Via Dubai Magazine June 2016 by Nadd Al Shiba PR & Event Management

Monthly Newsletter issued by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority

www.viadubaionline.com

Issue 37 June 2016

Inside DCAA DCAA active at Airport 5 Show 2016 DCAA in joint pact for 6 aviation training

DCAA participates in Careers UAE 2016

Landing field 10 certificate for Atlantis The Palm Visiting the Innovation 12 Center

UAE in Focus UAE becomes member 36 of pan-Arab General Authority of Civil Aviation DACC drafting heli-taxi platform masterplan

Gama Aviation to attract more light aircraft to Sharjah

Flying towards an ambitious goal 16

Amna Al Suwaidi

Technology 66

Sheikh Mohammed inspects Concourse D building Emirates Group records profit of AED 8.2 billion for 2015-16

Cargo & Logistics 62

Mohammed Ahli

Committee set up to guide Dubai airspace expansion

Airlines 58

Opinions 56

Our Smart Services DCAA Smart App will allow the customers the below services: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Issuance of Landing permissions Issuance of No Objection Certificate for Carriage of Restricted Articles Issuance of No Objection Certificate for Aerial Work Issuance of No Objection Certificate for Aircraft Warning Light Issuance of No Objection Certificate for Heliport Issuance of No Objection Certificate for Pyrotechnic Display Issuance of No Objection Certificate for Building Height (Below 300m) Issuance of No Objection Certificate for Building Height (Above 300m) Issuance of Approval for Heliports Certification Issuance of Approval for Crane Operation Issuance of Approval for GSM or other communication tower Issuance of Approval for Balloon Operations Issuance of No Objection Certificate for Sky Trackers / Space Cannon

Registration Requirements: • • • • • • •

Company Name Company Address Telephone Number Fax Number PO Box City Choose one secret questions

• • • • • • •

Username Password Email Address Name Mobile Number Emirates ID Number Category (Individual - Airline - Agency - Expert - Provider)

You can download the application

by searching in App Store and Play Store by typing DCAA or scan the QR code

For more information, please call technical support on: +971 56 6810685 June 2016 2 email: it.support@dcaa.gov.ae

www.dcaa.gov.ae

CONTENTS In 2007, the functions of the Department of Civil Aviation were restructured. Accordingly, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) was established as a regulatory body, by a decree of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid AlMaktoum, Ruler of Dubai, on proclamation of law No. 21 of 2007, as amended by law No. 19 of 2010, to undertake development of Air Transport Industry in the Emirate of Dubai and to oversee all aviation-related activities.

Via Dubai is the official bilingual monthly newsletter of DCAA, designed to highlight the initiatives and developments in the aviation industry and act as a knowledge-sharing platform for all the stakeholders and aviation professionals.

Inside DCAA 05

DCAA active at Airport Show 2016

Haq Al Laila celebrated

General Supervision Mohammed Abdulla Ahli Coordinator Hanan Al Mazimi Creative Manager Mohammed Al Jarouf Editor Shveta Pathak

Ramadan lanterns exhibition

E-mail: viadubai@naddalshiba.com Legal Disclaimer The views expressed in the articles are of the writers and not necessarily belong to DCAA. We take all reasonable steps to keep the information current and accurate, but errors can occur. The information is therefore provided as is, with no guarantee of accuracy, completeness or timeliness. The DCAA or Via Dubai does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the quality, accuracy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. Via Dubai does not endorse or recommend any article, product, service or information mentioned in the newsletter. Any perceived slight of any person or organisation is completely unintentional.

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DCAA Interview

Editorial, Production, PR & Marketing Nadd AlShiba PR and Event Management

Flying towards an ambitious goal

Amna Al Suwaidi

Printed by Printwell Dubai

Our Vision Dubai Civil Aviation Authority is driven by the vision of Dubai to become the global Aviation Capital contributing to prosperity and enabling growth for Dubai.

Our Mission Dubai Civil Aviation Authority is committed to support the aviation sector in:

E-mail: dcaa@dcaa.gov.ae Website: www.dcaa.gov.ae Tel: (971) 4 216 2009 Fax: (971) 4 224 4502 P.O.BOX 49888 Dubai, United Arab Emirates

u Capturing the full value potential as a global passenger, tourism, trade, cargo and logistic hub u Providing the capacity, connectivity and leveraging existing assets to meet the aviation sector and economic growth plans of Dubai u Ensuring sustainable and responsible growth committed to safety, health, environment and security u Providing and creating customer-focused services to gain competitive advantage from innovation, knowledge and efficiency u Building and retaining capabilities, for the aviation sector, while offering career opportunities for Nationals u Ensuring a transparent, effective and commercially balanced regulatory framework that reflects the interests of the aviation industry, Dubai and the UAE u Providing efficient and cost-effective services to the aviation sector

http://www.facebook.com/DCAADubai

twitter.com/DcaaDubai

Juneyoutube.com/user/dcaadubai 2016

CONTENTS

Badr Al Olama, CEO, Strata Manufacturing

Flexing local aerospace muscle 42

A much-needed carbon offset deal 56

Tony Tyler

Solar Impulse 2 lands in home town of aviation pioneers 52 More needs to be done to reduce accident rate

EPG’s eLockers for easy delivery

Mike Whitaker

Gama Aviation to attract more light aircraft to Sharjah

Piloted, electric propulsionpowered aircraft in the making

The world’s most family-friendly airlines 46

Dassault’s 100 years of innovation

June 2016

Message

from the President

Welcome challenges

e have once again proved that Dubai can deliver the goods as evidenced by the successful completion of Airport Show 2016 which was a reflection of the strength and importance of the Middle East aviation market for global players. As expected, the Airport Show has recorded double-digit growth, reflecting the strong interest and an unwavering global confidence in the UAE. The Middle East is one of the most important markets and its growth can be a driving force for international aviation industry. Dubai continues to focus on becoming the world-leader in aviation and is investing billions of dollars towards infrastructure development to meet the needs of future growth and also for the benefit of international civil aviation. As expected of us, the aviation industry has become an integral part of the UAEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic prosperity amid unprecedented growth being witnessed in aviation in the region. The aviation sector is expected to contribute over 32 per cent to Dubaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GDP by 2020. It is gratifying that the success of the Airport Show comes on the heels of another remarkable feat, that Emirates and dnata delivered record profits, solid business results, and continued growth throughout 2015-16. It has not been an easy task as we had to accostanuncertain global economic environment marked by weak consumer and investor sentiment, and, above all, the ongoing socio-political instability in many regions.

Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum

We are confident that Dubai can successfully face challenges and transform them into opportunities, as has been proved in the past with innovative ideas, attracting investments in infrastructure projects and effective utilisation of human resources. The beacon before us is His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who is leading us by example. I am confident that we can face any challenge in the future with this great source of inspiration. ď&#x201A;&#x192;

With well thought-out strategies Dubai has reached the numero uno position in various fields, particularly in the aviation eco system. However, it is a challenging task to maintain and sustain that top position. Suchchallenges are welcome, as they remind us to roll up our sleeves.

June 2016

Message

from the Director General

Technology is the way

eeping in line with our vision to make Dubai the global aviation capital, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) is doing everything possible to accelerate overall growth and ensure passenger comfort and safety.It is a proven fact that the aviation sector in Dubai plays a phenomenal role in its economy, and is a major contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the emirate. The share is poised for further growth. We, at DCAA, supported the recently concluded Airport Show 2016, with the sole aim of bringing all players onto a common platform to exchange ideas, get introduced to innovations and state-of-the art technology so that all will benefit. We are witnessing an unprecedented growth in passenger numbers and Dubai has chalked out a strategy to sustain the growth in aviation sector to prop up the economy. Dubai has already become an aviation hub and earned the title as the busiest airport in the world by international passengers. In fact, we think more broadly. The MENA region is one of the most important markets and its growth can be a driving force for international aviation industry. It is again a fact that Dubai continues to focus on becoming the world-leader in aviation and is investing billions of dollars for infrastructure development to meet the needs of future growth.

June 2016

Mohammed Abdulla Ahli

The growth potential is exponential. Middle East airports are expected to handle an additional 237 million passengers by year 2034. Airports are actively adopting new technologies and the global market for smart airports is estimated to reach $13 billion by 2019. Sustainable technology solutions and manufactured solutions are the way forward for airports of the future. It is now left to the industry players to adopt them. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a welcome fact that airports in the region are investing millions of dollars in technology and system upgrades to ensure seamless passenger experience along with security and safety. Aviation industry is more active than ever in adopting new and smart technologies. So, we can rest assured that a safe and prosperous future awaits all of us. ď&#x201A;&#x192;

Inside DCAA

DCAA active at Airport Show 2016

ubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) participated in the 16th edition of the Airport Show in Dubai from May 9 to 11 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC). The show, the world’s largest annual airport event, was held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airlines and Group. The three-day event witnessed participation of more than 300 exhibitors

from 55 countries and more than 7,500 trade visitors from the aviation industry worldwide. More than 25 new products and latest technology solutions were introduced for the first time in the Middle East. The show recorded a double digit growth in exhibitor participation, space and number of attendees. DCAA was participating in the Airport Show for the fifth consecutive time. The premier show was proved to be an ideal platform to learn about the latest technologies and network with key decision makers and global companies. DCAA utilised the show to exhibit various services in the aviation sector.

Mohammed Abdullah Ahli, Director General of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) said: “The Airport Show was a perfect platform for all participants from all over the world to exchange ideas and best practices and showcase the latest innovation in technology. With this, we can ensure a sustainable growth in the civil aviation sector and achieve our strategic goals as well as to realise the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Dubai Ruler, to make Dubai the capital of world aviation.” 

June 2016

Inside DCAA

DCAA in joint pact for aviation training Bespoke partnership between Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai Air Navigation Services and Emirates Aviation University to provide technical academic programs in aviation

ubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Dubai Air Navigation Services (dans) and Emirates Aviation University (EAU) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that highlights the beginning of a long term strategic partnership between all entities, aimed at training and developing human resources, as well as providing full-fledged technical academic programs for students and professionals in the aviation sector. The MoUs were signed by Mohammed A Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and the CEO of Dubai Air Navigation Services, and Dr. Ahmed Al Ali, the Vice Chancellor of Emirates Aviation University, in the presence of representatives from both entities. The agreement signed between DCAA and EAU entails collaboration on several fronts that include designing joint training courses, participation in conferences and educational seminars held by both entities, in addition to collaborating on educational and joint research initiatives . DCAA will be supporting the universitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; training program through providing training programs for students affiliated to the latter. EAU will be providing special rates to DCAA employees and their families seeking to pursue their education with the university. Underpinned by a joint strategic goal, the MOU will enhance a productive partnership amidst educational processes and support human resources development and research for both entities.

June 2016

With this partnership in place, students of EAU will have the opportunity to gain onground practical experience in air traffic management through several initiatives such as internships and professional training programs in dans, which will provide them with a competitive edge through combining theory with practice in order to diversify their knowledge and gain practical exposure that will better equip them for the job market. Operational and technical programs provided by dans to professionals in the Air Traffic Management sector are highly sought after from within the UAE and on an international scale. EAU will support dans in enhancing its programs through designing new courses that cater to the market requirements in the aviation sector, and that will be delivered to operational professionals to ensure they exceed

academic and professional learning standards. The partnership is the first of its nature for dans uniting an educational institute specialising in all spectrum of aviation studies with a historical organisation leading air navigation services in the realm of the UAE. EAU will present a full-fledged academic program for students studying aviation related disciplines looking to pursue their career in the aviation sector, as well as for employees seeking further career enhancement. During the high level agreement signing ceremony that was attended by dignitaries from both entities, Mohammed A Ahli, Director General of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and CEO of Dubai Air Navigation Services, stated: â&#x20AC;&#x153;In accordance with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin

Inside DCAA

Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, enabling Dubai to become the hub of the world and to dominate a primary position across all sectors, and in compliance with the guidelines of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Excutive of Emirates Airline and Group, to enhance collaboration amidst all organisations operating in the aviation sector, students of Emirates Aviation University will have access to training opportunities through extensive bespoke programs offered through the organisation, that will provide full fledged and in-depth knowledge combining theoretical and practical concepts.

sation’s initiatives. Having Emirates Aviation University as our academic partner will support our initiative in establishing unique training programs, thus creating diverse opportunities to excel. Under this partnership, both entities will mutually benefit from positively enhancing the level of education to students and employees through facilitating diversified knowledge platforms”.

This will benefit them in enhancing their competitive edge and deepen their knowledge levels and provide them with the necessary skills that prepare them for today’s market requirements.

This new joint venture allows us to capitalise on dans’ technical expertise in air navigation and traffic management to provide a highly-specialised resource that our industry needs for future development. Emirates Aviation University already has a track record and reputation for providing worldclass aviation training. This partnership with dans complements our exist-

“We continuously strive to position the professional and academic development of young Emirati talent and our employees at the core of the organi-

Dr. Ahmad Al Ali, Vice Chancellor of Emirates Aviation University, added: “There is a global demand for operational and technical roles such as Air Traffic controllers and navigators – particularly in this part of the world where air traffic is expected to continue growing.

ing programmes and further cements our position as the leading centre for aviation-related training and education”. As the aviation sector is a rapid growing and fast advancing sector, where new technologies, procedures and systems are being introduced every day, both entities understand the necessity to develop academic programs that provide students and employees with modernised concepts keeping them abreast of the latest information that will enable them to excel in their careers and meet international standards. Educational institutions are able to provide such modernised approaches through collaborating with organisations operating onground in the aviation sector and those who enjoy the privilege of possessing the technical onground expertise. Modern day students require incorporating practical and technical experience in addition to their theoretical studies, to be able to meet international standards and requirements for today’s demanding job market. 

June 2016

Inside DCAA

DCAA participates in Careers UAE 2016 D

ubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) participated in the Careers UAE 2016 exhibition for the eighth year in a row. The exhibition is the forum that brings together exhibitors and those seeking employment opportunities and training, education, and represents one of the most important and largest career fairs. The authority is working according to a strategy to encourage and motivate young people by giving the opportunities to prove their professional capabilities and development in order to reach their goals. The Authority’s aim is to give UAE nationals opportunities to contribute to support the economy. “Emirati youth globally compete on a professional level and are viewed as an extraordinary example of devotion, creativity and management

June 2016

with a passion. Understanding the importance of a full rounded learning system, the Government of Dubai has highly invested in providing outstanding levels of education

across all age groups.” said Mohammed A. Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and CEO of Dubai Air Navigation Services.

Inside DCAA

Abdulrahim Al Mulla, Director, Corporate Support Department of DCAA, said: “Dubai Civil Aviation Authority aims through its participation in Careers UAE 2016 to attract nationals seeking jobs. The exhibition is an effective platform for attracting national talent.”

The percentage of nationals among DCAA staff is 70 per cent, which the authority wants to increase through the introduction of new functional vacancies to attract human resources. “Our aim is also through this exhibition to attract university students who

wish to join the vocational training program. They will contribute to the growth of the aviation industry in Dubai, where the airline industry has become an important part of the emirate’s economy.” 

June 2016

Inside DCAA

Landing field certificate for Atlantis The Palm D

ubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) has granted a landing field certificate for Atlantis The Palm, Dubai. Khaled Al Arif, DCAA Director of Standards and Regulations, handed the certificate to the hotel manager in the presence of Michael Rudolph, Head of Aviation Regulation and Safety, DCAA, and representatives from Falcon Aviation Services, Atlantis the Palm and Alpha Destination Management. “DCAA continually seeks to ensure airspace safety in accordance with the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and Law (7) 2015, Airspace Safety and Security in the Emirate of Dubai,” said a statement.

June 2016

DCAA seeks to ensure airspace integrity through monitoring safety, and the certification of landing fields is amongst the most essential of airspace safety criteria adopted by the Authority. Atlantis has provided helicopter flights via Atlantis landing field to over 28,000 visitors in 2015. The landing field is considered amongst the busiest in the Middle East and North Africa region in terms of commercial flights. “We continually seek to achieve the safety and integrity of Dubai airspace, and we have made all efforts possible to achieve this in a dedicat-

ed and relentless quest to keep pace with international developments and ICAO regulations, and by developing safe solutions that serve the community and ensure safe and regulated operations for Dubai,” said Khaled Al Arif. Michael Rudolph said: “We always aim at ensuring airspace safety, which is associated with the safety of the community’s individuals. Today, we grant this landing field certificate to Atlantis the Palm, which is one of the biggest and most frequently visited tourist destinations in Dubai. It is vital to ensure aviation safety for all based on the numerous purposes this landing field shall serve. We have

Inside DCAA

been keen on following safety measures in accordance with ICAO regulations, and we aspire to keep pace with all the different activities aimed at achieving the safety of the airspace and individuals.”

Serge Zaalof, President and Managing Director of Atlantis the Palm, Dubai Hotel, said: “We are honoured to receive this landing field certificate from a prestigious institution such as DCAA. We work closely with

our strategic partners in this field, including DCAA, Falcon Aviation Services and Alpha Tours, to ensure implementation of the highest safety measures on our flights from and to Atlantis landing field. “

June 2016

Inside DCAA

Field trip to Emirates Flight Catering

he Department of Corporate Communications organised for Dubai Civil Aviation Authority’s employees a field trip to Emirates Flight Catering. The field trip included a general tour for the authority’s employees in order to introduce them to the mechanisms, storage, catering and other practices in flight catering. 

June 2016

Inside DCAA

Visiting the Innovation Center

ader Belselah, Incharge, Innovations, of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority visited the Innovation Center of Emirates airline, with the aim of identifying creative ideas relevant to innovation. DCAA continuously seeks to support innovation and creativity in line with the orientations of the government of allocating space for innovation. A team from the Center did a presentation about the latest technological innovations and best practices. The visit was organised to enhance the co-operation between the two organisations. 

Invention Day initiative

ubai Civil Aviation Authority participated in the initiative of Invention Day organised by Dubai Municipality in Children’s City. The Authority’s contribution came to help raise awareness on the topics of innovation and inventions in order to inculcate the culture of creativity to encourage them on the elements of innovation and scientific invention.

Bader Belselah, Incharge, Innovations, of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Salim Al Suwaidi, Aerodrome Senior Inspector, from DCAA, made a presentation before students about unmanned drones and the importance of innovation in our present time. There was a questions and answers session related to the subject. Incen-

tive awards were given to the students. The participation of the authority with Dubai Municipality comes in line with supporting strategic and social partnerships aiming to provide awareness for individuals, to keep abreast of developments towards a bright future. 

June 2016

Inside DCAA

Haq Al Laila celebrated

CAA organised a celebration on the occasion of 15th day of the month of Sha’aban, locally known as “Haq Al Laila”. The celebration included giving lanterns that were filled with a variety of sweets to the employees of DCAA by children, in addition to a box that included traditional food for every employee. The authority had a traditional theme through the decorations and foods

June 2016

that carry a cultural character. The kids visited the office of Mohammed Abdullah Al Ahli, Director General

of the authority, offering him a box which had a fully Islamic cultural character. 

Inside DCAA

Ramadan lanterns exhibition D

ubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) hosted Ramdan Lanterns Exhibition organised by Sharjah Social Empowerment Foundation. A variety of lanterns in different sizes, patterns and colours were exhibited. They were gifted to families affiliated to the Sharjah Social Empowerment Foundation. The exhibition witnessed a large turnout of DCAA and dans employees. During the event, Sharjah Social Empowerment Foundation handed over a memorial shield to Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, for the continuous participation of DCAA in their initiatives.

The participation of DCAA in this campaign is one if its strategic plans in participating in charity initiatives,

making all different segments of the society happy. ď&#x201A;&#x192;

June 2016

DCAA Interview

Amna Al Suwaidi, Senior Performance Manager, Strategy and Organizational Excellence Office, DCAA

Flying towards an ambitious goal

All necessary tools and systems are being applied by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) to realise the goals set in Dubai Strategy Plan 2021 which aims to reinforce the emirate’s position as a global aviation hub.

ubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) is well on schedule to bring Dubai to be number one in civil aviation. For this to achieve, the authority is bestowed with all resources, more essentially the human resources with the right kind of talent. Amna Al Suwaidi, Senior Performance Manager with the Strategy and Organisational Excellence Office, is one who is facilitating within DCAA strategic plan and align objectives set in Dubai Strategy Plan 2021. Amna brought to DCAA rich experience gained from her earlier working with Dubai Customs as Business Analyst and ENOC as Performance Management Analyst. This enabled her to adapt time-tested tools for planning and assessing performance to meet the goals set by the DCAA management. As Senior Performance Manager at DCAA, she is responsible for the organization’s corporate performance management system where she conducts regular strategic and performance review analyses and at the same, she is taking an active role in cascading DCAA’s strategy plan for alignment and execution.

June 2016

As dedicated and highly self-motivated individual, Amna is carrying out the role on Performance and Planning Management for more than a decade. Amna, who is working closely with multiple business streams, elaborated to Via Dubai how she applies strategy and performance processes by facilitating and assisting in translating objectives for effective execution and alignment. Excerpts from the interview: How is DCAA working towards achieving the objective of Dubai Strategy 2021? Yes, I can proudly say that DCAA is all equipped with resources which led to support it to deploy them for Dubai becoming number one in civil aviation. My role is to look after three areas: Strategy, Planning and Performance to align DCAA’s performance with Dubai Strategic Plan

2021 and achieve its goals and objectives. We have set a target and we are working towards accomplishing our strategy and vision through periodic review measures and monitoring objectives through setting up KPIs (key performance indicators). How do you plan to achieve this? Right from the top officials to the lowest employee with DCAA have a single-minded goal to achieve the Strategic Vision 2021. For this, we conduct periodic workshops, involving all concerned. We recently conducted a workshop where our Director General Mohammed Ahli, the directors and heads of sections attended and have agreed on the changes we have to make to focus on core areas to meet the expectation of our stakeholders. Basically what we do here is that once we confirm our new strategy

DCAA Interview

2017 – 2021 by the directors, and they have the commitment, we strive to implement it. How do you evaluate the progress of moving towards the Vision? Through performance system? We have periodic review, on a monthly basis, to measure and monitor our performance based on our internal performance system called (Ada’ae). We review our operations measures such as revenues, NOC transactions, departmental budgetary allocation and training of employees in addition to aviation measures such as aircraft movements, passenger movements, cargo movement and new destinations. Moreover, we have quarterly reviews with the directors where they discuss mainly strategic issues. You also adopt the best practices elsewhere in the world? We constantly look at different reports released elsewhere to check where Dubai stands in aviation ranking. We also look at how other countries adopt best practices. Often we find that Dubai is far ahead on many

fronts. For example, Dubai issues a landing permission in just 30 minutes when other countries take up to 60 days. That’s how we benchmark our services with other entities. This benchmarking also helps us identify which areas we should focus on. Eventually our aim is to be world class civil aviation. How is the aviation sector supporting Dubai’s economy? The aviation sector is the single largest contributor to Dubai’s GDP. The share of the aviation sector in Dubai’s GDP is expected to rise to 32 per cent, once Al Maktoum Airport comes to full operations. The sector supports other sections of the economy, such as hospitality, industry and retail. Even for infrastructure, the aviation sector will be contributing much as new linkages between Al Maktoum International Airport and Dubai Airport, through various channels such as rail, are being planned. A new metro and canal will be in place for rapid movement of people between these airports. Along with it, the

Expo 2020 is coming up, where we expect a large number of passengers. But, we are looking beyond 2020 as the Expo will be lasting only six months, but the permanent infrastructure will be there, which should be utilised. How do you find the enormous resources, both revenue and human, for accomplishing these objectives? We are planning to conduct an assessment centre within DCAA to attract more nationals in the aviation sector. Our plan is to identify talented people, right from their school days, and train them up by sending to institutions that provide special training. For our existing staff, we will assess them to gauge their talent so that they can be entrusted with more responsibilities. How do you motivate your employees to reach this goal? We offer an excellent career growth. We also established a scheme to appreciate the efforts of the employees when they display outstanding performance. 

June 2016

Cover Story

Sheikh Mohammed inspects Concourse D building The AED 4.5 billion Concourse D at Dubai International Airport becomes the first in the world to receive carbon certification.

ice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, inspected the AED 4.5 billion Concourse D building at the Dubai International Airport.

The new building is deemed the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first airport green building to receive the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC).

June 2016

It is also the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first dedicated facility at Dubai International Airport. The building features dedicated first and business class lounges.

Accompanying Sheikh Mohammed during the tour were Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai,

Cover Story

Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Excutive of Emirates Airline and Group, Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Khalifa Saeed Suleiman, Director- General of the Department of Protocol and Hospitality in Dubai, Engineer Khalifa Al Zafeen, CEO of Dubai Airports.

facilities for travellers through this global airline network building.

half kilometre trip to the departure hall.

Sheikh Mohammed toured the building and was briefed on its designs and components, which aim to provide maximum comfort and good

During the tour, Sheikh Mohammed got into the gate transfer train that connects Terminal 1 with the new Concourse D, which is a one and a

The hall includes a large area, 13,000 square metres, for shopping, including the duty free shops, restaurants and leisure facilities.

June 2016

Cover Story

Sheikh Mohammed also toured counters of General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs. He continued his tour in the building with total area of 150,000 square metres. At the arrival lounge, he was briefed on the facilities provided at the arrival. Passengers expressed their hap-

June 2016

piness to see Sheikh Mohammed, praising the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world-class facilities. He exchanged greetings with them. He also expressed his satisfaction at the confidence of the passengers. Sheikh Mohammed also inspected the First Class and official guests lounges, and other facilities.

He hailed the efforts of Dubai Airports staff including engineers, administrative and technical staff under the leadership of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum. During the tour, Sheikh Mohammed was briefed by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed on the strategic plan set by the Dubai Airports regarding Dubai In-

Cover Story

ternational Airport till 2020, including Concourse D. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed briefed Sheikh Mohammed on the capacity of the building, passengers and runways. ď&#x201A;&#x192;

June 2016

UAE in Focus

Emirates Group records 28th consecutive year of profit, and new record profit of AED 8.2 billion for 2015-16

Sheikh Ahmed: The Group’s performance is testament to the success of our business model and strategies The Emirates Group posted an AED 8.2 billion ($ 2.2 billion) profit for the financial year ending 31 March 2016, up 50 per cent from last year. The Group’s employee base across its more than 80 subsidiaries and companies increased by 13 per cent to over 95,000-strong representing over 160 different nationalities

heikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Excutive of Emirates Airline and Group, said: “Emirates and dnata delivered record profits, solid business results, and continued to grow throughout 2015-16.“ Against an unfavourable currency situation which eroded our revenues and profits, an uncertain global economic environment dogged by weak

June 2016

consumer and investor sentiment, as well as ongoing socio-political instability in many regions around the world, the Group’s performance is

testament to the success of our business model and strategies.” “Our ongoing investments to develop our people and to enhance our busi-

UAE in Focus

ness performance enable us to react with agility to the new challenges and opportunities that every year brings. In 2015-16, the Group collectively invested over AED 17.3 billion ($ 4.7 billion) in new aircraft and equipment, the acquisition of companies, modern facilities, the latest technologies, and staff initiatives. These will build on our strong foundations, extend our competitive edge, and accelerate our progress towards our long-term goals.” The Group’s employee base across its more than 80 subsidiaries and companies increased by 13 per cent to over 95,000-strong, representing over 160 different nationalities. “Looking at the year ahead, we expect that the low oil prices will continue to be a double-edged sword – a boon for our operating costs, but a bane for global business and consumer confidence. The strong US dollar against major currencies will remain a challenge, as will the looming threat of protectionism in some countries. However, we enter the new financial year with confidence, backed by a robust balance sheet, solid track record, diverse global portfolio, and international talent pool. We will continue to evolve and grow our business profitably, and work even harder to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations,” said Sheikh Ahmed. In line with the overall profit, the Group declared a dividend of AED 2.5 billion ($ 681 million) to the Investment Corporation of Dubai.

Emirates performance

Emirates’ total passenger and cargo capacity crossed the 56 billion mark,

to 56.4 billion Available Tonne Kilometres (ATKMs) at the end of 2015-16, cementing its position as the world’s largest international airline. The airline increased capacity during the year by 5.5 billion ATKMs, or 11 per cent over 2014-15. Emirates received 29 new aircraft, its highest number during a financial year, including 16 A380s, 12 Boeing 777-300ERs and one Boeing 777F, bringing its total fleet count to 251 at the end of March. At the same time, nine aircraft were phased out, taking the average fleet age down to 74 months or approximately half the industry average of 140 months. The airline remains the world’s largest operator of the Boeing 777 and A380 – both aircraft being amongst the most modern and efficient wide-bodied jets in the sky today.

With the delivery of new aircraft, Emirates launched eight new passenger destinations: Bali, Bologna, Cebu, Clark, Istanbul (Sabiha Gökçen), Mashhad, Multan, Orlando; and two new additional freighter destinations: Columbus and Ciudad del Este. It also added services and capacity to 34 cities on its existing route network across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America, offering customers even greater choice and connectivity. With significant currency devaluations against the US dollar and fare adjustments following the reduction in fuel prices, Emirates revenue dropped 4 per cent to AED 85 billion (US$ 23.2 billion). The relentless rise of the US dollar against currencies in most of Emirates’ key markets had an AED 6.0

June 2016

UAE in Focus

billion (US$ 1.6 billion) impact on airline revenue, and an AED 4.2 billion (US$ 1.1 billion) impact to the airline’s bottom line. However, total operating costs decreased by 8 per cent over the 201415 financial year. The average price of jet fuel fell during the financial year, supporting Emirates’ bottom line improvement. The airline’s fuel bill decreased by 31 per cent over last year to AED 19.7 billion (US$ 5.4 billion). Fuel is now 26 per cent of operating costs, compared to 35 per cent in 2014-15, but it remained the biggest cost component for the airline. The airline successfully managed increased competitive pressure across all markets to record a profit of AED 7.1 billion (US$ 1.9 billion), an increase of 56 per cent over last year’s results, and a healthy profit margin of 8.4 per cent, the strongest margin since 2010-11.

Carrying a record 51.9 million passengers (up 8 per cent), Emirates crossed the 50 million passenger milestone, and achieved a Passenger Seat Factor of 76.5 per cent. The decline in passenger seat factor compared to last year’s 79.6 per cent, is relative to the strong 13 per cent increase in seat capacity by Available Seat Kilometres (ASKMs), and also in part due to lingering economic uncertainty and strong competition in many markets. Overall passenger traffic growth continues to demonstrate the consumer desire to fly on Emirates’ state-of-

the-art aircraft, and via efficient routings through its Dubai hub. Premium and overall seat factor for Emirates’ flagship A380 aircraft outperformed the network, underscoring the popularity of Emirates’ premium and A380 product amongst passengers. At 31 March 2016, Emirates had 75 A380 aircraft in its fleet, serving one out of every four destinations on its passenger network. Under pressure from the weakening of all major currencies against the USD, passenger yield dropped to 26.7 fils (7.3 US cents) per Revenue Passenger Kilometre (RPKM). To fund its fleet growth, Emirates raised a record of AED 26.9 billion (US$ 7.3 billion), using a variety of financing structures. Financing highlights include Emirates entering into a unique hybrid operating lease structure put together by combining German banks and institutional investors with Islamic debt in Murahaba format to fund an A380 aircraft. In Asia, Emirates continued to tap on the Japanese market for the Japanese Operating Lease (JOL) structure, and Japanese Operating Lease with a Call Option (JOLCO) on A380 and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft delivered during the year. Emirates also closed the first ever operating lease on an A380 financed entirely by the Korean institutional market through private placements with a group of non-bank financial institutions. These deals align with Emirates’ strategy to seek diverse financing sources, and underscore its sound financials and the strong investor confidence in the airline’s business model. 

June 2016

UAE in Focus

Airline gets exclusive rights for branding and marketing and a pavilion at Expo

Emirates is Expo 2020 Dubai’s official airline partner

mirates airline has been named as Expo 2020 Dubai’s official airline partner, according to a statement from the Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau.

The partnership agreement between Emirates and Expo 2020 Dubai was signed by Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates airline and Group, and Reem Al Hashemi, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General Bureau Expo Dubai 2020. Emirates, which has a network to over 150 destinations, is expected to help Expo 2020 attract 25 million visitors. As Expo 2020’s first Premier Partner, Emirates will also be a licensed ticket reseller. “Emirates has played an important part in Dubai’s transformation into an international centre for commerce and tourism, and a globally-connected host city for a truly global event like the Expo. The airline has been an early supporter of Dubai’s successful bid to host the Expo, will now partner with Expo 2020 to bring this event to Dubai, and to build a lasting legacy for the UAE and the entire region,” stated Shaikh Ahmad. Emirates carried more than 50 million passengers last year. The agreement gives exclusive rights and benefits for Emirates and

other businesses within the Emirates Group, including branding and marketing rights, the ability to leverage events such as Youth Connect, and the opportunity to have a pavilion at the Expo. Expo 2020 Dubai and Emirates are also looking at opportunities on the site in the post-event phase to secure a lasting cultural, and economic legacy for the Expo. Expo 2020 Dubai said that it is developing a number of commercial partnerships with global companies

in sectors including aviation, technology, finance, shipping and logistics, telecommunications and travel and tourism. Expo’s partnership programme will comprise three tiers of partnerships: Premier Partners, Official Partners and Official Providers. Premier Partners will be offered the highest level of rights and benefits and are currently being discussed. Official Partners and Official Providers will be sought starting from 2017. 

June 2016

UAE in Focus

AIRPORT SHOW 2016 By far, the most successful expo The success of the Airport Show 2016 is a reflection of the strength and importance of Middle East aviation market for global players

he 16th edition of the Airport Show in Dubai from May 9 to 11 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) declared to the world, once again, that Dubai can deliver the best.

The show, the world’s largest annual airport event, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airlines and Group, proved to be the most successful by far with

June 2016

exhibitors reporting a record number of potential business deals. “The success of the Airport Show is a reflection of the strength and importance of Middle East aviation market for global players. The show has seen double-digit growth this year reflecting the strong in-

terest and an unwavering global confidence in the Middle East, particularly in the UAE, which is making significant investments in the sector, actively embracing latest technological innovations, and opening doors of tremendous,” said Sheikh Ahmed on conclusion of the show.

UAE in Focus

“It’s a clear message that MENA region is one of the most important markets and its growth can be a driving force for international aviation industry. Dubai continues to focus on becoming the world-leader in aviation and is investing billions of dollars toward infrastructure development to meet the needs of the future growth,” he added. Mohammed Abdullah Ahli, Director General of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) said: “The Airport Show was a perfect platform for all participants from all over the world to exchange ideas and best practices and showcase the latest innovation in technology. With this, we can ensure a sustainable growth in the civil aviation sector and achieve our strategic goals as well as to realise the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Dubai Ruler, to make Dubai the capital of world aviation.” The three-day event witnessed participation of more than 300 exhibitors from 55 countries and more than 7,500 trade visitors from the aviation industry worldwide. More than 25 new products and latest technology solutions were introduced for the first time in the Middle East. The show recorded a double digit growth in exhibitor participation, space and number of attendees. Occupying Zabeel Halls 4, 5 and 6 at the DICEC, with a gross space of 15,000 square metres, the show witnessed an increase of 10 per cent in it number of attendees.

Mohammed Abdullah Ahli, D.G, DCAA

Committee set up to guide Dubai airspace expansion

Mohammed A Ahli confirmed that an ad hoc committee comprising His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airlines and Group, Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Minister of Economy, and representatives from Dubai and Sharjah airports, is currently working on commissioning a study on Dubai air space in order to cope with the expansions and the large movement growth witnessed by Dubai airports.

flights and this number is expected to rise to 1,900 by 2020.

The committee will release its recommendation in twelve months so that it will be able to keep up with the growth until 2020.

He added that the Authority will start issuing private licences for drone owners. It is expected to issue more than 200 licences for companies and 15,000 for individuals in the near future. He said that the licences will be issued on specific criteria and special cards will be issued for each drone registered in Dubai to ensure safety standards.

The air traffic in Dubai airports reached an annual growth of 8 per cent while aircraft movements growth ranged 5-7 per cent. He pointed out that Dubai airports daily deals with more than 1,250

Interest

Al Ahli said that the success of Airport Show 2016 is an indication of the keen interest shown by companies and organisations in the aviation sector. Al Ahli said that Airport Show 2016 revealed the great interest given by companies and organisations working in the aviation sector in this event which is held in Dubai, reflecting the keenness of the emirate on hosting such events.

June 2016

UAE in Focus

efficiency handle the growth, while creating economic prosperity for all.

Coinciding with the Airport Show were the 4th edition of the Global Airport Leaders’ Forum (GALF) and the World Travel Catering and Onboard Services Expo Middle East (WTCEME). Reed Exhibitions, the organisers of the Airport Show, announced that next year, the Airport Show will be held from May 15-17, 2017. “The show has been a resounding success and reaffirms our belief that the Middle East region still offers the greatest opportunities for global airport suppliers looking to expand their business,” said Daniyal Qureshi, Group Exhibition Director, Reed Exhibitions Middle East. The importance of the show was more pronounced when it was visited by authorities from all GCC countries, decision makers and aviation professionals from across the world. The effectiveness of the show was immediately manifested when the exhibitors said it helped them strengthen their existing business relations and they also received serious business enquiries. Eng. Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City

June 2016

Corporation, who opened the 4th edition of the Global Airport Leaders’ Forum (GALF) co-located with the Airport Show, called upon the aviation industry to be a part of the economic prosperity amid unprecedented growth being witnessed in aviation in the region. He said that aviation sector is expected to contribute over 32 per cent to Dubai’s GDP by 2020, and with the rapid growth taking place in the sector, the emirate is actively implementing its plans to effectively and

The GALF witnessed live debates on global aviation trends, future of aviation industry in the next decade, creating optimal value for money from aviation infrastructure by ensuring best in class performance, growing capacity without building new terminals, developing passenger experience through application of technology, future proofing airport design and securing ongoing investment for expansion and development.

Technological edge

This year, the Airport Show laid more emphasis on technology and the show was used as an ideal platform for aviation industry professionals to explore the latest innovations and breakthrough technology with several international exhibitors utilising the B2B event to launch a wide range of products and solutions. The iconic airports-focused exhibition witnessed the launch of more

UAE in Focus

comfort and efficiencies that were showcased include the Intelligent Trolley and Trolley Security Scanner by Denmark-based Exruptive, an associate company of Dubai-based emaratech, airport runway cleaning systems by US-based Cyclone Technology, Smart Tray cargo and baggage handling systems by Siemens, baggage –sorting technology by Leonardo-Finmeccanica, and the latest face recognition technology by Rockwell Collins. Exhibitors said they were encouraged by the response from visitors and expected positive business outcomes.

than 25 latest innovative technology products promising to change the future of travel, for the first time in the Middle East. From a next-gen highly maneuverable cabin lifting for VIPs or limited mobility passengers, the cutting edge products and services included parking systems that enable vehicles to be stored without human

intervention, sustainable technology solutions, inflatable aircraft hangars, a versatile vacuum lifter for baggage handling, threat image recognition training and mobile workstations and computer carts. Prominent among the latest technology devices to enhance passenger

“We have had very successful threeday participation at the show and were able to meet with serious potential clients. The show is the world’s leading platform for aviation industry stakeholders worldwide. With the airports increasingly focusing on adopting new and smart

June 2016

UAE in Focus

Airport innovations. Furthermore during the three days of the show we meet executives from Airports & Aviation Authorities, Airport Consultants and Contractors from the UAE and the Middle East & North Africa. We also participate to the various Airport conferences that take place during the show in addition to meeting with local and international media interested to report about the airport development boom that has been so vital to the success of aviation in the region.”

Business matchmaking

technologies, the demand for such technology is growing rapidly in the region.

Smartworld, an Etisalat and Dubai South joint venture engaged in providing integrated IT solutions.

The iconic show has proved to be an ideal platform to showcase Smartworld’s latest portfolio of services, that can significantally contribute to enhancing efficiencies in terms of better services as well as cost effectiveness,” said Wesam Jammoul, Executive Director - Projects,

Georges Hannouche, CEO, Bayanat Airports and Engineering Supplies, which has been participating in the Airport Show for the past 14 years, said: “We look forward to Airport Show every year as our international technology partners join us, under the Bayanat stand, to display their latest

June 2016

The show recorded another milestone when more than 3,500 meetings between buyers and exhibitors were facilitated under various Business Connect programmes that provided unparalleled opportunities to the participants. Airport Business Connect, a unique matchmaking programme, facilitated numerous pre-scheduled meetings for exhibitors with key officials from regional airport authorities and contractors of mega airport developments

UAE in Focus

across the Middle East. Africa Business Connect was the venue for 15 countries to meet with African aviation officials, exhibitors and source suppliers for the African continent’s most ambitious airport developments. Air traffic Control Business Connect, which hosted over 50 officials from regional Civil Aviation Authorities and ANSPs (air navigation service providers) – facilitating business for exhibitors through over 500 pre-scheduled meetings with key Air Traffic Management officials. Nicholas W. Mobayed, Chairman, Bond Group, which showcased green and sustainable solutions for aviation sector, along with its partner companies, said: “Aviation industry in the Middle East is actively embracing the latest and smart solutions, and it is a high-potential market for us. We believe that sustainable technology solutions and sustainable manufactured solutions are the way forward for airports of the future.

The products and solutions we have brought here include sustainably manufactured flooring and airport lounge furniture, LED traffic signals and controls, visual messaging signs and automated robotic car parkwhich are all not only sustainable, they can significantly enhance efficiencies and are also cost effective.”

Tasteful travel catering

The co-located event with the show, the World Travel Catering and On-

board Services Expo Middle East (WTCEME), witnessed more than 70 exhibitors from 20 countries, utisiling the platform to introduce their new products and innovations to the aviation industry in the Middle East. The exhibitors said they were able to reach out to potential buyers through their participation in the show. The WTCEME has become one of the world’s most sought after dedi-

June 2016

UAE in Focus

upbeat about the prospects of the industry. Growing demand for halal-certified food by airlines is encouraging suppliers worldwide to develop new products and enhance their production capacities. Worldwide, the spending on halal food and lifestyle products is estimated to rise by 10.8 per cent every year until 2019, creating an international industry worth US $3.7 trillion, according to a Global Islamic Economy Report.

cated events for the travel catering industry, featuring a wide range of products and services relevant to the airport and airline catering industry from food and beverage, travel amenities, and accessories to catering equipment and technologies.

June 2016

The event was characterised by exclusive sampling stations and live cooking demonstrations by Khazan, Unilever, Pinar Sut and Les Grands Chais de France. The halal-certified food suppliers, participating in the event, were

The halal food sector alone is estimated to grow to $2.537 trillion by 2019, up from $795 billion in 2014, which is 21.2 per cent of global food expenditure. Airlines worldwide have been eager to tap into this growing segment. Matthieu Roussel, Commercial Director, Catering, North America, for

UAE in Focus

Delta Daily Food Canada, which manufactures and supplies frozen halal-certified food to over 30 airlines worldwide, said: “There has been a strong growth in demand for frozen halal food in airlines. We have witnessed a double-digit growth in this requirement within the last one year and in 2016, we are expecting to supply over 40 million meals.”

Arabia, France, Malaysia, Turkey, Egypt and The Netherlands showcased a wide range of travel catering services and solutions, including food, snacks, beverages, food packaging, processing, preparation and preservation equipment, tableware and Chinaware, accessories, toiletries and travel amenities at the show.

Roussel said he expects this growth to continue “due to the massive increase in the number of air passengers, and, at the same time, with the airlines focusing on catering to the customer segment that prefers halal-certified food”.

Women in Aviation

Visitors were treated to an excellent selection of onboard snacks, exquisite beverages,fine selection of cheeses, seasoned meats and fusion teas. Exhibitors from the UAE, Spain, UK, India, China, Sri Lanka, Bahrain, Canada, Italy, Belgium, Saudi

The show also provided a dedicated platform supporting ‘Arab Women in Aviation’, held with the aim to inspire young people to tap into a multitude of career opportunities in the aviation sector across the Middle East. The ‘Arab Women in Aviation’ witnessed participation of women from across the UAE, Qatar, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Romania and other countries. The three-day forum saw panel discussions on issues related to women in the avia-

tion sectors including working conditions, challenges and opportunities in the sector. The Airport Show is supported by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Dubai Airports, Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP), Dubai Air Navigation Services(dans), dnata and Women in Aviation Middle East Chapter, amongst a host of leading regional and international associations backing the event. Strong backing has come from companies and trade bodies like German Airport Technology and Equipment (GATE), Danish Airport Group, British Aviation Group, British Airport Services and Equipment Association, Swiss Airport Suppliers, Swiss Aerospace Cluster, SACE, Netherlands Aerospace Group, UBIFRANCE, UAE Contractors’ Association and Supply Chain and Logistics Group (SCLG) of Middle East. 

June 2016

UAE in Focus

emaratech showcases new innovations

s a gold sponsor for the Airport Show and the Global Airport Leaders Forum, emaratech took the stage to showcase some of its new innovations during the three-day show.

With a record capture speed of 1.7 seconds, eyen module is a one-stopentry that captures biometrics and matches them with entry documents. When integrated with smart gates, the biometrics are captured with the travel document details at the same time, minimizing changes in travel habits for all passengers. eyen, which means guard, sight, noble and people of the region in Arabic which also means sight and vision in English is being integrated in the new intelligent travel gate that will be launched soon at T1, T2 and Maktoum Airports before end of this year enhancing passengersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; journeys for faster, simpler and safer entries and exits. Maintaining its objective to introduce more technology-inspired solutions and

June 2016

services, emaratech also showcased the new innovation the intelligent trolley and trolley security scanners model by the Denmark based technology company Exruptive which emaratech is a shareholder.

The smart trolley is introduced to enable airports generate non-aeronautical revenue and profit. Both the trolley and scanner technology offers a seamless flow, and increased revenue and efficiency in airport commercial areas.

‫‪UAE in Focus‬‬

‫‪e-Commerce show‬‬ ‫‪emaratech announced the most conven‬‬‫‪ient eCommerce platform; Shari, that‬‬ ‫‪will be officially launched soon.‬‬ ‫‪Shari is an end-to-end cloud based‬‬ ‫‪eCommerce solution for merchants and‬‬ ‫‪business owners.‬‬ ‫‪It enables the creation and management‬‬ ‫‪of white label online shops in simple‬‬ ‫‪steps with a built-in PCI DSS certified‬‬ ‫‪payment gateway and reliable ship‬‬‫‪ment delivery through Zajel. ‬‬

‫اﳌﺘﺠﺮ اﻹﻟﻜﱰوين‬

‫ﺑﻮاﺑﺔ اﻟﺪﻓﻊ اﻹﻟﻜﱰوين‬ ‫‪‬‬ ‫‪‬‬ ‫‪‬‬ ‫‪‬‬ ‫‪‬‬

‫ﺳﺮﻋﺔ وﺛﻘﺔ ﺑﺎﺳﺘﻼم وﺗﺴﻠﻴﻢ‬ ‫اﻟﻤﺸﺘﺮﻳﺎت‬ ‫ﺧﺪﻣﺎت ﻣﺤﻠﻴﺔ ودوﻟﻴﺔ‬ ‫دﻋﻢ ﻋﻦ ﻃﺮﻳﻖ ﻣﺮﻛﺰ اﻻﺗﺼﺎل‬ ‫ﺗﺘﺒﻊ اﻟﺸﺤﻨﺎت ﻋﻦ ﻃﺮﻳﻖ ا ﻧﺘﺮﻧﺖ‬ ‫ﺟﺎﻫﺰة ﻟﻼﺳﺘﺨﺪام ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﻮﻗﻊ‬

‫‪‬‬ ‫‪‬‬ ‫‪‬‬ ‫‪‬‬ ‫‪‬‬ ‫‪‬‬ ‫‪‬‬

‫ﺑﻮاﺑﺔ دﻓﻊ آﻣﻨﺔ‬ ‫ﻣﺤﺎﻓﻆ اﻟﻜﺘﺮوﻧﻴﺔ ﺷﺨﺼﻴﺔ‬ ‫إدارة ﺳﻬﻠﺔ ﻟﻠﻤﺪﻓﻮﻋﺎت وإﺻﺪار اﻟﺘﻘﺎرﻳﺮ‬ ‫اﻟﺪﻓﻊ ﻋﻦ ﻃﺮﻳﻖ ﺑﻄﺎﻗﺎت اﻻﺋﺘﻤﺎن أو‬ ‫اﻟﺨﺼﻢ اﻟﻤﺒﺎﺷﺮ‬ ‫ﺗﻘﺎرﻳﺮ دورﻳﺔ‬ ‫ﺣﺎﺻﻠﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ أﻋﻠﻰ ﺷﻬﺎدة ﻣﻌﺎﻳﻴﺮ أﻣﻦ‬ ‫اﻟﻤﻌﻠﻮﻣﺎت‬ ‫ﺗﻢ ﺗﻄﻮﻳﺮﻫﺎ ﺑﻜﻞ ﻓﺨﺮ ﻓﻲ دوﻟﺔ ا ﻣﺎرات‬

‫اﳌﺰاﻳﺎ اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺴﻴﺔ‬

‫‪35‬‬

‫اﻟﺮﺑﻂ ﻣﻊ وﺳﺎﺋﻞ‬ ‫اﻟﺘﻮاﺻﻞ اﻻﺟﺘﻤﺎﻋﻲ‬

‫ﻧﻤﺎذج ﺟﺎﻫﺰة‬ ‫ﻟﻼﺳﺘﺨﺪام‬

‫ﺧﺪﻣﺎت ﺗﻮﺻﻴﻞ ﺟﺎﻫﺰة‬ ‫ﻟﻼﺳﺘﺨﺪام‬

‫ﺑﻮاﺑﺔ دﻓﻊ اﻟﻜﺘﺮوﻧﻴﺔ ﺟﺎﻫﺰة‬ ‫ﻟﻼﺳﺘﺨﺪام‬

‫دﻋﻢ ﺑﺎﻟﻠﻐﺘﻴﻦ اﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ‬ ‫وا ﻧﺠﻠﻴﺰﻳﺔ‬

‫ﺗﻘﻴﻴﻢ اﻟﻤﺸﺘﺮﻳﺎت‬

‫ﻟﻮﺣﺔ إدارة اﻟﻤﺘﺠﺮ‬ ‫ا ﻟﻜﺘﺮوﻧﻲ‬

‫ﺗﺤﻠﻴﻼت ﻟﻠﻤﺘﺠﺮ‬ ‫وﺗﻘﺎرﻳﺮ ﻣﺘﻄﻮرة‬

‫‪June 2016‬‬

‫‪‬‬ ‫‪‬‬ ‫‪‬‬ ‫‪‬‬ ‫‪‬‬

‫‪‬‬

‫ﻣﺘﺠﺮ اﻟﻜﺘﺮوﻧﻲ ﺟﺎﻫﺰ ﻟﺒﺪء اﻟﺒﻴﻊ‬ ‫ﻧﻤﺎذج ﺟﺎﻫﺰة ﻟﺒﻨﺎء ﻣﺘﺠﺮك ا ﻟﻜﺘﺮوﻧﻲ‬ ‫ﺳﻬﻮﻟﺔ ﺗﺨﺼﻴﺺ اﻟﻤﺘﺠﺮ وﺗﻄﻮﻳﺮه‬ ‫ﺗﺘﺒﻊ اﻟﻌﺎﺋﺪ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻻﺳﺘﺜﻤﺎر ﻋﻦ ﻃﺮﻳﻖ‬ ‫ﺗﻘﺎرﻳﺮ ﻣﺒﻴﻌﺎت ﺟﺎﻫﺰة ﻟﻼﺳﺘﺨﺪام‬ ‫زﻳﺎدة اﻟﺰﻳﺎرات وﻣﺒﻴﻌﺎت ﻣﺘﺠﺮك‬ ‫ا ﻟﻜﻨﺮوﻧﻲ ﺑﺎﻟﺮﺑﻂ ﻣﻊ ﻣﻮاﻗﻌﻚ ﻋﻠﻰ‬ ‫وﺳﺎﺋﻞ اﻟﺘﻮاﺻﻞ اﻻﺟﺘﻤﺎﻋﻲ‬ ‫ﺗﻌﺮف ﻋﻦ ﻗﺮب ﻋﻠﻰ زﺑﺎﺋﻨﻚ ﻋﻦ ﻃﺮﻳﻖ‬ ‫ﺗﺤﻠﻴﻼت اﻟﻤﺘﺠﺮ‬

‫ﺣﻠﻮل ﻣﺘﻜﺎﻣﻠﺔ وﺷﺎﻣﻠﺔ‬

‫اﻟﺘﺤﻜﻢ ﺑﻤﺘﺠﺮك‬ ‫ا ﻟﻜﺘﺮوﻧﻲ ﺑﺎﻟﻜﺎﻣﻞ‬

‫اﻟﺤﻮﺳﺒﺔ اﻟﺴﺤﺎﺑﻴﺔ‬

‫ا ﻋﺪادات ﺧﻼل دﻗﺎﺋﻖ‬

UAE in Focus

UAE becomes member of pan-Arab General Authority of Civil Aviation Also becomes and a candidate member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO); Achievement reflects the UAE’s stature in the civil aviation industry

he UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCCA) has become a member of the executive board of the Arab Civil Aviation Commission (ACAC), an Arab League body, and a candidate member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Chairman of the GCAA, Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, who is also Minister of Economy, said this achievement reflects the UAE’s stature in the civil aviation industry. He said that cooperation between Arab countries is important for standardising the procedures and achieving the highest possible safety standards in the sector, a major driver of economies in the region. The ACAC was established in 1996 as a regional organization for coordination and cooperation among Arab countries and with other parts of the world in the field of civil aviation. It coordinates national civil aviation policies including regulations, training and research of their member states. ACAC is the major partner of the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO), which represents Arab airlines. The Commission also coordinates with ICAO concerning international civil aviation, as well as with other regional civil aviation commissions and organizations.

Air Services Agreement with Italy signed The GCAA also signed an air services agreement (ASA) with Italy to enhance bilateral air relations with the European country. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri The GCAA was established in 1996 by Federal Cabinet Decree (Law 4) to regulate Civil Aviation and provide designated aviation services with emphasis on safety and security and to strengthen the aviation industry within the UAE and its upper airspace. The GCAA, which is the sole authority for the control and regulation of civil aviation in the UAE, is responsible for the provision of en-route air navigation services and all aspects of flight safety. 

Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of GCCA, who signed the agreement with Massimo Gaiani, Director-General for Global Issues and for Asia, Sub Saharan Africa and Latin America at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said the move was part of the UAE’s strategy to attract more foreign airlines to the country and finding more operational opportunities to national airlines. He hoped the agreement will promote and encourage economic co-operation and trade exchange between the two countries. The UAE is ranked second globally in terms of the number of open skies agreements signed with the countries of the world.

June 2016

UAE in Focus

University of South Wales to establish aviation academy in Dubai The academy in Dubai South will be the region’s first specialist campus facility offering advanced aerospace engineering education.

he University of South Wales (USW) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Dubai Aviation City Corporation (DACC), whollyowned by the government of Dubai, to set up the USW Aviation Academy near Al Maktoum airport, which will be the region’s first specialist campus facility offering advanced aerospace engineering education. The agreement was signed by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, and the Pro Chancellor Professor John Andrews of the University of South Wales. The agreement is for delivery of the build-to-suit campus facility by Dubai South to USW over a two-phase period. Also present at the signing ceremony were Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation, Ambassador to the UAE Philip Parham, and Consul General Paul Fox. Scheduled to launch in 2017, the academy will be the region’s first to offer aerospace engineering. The plan to open an aviation college at Dubai South comes at a time when demand for aeronautical engineers rises in the region. Due to the rapid growth of Emirates and flydubai, Dubai needs more pilots, aeronautical engineers and cabin crew. The school plans to eventually expand its facilities to include offices, class-

rooms, laboratories, workshops and an aircraft hangar, as well as access to social and residential amenities at Dubai South. The under-graduate and post-graduate courses to be introduced by the USW Aviation Academy at Dubai South will feature European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certified training programmes, including degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Aviation Management, as well as other unique and specialised aviation curriculum. Speaking on the occasion, Al Zaffin said: “We are witnessing the start of

a critical chapter in Dubai’s journey to become the aviation capital of the world. A fundamental part of the aerospace super system that we building is the gathering of several leading, international institutions at Dubai South – organizations that can offer specialised vocational education. Thereby, we also are grooming and supplying talent to the region’s fast expanding aerospace industry. The memorandum of understanding with University of South Wales – an established leader in the world of aerospace education – is a vital step towards achieving that essential dimension.” 

June 2016

UAE in Focus

DACC drafting heli-taxi platform masterplan It will address the transit and tourism needs of passengers using Al Maktoum International and service the whole of the UAE from Dubai South

ubai Aviation City Corporation (DACC) is drafting a masterplan for a proposed heli-taxi platform to be centred at the Dubai South aerotropolis which includes Al Maktoum International Airport. Khalifa Al Zaffin, DACC’s Executive Chairman, said the masterplan will be ready by the end of the year. “It will address the transit and tourism needs of passengers using Al Maktoum International and service

the whole of the UAE from Dubai South,” he said. Al Zaffin said that Dubai South is also working closely with the UAE’s GCAA, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and the industry to assist building owners with the certification of their helipads. “We are ready to help them. There is now a requirement for these to be certified, there is a large number that still are not and this will all be part of the process of building a heli-taxi sec-

tor which will benefit the whole of the UAE.” Addressing the Global Airport Leaders’ Forum in Dubai, Al Zaffin said the aviation sector is expected to contribute over 32 per cent to Dubai’s GDP by 2020. He said that by the first quarter of 2018 the bulk of Flydubai operations will move to Al Maktoum International which will “give breathing space at Dubai International.” 

Turner & Townsend wins Dubai airport expansion contract The expansion of the existing passenger terminal includes a larger immigration hall, providing 55 control counters, an extended departure area with 91 check-in desks and an extra 12 boarding gates and lounges.

K consultant Turner & Townsend has won a contract to provide cost management services for the expansion of Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport. The firm was appointed by Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP), the engineering arm of the Dubai Aviation City Corporation. The expansion of the existing passenger terminal includes a larger immigration hall, providing 55 control counters, an extended departure area with 91 check-in desks and an extra 12 boarding gates and lounges, a new outbound baggage handling building and additional parking and approach roads. The expansion is part of a wider $32 billion development programme that will be able to accommodate over 200 million passengers

June 2016

a year when finished in 2027, making it the biggest in the world. Mike Collings, T&T’s Middle East managing director, said: “We’re honoured to be working so closely with DAEP once again, and this commission further strengthens our aviation profile in the Middle East. “Our experience of delivering complex programmes in live airports will help

us run the ongoing expansion while minimising the impact on day-to-day operations, and allow DAEP to plan for future growth. “We have built a strong reputation working on some of the world’s largest aviation projects, and I’m delighted that we are now building momentum in the rapid growth of Dubai as an international hub for air travel.” 

UAE in Focus

Emirates Aviation University Celebrates its 25th Graduation Ceremony T he university will have graduated more than 15,000 students since its inception in 1991.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive Emirates Airline and Group, awarded degrees across multiple disciplines with hundreds of family and friends in attendance.

and postgraduate degrees. Over the years, Emirates Aviation University (EAU) has grown from a small college to a full-fledged university offering more than 44 programmes in various fields of study.

The graduating class of 2016 consisted of 173 undergraduate students, 77 postgraduate students including graduates from the Directorate of Military Training, Bahrain Defence Force, who received Bachelor Degrees in Aerospace Technology and 60 Emirates Group employees.

The growth of EAU underscores the demand for quality higher education in the UAE and the rapid development of the aviation industry in the MENA region.

The batch also includes a total of 30 UAE Nationals receiving graduate

EAU continues to expand and strives to cement its position as the centre of aviation education excellence both nationally and internationally.The university recently received recog-

nition of its qualifications from the National Qualifications Authority (NQA). The federal authority’s acknowledgement provided the university with a significant recognition on a national level, positioning Emirates Aviation University as the first provider for vocational and applied qualifications in the UAE. The 25th annual graduation ceremony was attended by Dr Abdulla Al Karam – Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General of KHDA and representatives from EAU’s affiliated university Coventry University, Emirates Group and KHDA. 

June 2016

UAE in Focus

DC Aviation Al-Futtaim signs ground handling deal at Dubai South

C Aviation Al-Futtaim (DCAF), a fully integrated business aviation facility at Dubai World Central (DWC), and Global ITP UAS International Trip Support have entered into an agreement to provide ground handling services.

UAS appointed DCAF as its preferred ground handler to provide hangar parking and fixed-base operator (FBO) handling at its facility at Al Maktoum International Airport (OMDW) located at Dubai South. DCAF is the only integrated hangar and VVIP lounge facility in Dubai South providing the highest levels of comfort and privacy. Due to the FBO’s unique location at OMDW, there is minimal distance from dropoff to the aircraft steps thereby ensuring UAS clients benefit from the highest levels of convenience while arriving or departing. DCAF also provides aircraft management, maintenance, FBO and ground handling services as well as business jet charter.

The agreement with DCAF means that UAS clients can now access the highest quality hangarage, technical support, and other handling facilities in addition to extensive personalised service, improved response time and more competitive rates in OMDW, said a statement.

“At DCAF we continually strive to improve our service levels to meet the ever growing demands of our customers. We place the customer as the focal point of everything we do and this has been our philosophy from day one,” said Holger Ostheimer, General Manager of DC Aviation Al-Futtaim. 

Jet Aviation gets GCAA approval J et Aviation Dubai has secured approvals from the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and EASA for its non-destructive testing (NDT) shop.

It can now thus provide fluorescent-penetrant testing, ultrasonic testing and eddy-current testing to all aircraft registered in the UAE and Europe. It may do the same for N-registered aircraft, as it has also held an FAA approval since November. “NDT technologies help identify latent issues and are an integral part

June 2016

of business jet maintenance,” general manager Hardy Butschi commented. Jet Aviation Dubai has also been approved by the GCAA to support Airbus A320 family aircraft. This allows the facility to support ACJs registered in the UAE, with line and base maintenance.

Jet has recently obtained several approvals at its support facilities around the world. In Russia, Jet Aviation Moscow Vnukovo obtained U.S. FAA repair station ap-

proval. It may thus provide scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, airframe and engine repairs, avionics modifications, inspections and defect rectifications on U.S.-registered aircraft, according to Vitaly Aleksikov, the location’s general director. India’s civil aviation authority (DGCA) has certified Jet Aviation Singapore as a repair station for India-registered aircraft. The authorization is for line- and base maintenance, as well as interior modifications, refurbishments and upgrades. 

UAE in Focus

Gama Aviation to attract more light aircraft to Sharjah Category Zero handling rates introduced to woo additional traffic as it expands its operations at Sharjah

lobal aviation service company Gama Aviation Plc, has introduced Category Zero handling for its Fixed Base Operations (FBO) at Sharjah International Airport.

These bespoke handling rates have been designed to attract more light aircraft users to the airport by ensuring the appropriate charging mechanism is available. The number of light jets is growing in the region, Gama Aviation said, noting that the Middle East is home to 128 such aircraft, about 16 per cent of the overall business jet fleet. Sharjah can accommodate a range of visiting and based aircraft with varying hangar and parking options, the company said. “The introduction of our Category

Zero class of aircraft ensures that smaller aircraft types have an appropriate charging mechanism, and we hope this move will enable a greater number of clients to take advantage of our services,” said Martin Ringrose, Managing Director for Gama Aviation Middle East. Gama Aviation is also vying for the additional traffic as it expands its operations at Sharjah. The company recently received formal approval to expand its operations at Sharjah International Airport with the building of a new business aviation facility. The location is designed to meet the needs of a business

aviation fleet (across all categories) that is expected to grow by an average 7 per cent a year between now and 2024. This new proposition is an extension of Gama Aviation’s existing global offering for smaller aircraft, where the Kennington engine repairs and components centre in Oxford, UK, specialises in light and rotary aircraft. The facility is one of the company’s few non-airfield based locations and has several decades of experience with all engine types, with a particular specialism in maintaining Lycoming, Teledyne and Continental Motors engines. 

June 2016

Exclusive Interview

Badr Al Olama, CEO, Strata Manufacturing

Advanced composite aero-structures supplier to Airbus and Boeing has major diversification under its wings

Flexing local aerospace muscle

he UAE has shown to the world that a small local facility can emerge as a dependable and world class supplier of high tech aerospace products to global giants such as Airbus and Boeing. This capability was achieved with the setting up of Strata Manufacturing, wholly owned by Abu Dhabi-based investment and development company Mubadala Development Company PJSC, to manufacture composite aero-structures for the world’s leading aircraft makers. In a short span of five years, since production started in 2010, Strata has established its presence across the aerospace industry by partnering with Airbus and Boeing. Today, Strata is the most preferred supplier of flap track fairings for Airbus A330 and A380, ailerons and spoilers for A330, empennage ribs for Boeing 777 and vertical fin ribs for Boeing 787, rudder and vertical fin for ATR 42/72. And more in the offing. Strata is now aiming to be among the top three global parts makers and a $1-billion company by 2020. The growth is driven by a dynamic team headed by its CEO Badr Al Olama.

June 2016

In an exclusive interview with Via Dubai, Badr shared his vision and strategy to achieve the ambitious goals. Excerpts: You have set a target of $1 billion revenue and to become one of the top three companies in the world by 2020. How is Strata progressing in achieving these goals? In order to achieve our goals we must first and foremost ensure that we maintain our commitment to delivering high quality products in a timely manner. We pride ourselves on our reputation as a credible supplier to OEMs, a key factor that has led to an increase in our customer base. In 2015, we were named Airbus’ exclusive supplier for ailerons on the A330 and A330 NEO, in a contract worth more than $250 million. We also signed a multi-million dollar contract with Saab Aerostructures based in Sweden to manufacture Airbus A350-1000 Flap Support Fairings (FSFs) until 2023.

Going forward, as we transition from building capabilities that were necessary in our initial five years of operation towards building global competitiveness that is necessary for growth over the next five years, Strata will make 2016 the year of transformation – where key themes such as innovation, digitalization and global value chains rank at the top of its priorities and launch new exciting initiatives such as the “Innovation Lab” that aims to encourage innovative business ideas to emerge from the workforce. You had indicated that year 2016 will be a year of transformation. What are the salient features of this strategy? 2015 was a great year for us as we made a series of important announcements and signed new deals. We have evolved significantly as an organisation and in the year ahead we look to continue building on our success and hone in on our strengths. We have identified a number of key priorities to boost production, including a focus on inno-

Exclusive Interview

To sustain our growth ambitions, we will definitely expand our capacity in the UAE whilst exploring potential opportunities for expansion abroad

vation, digitalization and global value chains. In order to meet our goals we will launch an Innovation Lab that will encourage our workforce to contribute with unconventional ideas that contribute to our global competitiveness. Our employees play a vital role in the development of the business. Looking ahead, we will continue to develop our teams throughout our growth to ensure that we build a motivated and highly talented multinational workforce. Strata will accelerate into the next stage of growth. Does this mean that you will increase your production capacity or broaden your product range for Airbus and Boeing? We began with a commitment of $1 billion from Airbus, which has grown to nearly $7.5 billion over the past few years. When we first started our operations, we produced simple, moveable parts on the wing.

We then wanted to move towards manufacturing parts that are found on the wing and empennage of different types of aircraft, such as the spoilers, ailerons and flap track fairings that are found on different types of aircraft. To sustain our growth ambitions, we will definitely expand our capacity in the UAE whilst exploring potential opportunities for expansion abroad. What are the innovation, digitization and development of global value chains you envision? Diverse industries across the globe have been exploring the benefits and applications of additive manufacturing such as 3D printing. This disruptive technology is already transforming how the manufacturing industry operates and we believe that it will become a game changer for Strata.

June 2016

Exclusive Interview

Strata will remain focused on pursuing its vision of becoming a top 3 aerostructures company globally This new technology has enabled us today to print complex, detailed shapes that cannot be produced by conventional means. As 3D printing technology evolves, so too has the quality of complex parts which have now replaced costly disposable parts. 3D printing has improved production by bringing down associated costs. For example, our specialized teams produce assembly tooling aids for the Airbus A350-900 using 3D printing to produce them at a fraction of the cost. Strata is also making strides in the development of global value chains. Last year, we announced our first international outsourcing agreement to subcontract ATR vertical fin and rudder programs to GSE IndustriaAeronauticasrl in Italy. The deal marked a significant milestone for Strata, enabling the development of new capabilities to place work packages in various geographic locations, expanding Strata’s capabilities beyond local manufacturing of composite aero-structures.

June 2016

What is the total commitment to manufacture parts for Airbus and Boeing this year? Strata’s revenue for 2015 crossed AED 400 million, up 27 percent on 2014 figures. During the year, Strata delivered over 433 shipsets, consisting of more than7,511 parts – representing 29 percent growth in the total number of parts manufactured in 2014. Overall, the total commitment Strata has from its partners and customers is approximately $7.5 billion which will sustain production all the way till 2030. How are you planning to expand portfolio of products and capabilities for global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)? Our vision is to position Strata as one of the top three manufacturers of composite aero-structures worldwide and in turn reinforce Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s role as a top tier global aerospace hub. We will focus on further developing our capabilities with wings and empennages; expanding our portfolio with larger, more complex and highly automated parts that will be equipped, tested and sent directly to the final assembly line. Key to all of this is to continue to produce high quality products at a competitive cost and meet the schedule requirements of our customers. What are your plans for growing local supplier network? Strata was strongly focused on building its local supplier network in 2015. More than 50 per cent of Strata’s suppliers are now based in the UAE and have extensive knowledge and experience in the aerospace industry. Strata also increased the spend on local procurement to almost 40 percent, an in-

crease of 10 percent from 2014, with a significant focus on local SMEs. What is Strata’s contribution to develop knowledge and experience of the aerospace industry in the UAE? Our people are our greatest asset. Our technicians, responsible for manufacturing parts, are put through a vigorous training program before commencing with production. The training program includes four months of foundation training, six months of technical training, followed by 12 months of on-the-job training. Once trainees complete 22 months,

Exclusive Interview

they are certified as qualified aerospace technicians. We use this training program as an opportunity to transform the skills of our people into high-tech manufacturers. The emphasis on learning and development is embedded in our culture, and we strongly believe that the success of our business is based on the talent we hire and the level of investment we make in them. You have created a new Research & Development (R&D) wing to support Strata’s growing portfolio of products and capabilities. Which

are the local academic institutions you will be collaborating with? Strata is currently working on six R&D initiatives with partners, including Masdar Institute, Khalifa University, and the Petroleum Institute. These initiatives aim to support the development of robotic assembly of aircraft structures, advanced inspection techniques and optimized processing and machining of composite parts. These initiatives focus on developing innovative composite aero-structure manufacturing solutions that will enhance Strata’s competiveness for the next generation aircraft and expand the

applications to support other industrial sectors in Abu Dhabi and the UAE. How are you planning to leverage Strata’s capabilities to be utilized in the UAE’s space program, particularly the Mars Mission? One of the main objectives of Strata is to develop the capabilities of its national workforce to meet the aspirations of both Abu Dhabi’s Economic Vision 2030 and the UAE’s Vision 2021. These capabilities can then be utilized for a range of different, high-tech sectors such as space. Strata, however, will remain focused on pursuing its vision of becoming a top 3 aerostructures company globally.

June 2016

Special Report

The world’s most family-friendly airlines Airlines are beginning to recognise that the little passengers need a little extra love when flying the friendly skies

oliday season is round the corner and families have started packing. Between consistently low air fares and Baby Boomers with grandchildren and money to burn, families are proving to be a driving force in air travel.

The airlines are beginning to recognize that the little passengers need a little extra love when flying the friendly skies. In an effort to shorten boarding times, and meet the needs of travelling families, many airlines are enticing families with reduced child fares, pre-boarding for families, children’s menus, in-flight kid’s packs,

June 2016

entertainment and even fashion shows and face painting. Here is a selection of a few of the airlines that have gone above and beyond to meet the needs of families, at both at the gate and in-flight. That should prove a welcome relief from the added stresses of travelling with children.

Emirates

Emirates insists ‘Family Comes First’ on their flights, and they back it up. The airline has plenty happening on board to entertain children on its long flights. Its Fly With Me Monster special in-flight magazine is complemented by collectible fuzzy toys, blankets, and Sketcher seatbelt critters that en-

Special Report

courage the little ones to comply with safety requirements. Older children can enjoy the airline’s Quicksilver wallets, travel journals, backpacks, cooler bags, storybooks, and eye masks.

Etihad Airways

The in-flight entertainment system, ICE, promises no kid will get bored with over 100 in-flight games, 50 Disney favourites and many popular children’s TV shows. Kids also get colourful headphones to enjoy their distractions.

These specialized flight attendants in bright-orange aprons accompany families from the gate to the seat to make boarding easier, help prepare bassinets, and keep children entertained with puppets, face painting, magic tricks, and arts and crafts for the duration of the flight.

The airline’s other family-friendly services include priority boarding for families, complimentary strollers at Dubai Airport’s Terminal 3, and dedicated play areas at the airline’s exclusive lounges. It even offers a Skysurfers frequent flyer program just for kids. To keep those little bellies full, a children’s menu complete with health favourites are offered, including a snack box packed with favourites to enjoy during the flight.

Etihad’s Flying Nannies—dedicated flight crew who get special childcare training from renowned Norland College in the United Kingdom—are the Mary Poppins of air travel.

Atlantic offers infant seats tailored to fit every on-board seat, regardless of class. Another fantastic safety feature is the parental controlled in-flight entertainment devices. Parents can literally rest easy knowing their child is surfing safely.

The service is free and available on all long-haul flights. Specially prepared nutritious and fun meals for kids are also on offer from Etihad, in addition to a bottle-warming service and a limited supply of baby food.

Not that surfing is all they will be doing, since Virgin Atlantic provides all little flyers with a kid’s pack, including red or black drawstring backpack, a child-sized eye mask, warm socks with a sneaker or sandal design, a rainbow pen, and a travel journal/activity book. Virgin Atlantic knows a hungry child is a miserable child, so the airline enlisted Top-TV chef, Loraine Pascale to create nutritious and delicious child-friendly meals. Even the infants get a nod with great purees!

Virgin Atlantic

JetBlue

Virgin Atlantic is staking its claim on being a first class family-friendly airline. Starting with safety first, Virgin

JetBlue is proving not all ‘low cost’ airlines are the same. When it comes to its youngest passengers, JetBlue fo-

June 2016

Special Report

out before boarding. (Some family zones offer refreshments too!) Once on-board, children are provided with a fun activity pack, unlimited snacks and refreshments, and of course, loads of child-friendly in-flight entertainment, including Disney and Nickelodeon.

Asiana Airways

Asiana Airways thinks of the entire family, offering expectant mother care, magic shows and even cookie baking classes.

cuses on fun and convenience. While most low-cost or discount airlines are offering the bare minimum when it comes to freebies, JetBlue is offering family-friendly flying feature free of charge. In addition to pre-boarding families travelling with children under two years old, all children are offered unlimited juice and snacks for the duration of the flight. The airline’s in-flight entertainment keeps the family focus going with An-

June 2016

imal Planet, Nickelodeon and at least one child-appropriate movie offered on flights over two-hours. Not to worry if the flight is only an hour, Jet Blue has partnered with, Soar with Reading and PBS Kids, to offer free reading activity printables for use on flights.

Qantas

Qantas keeps kids smiling on and off the plane. Prior to boarding, children are treated to the Family Zone. Boasting iMacs, Sony Playstations, children’s furniture, toys and books, this lounge helps the littles get the crazies

Yes, cookie baking on a plane. And that’s just the beginning. Asiana offers face painting, in-flight magic shows, crafts, and a dress-up photo op with crew members. As if that’s not enough, the flight crew will dazzles during the in-flight fashion show featuring traditional costumes from around the world, including Korean wedding costumes. Don’t forget to get your family caricature drawing before the flight ends. Its Pre-Mom service gives expectant mothers priority boarding and offers a golf-cart service to get to the gate. Moms-to-be also get customized amenities to relieve the discomfort of flying while pregnant. Passengers

Special Report

seats, 56 Elite premium economy seats, 238 economy seats, and—most importantly—a lively painted livery with a “Texas-sized” Hello Kitty and other Sanrio characters. Passengers of all ages will find Wi-Fi, in-flight entertainment, and SMS mobile connections on board so they can share their Hello Kitty flying experience with friends.

Air New Zealand

over the age of 70, female passengers travelling alone with two or more children under the age of seven, and youths travelling alone between ages 12 and 17 all qualify for special family care from airline staff.

EVA Airways

Sanrio’s iconic characters are everywhere when you’re flying EVA Airways’ Hello Kitty jets (a.k.a. the cutest aircraft in the skies). From the cabin interiors (Hello Kitty pillows!) and in-flight amenities (Hello Kitty toilet

paper!) to safety features (Hello Kitty evacuation instructions!) and even the in-flight food (Hellow Kitty-shaped cheese and fruit), every element of travel has been Kitty-fied.

Air New Zealand made long-haul flight more comfortable for parents and kids travelling together by introducing the Economy Skycouch seat. Convertible from seat to bed at the push of a button, this economy triple-seat leaves plenty of room to stretch out for naps. Because each seat converts independently, the Skycouch lets parents sit upright while the kids snooze.

The Hello Kitty 777 and A333 fly to select cities around the world, including a very popular Paris service. A Taipei-Houston nonstop flight launched earlier this year and, to celebrate, EVA Airways commissioned a special “Shining Star” Boeing 777-300ER, with 39 Royal Laurel Class business

The airline also offers a Jet Cadets Kids Pack with fun activities to keep children entertained, and special inflight meals designed to appeal to fussy eaters. Parents travelling with infants can also book bassinets ahead of time on the airline’s online bookings site. 

June 2016

Middle East News

Oman Air, SATS form cargo handling joint venture in Oman Oman Air will transfer its cargo handling business and related assets to its wholly-owned subsidiary Oman Air Cargo, in which SATS will acquire 33% stake

man Air and SATS, through its wholly-owned subsidiary SATS Investments, signed a joint venture agreement for cargo handling at Muscat International Airport. Under the agreement, Oman Air will transfer its cargo handling business and related assets to its wholly-owned subsidiary Oman Air Cargo. Subsequently, SATS will acquire a 33 per cent equity stake in the subsidiary. The joint venture company will then be renamed Oman SATS Cargo. Oman SATS Cargo will have an issued and paid up share capital of OMR500,000, comprising 500,000 ordinary shares of OMR1. It is expected to commence operations during the second quarter of 2016. It will become

the single source provider of cargo handling services first at the existing cargo facility and then at the new state-of-the-art cargo terminal in Muscat International Airport. SATS will provide the requisite management and technical know-how to the joint venture including staff training as well as reviewing of existing

cargo processes and operations work flow at the new cargo terminal in Muscat. “The joint venture with SATS is one of our initiatives intended to prepare for the growth in airline operations in the coming years as well as secure a quality improvement in the services provided to our cargo customers. 

Flynas expands frequencies between Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia

he Saudi Arabia-based national airline, flynas, is increasing capacity between its home country and the UAE with new flights linking Abu Dhabi with Riyadh and Jeddah. Effective 23 June 2016, flynas will add a second daily service between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, increasing its combined offer with Etihad Airways to four daily services. Also on 23 June, flynas will enter the Jeddah – Abu Dhabi market with a daily flight which will complement Etihad Airways’ existing thrice daily services.

June 2016

Together, both carriers will offer four daily services linking Jeddah and the capital of the UAE. In addition to Riyadh and Jeddah, Etihad Airways currently serves Dammam and Madinah, offering a total of 63 weekly flights to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Whilst flynas new services will offer 14 weekly flights from Riyadh to Abu Dhabi and seven weekly flights from Jeddah to Abu Dhabi. The additional flights from flynas will be operated by a two-class Airbus A320

aircraft, offering an additional 3,416 seats per week, and ensuring maximum connectivity through Etihad Airways’ Abu Dhabi hub to key destinations in North America, Europe, the Indian Subcontinent, and Southeast Asia. The new schedule is part of an expanded codeshare agreement between the two airlines signed in October 2012. The codeshare agreement allows flynas to place its ‘XY’ code on multiple Etihad Airways’ flights between Abu Dhabi and 20 destinations on its global network. 

Middle East News

Qatar Airways raises stake in IAG The increased stake recognises the strengthening commercial ties between Qatar Airways Group and International Airlines Group

atar Airways has announced that it has increased its shareholding in International Airlines Group (IAG) from 12 per cent to 15.01 per cent. IAG is one of the world’s largest airline groups and is the holding company of Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia and Vueling. In 2015, Qatar Airways Group had secured a nine per cent investment in IAG, that has become one of the world’s largest airline groups. It is then said to have increased its stake to approximately 12 per cent.  “We have been very happy with our investment in IAG, from a financial, commercial and strategic perspective. We have decided to further deepen our relationship with IAG and the increased stake recognises the strengthening commercial ties between us,” said Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker. “At Qatar Airways we fully support IAG’s ongoing strategy. IAG is very well positioned in

Europe with attractive exposure to the transatlantic segment; leading positions at the London and Madrid hubs and the future benefits from the acquisition ‎of Aer Lingus.” The CEO said that Qatar Airways may consider increasing its stake further over time within the allowable limits on non-European Union ownership. Takes delivery of 50th Boeing 777 Qatar Airways has received its 50th Boeing 777, taking the total count of aircraft in operation to more than 180 single aisle and widebody aircraft. The carrier operates the Boeing 777 to destinations including Houston, Buenos Aires and Los Angeles, which are some of its longest destinations as measured by flight hours. “We are proud to fly the Boeing 777 and this milestone in our fleet is a mark of the success we have had with Boeing and Qatar Airways’ fleet programme,” said Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker.

“We place passenger comfort and the flying experience at the forefront of our aircraft programme, and with the introduction of the Boeing 777 into the fleet just under a decade ago, our crew and passengers have come to know how comfortable and spacious the cabins are.” More than 35 per cent of the airline’s route network is operated with a Boeing 777. When Qatar Airways’ first Boeing 777 order was made in 2006, the airline’s network reached just over 50 destinations. Now a decade later, with more than 150 destinations, the Boeing 777 has formed a core part of the fleet, said a statement. Qatar Airways is one of the world’s largest operators of the Boeing 777, with the airline mostly deploying it on long and ultra-long haul routes. It recently announced the 777 will serve Auckland, New Zealand, from the airline’s hub in Doha, making it the longest commercial route in the world at 18 hours and 20 minutes. 

June 2016

International News

Solar Impulse 2 lands in home town of aviation pioneers The Solar Impulse 2 team plans to return to the Middle East by late summer, completing a 43,000-kilometre trip around the world

he Swiss-made Solar Impulse 2 has touched down in the Ohio, home town of two of America’s most well-known aviation pioneers, on the latest leg of its around-the-world journey.

Solar Impulse 2 landed in Dayton, Ohio, where inventors Wilbur and Orville Wright grew up. The plane took off from Tulsa International Airport on May 21, 2016. The flight to Dayton International Airport took 17 hours. The globe-circling voyage began in March 2015 from Abu Dhabi, the

June 2016

capital of the UAE, and made stops in Oman, Myanmar, China and Japan. The plane is expected to make at least one more stop in the United States, in New York, before crossing the Atlantic Ocean to Europe or northern Africa, according to the website documenting the journey.

Niklaus Gerber, an air traffic control expert who’s helping to plan the plane’s routes, said during an interview live-streamed on the Solar Impulse 2 website, that the New York trip will be challenging. He said the plane will encounter air traffic from three busy airports - John F Kennedy, La Guardia and Newark International.

International News

During its most recent trips, the aircraft took off from Phoenix Goodyear Airport in Arizona at about 03:00 on May 13 and landed in Tulsa about 20 hours later. It departed from northern California in the early hours of May 2 and landed at the airport southwest of Phoenix 16 hours later. Last month, it flew from Hawaii to California. The Solar Impulse 2’s wings, which stretch wider than those of a Boeing 747, are equipped with 17 000 solar cells that power propellers and charge batteries. The plane runs on stored energy at night. Ideal flight speed is about 45km/h, although that can double during the day when the sun’s rays are strongest. Solar Impulse 2, which moves about the speed of an average car, is not just any aircraft. It doesn’t need fossil fuel and its four electric engines are powered by solar cells built into its lightweight, super-strong carbon fiber wings. It could be the model for the next stage of aviation. The plane had a five-day trip from Japan to Hawaii and three-day trip from Hawaii to California’s Silicon Valley.

The journey has been long, arduous and challenging. The pilots first made their way to Oman, India and Myanmar. The plane encountered a series of frustrating weather delays in China that slowed progress for weeks. That was followed by an unexpected diversion to Japan, where a storm damaged the aircraft on the tarmac. The pilots and their team of more than 100 pushed onward, repairing the aircraft and preparing for what they called “the moment of truth” -- the Pacific crossing to Hawaii from Japan. For almost five days and nights, Borschberg piloted the plane wearing an oxygen mask as it climbed five miles (8,000 meters) high during the day, its solar cells soaking up enough energy to propel the aircraft through the night. While Borschberg set a record for the solo flight, clocking in at 117 hours and 52 minutes, a chain of events caused the batteries to overheat. It was only after he landed that the team discovered how bad the damage was.

The crew was forced to stay in Oahu, Hawaii, for nine months after the plane’s battery system sustained heat damage on its trip from Japan. Project officials say the layovers give the two Swiss pilots - Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg - a chance to swap places and engage with local communities along the way so they can explain the project, which is estimated to cost more than $100m. The solar project began in 2002 to highlight the importance of renewable energy and the spirit of innovation. The pilots plan to fly to New York and then cross the Atlantic. The Solar Impulse 2 team eventually plans to return to the Middle East by late summer, completing a 27,000-mile (43,000-kilometer) trip around the world . It would be the last leg in a historic flight but perhaps just the latest chapter in aviation innovation. And that would be right on, brother. 

June 2016

International News

Airlines caught in a fare bucket imbroglio

Low-cost carrier IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir didn’t sell a single seat in the highest fare bucket on many routes, showing a new trend in airline business in India

omestic airlines in India sold far fewer seats in the highest fare bracket in April, contrary to the concerns raised by some parliamentarians, according to the first monthly analysis of the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) aimed at checking price surges.

The data showed that Jet Airways sold an average 0.41 per cent of tickets in the highest fare bracket across the busiest domestic routes. Such fares constituted 1.16 per cent of Jet Airways’ total revenue on an average. Low-cost carrier IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir didn’t sell a single seat in the highest fare bracket on many routes. Vistara sold fewer high fare tickets and AirAsia India earned between one and two per cent from the highest fares. Airlines offer different fare brackets for each flight, known as fare bucket. Following complaints from Members of Parliament, the DGCA recently started collecting monthly data from airlines on the number of tickets they sold in the highest fare bucket, and the contribution of such tickets to their revenue from 20 domestic routes. But the DGCA’s traffic report for April didn’t mention the ticket pricing details of Air India.

June 2016

Experts criticised the move to track airfares, arguing that India hasn’t yet reached a stage where exorbitant pricing is a trend as that is mostly prevalent in regions which are dependent on air travel. “It’s getting more and more obvious that this government, including the DGCA, have lost the plot when it comes to supporting growth with aviation,” said Mark D Martin, founder and chief executive of Martin Consulting, an aviation consulting firm. “What’s more surprising is that instead of focusing on more pressing issues pertaining to safety and compliance and aviation standards, the DGCA is procrastinating with absolutely irrelevant issues that’s best left to the consumer to decide,” he said. Some lawmakers had sought action against airlines, alleging that the airfares remained high despite a decline in jet fuel prices which account for over 40 per cent of airlines’ operation-

al costs. The Centre has been regularly meeting the airline companies on concerns over high air fares. It will soon hold consultations with stakeholders, including airlines, to cap airfares during natural calamities or unpredictable situations. Its own observations and analysis in the past have shown that airfares were not on the higher side. Defending the airlines, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju recently told the Lok Sabha that airlines passed on the benefits of declining aviation turbine fuel prices to passengers, as per a study conducted by the government during January-March this year. “We did an analysis of 23 routes and we realised that in the airfare from January-March, 2015 to January-March, 2016, there was a reduction, the average being 18.10 per cent, which means the reduction in ATF prices is being passed on to the consumers,” he said. 

International News

Tanzania success leads to Ethiopia Kilimanjaro Aviation Logistics Centre embarks on a major expansion to spread its regional presence and sets up affiliate in Ethiopia

ith increasing business aviation activity to and within Africa, Tanzaniabased Kilimanjaro Aviation Logistics Centre has been expanding its regional presence and has set up a regional affiliate in Ethiopia.

“We’ve seen growth in Ethiopian business aviation activity, especially connected to the African Union,” according to Stanley Joseph, general manager, KALC. KALC is a Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. affiliate founded eight years ago to meet the growing demand for trip support across Africa. Universal Aviation, the ground support division of Universal, recently added a dedicated supervisory agent in Ethiopia. As a result, it can now provide ground supervisory services to business aviation airports throughout Ethiopia. “Our agent fully understands the logistical challenges often encountered when operating into Ethiopia, and she [uses] her local knowledge and the global resources of Universal to help clients avoid any unexpected events or delays on the ground.

ports where clients are likely to need last-minute support. “It was important to establish a presence on the ground in Africa because the continent provides unique logistical challenges and the subtly different aviation regulations with which the 56 countries of Africa are bound,” Initially KALC served as a permit office, with the capability to support around 10,000 trips a year. However, demand for regional client support has increased and the company has expanded its reach “Our multilingual team, based in Tanzania and Ethiopia, is available 24/7 to help our clients meet the communication, compliance and regulatory challenges of operat-

ing through this region, which can be confusing and complex, as each country has its own rules and regulations,” Joseph said. With Foreign and Corrupt Practices Act and anti-bribery violations increasing sharply, operators need to use a provider familiar with guidelines and international laws. “Another key differentiator for us is Universal’s compliance department. It’s a common misconception that ignorance is a viable defense, but individuals and corporations have been prosecuted for violations committed by third-party providers who committed illegal acts on their behalf,” he added. “Our clients can rest assured that everything we do is in full regulatory compliance.” 

“Business aviation in Tanzania is dominated by charter operators. Private jets are fairly few but we are anticipating growing demand to travel regionally,” said Joseph. Part of the company’s strategy in Africa, but also the rest of the world, is to establish a physical presence in locations considered high stress and high risk by clients. This could be due to lack of infrastructure, high-traffic airports where business aviation is not the top priority, remote locations or air-

June 2016

Opinion

A much-needed carbon offset deal Airlines are urging ICAO’s 191-member states to reach a global agreement in the fall because the cost of a patchwork of national and regional agreements could be even higher.

Tony Tyler Chief Executive, International Air Transport Association

global market-based measure to curb aviation emissions would cost the airline industry up to $6.2 billion in the year 2025, but carriers could face higher charges if governments fail to reach a deal by October, 2016.

The plan would allow airlines to offset their emissions by buying carbon credits from designated environmental projects around the globe, but countries remain divided on how offset obligations are shared between developing and developed states.

A market-based cost will be much more efficient, and much fairer than the alternative which is a patchwork of inefficient and ineffective charges and taxes which are cooked up primarily just to raise cash rather than to tackle climate change. We expect that the cost will be not insignificant, but it will be manageable.

ICAO’s proposed Carbon Offsetting Scheme for International Aviation recommends bringing in the carbon offsets agreement in phases to accommodate developing nations and exempting the world’s leastdeveloped countries. But in a recent position paper, China raised concerns that the deal would “impose inappropriate economic burden on developing countries, where the international aviation market is still maturing. 

Government representatives were gathering at the International Civil Aviation Organization to negotiate a draft deal on carbon-neutral growth from 2020 which is to be voted on at a fall assembly.That of course is the result the industry is counting on. By 2035, the deal would cost airlines up to an estimated $24 billion, as air traffic grows, according to figures from the Montreal-based International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The cost projections are for sample years after the deal would become active in 2021.

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The estimated cost of offsetting a flight carrying 267 passengers from Moscow to New York on a B777 would cost up to $804 in offsets. Aviation was not included in the global climate deal reached at a UN conference in Paris in December, and ICAO is tasked with nailing down a strategy to limit emissions after six years of talks.

June June 2016 2016

(Edited excerpts from speech at a global sustainable aviation forum in Montreal.)

Opinion

More needs to be done to reduce accident rate I

t’s a welcome fact that the fatal accident rate is beginning to decline, but too many lives are still being lost in aviation accidents. Last year, 384 people died in 238 general air accidents. While we still have more work to do, the General Aviation Joint Steering Committee’s (GAJSC) work on voluntary safety measures is making a difference. The fatal accident rate during 2015 dropped to 1.03 per 100,000 hours and has declined further in the first four months of fiscal year 2016. The GAJSC had set a goal of a 10 per cent reduction by fiscal 2018, bringing the rate to one accident per 100,000 hours. The United States has the largest and most diverse general aviation community in the world and we are all working together to put the right technologies, regulations, and education initiatives in place to improve safety. There’s no question that Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) is one of NextGen’s most important safety technologies, and we’re continuing to work closely with the Equip 2020 team to get it into more general aviation aircraft. The Equip 2020 group is tasked with working with commercial and general aviation operators to identify the key barriers they are facing when it comes to equipping their aircraft with Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast Out (ADS-B Out) avionics to comply with the January 1, 2020 National Airspace System (NAS) mandate. ADS-B, which provides free in-cockpit weather and traffic information to pilots, is radically new technology that is redefining the paradigm of Communications, Navigation and Surveillance in air traffic management today.

Mike Whitaker Dy Administrator, US Federal Aviation Administration

pilots and air traffic controllers to “see” and control aircraft with more precision, and over a far larger percentage of the earth’s surface, than has ever been possible before. The FAA proposal, which is based on industry recommendations, would reduce the time it takes to get safety enhancing technologies for small airplanes into the marketplace while also reducing cost. We’ve also made considerable progress on regulations that will enhance general aviation safety with our recent proposed rule that will help us decrease the time it takes to get safety-enhancing technologies for small airplanes to the marketplace. Loss of Control remains our greatest concern. A series of initiatives to curb general aviation fatal accidents is beginning to take root, but more needs to be done to reduce the accident rate. 

(Edited excerpts from speech at GA Safety Summit, Washington.)

Already proven and certified as a viable low cost replacement for conventional radar, ADS-B allows

June 2016

Airlines

VietJet to buy 100 Boeings for $11.3 billion Vietnam’s national airline is Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing low cost carrier, whose fleet will exceed 200 by 2023

ietnam’s VietJet has agreed a firm order of 100 Boeing 737 MAX 200 jets worth $11.3 billion at list prices, making it one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing low-cost carriers.

The deal, signed during US president Barack Obama’s visit to Vietnam, represents a coup for Boeing, as VietJet has only operated its European rival Airbus’ A320 airplanes since it began operations in December 2011. The airline also signed a $3.04-billion deal for engines made by Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies, for the 63 Airbus planes of the 99 it ordered and 7 hired since 2013. VietJet says it now has 36 Airbus planes in service, and the delivery of the Boeing planes, expected during 2019 to 2023, will bring the fleet to more than 200 aircraft by the end of 2023, potentially surpassing flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, which now has 89 operating aircraft. Vietnam Airlines ordered 19 Boeing 787 and 14 Airbus A350 planes and 11 of those have been delivered.

June 2016

“Our investment in a fleet of B737 Max 200 will accommodate our strategy of growing VietJet’s coming international route network, including long haul flights,” President and Chief Executive Officer Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao said in a statement. VietJet has been rapidly expanding in Southeast Asia while taking on Vietnam Airines in the domestic market, and the Boeing deal is the biggest aircraft order in the country’s history. The budget carrier has a 40 per cent share of Vietnam’s domestic market and will probably surpass Vietnam Airlines this year as the largest domestic carrier, according to a January report of the CAPA Centre for Aviation. VietJet has ambitions to become a pan-regional low-cost airline, following in the path of AirAsia of Malaysia

and Lion Air of Indonesia, which also ordered hundreds of single-aisled planes, such as the A320 and Boeing 737. Southeast Asia’s airline market has grown rapidly over the last decade, fuelled by the emergence of budget airlines that offer greater travel options for the middle class. VietJet will also be unique in being one of the few low-cost carriers to order both Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s, as operating two types of planes is costly. Lion Air is the only other one, starting services with 737s before also ordering A320s and operating both aircraft types concurrently. The 737 Max and A320neo are the upgraded versions of both planes that promise better fuel economics and lower running costs. Airlines generally get discounts at list prices. 

Airlines

June 2016

Airlines

Asia Pacific airlines back in the black

nlike their ocean-plying counterparts, airlines in Asia turned around net losses to end 2015 with a combined $6.9 billion in net earnings, according to the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines. Strong 2015 results were underpinned by sustained growth in passenger markets, lower fuel prices and operating efficiencies, including a record high passenger load factor of 78.4 per cent, AAPA said in a statement.

‘Lack of leadership wreaked Indian Airlines merger’

Comparing air with ocean carriers, however, is not exactly comparing apples to apples. Container ships are exclusively cargo carriers while airlines in the region have the luxury of being able to cram fare-paying passengers into their aircraft and stuff cargo in the bellies. Cheaper fuel has been one of the most significant cost-saving factors at airlines over the past 18 months, along with growing passenger numbers. 

Gulfstream G650ER gets EASA certification

ulfstream Aerospace Corp. has announced that its flagship, the Gulfstream G650ER, recently received type certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for private operations. The certification recognizes that the world’s longest-range business jet demonstrates compliance with EASA airworthiness and environmental requirements. It is one of the final steps required for the G650ER to be registered for private operations in a European Union country.

n incomplete Indian Airlines merger coupled with lack of leadership doubly jeopardised the national carrier, according to Air India chief Ashwani Lohani. “A merger that really never happened and in the process resulted in a chaotic situation is at the back of all ills that we are currently witness to,” said Lohani in a scathing blogpost about the 2007 merger between Air India and Indian Airlines. Attributing the lack of leadership for the chaos, he said: “With almost everything in disarray, be it operations or engineering, public image or commercial, finance or even personnel, it was fairly obvious even to a novice like me that what this organisation indeed lacked was that one magical word ‘leadership’.” 

June 2016

“When the G650ER was introduced, it ushered in additional performance capabilities and offered greater mission flexibility,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream. “The aircraft connects more international cities nonstop, which in turn provides increased opportunities for our customers. This certification means more customers will be able to experience the benefits of such a valuable business tool.” 

June 2016

Cargo & Logistics

EPG’s eLockers for easy delivery Emirates Post Group installs smart automated and unmanned kiosks where customers can take delivery of their shipments themselves

n its quest to diversify its logistics activities Emirates Post Group (EPG) has started a novel and smart delivery system. The new system is automated and unmanned eLockers or parcel lockers in kiosks.

EPG has started installation of eLockers in five locations in the UAE. The first kiosk is installed in Abu Dhabi, followed by more machines in Dubai. The number of kiosks will be expanded to 20 by the end of the year and the number will be increased to 40 by

June 2016

the end of 2017. Later, more than 100 e-lockers will be installed across the country. Each kiosk has 38 lockers of different sizes. In the future, kiosks will offer lockers of 70 different sizes. Every parcel placed at the Kiosk will ena-

ble Emirates Post to save AED5 in comparison to home delivery. “The eLockers will allow easy management of last mile delivery and enable faster and more environment friendly parcel service,” said Ibrahim Bin Karam, Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates Post Group.

Cargo & Logistics

EPG has initiated the eLocker programme in response to strong demand for ‘last mile delivery’ from e-commerce companies.

First retail post office at Dubai South

“Customers will be able to collect their parcels from their neighbourhood at their convenience. They will be notified when their parcel arrives and can opt to receive it either as a home delivery, or opt to receive it through the kiosk,” said Karam.

Emirates Post Group has signed an agreement with Dubai South to open its first retail post office at the Business Park Free Zone of Dubai South.

“A customer will be sent a message when their parcel is placed in the kiosk with a unique password that will have to be manually entered into the display panel on the kiosk. The door of the box containing the parcel will automatically open, enabling the customer to collect his parcel,” he said. Currently Emirates Post, which is also a regulator of all courier services in the UAE, has tied up with document companies DHL, UPS, African e-commerce logistics company Mara Express and online retailer Namshi, whereby these companies will use the eLockers to deliver shipments. The kiosks will be installed in crowded neighbourhoods and close to shopping malls. DPG is also open for tie up with other retailers such as Carrefour, and Sharaf DG. More importantly, the postal authority is planning to tie up with companies like Souq.com to cash in on the e-commerce growth. The current e-commerce delivery market is AED500 million, and is expected to grow to AED2.5 billion by 2018. EPG is shortlisting retailers and e-commerce companies, as part of an e-commerce project that will offer select range of electronic products, flowers and other items

Ibrahim Bin Karam through the website, and customers will be able to order them online and have them delivered through the postal network. e-commerce exports from the UAE to GCC countries are increasing rapidly, with e-com companies sending huge volumes to Saudi Arabia on a daily basis. The system works thus: Once Emirates Post receives the parcel from the airports, the receiver is informed. Customers can either choose door-to-door delivery either at home or office, to pick it up from the closest branch or pick it up themselves through the new kiosks. If they choose the kiosk delivery option, customers will receive an SMS once the locker is loaded and will also receive a security code to unlock the locker to pick up their shipments. The lockers are loaded at midnight and would be ready to collect from 7:30 am. Once at the kiosk, the customer will enter the code and scan their Emirates ID to open the locker. Another message will be sent to them once the process is done. If the parcel is not collected from the machine within three days, it is returned to Emirates Post’s main hub. 

The 300 sq. m. facility, to be located in the Dubai South headquarters building, will be operational from October this year. It will also house Wall Street Exchange, Emirates Post Group’s financial services arm. The agreement was signed by Chief Commercial Officer of EPG Ibrahim Bin Karam, and Deputy Chief Operating Officer of Dubai South Ahmed Al Ansari, in the presence of Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation, Khalifa Al Zaffin, and other senior officials. “Today’s agreement activates a strategic partnership between us and Emirates Post. We are hopeful that it marks the beginning of a wider network that Emirates Post will eventually have at Dubai South,” said Ahmed Al Ansari, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Dubai South “We are committed to keep introducing more value-added services as part of our journey to make Dubai South the preferred place to live, work and invest. EPG offers niche postal and financial services that add value to the gathering Dubai South ecosystem,” he added. Chief Commercial Officer of EPG Ibrahim Bin Karam, said, “Emirates Post is gearing up to cater to the future needs of people who are expected to live and work in the sprawling 145 sq. km. area of Dubai South, which includes the Al Maktoum International Airport and the Expo 2020 site.

June 2016

Cargo & Logistics

Air cargo, logistics, aerospace and aviation services coming up around Sepang airport

Malaysia building aviation hub

alaysia has unveiled a plan to transform the hectares of empty land around the country’s main airport in Sepang into an aviation hub by pulling in air cargo, logistics, aerospace and aviation services. cently, officials said it will complement services offered in Singapore and its main Changi airport. “We are not competing with Changi,” said Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai at the press conference. Citing increasing air traffic in Asia, officials said Malaysia is taking in the spillover effect from its neighbour. “There’s enough demand being generated,” said Badlisham Ghazali, Managing Director of MAHB, referring to growth in air travel and the need for more planes, spare parts and maintenance. Malaysia is also looking at European firms eyeing offshore opportunities.

The project surrounding the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is called KLIA Aeropolis, which has a total land area of 100 sq km. Airport operator Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), which is behind the project, also wants to bring meetings and conventions facilities to Sepang, located about an hour away by car from downtown Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia’s biggest airport has two terminals - the main KLIA terminal and the recently opened KLIA2 for low-cost carriers.

June 2016

In May 2015, the Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA - billed as the largest factory outlet shopping mall in South-east Asia - was opened just 6 km away from the airport. The area is also home to the Sepang International Circuit that hosts F1 races and other motorsport events. MAHB foresees that the aviation hub will contribute RM30 billion ($7.33 billion) to Malaysia’s economic growth over the next 15 years, with 56,000 jobs created. Launching the KLIA Aeropolis re-

Through the Aeropolis project, Malaysia is planning to raise its cargo and logistics traffic in the next five years. With 726,000 tonnes of cargo per annum, Malaysia intends to catch up to Singapore’s 1.8 million tonnes, banking on the growth of e-commerce. Malaysia has the capacity and manpower needed to make the Aeropolis work with existing programmes already in place. The main international airport KLIA currently services 50 million passengers annually, compared to Singapore’s 55 million. 

Cargo & Logistics

dnata in talks to acquire Canadian cargo business The Canadian acquisition would be the company’s second North American buy since entering the market in April

mirates Group’s aviation services unit dnata is in talks to acquire a cargo handling business in Canada. If the deal is finalised, it will be dnata’s second North American acquisition since entering the market in April. dnata last month acquired Ground Services International (GSI), a ground-handling operator at more than 20 airports, including “major international gateways,” in the United States. The deal size was not disclosed. “We’re in some discussions already with a small organisation [in Canada] … on the cargo side,” president Gary Chapman was quoted as saying. dnata, which reported this month a record a AED1.1 bil-

lion profit for the 12 months ending March 31, has made a series of acquisitions in airport and travel services companies globally in recent years. The company has AED3.5 billion in cash assets at its disposal. Chapman said he is confident they have “the ability to acquire more” North American businesses following the March GSI purchase. It is also reported that talks have started to acquire part — or whole — of at least two other airport services companies in the United States since April’s acquisition. dnata is also in talks in South America following the majority acquisition of Brazil’s RM Ground Services in November. 

Turkish Airlines enters Cambodia air freight arena

urkish Airlines, a member of the Star Alliance network, has entered Cambodia’s air freight business after launching operations recently. The new route will see an Airbus 330, with a capacity to hold 60 tonnes, fly between Phnom Penh and Istanbul every Saturday, according to Buthay Outdom, Manager of GSA-One World Aviation Co Ltd – the air freight forwarding company that has partnered with Turkish Airlines. Turkish Airlines is the fourth airline to offer a direct cargo flight out of Phnom Penh International Airport and carried 55 tonnes inbound and 52 tonnes outbound during its first flight. Though the flights are only focused on ferrying goods, it could set the stage for passenger operations, the official said. “We will first focus on freight for now and will consider having a passenger flight within the next year,” he added. The utilisation of air freight has recently taken off, and two additional operators, K Mile and Air-Bridge Cargo, are expected to start operations in July. 

June 2016

Technology

Cyber security market valued at $1 trillion Fifth CIOMajlis calls for redefining role of CIOs in the wake of increasing cyber attacks

he role of CIOs (Chief Information Officers) needs to be redefined in the wake of organizations facing increased cyber attacks and almost all sites are unsafe, the fifth CIOMajlis was told in Dubai.

Addressing the fifth CIOMajlis in Dubai, Dr. Saif Al Ketbi, CIO at Abu Dhabi Airports said: “CIO is not an IT guy anymore, but a strategy man, as no corporate is 100 per cent secure. The CIO is the core of an organization.” Giving an overview of cyber security, Dr. Saif said: “Cyberspace and its underlying infrastructure are vulnerable to a wide range of risk stemming from both physical and cyber threats and hazards. Sophisticated cyber actors and nation-states exploit vulnerabilities to steal information and money to disrupt, destroy, or threaten the delivery of essential services.” “There are only two choices: Using the technology or returning to the 19th century. There is no third one. With the growing volume and sophistication of cyber attacks, ongoing attention is required to protect sensitive business and personal information, as well as safeguard national security,” said Dr. Saif. “99.9 per cent of sites are easy to hack. They are more prone to attacks as everything is online, but we believe they are secure. The UAE is targeted and there is a spyware with every hardware coming into the country. Attacks are rising by the month, 60 per cent of which are through the hardware, not from apps,” he added. Dr. Saif’s opinion was echoed by Abdulqader Obaid Ali, Chief Executive

June 2016

Officer, Smartworld, who said that CIOs’ role in an organisation is evolving. Abdulqader said: “CIOs need to be thinking differently. Today, whether we like it or not, technology is really defining the daily use. The CIOs’ role is evolving as they are not looking after information technology (IT) alone.

99.9 per cent of sites are easy to hack They are judged by how they can actually enable IT to make businesses more competitive. There is a proliferation of devices. By 2020 there will be more than a billion devices that can be interconnected. Everything is going to talk to you through technology. “So, there is a mandate on the CIOs. Security is a bigger issue today. For any organisation, information is important and if you lose it, you lose your competitive edge. That’s why we are asking for specialists in security. It is a special field. People usually spend 80 per cent on their equipment security, such as firewall, servers, etc. You need to educate people about security because they are very vital and impor-

tant. The question today is how we can try and help our organisations become more secure. It’s not that the boards (management) do not understand the issue. They do. However, they need to listen more and support the CIOs, or the security officers. They should listen to the CIOs for the good of the organisations,” Abdulqader added. “Most organisations do not have a clear strategy on security. If at all there are any, they are in a fragmented way. So, there is a need for a clear strategy across all organisations. Also we should ask if the regulation is for consumers or suppliers,” said Ahmed Al Mulla, Chairman of CIOMajlis, who is also Senior Vice President, Corporate Services at Emirates Global Aluminium. “The role of CIOs has changed drastically in the past five to ten years. They used to look at CIO as a spender of money, but now the perception has changed. It will be easier to convince the board the need to make the organization more secure. As already said, 99.9 per cent of sites are not secure. That’s the issue today,” said Al Mulla “Cyber security market today is valued at $450 billion to $1 trillion. The approach should be how we can ensure security in a collaborative way. Everyone should collaborate, that is, the organisation, the customer, the open community at large, the developers

Technology

and also the government,” said Ahmed Al Ahmad, CIO, Nakheel. In his presentation, Dr. Saif said: Global spending on cyber security is floating around $77 billion this year, according to market research firm Gartner estimates. By 2020, companies around the world are expected to spend around $170 billion, a growth rate of nearly 10 per cent in the next five years. The big data and analytics market is expected to reach $125 billion, according to research firm IDC. Global revenues for companies that offer digital forensics will total $2.7 billion this year and are estimated to reach $4.7 billion in 2020, ABI Research finds. This is a direct result of the real, on ground practice of dealing with cybercriminals and hackers. Spending such amounts is much cheaper than the damages caused by ignoring the threats that are coming from the Internet and other modern technologies. A range of traditional crimes are now being perpetrated through cyberspace. This includes the production and distribution of child pornography and child exploitation conspiracies, banking and financial fraud, intellectual

Most organisations do not have a clear strategy on security property violations, and other crimes, all of which have substantial human and economic consequences. Cyberspace is particularly difficult to secure due to a number of factors: the ability of malicious actors to operate from anywhere in the world, the linkages between cyberspace and physical systems, and the difficulty of reducing vulnerabilities and consequences in complex cyber networks. Of growing concern is the cyber threat to critical infrastructure, which is increasingly subject to sophisticated cyber intrusions that pose new risks. As information technology becomes increasingly integrated with physical infrastructure operations, there is increased risk for wide scale or high-consequence events that could cause harm or disrupt servic-

es upon which our economy and the daily lives of millions of Americans depend. In light of the risk and potential consequences of cyber events, strengthening the security and resilience of cyberspace has become an important homeland security mission.

Hackers steal billions

Cybercriminals do not steal just data. They also stole up to $1 billion from 100 different financial institutions across the U.S., Germany, Russia, Ukraine, and China over the past two years. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, ransomware--malicious programs that infect a computer or network and hold data hostage until a ransom is paid--has cost companies $18 million in the past 15 months. Employees and their personal smartphones are two of the weakest links in security protocols. Last year, 16 million mobile devices worldwide were infected by malware, according to Alcatel-Lucent’s Motive Security Labs. Hackers go after smartphones as an entry point; from an infected smartphone, they can jump into a network and wage denial-of-service attacks or commit corporate espionage. 

June 2016

Technology

Piloted, electric propulsion-powered aircraft in the making NASA is developing an aircraft that would be electric-powered, quieter, more efficient and environmentally friendly

ow about an electric propulsion-powered aircraft that would be quieter, more efficient and at the same time environmentally friendly? NASA is researching the idea that would lead to developing this dream plane. characteristics of an electric airplane and verifying tools that will enable NASA’s aeronautical innovators to design and build Sceptor. Sceptor also is part of NASA’s efforts to help pioneer low-carbon propulsion and transition it to industry. Tests so far show the distribution of power among the 18 motors creates more than double the lift at lower speeds than traditional systems.

The proposed piloted experimental airplane is called Sceptor, short for the Scalable Convergent Electric Propulsion Technology and Operations Research. The concept involves removing the wing from an Italian-built Tecnam P2006T aircraft and replacing it with an experimental wing integrated with electric motors. An advantage of modifying an existing aircraft is engineers will be able to compare the performance of the proposed experimental airplane with the original configuration, according to Sean Clarke, Sceptor co-principal investigator at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in California. The Tecnam, currently under construction, is expected to be at Armstrong in about a year for integration of the wing

June 2016

with the fuselage. Armstrong flew a different Tecnam P2006T in September to gather performance data on the original configuration. NASA researchers ultimately envision a nine-passenger aircraft with a 500-kilowatt power system in 2019. To put that in perspective, 500 kilowatts (nearly 700 horsepower) is about five times as powerful as an average modern passenger car engine. However, to reach that goal NASA researchers intend to fly the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate-funded Sceptor in about two years. Those areas include testing of an experimental wing on a truck, developing and using a new simulator to look at controls and handling

Developing and refining research tools is another major effort. For example, researchers are integrating Sceptor aircraft systems with an Armstrong flight simulator for pilots to evaluate handling qualities. Researchers also will be able to study balancing the power demands of the motors with batteries and then a turbine. Researchers are interested if a hybrid of distributed electric motors and gas-powered turbines could provide power to extend the aircraft’s range and enable the envisioned 9-place concept aircraft. Sceptor could be a solution to greater fuel efficiency, improved performance and ride quality and aircraft noise reduction. NASA will be key in developing those technologies for the future that will be with people when they fly. 

Technology

Siemens introduces break-through innovations at Dubai Airports D uring the Airport Show Siemens presented break-through innovations introduced at Dubai Airports such as the SmarTray, an automated diagnostic vehicle for tray conveyor systems and the Baggage System Dash Board, a comprehensive decision support tool largely used by both the customer and the maintenance provider. Additionally the company exhibited its latest tray technology, cargo and IT solutions.

Structured around the four elements Operational Excellence, Continuous Improvement, Decision Support and Sustainability this holistic life cycle approach is geared towards superior operational reliability and flexibility, investment protection and lowest possible service costs Dubai, May 11, 2016 –Dubai International has shown remarkably positive results of Siemens’ Integral Asset Management (IAM) concept in the first year of its roll-out, said Christian-Marius Wegner, Senior

Vice President, Siemens Postal, Parcel and Airport Logistics at the Global Airport Leaders Forum (GALF) held recently in Dubai. Wegner together with Mohamed Khalfan, Director - Airport Logistics & Special Systems at Dubai Airports, presented details of the implementation and results achieved so far at Dubai International, where even though passenger numbers as well as size and complexity of the Baggage Handling System have significantly increased, the operational reliability improved and service costs reduced.

“In such a growth scenario you normally could expect the opposite to happen” he said. A key element during this process was the transformation from an input based (effort driven) to a true performance based (result driven) contract”, explained Khalfan. Both agreed that such an endeavor can only be successfully accomplished on the basis of a genuine sprit of partnership and mutual trust. “Like two sportsmen engaged in a long-distance run, pushing and supporting each other towards excellence,” they concluded. 

Double fuselage with wings ‘Double-bubble’ airliner concept developed to reduce drag for minimising fuel consumption

ost current airliners are designed as a tube with wings – a single tube or fuselage. But for the future, engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who are working for the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate’s Fixed Wing Project, are looking at the possible benefits of wider, double fuselages with wings. A model of the so-called “double bubble” D8 airliner concept

has returned to the 14 by-22-Foot Subsonic Wind Tunnel at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., for further testing. “The team is refining what it did last year,” said Rich Wahls, Fixed Wing Project scientist. “We are getting higher accuracy data and more insight into the flow physics with a new measurement device.” Two questions engineers are trying to answer with the help of the

model, which is one-eleventh the size of a real airplane, is whether engines embedded in the fuselage reduce drag and by how much. Reduced drag helps reduce fuel consumption. The double bubble concept is one of a number of designs NASA is studying in an attempt to develop quieter, cleaner, more fuel-efficient airliners by 2035. 

June 2016

Technology

Dassault’s 100 years of innovation Eclair propeller, Falcon servocontrols, digital flight control system revolutionise aviation

assault is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, as founder Marcel Dassault designed the Éclair (Lightning) propeller in 1916.

It was just the first in a series of innovations. Arguably the five most impressive were: the Éclair propeller; the Falcon 20’s servocontrols; the Falcon 50’s wing; the Falcon 7X’s digital flight control system (DFCS); and last, the digital company concept. And although the company has not operated continuously since 1916, few would deny its right to celebrate. During World War I, Marcel Dassault (whose name was still Marcel Bloch at the time) realized the efficiency of in-service propellers could be significantly improved. He therefore studied how, and came up with a profile that featured a more suitable variation from hub to tip. The idea was to have a constant thrust along the blade’s length. “On

two-blade propellers, Marcel Dassault’s design principles are still in force,” said Jean-Louis Montel, Dassault Aviation’s senior v-p engineering. The 1916 engineer not only wanted a better design, he also wanted it to be suitable for production. “He took into account that pieces of lumber sufficiently thick to carve a propeller from were expensive; and labor was not,” Montel said. Therefore, he set thinking how to make propellers from planks of normal width. To make an Éclair, fanned-out layers of wood were glued together, roughly forming the curve of the blade, which was then sanded to its final shape. In the early 1960s, the Falcon 20 was the first fixed-wing civil aircraft with servo-

controls on the pitch, roll and yaw axes. It involved designing compact servocontrols and associated hydraulic systems for them to be fitted into the wing of a relatively small aircraft. The result was better maneuverability for the business jet. Until then, civil aircraft had at least part of their flight control actuation system consisting of cables, rods and pulleys. The Falcon 50, which first flew in 1976, was the first civil aircraft with a supercritical wing. On such an airfoil, the point on the chord where the boundary layer separation occurs is farther downstream. As a result, cruise speed can be increased and fuel burn thereby reduced. The successful Falcon 50 airfoil shape was re-used–with the same profile, planform and dimensions–on the much larger Falcon 2000. In the early 2000s, the Falcon 7X became the first purpose-built business jet with a DFCS. Compared to previous fly-by-wire controls on Airbus aircraft, Montel said Dassault “added permanent autotrim.” Autotrim, as the names suggests, automatically trims the aircraft according to pilot input. As a result, workload is reduced. Airbus aircraft have autotrim only when the autopilot is engaged. 

June 2016

Technology

‘Clipping’ wings to cut emissions Slimmed down aircraft wing expected to reduce fuel and emissions by half

very bit of weight on an aircraft increases the fuel, emissions and money required to put it in the air. Boeing, in collaboration with NASA, has been working to design a longer, thinner and lighter wing – so different from typical commercial transport aircraft wings that it requires a brace, or truss, to provide the wing extra support.

Researchers expect the lighter weight, lower drag truss-braced wing to reduce both fuel burn and carbon emissions by at least 50 per cent over current technology transport aircraft, and by 4 to 8 per cent compared to equivalent advanced technology conventional configurations with unbraced wings. The wind tunnel model tested has a 50 per cent greater wingspan than a comparable aircraft with current wing technology. Engineers are using detailed computer modeling of aerodynamics to iterate the design.

Using computational results showing how air would flow around the model, they modify the dimensions and shape of the wing and truss to improve areas that may generate undesirable air flow that would increase drag and reduce lift. Then engineers test models in a wind tunnel using multiple experimental techniques to validate the computations and aircraft performance predictions. NASA and Boeing engineers are analyzing results from the recent test and plan to further explore the wing design.

The truss- braced wing is part of NASA’s Advanced Air Transport Technology project, which addresses the challenge of developing energy efficiency improvements to reduce emissions and perceived community noise dramatically without adversely affecting safety. Every US aircraft uses NASA-developed technology. The agency is committed to transforming aviation by reducing its environmental impact, maintaining safety and revolutionizing aircraft shapes and propulsion. 

June 2016