in this critical aviation component,” said Sophie Bréchoire, president of Michelin’s aeronautic activities. “It marries the challenge of lightweight construction for eVTOL aircraft with the renowned quality and reliability of Michelin aircraft tires.” z

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Aerospace Xelerated to speed up incubations By Peter Shaw-Smith Four years after its launch, a key Boeing incubator plans to intensify selection runs to increase industry’s access to revolutionary ideas from up-and-coming entrepreneurs. The newly expanded Aerospace Xelerated (AX) is a funded, three-month accelerator for early stage software start-ups. Nichola Bates, Boeing’s head of global accelerators and innovation programs and AX managing director, said the new format would provide “scale,” although it remained too early to say how growth rates would change given the potential to dramatically increase the program’s impact. The project targets access to revenue opportunities across a range of industries. “The tech that we use isn’t just used in aerospace but is applicable to other industries,” she said. “Making sure that our companies are financially very successful is the key for us in all of this.” Jason McClain, senior director of ventures and innovation strategy at Boeing, explained that the company built AX with a serious intent to support global entrepreneurship. “We started the program in 2019 and invested in 10 companies and have done so annually since,” he said on the eve of the Dubai Airshow. AX sees the show and the UAE as important. Funding for the program has come from Tawazun Council, the entity acting as the investment and procurement arm of the UAE defense ministry. AX has renewed the partnership for another year with matching funding. “Tawazun has been supporting innovation since our early days, and running this program alongside Boeing will enable us to work closely with these amazing companies that are going to shape the future of aerospace,” Abdulla Al Awani, chief economic program oﬃcer at Tawazun Council, said this year. AX portfolio companies have gone on to raise over £200 million ($244 million) on top of Boeing’s initial investment and have created

more than 750 jobs in the UAE and beyond. Like Tawazun, other global organizations have worked with participant companies as partners or mentors, including Etihad, GKN Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, KPMG, PWC, Frazer-Nash, Chevron Technology Ventures, and EasyJet, and they also have gotten involved in the selection process. The program selected a fourth cohort in the first quarter of 2023, with Boeing announcing the selection of 11 startups on January 16. Ten companies that graduated from the AX program are participating in the Vista 2023 startup hub at the Dubai Airshow, including Canada’s Basetwo AI, which exists to simplify highly regulated and complex engineering environments. Sharjah, UAE-based AR Engineering builds augmented reality solutions for aircraft maintenance and won selection based on the innovations it introduced for visualizing educational content with MRO technicians in mind. “We specialize in animating and visualizing engineering manuals in augmented reality and 3D and we do it much faster than everybody else,” founder and CEO Akram Amir told AIN. He added that during the selection process, AX asked specific questions about how his solution could benefit the industry. “This was something that made us respect them even more—they understood our solution

22 Dubai Airshow News • November 14, 2 0 2 3 • a i n o n l i n e . c o m

and found value in it,” he said. Program alumni such as Inverness, UK-based Aiber, which provides mobile solutions to support crew during airborne medical incidents, and HiiROC, of Hull, UK, developer of a new thermal plasma electrolysis process for low-cost, zero-CO2-emission hydrogen production, were on hand at a symposium in Dubai on November 9 to underscore the success of the AX program. Nabla Mobility in Tokyo, another AX poster child, helps airlines reduce fuel consumption using machine learning and AI to enhance flight plans with multi-factor flight optimizations. AX’s Bates said the program is virtual rather than physically located. “When we did the program in person, the number of female founders that we had in the program was virtually none,” she said. “When we went fully virtual, we got a massive increase in the number of female founders applying and able to engage with the program.” To date, 25 percent of overall portfolio representation has come from female-founded teams, while 50 percent of 2023 investments went into start-ups led by women. Directions taken by the Boeing ventures portfolio can vary. HorizonX, which invests in early-stage companies, spun oﬀ from Boeing in 2017. Autonomous eVTOL company Wisk is now a full Boeing subsidiary, while SkyGrid is a joint venture building aerospace integration solutions. “It’s a really broad portfolio,” McClain said. “Wisk is in California, SkyGrid’s in Austin; HorizonX invests across the globe. Aerospace Xelerated very intentionally invests outside of North America.” z

Alumni from Aerospace Xelerated celebrated their success at creating 750 jobs as well as raising more than $244 million on top of Boeing’s initial investment in the program.

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