DUBAI AIRSHOW NEWS
DAY 3
NOVEMBER 15, 2023 Every segment of aviation is well represented at this year’s busy Dubai Airshow. dolor aliquatem.
DAVID McINTOSH
Ethiopian Airlines has added to Boeing’s Dubai Airshow successes with the announcement of firm orders for 20 Boeing 737 Max 8s and eleven 787-9 airliners, with options for up to 21 more 737s and 25 more 787s. The airline also has contracted with Boeing to conduct a major interior refit on its 787 fleet. Due to a dearth of available production slots, deliveries of the new aircraft will not start until 2026, with the last to be completed in 2030. They will follow deliveries of 25 airplanes on order from both Airbus and Boeing set to arrive in Addis Ababa over the next two years. The
10 Airbus A350s for Egyptair
Egyptair signed a deal with Airbus at the Dubai Airshow on Tuesday to buy 10 A350900s for delivery between 2025 and 2027. It inked the order for the widebody airliners during a ceremony attended by Egyptair chairman and CEO Yehia Zakaria and Airbus chief commercial officer Christian Scherer. “Egyptair is a key partner of Airbus in the Middle East and Africa,” said Zakaria. “We take immense pride in this partnership aimed at furthering the aviation industry. Our focus lies in the enhancement of our continues on page 18
Ethiopian Makes Max Buy By David Donald
AINONLINE.COM
airline will fill the gap in deliveries by leasing more aircraft in the interim. The Ethiopian order is highly important in terms of aircraft numbers but it carries perhaps more significance because the airline—which suffered the crash of a Max 8 in March 2019 with the loss of all 157 people on board—has returned to order more of the type. Group CEO Mesfin Tasew said that the accident had left “a big scar in our memory” but in the subsequent period the airline had become confident that “the design defect had been fully corrected by Boeing.” Already the largest airline in Africa with the youngest fleet, flying more than 140 aircraft continues on page 18
TRAINING “A big deal” AeroGuard orders 90 Piper Archers to expand flight training operations in the U.S. and Saudi | 4
MRO DWC facility Emirates is building a dedicated MRO and engineering facility at Dubai World Central | 10
AIR MOBILITY Dubai ATM Eve’s Urban ATM to help vertiport developer KookieJar support eVTOL ops in Dubai | 11
ENGINES Widebody surge Rolls-Royce is catching up to growing demand for widebody airliner engines | 16
Partner support that goes beyond product support Our capabilities ultimately deliver improved mission readiness. Learn more at boeing.com/services/government
MATT THURBER
number of aircraft, albeit at a much different value. More seriously, he noted that the sale was “a big deal” for Piper. “We really value the partnership we have with AeroGuard,” he added. Most of the aircraft will be stationed at AeroGuard’s U.S. bases, but Davidson sees potential for increased demand at the Saudi base as the nation continues to build its aviaPiper Aircraft tion and tourism infrastructure. v-p of interAlong with the new Archers, the company will pick up about 25 more used Archer and national and Cessna Skyhawk trainers to ensure it can direct sales Drew McEwen expand its student population. AeroGuard also called the trains in the Piper Seminole twin, but Davidson AeroGuard said that it has an adequate fleet for current demand. He noted that airline customers priorder “a big deal” for Piper. marily focus on single-engine training. “This investment represents our commitment to providing our airline partners’ student pilots with every resource they need to succeed while experiencing the highest quality flight training in the world,” Davidson said. “With these additional aircraft, AeroGuard has the capacity to welcome hundreds of new airline cadets to our pilot training programs.” As for Piper, the order is the latest in a string The companies did not provide a value for the Piper order, but based on reported list of contracts that the Vero Beach, Florida, manprices, the deal could carry a value above $36 ufacturer has collected over the past year for its million. Plans call for deliveries to begin in 2024 trainers, including from Blue Line Aviation for and continue over about a five-year timeframe. 55 Archer TXs and Seminoles and options for Drew McEwen, Piper v-p of international and 60 more. Piper also has received orders for a direct sales, jested the order was comparable to combined 47 Archer DX diesel-engine trainers the 90-aircraft 777X order Emirates and Boeing from Indian flight schools Synex Aero, Dunes announced on Monday, at least in terms of the Aviation Academy, and Vman Aero Services. z
By Kerry Lynch AeroGuard Flight Training Center placed an order to acquire 90 Piper Archer TX piston single-engine aircraft as it lays the groundwork to dramatically scale up its activities, the companies said on Tuesday during the Dubai Airshow. The flight training provider plans to increase its student pilot population to 2,000—from the current 800—by the end of next year and to double its fleet to more than 200 aircraft. With two facilities in the Phoenix area—at Deer Valley and Chandler—another in greater Austin, Texas, and a fourth outside of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, AeroGuard trains airline students through agreements with companies such as Cathay Pacific, SkyWest, and Korea Aerospace University. The U.S. facilities combine for a total of 75,000 sq ft, and the Saudi facility encompasses another 10,000 sq ft, along with dedicated training airspace and an airport. “We have a lot of room for growth,” said Joel Davidson, CEO of AeroGuard Flight Training Center. “And we’ve really invested heavily now as you can see in airplanes, but also in building the relationships with airlines around the world.”
DAVID McINTOSH
AeroGuard scales up with order for 90 Piper Archers
Fursan Al Emarat (the Knights of the UAE) aerobatic demonstration team filled the skies over the Dubai Airshow every afternoon with colorful green, red, white, and blue smoke.
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THE PERFECT PLACE FOR BUSINESS AIRCRAFT AUCH • LONDON • BASEL • ZURICH • ISTANBUL • BODRUM • BEIRUT • RIYADH
By David Donald Leonardo is displaying the latest skidequipped version of its AW169 utility helicopter at the Dubai Airshow. It recently delivered the example on show to Italy’s Guardia di Finanza (GdF) and airlifted it to Dubai for the airshow and customer demonstrations within the UAE, including to local operators that fly some 10 of the original wheeled version. The acquisition of more than 20 AW169s by the GdF, 17 to 18 for the Italian Carabinieri police force, and 50 for the Italian army highlights the AW169’s suitability for government agency operations such as
DAVID McINTOSH
Leonardo targets Gulf sales for AW169
military tasks, law enforcement, and rescue. The type suits civilian offshore support missions. Leonardo has refined the AW169 since its introduction in 2015, including with improvements in the powertrain that have resulted in an extra 45 shp for each of the two PW210A turboshaft engines. Aerodynamic enhancements, chiefly around the tail area, have improved hover and lowspeed stability. As a result of customer wishes, Leonardo developed a skid undercarriage option, primarily for government and offshore use. The
Scat Airlines to double Boeing Max fleet Continuing its string of order announcements during the Dubai Airshow, Boeing added an agreement for seven 737-8s from Scat Airlines to its order book, a deal that will nearly double the size of the Kazakhstan carrier’s fleet. Based in Shymkent, Scat flies domestically and internationally to destinations in the Commonwealth of Independent States and Central Asia. It was the first airline in Central Asia to fly the 737 Max and now operates a fleet of three 737-8s and five 737-9s. Scat’s fleet already ranks as the largest in Kazakhstan, and the additional Maxes will allow it to open services to more European destinations.
“Replenishing the fleet with seven more Boeing 737-8s will increase the airline’s carrying capacity,” said Vladimir Denissov, president of JSC Scat Airlines. “It will also positively affect the timely execution of flight schedules. The company will get an opportunity to expand its route network and offer passengers even more travel destinations.” K.L.
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The skid landing gear version of the AW169 allows a higher mtow, to 5.1 tonnes, an upgrade that should be certified by the end of 2024. new undercarriage won certification in 2022, and deliveries are now underway. For the next couple of years at least, the skidded version will dominate production as the large Italian orders get filled. The addition of skids and the associated structural strengthening also allow an increase in mtow from 4.8 to 5.1 tonnes. The company expects the change to gain certification—on the skidded version only—by the end of 2024. The next major planned development involves a redesign that permits the AW169 to carry 11 passengers in the offshore role rather than the current typical maximum of eight. The alterations include a larger cabin with additional exits and redesigned, slightly smaller fuel tanks. The reduced fuel capacity equates to a loss in range of around 75 nm. Leonardo expects to win certification for the larger-cabin version before the end of 2026, and the company has expressed optimism about achieving good sales. The 11-seat accommodation moves the AW169 into the class of larger helicopters such as the company’s 12- to 15-seat AW139. While it cannot compete with the larger AW139 on longer-range missions, it offers a more cost-efficient alternative for carrying similar passenger numbers over short ranges. The company plans further avionics updates as part of the Phase 9 upgrade, which remains in development. It hasn’t announced any specific improvements as the configuration of Phase 9 has yet to crystallize. Leonardo has now sold 330 AW169s of all versions, of which it has delivered about 170. z
By David Donald The Boeing 777-300ERSF “Big Twin,” a passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion of the 777-300ER engineered by Israel Aerospace Industries’ Bedek Aviation Group, is making its first public appearance at the Dubai Airshow. The aircraft on show is the prototype conversion and had previously operated on regular passenger duties with Emirates Airline before being withdrawn from use in February 2020. The aircraft flew to Tel Aviv for the P2F conversion in 2021 and took to the air again in March this year. After a lay-up, it resumed test-flying last month. One of 20 aircraft on order for lessor AerCap, the Big Twin is destined for service with U.S. cargo carrier Kalitta Air. IAI Bedek has been a major player in P2F
work for years, notably with 747 and 767 freighter conversions. With the Boeing 777 becoming increasingly available, the company has launched the Big Twin primarily as a replacement for the Boeing 747-400F and MD-11F, which have served as the stalwart heavy-lifters of the cargo world for many years. The arguments for a 777-based P2F are compelling. The Big Twin offers 25 percent more volume than Boeing’s 777-200LRF newbuild freighter and 15 percent more than the 747-400BCF. It burns 21 percent less fuel per tonne than the aging 747, while IAI claims that operating costs per tonne are 22 percent lower than those of the 777-200LRF. The range of 4,650 nm matches that of the 747F, enabling operators to transition seamlessly. IAI’s conversion includes a reinforced structure and new cargo floor, as well as a
DAVID McINTOSH
IAI births “Big Twin” The Big Twin 777-300ERSF can carry 25 percent more freight by volume than the 777-200LRF and 15 percent more than the 747-400BCF. 146.5- versus 120-inch main cargo door in the rear port cabin. The cargo loading system accommodates a wide variety of pallets and containers, as well as standalone items. IAI has gained significant interest in its Big Twin offer. In anticipation of heavy demand for the 777-300ERSF, the company has arranged production partnerships with Etihad Engineering in Abu Dhabi and Sharp Technics K at Incheon in South Korea to augment its own conversion capacity in Tel Aviv. z
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Abelo increases ATR orders as market roars By Kerry Lynch Finding a resurgent turboprop market, Irish regional aircraft lessor Abelo is boosting its portfolio of ATR twins with a new agreement for as many as 20 more ATR 72-600s. The agreement signed with ATR during the Dubai Airshow on Tuesday includes firm orders for 10 of the aircraft with options for an additional 10. The latest deal comes a little more than a year after the then-start-up lessor placed its original order during the Farnborough Airshow for 10 ATR 72-600s and confirmed a deal for a further 10 of the short takeoff and landing ATR 42-600S. The company will begin taking delivery on that July 2022 initial order in December, while deliveries on the new contract run from 2026 through 2028. Meanwhile, it anticipates
delivery of the first STOL ATR-42s in 2024. Abelo CEO Steve Gorman said the lessor has placed the first four aircraft of the order, adding the market turned around faster and has grown more than it had anticipated. “With the momentum, we saw a need to increase our holding,” he said, driving Abelo to increase its portfolio sooner than expected. Much of the growth comes from Southeast Asia, but Abelo most recently is seeing placements in Europe as carriers look to both replace and expand their fleets. “Having already introduced our initial batch of new aircraft, we have great confidence that our investment will greatly enhance our portfolio and play a vital role in the success of our airline partners,” he said. Plans call for delivery of the ATR 72-600s
Steve Gorman (left), CEO of lessor Abelo, joins ATR senior v-p of commercial Alexis Vidal to announce further orders at the Dubai Airshow. in standard 72-passenger configuration but Alexis Vidal, senior v-p of commercial for ATR, said that the company is exploring the addition of different cabin variations and will offer what the market demands. z
Diamond’s first Middle East customer taking home a DA50 RG A Middle East-based customer took delivery of a Diamond Aircraft Industries DA50 RG at the Dubai Airshow. Aviation Home Qatar’s Khalid Al Khater accepted the aircraft from Diamond representatives on the static display at the show site. “I am very excited to be the owner of the first-ever DA50 RG in the Middle East and I am really looking forward to enjoying the unparalleled
The first Diamond DA50 RG to be delivered in the Middle East went to Aviation Home Qatar. The five-seat carbon-fiber airplane is powered by a 300-hp, electronically controlled Continental CD-300 diesel engine.
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performance and economic benefits of flying such an aircraft, especially in this region,” said Al Khater, CEO of Aviation Home Qatar. “I do believe that we will soon see more DA50s flying in this region.” He sees Diamond Aircraft as an innovative pioneer in the general aviation (GA) market. “They have always listened to the needs of GA pilots and flight schools,” he said. “With Diamond’s jet-fueled aircraft, there was finally a solution, especially for regions where avgas is difficult to obtain.” Al Khater said he has owned Diamond airplanes since the company introduced models powered by jet-fuel (diesel) engines. “I have owned a DA40, a DA42-VI, and a DA62, which I have flown in the Middle East and Europe, and have always been impressed with the performance,” he said. “My decision to buy the DA50 RG was a logical step.” The DA50 RG is powered by an electronically controlled 300hp Continental CD-300 jet-fuel engine and features retractable landing gear. Diamond claims the DA50 RG offers one of the largest luxury cabins in its class. The airplane consists mainly of carbon fiber composite materials and features Garmin G1000 NXi avionics. The interior can seat five occupants and has extra room for luggage. P.S.-S.
C-390 Millennium fit for roles in Mideast
The C-390 is proving a reliable airlifter and tanker.
in Europe, where Portugal (five aircraft), Hungary (two), Netherlands (five), Austria (four), and the Czech Republic (two) have placed orders or entered final negotiations for the type. Hungary expects to receive its first aircraft next year. In April Embraer signed a memorandum of understanding with Saab to explore opportunities,
DAVID McINTOSH
Embraer’s C/KC-390 Millennium multi-role airlifter/tanker fleet passed 10,000 flight hours last month. It achieved the milestone in about 7,800 cycles by the current operational fleet, which consists of six Brazilian air force aircraft and a single example delivered to Portugal earlier in 2023. Having entered service with Brazil in September 2019, the C-390 gained full operational clearance in March this year. It has achieved a mission completion rate of 99.7 percent to date. In the tanker role, the KC-390 is cleared to refuel Brazil’s Northrop F-5M and AMX A-1M aircraft, and work to clear the Saab Gripen as a receiver continues. Highlights of the jet’s service career have included Covid emergency relief missions in 2020, along with Brazilian citizen support and extraction following the explosion at Beirut’s port in August that year. A KC-390 also flew to Poland in March 2021 to ferry Brazilian citizens who had fled from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The program has found sales success
DAVID McINTOSH
By David Donald
Powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68 turboprop engine, the Calidus Bader 250 light attack aircraft, designed by Embraer Tucano designer Joseph Kovács, is manufactured in the UAE.
including pitching the C-390 to Sweden as a replacement for aging C-130s. Recent European sales have combined with the good initial operational experience of C-390 operations to bolster the type’s credibility in other regions, including the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. Embraer is pitching the type for India’s sizeable Medium Transport Aircraft requirement. Its 26-tonne concentrated/23-tonne distributed load capability and impressive airdrop performance places it within the Indian Air Force’s 18- to 30-tonne requirement. Embraer has ruled out any immediate stretching of the C-390 to accommodate more voluminous loads, as operational experience has already proved its suitability for its intended missions. However, the company is pursuing—with L3Harris—a boom-equipped KC-390 Agile tanker concept primarily to meet expected North American requirements. The current wing-mounted hose-drogue system, which is cleared for use between 180 and 300 knots and up to 32,000 feet, can be installed in just four hours, but a boom would require considerably greater alteration. The engineering concept has not crystallized, although Embraer wants to retain as much of the aircraft’s multi-mission capability as possible. z
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Emirates Investing $950 Million in DWC MRO facility By Peter Shaw-Smith
Emirates Airline’s new maintenance and engineering facility at Dubai World Central will open in 2027.
DAVID McINTOSH
Emirates plans to invest $950 million to “This significant investment signals our build a one-million-square-meter engineer- confidence in the future growth of Emirates ing facility at the Dubai World Central site, and the aviation sector,” said HH Sheikh adding another piece to the growing main- Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and tenance, repair, and overhaul complex at the chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group. emirate’s second airport. Designed to sup- “The new facility will enable Emirates to be port the airline’s fleet and operating require- entirely self-sufficient when it comes to mainments into the 2040s, the new facility could tenance, repairs, overhaul, and all engineering be large enough to offer spare capacity to requirements for our aircraft fleet. other carriers. “It gives us operational stability and
Modern figher jets get all the glory, but this Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthog” still holds its own as the only U.S. Air Force close air support fighter designed specifically for that role.
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flexibility, and quality assurance. With the projected growth of the region’s aviation sector, Emirates’ new engineering facility will also play a key role as a center of excellence, attracting the involvement of global players across the aviation supply chain. It’ll create thousands of skilled technical jobs and add value to Dubai’s economy.” Services offered will range from routine aircraft checks to bespoke paint jobs, light to heavy maintenance programs, engine repair and testing, to full cabin interior fit-outs and aircraft conversions. According to Emirates, construction on the first phase of the project will begin in 2024 and conclude in 2027, with phase two to follow if the need for further capacity arises. Plans for minimizing the environmental impact of the new facility include the use of green building materials throughout the complex, the installation of solar panels on roofs across the entire campus, and recycling systems for oils and wastewater. The first phase will deliver eight maintenance hangars and one paint hangar, all capable of handling any size of commercial aircraft up to Code F (A380), an engine run-up facility, some 20 support workshops, storage facilities, and administration offices. Initially, the Dubai World Central facility will supplement the existing Emirates Engineering Centre at Dubai International Airport. French airports group ADP Ingénierie will serve as a consultant for the project. z
Eve Urban ATM to help eVTOLS fly in Dubai In addition to designing urban air traffic management systems, Eve Air Mobility is developing its own electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
Eve Air Mobility received a letter of intent from Swedish vertiport developer KookieJar to support vertiport operations in Dubai with its Urban ATM (air traffic management) system. KookieJar becomes Eve’s tenth Urban ATM customer and fifth vertiport customer. The agreement further marks the entry of Eve’s Urban ATM system into Dubai. Working with local partner Air Chateau, KookieJar supports the development of a vertiport hub facility with eight parking pads and a final approach and takeoff facility at Al Maktoum Airport. Plans call for a phased implementation program under which networks of vertiports would connect via Eve’s Urban ATM system as urban air mobility operations move toward commercialization in upcoming years. “Urban air mobility relies on infrastructure
within the lower airspace as well as accessible takeoff and landing spots—vertiports,” said Rob Weaver, Urban ATM global business development lead at Eve Air Mobility. “Eve’s Urban ATM solution provides an integrated suite of software that will enable an efficient and predictable eVTOL ecosystem.” Eve works with Atech, Embraer’s air traffic control technology and system company, to support the development of the Urban ATM software. KookieJar collaborates with stakeholders in Dubai to map out eVTOL routes within existing VFR corridors that helicopters use today with the goal of introducing operations seamlessly. The initiative involves collaboration with regulators, customers, air navigation service providers, fleet operators, airports, vertiport developers, and other stakeholders. z
DAVID McINTOSH
By Kerry Lynch
The workhorse Iomax Archangel is designed for the ground attack role, and this one serves with the UAE Air Force and Air Defense.
Honeywell’s AAM a $10 billion business Honeywell’s advanced air mobility (AAM) unit has generated more than $10 billion in business, the company said at the Dubai Airshow. The figure represents contract values based on a forecast number of AAMs the company expects manufacturers will build. Since its establishment a little more than three years ago, Honeywell’s AAM unit has secured business with companies including Archer Aviation, Lilium, Pipistrel, and Vertical Aerospace. “This milestone is not just about reaching a certain number, it’s a testament to the unwavering vision we hold for the future of aviation and advanced air mobility,” said David Shilliday, v-p and general manager of AAM for Honeywell Aerospace. Honeywell offers a range of products in the AAM space from avionics, actuation systems, and sensors such as the RDR-84K radar and AH2000 attitude heading reference system. Its AAM business reaches across North America, Western Europe, and India. The aerospace company has prioritized its efforts in the AAM market with initiatives such as hosting industry summits in Washington, D.C. K.L.
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Flightwin adding UAM applications
Operators can install two different Plane Simple satcom systems for ultimate redundancy.
Satcom Direct steps up connectivity options By Peter Shaw-Smith Global connectivity solutions provider Satcom Direct is marking the one-year anniversary of the Plane Simple Ku-band antenna commercial introduction during the Dubai Airshow. With almost 50 supplemental type certificates approved by the FAA, EASA, TCCA, and Brazil’s ANAC for Dassault, Bombardier, Gulfstream, and Embraer airframes, the SD Plane Simple terminal has already transmitted more than 10,000 hours of uninterrupted connectivity via the Ku-band Intelsat FlexExec high-throughput satellite network. Satcom Direct is keen to convey to delegates in Dubai the ease of terminal installation, customizable options, and special mission capabilities of the system. The company said validation flights for the next SD Plane Simple variant, the Ka-band terminal, have reached the final stages and confirmed uninterrupted performance powered by Viasat’s Jet ConneX inflight broadband service. Satcom Direct is promoting a newly expanded range of service plans for aircraft
equipped with the Ka-band variant. The programs deliver greater flexibility and high-speed data transfer for teleconferencing, HD video streaming, and multiple digital applications for high volumes of users traveling on large-size jets and narrow- and widebody aircraft. For the first time, options also include an hourly rate plan for Jet ConneX, enabling operators to pay a per-hour rate for inflight connectivity. Operators of government, head-of-state and executive airliners, or larger business jets capable of supporting the two Plane Simple terminals can learn more about the SD Dual Dissimilar system. By equipping an aircraft with both the Plane Simple Ku- and forthcoming Ka-band tail mount antennas, two different satellite constellations are supported, enabling operators to leverage the best aspects of each network. “The doubling of antennas increases the amount of data that can be transmitted and the bandwidth available to enhance digital communications, aircraft performance monitoring, and crew operations support for avionics and cabin Wi-Fi,” the company said. z
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Chinese rotorcraft developer Flightwin-Innovation is exploring a range of utility missions for its growing fleet of heavy-lift unmanned aircraft. Founded in 2008, Flightwin-Innovation has developed aircraft from the 200-kg mtow FHW-300 and the 1,000-kg FWH1500 to the 2,500-kg, tandem-rotor FWH-3000. On exhibit this week during the Dubai Airshow are the FWH-1500 and the tandem FWH-3000. With a maximum payload of 300 kg, the FWH-1500 can fly for five hours, the company said. The rotorcraft can be equipped with material boxes for delivery of items to locations in mountains, on island reefs, and in disaster areas either through rappel or airdrop. Furthermore, with fire-extinguishing bombs mounted, the FWH-1500 can cover an area of more than 50 sq km for fire reconnaissance, prevention, and suppression. Other available applications include the addition of optoelectronic pods for reconnaissance or search and rescue missions in complex areas and terrains, as well as medical pods for emergency transport. The aircraft has completed its first fire suppression application and participated in flood relief in Beijing over a 10-day stretch. Those missions involved night flights in heavy rain, delivering emergency medicine and other supplies. The FWH-3000 has a 4.2-cubic-meter cabin capable of transporting six patients and a 1,000-kg max payload with a fivehour endurance. Flightwin designed the aircraft for long-range missions. As for the smallest member of the unmanned family, the FW-300 carries a 50-kg maximum payload and flies for as long as four hours. In addition to the civil utility missions, the helicopters are designed for military logistics and army training. K.L.
Saudi Arabian Airlines plans to buy 100 of the sixpassenger Lilium Jet eVTOL vehicles to deploy on a new network of short regional scheduled services.
Gulf states grasp advanced air mobility transport opportunities By Charles Alcock Even by the standards of the precocious advanced air mobility (AAM) sector, Saudi Arabia’s Neom project looks pretty “out-there.” With deep-pocketed government backing, the idea calls for the development of a vast new urban conurbation in the northwest of the kingdom where the desert meets the Red Sea, including an “industrial city” called Oxagon and a residential community called The Line that will extend for just over 100 miles and house a population of 1 million people. Adding to the futuristic theme, developers say Saudi Arabia’s fossil fuel wealth will allow Neom to be powered entirely from renewable energy sources, with “zero cars, zero streets, and zero carbon emissions.” In place of ground vehicles, people and things would move around in new eVTOL aircraft now in development with an anticipated range of between 20 and 150 miles. This vision has drawn AAM start-ups including Germany’s Volocopter to offer its two-seat VoloCity electric aircraft as
lynchpins for Neom’s public transportation network. And eVTOL adoption could extend further across the kingdom, with Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) last year signing an agreement to buy 100 of the six-passenger Lilium Jet eVTOL vehicles. For several years Dubai has seemed a likely AAM early adopter, as authorities have shown interest in both an early version of Airbus’ VoloCity and EHang’s fully autonomous EH216-S, which in October became the first eVTOL model to achieve type certification when the Civil Aviation Administration of China gave its approval for commercial services to start. Now, AAM could return to the agenda in the UAE following the October 16 signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and eVTOL developer Archer Aviation. The inward investment agency has pledged to back the U.S. start-up with financial incentives and direct capital expenditure to establish its Middle East headquarters in Abu Dhabi. Plans also call for local manufacturing
of aircraft and the launch of air taxi services with its four-passenger Midnight vehicle from 2026 after completing FAA type certification by the end of 2025.
Air Taxis to Launch in Abu Dhabi and Dubai Archer also aims to launch services in neighboring Dubai and is displaying an example of Midnight at the Dubai Airshow. Later next month, the all-electric vehicle will be on display at the Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels, which the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) will host in Dubai. In addition to the agreement with ADIO, Archer also signed MoUs with local companies Falcon Aviation and Global Aerospace Logistics and the Advance Military Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul Center (GAL-AMMROC). Falcon, which operates a fleet of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, plans to operate air taxi services with Midnight, which would fly as far as 100 miles, but with the optimum commercial range expected to fall
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Archer Aviation’s four-passenger Midnight eVTOL could be manufactured locally after it establishes its Middle East headquarters in Abu Dhabi. between 20 and 50 miles around urban areas. headquarters in California. “Our goal is to Lilium Jet could connect the seven emirates In June 2022, Abu Dhabi-based Falcon approve Archer’s air taxi to fly in the UAE as of the UAE. Such a plan would include shutAviation announced plans to operate eVTOL soon as it is certified by the FAA, and we are tle services to ferry commuters between the aircraft in partnership with Eve Air Mobility, very excited to collaborate with them to bring most populous hubs of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, starting with services from the Atlantis lux- electric air taxis to the country,” commented for which an increasingly congested road trip ury resort in Dubai. Falcon also has expressed the air safety agency’s director, Saif Moham- of just under 90 miles now presents the only interest in developing and operating vertiports. med Al Suwaidi. option. Borel also anticipates eVTOL services GAL-AMMROC plans to provide techniWith its fixed-wing and canard accom- to link Abu Dhabi with Fujairah and to support cal support for the operation and could also modating 30 electric ducted-fan motors, the neighboring Oman’s green tourism industry. involve itself in manufacturing the Midnight seven-seat Lilium Jet’s architecture is markfor the local market. Since its establishment edly different from other four-passenger First Vertiports Planned in UAE in 2007, the Abu Dhabi-based company has eVTOL vehicles. According to Sebastien Borel, The first vertiport for eVTOL aircraft in the expanded its portfolio of services, including the company’s vice president for business, a UAE looks set to be at Ras Al Khaimah Intermodifications and upgrades with customers superior lift-to-drag ratio will support a range national Airport where a Montreal-based comand partners such as Lockheed Martin, for of 155 miles carrying a pilot and up to six pas- pany called VPorts has signed an agreement which it supports C-130 military transport sengers. Consequently, Lilium sees itself as a with the emirate’s Department of Civil Aviaircraft and Black Hawk helicopters. pioneer in developing new regional air mobility ation to establish a facility on a 2.5.-acre site. Archer said it intends to develop an engi- point-to-point networks of scheduled services. Earlier this year, VPorts also finalized agreeneering center of excellence in the UAE to Based on current battery technology, which ments with Falcon Aviation, eSTOL aircraft support the growth of AAM across the Middle Lilium expects to advance significantly in the developer Electro.Aero, and Japanese eVTOL East. The company plans to develop a pres- next four to six years, the company says the start-up SkyDrive to establish an AAM business ence in the Gulf region that park at Dubai’s Mohammed bin could include establishing its Rashid Aerospace Hub. international headquarters in Saudia has yet to provide details of its plans to launch Abu Dhabi. The recent MoU regional eVTOL services with also calls for the company the Lilium Jet, although the airto open manufacturing facilcraft does feature in marketing ities in Abu Dhabi’s Smart materials for the flag carrier’s and Autonomous Vehicle Industries cluster. The comrecent rebranding exercise. With pany’s investors include Abu far greater distances between the country’s major cities, it Dhabi government-backed seems likely that, until availMubadala Capital, as well as automotive group Stellantis, able battery reserves increase, services would remain within Boeing, and United Airlines. conurbations, such as linking Officials from the GCAA recently visited Archer’s VPorts’ advanced air mobility integrator center at Dubai South’s aerospace hub. Jeddah’s airport with the Red Sea
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waterfront district of the Corniche. Connections between Dammam and nearby Bahrain and Qatar might also present early crossborder eVTOL opportunities. A cabin mock-up of the Lilium Jet is on display at the Dubai Airshow. It depicts the four-passenger configuration that Lilium has developed for business and private aviation clients. The standard version of the aircraft for scheduled regional flights seats six passengers. According to Borel, the Gulf states now view electric aviation as part of their response to commitments to transition to a net-zero carbon transportation system. “Both the range and commercial strategy for the Lilium Jet make the region a good fit,” he told AIN. As it works toward initial type certification of the Lilium Jet by EASA, Lilium has already engaged with civil aviation authorities in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia. It also remains in contact with other jurisdictions in the region. The region’s high temperatures have presented an engineering consideration but Borel said the power demands for the aircraft’s air conditioning system will not compromise range. By contrast with existing turbine-powered aircraft for which sand can pose maintenance challenges, electric aircraft developers don’t expect exposure to the same risks because they don’t have combustion chambers. “We will have special coatings for the [electric propulsion system] blades for aircraft in the Middle East, but it is all very manageable,” he concluded.
Legacy Airframers Have eVTOL Plans Too Start-ups like Archer and Lilium have maintained a high profile in the race to bring eVTOL aircraft to market, in part due to their ongoing fund-raising efforts. But legacy aircraft manufacturers and established aerospace leaders
including Rolls-Royce, Honeywell, Collins Aerospace, Safran, and GKN Aerospace stand prominently among the key systems suppliers for the new aircraft. Airbus Helicopters already is building the first prototype of its four-passenger CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL vehicle at Donauwörth in southern Germany. With a projected range of 50 miles, the all-electric aircraft will start flight testing in 2024, according to the manufacturer, as it works toward type certification by the end of 2025. Airbus envisions its eVTOL serving in multiple applications that could first include emergency medical service support ahead of passenger transportation. It has engaged with prospective stakeholders to develop use cases in countries including Saudi Arabia as well as Japan, Italy, Germany, and Estonia. After experimenting with several advanced air mobility concepts, Boeing has turned its attention to eVTOL developer Wisk Aero. Earlier this year it assumed full ownership of the California-based company, which began as a joint venture with Kitty Hawk, founded by Google co-founder Larry Page. Just over a year ago, in October 2022, Wisk rolled out what it calls its Generation 6 eVTOL design, which would fly to a range of 100 miles. Wisk’s approach differs from most of its rivals in that its aircraft will only operate autonomously with no pilot on board. Given that no defined path to FAA certification exists on that basis, the company accepts its aircraft will enter service later than others, by around the end of the 2020s. Now building the first prototype, Wisk expects to start test flights in 2024. Textron is also playing a somewhat longer game than start-ups under pressure to deliver early returns to its investors. The company targets type certification for its Nexus eVTOL
CityAirbus
in around 2030. Textron’s helicopter division Bell first rolled out the concept in early 2019. Now the group’s eAviation division, which former v-p of global parts and distribution Kriya Shortt has led since late August, has assumed responsibility for the program. Textron’s bandwidth for electric aviation innovation gained a significant boost with the acquisition in 2022 of Slovenia-based Pipistrel, which has already certified its Velis Electro training aircraft and plays a leading role in European efforts to develop hydrogen propulsion.
Hybrid-electric Propulsion Boosts Payload and Range Some innovators in the emerging AAM sector are unwilling to be constrained by the payload and range limitations of current battery technology, prompting start-ups like France’s VoltAero to concentrate their efforts on maximizing hybrid-electric propulsion options. VoltAero’s Cassio family of regional/utility aircraft will carry between five and 12 passengers, with a maximum range of 800 miles, or just under 100 miles when using battery power alone. The fixed-wing aircraft are powered by a combination of Safran’s EngineUs 100 electric motor and a four-cylinder thermal engine produced by Kawasaki Motors, which is also an investor in the company. The numerical designations of the three Cassio models—the 330, 480, and 600— reflect their respective kilowatt power ratings. Before the end of this year, VoltAero expects to start flight testing the first Cassio 330 aircraft in mid-2024 and use the subsequent second prototype for its type certification program. The company recently started construction on its new headquarters and final assembly line at Royan-Médis Airport in southwest France. z
Wisk
a i n o n l i n e . c o m • November 15, 202 3 • D u b a i A i rs h ow News 15
Airlines driving surge of widebody engines By Kerry Lynch
DAVID McINTOSH
Business is surging for Rolls-Royce as airlines step up their widebody fleet expansions and replacements, Ewen McDonald, chief customer officer of civil aviation for the engine maker, told AIN during the Dubai Airshow. “I’ve been in the business for 30 years and I’ve never seen the amount of demand now for widebody,” McDonald said. “There was a high demand for narrowbody 12 months ago, but the market is really hot for widebody.” McDonald pointed to an imbalance of supply and demand as driving the heated market, as well as airline sustainability targets. “The quickest way for them to achieve these targets is by buying new aircraft, much more fuel-efficient aircraft,” he said. The sales activity is particularly notable given its occurrence outside the launch of a
new aircraft, he added: “Generally, when a new aircraft is announced, lots of orders [are also announced]. But being outside of a new aircraft, I’ve never seen the demand.” As for keeping up with demand, McDonald feels comfortable with the company’s capacity for now. He acknowledged supply chain challenges have affected Rolls but not to the extent others have experienced. “We are not immune to that impact, [but]I don’t think we’re impacted as badly as some other people are,” he explained. McDonald further noted OEMs use many common suppliers. “We fight every day to try to make sure it doesn’t have a big impact on our customers,” he stressed. At the same time though, Rolls-Royce hasn’t had to manage the volume of deliveries in the widebody space as others involved with narrowbodies. “Maybe that helps us to some extent,” he conceded.
Italy’s Frecce Tricolori (Tricolor Arrows) flight demonstration team graces the skies over Dubai World Central at Dubai Airshow 2023.
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The UltraFan technology demonstrator has run at maximum power on sustainable aviation fuel at the Rolls-Royce testbed in Derby, UK. McDonald noted the rates boost announced by Airbus—the A330 rate will increase to four a month beginning next year and the A350 to 10 a month by 2026. The Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 powers the A330neo and the Trent XWB the A350. “[However], we’re not even reaching preCovid levels of deliveries,” he said. “Some of the increases which you’ve seen in the narrowbody have been much greater.” Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce has received substantial interest in its UltraFan technology demonstrator, which this month ran to maximum power on its testbed in Derby, UK, using 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel. Rolls-Royce looks to the advances in the UltraFan—which it expects to bring a 10 percent efficiency improvement over the Trent XWB and a 25 percent gain over the launch of the first Trent—as playing a key part in the sustainability equation for aircraft produced in the 2030s. Testing began earlier this year and gradually increased to full power. That milestone culminated years of research and collaboration through the UK government and the EU’s Clean Sky programs. Unveiled in 2014, the UltraFan technology demonstrator is designed to test scalable technologies from 25,000 to 110,000 pounds thrust, covering both narrowbody and widebody aircraft. “We are making sure that we are prepared for whatever the next airframe is, be it narrowbody and or be it widebody,” McDonald said. “We’re talking to everyone at the moment. We feel that they are really excited by the milestone.” z
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AMAC and Mukamalah Aviation collaborate on VIP maintenance AMAC Aerospace and Mukamalah Aviation have agreed to collaborate on providing maintenance to owners and operators of VIP aircraft located in the Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region. The MRO services provided by the two companies will cover widebody, narrowbody, and other fixed-wing aircraft. Founded in 2008 in Basel, Switzerland, AMAC Aerospace specializes in large aircraft MRO and completions and refurbishments. Under the agreement, AMAC Aerospace personnel will help deliver a high level of service to Mukamalah Aviation customers, according to AMAC. Mukamalah Aviation started as Saudi Aramco Aviation in 1934 and operates 54 aircraft. In addition to providing repairs on fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, the company manages aircraft as well as 18 airports and more than 300 helipads in Saudi Arabia. M.T.
Officials from AMAC Aerospace and Mukamalah Aviation gathered to commemorate the MRO agreement between the two companies.
Airbus A350 order
DAVID McINTOSH
continued from page 1
Boeing senior v-p of commercial sales and marketing Brad McMullen (left) and Ethiopian Airlines group CEO Mesfin Tasew celebrate the airline’s firm order for twenty 737 Max 8s and eleven 787-9s.
Ethiopian Max continued from page 1
serving 133 international destinations, Ethiopian harbors bold ambitions to stand among the world’s top 20 airlines by 2035. It plans to place further orders for both Airbus and Boeing aircraft in the coming years to fulfill that ambition. The airline is considering the
Airbus A220 to replace its regional turboprops but has held off on a final decision until powerplant issues get resolved. The 787 cabin interior deal overseen by Boeing includes a new IFE system from Thales. Ethiopian has chosen a business-class seat from Boeing subsidiary Adient and has formulated a shortlist of three economy-class seats, with a decision due in the next few weeks. z
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fleet to embrace some of the most contemporary aircraft available.” The North African carrier has proved a good customer for Airbus since it acquired the first A300s more than four decades ago. Funded from internal sources, the carrier’s Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered A350s will operate in a 340-seat configuration and serve to drive a fleet and network expansion rather than replace any current type. The airline expects to use the airplane to serve Los Angeles from Cairo, for example. A four-year expansion plan is in place for Egyptair, explained Zakaria, who added that the airline expects the fleet to grow to 125 aircraft by 2028, likely with further A350s. It now uses about 80 aircraft, split between Airbus and Boeing types. As part of its plans, Egyptair will convert two of its Airbus A330 airliners to a cargo configuration by 2025 to expand its freight operations, adding to its existing three A330Fs. “Once delivered the A350-900 will be Egyptair’s flagship aircraft,” Scherer commented. “Adding the world’s most modern and efficient widebody aircraft to the airline’s fleet will be instrumental in expanding its offering, opening new opportunities, particularly in the Western U.S. and the Far East.” D.D.
Boeing sees significant airliner fleet growth The Middle East airliner fleet will more than double by 2042 with the delivery of 3,025 new jets, according to the latest commercial market outlook (CMO) published by Boeing on Sunday. The airframer predicts that new widebody models, like the 777-9 it is displaying at the Dubai Airshow this week, will account for almost 1,350 of those sales, along with 1,570 narrowbodies, some 70 purpose-built freighters, and just 35 regional jets. In a pre-show press briefing, Darren Hulst, Boeing’s vice president for commercial marketing, reported that Middle East scheduled carriers have mostly bounced back from Covid disruption to the air transportation market. As of September 2023, single-aisle capacity reached 24 percent above where it stood in September 2019, while widebody capacity lagged by 6 percent. Boosting expectations of strong investments in fleet expansion and modernization is Boeing’s assessment that load factors for the region’s airlines now exceed pre-pandemic levels, at 82 percent. The industry has seen a significant uptick in market conditions since September 2022, as revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) grew by 26 percent and available seat kilometers by 23 percent. At the same time, the Middle East’s active fleet is approaching pre-pandemic levels. Just 14 percent of the fleet sits parked at any time, which Boeing views as a normal rate. “The limits now are on supply rather than demand,” Hulst told reporters. “And these numbers are driving the requirements for new aircraft.” Boeing bases its optimism about the Middle East market on more than just the fact that the region’s economy appears on track to outperform global GDP growth rate averages by 2025, ahead of Europe and North and South America. The company’s forecasters see its geographic advantage of being well connected
to 80 percent of the world’s population and to regions expected to generate 70 percent of global economic growth over the next two years as putting the Middle East in a lead position for airline expansion. Flights to and from emerging markets in Asia and Africa will primarily drive growth for Middle Eastern airlines, according to Boeing. On that basis, the new CMO sees RPKs in the Middle East growing from 800 billion in 2022 to 2.7 trillion in 2042. Hulst said Boeing has not revised its CMO projections since the start of the ongoing military conflict between Israel and Hamas. “This and other conflicts can impact near-term demand but we don’t change our long-term outlook,” he told AIN. In addition to the 777-9 and 787 jets, Boeing sees the next-generation 777X being “the next long-haul market leader” when it enters service in 2025. Since 2019, airlines have added more than 100 new long-haul city pairs to the
DAVID McINTOSH
By Charles Alcock
schedules of Middle Eastern airports while many local carriers use widebodies for shorthaul routes. Boeing now claims to account for 66 percent of the region’s widebody fleet and 60 percent of aircraft on order in that category. The manufacturer also sees scope for further growth in demand for its 737 Max narrowbodies, 80 of which have entered service with Middle Eastern carriers, with another 200 on order. The CMO report indicated that flight lengths for those aircraft average 1,016 nm, which Boeing says is 20 percent longer than the rival Airbus A320neo. Since 2019, more than 300 new city pairs have joined the region’s narrowbody network. In the air cargo sector, Boeing sees further growth from passenger-carrying airlines also operating freighters. In 2022, Qatar Airways climbed to the number-two position among global freight carriers, followed by Emirates in fourth place. Boeing predicts its optimistic projections for airline growth between now and 2042 will spur $335 billion in supporting services, including maintenance, parts distribution, digital solutions, and training. The company said the Middle East industry will need to recruit 215,000 new personnel, including pilots, cabin crew, and technicians. z
Boeing’s 777-9 with its folding wingtips is front and center at the 2023 Dubai Airshow.
20 Dubai Airshow News • November 15, 2 0 2 3 • a i n o n l i n e . c o m
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Boeing signs with Zero to speed SAF development Officials from Boeing and Zero Petroleum signed an agreement at the Dubai Airshow (L to R) Brian Moran, Boeing v-p global sustainability policy and partnerships; Sheila Remes, Boeing v-p to speed the development of synthetic sus- environmental engagement and business development; Paddy Lowe, CEO Zero Petroleum; and Oliver tainable aviation fuel (SAF) made using the Christian, British consul general to Dubai and HM trade commissioner for the Middle East and Pakistan . Fischer–Tropsch power-to-liquid process. Developers designed the SAF for use as a East. Other SAF manufacturing processes captured from air, using renewable energy for 100 percent drop-in fuel, not mixed with use such feedstocks, which are more avail- electricity to make hydrogen through elecjet-A, and naturally containing aromatic able in countries with large agricultural trolysis from water. In June, Zero opened its compounds that prevent rubber seal dam- regions. Because the amount of agricultural synthetic fuel plant and development laboraage, according to Zero founder and CEO feedstock limits how much SAF can be made tory (Plant Zero.1) in Oxford, UK. The comPaddy Lowe. using those processes, there is no limit on pany plans a commercial-scale facility (Plant “This region is particularly [suitable] for how much synthetic SAF can be produced, Zero.2) and expects construction to start next synthetic SAF,” he said, because no base of he explained. year. Once running it will be able to produce agricultural feedstocks exist in the Middle Synthetic SAF is made from carbon 5,000 to 100,000 tonnes of SAF per year. The agreement calls for Boeing to set up a testing program for Zero’s SAF at the University of Sheffield’s Energy Innovation Centre and its SAF research facility. “In order to get to sustainable aviation and decarbonize aviation, we need to focus on the biggest lever, and SAF is 65 percent of that opportunity in terms of all the other levers Bahrain’s national carrier, Gulf Air, has Gulf Air’s Technical Division handles the that we have to move,” said Sheila Remes, extended its maintenance, repair, and carrier’s A-checks and C-checks at its facilBoeing v-p of environmental engagement overhaul (MRO) contract with Jordan ity at Bahrain International Airport, while and business development. Fleet renewabilAircraft Maintenance (Joramco) for fleet Joramco provides heavy maintenance for ity and operational efficiency represent the support services for another four years. the fleet at its MRO center at Queen Alia other levers. “So 65 percent of the solution is Based in Amman, Joramco is the MRO International Airport in Jordan, in front of us,” she noted. and engineering arm of Dubai Aero“This collaboration is a pivotal move in At the last Farnborough Airshow, Boeing space Enterprise. enhancing Gulf Air’s maintenance needs signed a partnership agreement and became Under the agreement signed by Gulf Air to meet the demands of our expanding a founding member of the Sheffield Energy CEO Waleed Abdul Hameed Alalawi and fleet and the longevity of our fleet at the Innovation Centre. “We’re the first OEM to Joramco CEO Frasier Currie during the highest standards,” Alalawi said, adding sign up for that,” she said. “This is the perfect Dubai Airshow on Monday, the extension that Jormaco’s close proximity to Bahrain combination of bringing together government builds on a decade-long partnership orig- will enable swift aircraft transfers and minand an innovative company with an academic inally formed in January 2013. imize downtime. K.L. institution so we can actually help to scale sustainable aviation fuel.” z
Gulf Air extends fleet support MRO deal with Jordan Aircraft Maintenance for four years
22 Dubai Airshow News • November 15, 2 0 2 3 • a i n o n l i n e . c o m
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