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WORLD AIRPORTS .COM ACW Digital is sponsored by FREIGHTERS.COM
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The weekly newspaper for air cargo professionals No. 1,190
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25 JULY 2022
UK projects aim to deliver an aviation revolution ...
INSIDE
UK GOVERNMENT GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO WORLD’S LONGEST DRONE ‘SUPERHIGHWAY’
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The UK government has given the goahead for the world’s largest and longest network of drone superhighways to be built in the UK. The drone superhighway will link cities and towns throughout the midlands to the southeast of the country, with the option to expand the corridor to any other locations in the country. This ambitious new transport capability will be achieved through a consortium led by Reading-based UTM (Unified Traffic Management) solution provider, Altitude Angel, alongside BT, supplying expertise and connectivity through its mobile network, EE, and a number of UK tech startups. Together, the group will build and develop 165 miles of ‘drone superhighways’, connecting airspace above Reading, Oxford, Milton Keynes, Cambridge, Coventry, and Rugby over the next two years. The plans for the superhighway, submitted under the moniker ‘Project Skyway’, were proposed as part of the Department for Business, Energy & Strategy (BEIS) InnovateUK programme. The government unveiled the project on the first day of the 2022
Farnborough Air Show. “The capability we are deploying and proving through Skyway can revolutionise the way we transport goods and travel in a way not experienced since the advent of the railways did in the 18th century: the last ‘transport revolution’. The ARROW® technology we are building here is transformative – it is the basis of Skyway and the only scalable, viable mechanism to start integration of drones into our everyday lives, safely and fairly, ensuring that airspace can remain open, and crewed and uncrewed aviation from any party can safely coexist,” Richard Parker, Altitude Angel, CEO and founder, said. “Skyway gives us not just the opportunity to ‘level up’ access to green transportation across Britain, but we can benefit first and export it globally. We are therefore thrilled to be flying the flag on the global stage for UK Plc.” “The social and economic potential of drones is immense and requires close industry collaboration to fully unlock these opportunities in a safe and responsible way. It’s an exciting time to be
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VIRGIN ATLANTIC CARGO EXPANDS...
VIRGIN Atlantic Cargo is set to increase its flying, as it expands its network to Billund Airport from August 3, 2022 ... PAGE 2
CURTIS-WRIGHT TO PROVIDE ...
CURTISS-WRIGHT Corporation has been selected by Airbus to provide custom electric actuation technology for the Main Deck Cargo Door on the ... part of such a powerful consortium. Project Skyway will be crucial to showcase how the UK can not only lead the creation of new jobs and public services, but form the backbone of how we integrate drones into our daily lives,” said Dave Pankhurst, BT’s Director of Drones. “Cellular connectivity, and a secure, resilient 4G and 5G mobile network, will continue to enable the rapid growth of the drone market. Through our EE network, BT is providing the UK’s largest and most reliable network to Project Skyway, to keep drones connected to ARROW®, so they can receive greater situational awareness and tactical collision avoidance instructions from the autopilot system, and stream key video feeds such as search and rescue footage back to control rooms.” Skyway partners will collaborate to deploy a ground-based, networked DAA solution, where possible on existing infrastructure. It will be hooked up to Altitude Angel’s global UTM system, which ‘stitches’ data from multiple sources together in real-time to create an ultra-high-resolution moving map of the low-altitude sky.
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UPS HEALTHCARE BOOSTS ...
UPS Healthcare has announced a market expansion and the next generation in the UPS Premier product line. The UPS Premier service portfolio ... PAGE 4
MIDDLE EAST SEES RECOVERY ...
US aicraft manufacturer Boeing defines the Middle East as Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the ... PAGE 6
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Virgin Atlantic Cargo expands operations to Billund
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VIRGIN Atlantic Cargo is set to increase its flying, as it expands its network to Billund Airport from August 3, 2022. With a capacity of 28 tonnes of airfreight per flight, Virgin Atlantic Cargo will transport cargo, usually moved on trucks, from Billund Airport. Virgin Atlantic Cargo will support Billund Airport in transporting Danish e-commerce exports to the American market, as it continues to keep global supply chains running. The partnership will see the Danish airfreight export industry receive more direct connections to the USA, as Virgin Atlantic Cargo supports the airports ambition to grow its airfreight business and establish the cargo industry at Billund Airport. “We are very excited to bring this new dedicated all-cargo service, connecting our customers in Billund and the wider Scandinavian Region with Virgin Atlantic’s extensive route network via London Heathrow. We will be targeting urgent pharmaceutical, automotive and perishable cargoes destined for the USA, Africa, Israel and the Indian Subcontinent,” Steve Buckerfield, head of cargo sales at Virgin Atlantic Cargo, commented.
First vertiport operator joins ACI EUROPE membership URBAN-AIR Port Limited has become the first vertiport operator to join ACI Europe’s membership. Urban-Air Port Limited, designs, develops, manufactures, sells and operates ground, air and digital infrastructure for new forms of sustainable urban air transport such as air taxis and autonomous delivery drones. Its mission is to create a zero-emission-mobility ecosystem that can significantly contribute to tackling congestion and air pollution from passenger and cargo transport. Olivier Jankovec, director general of ACI EUROPE, said: “The inclusion of Urban-Air Port into our membership is incredibly significant. Airports are not just transitioning to sustainable and digitised operations, they are transforming – at the forefront of what it means to be a driver of environmentally relevant innovations and services.” “We are building on the successful work UAP has drone with the UK CAA in Coventry, with over 150 safe logistics done operations in an urban environment. UAP celebrates this opportunity as being a part of ACI EUROPE which also unlocks relationships with ACI World and the other ACI Regions,” Ricky Sandhu, founder and executive chairman, Urban-Air Port added.
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Curtiss-Wright to provide custom actuation technology on new Airbus A350F CURTISS-WRIGHT Corporation has been selected by Airbus to provide custom electric actuation technology for the Main Deck Cargo Door on the future Airbus A350F freighter aircraft. The A350F, a variant of the Airbus A350, will be the first widebody freighter aircraft built with a majority of composite materials. Under the contract, Curtiss-Wright will provide Airbus with an electro-mechanical actuation solution that features rotary and linear actuators, alongside control and power electronics, to open, close, latch and lock the A350F’s Main Deck Cargo Door. Curtiss-Wright’s actuation solution includes a high-voltage DC architecture that minimises weight, offers improved reliability over legacy systems, and incorporates health monitoring functions. “Curtiss-Wright is very proud to have been
selected to provide our critical electric actuation technology expertise in support of the new A350F freighter, as this contract represents our first electromechanical actuation contract award with Airbus and further expands the breadth of our leading-edge technologies to the commercial aerospace industry,” said Lynn M. Bamford, Chair and CEO of Curtiss-Wright Corporation. Thanks to its latest-generation efficiency in terms of fuel burn, CO2 emissions and economics, the A350F is expected to be the only freighter aircraft capable of meeting the latest ICAO CO2 emissions requirements that come into effect in 2027. The products covered by this agreement will be shipped to Airbus in different European facilities. Curtiss-Wright designs and manufactures its electric actuation products at its Shelby, North Carolina and Stratford, Ontario facilities.
Bolloré Logistics and AFKLMP Cargo extend, expand sustainability partnership
BOLLORÉ Logistics and Air France KLM Martinair Cargo (AFKLMP Cargo) have signed an agreement aimed at continuing and further expanding both parties’ sustainability partnership. This joint effort includes an extension of Bolloré’s participation in AFKLMP Cargo’s SAF programme, which already started in January 2021 for cargo flights between Paris Charles de Gaulle and New York John F. Kennedy airports. This new agreement between the two long-standing partners covers all routes operated by Air France KLM Martinair Cargo in all geographical areas and will enable Bolloré Logistics to reduce its scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by at least 75% throughout the year, by a minimum of 4,400 tonnes of CO2. “Today’s challenges mean that our customers have very specific expectations regarding the management of their supply chain and are now opting for eco-responsible solutions in line with their commitments. We were among the first to make this shift with our partner Air France KLM Martinair Cargo and we will continue developing our offer to achieve our scope 3 CO2 reduction targets,” Claude Picciotto, head of airfreight procurement at Bolloré Logistics, said. “We at Air France KLM Martinair Cargo are thrilled to be teaming up with our long-standing partner Bolloré Logistics to pursue the development of a more sustainable airfreight logistics chain. Together we pioneered the use of sustainable aviation fuel, a key milestone, but it will be even more important to persevere and speed up our efforts to meet our sustainability targets,” said Christophe Boucher, EVP Air France Cargo. This initiative is part of the AIRsaf offer launched by Bolloré Logistics in July 2021. Based on the use of sustainable aviation fuel, this offer also includes an end-to-end solution, with environmentally responsible pre- and post-carriage procedures, as well as management of reusable transport packaging.
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UPS Healthcare boosts prioritised shipping with enhancements UPS Healthcare has announced a market expansion and the next generation in the UPS Premier product line. The UPS Premier service portfolio provides three-level flexibility to meet healthcare customers’ unique needs. UPS Premier monitors packages at all times, creating visibility and prioritisation for each shipment. In addition, sensor technology enables real-time recovery of UPS Premier shipments if they encounter network delays, temperature deviations, or other issues. UPS Premier Silver and Gold are now available in major markets around the world. UPS Premier Platinum adds the ability to monitor temperature, light and humidity while tracking shipments in and out of the UPS network. UPS Premier Platinum will be available this Autumn fall. “The expansion and enhancement of UPS Premier supports the complex needs of our laboratory, medical and pharmaceutical customers around the world,” Kate Gutmann, EVP and president international, healthcare and supply chain solutions, said. “Whether efficiently moving healthcare products
between countries, maintaining negative 80-degree temperatures or locating life-saving shipments with precision, UPS Premier provides industry-leading visibility, control, reliability and recovery.” This specialised service connects major global trade lanes and is now expanding geographically. These new offerings provide customers even more benefits, including efficient customs brokerage, environmental monitoring, and visibility to meet the challenges of global healthcare logistics leaders. “Visibility and traceability are essential to prioritising the life-saving medications our customers ship and their customers need,” said UPS Healthcare President Wes Wheeler. “The difference between life and death for patients often hinges on the ability to quickly ship and precisely track, monitor and locate medications.” Innovations in biologics, specialty pharmaceuticals, and medications genetically personalised for each patient’s needs are driving significant demand for precision logistics to support more patient-critical, time and temperature-sensitive products.
World’s first A320P2F re-delivered by EFW and ST Engineering
ST Engineering and Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) have re-delivered the ‘head of version’ Airbus A320 Passenger-to-Freighter (A320P2F) aircraft to launch customer Vaayu Group (Vaayu) today at ST Engineering’s airframe facility in Singapore. This A320P2F aircraft is owned by the aviation asset management business of ST Engineering, and is the first of several converted freighter aircraft that will be leased to Vaayu. The re-delivery marks the birth of the world’s first A320P2F and completion of the Airbus P2F family developed jointly by ST Engineering, Airbus and EFW. It joins the other already operational Airbus P2F platforms, the A330-300P2F, A330-200P2F and A321P2F, which were first redelivered in 2017, 2018 and 2020 respectively. The A320P2F is the second variant in the Airbus narrowbody P2F solutions. “With this re-delivery, our Airbus P2F family of narrowbody and widebody freighters is finally complete,” said Jordi Boto, CEO of EFW.
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“This comes at a ripe time as demand for converted freighters continues to surge. Our full suite of Airbus P2F solutions will serve to meet the current gap and future growth of the air freight market, while offering excellent choices and benefits to airlines looking to grow a diverse fleet of freighter aircraft with operating commonality.” The current global Airbus A320 passenger fleet comprises thousands of aircraft, offering a wide selection and fitting options for airlines and leasing companies wanting to invest in converted freighters. The A320P2F can accommodate up to 10 [ULD] containers and one pallet position in the main deck, and seven container positions in the lower deck. Given its gross payload of up to 21 tonnes at a maximum range of 1,850nm and total usable containerised volume of 159 cu m (approx. 5,600 cu ft), the freighter aircraft has 85% stowage efficiency. Emad Al Monayea, chairman of Vaayu Group, said: “With this redelivery, we expect the world’s first A320P2F to provide an efficient and credible freighter solution to our customers that are looking to leverage the current and forecast demand in airfreight growth. We are pleased that our partnership with ST Engineering, EFW and Airbus has created aviation history in the Indian market by placing the aircraft with Pradhaan Air Express.”
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MIDDLE EAST
MIDDLE EAST SEES RECOVERY FROM PANDEMIC
U “The move marked a return to dual hub cargo operations in Dubai for the air cargo carrier after a period of nearly two years.”
S aicraft manufacturer Boeing defines the Middle East as Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. This list contains some of the most exciting and intensive air cargo markets in the world. According to Boeing, air cargo moving into, within and out of the Middle East accounted for an estimated 11.2% of the world’s tonnage in pre-pandemic 2019. The Middle East continues to be a dynamic region, both for import and export flows as well as transit cargo. It remains an important crossroads for air trade in the Eastern Hemisphere. Geopolitical disruptions, oil price fluctuations and the impact those realities have on economic activity make it uniquely challenging in projecting air cargo growth prospects says the planemaker. Now the pandemic is receding in much of the world, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released May 2022 data for global air cargo markets showing that the easing of Omicron restrictions in China helped to alleviate supply chain constraints and contributed to a performance improvement in May. However, this positivity is put into context as new export orders, a leading indicator of cargo demand and world trade, decreased in all markets, except China. The war in Ukraine continues to impair cargo capacity used to serve Europe, as several airlines based in Russia and Ukraine were key cargo players. Middle Eastern carriers experienced an 11.6% year-on-year decrease in cargo volumes in May. Significant anticipated benefits from traffic being redirected to avoid flying over Russia failed to materialise. This is likely due to persisting supply chain issues in Asia. Capacity was up 7.6% compared to May 2021. In terms of belly-hold capacity, the Middle East saw the third best recovery in passenger traffic, as volumes rose 317.2% in May compared to May 2021. May capacity rose 115.7% versus the yearago period, and load factor climbed 37.1 percentage points to 76.8%. The progressive re-opening of Asian markets is boosting traffic through Gulf hubs.
Dual hub operations
One sign that the region was on the post-COVID rebound was the news in March that Emirates SkyCargo has announced that it will be reactivating its cargo hub in Dubai South, Emirates SkyCentral DWC, for dedicated freighter aircraft operations from that month. The move marked a return to dual hub cargo operations in Dubai for the air cargo carrier after a period of nearly two years. In April 2020, Emirates SkyCargo consolidated its freighter main deck and passenger belly-hold cargo operations at Dubai International Airport (DXB) in light of the suspension of passenger flights during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The consolidation was aimed at streamlining and expediting the transport of essential supplies and medical items across the world. With the growth of Emirates’ passenger network and operations, as well as the progressive increase in cargo volumes, Emirates SkyCargo will once again structure its operations across two hubs in
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Dubai, with Emirates SkyCentral DXB handling cargo arriving or departing on passenger aircraft and Emirates SkyCentral DWC handling cargo on freighter aircraft. Emirates SkyCentral DWC was inaugurated in 2015 and has a total cargo capacity of more than one million tonnes per annum. The state-of-the-art terminal features extensive cool chain handling facilities, as well as a dedicated pharma handling zone certified for EU GDP standards and aircraft parking stands in close proximity to the terminal to allow for rapid and efficient transportation of cargo. A fleet of dedicated trucks operating on a 24/7 basis will provide seamless connectivity for cargo between the two airports. For high priority cargo and urgently required commodities, Emirates SkyCargo will be able to achieve a connection time of under five hours from wheels down at DXB to wheels up at DWC and vice-versa.
Post-oil For a century, the extraction of oil has been the powerhouse and business of the region. After 100 years of dependence on the black gold, which fuels the air cargo industry, post-oil opportunities are being explored all over the region. For many, fuel efficiency is the key to a reduced carbon world. That has prompted Etihad Airways to celebrate the arrival of its new Airbus A350-1000 in the US following the inaugural commercial flight from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on 30 June. The aircraft is one of five new Airbus A350s to join Etihad’s fleet this year. All Etihad flights servicing New York and Chicago O’Hare International Airport are now operated by the A350, joining Mumbai and Delhi routes that began flying in April this year. “We are proud to bring the Airbus A350 into service in the US. This is an incredible aircraft with highly efficient fuel consumption and CO2 savings, which enables us to support our goals to reduce carbon emissions,” said Martin Drew, senior vice president global sales and cargo, Etihad Airways.
Sustainable50 Formed as a partnership between Etihad, Airbus and Rolls Royce in 2021, the Sustainable50 programme will make use of Etihad’s A350s as flying testbeds for new initiatives, procedures and technologies to reduce carbon emissions. This will build on results derived from Etihad’s similar Greenliner programme for the Boeing 787 aircraft type. The Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered Airbus A350 is one of the most efficient aircraft types in the world, with 25% less fuel burn and CO2 emissions than previous-generation twin aisle aircraft. Etihad recently established a formal framework with Airbus to collaborate on sustainability across a number of areas, including the promotion and commercialisation of sustainable aviation fuel, waste and weight management and the development of data-driven analysis.
FEATURE
“For a century, the extraction of oil has been the powerhouse and business of the region”
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VIEW FROM THE MAINDECK
UK PROJECTS AIM TO DELIVER AN AVIATION REVOLUTION
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he Future Flight Challenge at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is looking to deliver an aviation revolution with regulation and testing at its core. From greener aircraft to airspace management and drone carried medical supplies, 17 projects aim to deliver an aviation revolution. The projects share £73 million to develop, test and evidence the safe integration and operation of drones, advanced air mobility and regional aircraft in the UK. Taking place in locations across the UK, the projects highlight the strength of aviation innovation in this country, while accelerating the progress of new technologies, social insight, and advanced aviation solutions to deliver the third revolution in aviation. The 17 projects that share £73 million in funding, include using planes powered by hydrogen or electricity to open-up greener regional connectivity across the UK, as well as working with Open Skies Cornwall, Royal Mail and NHS Kernow to provide residents with regular, reliable drone deliveries of mail and medical supplies. Working with the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority to ensure these technologies are delivered safely and effectively, these projects hope to show the potential societal benefits of these new technologies. Alongside developing new air vehicle systems, the challenge is funding a range of projects investigating air space management and safety. For example, project SafeZone 3 is making drone flights safer by creating a data service that provides real-time infor-
mation about aerodynamic hazards in urban environments. Project HADO, meanwhile, will be evaluating a live 24/7 beyond visual line of sight drone service in the high intensity airspace of Heathrow Airport. By involving local authorities, public sector and regulatory bodies, the challenge is not seeking to shy away from the complexities involved in creating a new aviation system for the UK. “The return of the Farnborough International Airshow after a four-year absence is a clear example of the aerospace and aviation sector’s recovery. Today’s package of support will add to this and help the sector take further steps to seize on the enormous opportunities for growth that exist as the world transitions to cleaner forms of flight,” UK Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said. “Through funding for the latest in green technology, such as hydrogen aircraft networks and medicine delivery drones, we are once again placing the aerospace sector directly at the centre of our plans to deliver jobs and grow the economy.” Gary Cutts, Future Flight Challenge director said: “Over the past few years we’ve seen rapid developments in all aspects of the aviation system. From cutting the length of time someone waits for medicine to arrive, to supplying greener ways to travel, these 17 projects will deliver real benefits to people across the UK. “But there is still much to do. By involving public bodies and regulators we aim to resolve these issues in an open and transparent way allowing real-world demonstrations by 2024.”
cargo.one launches in Japan JAPANESE freight forwarders can now search, compare, book and track air cargo capacity using cargo.one. The launch is the latest step in the expansion in Asia Pacific of the leading marketplace for digital air cargo bookings. Japanese users are offered capacity from ANA Cargo, Lufthansa Cargo and Finnair Cargo, with many more airlines to be added in the coming weeks. Japanese industries are in the process of extensive digital transformation (DX) efforts, with the aim to improve business processes and customer experiences using technology. Among others, the freight forwarding industry has much to gain from reimagining operations for the digital age. Moritz Claussen, founder and Co-CEO of cargo.one, comments: “Together with many of the most important air cargo airlines, we now offer every Japanese freight forwarder the chance to modernise operations with easy and efficient bookings online. Japanese customers can expect cargo.one to help them rapidly raise performance, strengthen competitiveness and enhance their digital customer experiences.” The launch further signals cargo.one’s commitment to the Asia Pacific region, following exclusive partnerships with ANA Cargo, Singapore Airlines Cargo and MASKargo, as well as Nippon Cargo Airlines. To strengthen its collaborations with Japanese freight forwarders, cargo. one recently opened a Tokyo office and appointed Yoichi Mizuno as country manager, Japan.
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