Monthly Newsletter issued by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority
www.viadubaionline.com
Issue 81 February 2020
Year of Preparation Mineta San Jose airport proposes expansion
Emirates carried 58 million passengers in 2019
14
Inside DCAA Mohammed Ahli, receives an honorary shield and certificate
6
Honouring Yi Jing, Former Director of Dubai International Airport Terminal of China Airlines
7
Honouring Dubai Municipality
Middle East News 20
7
NASA’s quiet supersonic aircraft enters final assembly
26
DCAA Interview
Opinions
Ahmed Al Hammadi
Airports at the crossroads
Advanced technologies and qualified local cadres have contributed towards the development of the work system of the Dangerous Goods Section
MRO 21
8
Angela Gittens
ATM 26
32
Safety is a journey, not a destination 24
Stephen Dickson
25
Technology 28
Message
from the President
Great today, better tomorrow
L
eaders, according to the December 2018 edition of Harvard Business Review, a magazine published by a wholly-owned subsidiary of the US-based Harvard University, have always been eager to see into the future. The ability to make long-term decisions is one of their truly unique characteristics. They take stock of the progress and look to the challenges and opportunities that the countries will face. Fifty years may seem a long time away, but for countries it is just like the blink of an eye. In 2016, the American cloud-based software company Saleforce’s Founder and CEO Marc Benioff utilized the World Economic Forum (WEF) to argue that every country should have a minister of future. In a hyper-competitive world, no nation can afford to play ostrich. The countries have to think about future-proofing themselves as the future comes at us faster than ever before. The UAE, which achieved breathtaking socio-economic progress, has started preparing for the next 50 years as it celebrates its Golden Jubilee in 2021. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has formed committees for the 50-year Development Plan. The new economic map will be drawn to develop “exceptional” projects and policies for giant leaps in the national economy. It will work on cementing the ‘soft power’ of the UAE and develop a comprehensive vision of the UAE society that adapts to a rapidly-changing world. His Highness remarked that we should develop our plans and projects and reinvent new ideas. About half a century ago, the UAE’s founding fathers shaped our life today. It is now we have to shape the coming five decades for the future generations.
Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum
With the willpower and unity, we will work tirelessly to achieve the goals of making the UAE among the best countries by the UAE Centennial in 2071. The UAE aims to be the world’s best country in the Global Food Security Index by 2051. The UAE’s high priority for scientific objectives is to be realised by 2031. According to The World Order in 2050 study, the next 40 years may witness one of history’s greatest shifts in economic power. Globalization and economic growth do not occur in a vacuum. Our leadership is preparing for our better future as the future belongs to those who prepare it today.
February 2020
3
Message
from the Director General
Power-packed Future
T
he UAE has been powering ahead with bold ambitions for the future, pushing its boundaries into space exploration and nuclear energy. From a rank of 62nd in 1971, it had been ranked 34th on the UN Human Development Index for ‘very high human development’. Its economy is the second largest and most-diversified in the Arab world after growing by over 231 times with GDP standing at AED1.52 trillion in 2018. The UAE enjoys a stable economy and maintains strong financial reserves thanks to successful economic diversification. Today, the UAE has been ranked as the Arab region’s most competitive economy and 25th globally for the fourth consecutive year. Civil aviation has been playing a key role in the UAE’s economic expansion. A plan for Dubai for the next 50 years has been unveiled to improve the quality of life. The DCAA President His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum is among those appointed to oversee the six strategic growth pillars. He has been made a member of the Dubai Council to work on introducing new development sectors. He has been appointed as the Commissioner-General of Dubai Economy pillar to oversee the economic development, tourism and commerce, free zones, airports, ports and customs. At the national level too, an initiative had been launched to begin the journey to the next 50 years. Committees have been formed to work on making giant leaps in economy, education, infrastructure and health. It has been
Mohammed Abdulla Ahli
rightly said that our development journey has no end and, united, we can make significant changes. The UAE will undoubtedly achieve top place globally in all indicators of development and progress as the country aims to make it to the list of best country in the world by its centennial in 2071. The UAE has remained vigilant in rationally calculating the future effects of the long-term decisions. As the future is unpredictable, the best thing is to plan for it to make our cities and counties as global models of an all-pervasive growth and transformation.
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 Al-Maktoum, 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.
CONTENTS
Inside DCAA 06 Mohammed Ahli receives an
honorary shield and certificate
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
06 Honouring Yi Jing, Former
Director of Dubai International Airport Terminal of China Airlines
Coordinator Hanan Al Mazimi Creative Manager Mohammed Al Jarouf
DCAA Interview
Marketing Manager Fahed Mohammed E-mail: viadubai1@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.
Advertise with us
Editorial, Production, PR & Marketing Nadd AlShiba PR and Event Management
07
Ahmed Al Hammadi Advanced technologies and qualified local cadres have contributed towards the development of the work system of the Dangerous Goods Section
UAE News 15 flydubai becomes UAE’s first airline to start flights to Krabi
15
Transportation in focus in Dubai’s AED196 billion budget
Our Vision
The World Airport, Dubai
Our Mission
To achieve leadership and ensure sustainability in the field of safety, security and environmental protection in the civil aviation sector and to support an attractive investment environment for the aviation industry . Toll Free:80083222 Contact number:+97147770000 Fax:+97142244573 Email: info@dcaa.gov.ae; dcaa@dcaa.gov.ae http://www.facebook.com/dcaadubai
DCAA website:www.dcaa.gov.ae Working Hours:Sunday – Thursday, 0730 - 1430 (GMT+4) Location:Dubai International Airport, Terminal (1), Level (1), Gate no. (4), (Arrivals Side) P.O. Box:49888 Dubai - United Arab Emirates twitter.com/dcaadubai
September 2020
5
youtube.com/user/dcaadubai
Inside DCAA
Mohammed Ahli receives an honorary shield and certificate
H
.E. Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), received an honorary shield and certificate presented by the Events Provision Committee in lieu of the Authority’s efforts and effective participation in the provision of events in the Emirate of Dubai. DCAA’s Members of the Events Provision Committee handed over the honorary shield and certificate to the Director General in the presence of
Mohammed Abdulla Lengawi, Executive Director, Aviation Security and Accident Investigation Sector, and Saud Kanqzar, Executive Director Air Transport and International Affairs Sector.
The Authority has participated with members of the Events Provision Committee, which membership includes the different local government authorities in Dubai, in setting up a joint and unified plan, according to each member’s competence, to implement best practices
in the field of events provision in order to support the Government of Dubai’s strategy aiming to make Dubai the most secure city. It is to be noted that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has thanked and commended the efforts of the team that worked on organizing, securing and protecting the New Year’s celebrations.
Honouring
M
ajor General Abdullah Ali Al Ghaithi, Director of the General Department of Organisations Protective Security and Emergency at the General Headquarter of Dubai Police, honoured the Chairman of the Events Provision Committee of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, in lieu of its efforts and effective participation in securing events. The Authority has participated with members of the Events Provision Committee, which membership includes the different local government authorities in Dubai, in setting up a joint and unified plan, according to each member’s competence, to implement best practices in the field of events provision in order to support the Government of Dubai’s strategy aiming to make Dubai the most secure city.
6
February 2020
Mohammed Mubarak, Head of the Aviation Security Section at DCAA, received the honouring shield. It is to be noted that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has thanked and commended the efforts of the team that worked on organizing, securing and protecting the New Year’s celebrations.
Inside DCAA
Honouring Yi Jing, Former Director of Dubai International Airport Terminal of China Airlines
T
he Air Transport Department of the Air Transport and International Affairs Sector of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) honoured Mr Yi Jing, Former Director of Dubai International Airport Terminal of China Airlines, for his efforts, contribution and fruitful cooperation with DCAA.
Honouring Dubai Municipality
T
he Aviation Safety and Environment Sector of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority honoured the Irrigation and Agriculture Department of Dubai Municipality for its effective efforts and quick response and fruitful cooperation in the project dealing with removing the barriers that may affect the safety of aviation in the proximity of Dubai International Airport. Bader Belselah, Director of Aviation and Airports Safety Department at the Authority handed the honouring to Eng. Abdullatif Al Jallaf, Head of Irrigation Projects Section at Dubai Municipality.
The Authority is continually seeking to strengthen its relations with its strategic partners and to enhance
safety with the aim to serve the community and the civil aviation sector.
February 2020
7
DCAA Interview
Ahmed Al Hammadi, Head of Dangerous Goods Section at the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority
Advanced technologies and qualified local cadres have contributed towards the development of the work system of the Dangerous Goods Section Dangerous Goods Section at the DCAA issued 10,178 NOCs to transport dangerous goods by air in 2019 in a smart way that reduced the issuing time to two hours from two days
T
he Dangerous Goods Section under the Aviation Security and Dangerous Goods Department of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) plays an important role in maintaining civil aviation security and enhancing the reputation of the aviation sector in Dubai. This, the section accomplishes by following the laws, regulations and procedures in dealing with dangerous goods according to international standards and in full cooperation with the General Civil Aviation Authority in the UAE and other strategic partners. In an exclusive interview with Via Dubai, Ahmed Al Hammadi, Head of the Section, said the department has adapted smart systems to increase certificate issuance efficiency. The DCAA is among the most efficient authorities in the world in terms of issuance of NOCs according to the highest applicable international standards by adopting smart systems which enabled the authority to issue NOCs within two hours instead of two days earlier. The section issued 10,178 No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to transport dangerous goods by air in 2019 compared to 9,556 NOCs in 2018.
to adopting modern technologies and to our excellent network of strategic partners, most notably the related security bodies, in addition to our dedicated and highly qualified work team. We follow international standards stipulated by the related international civil aviation organisations. The responsibilities of our employees include ensuring that air carriers transport dangerous goods in conformity to the applicable laws and are as per the rules that should be fully adhered to during the process of transporting these goods according to
their classifications to ensure the safety and security of the skies. Q: How do you implement the control processes? A: We implement control through two types of procedures, namely issuing NOCs to transport dangerous goods by air by first receiving the carriers’ applications at our online network, which is connected to the related security bodies, headed by the Dubai Police. The second type is done over the Smart application and it includes all parts of the state, with the aim to accelerate the carriers’ operations even
Excerpts from the interview: Q: What is the role of the section in protecting air transport in Dubai? A: The section was established in 2010 and is playing a key role in controlling the transport of dangerous goods across the airports of Dubai and eventually protecting air transport across the Emirate. Credit for that goes
8
February 2020
Al Hammadi delivering a speech during the workshop
DCAA Interview
during weekends. Our team also checks and inspects goods, especially courier, to ensure they are safe. Q: How many NOCs did your section issue in 2019? A: Our section issued 10,178 NOCs last year compared to 9,556 in 2018. This increase shows the growth of demand to transport such goods that are required by the international economy, and it owes to the speed of our processes and the importance of Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport in connecting the leading cities of the world. Q: What is the number of companies licensed to transport dangerous goods in Dubai? A: The number of companies licensed to transport dangerous goods in Dubai and registered with the General Civil Aviation Authority is 124, including normal air carriers and dedicated cargo carriers. 90 per cent of these companies are based in Dubai. Q: Do you adopt smart systems to implement your procedures? A: Yes. We use smart systems to carry out our work in line with the vision of our wise leadership and directions of
The chosen expert
Ahmed Al Hammadi joined DCAA in 2010. He is an IATA accredited lecturer, and is the first Emirati lecturer in the domain of transporting dangerous goods by air. The benefits of his workshops and lectures on how to differentiate between the 9 classified dangerous goods, he managed to spread knowledge and enhance the capacities of his employees and other professionals working in this important sector.
our senior management. Thanks to our electronic security system which is connected with the related security bodies in Dubai, we can now finalise issuing an NOC within two hours instead of two working days as was the case using traditional methods. This helped raise customer satisfaction to unprecedented levels. Therefore, I can confirm that we are the leading section in the region in terms of quick issuance of NOCs, while also taking into account the highest applicable security standards. Our record is very impressive in this regard. Q: What are the various types of NOCs? A: Yes. There are several permits that are linked to a system that includes all the related security bodies. In addition to dangerous goods, there are permits to allow transport of firearms for athletes participating in shooting sports competitions and also for passengers on hunting trips, where carriers communicate with us online or via a smart application to secure such type of permits for their passengers. Q: Who handles inspections? A: We have five professionals including Head of the Section. All of them are licensed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to issue NOCs to transport dangerous goods, and to inspect these goods to ensure they are allowed to be transported by air, in addition to ensuring the safety of warehousing operations which are key to shipping these goods. Hence, our team plays a crucial role in maintaining the safety and security of the aviation industry in Dubai and the rest of the world too. Q: How do you evaluate your relation with your strategic partners? A: We have more than an excellent relation. We hold periodic meetings with Dubai Police, Emirates Airlines, flydubai
and Dnata among others, to strengthen communication and share insights about the key developments and challenges in the field of transporting dangerous goods and possible means to continually upgrade our performance and enhance safety and security standards in our domain of work. Q: What creative initiatives are you working on at the moment? A: We are part of the City Makers team, and we are currently working on a very important initiative in coordination with the Executive Council. We have come a long way towards achieving it, and we will talk about that in due time. But I can say that the practical application of this initiative will be soon, and it will contribute to creating a qualitative shift in the field of issuing certificates in Dubai as a whole. Q. How important is training to enhance skills? A: Training is a key part of the DCAA’s vision. Therefore, all our section employees attend advanced training courses related to the nature of their work, where they learn about the latest developments on the level of the international standards for inspecting dangerous goods. I would like to take this opportunity to express, on behalf of the team, my highest esteem to our senior management led by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Authority, for his insightful vision and wise directions, and also to H.E. Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, the Director General of the Authority, for his continuous support and for incentivising us to continually upgrade our performance to improve customer satisfaction levels and keep pace with the importance of Dubai International Airport as the world’s busiest airport in terms of international passengers.
February 2020
9
Cover Story
Year of Preparation
Ahead of its Golden Jubilee in 2021, the UAE has declared 2020 as the Year of Preparation for the Next 50 Years
I
n the fast-paced world where everything is changing so quickly, one lives in the present moment and plans for the future. If the present is wholesome, then only the future is nourishing. While the future can be altered and is our own to choose, the journey can be made much easier by planning for the future today. When proper plans are formulated ahead of time, these help the countries to execute projects to reach their goals and realise their vision. According to the Chinese philosopher, Confucius, a man who does not plan long ahead will find trouble at his door. Planning is bringing the future into the present so that one can do something about it now. A key factor behind the UAE’s successful socio-economic
10
February 2020
transformation in the past five decades has been planning for the future years in advance as its leaders believe that future belongs to those who prepare it for today. In 2013, when it bid for the right to host the World Expo in 2020, it was the culmination of an exercise of working years in advance. When the world’s third largest event after the Olympics and FIFA World Cup takes
off for the first time in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) on October 20, Dubai’s dream of taking a big leap at the global scale is fulfilled. Unrivalled in terms of their size, scale, visitor numbers and duration, this large-scale platform will serve as an arena for the Arab country to hog the global limelight for six months until April 10, 2021, the year which marks the 50th anniversary of the UAE.
Cover Story
True to its DNA of being future-ready, the UAE is thinking ahead of the global event to excel further and inspire the next generations. The UAE announced 2020: Towards the Next 50 initiative which will “involve all segments of the UAE society in shaping life in the UAE” for the next 50 years. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai took to social media to make the announcement, alongside His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. He remarked: “The UAE approaches its Golden Jubilee in 2021, a new milestone that celebrates 50 years of our young country and begins the journey to the next 50 years. Together, we welcome 2020: Towards the next 50.” He ordered the creation of two new committees to action the 2020 vision. The first committee, chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, is tasked with building a comprehensive development plan for the next 50 years. The second committee, chaired by His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, will be responsible for organising mass celebrations across the UAE to celebrate the country’s 50th year. The committee will also be tasked with creating a detailed record of the UAE’s achievements and milestones since its formation in 1971. Sheikh Mohammed added: “In 2020, we will work on making giant leaps in our economy, education, infrastructure, health, and media to share the UAE’s new story with the world. Together, we will build the Emirates of the future
in 2020 with the winning spirit of the union, a spirit that strives for progress. Our development journey has no end. United, we can make significant changes and raise our aspirations.” He remarked the way towards making the UAE among the best countries in the world by 2071 requires special focus on preparing sectors across the country to the post-oil era and building a knowledge-based economy based on innovation, science and modern technologies. Top priority of the national work within the next 50 years will be placed on investing in talents and capabilities, strengthening our system of values based on tolerance, openness and coexistence and preserving the national heritage, customs and traditions. The UAE leadership has long been eyeing celebrating the 50th anniversary in style. The country’s Hope Probe, to be launched this July, is scheduled to reach orbit around Mars in 2021, making for a moment of history. The Emirates Mars Mission is the first by any Arab to another planet. A team of Emirati scientists, in collaboration with experts from the US and France, designed and built the probe. The distance to cover from Earth to Mars is 60 million kilometres to be exact – so the journey will take seven to nine months. It will reach the Red Planet by 2021, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the nation’s formation as the Arab’s world successful federation. Till now, there have been only 26 successful missions to Mars from nine countries. This isn’t the UAE’s first venture into space. In September 2019, Hazza Al Mansoori became the first Emirati astronaut in space. The astronaut went
Top priority of the national work within the next 50 years will be placed on investing in talents and capabilities to the International Space Station (ISS) for eight days before returning safely back to Earth. Dr. Jamal Sanad Al Suwaidi, Director General of the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR), says exploring and preparing for the future are methods adopted by developed and emerging nations in their quest for excellence and leadership in global competition across various fields of human endeavour and civilizational progress. They achieve this by devising plans, policies and strategies that respond to reality and its challenges. In this way they create the future they seek and shape it according to sound scientific approaches and strict methodologies that leave no room for superstition or pseudo-science, and no margin for error or miscalculation. The wise leadership has made planning for and shaping the future a guiding principle of its endeavours and continuous efforts to realise the great ambition of seeing the UAE achieve first place globally in all indicators of development and progress. The UAE Centennial Plan 2071, launched in 2017 aims to make the UAE the best country in the world by its centennial in 2071. The ‘2020: Towards the Next 50’ initiative proves to the world that we have a unique leadership in terms of their characteristics, wisdom and insightful future vision.
February 2020
11
UAE National Brand
UAE now has a national brand
B
rands can be one of the key sinews of a nation’s economic strength. They are a country’s sustained source for constant and continuing wealth generation. Brands create virtually impregnable ecosystems and lie at the heart of economic robustness of their countries, remarked Prathap Suthan, Chief Creative Officer and Managing Partner, Bang in the Middle East, a creative agency.
12
February 2020
UAE National Brand
of the countries across multiple reputational categories: Exports, Culture, Immigration/Investment, and Governance. The UAE as country brand was ranked 16th in the world and first Arab country. The world’s future brand global index measures the success of 75 countries. The 2019 Country Index by the brand consultancy Future Brand highlights “measures of a great nation beyond GDP, using survey responses on quality of life, business, culture, values, and tourism to rank countries.”
In November 2019, Germany retained the top position in the Nation Brands Index (NBI) for the third time in a row. The index has been prepared by Ipsos, the third largest market research company in the world. France jumped from fourth to second place, and Canada advances from fifth to third place. The UK, which ranked third every year since 2011, drops to the fourth spot. Japan, came in second in 2018, but now sits in the fifth position. The US remains in sixth place. While Italy tied with the US in 2018, it now ranks seventh. The ranking had been done based on consistent strengths
In January, the UAE unveiled its first national brand. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, unveiled the new Nation Brand. The new logo will represent the UAE to the world. “The UAE Nation Brand tells the story of our union, our unity, our future and of a country that is firmly making its mark across the world. Our goal for the new brand is to enhance the Emirates’ global reputation, in which we invested thousands of teams throughout 48 years of constant work,” said Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid. “We call on all sectors and entities in the country to use this logo as part of their strategic initiatives and events that help convey the UAE’s story to the world.”
Designed by 49 Emiratis, the logo named 7 Lines - was chosen from two other designs by popular vote. More than 10 million people from around the world took part in an online poll. The seven lines are said to represent the leaders of the seven emirates who agreed to unite under one flag. Seven lines, shaping the map of the Emirates using the national colours, represent the unity of the future-focused leaders. The vibrantly coloured lines are meant to reflect the UAE’s continued development and the diversity of UAE society. The Nation Brand will represent the country’s journey over the next 50 years. It will also serve a similar purpose to the national tourism and marketing slogans such as Malaysia’s Truly Asia, Britain’s GREAT campaign and Incredible India. The accompanying slogan ‘Make it Happen’ will represent the country’s ambition and the great development strides. The formation of the Nation Brand Office as part of the Public Diplomacy Office at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future was also announced to coincide with the Brand. The Office will serve as the reference for the use of the logo and issue user guides for all sectors and institutions. The logo of the UAE Nation Brand will cement the country’s unique identity, strengthen its global image and share its exceptional and inspiring success story to the world.
February 2020
13
UAE in Focus
Emirates carried 58 million passengers in 2019 E
mirates Airlines has a successful string of product, network and customer experience in 2019. Remarking on milestones, Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline said: “This was a year of recalibration in terms of our fleet and network plans. Our dynamic approach to capacity deployment demonstrated our agility and yielded results. We’ve also stayed focussed on delivering our ‘Fly Better’ promise to customers through enhancing our product and service proposition at every touchpoint. In 2020, we’ll continue to leverage our partnerships to provide even more connectivity and value for customers. At Expo2020, we will showcase the future of aviation at the Emirates Pavilion.” In the 2019 calendar year, EK carried close to 58 million passengers on its modern and efficient fleet of Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft. Emirates operated over 186,000 flights, travelling more than 885 million kilometres around the globe, which is the distance equivalent of more than 2,300 trips to the moon and back. The
14
February 2020
airline served nearly 63 million meals on its flights departing Dubai and handled over 35 million pieces of baggage in Dubai alone. The airline reinforced its global network of 159 destinations, with the addition of three new passenger routes: Dubai to Bangkok via Phnom Penh; a non-stop service to Porto, the airline’s second destination in Portugal and a new service to Mexico City via Barcelona.
Emirates expanded its A380 network with the introduction of scheduled services to Riyadh, Cairo and Muscat. Emirates continues to invest over US$ 27 million annually to operate inflight connectivity systems. More than 13 million Wi-Fi connections were made on-board its flights in 2019. Emirates App has become one of the top airline apps with nearly 2 million active users, and is available in 19 languages.
UAE in Focus
flydubai becomes UAE’s first airline to start flights to Krabi
D
ubai’s LCC flydubai has become the first UAE-based airline to offer flights to Krabi in Thailand. The daily flights are operated via a short stop in Yangon in Myanmar
and are code-shared with Emirates. Krabi is a popular holiday destination for beach goers and adventures alike. Last year, Thailand welcomed about 200,000 visitors from the UAE, both
Emiratis and residents. flydubai has a network of more than 90 destinations in 48 countries and, over the next decade, it will see its fleet grow by up to 236 aircraft.
Transportation in focus in Dubai’s AED196 billion budget
D
ubai has approved an AED196 billion budget for three years to boost the emirate’s overall economy.
to develop infrastructure projects. Dubai’s keenness to develop its economy, infrastructure &
transportation has led to an allocation of 46 percent of total spending to the sector.
The budget for the 20202022 cycle confirms Dubai’s determination to continue raising people’s happiness and stimulating entrepreneurship. This is emirate’s largest-ever annual budget at AED66.4 billion for 2020. Dubai estimates public revenues to reach AED64 billion, an increase of 25 percent year-on-year. Oil revenues account only for six per cent of total projected revenues for the fiscal year 2020. Dubai has dedicated AED8 billion
February 2020
15
Interview
Advertising is axiomatic to business success Lufthansa is the largest German airline. When combined with its subsidiaries passenger airlines like Austrian Airlines, Swiss International, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings, it is the largest airline in Europe. With over 142 million passengers, the Lufthansa Group is number one in Europe. In an interview with ET Brand Equity, veteran marketer Alexander Schlaubitz, who is leaving Lufthansa as the Vice President of Global Marketing to take over as Chief Executive of DDB’s Lemon Group, talks about how the airline brand had been made a success. Edited excerpts What is the role of advertising in building an airline brand? It is axiomatic to the success in our business. The airline category has reached a point of maturation in which there is almost total commoditization. Creating and maintaining a relevant, differentiating, and “ownable” brand experience depends on the coordinated efforts between a multitude of stakeholders in the company - and marketing serves sometimes as a driver and shaper, sometimes as an internal coordinator, and very much as the external communicator. How did you zero in on the current brand positioning ‘Life changing places’? It took years to evolve. We had the sense that much of the category discourse had devolved into the mere pursuit of destinations and prices. We knew there was more to travel, and that in times of digital lifestyles – which can be a bit superficial, with many fleeting experiences – travel represents an opportunity to create more immersive and lasting experiences. We are continuing to push those boundaries. What were key brand-led challenges faced by Lufthansa? Research said that the brand had suffered some years back owing to
16
February 2020
strikes and the like. The brand was also getting a little diluted, possibly because we had traditionally been seen to cater to everybody, but the category had changed and moved. We knew that we had to sharpen some of these things. We wanted to clarify what the brand stands for and make it more intuitive. Given the magnitude of the exercise, what were the key challenges and lessons gathered while recalibrating Lufthansa’s brand? The main challenge was the complexity of the system we had to design for. There are an incredibly high number of touchpoints. Making sure we find the optimal articulation of the brand for every one of the touchpoints meant a balancing act between ensuring brand coherence, whilst being conscious of
the contextual parameters in which we appeared. To manage this, we decided not to make our brand management rule based, but rather principle based. We did not have a book of brand rules, but we have the principles. Speed, for example, was not the only parameter. We also had to be ecologically and economically responsible. It is going to take us seven years to do the entire fleet, because that is roughly the paint cycle of our aircraft. We will paint them in the livery when the time comes. Similarly, for the disposables or anything that is cardboard and paper we wanted to make sure that we use up everything before we put new things in place. It is a slow path, but we believe that is the right path.
Interview
We want to empower our Civil Aviation Authority Malaysia’s decision to disband the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) has caused an outcry in the community, with several voicing their concerns over the loss of an independent body to regulate the operations of airports in the Far East country. Others were more worried about the prospects of Malaysia Airports Holdings (MAHB). In an interview, Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke told The Edge about the rationale behind the decision and why Mavcom was never consulted on proposals made by Ministry of Transport (MoT) to the Cabinet. Edited excerpts What is the rationale for the integration of Mavcom and CAAM? We think that this is the right way forward because we have discussed and looked around and referred to other countries — what are the models of their regulators — and we found that actually, most countries only have a single regulator for aviation, that is their Civil Aviation Authority. We want to empower CAAM. What’s more, after the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) downgraded CAAM to Category 2 (for air safety rating), there is more reason to empower CAAM. In the process of empowering CAAM, we think that this is the right time for us to absorb Mavcom into CAAM, and to make it a fully empowered and independent Civil Aviation Authority. There were 33 findings in the downgrade — CAAM is perceived as a weak regulator. To really get back to Category 1, you need to address all these findings. Many people may ask, why not the other way around? My answer to that is the world authorities, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), recognises CAAM but not Mavcom. Nobody recognises Mavcom as the authority for civil aviation. It is just an economic regulator created by the Malaysian government, and this model does not apply to many other countries.
Will there be any revamp in CAAM? Definitely, we are looking at a total transformation of CAAM, not just in terms of strengthening the team — both the management and the technical team — but we are looking at how to strengthen its financial capability, so that it can pay better, to attract talent to the authority.
landing charges, which are also quite low, and pilot licensing and so on. We need RM350 million (a year) to keep CAAM going at the current rate (pay scheme). So, to raise salaries, we need an upward revision from RM350 million. We are talking something like RM450 million to RM500 million, in terms of getting a better pay scheme.
Since being corporatized in 2018, it has not been independent in terms of financials. It became a statutory body but is not financially independent. So, under that category, any pay scheme of its staff is still subject to JPA (Public Service Department), so it is tied to the government’s pay scheme.
Does CAAM not need to abide by the MoT’s policies? When I say independent, it doesn’t mean that it will not follow the government’s policies. Independent authorities also need to fall in line with the policies of the government of the day. We cannot allow a situation where the authority is allowed to do whatever it wants, disregarding the government’s policies.
How will the government ensure that CAAM is financially independent? One way to increase CAAM’s revenue is to review our air navigation flight charges (ANFC). The rates have never been reviewed for the past 10 to 15 years. Our charges are much lower than those of Thailand and Indonesia — we are the lowest in the region. That is one of the immediate measures that we are looking at, to increase the financial capability of our CAAM. How much is it collecting now? Now, CAAM is collecting less than RM120 million a year for everything, including ANFC and other charges like
That would make the government of the day powerless. So, the government sets policies, and it is up to the authority to enforce them or to come up with a regulation or action plan to go along with the policies of the government. To answer some of the critics who say that we are taking away the independence of Mavcom, that independence will be given to CAAM. We are not taking away that independence and putting it under my minister’s office.
February 2020
17
Special Report
5G Airports
Airports across the world are increasingly adopting 5G technology to improve the operations and enhance passenger experience
M
obile internet has become essential to stay connected at all times of the day. Telecom operators across the world have invested over the years to improve the services to provide opportunities to people to have everything they need at their fingertips 24/7. Since 2013, the world has become used to the 4G connection, characterised by high-speed and improved levels of efficiency compared to its predecessors. Now, even the 4G era is coming to its end. The futuristic innovation wave is the 5G connection. 5G is the fifth generation of cellular network technology, after 1G (the first mobiles), 2G (text-enabled mobiles), 3G (smartphones) and 4G (multimedia smartphones). It builds on previous generations with high-speed networks designed to maintain performance for a vast number and diversity of devices. It is going to have major impact
18 PB
February 2020
across all domains including airports and airlines. The first and most important feature is the speed: it is 20 times faster than the current 4G connection. The navigation speed makes the services much more accessible and will allow real-time
connection for devices. Other technical features are simultaneous connections, better spectral efficiency and widest coverage and reduced latency. No wonder, 5G is going to be a real revolution: everything will be connected with everything. It is going to have a major impact on the airport services. It will not only affect the passengers’ connection experience but also other aspects of the airport management. It will help to improve the performances and the efficiency levels, through significant costs and time saving actions.
Special Report
5G is engineered for a new generation, where billions of connected things will power smart buildings, smart cities, smart homes—and smart airports. The technology has moved from labs to real-world deployments and airports are witnessing its commercial rollouts. When using a 4G network it takes approximately six minutes to download a two-hour movie. With 5G, the same movie can be downloaded in a mere 3.6 seconds due to its amazing data speed. The turbo-charged network is also more responsive, thanks to one millisecond of latency. This translates to an amplified connectivity experience for passengers. 5G will usher in boundless connectivity and intelligent automation, digitizing economies and societies. The 5G era technologies will be incredibly important for improving the passenger experience and boosting operational efficiencies.
insights will strengthen operations. Timely data and analytics will inform like never before. And intelligent wireless networks that are 5G-enabled will be at the heart of it all.
Larger commercial availability is hitting from 2020 onwards, prompting the airports to start mapping out their 5G strategies, a daunting task. A number of airports have started using 5G. Ground operations, security checkpoints, runway monitoring, baggage handling and building management will be transformed. Beacons and proximity
Manchester Airport has become the first in the UK to be provided with a 5G connection. 5G connection has been made at Rome Fiumicino, the first airport in Italy to offer travellers a unique wireless experience. Helsinki Airport has introduced a 5G enabled robot. A 5G network has been deployed at the new Beijing Daxing International Airport. 5G capability has been installed at Gatwick Airport. Brussels Airport is building a 5G-ready network. A 5G network trial is on at Wellington Airport.
Timely data and analytics will inform like never before. And intelligent wireless networks that are 5G-enabled will be at the heart of it all
A 5G demo zone has been created at Leonardo Da Vinci airport in Rome. China Eastern Airlines has become the first carrier globally to use 5G networks. Helsinki Airport has become the first 5G airport in the world. Brussels Airport is building a 5G-ready network for use from March 2020. Lebanon has launched free 5G services for Beirut airport’s passengers. Guangzhou Baiyun Airport became China’s first
5G-covered commercial airport with a 5G base station. A 5G DIS (digital indoor system) network is being established at the Istanbul New Airport. Commercial 5G wireless broadband service is to be launched at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports by May 2020. 5G is being rolled out in Abu Dhabi Airport’s Midfield Terminal Building (MTB) making it the first in the region. Etisalat has become the first mobile operator in the MENA to provide 5G coverage inside an international airport. Etisalat is aggressively expanding its 5G footprint in the UAE with the installation of 1,000 mobile sites. This will take customers to new levels of experience enjoying advanced use cases such as smart machine control, smart security, 4K uninterrupted videos, holograms, AR/VR and online interactive cloud gaming. According to market studies, the 5G market in aviation will reach US$3.9 billion mark by 2026.
February 2020
19
Middle East
KSA starts trial operations at new airport terminal
T
rial operations have started at Arar airport’s new terminal in Saudi Arabia. It is initially being served by flights to and from the capital Riyadh through the national carrier Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia). The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) is testing systems and identifying technical problems before the airport is fully operational. About 346,000 passengers used Arar airport in 2018. The new terminal can accommodate over one million
passengers annually, with an air traffic capacity of 10,000 flights a year. Arar’s upgrade is in line with the Kingdom’s reform plans to achieve economic development in all Saudi regions.
The main travel terminal of the new airport has six travel gates, including two passenger bridges gates that can serve four aircraft at once, and four gates that will serve the airside aircraft parking bays.
Jasmin Airways obtains AOC
J
asmin Airways has obtained its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) from the civil aviation authority. The new private Tunisian carrier has the capacity to cater for a wide range of services like charter, special flights, ACMI and private jet.
Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It will fly to European destinations once it is granted all the required certification. It will operate mainly from Enfidha-Hammamet and DjerbaZarzis airports with two Embraer ERJ 170 of 76 seats.
The airline will offer short and medium-haul flights to countries in
Jasmin Airways’ is the sixth AOC granted to a Tunisian company. Five Tunisian airlines operate in the country, two state-owned and two privately held. Tunisair, the flag carrier, serves international markets. Tunisair Express, a subsidiary of Tunisair, operates domestic and short distance international flights. Of the three private airlines, Nouvelair is the largest.
20
February 2020
Inside the terminal there are 10 check-in counters, 12 passport control counters for arrival, and eight counters for departure. There is a 900-seat capacity in the main passenger terminal. The airport also caters to people with disabilities. The GACA is working to develop a network of international and domestic airports to accommodate the growing demand and increase in the number of travellers in various airports around the kingdom.
Gulf Air’s new European flight destinations
G
ulf Air, Bahrain’s national carrier, has revealed new additions to its network this year with three popular business and leisure destinations. The airline will start flights to Milan in Italy from July using a new Airbus A321neo, and both Munich in Germany and Mykonos in Greece on a seasonal basis from July to September with four and three weekly flights respectively. Due to its popularity this summer, Malaga flights will be resumed during summer 2020 with two weekly flights and Salalah in Oman will be reinstated during the same period with three weekly flights.
MRO
Safran considers US$150 million engine MRO unit
F
rance-based Safran Group is considering a US$150 million investment in a new aircraft engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) unit in India to cater for its airline customers. Safran and GE Aviation owns a 50 per cent stake each in the US-based CFM International, which manufactures engines for the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 types of aircraft. Currently, about 220 Airbus and Boeing airplanes in India are fitted with CFM engines. Additionally, there are 485 planes on order from IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara, which will be
Indian state approves MRO facility equipped with these engines and are expected to be delivered over the next five years. CFM International, which competes with engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney, won a US$20 billion order from IndiGo to supply engines for 280 Airbus A320neo in June 2019. Plans to set up an MRO unit in India are being evaluated following the big order win. Currently, only Air India has capabilities for in-house maintenance of aircraft engines, while all other carriers send their engines overseas for overhaul and major repairs.
Airlines spent US$1,452 per flight hour on MRO activity
T
he latest global data indicates that the world’s airlines spent an average of US$1,452 per flight hour on maintaining wide-bodies in 2018. This worked out to US$5.7 million per aircraft for the year. These figures were provided by the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Maintenance Cost Technical Group, which surveyed 37 airlines operating 1,666 wide-bodies averaging 8.8
years in age. Equivalent estimates for narrow-bodies were US$824 per flight hour and US$2.5 million for the year, based on reports from 50 carriers operating 2,649 jets averaging 8.9 years of age. For regional jets, MRO costs averaged slightly less, US$817 per flight hour and US$2.1 million per aircraft year. Regional jets averaged 7.5 years old and were reported by 13 airlines. Thirteen airlines reported an average of US$993 MRO spent per flight hour on turboprops averaging 7.8 years of age.
T
o promote the aviation sector, identified as a thrust area in the Industrial and Business Development Policy, the north Indian state of Punjab has approved leasing of four sites, of 5000 square feet each, for the development of a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at Patiala Aviation Complex (PAC). The move is aimed at enabling the state’s development as a hub for the aviation industry to tap the future potential of the sector and create employment opportunities.
MRO business to boom in Latin America
O
ver the next 10 years, growth in the Latin American market will outpace the worldwide demand for MRO services, according to Aviation Week Network, the largest multimedia information and services provider for the global aviation, aerospace, and defence industries. The steady growth will lead to a healthy MRO market, growing to US$6.7 billion by the year 2027. Latin America is a poised for rapid expansion in the MRO market. Latin American airline fleets have grown substantially and are due to become much bigger.
The number of global commercial aircraft engines in service is expected to exceed 69,860 by the end of 2020. CFM56 will dominate the engine fleet, holding one-third of the engine market in 2020, followed by the V2500 and CF34 with nine and eight percent, respectively.
February 2020
21
Airlines
Aegean Airlines bids for Croatia Alines stake
G
million in the first nine months of 2019, another reason behind the move of a sale.
Aegean, a member of the Star Alliance and Greece’s flag carrier, confirmed it has participated in the non-binding offer in the Croatia’s Airlines’ privatization.
The airline operate a fleet of Airbus A320-family jets. Aegean took delivery of its first A320neo in December 2019. This jet is the first of a further 46 A320neos expected to be received before 2025.
Croatia is planning to sell a 70 percent stake in its national airline. The firm saw a net loss of US$7.25
Additionally, the carrier agreed to an initial order of 30 units of the type and supplemented it with
reece’s largest carrier Aegean Airlines has expressed interest in the privatization of Croatia Airlines and submitted a bid.
16 more from leasing companies. Croatia Airlines currently holds four A319-100s two A320-200s.
Qantas chooses A350 for ultra-long-range project
A Vietnam Airlines adds 19th route to China
B
eginning January, Vietnam Airlines started operating flights between Danang in Vietnam and Shanghai in China, taking the total number of routes it operates to China to 19. The airline has direct flights to a host of major Chinese cities including Shanghai, Danang and Hangzhou. In October 2019, the airline announced two new routes out of Ho Chi Minh City – one to Phuket and one to Bali. The new routes from Danang to Shanghai operate twice-weekly and utilises A321s on a four-star service. The populations of China and Vietnam are well-travelled in the region and the closer ties between airlines of the two nations look set to continue in 2020.
22
February 2020
ustralian carrier Qantas has chosen the Airbus A350-100 over Boeing’s forthcoming 777X as its future ultra-long-range aircraft. Two years ago, the airline announced a competition between the two jet makers to develop an aircraft that would stretch the range of current jets to the limit and fly nonstop between Sydney and London. Qantas asked the manufacturers to tweak their contending airplanes— the A350-1000 and the 777-8X— to provide the range necessary. Airbus will add an additional fuel tank and slightly increase the
maximum take-off weight of its jet to deliver the performance required for such long routes. Qantas hopes to introduce the longrange service in 2023. No orders have been placed but Qantas said it will work closely with Airbus to prepare contract terms for up to 12 aircraft ahead of a final decision in March on whether to proceed.
Swoop looking to grow its fleet to up to 50 aircraft
T
he Canadian ultra-LCC Swoop is looking to grow its fleet to up to 50 aircraft over the next several years as the carrier seeks to add more secondary airports to its network. The WestJet subsidiary plans to add up to eight
airports to its network in 2020. The airline has had a profitable first year. Flair and Swoop represent just a fraction of the country’s domestic capacity, but each airline continues work to attain their growth ambitions.
Airports
Louisville airport undergoing US$400 million transformation
L
ouisville Muhammad Ali International Airport’s US$400 million upgrade will kick into high gear this year. The airport — which announced a major rebranding to honour the city’s native and boxing legend Muhammad Ali — will start using the investment
to implement its five-to-six-year master plan for upgrading machinery, increasing efficiency and parking and beautifying the areas in and around the airport campus. The renovation includes a complete reworking of the look of the facility’s front door. Travellers can expect to begin seeing changes as early as this summer, but
the plan will set the tone for the next 20 years of operations. Looking back to this past year, the airport reached 30 nonstop destinations, a nearly 50 percent increase from 2016, and saw a record number of passengers for the first half of 2019.
Penang airport expansion works to begin
M
alaysia Airports (MAHB) is scheduled to embark on its expansion works for the Penang International Airport this year. The airport operator has started the process of pre-qualification via open tender to local contractors to undertake the first stage of the expansion work. It expect to announce first contract by the first half of 2020 and following this the construction will commence soon, the New Straits Times reported. MAHB is confident of completing the large-scale expansion work as the airport operator has had successfully undertaken various works, including the major construction of kLIA2, second terminal of the KL International Airport, expansion work of the Langkawi International Airport and the conversion of the old Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) into the new air cargo terminal as well as the improvement of the main terminal KLIA to accommodate large aircraft involving the runway, taxiway and boarding lounges.
Changi operator wins Komodo airport concession
C
hangi Airport International, operator of one of the world’s best Changi Airport in Singapore, has won a 25-year concession to operate Komodo Airport in Labuan Bajo, the main gateway to the world-renowned Komodo dragon national park in East Nusa Tenggara. Changi’s consortium, which includes Jakarta-listed airport service firm Cardig Aero Services and Changi’s subsidiary Changi Airports Mena, will invest US$86 million to expand the airport’s runway, aprons and international terminals. The consortium will build the facilities and have full control of the airport
before handing back the airport management to the government at the end of the concession period. The airport presently has only 600,000 passengers per year today, but officials project four million passengers per year in 10 years. The Komodo airport development is part of the effort to support Labuan Bajo as one of Indonesia’s priority tourism development to make 10 ‘New Balis’. Labuan Bajo hopes to host APEC or G20 meeting. The country plans to submit a proposal for hosting the APEC meeting in 2024 and the G20 meeting a year earlier.
February 2020
23
Opinion
Airports at the crossroads U
nder the theme “Airports at the crossroads,� aviation leaders will again come together for the 12th Annual ACI Airport Economics & Finance Conference & Exhibition from 24-26 March 2020 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This is the preeminent global event on airport economics and finance, designed by and dedicated to aviation financial professionals. The event is hosted by Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) and marks the first time that the event will be held outside of London since 2013 when it was held in Singapore. The first day of the conference will be dedicated to innovations and sustainability in the field of airport economics and finance. Session 1 will address airport ownership and will explore the benefits that the private sector can bring to the need for larger airport capital expenditures worldwide and air passengers’ requests for higher service quality. Session Two will discuss innovation and threats that impact airport commercial revenues. The afternoon will close with two sessions on airport financing specifically. The first will focus on climate bonds and green financing with the aim of aligning sustainable development solutions with the required financial flows to meet those goals. And, the second will focus on Islamic finance as its growth continues to reach impressive levels. Day two of the conference will focus on the links between the
24
February 2020
airport capacity crunch worldwide, policies related to airport economic regulation, and airport slot and capacity allocation. Session Five on economic oversight will address the type of measures and models that can incentivize the adequate provision of infrastructure to meet the growing demand for air transport over the long-term. The panel will be followed by an interlinked session of policies and measures that can be used to optimize the allocation of scarce capacity to airlines at congested airports. The Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines provide the necessary foundation and minimum common denominator to define the slot allocation system at the global level. The session will highlight how these guidelines may be complemented by market mechanisms that are responsive to the needs of passengers and aviation stakeholders. Speakers will include senior representatives from ACI, and high profile industry figures such as Plaza Premium Lounges Founder and Chief Executive Officer Hoi-see Song, Royal Schiphol Group Director Treasury and M&A Corporate Treasury Vianney Heeren, Paccaya Resources CEO Andrew Ford, and Commercial Director at Ferrovial Airports Gabriel De la Rica. And of course, we will continue our successful pre-conference collaboration with the World Bank, which will open with the 6th
Angela Gittens Director General Airports Council International (ACI) World
Annual ACI-World Bank Aviation Symposium on 24 March. The interactive forum acts as a useful primer for the conference. Experts will analyze the demographic and social trends in air transport and will look at the key conditions that underpin airport infrastructure finance though the business cycle. ACI World Business Partners will also provide concurrent sessions that offer an array of insights to airport stakeholders and other participants. This is the must-attend conference that never fails to deliver on its promise. We look forward to seeing you in Kuala Lumpur, 24-26 March 2020.
Opinion
Safety is a journey, not a destination T
he FAA approach to safety oversight concerning the Boeing 737 MAX reaffirms the seriousness with which we must approach safety every single day. That is why we are working tirelessly to ensure a higher margin of safety for the aviation industry globally. The FAA is following a thorough process for returning the Boeing 737 MAX to service. This process is not guided by a calendar or schedule. I unequivocally support the dedicated professionals of the FAA in continuing to adhere to a datadriven, methodical analysis, review, and validation of the modified flight control systems and pilot training required to safely return the 737 MAX to commercial service. I have directed FAA employees to take whatever time is needed to do that work. The FAA’s return-to-service decision on the 737 MAX will rest solely on the FAA’s analysis of the data. It fully controls the approvals process for the flight control systems and is not delegating anything to Boeing. The FAA will retain authority to issue airworthiness certificates for all new 737 MAX airplanes manufactured since the grounding. When the 737 MAX is returned to service, it will be because the safety issues have been addressed and pilots receives the training to safely operate the aircraft.
test and completion of work by the Joint Operations Evaluation Board (JOEB), which is comprised of the FAA Flight Standardization Board (FSB) and our international partners from Canada, Europe, and Brazil. The JOEB will evaluate pilot training needs. Additionally, the FAA will review all final design documentation, which also will be reviewed by the multi-agency Technical Advisory Board (TAB).
Stephen Marshall Dickson Administrator Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) United States
Safety is a journey, not a destination—a journey we undertake each and every day with humility. Today’s unprecedented US safety record was built on the willingness of aviation professionals to embrace hard lessons and to proactively seek continuous improvement. The FAA both welcomes and invites scrutiny of our processes and procedures. We believe that transparency, open and honest communication, and our willingness to improve our systems and processes are the keys to restoring public trust in the FAA and in the safety of the 737 MAX when it is returned to service.
Actions that must still take place before the aircraft will return to service include a certification flight
February 2020
25
ATM
Tech controls aircraft landings from hundreds of miles away
A
vinor, the government-owned company in charge of operating and maintaining Norway’s airports, has been testing technology to control an aircraft’s landing from a location that can be hundreds of miles from the pilot’s actual destination. The country has many small airports north of the Arctic Circle, so using technology to remotely control take-offs and landings brings a number of economic benefits. The first commercial passenger flight recently landed on the island of Røst, which is the farthest west in the Lofoten archipelago. The air-traffic controller overseeing the landing was located in the town of Bodø, about 60 miles away.
New partnership for European airspace modernisation Eamonn Brennan, Director General of EUROCONTROL, said: “With an ongoing capacity crunch causing air traffic flow management delays that are 53 percent above those of 2017, it is crucial to accelerate the deployment of new technologies that can modernise and digitalise air traffic management.
M
embers of the SESAR Deployment Alliance, which includes airspace users, airports and Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), and the EUROCONTROL Network Manager have submitted a joint letter to the European Commission (EC) proposing to form a new partnership to manage the modernisation and digitalisation of a sustainable European Air Traffic management system.
Australia forms partnerships to cut aircraft waiting times
LVNL awards contract for innovative remote towers
A
ir Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL) has awarded a contract that enables the development, installation and maintenance of remote tower systems at airports across the Netherlands. From the end of 2021, LVNL will be providing tower control and approaching air traffic control at Groningen and Maastricht Aachen airports from Schiphol-East through the use of innovative remote tower technology. Rather than an onsite tower, a controller at a different location utilises onsite cameras for a view of the airport and its nearby
26
February 2020
This partnership is the right way forward to enable us to do that.” The European Commission is expected to launch a Call for Proposal in the first half of 2020 to put in place a new partnership for Deployment as of January 2021. Progress monitoring shows 72 percent of what is required by the Commission Implementing Regulation on Pilot Common Projects is already completed or ongoing, but significant investments are needed to accelerate the air traffic management modernisation and digitalisation.
A
airspace and uses radar positioning for approaching air traffic control activities. Saab Digital Air Traffic Solutions (SDATS) has been chosen for the contract. The SDATS approach distinguishes itself in its attention to the switch from the current way of handling traffic to handling it with a remote tower. SDATS will support in the further development of the system, safety analyses and training courses for air traffic controllers.
irservices Australia has joined forces with four airports and three airlines to reduce aircraft waiting times. The company has partnered with Qantas Group, Virgin Australia Group and Alliance Airlines, as well as Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth Airports to implement airport collaborative decision making (A-CDM).
Cargo & Logistics
Amazon Logistics to reach 6.5 billion packages by 2022
FAA approves Eastgate logistics centre
A
merican multinational investment bank Morgan Stanley says Amazon Logistics, the e-commerce giant’s in-house logistics operation, already delivers 50 percent of Amazon US volumes, focused on urban areas. The company estimates Amazon Logistics will reach a volume of 6.5 billion packages per year by 2022, far exceeding its estimate for UPS at five billion packages per year and FedEx at 3.4 billion packages per year. Amazon is already delivering about half of its own packages in the US, according to a Morgan Stanley estimate, and will soon pass both United Parcel Service and FedEx in total volume. Morgan Stanley said Amazon Logistics “more than doubled its share” of US package volumes from about 20 percent a year ago and is now shipping at a rate of 2.5 billion per year.
T
UAE logistics set to reap dividends of new Silk Road
E
ven as over 20 per cent of ArabChina trade and more than 25 per cent Chinese exports to Arab countries already passing through the UAE, the Arab world’s second biggest economy is emerging as a strong trading hub, providing more seamless connections between East with West. According to a report in Khaleej Times, the UAE’s logistics industry is gearing up to take advantage of China’s Belt and Road initiative (BRI), under which projects worth US$1.1 trillion are at various stages of development in more than 132 countries around the world.
SF Airlines creates global freight route network express giant SF Express. It provides specialized services for the booming express delivery business and other air freight services such as the chartered freight flights.
S
F Airlines has become China’s largest cargo airline and created a global air cargo service network with 65 destinations. It has evolved into a medium-size cargo airline with a total of 58 allcargo freighters as it celebrates its 10th anniversary. The Shenzhen-based SF Airlines is the aviation branch of China’s
In December 2009, SF Airlines launched its first route linking Shenzhen in south China’s Guangdong Province and Hangzhou in eastern Zhejiang Province. It also represented the operation of China’s first private cargo airline. Over the past 10 years, its fleet has carried more than 2.5 million tonnes of air cargo in around 330,000 flight hours worldwide.
he Eastgate Air Cargo Logistics Center planned for San Bernardino International Airport has been approved by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), clearing the way for a nearly 660,000-square-foot sorting facility and two 25,000-square-foot support buildings to be raised at the former Norton Air Force Base. This, after presidential candidates, the state attorney general, local elected officials and members of the San Bernardino-Muscoy community urged the federal agency to delay its approval pending a comprehensive environmental study of the project.
Large unmanned cargo aircraft set to take off
T
he traditional logistics supply chain is coming under significant and diverse pressures, ranging from climate change to human resource shortages, and infrastructure congestion. The solution to these problems may be on the horizon in the form of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and Large Unmanned Cargo Aircraft (LUCA), according to a report. The global value of trade in goods has increased dramatically, rising from US$10 trillion in 2005 to US$17.5 trillion in 2017.
February 2020
27
Technology
Airport facial recognition system fooled by masks
F
acial recognition technology used to secure airports and process payments has been fooled by photographs and 3D masks. According to a report in Fortune, multiple facial recognition systems in several countries were tricked in a series of tests carried out by an USbased Artificial Intelligence company. Researchers at Kneron were able to access a self-boarding terminal at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport by tricking the sensor with a photo on a phone screen. Using the same technique, the researchers managed to gain access to pay fares and board trains at several railway stations in China. In stores in Asia, where use of facial recognition technology is widespread, the team were able to trick two payment systems into allowing purchases to be made.
All it took to assume someone’s identity and make payments as them, was the donning of a highquality 3D mask. The elaborate masks were obtained from expert mask-makers in Japan. The experiment still raises concerns over the reliability of this increasingly popular technology in preventing fraud. Kneron has solutions to fix the weaknesses in facial recognition technology but companies are unwilling to pay for them. Even with the cleverly wrought 3D masks, researchers weren’t able to fool all the facial recognition systems they tested and had to admit defeat against the tech used by Apple’s iPhone X.
NASA’s quiet supersonic aircraft enters final assembly
The final assembly and integration of the airplane’s systems, including the cockpit eXternal Visibility System, is scheduled for later next year. KDP-D
28
February 2020
T
he world’s first fully electric commercial aircraft took its inaugural test flight, taking off from the Canadian city of Vancouver where tall mountain peaks edge the Pacific Ocean. This proves that commercial aviation in all-electric form can work, according to the Seattle-based engineering company MagniX which designed the airplane’s motor and worked in partnership with Harbour Air, which ferries half a million passengers a year between Vancouver, Whistler ski resort and nearby islands and coastal communities. The technology would mean significant cost savings for airlines -- not to mention zero emissions. Civil aviation is one of the fastest growing sources of carbon emissions as people increasingly take to the skies and new technologies have been slow to get off the ground. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has encouraged greater use of efficient bio-fuel engines and lighter aircraft materials, as well as route optimisation.
T
he US National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) X-59 Quiet Super Sonic Technology (QueSST) aircraft has entered the final assembly phase following the Key Decision Point-D (KDP-D) management review.
First commercial electric airplane takes flight in Canada
is the final programmatic barrier for the aircraft and was conducted by senior managers at NASA headquarters in Washington. The officials will meet again in later next year to clear the airplane’s first flight scheduled to take place in 2021.
The six-passenger DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver seaplane retrofitted with an electric motor was piloted by Greg McDougall, Founder and Chief Executive of Harbour Air. He took the airplane on a short loop along the Fraser River near Vancouver International Airport.
Technology
Can floating airports be the future of aviation?
T
he concept of floating runways for Air Force flights is not new, with the Aircraft Carriers serving the military purposes. How about a Floating Airport for commercial aviation? For flights to transport passengers or cargo, according to a report. It takes ample space to build an airport, but for islands and large metropolitan cities that require air connections more than anything,
Tech boosts aviation safety but raises repair costs
M
ore complex technology has improved safety across the aviation industry but is driving higher values and cost of repairs and increasing concerns about pilots’ overreliance on aircraft automation systems, according to a report from Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty SE and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The crash of two Boeing 737 Max 8 jets within five months in 2018 and 2019 and other high-profile incidents highlight the challenges of interaction between pilots and technologically advanced systems, the report said.
these space issues are extremely hard rather impossible to solve. In search of solutions, some visionaries have taken a completely different approach. What if we could make a runway float over the virtually limitless flat surface of the sea? During World War II, the British considered the novel approach of building runways on icebergs to provide cover for the vital Atlantic convoys. Although Project Habakkuk was never turned into reality, the
concept behind floating airport lived on. In 1995, the Japanese Technological Research Association of Mega-Float aimed to design and test a floating airport concept that, if successful, could be installed in Tokyo Bay. It is possibly the most ambitious attempt of its kind to date.
Rolls-Royce unveils all-electric aircraft
R
olls-Royce’s ambitions to build the world’s fastest all-electric aircraft have taken an important step forward with the unveiling of the airplane at Gloucestershire Airport. Work will now begin on integrating the ground-breaking electrical propulsion system to enable the zero-emissions plane to make a run for the record books with a target speed of 300mph+ (480km/h+) in late Spring 2020. The plane is part of a Rolls-Royce initiative called ACCEL (Accelerating the Electrification of Flight) and is a key part of Rolls-Royce’s strategy to champion electrification. The project involves a host of partners including electric motor and controller manufacturer YASA and the aviation start-up Electroflight. Half of the project’s funding is provided by the Aerospace
Technology Institute (ATI), in partnership with the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Innovate UK. The electrification of flight has the potential to revolutionise the way we travel and transform aviation for decades to come. Building the world’s fastest all-electric aircraft is nothing less than a revolutionary step change in aviation. The test airframe has been unveiled. The ionBird will be used to test the propulsion system before it is fully integrated into the plane. Planned tests over the next couple of months include running the propulsion system up to full power as well as key airworthiness checks.
February 2020
29
Drones
Lockheed Martin teaming on UAS airspace tools
FAA proposes remote ID technology for drones
T
he Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued proposed rules for the remote identification of drones in the US. The “next exciting step in safe drone integration” aims to offer a kind of license plate analog to identify about 1.5 million drones currently registered with the governmental body. The document is available online in a kind of draft form. The FAA is using the two months to solicit feedback from drone operators, enthusiasts and general aviation safety wonks. The rules are clearly an attempt to not only address ongoing safety concerns in high-risk areas like airports and stadiums, but also to get out in front of ever-crowding skies. Between hobbyists and commercial interests like UPS and Amazon, it’s not difficult to imagine even more
L issues, going forward. This is an important building block in the unmanned traffic management ecosystem. For example, the ability to identify and locate UAS operating in the airspace of the US provides additional situational awareness to manned and unmanned aircraft. This will become even more important as the number of UAS operations in all classes of airspace increases. In addition, the ability to identify and locate UAS provides critical information to law enforcement and other officials charged with ensuring public safety.
TSU engineers create drones based on digital twins
T
he Tomsk State University (TSU) Supercomputer Centre, a public research facility located in Siberia, has developed a method for the automated design of drones based on mathematical modelling using the computing power of the SKIF Cyberia supercomputer. The new approach includes the creation of a digital twin and its prototyping—the production of a functioning Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) model. This method can be used to construct aircraft models and to optimize the performance of existing aircraft. The new approach solves the
30
February 2020
problem of developing the aerodynamic profile of the UAV and choosing its optimal design. A cloud system was created associated with the TSU supercomputer. The user uploads the required technical characteristics to the cloud system, such as maximum lift, wingspan, flight time and distance, speed, and others.
ockheed Martin has announced two major initiatives with implications for UAV air traffic management and battery storage technology. Lockheed Martin Canada CDL Systems is partnering with Canadian UAVs to provide real-time airspace situational awareness for the UAV pilots conducting beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations. Lockheed Martin Canada CDL Systems will provide integration support for the vehicle control station software called VCSi, a universal Ground Control System based on more than 1.5 million flight hours in military and commercial flight operations. Canadian UAVs will integrate their lowcost, ground-based radar, Sparrowhawk, into VCSi to provide users with a complete airspace picture of manned and unmanned aviation tracking with collision avoidance. Sparrowhawk was a key component of the first permitted BVLOS flights outside of restricted airspace in Canada. The company will also develop hardware and artificial intelligence software as project SkySensus, funded by Canada’s Industrial and Technological Benefit (ITB) Policy. Separately, Lockheed Martin is teaming with TC Energy (Canada) to develop large-scale, longduration energy storage based on Lockheed Martin’s GridStar Flow battery technology.
Tourism
Tourism in Antarctica seen a 50 percent spike
A
s many as 56,000 people travelled to Antarctica during the 20182019 season, a 53 percent increase over the number of tourists in 20142015, according to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators. In 2020 and 2021, travellers will be able to book cruise ships with heated outdoor igloo rooms as well as business-class jet service to the continent. The 200th anniversary of Antarctica’s discovery, an emphasis on experiential travel, and last-chance tourism are reasons why Antarctica tourism is surging.
The number of people visiting Antarctica is arguably the most remote place on Earth. Traditionally, Antarctica has been a smaller tourism market due to “time, distance and cost.” The average entry-level Antarctica journeys costs around US$11,000.
Thailand sees surge in tourism income
T
he Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is expecting 3.18 trillion baht in overall tourism revenues for the Far Eastern country in 2020 or a four per cent year-on-year increase. This includes 2.02 trillion baht from international tourists and 1.16 trillion baht from domestic tourists. The outlook for 2020 follows the overall tourism situation in 2019, which is estimated to generate 3.06 trillion baht (four per cent increase over 2018), comprising 1.96 trillion baht (up four per cent) from 39.77
million international tourists (also up four per cent) and 1.10 trillion baht (up three per cent) from 167 million domestic trips (up one per cent). Thailand welcomed the 39 millionth tourist on December 27. In 2020, TAT is seeing a positive outlook of international tourists to Thailand from several markets including Cambodia, Lao PDR., Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Spain, Eastern Europe and the US.
Turkey’s thermal tourism generated US$1 billion revenues
A
round 1,500 thermal springs in western Anatolia in Turkey have generated about US$1 billion in tourism revenues in 2019. According to the Thermal Health and Tourism Association (TESTUD), as many as 750,000 overseas travellers visited Turkey’s thermal and spa facilities, mostly from China, Germany, Korea, Japan and Russia. In 2019, Pamukkale, dating back more than 2,000 years, was the fourth most visited site in Turkey by foreign tourists who sought cures in thermal waters, according to the Turkish Tourism Ministry. The Turkish government is making efforts to diversify the tourism resources during the last decade. Turkey is aiming to rank second globally in health tourism by 2023. The provinces of Afyon, Mugla, Denizli, Bursa and Antalya are the preferred tourism locations of foreign visitors who can also visit historical sites nearby. Turkey is slowly recovering from a recession that hit all sectors of the economy but relatively spared the tourism sector.
February 2020
31