Via Dubai Magazine | January 2015 by Nadd Al Shiba PR & Event Management

Monthly Newsletter issued by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority

www.viadubaionline.com

Issue 20 January 2015

Inside DCAA DCAA celebrates 2 70th anniversary of Chicago Convention National Day Best Decoration competition

UAE in Focus UAE, Sierra Leone 10 signs open skies deal EKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s half year profit rises eight per cent

Business Aviation booming in the Middle East

Dubai International records 11 busiest weekend in history

Middle East 12 Jeddah airport expansion work on target

Cyber-attacks are one of emerging threats to aviation sector

Beyond The Boom

International 16 Adelaide Airport reveals 30-year plan

Airlines

Invigorating the Global Economy

ATM 30

Opinion

flynas suspends long- 18 haul services

Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first RTS for Ornskoldsvik airport

Obaid Saif Al Nuaimi

Tony Tyler

In Focus 22

ASEAN in the next 20 years

Airports in Western Hemisphere

Michael Huerta

Cargo & Logistics 24

Le Luong Minh

Future growth must be sensible

Technology 26

Mike Mrdak

Message from the President 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.

General Supervision Mohammed Abdulla Ahli Coordinator Hanan Al Mazimi Executive Editor Mohammed Abdul Mannan Creative Manager Mohammed Al Jarouf 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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Tel +971 4 25 66 707 Fax +971 4 25 66 704 info@naddalshiba.com www.naddalshiba.com

Stamp of significance

ignificant events are reflected in the themes of the special postage stamps released by the postal authorities.

Last month, Emirates Post, in collaboration with the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), issued three postal stamps to highlight civil aviation’s history in the Emirate of Dubai. The event was held on 7th December 2014, namely on the 70th anniversary of the Convention on International Civil Aviation or Chicago Convention as it is commonly known, and the 20th Anniversary of the International Civil Aviation Day. The stamps celebrated Dubai’s inspiring civil aviation growth and development since 1937, when it became the first in the world to pursue what is now known as Open Skies policy as a result of signing the Dubai Commercial Air Agreement. The UAE is a Member-State of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) since 1972 and has also taken several initiatives to contribute to the growth of international air transport. The Emirate of Dubai has worked closely with the ICAO in a number of initiatives which has shown tremendous progress through the years. Our aviation industry has a proud past, characterized by stunning innovation and breathtaking growth. Vision and entrepreneurial spirit have propelled Dubai’s amazing development.

Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum

The aviation vision of late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum has been carried forward strongly by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai. In many ways, the proud history and tremendous growth of Dubai airport mirrors the development of Dubai. The tremendous success achieved by the aviation industry in Dubai reflects the development journey of Dubai. It is further proof that through vision, innovation, collaboration and hard work, great things can be achieved. Each member of the Dubai aviation sector has contributed to the success. The emergence of Dubai as a leading global aviation centre is the result of a carefully constructed and well executed model that effectively harnesses the emirate’s geo-centric location and provides a liberal regulatory regime which fosters competition, business-friendly environment and a customer-centric focus. Dubai is all geared to continue its successful journey into the future.

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

facebook.com/pages/Dubai-Civil-Aviation-Authority/299170846763911

twitter.com/DcaaDubai

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Message

from the Director General

Mohammed Abdulla Ahli

Business Aviation flying high

he successful hosting of the biennial Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA) Show in Dubai from December 8 to 10,2014, with a 16 per cent increase in exhibitors clearly reflects the upward growth curve being recorded by business aviation sector in the region. The event was utilized by the Dubai World Central (DWC) to announce the ground breaking ceremony for an Executive Terminal.

The 6,000-square-metre Executive Terminal in the Aviation District is scheduled to be completed in Q4 2015. DWC is partnering with industry leaders to build a complete ecosystem for a world-class aerotropolis and the Executive Terminal is a step in the right direction. Business Aviation is a key component of the overall aviation industry landscape in the Emirate of Dubai. By 2020, aviation, according to Oxford Economics study, is projected to contribute $53.1 billion to Dubai’s economy and 37.5 per cent to its GDP. With Dubai being strategically located at less than an eight hour flight from two thirds of the world, leading business aviation companies are being benefitted with the location advantage and the excellent aviation facilities that are available to them. A study shows that the average number of hours a UAE businessman flies on a private jet is between 100 and 150 per year. Over 65 per cent of Middle East’s business aviation traffic is concentrated in the GCC region. A report says the Middle East region will need more than 400 business aircraft by 2018, of which more than 200 would be needed by2015, valued at some $3.89 billion. We will continue to develop and expand business aviation in the coming years in line with our growth strategies.

January 2015

DCAA celebrates 70th anniversary of Chicago Convention

he Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) joined the global community in celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the Convention on International Civil Aviation commonly known as Chicago Convention, on December 7th. Three commemorative postal stamps were released in Dubai to mark the history-defining event. Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of DCAA, said the event provided an opportunity to recollect the developments leading to the signing of the Chicago Convention by 54 States at the Stevens Hotel in Chicago on 7th December 1944. In addition to this, the International Air Transport Agreement and the International Air Services Transit Agreement were also prepared as annexes to this convention, he added. He recalled that the Chicago Convention and ICAO was formed by the provisions of the Chicago Convention and the UAE became a Member-State in 1972. The Chicago Convention and ICAO paved the way for the development of civil aviation across the world. The UAE has been working closely with the ICAO for several decades, supporting its activities in numerous ways. One of the major events was the hosting of the first Air Services Negotiation Conference (ICAN2008) in Dubai in November 2008. The UAE also came forward to support the ICAO Global Symposium on Air Transport Liberalization which was held in Dubai in September 2006. He said the UAE was committed to continue with its efforts to support the development of international civil aviation for the benefit of the people and to preserve friendship and understanding amongst nations, whilst bearing in mind the importance of maintaining safe, secured and environment friendly aviation industry. He said the provisions of the Chicago Convention and the immense contribution of the ICAO provided the necessary regulatory framework for the development of international civil aviation and to create and preserve friendship and understanding among the nations and peoples of the world. The ICAO has also taken several initiatives to contribute to the growth of international air transport through sharing the knowledge and the expertise amongst those involved in the aviation industry. 

Inside DCAA

The Best Decoration for the 43rd National Day competition We would like to thank DCAA’s departments for their effective participation in the “Best Decoration for the 43rd National Day competition”, which was held on Wednesday 26/11/2014

January 2015

Inside DCAA

H.H. Sheikh Ahmed releases postal stamps on history of civil aviation

is Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, has released three commemorative postal stamps to mark historydefining civil aviation developments in the Emirate of Dubai. He unveiled the stamps at a ceremony held at the Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House in Shindagha, Dubai, in the presence of a large number of dignitaries which included His Excellency Mohammed Abdulla Ahli and Consul General for the US in Dubai, His Excellency Rob Waller. The first day cover and stamps have been issued by Empost to showcase the achievements in the civil aviation industry in the

January 2015

emirate on the occasion of the 70th Anniversary of the Convention on International Civil Aviation. H.H. Sheikh Ahmed said: “The provisions of the Chicago Convention and the immense contribution of the ICAO provided the necessary regulatory framework for the development of international civil aviation. The work of the ICAO in formulating the Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS) to ensure safe and secure operation of international civil aviation and its continuous efforts to improve the SARPS to meet numerous challenges is commendable.” He added: “The Emirate of Dubai has worked closely with the ICAO in a number of initiatives which has shown tremendous progress through the years. Dubai has de-

veloped the aviation infrastructure to provide necessary connectivity, facilities and other related services for the benefit of the global aviation industry and the travelling public. We are committed to continue with such contribution.” His Excellency Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, UAE’s Minister of Economy and Chairman of General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), in his message to Via Dubai, the newsletter of the DCAA, said: “I consider the Chicago Convention as an important Public International Law instrument that brought every State under one umbrella with a view to develop international civil aviation and preserve friendship and understanding among the nations and the people of the world. The UAE is proud to be associated with this Convention and the ICAO.”

Inside DCAA

“The UAE acceded to the Chicago Convection on 25th April 1972 and was elected as a member of the ICAO Council in 2007 and remained a member of the Council since then. The UAE has strengthened its participation and the contribution towards the development of the global aviation industry in many areas, such as, international cooperation, providing new infrastructure and facilities to facilitate international air transport, providing connectivity through its airlines, ensuring safe and secure aviation industry, providing air navigation services and protecting the environment,” he added. He said the aviation infrastructure in the UAE have been built and operated with modern and efficient equipment. The country provides connectivity through its seven airports, with Dubai International Airport being ranked amongst the top two airports for passenger movement globally. The development of infrastructure demonstrates UAE’s commitment to facilitate global connectivity. He remarked: “The UAE carriers have been providing innovative service and efficient connectivity to the traveling public by connecting the continents. There are over 100 scheduled carriers operating through the airports in the UAE. The UAE has signed over 122 fully liberalized and/or open skies agreements with ICAO Member States. This amply demonstrates our liberal approach in the air transport industry.”

His Excellency Mohammed Ahli, Director General of DCAA, said: “The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority has been working closely with the ICAO for several decades, supporting its activities in numerous ways. DCAA is committed to continue with its efforts to support the development of international civil aviation for the benefit of the people and to preserve friendship and understanding amongst nations, whilst bearing in mind the importance of maintaining safe, secure and environmentfriendly aviation industry.”He added: “In order to pay our tribute to our Rulers for their vision and contribution in the avia-

tion sector, we have joined hands with EMPOST, to issue three stamps that reflect the three eras that converged, the wonderful journey of civil aviation in Dubai, from the creek to a twin airport city, and takings its airlines, Emirates and flydubai to greater heights, besides other areas of the aviation industry.” At the ceremony, the DCAA honoured its strategic partners – Emirates Airlines, flydubai, Dubai Duty Free, Dubai Customs, Dubai Police and General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA-Dubai).  January 2015

DCAA Interview

Cyber-attacks are one of emerging threats to aviation sector Stakeholders working together greatest strength of Dubai

n an exclusive interview with Via Dubai, Obaid Saif Al Nuaimi, Assistant Director of Aviation Security and Accident Investigation Department at the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) share insights into the performance of the department, the latest industry trends and concerns and the future plans.

Tell us briefly about the role and responsibilities of your department?

Aviation Security and Accident Investigation Department has three sections. The Aviation Security Section is responsible for ensuring, through a process of inspections and audits, which the security processes at each of Dubai’s two airports, comply with international and federal standards. The Section reviews and accepts Aircraft Operator Security Programmes of new and current operators that fly into Dubai’s airports. The Section also reviews and accepts the Airport Security Programme of both Dubai International and Al Maktoum International airports. The Accident Investigation Section is responsible for ensuring that accidents and incidents, involving damage to aircraft or injuries to people, are investigated and reported upon with a view to ensuring corrective actions and non-repetitions. The Dangerous Goods Section is responsible for the approval process of applications by aircraft operators or cargo agents to carry Dangerous Goods under IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations Class 1 and 7, into or through Dubai airports. The Section carries out regular inspections of Dangerous Goods storage facilities and handling processes, in order to ensure compliance with international and federal Dangerous Goods Regulations .

January 2015

44 per cent increase in registered customers for dangerous goods transportation NOCs How has been the performance of your department in 2014?

This year has been equally challenging as the previous year given the rapid pace of growth and expansion of the aviation industry in the Emirate of Dubai. The air traffic has increased at both Dubai International and Al Maktoum International airports; there have been more passengers, more cargo and more aircraft movements in 2014 compared with 2013. For our department, it has been a year of high performance with improvements in several KPIs like suspicious dangerous goods inspections and issuance of NoCs for transportation of dangerous goods under IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations Class 1 and 7 and firearms. Until October 2014, there has been 147 per cent increase in the number of suspicious dangerous goods inspections we have carried out compared with the corresponding period in 2013. Similarly, there has been a 44 per cent increase in the number of customers who registered with us for obtaining NoCs for dan-

gerous goods transportation under IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations Class 1 and 7 through our E-services. The Authority issued 9764 No Objection Certificates (NoCs) for Dangerous Goods transportation by air in 2013, while 686 approvals were given for Firearms transportation last year. In the first half of 2014, as many as 4344 and 346 NOCs were issued for the Dangerous Goods and Firearms, respectively. We have four employees – all UAE nationals – working in Dangerous Goods Section. Two of them are IATA-certified, while the remaining two will undergo IATA certification course next year.

What are the major challenges your department face in ensuring compliance of rules and regulations by the stakeholders?

In the recent years, a number of new international and federal rules and regulations have been introduced concerning the aviation security and dangerous goods transportation in line with the requirements of the changing times dictated more by the advancement of technology. We are tasked with greater responsibilities to ensure that all the updated rules and regulations are adhered to by the stakeholders in the aviation industry in the Emirate of Dubai. The greatest challenge for us is ensure that the pace of growth of our aviation industry

DCAA Interview is not getting hampered with these changes in rules and regulations while ensuring the safety and security aspects of the whole operations. The growth of aviation industry also prompts us to revisit our future growth and expansion strategy to keep the regulatory aspects compatible with these changes. We have been forced to look at the Big Picture. We have to revise our business plans, future strategies, manpower planning and financial budgeting based on the changes in the aviation industry in the Emirate of Dubai. It is a continuous work in progress scenario. Our department is working towards keeping itself in the forefront taking into account the massive growth in the aviation industry in general and the two Dubai airports in particular. The department works and collaborates with other industry stakeholders like General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Dubai Airports and Airport Police to ensure Dubaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s excellent record of performance and growth is well maintained.

What are major projects that your department plans to take up in 2015?

We plan to enlarge the scope of our work of inspection of dangerous goods outside the airportsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; premises. We are in the process of framing policies and procedures for carry-

147 per cent rise in inspections for suspicious dangerous goods shipments ing out inspection of warehouses of cargo companies in the Emirate of Dubai who deals with dangerous goods transportation to ensure that they are in line with the international and federal regulations and standards. This way we will be able to enhance the level of excellence and good track record that we already have. The challenge for us is to bring down violations of any sort in this domain.

What are the new and emerging security threats and risks for the aviation security?

Cyber-attacks are one of emerging threats to aviation sector given the continual and rapid integration of new technologies, the aviation industry keeps expanding, changing, and becoming increasingly connected The International Air Transport Association (IATA) had launched its Aviation Cyber Security Toolkit which helps the air transport industry, including airlines, airports and air traffic management, to identify, assess and mitigate, among others, cyber risks in IT infrastructure across their operations.

The aviation industry is being increasingly burdened with identifying cyber threats and identifying ways to protect the critical IT infrastructures. These include reservation systems, departure control, aircraft maintenance, crew planning and flight management as well as technologies for electronic flight bags, eenablement of aircraft and air traffic management. In 2011, the ICAO updated the Annexure 17 and Aviation Security Manual to incorporate the issues associated with cyber attacks. The aviation security threats and risks are evolving as fast as the technology and innovation and one cannot sit idle. We have to be ahead of those who are keen on threatening the aviation industry through disruptive practices. We have an effective cooperation and coordination mechanism in place for ensuring the safety and security for our aviation industry. Every stakeholder, from Dubai Airports to Dubai Police and GCAA, works towards ensuring that our excellent track record remains unblemished. In Dubai, we cannot work alone. We have been working together effectively for better results. Working together is our greatest strength and key factor for our success story. ď&#x201A;&#x192;

January 2015

Special Report

MEBA Show 2014:

Business Aviation booming in ME

ubai hosted the biennial MEBA Show. The third largest business aviation B2B platform in the world attracted 420 exhibitors for the sixth edition.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, inaugurated the biennial Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA) show at the new purposebuilt Dubai Airshow site in Dubai World Central (DWC) on December 8. The Middle East’s premier business aviation event has been designed for everyone involved in chartering, leasing, selling, purchasing, operating and servicing business and VIP jets. In addition to the exhibition, the three-day event featured a static display of the latest business aircraft. The 2014 edition saw more than 420 exhibitors from across the globe and over 8000 visitors during the three-day run. This year’s MEBA has grown by 16 per cent over the 2012 edition, with more exhibitors from more countries than ever before. Escorted by Ali Ahmed Al Naqbi, Founding Chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) and His Excellency Khalifa Al Zafeen, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation, and His Excellency Jamal Al Hai, Deputy CEO of Dubai Airports, Sheikh Ahmed spent two hours touring the show, stopping at the stands of a number of

January 2015

exhibitors, including Jet Aviation, Haeco Private Jet, Ivory Jet Services, Alpha Star, XJet, Qatar Executive and Etihad Airways. Ali Al Naqbi, Founding Chairman of MEBAA, said: “We face exciting times in the business and private aviation sector, with growth anticipated to around 1300 business aircraft registered, generating business worth $1.3 billion by 2020. Business aviation growth in the region is a key to strengthening global ties and bolstering commercial success.” With exhibitors coming from all corners of the globe, MEBA really is demonstrating its position as the place to explore opportunities in business aviation for new and existing users. With Dubai being strategically located at less than an eight hour flight from two thirds of the world, the show really is the place to meet and network with the world’s leading business aviation companies and view the multitude of available aircraft and leasing options. Organised by F&E Aerospace on behalf of MEBAA, this year’s show took place on 75,000 square metres including 26 chalets and a static display for up to 50 business aircraft. Among the aircraft on display were an Airbus Corporate Jet ACJ391, a Boeing Business Jet 737-300 as well as aircraft

from Bombardier and Gulfstream, among others. This year, Emirates Executive and Etihad joined returning exhibitors, Qatar Executive and Saudia Private Aviation, for showcasing their executive aviation offerings. Over the years MEBA has grown in line with the business aviation market in the Middle East, reflecting the potential of the industry to reach predicted heights of 1200 registered aircraft, 175000 movements and a total sector value of $1.3 billion by 2020. Emirates Executive showcased its Airbus A319 among the MEBA static display. The A319 seats 19, and sleeps 15 (with ten private suites), and has a maximum range of 7,000 kilometres. Emirates’ offering also includes its in-flight entertainment, live TV, video conferencing facilities and highspeed internet and mobile phone connectivity. Qatar Executive took the opportunity to showcase its brand-new Bombardier Global 5000 Vision, which features an elegant two cabin configuration with a separate galley, allowing discrete service and maximum comfort for up to 13 passengers. Etihad Airways has demonstrated ability to appeal to the luxury market with this year’s launch of “The Residences” three-room suites on its new

Special Report

Airbus A380s, the first of which will enter service between Abu Dhabi and London Heathrow on December 27. Honeywell Aerospace enjoyed an enormous amount of interest on its stand, which featured a world-first 3D cockpit and cabin visualization suite, enabling visitors to experience the USheadquartered company’s technology solutions in an immersive environment. Honeywell Aerospace has secured three deals at the show. Construction and facilities management giant Saudi Oger has signed with Honeywell Aerospace as its first Boeing Business Jet avionics maintenance plan customer in the Middle East. Dutch firm Fokker Services, a VIP completions and refurbishments company, unveiled its groundbreaking SkyView window at MEBAA Show for the first time. The new window is as wide as three conventional aircraft windows on a next generation Boeing 737, and 30 per cent taller. UAS International Trip Support has attended every MEBAA Show since its inception 12 years ago, but the 2014 edition is the UAE-headquartered company’s best event to date, with an enormously positive atmosphere within the exhibition hall. BBJ chose the event to reveal an order from charter operator, Comlux, for two BBJ Max 8s; the Swiss VIP company’s first BBJ order. CAE, the global training provider, took advantage of the large number of visitors at MEBA to announce the expansion of its training network in the Middle East. The company plans to deploy full-flight simulators and training programmes for a range of aircraft including training for the Boeing 747-8 and 787 and Dassault’s Falcon 5X; alongside full-flight simulators for Bombadier, Gulfstream, Bell and Sikorsky, starting in the next 18 months.

Rockwell Collins’ market-leading Venue cabin management and entertainment system and

audio/video on-demand (AVOD) streaming solution have been selected by an undisclosed customer for a wide-body Airbus A340 business jet. The comprehensive cabin package will be installed in mid-2015. Royal Jet, one of the Middle East’s oldest private charter companies, confirmed a raft of new aircraft are joining its fleet, including two Bombardier Learjet 60 XRs and two Global 5000 business jets.

operate the aircraft for the company’s own use with the option to charter. Alpha Star Aviation Services and AFI KLM E&M signed an amendment to the component support contract covering Alpha Star expansion group’s airbus fleet.

Dubai-headquartered Hadid International Services, provider of flight support for more than 30 years, revealed ambitious plans to expand its global reach. The company is opening branches in the US, India, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malaysia, Brazil, South Africa and Ethiopia, bringing its global presence to 19 offices.

Global Jet Centre, a company specialized in air charter solutions, has officially launched in the UAE. Founded in November 2013 at Al Maktoum International Airport in DWC, the company offers its clients selected aircraft from a global network of partner operators and a wide scope of services ranging from business, leisure and group traveling. Global Jet Centre has a 24/7 availability to receive requests from customers and source the right aircraft.

Dassault Aviation announced the sale of a Falcon 5X ultra-wide body twin jet to Wallan Aviation, the prominent Middle East general aviation company. The 5,200 nm 5X will be delivered in 2018 and Wallan Aviation will

NetJets Europe, the world’s largest private fleet operator, after an initial foray into the Middle East last decade, has returned to the region with renewed plans to tap the growing demand for business aviation services. 

DWC inks deal for aircraft painting facility Dubai World Central (DWC) has signed a strategic agreement with STTS Group to invest in an aircraft painting facility. The Blagnac, Francebased STTC will invest in a multi-purpose facility worth over AED150 million, initially catering to narrow body airlines, VIP aircraft and business jets, including the Airbus A380. Scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2017, it will be the Middle

East’s first independent aircraft facility to use state-of-the-art OEM-approved painting technology. It will be built to handle 25 wide body aircraft and 35 narrow body aircraft on an annual basis. The STTS facility adds to the DWC aviation and aerospace ecosystem, which now includes the recently announced 13,705 square metre Falcon VIP Completion Centre.  January 2015

UAE in Focus

UAE, Sierra Leone signs open skies deal

he UAE has signed an open skies agreement with the Sierra Leone.

The deal was signed by Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, UAE Minister of Economy and Chairman of General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and Leonard Balogun Koroma, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Transport and Aviation, in the presence of Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of GCAA. The two delegations agreed that any number of designated airlines of both parties will have the right

to perform scheduled air services between the two countries. The MoU allows full flexibility on the routes, capacity, number of frequencies and types of aircraft, in any type of service (passenger or cargo). The signed memorandum also includes the exercise of fifth freedom traffic rights. In addition, both Parties agreed to allow unrestricted non-scheduled / charter operations between the two countries. Al Suwaidi stressed the importance of open sky agreements

like the one signed with Sierra Leone, which will contribute to boost trade, tourism and investment between UAE and

Africa. The UAE now has air services agreements with over 164 countries, of which 87 are open skies agreements. 

EK’s half year profit rises eight per cent During the first six months period, Emirates received 13 wide-body aircraft – 6 A380s, 7 Boeing 777s, with 11 more new aircraft scheduled to be delivered before the end of the financial year in March 2015. Emirates expanded its global route network by launching services to four new destinations – Abuja, Chicago, Oslo, and Brussels - bringing its total number of destinations to 146 across 83 countries, up from 137 cities in 77 countries last year. The Emirates Group reported its employee base had increased five percent to over 79,000 in the six months. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group, said as the biggest operator at Dubai International, the airline also took the biggest hit to its bottom line from the 80-day runway upgrading works.

mirates Airline has reported a half year net profit of AED1.9 billion, a year-onyear increase of eight percent, despite issues such as the disruption caused by the upgrading of the Dubai International Airport runway and the cancellation of some flights to Africa due to the Ebola outbreak.

January 2015

During the first half of the financial year 2014-15, Emirates reported continued business growth, with revenue of AED44.2 billion, a rise of 11 percent year-on-year. Capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASKM), grew by 6.5 percent, whilst passenger traffic carried measured in Revenue Pas-

senger Kilometres (RPKM) was up 9.8 percent. The airline carried 23 million passengers during the six month period and Passenger Seat Factor (PSF) averaged 81.5 percent, compared with 79.2 percent last year. The volume of cargo carried also increased by 5.4 percent.

“However, we had anticipated it and made meticulous plans to minimise impact operationally and commercially for both Emirates and dnata. The success of these plans can be seen in our overall growth during this six-month period in spite of the challenge,” he added. 

UAE in Focus

Dubai International records busiest weekend in history

ubai International Airport witnessed its busiest weekend when its three terminals welcomed a total of 638,317 passengers during December 18 to 20. December 19 was the busiest day for the airport in terms of departures, with traffic reaching 112,111 passengers, while December 20 was the busiest for overall traffic with 216,807 passengers passing through the hub. The influx of passengers was managed without a glitch following days of planning and preparation by operator Dubai Airports, partners and government authorities. On an average, the airport welcomes 160,000 passengers a day.

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said: “We are very pleased that passenger traffic through our terminals remained smooth and we were able to maintain the quality of our customer service despite the record traffic numbers.” He added: “It was the result of meticulous planning and preparations and close coordination between Dubai Airports and stakeholders including Emirates and all the other airlines, dnata, Dubai Police, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA-Dubai) and Dubai Customs amongst others. We also received a lot of support from our customers who responded positively to our awareness campaign by arriving early to the airport to beat the rush.” 

Burj Al Arab turns 15

urj Al Arab, the world’s most luxurious hotel and the flagship property of Jumeirah Group, has embarked on a year of milestone celebrations to mark 15 years as the pinnacle of Arabian hospitality.Ever since its doors opened on 1 December 1999, Burj Al Arab has watched Dubai’s transformation from a trading port to become one of the world’s fastest growing cities, and has contributed greatly to placing the city on the world map. Burj Al Arab’s lustre and grandeur continues to amaze visitors and stands as one of the world’s most recognizable buildings. It has set the gold standard for luxury hotel experiences, has won close to 100 prestigious awards since its opening.

Gerald Lawless, President and Group CEO, Jumeirah Group, said: “The original vision of UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to make the Burj Al Arab the internationally recognised symbol of Dubai has been achieved.” “Today when one looks at landmark buildings around the world, what comes to mind will be the Sydney Opera House, the Eiffel Tower, the Taj Mahal and, of course, Burj Al Arab symbolizing the great city of Dubai, and the objectives and ambitions of His Highness.”The commemoration will begin on 1 December 2014 with a spectacular fireworks show combined with‎3D mapping projection on its famed sail. 

Dubai Tram launched

is Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, launched the first phase of the Dubai Tram network on November 12 and was the first passenger to travel on the stateof-the-art transit system. Served by 11 stations, the 10.6km network winds through the densely populated areas of Al Sufouh, Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence, while also serving Dubai Media City, Knowledge Village and The Palm Jumeirah. The Dubai Tram is the first tram outside Europe powered by ground-based electric cables extending throughout the tramway, avoiding the need for hanging cables.

It is also the first tram in the world to utilise platform screen doors, which synchronize with the opening and closing of the tram doors, to provide additional safety to riders. Each tram can accommodate up to 405 passengers in its seven carriages, and like the Dubai Metro, it has Gold, Women and Children, and Silver cabins. The Dubai Tram is a brainchild of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Dubai’s public transport agency, RTA, is expected to begin the second phase of the tram project soon. The second stage of the Dubai Tram will extend to 14.6 km.  January 2015

Middle East in Focus

Jeddah airport expansion work on target

ore than 69 percent of the work on the new King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) expansion project has been completed, according to Prince Fahd bin Abdullah, President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). The project is in line with GACA’s 2020 strategy, which seeks to develop the Kingdom’s 27 domestic, regional and international airports, he told Arab News, following a recent visit to the project site. The strategy aims to raise the capacity of Saudi Arabia’s airports to more than 100 million travelers by 2020. GACA plans will meet the market needs for air traffic services in the most populous country on the Arabian Peninsula until 2040. The first phase of King Khaled International Airport expansion project is likely to be completed by 2017. After the expansion; it can accommodate 35 million passengers annually in its first phase and 47 million in the second phase.

The capacity of Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah will rise to 4 million a year when the first phase of the expansion scheme ends by early 2015. Its capacity will reach eight million to 12 million in the second phase. Jazan’s regional airport, which will move to a new location, is expected to accommodate 3.6 million passengers a year. The relocation project has been awarded to a contractor and will be executed within three-and-a-half years. The airport at Abha will boost its capacity to five

Iran plans $2.8 billion airport expansion

ran plans a $2.8 billion expansion of Tehran’s main international airport and France’s Bouygues SA is among companies to express interest, the local consulting company on the proposal said. The project at hand is for a new terminal with the capacity to handle 20 million passengers, Mohammad Kiaie, chairman and chief executive officer of Tehran-

based Rah Shahr International Group, told Bloomberg. A tender could take place as soon as two months from now.Iran is seeking lifting of sanctions imposed over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear programme, opening a market of 75 million people to foreign companies. Aviation is among the areas most affected by the sanctions, which have left the country unable to modernize its fleet of commercial planes. 

million passengers from 1.1 million at present at the end of its expansion. Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz Regional Airport in Qassim will accommodate 3.2 million passengers, up from the previous 750000-capacity, in three years’ time. Arar’s three-year development project will see a 10-fold increase in its capacity to one million passengers per year. AlJouf’s domestic airport project, to be completed in two years, will accommodate around 1.1 million passengers, up from 256,000 passengers pre-expansion. 

ME passenger growth to remain high until 2034

he International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its first 20-year passenger growth forecast, projecting that passenger numbers are expected to reach 7.3 billion by 2034. That represents a 4.1 per cent average annual growth in demand for air connectivity that will result in more than a doubling of the 3.3 billion passengers expected to travel this year. By 2034, Kuwait will be among the eight of the ten fastestgrowing markets in percentage terms. Intra-Pakistan, Kuwait-Thailand, UAE-Ethiopia, Colombia-Ecuador and intraHonduras travel will all grow by at least 9.5 per cent on average for the next 20 years.

January 2015

“In 20 years’ time we can expect aviation to be supporting around 105 million jobs and $6 trillion in GDP,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO. The first century of air travel has seen about 65 billion passengers take to the sky. The next 65 billion will fly in just the next 20 years, he added. Routes to, from and within Asia-Pacific will see an extra 1.8 billion annual passengers by 2034, for an overall market size of 2.9 billion. In relative terms it will increase its size compared to other regions to 42 per cent of global passenger traffic, and its annual average growth rate, 4.9 per cent, will be the jointhighest with the Middle East. 

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Middle East in Focus

NATS opens dedicated Middle East office

ir traffic management specialists, NATS, has opened its headquarters for the Middle East and North Africa region, in Dubai. The UK-headquartered company also outlined its long term commitment to the region and its desire to work in collaboration with local service providers, regulators, airlines and airports, to find appropriate solutions to meet the aviation growth aspirations of the GCC.John Swift, Director, NATS Middle East, said: “A permanent, on the ground presence covering the MENA region is a major milestone for us. NATS has successfully completed projects in Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and the UAE, but having a dedicated regional office is a clear sign of our long term commitment

to working in partnership with the aviation community, especially as it seeks to harness aviation as an economic engine for growth.

Saudia on the right track

NATS’ air traffic controllers handled over two million flights carrying 220 million passengers last year, and the business generated revenues of over $1.45 billion. 

MEA to open pilot training centre

iddle East Airlines (MEA) will launch Lebanon’s first pilot training center in March 2015.

MEA chairman Mohammad al-Hout said the pilot training center will be a part of the larger Middle East Aviation Academy, set to open its doors in just over a year. The center, set to be completed by early 2016, will consist of a 14,000 square meter complex above ground and 23,000 square meter underground facility. The pilot training center would be equipped with a conference room and an airbus flight simulator.

audia reported an 11 percent increase in passengers in the first half of the 2014, carrying 14,082,198 passengers compared to the 12,677,839 carried in the same period in 2013. Aviation data monitoring firm FlightStats reported that the carrier achieved above 90 percent on-time performance, well above those of GCC rivals Emirates, Etihad and Qatar. Former director general of Saudi Arabian Airlines, Khaled Al-Molhem, believes that Saudi Arabian Airlines needs foreign carriers to share some of its load on domestic routes, to allow it to cash in on more lucrative international markets.

He says 80 per cent of passengers flying out of Saudi Arabia on Gulf carriers were travelling outside the GCC – passengers that Saudia are keen on targeting in the future.

Previously, pilots who have to renew their flight licenses would travel to Jordan or Frankfurt to conduct yearly exams on flight simulators. 

He remarked: “We have 50 planes operating on domestic routes; (putting) assets here takes away our ability to grow internationally and we lose out on potential traffic. We know our neighbours are taking advantage of the connectivity between East and West.” Saudi Arabia has issued licenses to two airlines for domestic operations in September 2012. Saudi Gulf is predicting a first quarter 2015 start, while Al Maha will also start sometime in 2015.  January 2015

International

Helsinki airport to expand services

inavia has outlined its development programme for expanding Helsinki Airport.

Continuing until 2020 and costing EUR900 million, the plans for increasing transfer traffic capacity will be based on a one roof concept in which also new services will be located in a single building.Finavia selected a model in which the plan is to expand the existing terminal instead of building a separate satellite terminal, which was also an option at one point.

Adelaide Airport reveals 30-year plan

In addition to the extension of the terminal, there will be more aircraft stands on the apron and additional de-icing capacity. There will be more parking spots for both wide-bodied and narrow-bodied planes. Between 10 and 14 additional passenger bridges are planned. Finavia intends to expand Terminal 2 to cover the ground traffic area so that the checkin, security control and baggage drop will all take place in one departure/arrival hall. 

ustralia’s fastest growing airport, Adelaide Airport, has revealed its 30-year vision to become a business centre for the Asia Pacific region. The plan includes a strong increase in international traffic and $1 billion worth of infrastructure investment in the next five years.The investment will be spent on tripling aerobridge capacity, an expanded business district and an embedded hotel, according to Mark Young, managing director of Adelaide Airport. “Adelaide Airport’s vision is to be a top tier Airport Business centre

European airports ‘proactive’ in new technologies usage

ccording to the 11th edition of SITA / ACI Airport IT Trends Survey, approximately 47 per cent of the airports put passenger and airport security at the top of their IT agenda.

airports expect to see their passengers use selfservice check-ins by 2017.Approximately 60 per cent of airports are planning to increase their numbers of common-use kiosks as they have been seen to be popular among passengers.

More than 80 per cent of the airports said that they would invest in the IT to give their passengers a more connected experience in the next three years. Self-service and mobile-based services were key areas of investment.The survey covered global airports that have handled a total of 2.35 billion passengers or 42 per cent of the overall passenger traffic in the past year.

SITA CEO Francesco Violante said: “This is the age of the connected traveller with nearly all passengers carrying mobiles, tablets and other devices.

Roughly 63 per cent of airports have expressed their intention of spending more on technology in 2014. The amount of investment in this sector is estimated to reach $6.8 billion. The next three years will see 86 per cent of airports invest more in multi-service kiosks, self-bag drop and self-boarding services. Three-quarters of

January 2015

in Asia Pacific, recognized for delivering exceptional outcomes to our customers, partners, shareholders and community,” he said at the launch of the 30-year plan.He added: “Our international services are up by 23 per cent in 2013/14 - more than three times our nearest competitor. Over the past three years our international seat capacity has increased by almost 70 per cent.” Direct flights to Los Angeles are a significant addition that will open the US market to passengers and business. Direct flights to Thailand, Vietnam and Christchurch are also on the cards. 

Japan unveils first passenger jet in four decades

apan has unveiled the first passenger aircraft to be made in in nearly four decades.Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, a military contractor best known for its “Zero” Second World War fighter, pulled back the curtain on its new Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), a fuel-efficient, nextgeneration aircraft that claims to offer more passenger comfort with lower operating costs.

It is vital that airports invest in the infrastructure to support the changing expectations of these passengers.”

The jet, which will be delivered to customers from 2017 and was built with assistance from Boeing, was unveiled at a ceremony in Komaki, near the central city of Nagoya.

Close to 60 per cent of airports will be investing in geo-location technology, which helps airports to provide location-based services to passengers and staff. Innovative technologies such as near-field communications (NFC), iBeacon programmes and investigating wearable technologies have also caught the attention of the aviation industry, with airports planning to invest in these technologies in the next three years. 

“The dream of a Japanese-made product that can be proudly presented to the world for top-notch efficiency and top-notch passenger comfort is finally coming true,” said Mitsubishi Heavy Industries chairman Hideaki Omiya.Japan’s aviation sector last built a commercial airliner in 1962 — the YS-11 turboprop. It was discontinued about a decade later. 

International

Frankfurt airport to install 45 ETD units

irport operator Fraport has selected Morpho (Safran) to supply 45 Itemiser DX explosives trace detectors (ETD) to be installed at Frankfurt Airport. The light and portable desktop system detects traces of explosives on skin, clothing, carried items, bags, vehicles and other surfaces. Installation of the detectors will enable Frankfurt meet the European Union’s latest regulations on screening of personnel, materials and concessions

entering secure areas of airports.Fraport project manager Markus Volnhals said: “Working with Morpho Detection has allowed us to maintain regulatory compliance while enhancing our screening capabilities without impacting the flow of goods and personnel.”Morpho launched Itemiser DX in 2009 and has deployed approximately 5,000 units at various airport checkpoints, checked baggage and air cargo screening facilities, critical infrastructure and secure locations worldwide. 

$1 billion investment for Washington airport

SITA revamps network service offer for airports

ITA is transforming its global network and communication services to offer airlines and airports more value and greater capacity to meet their changing business needs.

he operator of Ronald Reagan Washington National airport has reached an agreement with airlines to invest about $1 billion in the airport over the next decade. The programme includes a new regional concourse connected to the north pier, connecting the three terminal B/C piers inside security by relocating security

checkpoints to level three from level two and a new car park and planning for renovations of terminal A.Margaret McKeough, chief operating officer of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), said the programme is part of the new 10-year use and lease agreement that the operator has reached with airlines and will enter into force on 1 January 2015. 

The air transport communications specialist says the development of the hybrid airline business model, entry into service of e-enabled aircraft, adoption of cloud-based solutions and the growing need for flexible on-demand services at airports are some of the major industry trends calling for a new generation of global network services. Working with Orange Business Services (OBS), and with five regional service providers, as well as expanding its communications capabilities at air-

ports, SITA has strengthened the reach; focus on operational excellence and relevance of its network services for the air transport industry. As part of the new connectivity offering, SITA has signed a five-year agreement with OBS, to provide network services in countries and territories worldwide. SITA will provide network services in additional locations directly and will also integrate and manage key regional providers in order to strengthen its global coverage. SITA is launching seasonal network services at airports, enabling airlines to test new routes, or operate seasonal destinations more cost effectively. 

Aberdeen and Glasgow airports sold in £1 billion deal

berdeen and Glasgow airports are being sold as part of a £1 billion deal that puts them back in the hands of former owner Ferrovial.

The Spanish infrastructure group, which bought airports operator BAA in 2006, has teamed up with Australian investor Macquarie to secure the acquisition, which also includes Southampton airport.Ferrovial paid £10.6 billion for BAA at the top of the market and retains a 25

per cent stake in the scaled-back group, now known as Heathrow Airport Holdings (HAH). HAH hopes to complete the deal in January 2015, subject to clearance from European regulators. The sale will leave the group with just one airport – Heathrow.The three airports being sold will continue to be managed locally.

A total of 3.4 million passengers and 118,000 flights pass through Aberdeen Airport each year. Some 2,500 people work at the Dyce terminal, including 259 airport employees. It is the world’s busiest commercial heliport, carrying more than 500,000 passengers for the North Sea oil and gas industry. Glasgow Airport handles about 7.4 million passengers and 80,000 flights a year.  January 2015

Airlines

flynas suspends long-haul services

Czech Airlines to lay off about one-third staff

SA Czech Airlines, the Czech Republic’s struggling flag carrier, joined the ranks of European airlines announcing staffing and cost cuts amid growing competition from low-cost carriers.Czech Airlines, 44 per cent owned by Korean Airlines, will lay off roughly one third of its staff and stop using several Airbus jets to reach industry benchmarks as demand on key routes in Eastern Europe fades, spokesman Daniel Sabik said.

audi Arabia’s first and only budget airline has suspended long-haul flights because profits on the routes did not meet expectations. Flynas chief executive Raja Azmi said: “We had some issues from a financial standpoint in terms of the profitability of some of the routes. We have taken a stand that we are suspending - not stopping - those routes for the moment and will relook at the whole situation again.”A statement posted on the airline’s website said: “flynas has suspended all long-haul flight services on its Global Flight Routes Program, including all flights to London Gatwick.” In April this year, flynas said its growth strategy would focus on developing long-haul flights to five or six new destinations including London, Manchester, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta, using Jeddah as a hub.The airline, 37 percent owned by Saudi investment firm Kingdom Holding and the rest by National Airline Services Holding, said it expected to grow at least 20 percent annually and turn profitable in 2014 after seven years of losses since it was founded. 

Boeing delivers Emirates 100th 777-300ER

mirates Airline has taken the delivery of its 100th 777-300ER (Extended Range), marking another milestone in a partnership with Boeing that began over two decades ago when the Dubai-based airline ordered its first 777. Emirates now has 142 777s in operation and is the only airline in the world to operate all the 777 variants. With a current direct backlog of 51 777-300ERs, the 777 also comprises the largest part of Emirates’ 213-strong fleet. Sir Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airline, said: “The Boeing 777-300ER is one of the most remarkable aircraft ever built. Our customers are equally excited by the aircraft and its on-board product, and to date over 108 million passengers have flown on an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER.” 

January 2015

Czech Airlines will lay off 70 of its 230 pilots, 150 of the 400 flight staff and 60 of 270 administrative workers. The company is also ending use of six Airbus A320 jets that it is leasing from a wholly owned subsidiary. CSA posted an operating level profit in the first six months of this year—the first time it has achieved in several years. 

10 A320ceo aircraft for Eurowings

ufthansa Group’s supervisory board has approved the purchase of ten A320ceo aircraft for its subsidiary Eurowings. The new aircraft will become the backbone of the new low cost business model announced by the Lufthansa Group in July, which foresees Eurowings operations on direct connections within Europe. The Lufthansa Group is Airbus’ biggest airline group

operator with over 400 Airbus aircraft in operation and is also Airbus’ biggest airline customer with over 580 aircraft purchased. Lufthansa Group runs one of the largest Airbus A320 Family fleet in the world, with almost 300 A320 Family aircraft currently in service. Eurowings has already operated Airbus A319s in the nineties and early 2000s. 

Air Arabia’s 100th destination

ir Arabia started regular direct services to Tbilisi from October 28 - its 100th global destination.

Air Arabia is offering twice weekly service to the capital and largest city of Georgia, from its primary Sharjah In-

ternational Airport hub. Air Arabia has seen its route network in the first half of this year increase with the addition on new routes such as Cairo in Egypt and Antalya in Turkey from its main base at Sharjah International Airport.The carrier currently operates from four hubs in the UAE, Morocco and Egypt. The first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) in the Middle East and North Africa marked its eleventh anniversary during which it expanded operations from five destinations with just a pair aircraft, to 100 destinations spread across the Middle East and North Africa, Europe and Indian Subcontinent, served by a fleet of 40 aircraft today. 

Airlines

No more government aid for Cyprus Airways

he government has ruled out offering further financial aid for the ailing Cyprus Airways.

Finance Minister Harris Georgiades said: “We will not spend more money in supporting Cyprus Airways. The era of thoughtlessly throwing money at the carrier has passed.” According to finance ministry data, around €16 million was given to CY in 2007, which the European Commission green-lighted under the provision that this was a oneoff and on condition the company come up with a viable restructuring plan. Between 2011 and 2013, a total of €118 million was dished out to the ailing carrier.

The European Commission is looking into whether Cyprus violated trade rules by helping the ailing carrier. If found guilty, the company will be forced to return an estimated €100 million to the state, which will lead CY to bankruptcy. The company sold almost €90 million worth of assets from 2010 to 2013, including four of the five aircraft it owned outright. The timeslots were sold for around €30 million. The state is currently in the process of finding a strategic investor for CY. Reports suggested that out of the nine companies that expressed interest in CY, the state decided to

Norwegian Air goes for younger fleet

orwegian Air Shuttle will cut the average age of its fleet to less than four years as the key to cutting fuel bills and limiting climate change. Huge plane orders in 2012 will help Europe’s number three budget airline in terms of passenger numbers, to a goal of cutting emissions per passenger by 30 percent from 2008 to 2015. The airline officials say they will get down below four years in average age for the fleet. A plane can last 25 years but we will fly it less than 10 years, they added.

invite only two to submit a business plan; low-cost carrier Ryanair

and Greece’s scheduled carrier Aegean Airlines. 

Virgin Australia buys out Tiger Airways

Norwegian’s fleet, which had an average age of 4.6 years in 2013, will become among the world’s most modern. The average age of the world civil aviation fleet is about 12 years. The company, which now has about 100 planes, placed the biggest ever aircraft European aircraft order in 2012 by signing up for 222 jets from Boeing and Airbus. Norwegian says its greenhouse gas emissions fell to 87 grammes of carbon dioxide per passenger per kilometer traveled in 2013, down 16 percent from 104 grammes in 2008. 

irgin Australia will buy out loss-making budget carrier Tiger Airways Australia for A$1.Virgin already has a 60 per cent stake in Tiger but will take full control in an effort to speed up a turnaround, it said. “We will benefit from the economies of scale and achieve profitability ahead of schedule by the end of 2016,” said chief executive John Borghetti. Virgin bought its first stake in the venture from Singapore’s Tiger Airways for A$35 million last year. Tiger Airways, however, has struggled to win customers in a slumping

domestic market. The airline currently has a fleet of 13 A320 aircraft and flies to 12 destinations within Australia. The takeover, subject to regulatory approval, is expected to be completed by the end of this year. The move comes on the same day that Singapore Airlines announced that it would take majority control of Tiger Airways - of which Tiger Airways Australia was a subsidiary. Singapore Airlines increased its stake from 40 per cent to 55 per cent in Tiger Airways after it reported making a record quarterly loss of S$182 million.  January 2015

Opinion

Invigorating the Global Economy

t brings people together— families, friends and business colleagues. It gives people the freedom to be almost anywhere in just 24 hours. And it has turned our wonderfully big planet into a wonderfully small world of enormous and wonderful opportunities. By Tony Tyler Director General & CEO IATA

ince 1914, the airline industry quickly grew from a single aircraft, one route and a lone passenger. This year we will connect 3.3 billion passengers and 52 million tonnes of cargo over 50,000 routes. Since commercial aviation began 65 billion passengers have traveled by air.At a personal level, flying delivers great value.

I truly believe that aviation is a force for good in our world. And it is very clear that air connectivity has played a key role in the rise of modern China. I had a privileged view of seeing many a poorly connected Chinese industrial town blossom into a modern metropolis with the establishment and growth of air links. And we could say the same thing about South Korea, which is home to world-class airport infrastructure, two strong global network

airlines and a growing number of point-to-point carriers.

spread prosperity and lifted countless people from poverty.

Air links bind the country together and link it to the world. Today, aviation connectivity is the life blood of the global economy.

My answer to Invigorating the Global Economy is connectivity. And I believe that policy-makers should pay more attention to the aviation industry as a catalyst for economic growth.

The industry supports over 58 million jobs and $2.4 trillion in annual economic activity. It creates jobs for Kenyan farmers who sell fresh flowers in world markets. It facilitates global supply chains so that workers in many nations can collaborate to build computers, cars and even airplanes. Aviation delivers many of the real world goods that are traded in the virtual shops of internet commerce. As a catalyst for economic and social development, aviation and the businesses that we support have

Too often, we see governments eager to pillage the industry for taxes. A great example is the UK which has the largest single aviation tax in the world. Its Air Passenger Duty extracts some $4.5 billion from travelers every year. But by making connectivity more expensive, the UK is sacrificing its competitiveness and missing out on economic opportunities.  Excerpts from a speech at the 15th World Knowledge Forum, Seoul

Airports in Western Hemisphere space systems. The increase in air traffic between the US and Brazil is expected to grow at 6.5 percent per year between now and 2025.

By Michael Huerta Administrator Federal Aviation Administration USA

The growth of traffic overall between the US and Latin America will likely outpace the growth between the US and other regions, even the fast-growing Asia Pacific region. Our Aviation Partnership gives us an opportunity to capitalize on this expansion.

Airports are the gateways to locations near and far. It is in the airport where we experience all facets of our global village. And airports are the place where all parts of aviation converge.

We both have strong aviation manufacturing programs, large aviation sectors, and complex air-

You saw this with the successful World Cup Games and you will have the same experience at the Olympics in 2016. Airports big and small are part of this economic engine – they contribute to local, national, and global economies alike.

he United States and Brazil have strong ties, including an agreement for cooperation in aviation. This helps us maintain a productive relationship between our nations and provide aviation leadership jointly within the Western Hemisphere.

January 2015

Just as infrastructure on the ground is important, we cannot overlook investment in infrastructure in the air. A modernized air traffic system also creates more efficient and safer operations in and around airports. The Next Generation Air Transportation System, or NextGen, is about creating a more efficient, environmentally sound, and ultimately safer aviation system. It is helping us evolve from the ground-based radar system of today to a satellite-based system of tomorrow. Newer technologies are also used by air traffic controllers at airports to track surface movement of aircraft and vehicles. We must focus on aviation’s impact on the environment. The agreement reached last year at the ICAO Assembly to pass a resolu-

tion to address environmental impact with market-based measures is a sound approach. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is actively involved with industry under the Continuous Lower Energy Emissions and Noise (CLEEN) program, to conduct tests to demonstrate the use of alternative fuels. As aviation brings the far reaches of the globe closer and closer together, we have much to celebrate. This is especially true within our own hemisphere. We have experienced phenomenal growth over the decades, and airports continue to play a key role in this development. We must never underestimate the value that airports bring to communities, nations, and to the global economy.  Excerpts from a speech at the Brazil Aviation and Airport Expo 2014, Sao Paulo

Opinion

ASEAN in the next 20 years 10 Member States with a combined population of 609 million and nearly $2.5 trillion GDP.

by Le Luong Minh Secretary General ASEAN

SEAN is moving in the right direction towards the 2015 launching of Community that values democracy, good governance, rule of law and the promotion of economic and social development. We are engaged in the process of developing post-2015 Vision for the ASEAN which was established 47 years ago and today has

The impact of ASEAN integration and cooperation find their expressions across the region with enhanced political cohesion, economic integration and social responsibility, narrowed development gaps within and amongst its Member States and greater physical, institutional and people-topeople connectivity. ASEAN’s vitality and success are attributed to its willingness to embrace change and regional integration. The Protocol to Implement the Eighth Package of Commitments on Air Transport Services has been completed. Progress is seen with total ASEAN available seat capacity having significantly increased to 268 million in 2013.

On investment, with the completion of the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement, ASEAN is emerging as a single investment area. Substantial progress has been made towards ensuring an operational legal framework for competition, consumer protection and intellectual property rights with five ASEAN Member States having comprehensive competition law in place and nine with consumer protection legislation. ASEAN competitiveness is also being enhanced through better transport facilitation and the implementation of three transport facilitation agreements for goods in transit, inter-state transport and multimodal transport. Fundamentally, ASEAN post-2015 will need to focus on the enhancement and consolidation of the ASEAN Com-

munity through a continued, but deeper and more comprehensive process of integration for ASEAN Community building. First, it is necessary to eventually place ASEAN at the center of regional production networks and supply chains to create further economic growth and integration. ASEAN’s economic integration through the ASEAN Economic Community will not mean much to average ASEAN citizens if it does not bring about a better life for them, their families and communities. Efforts must be undertaken to search for new avenues for greater economic growth to ensure that integration will effectively narrow the development gaps.  Excerpts from a speech at the 20th International Conference on the Future of Asia, Tokyo

Future growth must be sensible will prioritise key bilateral air services agreements to ensure that we continue to have the capacity to meet future demand. We will also protect our national interest, and strongly support sustainable industries and facilitate the expansion of the Australian industry and Australian airlines into foreign markets. By Mike Mrdak Secretary Infrastructure & Regional Development Government of Australia

he Australian government’s vision is to foster aviation industry growth in an environment that is safe, competitive and productive. To increase global aviation industry liberalization, the government

In an industry where each stakeholder often has mutually exclusive interests, it is a challenge for the government to please everyone all of the time; which is why we try and balance the diverging views to achieve an outcome that will benefit the industry as a whole. One of our fundamental objectives is ensuring we have solid foundations in the form of the correct regulatory settings and appropriate infrastructure to accommodate growth.

The government has undertaken steps towards leveling the aviation playing field by passing legislation to remove intermediate restrictions on foreign ownership that apply to Qantas but to no other Australian international airline. The legislation removes the 35 per cent limit on ownership by foreign airlines and the 25 per cent limit on ownership by a foreign individual. By removing these restrictions, foreign investors will be allowed to acquire the same level of ownership in Qantas as they can in other Australian international airlines regulated by the Air Navigation Act. This is progress toward the government’s stated goal of harmonizing the regulatory framework applying to all Australian international airlines. Western Sydney’s new airport will provide an avenue for economic growth and a much

needed long-term capacity for the Sydney region. Our industry has enjoyed considerable growth in recent years. Since 1992, when we began to liberalize, international passenger movements into and out of Australia have increased three times. In 1992, 41 international airlines flew to Australia. Today there are 54. Growth from Middle Eastern and Asian airlines has been substantial over the past 10 years. Liberalisation is not about guaranteeing more flights per se – liberalisation is about letting market forces operate, and letting airlines respond to supply and demand. It is essential that all players – airlines, airports and the tourism industry - have the opportunity to make a profit.  from a speech at the CAPA Australia Pacific Aviation Summit, Sydney

January 2015

In Focus

Beyond The Boom By 2021, the world’s first supersonic business jet will get travellers from New York to London in three hours. The three-engine, -12seater Aerion AS2 will fly at 1,217 mph, almost as fast as Concorde which was taken off the skies in 2003.

n October 2003, a Concorde descended from a cloud-dappled sky and touched down at London’s Heathrow Airport. The plane had taken off from New York’s JFK International Airport just three and a half hours prior, carrying 100 people on what was Concorde’s last commercial flight. Since 1976, the supersonic aircraft had flown thousands of passengers around the globe at speeds exceeding Mach 1.0—the speed of sound. Since the retirement of this turbojet-powered supersonic passenger plane, jet travel hasn’t gotten any faster. The age of supersonic passenger travel stopped completely ever since. It was an economic failure by any commercial business-case standard. That lesson wasn’t lost on the aerospace industry. But there are those who haven’t given up on the dream of supersonic flights that cross continents and oceans in half the time it takes today. Although Boeing, Dassault and Gulfstream have pursued supersonic-aircraft projects with engineers quietly working on designs, they haven’t committed to putting a plane in the air. Instead, many companies are waiting until the civil aviation authorities across the globe rewrite sonic-boom regulations. Aerion, a US-based aerospace firm of Texas billionaire Robert Bass, isn’t waiting for that to happen. It’s actively developing a supersonic business jet (SBJ) for delivery to its first customers by 2021. By building a plane that is both efficient and capable of flying supersonically, Aerion is

22 22

January January 2015 2015

daring regulators and the marketplace to catch up. The AS2 business jet will be able to hit a top speed of 1,217 mph, which is slightly lower than the Concorde’s top speed of 1,350 mph. The US forbids civilian planes from the sound barrier - about 750 mph per hour - while flying overland due to noisy sonic booms, but the AS2 model will fly at subsonic speeds until it reaches the ocean, when it will speed up. Over Europe it can fly at supersonic speeds without detection. Modern commercial long-haul jets typically cruise at speeds between 480 and 560 mph. The AS2 will be able to travel from New York to London in about three hours and from Los Angeles to Tokyo in about six hours; Dubai to Washington in about 9 and Dubai to Mauritius in less than 4 hours. Aerion AS2, the business jet with a seating capacity for 12 passengers, will fly at a maximum cruising speed of Mach 1.6, which is nearly 1.5 times the speed of sound. It will have a range of more than 5,450 statute miles

AS2 –What is it all about Maximum operating speed: 1.6 Mach Capacity: 12 passengers Length: 160 ft. / 49 m Width/wingspan: 70 ft. / 21 m Height: 26 ft. / 8 m Max height: 6 ft. 2 in / 1.9 m Cabin length: 30 ft. / 9.1 m (4,750 nautical miles). While AS2 can fly at the speed of Mach 1.6 it achieves the same fuel efficiency as the aircraft today. This is quite innovative in comparison with Concorde which burned much more fuel at subsonic speeds.

AS2 is also designed to operate from airports commonly used by business jets. The shape of the aircraft is new, but the materials throughout are widely used in aviation and well understood. The airframe is largely carbon fibre, found in primary structures on both military fighters and modern airliners. Inspite of the speed, AS2 achieves the same fuel efficiency as the long range aircraft today and can operate from airports that are already being used by business jets, thereby doing away with the need to have any specialised ground equipment. Aerion Corporation, a leader in commercial supersonic technology, which is developing the jet, is targeting the first flight by 2019, certification by 2021 and first delivery by 2022. Aerion has joined hands with Europe’s Airbus Group in technologies associated with the future of high-performance flight. Under the agreement, Airbus Group will provide technical and certification support, which will include

In Focus

the assignment of senior engineering staff to Aerion’s expanding development organization. Aerion and Airbus professionals will work together at Aerion’s new and larger engineering offices in Reno, Nevada. “This is a major step forward for Aerion,” said Robert, commenting on the collaboration. “It puts us solidly on track toward our objective of certifying the world’s first supersonic business jet in 2021. Needless to say, we are thrilled with the resources Airbus Group will bring to the program.” Aerion CEO Doug Nichols said: “It provides validation from the industry leader in aerospace innovation, and it decisively kicks the program into high gear….” The initial collaboration activities have already started between engineering teams from Aerion and Airbus Defence and Space, which is Airbus Group’s principal liaison organisation for AS2 development.

The look and the feel

AS2, which is backed by over a decade of research, focusses equally on efficiency, practicality and comfort that are comparable to today’s long-range jets. In a two-lounge layout, plus gallery, forward and aft lavatories and a baggage compartment that is accessible in- flight, AS2’s maximum cabin cross section is comparable to modern day long-range jets. At a height of 6.2 feet and a width of 7.3 feet, the cabin offers broad -shouldered roominess, ensuring comfort in luxury.

It can seat 12 passengers in business style. The cabin dimensions widen as one move from the entrance to the aft seating area. It features a four-place club grouping of individual seats forward, plus four seats around a dining table/conference aft. Ensuring the comfort, all the seats can be berthed to sleep four passengers during an overnight flight.

Design & Performance

The Aerion AS2 retains a supersonic natural laminar flow wing, the key enabling technology behind practical and efficient supersonic and high-subsonic flight. The plane is equipped with a trijet configuration. Aerion says the AS2’s newly designed wings will reduce drag by 20 percent, allowing for lower fuel consumption and longer range. Three engines improve runway performance and meet more stringent noise regulations. Talking about the combination of features in AS2, Dr Richard Tracy, Designer and Director of Technical Development with Aerion, said: “For me, this (launch) will represent the culmination of a career-long pursuit of supersonic aerodynamics and the challenges of bringing supersonic performance to business aviation.” Bringing AS2, hence, has been more challenging than it would be if speed was the only focus. “When you combine all of those issues you have a problem that is much more complex to solve than just achieving supersonic flight,” he added.

One is not enough

In years to come, aviation industry will be witness to rapid developments in the field as a handful of companies plan to launch supersonic business jets. Among those in the pipeline is Boston-based Spike Aerospace’s S-512 Supersonic Jet, designed to fly at Mach 1.6. With a seating capacity for 12 to 18 passengers, the company says the plane will fly from London to New York in three hours and from Los Angeles to Tokyo in six hours. UK-based HyperMach is developing the SonicStar, which it expects to enter production in 2020s. The company claims the business jet will be capable of reaching Mach 4 (about 2,600 mph, or almost twice the speed of the Concorde), and which it says will be able to make the flight from New York to Dubai “in the time it takes to watch an inflight movie.”

The supersonic natural laminar flow wing differs from earlier supersonic designs, such as the Concorde’s modified delta wing. It is relatively straight (low sweep), wide and very thin, allowing the wing to achieve laminar flow over as much as 90 percent of its surface. Laminar flow reduces skin friction drag, which can reduce overall airframe drag by as much as 20 percent, allowing for lower fuel consumption and longer range. The AS2 will have a range of more than 5,450 statute miles (4,750 nautical miles), connecting cities such as London and Seattle or San Francisco and Tokyo nonstop. Over water, it will cruise at speeds between Mach 1.4 and 1.6—almost twice the speed of today’s fastest civil jets. In areas where supersonic speed is prohibited (mainly over the US), the AS2 will cruise efficiently at speeds up to Mach 0.99, just under the speed of sound. In other populated areas, it can cruise at speeds up to Mach 1.2 without a sonic boom reaching the ground. “We have targeted this speed regime because it represents a ‘sweet spot’ where aerodynamic efficiency is at its best, plus we can build an aircraft using garden variety materials to help keep it both affordable and maintainable,” said Dr Tracy. The shape of the aircraft is new, but the materials throughout

are widely used in aviation and well understood. The airframe is largely carbon fibre, found in primary structures on both military fighters and modern airliners. At a cost of $100 million, AS2 targets a niche segment. Aerion projects a steady demand of 600 units over a period of 20 years. In the first quarter of 2014, the company did a market study to assess demand for a supersonic business jet, as well as the basic parameters of the most preferable configuration. Based on interviews with over 130 operators of large cabin jets in the Middle East, US, Europe and Asia, the study “analysed a number of design trade-offs to determine the optimum aircraft”. The study, which was conducted by Roland Vincent Associates, projected a consistent demand for more than 600 units over 20 years. “The bottom line,” according to Vincent, “is that the desire for supersonic transportation is steady and strong. The buyers are there.” “The message from many of today’s long-range business jet operators is very clear: They want a supersonic jet sooner rather than later; a cabin comparable in comfort to today’s long-range jets; and they are willing to pay more than $100 million for such an aircraft. That is the supersonic jet we are working to deliver,” says Doug Nichols.  January January 2015 2015

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Cargo & Logistics

IATA: Solid air freight volumes, not profitability

ir freight is suffering from the same issues that afflict container shipping, with growing volumes not enough to lift profitability in the face of high fuel prices, weak yields and growing capacity. In its Cargo E-Chartbook, IATA said volumes continued to show solid gains on a year ago, supported by economic improvements in some regions, but the high cost of fuel and overall weakness in yields kept cargo financial performance from improving so far this year. With an expected 14 percent increase in 2014 of deliveries of new twin-aisle aircraft with belly hold capacity, IATA said there could be downward pressure on aircraft utilization ahead.

It said emerging Asia trade volumes have rebounded after a weak first quarter and consumers in the US were more optimistic about future economic performance. However, in Europe consumer confidence and trade activity have weakened due to the RussiaUkraine crisis, which could weaken air freight demand in months ahead. IATA said stronger economic growth in 2014 has not generated the expansion of international trade that it would have done in the past, as production has been on-shored, partly due to market factors such as rising wages in low cost economies and partly due to a recent rise in protectionist measures.

Robotic cargo system will triple Yokota’s capacity

pair of giant yellow robots powering up at Yokota Air Base will triple cargo capacity at the US military’s busiest air transport hub in the Pacific. The 68-foot-tall machines — dubbed HAL and Dave after the computer and astronaut in the science-fiction film “2001: A Space Odyssey” — are capable of sorting and storing hundreds of pieces of cargo inside a four-story warehouse at the base in suburban Tokyo. They will increase the air hub’s indoor cargo storage capacity from 99 pallets to 265.

Demand drivers were mostly positive but recent months have shown diverging developments across regions. “World trade volumes have recovered after weakness earlier in the year, and that is largely due to a rebound in emerging Asia trade activity. However, there is evidence of weakness in European trade,

Jets depart Saigon belly full as cargo boom

The robots — or “elevated transfer vehicles” — use sensors to weigh and create 3D images of cargo as it arrives. Pallets stamped with barcodes feed the robots and load planners critical information. The robots configure outbound cargo depending on which aircraft are on the flight line and where they’re headed. When an aircraft is getting ready to depart, the robots retrieve cargo from storage and send it out to loading bays in sequence. 

HL is enjoying a boom in air freight in Vietnam, where one of the world’s fastest growth rates in airborne shipments is luring the region’s biggest cargo airlines, including Cathay Pacific Airways and Korean Air Lines. The surge heralds a new phase for the Southeast Asian nation’s exports, as manufacturers from Samsung Electronics to local garment makers producing Calvin Klein clothes boost the country’s presence in the global supply chain. Exports are leading a gradual acceleration in Vietnam’s economy, a counterpoint to the struggles of the banking indus-

January 2015

reflecting the impacts of the Russia-Ukraine crisis,” the report said. The IATA report said air freight rates were stable but had not improved on a year ago. Demand for Asian goods moved by air remains stable, but with no growth on this key air freight market when compared to the pre-crisis peak. 

try and state-owned enterprises whose bad debts have damped domestic spending in recent years. The country has become the leading Southeast Asian exporter to the US, and shipments there may jump 19 percent to about $29 billion this year, according to the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam. EVA Airways has increased its cargo flights to Vietnam as highend exports requiring fast deliveries increase.Total exports rose 13.4 percent from a year earlier to $123 billion in the 10 months through October. 

Cargo & Logistics

EMEA air freight forwarding market to be steady

hile coming growth for the air freight forwarding market in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) will be small, but steady, a market study said. The market is set to expand by 2.73 per cent annually until 2018, hindered somewhat by large corporations reducing competition by acquiring smaller players and limited airport facilities as air traffic across the world increases and older, well established airports have constrained prospects for expansion.The UK Civil Aviation Authority reports that in 2013, Heath-

row was responsible for transporting nearly 1.5 million tonnes of air freight. On the other hand, the addition of an extra runway to London Gatwick will reduce its overall efficiency as a hub offering smaller, more direct routes. These issues are also unfolding in the US, possibly providing a taste of what’s to come for the EMEA region. In late October, New York Governor announced plans to move cargo operations from New York’s JFK International airport to a new hub at Stewart International Airport. JFK is the third largest gateway for

E-commerce boom set to boost Incheon Airport

outh Korea’s Incheon International Airport has the potential to rapidly rise as a major hub for global freight logistics on the back of strong growth in e-commerce in Asia, experts said. Incheon International Airport has developed into the world’s second-largest airport in terms of international freight volume with an annual average growth rate of 6.2 percent since its 2001 opening. The country’s air cargo sector has faced near flat growth in recent years due to the economic slowdown in countries such as China, Europe and the US. Korean manufacturers expanding overseas production has

freight transportations based on value and the sixth largest based on volume. It handles around 1.34 million tonnes of air freight annually. The US-based Airfreight Forwarders Association cited the lower numbers of passenger routes in and out of Stewart Airport as a major detraction, given that air freight is often stored in the holds of these planes. Where there is the potential to boost capacity, smaller airports will naturally benefit from their bigger competitors reaching capacity. 

DWC hosts Ikea’s largest distribution Centre

also contributed to lackluster growth in air cargo transportation. Officials from global freight forwarders and airliners that use the Incheon Airport Logistics Center said the airport could benefit from the emergence of e-commerce. The e-commerce sector is expected to account for about 30 to 40 percent of the total trading volume by 2025, according to a report. The amount of international express cargo via Internet orders at Incheon Airport has increased more than 40 percent in 2013, compared to the previous year, according to Korea Herald. 

Canada plans air cargo self-screening

ubai World Central (DWC) has welcomed IKEA Group’s regional distribution center into its Logistics District as the world’s largest furnishing company continues to expand in the region. This is IKEA Group’s first direct investment in the region. Scheduled for completion in September 2015, the centre will initially employ 230 people and have the capacity to handle 50,000 twenty-foot equivalent containers (TEUs) per year, increasing to 70,000 TEUs

anada is moving ahead with a new system that would allow shippers to screen cargo before it gets to the airport.

Transport Canada says the system would bring air cargo screening up to the standards of key trading partners and result in a net benefit to Canadians of $202 million over 10 years. In Canada, about half of all cargo that moves by air is carried on passenger flights — totaling more than 400 million kilograms annually. In a regulatory plan, the government says relying on carriers to screen all cargo for ex-

per year within three years. The new distribution center in DWC will enable IKEA to deliver fastmoving products more efficiently to stores across the Gulf region, cutting distribution costs as well as shipment times. DWC has a unique multimodal platform with a highly integrated and an efficient sea, road and air network. It is the only place in the world that allows goods to be transported from sea to land to air in less than one hour. 

plosive devices would be “slow and impractical” and result in bottlenecks, delays and additional costs.Shippers need to be given the authority to screen their own goods, the proposal says. In order to do so, there must be a regulatory framework and program in place for the maintenance and enforcement of air cargo security that international partners will recognize. The planned amendments would allow shippers, cargo companies, warehouse operators and trucking firms to take part in the program on a voluntary basis.  January 2015

Technology

Shape-changing flap takes to air

Thumbprint check-in to end paper boarding passes

laska Airlines is exploring using passengers’ fingerprints to replace travel documents, driver’s licenses and credit cards now needed to navigate from airport curbs to jetliner seats.

project is underway in the US to determine if advanced flexible trailing-edge wing flaps can both improve aircraft aerodynamic efficiency and reduce airport-area noise generated during takeoffs and landings. The NASA project is aimed at making airplanes quieter and more fuel efficient. One aspect of this is the FlexFoil, developed as part of NASA and the US Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Adaptive Compliant Trailing Edge (ACTE) project. FlexFoil is a shape-changing assembly that replaces the flaps on a wing and can alter shape in flight to produce seamless bendable and twistable aerofoil surfaces. This allows the FlexFoil to act like a

flap in its various positions while still providing an unbroken air surface. This makes for a more streamlined wing and reduces noise during takeoffs and landings. It has been designed not only for new aircraft designs, but for retrofitting to existing ones. The ACTE flights were carried out at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, using the Gulfstream III as a test bed with the composite material FlexWing replacing both of the aircraft’s 19-ft (5.7-m) aluminum flaps.

If successful, it would be the first US carrier to employ biometrics for boarding passes and in-flight purchases and could spur wider adoption across the industry. The digit scans are designed to shave crucial seconds at bag drops, checkpoints and passenger lounges and will likely appeal to harried travelers bogged down by long lines and shoe removal. Alaska, the sixth-largest US carrier, pioneered online ticketing and satellite navigation for

jet landings in the 1990s, introduced wireless check-in in 2001 and last year became the first airline to accept Google Wallet and to test letting travelers tag bags at home. Alaska is still in the early stages of developing its system, dubbed e-thumb. The carrier started testing the technology in August on passengers waiting to enter a lounge for top frequent fliers at its Seattle hub. Encouraged by the response from travelers eager to jump the line, Alaska installed fingerprint readers within weeks at all four of its so-called Board Rooms. The carrier’s innovation team is still working on another challenge: keeping all the other information that’s on a normal boarding pass. 

The purpose of the test was to take it out of the wind tunnels and determine if it’s airworthy. 

Indian airports install SITA’s check-in technology

ore than 50 million passengers at 25 airports across India can now use SITA’s common-use self-service technology to check-in. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has also selected SITA to provide the baggage reconciliation system for 38 airports across India as part of the seven-year, multi-million dollar contract. SITA’s BagManager will deliver real-time information on bag-

January 2015

gage status, helping to resolve baggage issues quickly and efficiently - the baggage management technology is said to reduce the number of mishandled bags from 10 per cent to 20 per cent. India is set to become one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world over the next 20 years, with passenger numbers forecasted to triple to 450 million by 2020. 

Technology

Commercial electric aircraft nearing reality

he idea of using cheap solar energy for aviation has always been extremely popular and electric aircraft have set some previously unimaginable records. The flying-wing drone Helios managed to fly at the highest altitude for an aircraft without jet engines, at 29.5 kilometers. Another UAV, called Zephyr, and developed by the British company QinetiQ, is also solar powered and in 2010 managed to stay airborne for two weeks without landing. The latest version of the Swiss Solar Impulse aircraft is planning to make a non-stop round the world flight in 2015. The Airbus Group has engineered a fully functional two-seat fully electric E-Fan aircraft, powered by electric cells and two 30-kilowatt electric motors. The E-fan can fly at a cruising speed of 160 km/h and has a top speed of 220 km/h, though can’t keep those speeds up for more than an hour. Airbus’ engineers have great plans for EFan, first to increase its flight time and then to increase its top speed. The fastest electric aircraft to date is the LongESA, which has reached speeds of up to 326 km/h.

Glass rocks to stop planes that overrun runways

hicago’s Midway Airport is the first airport in the world to install a bed of lightweight glass rocks beyond the end of a runway that in an emergency crumbles to bring a landing jet traveling at 80 mph to a halt. The foam glass rocks are extremely lightweight and look similar to lava rocks that are used in barbecue grills.The layer of foam glass increases in thickness from basically zero at the front of the arrester bed to about 16 inches deep at the back, in order to smoothly decelerate a plane. Above the foam glass is a thin concrete layer, followed by a polymer topcoat that is similar to the sealant used on bridge decks. 

But airline and air freight companies are putting their hopes in a third kind of electric aircraft that in several decades might start replacing today’s jet aircraft with integrated electric propulsion planes which feature all-electric onboard mechanisms and equipment. Airbus’ parent company, EADS, is cooperating with aircraft engine manufacturer RollsRoyce in developing an advanced completely electric long range future airplane called the ETHRUST Project. Although the launch date for the new project is at least 20 years from now.

A similar project is being considered in the US by Boeing to explore the possibilities of hybrid electric aircraft, for which Boeing begun work on the so-called SUGAR Volt concept design. In Russia, the development of a hybrid electric aircraft has been set as a strategic goal by the government, which handed the project to the Tupolev Corporation. Tupolev will coordinate the work of about 100 institutes and companies that are developing an electrical aircraft based on Tupolev’s Tu-214 passenger jet. 

Making aircraft cabins appear see-through

he UK-based Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) has unveiled its vision for an airplane cabin with no windows at all, instead projecting 360-degree views from outside throughout the interior using flexible screens built into the fabric of the cabin.CPI says plane interior would be covered with screens made from flexible Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) technology – ultra-thin, lightweight and malleable displays – streaming high-quality footage broadcast live by cameras outside of the plane. Various images could be displayed on the rear panels of seats – including websites, in-

flight entertainment, and another projected view of what the sky looks like from the outside. All displays would be made from OLEDs.

uid crystal displays, emit very little heat making them safe to use with soft furnishings, and could be less than a millimetre thin in the near future.

OLEDs generate light when electricity is passed through layers of organic semiconductor material mounted on glass. They require less energy to create crisp images than LEDs or liq-

CPI plans to work with designers to understand how the flexible, lightweight OLED technology we are developing can be best used, and then engineers can become involved.  January 2015

Technology

Smart Cities

An interconnected world Ahmed Qurram Baig, Senior Director for Strategy, Risk and Excellence at Smartworld, a joint venture between Etisalat and Dubai World Central (DWC), shares with Via Dubai insights into the smart city concept

he smart city is a global phenomenon driven by a confluence of rapid urbanization, aging infrastructure, and advances in information and communication technology (ICT), which are all super-charged by the imperatives of the ever increasing need for government austerity.

The world is experiencing an evolution of Smart Cities. Humans are already interconnected via smart phones and gadgets. Homes, cars, public venues and other social systems are now on their path to the full connectivity known as the “Internet of Things.”

Standards are evolving for all of these potentially connected systems. They will lead to unprecedented improvements in the quality of life. To benefit from them, city infrastructures and services are changing with new interconnected systems for monitoring, control and automation.

For Smart Cities Council, a smart city is one that has digital technology embedded across all city functions

Globally, it is a trillion dollar market with companies supplying multi-million dollar solutions to cities with swelling populations and shrinking budgets. By 2025, there may well be more than 100 cities around the world that are fully “smart,” or on the road to becoming that way. The rapid urbanization and unprecedented growth of cities globally continues to attract people and businesses creating more opportunities and economic value to nations. It is estimated that more than 3.5 billion people are currently living in cities across the world and 80 per cent of global GDP is generated in these cities. In 2012, the global GDP stood at $72.6 trillion. In 2013, total GDP of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) totalled $15.8 trillion. BRICS countries with three trillion population represent about 40 per cent of world’s population and are expected to have about 40 per cent of world economy by 2030. About seven billion people are expected to be living in cities in the next three decades if one goes by the projections made by a UN body.

January 2015

The future cities globally are poised to become smarter and intelligent to deal with current challenges around performance, efficiency, safety and security towards better sustainability, economic growth and development.

It is estimated that more than 70 per cent of world population will be living in cities by 2030. This presents immense challenges in terms of effectively utilizing infrastructure, resources and calls for better sustainability. We will witness inter-connectedness of infrastructure and require right investments toward smart management of resources, mobility and assisted living. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched a strategy to transform Dubai into a ‘Smart City’. Under the strategy, more than 1,000 government services will go smart in the next three years.

It has been estimated by the UK’s Department for Business, Innovation and Skills that smart cities industry will be worth over $400 billion by 2020 as the current capacity building approach alone seems to be an insufficient and unsustainable model. The Smart City concept has emerged fast in the recent times as a city that promotes the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to engage with residents to develop and make better use of infrastructure and sustainable economic development. Smart City concept has been summed up in many ways. For Smart Cities Council, a smart city is one that has digital technology embedded across all city functions. In a study, Frost & Sullivan identified eight key aspects that define a Smart City: smart governance, smart energy, smart building, smart mobility, smart infrastructure, smart technology, smart healthcare and smart citizen.

Technology

Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched a strategy to transform Dubai into a ‘Smart City’ IEEE stated that a smart city brings together technology, government and society to enable these characteristics: smart cities, a smart economy, smart mobility, a smart environment, smart people, smart living, smart governance. Whatever the explanation, the importance of smart cities cannot be ignored. Smart cities create more effective urban systems capable of addressing contemporary challenges and urban problems. They create more innovative and competitive cities, based on knowledge clusters, people-led innovation, and global networking; offering higher capacity of monitoring and management of environmental issues; improved city transportation; more secure urban spaces. The future cities will require right investments that will largely focus on smart management of resources, mobility and assisted living, with focus on collaborative and inclusive government services that will require private and public partnership and citizen’s involvement. The key driving factors for the smart cities will be various digital services and presence of the internet connected devices in various forms such as wearable’s, sensors and control devices allowing faster services and generation of massive amounts of data. We are thinking about it in terms big volume, high velocity, variety and variability which is known as Big Data. Big data initiatives will also allow us to create services around shared interests, communities or even needed information such as traffic, weather and environment. The proliferation of the internet-connected smart devices and its explosion into the consumer market will change the way technology is used leading to a major cultural shift in businesses innovations and behavior of residents. It is expected than more than 50 billion intelligence devices will be connected to the Internet by 2020. This fast adoption of the

Smart City project transforming Dubai In October 2013, His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced a project to transform Dubai into a Smart City, linking the emirate’s government services and the public through the use of smart devices accessed freely using high-speed wireless internet connections. The new integrated high-tech approach aims to use the latest advances in technology to create a model for providing government services that are easily accessible, quick and efficient using smart devices. Smart City’s main aim is to provide better connections and increase cooperation between the emirate and its residents. It promotes the use of government facilities using the largest possible number of smart applications. “As a smart city, government departments will be inter-connected to provide faster services and information to all citizens and guests.

We strive to create a new smart concept in running cities,” he remarked. “Through experience, we have learned that there is no one-model-fits-all for development. We strive to catalyze innovation and push the limits of using technology to benefit people.” Through the project, high-speed wireless internet connections will be provided in public locations. Smart sensors will be installed throughout the city to provide live information and services with the aim of providing all residents and visitors with a better quality of life. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, remarked: “We are marching ahead into the digital future. Dubai will be set to embrace all sorts of smart and interactive applications,” Dubai will become one of the biggest world laboratories for interactive and government applications, connecting every individual to the city in a seamless and efficient way.

We are thinking about it in terms big volume, high velocity, variety and variability which is known as Big Data Internet of things (IoT) is however, threatened by various security issues.

tems located within different geographies and regulatory landscape leading to privacy, security, Intellectual property Rights and liability.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is the interconnection of uniquely identifiable embedded computing devices within the existing Internet infrastructure. The interconnection of these embedded devices, including smart objects, is expected to usher in automation in nearly all fields.

While shifting investment toward technology-savvy infrastructure in cities can be seen as a positive step, regulating how this technology is leveraged will be key in creating on-the-ground change.

According to Gartner, there will be nearly 26 billion devices on the Internet of Things by 2020. ABI Research estimates that more than 30 billion devices will be wirelessly connected to the Internet of Things by 2020.

New technologies offer the potential for safer, more efficient cities with higher quality of life. This potential can only be realized, however, through effective governance that leverages technology to respond to the needs of citizens.

Critics have spun nightmare scenarios of hackers seizing control of these smart devices and causing a havoc, which could lead to property damage, life threats or simply denial of access to property.

The challenge for smart cities will be to evolve from the notion of ‘smart’ as one rooted in technology to one rooted in governance.

Several issues will have to be addressed while dealing with big data as it is collected, transmitted and stored across various sys-

Strong governance structures and a focus on equitable quality of life improvements can help smart cities provide the framework for future cities worldwide.  January 2015