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cIvIl AvIAtIon SectIon
Unravelling civil AviATiON
CIVIL AVIATION NEwS COMMERCIAL ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT GETTING READy FOR TAkE-OFF
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With nearly every industry across the world trying to reduce emissions and carbon footprints, the aviation industry cannot be left too far behind. The rapid depletion of fossil fuels is a huge concern, and there are continuous efforts to innovate and move to more sustainable, cleaner energy sources. Across the world, a few small companies are experimenting with hybrid and electric aircraft. It’s possible that we may see these in the air and operational in the very near future
By SrI krIShnA
T
here is increasing focus on aircraft having low emissions and making air travel cheaper. Faradair is located in a small office overlooking an airfield, which was once home to the UK’s first Spitfire squadron. It’s a tiny British start-up hoping to make a little history of its own - as one of the pioneers of commercial electrified aviation.
Faradair is planning to develop and sell a hybrid-electric passenger plane, aimed at the regional aviation market. It would have up to 19 seats and would be propelled by a fan driven by an electric motor. The necessary electricity would be provided by a small gas turbine.
As its chief executive, Neil Cloughley said, such a plane would have far fewer moving parts than a conventional propeller aircraft, making it cheaper to run. It would also be much quieter, and produce fewer emissions.
“Why do we not use aeroplanes like we would a bus?” he asks. “The reason is the cost of operation, primarily. Also, if you start using lots of aeroplanes it creates a lot of noise, and of course, we have now got into an age where sustainability really is a key part of our future,” he said. It plans to have the aircraft flying by 2025 with commercial use starting in 2027. “So, we decided we would come up with an aircraft that would not only be economic to use, and therefore costeffective, but would also be quiet and sustainable,” Cloughley said.
In order to provide extra lift, and allow take-offs and landings from short runways, it would also have a triplelevel wing. This would give it a passing resemblance to a World War One fighter, despite having state-of-the-art aerodynamics. The aircraft start-up has ambitious plans and as Cloughley says the Faradair design would allow short hops between cities such as London and Manchester for £25 each way - less than the cost of a rail ticket. In more remote or inaccessible regions, meanwhile, such planes could provide a transport lifeline from small airstrips, avoiding the need for major investments in road or rail lines.
ELECTRIC AVIATION STARTUPS FROM ACROSS THE wORLD
Faradair is far from alone in seeing the potential of electric aviation, at a time when governments around the world are searching for ways to reduce carbon emissions. Nor is its project the most ambitious.
California-based start-up Wright Electric, for example, plans to bring a fully-electric 100-seat aircraft into service by the middle of the decade. It would be based on the existing Bae146, with its four turbofan engines replaced by electric motors.
The company, which has a partnership with Easyjet, says the aircraft would be used to carry out one-hour flights, allowing it to serve routes such as London-Paris, New York-Washington or Hong Kong-Taipei.
However, in testing, the plane will run as a hybrid. Initially, just one of the four engines will be replaced by an electric motor, with others following if the tests are successful.
According to Wright Electric’s chief executive, Jeffrey Engler, potential customers think this is a good approach and one they could also follow when the aircraft enters production. When we spoke to the airlines, they said, ‘Well why don’t you go hybrid initially, instead of full-electric from the start?’” he explains. “Just like the car industry started with hybrids as well. So that’s something we’re looking into.”
The main reason electrifying aircraft is so difficult is that even the best batteries contain far less energy
per kilogram than traditional aviation fuels, making them much too heavy to power an airliner over long distances.
Pipstrel, a company from Slovenia has already started selling an electric aeroplane, the Alpha Electro, which the FAA or Federal Aviation Administration certified airworthy n 2018 – the first electric aeroplane to be so certified. It costs 140,000 USD, and weighs just 368 kg. it can fly for 90 minutes with its 21kWh battery and absolutely no fossil fuel. This is less than a quarter of the power in Tesla’s Model S.
In June 2022, The Velis Electro, another Pipstrel product, obtained the first electric type certification. This means that the whole design of the aircraft was certified as safe and okayed for mass production.
Electric planes like the e-Genius have been under development for decades “The specific energy of today’s batteries is far from what you would need,” explains Dr Andreas Strohmayer, head of the University of Stuttgart’s Institute of Aircraft Design.
The Institute has been researching the potential of electric and hybrid aviation since the mid-1990s, and first flew its own experimental two-seater electric plane, the e-Genius, more than a decade ago.
“We build our own battery systems for our electric aircraft,” he explains
“We are getting in the region of 200 watt hours per kilogram, where we would need 1,000 or 1,500. So we are far from what we would need for a large aircraft.”
His view is that small, light electric aircraft, with up to six seats can be built with today’s technology.
The Alice, a nine-seater plane being developed by Israeli firm Eviation, would fit into this category. The aircraft, which has been under development for several years, has been designed to fly up to 600 miles, purely on electric power.
For Dr Strohmayer the potential is there for both types of aircraft to create new aviation networks, with small allelectric planes delivering passengers on short hops from local airfields to regional hubs. There, larger hybrid aircraft would be available to carry them on journeys of up to 500km.
Harbour Air, North America’s largest seaplane, claims that they operate 30,000 commercial flights annually, transporting over half a million passengers. They took a major step forward with their first successful flight of an electric commercial aircraft. They used a retrofitted seaplane to fly to Vancouver from the mainland of Canada. This conveys that the cleaner model is viable for short-haul flights. They partnered with MagniX, an electric motor company, which has developed sophisticated highpower electric motors.
Despite all the hurdles it faced, electric aviation soared to new heights in 2020, setting new records in distance flown. By successfully completing short commercial flight paths, it attracted the attention of the US military, as well as major airline companies from around the world. The director of the International Centre for Air Transportation at MIT, John Hansman opined in 2020, that electric aviation will be a reality soon. He is involved in Electra, a hybrid electric aircraft start-up. He affirmed that we are likely to see hybrid and battery-powered electric aircraft in service very soon and that a new breed of electric aeroplanes would make their appearance.
There has been a tremendous development in technology, and hardware like electric motors and batteries installed in electric automobiles. This has made it easier for aviation to adopt the same with a few minor modifications, bringing the dream of electric commercial aviation close to reality. According to UBS, the investment bank’s estimate, the aviation industry will be at least 25% fully electric or hybrid by 2035.
FINAL THOUGHTS
It might all seem incredible to us – just like the mere possibility of air travel seemed to people in the 18th century or earlier. But these developments from around the world indicate otherwise. Several companies are making giant strides in their attempts to power aircraft with cleaner energy. How much longer it will take for this technology to be adopted widely, and whether it will be viable for long-haul flights, remains to be seen. Of course, the cost involved will also play a major role in the decision of aircraft companies regarding moving to hybrid or fully electric aircraft.
CIVIL AVIATION NEwS AIRBUS PARTNERS wITH HIRATAGAkUEN TO TEST FUTURE EVTOL FLIGHT ROUTES AND CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS IN THE kANSAI REGION O
saka. Airbus is partnering with Japanese helicopter operator Hiratagakuen to develop advanced air mobility services in the Kansai region and beyond. This is a key addition to the company’s strong regional footprint and growing international network to pioneer the future of mobility.
Through this agreement, Airbus and Hiratagakuen will tackle crucial aspects required to launch a commercial transportation service with CityAirbus NextGen. As a major first step, the partners’ joint project to organise a simulation of ideal routes, concepts of operations and necessary equipment for safe eVTOL flights in the Kansai region, has been selected by the Osaka prefecture, with a demonstration flight scheduled for later this year.
With the aim to implement air mobility services beyond urban environments, the joint work of Airbus and Hiratagakuen will support the development of advanced air mobility solutions with CityAirbus NextGen, for use cases ranging from air medical services to commercial air transport and ecotourism in a variety of operational contexts. To reach this objective, and with the support of local stakeholders, Airbus and Hiratagakuen will use an H135 helicopter to test advanced navigation and communication technologies for safe operations of eVTOLs in urban environments, while simulating CityAirbus NextGen’s flight configuration.
Hiratagakuen is a Kansai based helicopter operator who specialises in Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS), transportation of personnel, flight training, and maintenance. The company’s current fleet includes 14 H135 and two H145 helicopters.
In September 2021, Airbus unveiled its eVTOL prototype CityAirbus NextGen, to explore advanced air mobility technologies and bring urban air mobility services to life. The Company just announced the construction of a dedicated centre to test the aircraft’s systems in the lead up to its maiden flight. Airbus is also working closely with industrial and institutional partners to lead the development of urban air mobility ecosystems, as recently announced with ITA Airways in Italy, or through the launch of the Air Mobility Initiative in Germany.
The relationship between Airbus and Japan dates back over 60 years. More than 600 commercial and fixed wing and rotorcraft have so far been delivered to Japanese operators. Airbus leads the Japanese helicopter market with over 50% market share in the civil and parapublic sectors, and over 370 helicopters in service with 100 customers. In Kobe, Airbus’ helicopter facilities offer a strong suite of helicopter products, training services and turnkey solutions across emergency medical services, law enforcement, electronic news gathering, and parapublic segments.
SAAB PARTNERS wITH SwEDISH ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT COMPANy HEART AEROSPACE
gothenburg / Stockholm: saab has committed to becoming a minority shareholder in the swedish electric aircraft manufacturer heart aerospace with a Usd 5 million investment. saab and heart aerospace have also signed a collaboration agreement regarding the supply of subsystems and the exploration of further areas of collaboration, including certification and manufacturing. This is in line with saab’s ambition to support the transition to sustainable aviation. heart aerospace develops the es-30, a regional electric airplane with a standard seating capacity of 30 passengers powered by batteries, allowing it to operate with low noise and with zero emissions. Other heart aerospace investors include Breakthrough energy ventures, eqT ventures, european investment Council, Lower Carbon Capital, Mesa air Group, United airlines ventures and air Canada.
AIRBUS PARTNERS wITH GMR TO POwER AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE ENGINEERING IN INDIA AND THE REGION N
ew Delhi. Airbus has signed a contract with the GMR Group, a leading Indian aviation infrastructure developer, to provide aircraft maintenance training to young aviation engineers making a trending career choice.
GMR will provide the fully integrated Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) licensing program at the GMR School of Aviation in Hyderabad. The fouryear course will include two years of classroom training and a two-year training in maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) at GMR Aero Technic in Hyderabad followed by Aircraft Type Training.
According to the contract, Airbus will provide the necessary software and courseware in the form of trainee handbooks, examination database, online access of Airbus customised basic training modules and Airbus Competence Training (ACT) for Academy media package which is the technical training material required for the courses. In addition, Airbus will also provide training to GMR instructors along with assessment of the training centre.
GMR Aero Technic, is India’s largest integrated world-class third-party MRO (Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul) facility located at GMR Hyderabad International Airport. It has taken a giant leap in terms of aircraft maintenance and service in Asia.
Commencing in this year, the programme will be open to aspirants who have cleared their Higher Secondary Certificate (Class 12) examination with Physics and Mathematics as their main subjects. According to the Airbus Global Market Forecast 2022, India will require some 45,000 new aircraft technicians over the next 20 years.
ETIHAD AIRwAyS SCALES UP ITS CARGO OPERATIONS wITH AIRBUS’ NEw GENERATION A350F FREIGHTER
UAE, Abu Dhabi. etihad airways has firmed up its order with airbus for seven new generation a350F freighters, following its earlier commitment announced at the singapore airshow. The freighters will upgrade etihad’s freight capacity by deploying the most efficient cargo aircraft available in the market. This order of the a350F sees the national carrier of the Uae expanding its relationship with airbus, and adding to its existing order of the largest passenger version of a350-1000s, five of which have been delivered. etihad has also firmed up a long term agreement for airbus’ Flight hour services (Fhs) to support its entire a350 fleet, to maintain aircraft performance and optimise reliability. This marks the first agreement for an airbus Fhs contract for an a350-fleet in the Middle east. separately, etihad has also opted for airbus’ skywise health Monitoring, allowing the airline to access real-time management of aircraft events and troubleshooting, saving time and decreasing the cost of unscheduled maintenance. as part of the world’s most modern long-range family, the a350F provides a high level of commonality with the a350 passenger versions. With a 109 tonne payload capability, the a350F can serve all cargo markets. The aircraft features a large main deck cargo door, with its fuselage length and capacity optimised around the industry’s standard pallets and containers. More than 70% of the airframe of the a350F is made of advanced materials, resulting in a 30 tonne lighter take-off weight and generating at least 20% lower fuel consumption and emissions over its current closest competitor.
CIVIL AVIATION NEwS MALAySIA AIRLINES TO ACqUIRE 20 A330NEO FOR wIDEBODy FLEET RENEwAL k
uala Lumpur. Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), parent company of Malaysia Airlines, has selected the A330neo for the carrier’s widebody fleet renewal programme. The initial agreements cover the acquisition of 20 A330-900 aircraft, with 10 to be purchased from Airbus and 10 to be leased from Dublin-based Avolon.
The announcement was made at an event in Kuala Lumpur, attended by MAG CEO Izham Ismail and Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International Christian
Scherer, who signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the aircraft to be ordered from Airbus. The agreements with engine manufacturer RollsRoyce and Avolon were also signed at the ceremony.
Powered by the latest Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, the A330neo will join the carrier’s fleet of six long range A350-900s and gradually replace its 21 A330ceo aircraft. The carrier will operate the A330neo on its network covering Asia, the Pacific and the Middle East. Malaysia Airlines will configure its A330neo fleet with a premium layout seating 300 passengers in two classes.
In addition to the renewal of the widebody fleet, Airbus and MAG also signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to study a wider collaboration in the areas of sustainability, training, maintenance and airspace management.
The A330neo is the new generation version of the popular A330 widebody. Incorporating the latest generation engines, a new wing and a range of aerodynamic innovations, the aircraft offers 25% reduction in fuel consumption and CO2-emissions. The A330-900 is capable of flying 7,200nm / 13,300km non-stop.
The A330neo features the awardwinning Airspace cabin, providing passengers with a new level of comfort, ambience and design. This includes offering more personal space, larger overhead bins, a new lighting system and the ability to offer the latest in-flight entertainment systems and full connectivity. As with all Airbus aircraft, the A330neo also features a state-of-the-art cabin air system ensuring a clean and safe environment during the flight.
As at the end of July 2022, the A330neo has received more than 270 firm orders from over 20 customers worldwide.
REDBIRD jOINS HANDS wITH AIRBUS TO DELIVER A320 TyPE-RATING TRAINING TO ASPIRING PILOTS IN INDIA AND SOUTH ASIA REGION
new Delhi. Redbird Flight Training Academy has joined hands with Airbus to provide type-rating training to its students who are aspiring to become commercial pilots for the A320 aircraft in the region. As per the contract, Airbus will deliver the Jet Orientation Course (JOC) and Multi-crew Cockpit Co-operation (MCC) – theory and Full Flight Simulator (FFS) sessions to the students. The training will be provided by Airbus-approved instructors at the Airbus India Training Centre (AITC) in Gurugram, starting August 29, 2022.
Students holding Commercial Pilot License (CPL) with a valid medical certificate will be eligible to enroll for the course that will run for a period of 60 days. Candidates will be awarded a certificate from Airbus upon completion of the course.
BOEING ANNOUNCES UPS PURCHASE OF EIGHT ADDITIONAL 767S
sEATTLE. Boeing recently announced an order from UPS for eight more 767 Freighters. The incremental order will increase UPS’s 767 Freighter fleet to 108 airplanes, enabling the global carrier to further modernize and sustainably grow its fleet.
Air cargo continues to play a crucial role in global trade, from supporting supply chains to expanding e-commerce. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has estimated that global air cargo revenue in 2021 was more than double the revenue in pre-pandemic 2019.
UPS will begin taking delivery of these new airplanes in 2025, with an additional 767-300 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF) entering service in late 2023. This purchase builds on UPS’s order for 19 767 Freighters in December 2021.
Based on the 767-300ER (Extended Range) passenger jet, the 767 Freighter carries up to 52.4 tonnes of revenue cargo with intercontinental range, serving as a flexible platform for longhaul, regional and feeder markets. UPS was the launch customer for the 767 Freighter in 1995 and has purchased a total of 108 of the model. The carrier currently operates 238 Boeing freighters including the 747, 757, 767 and MD-11.
According to Boeing’s 2022 Commercial Market Outlook forecast, carriers will require 2,795 more dedicated freighters over the next 20 years, including 940 new widebodies, 555 widebody converted freighters and 1,300 standard body conversions. The global freighter fleet will grow to 3,610 airplanes by 2041, up from 2,250 today. Today, Boeing freighters account for 90% of the world’s freighter capacity, flying millions of tonnes of goods around the globe.
LUFTHANSA GROUP RECEIVES FIRST 787 DREAMLINER
sEATTLE. Boeing and the Lufthansa Group recently celebrated the delivery of the first 787 Dreamliner, a 787-9, to Europe’s largest airline group at Paine Field, Everett, Wash. The Lufthansa Group has 32 firm orders for the 787 and joins nearly 50 customers worldwide in operating the industry’s most fuel efficient and capable airplane. Boeing designed the 787 family with superior efficiency, which allows airlines to profitably open new routes and fly people directly where they want to go in exceptional comfort. Using 25% less fuel and creating 25% fewer emissions than the airplanes they replace, the 787 family has avoided more than 125 billion pounds of carbon emissions since entering service in 2011.
Since revenue service began in 2011, the 787 family has launched more than 325 new nonstop routes around the world, including approximately 50 routes opened since 2020. The 787-9 can fly 296 passengers up to 7,565 nautical miles (14,010 km) in a typical two-class configuration. In addition to 32 787 Dreamliners on order, the Lufthansa Group has firm orders for 20 777-9 passenger airplanes and recently placed a firm order for seven of the new 777-8 Freighter.
CIVIL AVIATION NEwS INDIGENOUS PRODUCTION OF AVIATION FUEL AVGAS 100 LL LAUNCHED By INDIAN OIL N
ew Delhi: Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has launched indigenous production of AVGAS 100 LL, a special aviation fuel meant for piston engine aircrafts and unmanned aerial vehicles. It’s a big step towards reducing dependence on imports to meet energy needs as the indigenous availability of AV GAS 100 LL will help reduce the associated logistical challenges and save precious foreign exchange.
“We are undergoing a remarkable transformation which is almost revolutionary. We are reducing dependence on imported fuels by promoting biofuel blending, green hydrogen and introduction of electric vehicles,” said Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas &
hardeep singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and natural Gas & housing and Urban affairs Housing and Urban Affairs, while addressing the event to launch AVGAS 100 LL.
The launch event hosted by Indian Oil Corporation at Hindan Air Force Station witnessed participation by senior officials from the Indian Air Force, Flying Training Organisations and the ministries of petroleum and civil aviation. At present AVGAS 100 LL is completely imported product. The domestic production of AVGAS 100 LL produced by Indian Oil at its Gujarat Refinery will make flying training more affordable in India. This product which fuels the aircraft operated by FTOs and Defence forces is being imported for decades by India. Indian Oil’s R&D, Refineries and Marketing teams have achieved this feat of indigenous production and have offered price advantage to the industry, according to an official statement released by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.
SM Vaidya, Chairman of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), said the indigenous production of AVGAS 100 LL will lead to significant savings in foreign exchange for the country. Vaidya expressed hope that India would soon become self-reliant in AVGAS 100 LL production. India’s consumption of AVGAS 100 LL stands at around 3,000 kilo litre per year. IOCL has been importing this special aviation fuel. Now it will start producing it at its refinery in Gujarat.
Vaidya said with the new refinery capacity India would not only become self-reliant in AVGAS 100 LL but also be in a position to export it to other countries.
Highlighting the importance of launch of indigenous AVGAS 100 LL, the Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said the launch of indigenous AVGAS 100 LL is important to serve the needs of a thriving aviation industry with increase in footfall on airports, rise in number of aircrafts and Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) in trainee aircrafts for pilot training in future. As the demand for air transport in India is expected to increase manifolds
in the future, there is going to be a huge demand for trained pilots also. And for this, the number of FTOs is also expected to increase significantly, he added.
Under Prime Minister’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, IOCL has come up with AV Gas 100 fuel which was imported so far at huge cost. It will ensure that all our flight schools and all other smaller aircrafts that use AV Gas 100 LL are able to buy this from indigenous sources and save money. It will make huge difference to us in terms of exporting it to areas and countries which need AV Gas 100 LL fuel, said Gen V K Singh (Retd.), Minister of State for Civil Aviation, and Road Transport and Highways.
Principal grade of Aviation Gasoline, AVGAS 100 LL is designed for use in turbocharged reciprocating piston engines aircrafts, mainly used by FTOs and defence forces for training pilots.
AV GAS 100 LL produced by Indian Oil’s flagship refinery at Vadodara has been tested and certified by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the statutory body of the Government of India to regulate civil aviation in India. It is a higher-octane Aviation fuel meeting the product specifications with superior performance quality standards, as compared to imported grades. This will also benefit more than 35 FTOs across India. With the domestic availability of this product, Ministry of Civil Aviation is considering opening more training institutes in the country. Seeing the increase in aviation traffic, the requirement of trained Pilots is expected to increase, the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas said in the statement.
AIR wORkS RECEIVES EASA PART 145 APPROVAL FOR ITS MRO FACILITy AT kOCHI
nEW DELHI. Air Works – the nation’s largest independent MRO and aviation services and solutions major, announced that it has received the European Aviation Safety Agency’s [EASA] Part 145 Approval for its state-of-the-art twin-hangar MRO facility at the Cochin International Airport. With EASA approval, Air Works will be able to offer full MPD support for the Airbus 320 family (including A318/ A319/ A320/ A321) for Base maintenance [up to and including 120-month inspection for all 4 engine options viz. PW1100G, CFM 56, Leap-1A and IAE V2500], C-Checks, structural and corrosion inspections, as well as undertaking major repairs and modifications for the Airbus 320 aircraft family, in addition to end of lease transitions, bridging checks and engine changes.
The location of the Kochi MRO facility [at the Cochin Int’l Airport] is strategic, given that Kochi has been a hub for leading carriers from the Middle East. The EASA 145 approval comes at a time when Air Works recently expanded its operations to Dubai in an endeavour to enhance access to its cost-effective and industry leading workmanship to both international and domestic carriers, reinforcing its position of being India’s most loved MRO. The Kochi facility – commissioned in March 2021 during the pandemic, is already certified by the DGCA. It is also a DGCA-certified facility for Air Works’ Business Aviation (General Aviation) customers for a variety for aircraft.
The twin-hangar MRO facility at Kochi, spread over 50,000 sqm, has been thoughtfully designed and is a completely integrated, independent setup, housing key workshops equipped to undertake structures, interiors, and composites repairs to support timely aircraft maintenance & turnaround. Kochi complements Air Works’ primary facility at Hosur [Tamil Nadu], which incidentally, is India’s first EASA-certified Commercial MRO facility [2009]. In addition to the Airbus320 family, Hosur also offers full MPD support for ATR 42-400/500/72-212A and Boeing 737600/700/800 and 900. The consistent and successful renewal of Air Works’ EASA certification for over a decade demonstrates Air Works’ unwavering commitment to its customers towards upholding the highest standards of quality in aviation. The Group also undertakes MRO work for the Indian Defence forces.
AIRBUS AND HELIDAx SIGN FIRST HCARE CLASSICS SUPPORT CONTRACT TO COVER FLEET OF 36 H120S
Marignane. French helicopter operator HeliDax and Airbus Helicopters have signed the first-ever HCare Classics support contract to optimise the availability of HeliDax’s H120 fleet. HCare Classics is Airbus’ new support package entirely dedicated to meeting the support needs of the company’s outof-production legacy helicopters.
An H120 operator since 2008, HeliDax relies on its fleet of 36 H120s to provide basic and advanced training to the French and Belgian armed forces and the French Gendarmerie. Since the beginning of this partnership with the French government 14 years ago, HeliDax has maintained an availability level of 100% and has accumulated 246,000 hours of H120 flight time, training multiple generations of helicopter pilots. This translates to as many as 22,000 flight hours per year.
HeliDax’s fleet is the largest in-service H120 fleet in the world today. With eight years remaining in the pilot training programme contract, HeliDax selected HCare Classics to benefit from the OEM’s guaranteed support performance.
Today there are more than 2,000 legacy Airbus helicopters in service with approximately 750 operators around the world. These out-of-production aircraft include the H120, Dauphin, Puma and Gazelle and account for 15% of the flight hours generated by the entire Airbus Helicopters fleet.
HCare Classics is a multi-service offering created to meet the customer’s operational needs. Customers choose the services they need, ranging from obsolescence monitoring and management to spare parts support and maintenance planning. HeliDax is based within the French Army Aviation’s school in Dax, France and is a full subsidiary of DCI Group.
EMIRATES A350 FLEET TO FLy wITH THALES’ AVANT UP
paris. emirates, one of the largest and most prestigious international airlines, has 50 airbus a350-900 aircraft on order with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2024. This new fleet of a350’s will be equipped with Thales’ premier avanT Up inflight entertainment solution to offer the finest cinematic and personalized customer experience. Thales’ iFe system will be integrated with emirates’ preferred next generation connectivity solution. emirates’ award-winning entertainment system, “ice”, features over 5,000 channels of entertainment. Content will be delivered on Optiq, Thales’ new 4k qLed hdR displays. These are the only aircraft displays using samsung’s qLed, the best technology for optimal in-seat viewing. Optiq is the first smart display in the industry to offer two Bluetooth connections, built-in Wi-Fi for passengers to pair multiple devices including phones, tablets, headphones and even game controllers, while also supporting up to 70 watts of in-screen charging for passenger devices- 10 watts from the UsB-a and 60 watts fast charging from the UsB-C. emirates is the first airline to select Thales’ award-inning Pulse. With Pulse’s patented power management technology charging performance will be unaffected no matter how many users are charging their devices at the same time. To enrich passenger engagement, emirates has chosen several avanT Up digital services. These services include highly integrated personalization features, expanded personal electronic device (Ped) capabilities and user interface enhancements enabling visually impaired passengers to have an immersive experience.
CIVIL AVIATION NEwS BLADE AND EVE AIR MOBILITy ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO ExPAND URBAN AIR MOBILITy ECOSySTEM IN INDIA N
ew Delhi, India: FlyBlade India (“BLADE India”), a joint venture between Hunch Ventures and Blade Air Mobility, Inc., and Eve Air Mobility (“Eve”) announced today a strategic partnership which includes a non-binding order of up to 200 electric vertical take-off and landing (“eVTOL” or Electric Vertical Aircraft, “EVA”) vehicles, service and support, and Eve’s Urban Air Traffic Management (“UATM”) software solution. The companies also plan to collaborate on a three-month pilot project connecting passengers using helicopters.
India is a unique market with its vast expanse, accessibility concerns, traffic congestion and regulations. As the pioneers of providing short-haul air mobility services in India, BLADE India will act as Eve’s on-ground knowledge partner to create the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) ecosystem. The data collected through BLADE India’s customer experience and operations will be used to further develop Eve’s eVTOL, service and support solutions, and its UATM software. BLADE India will initially underwrite 50,000 hours of flight time per year using Eve’s eVTOL in the country.
“India’s traffic congestion woes are only expected to get worse. This partnership allows us to leverage Eve’s deep expertise in not just EVA design but also in the infrastructure required to support UAM,” said Amit Dutta, managing director, BLADE India. “We are thrilled about partnering with BLADE India and pioneering the urban air mobility market in the country, which has the potential to be one of the largest markets globally. This initial order will allow us to enter into service in India and further develop the ecosystem according to the community’s needs. We look forward to offering the people of India a zero-emission UAM solution in the future that will be quiet, efficient, and accessible,” said André Stein, co-CEO of Eve.
The emergence of electric aviation with eVTOL vehicles is expected to significantly reduce the carbon footprint, noise and cost of flying, making it more accessible to the masses.
AIRBUS ExTENDS COLLABORATION wITH ECOCOPTER FOR URBAN AIR MOBILITy SERVICES IN CHILE, ECUADOR AND PERU
Marignane. airbus and ecocopter have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to start collaborating on the launch of urban air mobility services across various countries in Latin america. This is a major step toward the co-creation of a functioning urban air mobility ecosystem in the region. With this agreement, the partners will explore and define seaTTLe. Boeing and ethiopian airlines announced the signing of a Memorandum of launch scenarios for air mobility operations, notably in ecuador, Chile and Peru. This includes Understanding with the intent to purchase five 777-8 Freighters, the industry’s newest, joint activities to develop UaM operations over the continent, as well as ways to target first use most capable and most fuel-efficient twin-engine freighter. The MoU to order the 777-8 cases and pilot cities and regions. This partnership is an expansion of the manufacturer’s strong Freighter will enable ethiopian airlines to meet expanding global cargo demand from its relationship with ecocopter, who operates a fleet primarily comprised of airbus helicopters hub in addis ababa and position the carrier for long-term sustainable growth.for aerial work missions in a variety of industrial sectors. established in 2003, ecocopter is a Boeing launched the new 777-8 Freighter in january and has already booked 34 firm reference in highly complex aerial work missions in south america. its fleet of airbus helicopters, orders for the model, which features the advanced technology from the new 777x family and consisting of 16 h125s, two h135s, and three h145s, is characterised by their high versatility and proven performance of the market-leading 777 Freighter. With payload capacity nearly identical to the 747-400 Freighter and a 30% improvement in perform missions ranging from offshore transport, mining support, medical evacuation, firefighting, and almost the entire range of aerial work missions. fuel efficiency, emissions and operating costs, the 777-8 Freighter will enable a more sustainable and profitable business for operators. ethiopian in september 2021, airbus unveiled its evTOL prototype Cityairbus nextGen, to explore advanced air mobility technologies and bring urban air mobility airlines currently operates nine 777 Freighters, connecting africa with more than 40 cargo centres throughout asia, europe, the Middle east and services to life. With an operational range of 80 km and a cruise speed of 120 km/h, it has been developed to be suited for a range of deployments in americas. The carrier’s fleet also includes three 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighters and a combined commercial fleet of more than 80 Boeing urban areas and beyond. The Company just announced the construction of a dedicated centre to test the aircraft’s systems in the lead up to its maiden jets including 737s, 767s, 787s and 777s.flight. airbus is also working closely with industrial and institutional partners to lead the development of urban air mobility ecosystems, as recently announced with iTa airways in italy, or through the launch of the air Mobility initiative in Germany.
