A Space Odyssey
Monthly Newsletter issued by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority
www.viadubaionline.com
Issue 78 November 2019
Dubai Airshow is here again Participation of DCAA in Gitex Technology Week 2019 Aireon wins award for advancing aircraft surveillance
Why aviation needs AI more than ever Inside DCAA 7
Influenza Immunisation Campaign for Dubai Government Employees
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Coordination Meeting for Dubai Airshow 2019
14
DCAA Delegation Pays Expo 2020 Site in Dubai a Visit
DCAA Interview
Opinions
Mohammed Abdulla Ahli At 100, KLM
Dubai Airshow is Flying High
Middle East News 30
is still fit Pieter Elbers
12
MRO 31
Sustainability is critical to aviation’s growth
Airlines 34
33
Alexandre de Juniac
32
Technology 38
Message
from the President
Realisation of a dream
F
ive years after the UAE emerged on the world map, the youngest Arab nation’s Founder-President met an unusual delegation in February 1976. The three Americans - Eugene Cernan, Ronald Evans and Harrison Schmitt- met Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan due to his keen interest in space. They were in the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. The world’s first moon landing and human spaceflight took place in October 1968. An Egyptian-American scientist, Dr Farouk Al Baz, who ‘pinpointed’ the exact location for Apollo 17’s landing on the moon, knew his interest in space. Sheikh Zayed was thrilled at being presented a model of the Space Shuttle and also a tiny piece of a Moon rock brought by the astronauts to earth in September 1972. A total of 12 people have walked on the Moon, about 400,171 kilometres away from Earth, and none since 1972. Space exploration remained on his mind in the subsequent years as he transformed the UAE into one of the world’s most progressive and developed countries. The UAE’s present leadership, equally dynamic and visionary as him, worked their way in achieving what would have made him the most happiest and proud leader. After successfully launching three satellite - DubaiSat-1, DubaiSat-2 and KhalifaSat, which was designed and built entirely by Emirati engineers, the UAE set its sights even higher. The UAE created history recently when a former pilot became the first Emirati to successfully go to the International Space Station (ISS). The initiative attracted
Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum
a record 4,000 Emiratis who applied to be the first Emirati ambassadors in space for an eight-day mission, but only two were chosen, former pilot Hazza Al Mansouri (with Sultan Al Neyadi). The UAE is now the third Arab country to successfully send an astronaut in the space. In 2015, the UAE Space Agency was officially launched. The UAE is now planning the first Arab probe to Mars. Currently, over 70 Emiratis are working on the Emirates Mars Mission. That number is expected to grow to 150 by 2020. The UAE has grand plans to build a habitable settlement on Mars by 2117 and had signed up with NASA for cooperation in advancing human spaceflight. The UAE aims to be among the top countries in the field of aerospace by 2021, undoubtedly a big achievement for the country’s space industry which has been active only since 2009. Without doubts, we have to work hard to realise the dreams of our leadership, the ambitions of the UAE people and inspire the youth to raise their aspirations to the sky.
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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 07
Influenza Immunisation Campaign for Dubai Government Employees
08
Coordination Meeting for Dubai Airshow 2019
10
Participation of DCAA in Gitex Technology Week 2019
14
DCAA Delegation Pays Expo 2020 Site in Dubai a Visit
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 Creative Manager Mohammed Al Jarouf 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.
DCAA Interview 12
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Dubai Airshow is Flying High
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September 2019
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youtube.com/user/dcaadubai
Message
from the Director General
Flying High, Always
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he UAE’s growth and development has been unrivalled in the world. Dubai has been transformed into one of the world’s most-modern global city with a dynamic economy and vibrant society. Aviation is one the economic sectors behind its spectacular success. The UAE sits on the ICAO Council, an indication of it being a leader in the aviation world. Dubai has the world’s top airport for international passengers since the past five years now. Its airline operates the largest fleet of A380 and Boeing 777s aircraft. It has the largest aviation training facility in the world. It is home to the world’s largest A380 terminal. So is the world’s tallest 360-degree tower simulator. The success of Dubai Airshow is a classic example of the determination that the emirate has to excel in whatever field it chooses. A history-defying success of Dubai has been its airshow which started humbly in 1986 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. After it moved to the Dubai International Airport in 1989 on a 7,000-square-metres open-air facility, it has never looked back. It was at this juncture that Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), formerly known as Department of Civil Aviation, was involved for the first time as that edition had aircraft on display for the first time - 25 aircraft. Today, there will be 165 aircraft in the static park at the airshow which has now grown into the third largest in the world. Flying displays, which became a key public attraction since 1990s, brought in for us safety and security responsibilities.
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Mohammed Abdulla Ahli
Conducting flying displays in Dubai when it had just one airport was a tough job – we used to close the airspace to non-participating aircraft during selected time periods, but the situation changed when the airshow moved to a purpose-built facility at Dubai World Central (DWC). Last edition, the biennial event had 160-plus civil, military and business aircraft on display. For the first time, two Boeing 777-300ER and A380 conducted a joint flying display along the DWC runway in front of stands. It has been the Authority’s keenness to ensure the entire event, including the aircraft and flying displays remain secure and the safest. Our civil aviation laws stipulate that an aircraft flying acrobatically, in formation or as part of a display, in the emirate requires our authorization. Such a massive responsibility rests on our shoulders.
Inside DCAA
An Inclusive Society
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he UAE is a classic example of an inclusive society with people from over 200 nationalities living peacefully. The Arab world’s second biggest economy is worth emulating for building a progressive society in an increasingly polarised and intolerant world. When we think of the word diversity, we often connect it to race and gender. It however, doesn’t capture its numerous dimensions that exist in our variegated society. Diversity and inclusiveness are relatively new terms in our multicultural societies. Today, it is almost impossible for us to avoid meeting and interacting with people from other religions, cultures and social beliefs in our communities. An inclusive society prepares and celebrates ‘citizens of the world’ and creates a global society where one learns to live and respect people notwithstanding their
Year of Tolerance religious and social beliefs. The UAE is always committed to build trust and understanding in our societies. One need to be fully convinced of the importance of being part of inclusive society and build a mindset that honours the differences in others. Why it’s important for us to have a diverse and inclusive society: we learn different perspectives; we minimize discrimination and become more accepting; productivity and efficiency increases; we unite our efforts to improve the world and we become enriched and worldly. A powerful driver of economic growth is undoubtedly is an inclusive society. The UAE believes the government has a role to create the enabling conditions for an equitable society and ensure the well-being of everyone. On November 16, the UAE will be observing the United Nations International Day for Tolerance
to promote peace and inclusion across the globe. It is not enough to simply tolerate the differences of other people, cultures and backgrounds, but rather we need to create an inclusive society in which everyone is able to live a life of dignity. It is a must to disseminate inclusion and tolerance for happy societies, happy countries and a happy world. The UAE stands out as a model of tolerance and inclusivity. The UAE has a new vision of an alternative, future-oriented model that embraces diversity and welcomes global engagement. The UAE is committed to encouraging values of inclusion and coexistence. Values of inclusion, mutual respect and religious freedom have been ingrained in the UAE’s DNA since the country’s founding in 1971 under the leadership of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Influenza Immunisation Campaign for Dubai Government Employees
U
nder the supervision of Neuron Co., the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority provided the needed immunization to its employees against seasonal flu, as the Authority continually strives to provide all possible care and health protection to its employees.
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Inside DCAA
Coordination Meeting for Dubai Airshow 2019
T
he Higher Organising Committee for Dubai Airshow 2019 held its first coordination meeting in preparation for the new edition to be held at Dubai World Central International Airport. The meeting was headed on behalf of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group, by H.E. Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Vice Chairman of the Higher Committee of the event. The meeting was attended by H.E. Eng. Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Dubai South, and Deputy Chairman of the Higher Committee of the event, in addition to members of the Committee.
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H.E. Mohammed Abdulla Ahli commended the continued successes of Dubai Airshow and its significance to the aviation sector since its inception to date, thanks to the sharp vision and wise policy of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai; the supervision and follow up of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group, and the joint efforts and continuous communication of the Committee members as one team.
The meeting served to review the latest developments and preparations for the event, where the members, each in his/her field of specialisation, delivered detailed presentations dealing with the latest preparations for the event, which is expected this year to have over 1,300 exhibitors, with over 100 international and local companies participating for the first time. At the end of the meeting, H.E. Mohammed Abdulla Ahli thanked all the members for their cooperation and fruitful efforts, which made the Dubai Airshow among the best of global air shows. H.E. called upon the members to exert more relentless efforts this year to make the Dubai Airshow a Global Airshow event.
ﻋﻤﻠﻴﺔ اﻟﺘﻔﺘﻴﺶ واﻟﺘﻌﺮف ﻋﻠﻰ ﻗﻄﻊ ﻏﻴﺎر اﻟﻄﺎﺋﺮات ﺗﻬﺪف ﻫﺬه اﻟﺨﺪﻣﺔ إﻟﻰ ﺗﺴﻬﻴﻞ ﻋﻤﻠﻴﺔ ﻧﻘﻞ ﻗﻄﻊ ﻏﻴﺎر اﻟﻄﺎﺋﺮات ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﺘﻦ اﻟﺮﺣﻼت اﻟﻤﻐﺎدرة ﻣﻦ .أو اﻟﻘﺎدﻣﺔ إﻟﻰ ﻣﻄﺎرات دﺑﻲ ﻣﻦ ﻗﺒﻞ ﻣﻤﺜﻠﻲ ﺷﺮﻛﺎت اﻟﺼﻴﺎﻧﺔ وﺷﺮﻛﺎت اﻟﻄﻴﺮان أو ﻣﻼك اﻟﻄﺎﺋﺮات
: ﺧﻄﻮات ﻟﻠﺤﺼﻮل ﻋﻠﻰ ﺷﻬﺎدة ﻋﺪم ﻣﻤﺎﻧﻌﺔ3
ﻳﺮﺟﻰ ﻣﺴﺢ اﻟﻜﻮد ﻟﻠﺪﺧﻮل إﻟﻰ ﺻﻔﺤﺔ اﻟﺨﺪﻣﺔ
اﻟﺘﺴﺠﻴﻞ ﻣﻦ ﺧﻼل اﻟﻤﻮﻗﻊ اﻹﻟﻜﺘﺮوﻧﻲ اﻟﺮﺳﻤﻲ ﻟﻬﻴﺌﺔ دﺑﻲ ﻟﻠﻄﻴﺮان.1 www.dcaa.gov.ae اﻟﻤﺪﻧﻲ ﺗﻌﺒﺌﺔ اﻟﻄﻠﺐ اﻹﻟﻜﺘﺮوﻧﻲ اﻟﺨﺎص ﺑﺎﻟﺨﺪﻣﺔ واﺳﺘﻴﻔﺎء ﻛﺎﻓﺔ اﻟﻤﺘﻄﻠﺒﺎت.2 .واﻟﻤﺮﻓﻘﺎت . ﺗﺴﺪﻳﺪ رﺳﻮم اﻟﺨﺪﻣﺔ ﻋﺒﺮ اﻟﻤﻮﻗﻊ.3
Process for Inspecting and Identifying Aircraft Spare Parts This service is to facilitate for all representatives of maintenance companies, airlines and aircraft owners that intend to transport aircraft spare parts on board a flight arriving to or departing from Dubai Airports.
3 steps to obtain the NOC: 1. Registration on the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority website www.dcaa.gov.ae 2. Fill the online application and submit the required documents. 3. Pay the service fees online.
November 2019
Please scan the QR Code to access the Service page
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Inside DCAA
Participation of DCAA in Gitex Technology Week 2019
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he Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) participated in Gitex Technology Week 2019 as part of Smart Dubai Platform. The participation comes in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to transform the Government of Dubai into a fully smart model. It comes also out of commitment to the directions of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, related to the “Dubai Strategy for Paperless Transactions” initiative. The Authority showcased a number of smart and innovative services that contribute effectively to an integrated system of paperless government work consistent with the requirements of cities of the future. Showcasing its new innovations and a number of new electronic systems, the
Authority’s participation demonstrated the full smart transformation of all its services with the aim to enhance customers’ experience. In this year’s edition, the Authority introduced a new version of its DCAA Synergy App, an integrated system for managing strategic and operational plans and allocating tasks to the departments, management units and individuals, while also monitoring performance indicators and providing
all needed reports as per set indicators to accurately and objectively support the decision making process. The App data sheet contributes to the review of monthly reports dealing with the outcomes of the civil aviation sector and the indicators of the different services of the authority. It also helps to review ac-cumulated data to facilitate the analysis process and benchmarking current and previous results. Hence, the Government of Dubai and its organisations, including DCAA, have participated in a unified platform and showcased its key and latest projects and technological initiatives designed to serve the business community and individuals in the Emirate of Dubai. The event contributes primarily to strengthening the reputation of the UAE and consolidating its positioning on the map of innovation, creativity and development in the smart technology sectors, and helps attract more interested companies and investment entities from the region and beyond.
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Inside DCAA
November 2019
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DCAA Interview
His Excellency Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority
Dubai Airshow is Flying High T
he 2019 edition of Dubai Airshow will be one of the most successful editions in its history, thanks to the support and directions of our visionary leadership and the collaboration and dedication of all related authorities, said His Excellency Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA). He indicated that the current edition of the event will attract over 1,300 exhibitors from around the world and over 80,000 specialised visitors, in addition to concluding deals that will invigorate the global aviation sector. The air displays will be of very high standards, he said. Mohammed Ahli said the UAE has become one of the countries that has made a considerable impact in the global civil aviation industry thanks to numerous strategic factors, the most important of which is the vision and the decision making of our leadership, who identified the importance of international air transport. He remarked: “The beginning of the air transport sector in Dubai dates back to 1960, when late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, built the first airport in Dubai that same year, and put forward his vision for the aviation sector; a vision which sees Dubai becoming a major aviation hub bridging the world. In fact, the beginning was made way back in 1937 when the Commercial Air Agreement was signed. The vision came true with Dubai International Airport being ranked first in the world now in terms of international passenger volumes, thanks to the efforts of His Highness
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Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who recognised the importance of the aviation sector in terms of strengthening Dubai global repertoire, and also to the directions of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, who is leading the aviation sector from one success to another.” In his interview with Via Dubai, Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, delved into a number of important issues. Excerpts from the interview: When did the aviation sector in Dubai start to succeed? Success began with the first vision of the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, who opened the first airport in Dubai back in 1960 and his vision, since that time, was to have this airport rank first in the world. With His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum taking over responsibility for the aviation sector, from the mid-70s till now, this vision was realised and Dubai International Airport is now ranked first in the world in terms of international passenger volumes.
What is the importance of the aviation sector to the UAE? The aviation sector in the UAE is one of the vital and dynamic economic sectors. The aviation industry relies on the achievements and mutual efforts made by many strategic partners in this field. The aviation sector currently accounts for about 17% of the UAE’s GDP and about 28% of Dubai’s GDP, not to mention that the UAE has the largest and best of airports and carriers in the world. What are the factors for the success and excellence of the aviation sector? The UAE has a strategic location which makes it an international hub for passengers and it has six fastgrowing and thriving international airports, which are among the leading international airports. The state has managed qualitative leaps in the civil aviation sector, and this has helped achieve highest international ranking during a short span of time. In addition, the UAE has a number of big leading airlines such as Emirates, Etihad, flydubai and Air Arabia. As for Dubai, it is a major player in the aviation sector and we are seeking to continue building our completive capabilities through investment in
DCAA Interview
innovation and technology and bestin-class infrastructure, working with unwavering power to reach excellence. How does the Authority contribute to strengthening the Emiratisation strategy? Out of the keenness of our leadership to support the Emiratisation agenda, the Authority is continuously working to promote and incentivise the Emiratisation policies by employing Emirati personnel in the field of civil aviation and by attracting talents from the ranks of citizens for leadership, managerial and technical jobs. The Authority has reached 100% Emiratisation at the level of senior leadership positions (Executive Directors and Department Managers). As for specialized technical positions in the field of aviation, we have reached 86%. The total Emiratization in the Authority amounted to 80% and the Authority is always looking to providing all possible support to nationals with a view to developing their capacities and give them the chance to prove their professional
Emiratization
capacities in the service of the UAE. Our primary goal is to prepare new generations of UAE nationals with different professional disciplines to contribute to building the aviation sector, an important part in the growth of the country’s economy.
Senior Management
We stress our commitment to the visions and directions of our wise leadership in relation to empowering Emirati citizens, activating their role and giving them the opportunities to contribute to the civil aviation sector to support our country’s economy.
Aviation Senior Professionals/ Professionals 14%
20% 100% 80%
UAE Expat
86%
UAE Expat
UAE Expat
November 2019
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Inside DCAA
DCAA Delegation Pays Expo 2020 Site in Dubai a Visit
A
ccompanied by a number of Authority Executive Directors, Department Managers and officials, H.E. Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), paid a visit to the site of Expo 2020 in Dubai. The Authority’s delegation was received by Najeeb Al Ali, Executive Director of Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau and Abdulla bin Shaheen, Senior Vice President - Protocol.
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During the meeting, a detailed explanation was provided on the latest developments and achievements to date in relation to construction works and the ongoing preparations to host this global event. The meeting included a field visit to the event’s site. At the end of the visit, commemorative shields were exchanged between the two sides.
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APPROVAL OF CRANES &
OTHER CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT November 2019
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Cover Story
A Space Odyssey
The UAE has successfully sent its first national on a space mission
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he UAE has achieved an unprecedented milestone in its history when its selected citizen became the first to go to space successfully. When the UAE’s first astronaut, Hazza Al Mansouri, carried out the mission at the International Space Station (ISS), he achieved the dream and mission of the UAE’s Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, to reach the space one day. A jubiliant Hazza received an unprecedented hero’s welcome when he, along with his backup astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, returned home with His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, joining in the celebrations at the Presidential Airport in Abu Dhabi. Hazza, wearing the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) blue
space suit and draped in a UAE flag, waved to the eagerly-awaiting crowd as he descended and was met by the Crown Prince and they exchanged greetings. He then presented His Highness Sheikh Mohammed with the UAE flag which he took along with him on his journey to the International Space Station (ISS).
posted photos of the event on his official Twitter account in a series of tweets and stated: “The great spirit and vigour displayed by Hazza Al Mansoori and Sultan Al Neyadi throughout this journey has done the UAE and its people proud. We are proud of them and all ambitious UAE youth who dream big.”
A number of ministers, celebrities and school children also welcomed Hazza at the celebrations. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed
This trip is the culmination of a dream and ambition of Sheikh Zayed to see the name of the UAE high in the sky through space exploration which he had dreamed about more than forty years ago. For the UAE, it was a distant dream, but the country arrived on the global space seen it launched in 2009 the satellite Dubai Sat1. The space oddessey has been made possible thanks to the efforts of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who established the Emirates Foundation for Advanced Science and Technology and Emirates Space Agency with the aim of developing the space sector in the country.
Zayed’s Ambition Fulfilled
It was in April 2019, Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center announced the selection of Hazza Al Mansouri to
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Cover Story
Hazza spent eight days aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a Russian space mission. be the first astronaut in the mission to go to the space station, becoming the first Emirati and third Arab astronaut. Hazza is the first Arab astronaut to go to the International Space Station (ISS) as the other two Arab astronauts did not visit the station as their flights were prior to its establishment. When Hazza Al Mansouri set off for the space journey, his shoulders adorned the slogan, Zayed’s Ambition. He remarked: “I am proud to bring pride and hopes of this country to a new dimension and horizon.” Hazza spent eight days aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a Russian space mission.
lights of the city where he spent most of his childhood. He dreamed of being a pilot and loved reading about airplanes and spaceflight. After completing high school, his passion for space and his love for the homeland led him to join the armed forces to become a military pilot. He joined Khalifa Bin Zayed Air College in Al Ain and in 2004 obtained a bachelor’s degree in aviation sciences.
After returning home, he joined the operations squadron and then served as a trainer on F-16s. In 2016, he was selected as a solo pilot on an F-16 for air shows. He participated in 2017 at the Dubai
Following this, the UAE sent him for training on F-16 aircraft in Arizona in the US, where he underwent training programs including advanced courses in surviving drowning and rotation training and acceleration force up to 9G, and exercises on the red flag.
Born on December 13, 1983 in Abu Dhabi, Hazza loved to explore since his childhood and was eager to see stars and meteors in the dark nights of the Liwa desert away from the
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Cover Story
Hazza spent eight days aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a Russian space mission
Airshow and conducted various shows within the UAE on the occasion of the UAE National Day. The time to pursue his childhood dream to be in the space came in December 2017 when His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum invited Emirati youth to enroll in the Emirates Astronaut Program through the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center. A few tests in the UAE and Russia, and his background as a military pilot, helped him pass the tests successfully. In September first week in 2018, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid announced the names of the first Emirati astronauts. In a new Arab achievement, we today announce the names of the first Arab astronauts to the International Space Station: Hazza Al Mansouri and Sultan Al Neyadi, he announced as he received both of them in March 2019. As part of the agreement between the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center and the Russian Space Agency Roskosmos in the
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Russian Federation to train Emirati astronauts, Hazaa Al Mansouri underwent training at the Yuri Gagarin Astronaut Training Center in the City of Stars in Russia in preparation for the mission to go to the ISS, including learning the Russian language. The ISS was built in 1998 under the international cooperation led by the US and Russia and funded by Canada, Japan and 10 European countries. The station has been receiving astronauts since November 2000. The station has an international crew of six astronauts who spend 35 hours a week conducting deep scientific research in various scientific disciplines of space, physical, biological and earth sciences. Hazza Al-Mansouri had an important responsibility to provide an illustrated Arabic tour of the station, explaining the station’s components, devices and equipment on board, filming the planet, interacting with earth stations, transmitting information and experiments, as well as documenting the daily life of astronauts aboard the station. The interaction of the human body’s biomarkers inside the station compared to the ground before and after the flight was also studied. While on board the ISS, Hazza was entrusted with a scientific mission that included experiments showing
Cover Story
the impact of microgravity compared to Earth’s gravity. He carried a photo of his family and the UAE flag on his trip to the ISS, as well as another photo of Sheikh Zayed meeting with the astronauts of the Apollo, the world’s first voyage to the moon. He also carried with him ‘seeds’ and a copy of ‘My Story’, a book by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, while an Emirati meal was prepared for the trip which he shared with his colleagues aboard the ISS.
The interaction of the human body’s biomarkers inside the station compared to the ground before and after the flight was also studied.
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UAE in Focus
Dubai Airshow is here again
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ubai is hosting the 16th edition of its globally famous aerospace show from November 17 with the participation of over 1,300 exhibitors from 63 countries. About 87,000 attendees are expected to come to Dubai from across the globe. The biennial Dubai Airshow had in its previous edition recorded deals worth US$114 billion. Held 12 times at the Dubai International Airport, this year’s edition will be held for the fourth time at the Dubai World Central (DWC) Exhibition Centre, for five days. Organised under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin
Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and in co-operation with Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Dubai Airports and the UAE Armed Forces, Dubai Airshow will have 165 aircraft in the static park
along with having over 280 official delegations. The Airshow will feature National Pavilions which will see the representation from multiple companies from Canada, France, Germany, Russia, Turkey, UK, Ukraine and the US. The other pavilions will focus on Global Air Traffic Management (GATM) and Smart Manufacturing along with the new additions: Airport Solutions Dubai, Space Pavilion and Cargo Connect. Five conferences based around these topics will also take place. The Space Pavilion will feature Dubai Airports Engineering projects (DAEP) which has ambitious plans
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UAE in Focus
Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence from Italy will be exhibiting for the first time. The industry giants returning to demonstrate their own advances in technologies across the entire aerospace industry, includes Rolls Royce and Boeing.
for Al Maktoum International to become a ‘cosmic super-port’ handling hypersonic and space aircraft in the future. Airport Solutions Dubai will focus on disruptors to the industry including biometrics, AI, Blockchain, Robotics, IoT and Big Data. At Cargo Connect, participants will debate the way forward for the air cargo’s growth whose global market size is projected to reach US$ 135.9 billion Freight Tonne Kilometres (FTK) by 2025.
space technology development company and Yuzhnoye State Design Office. The companies that will be exhibiting at the Airshow includes AAL Group (Airfreight Aviation Limited), Abu Dhabi Aviation, AIME 2020, Air BP, Airline CXO Summit, Airlink International, Airport Solutions Dubai, Airports World Company, Al Jundi Journal, Alatus Aerosystems, Aura Group, Chevron and Dar Al Handasah. S&K Technologies from the US and
Rolls Royce plans to use their presence to highlight progress toward its IntelligentEngine vision which is moving at pace toward a future where its engines are increasingly connected, contextually aware and comprehending. The keynote speakers at the Dubai Airshow includes Jean- Yves Le Gall, President, Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES); Arfan Chaudhry, Head of International Policy, UK Space Agency; Dr. Eng. Mohammed Nasser Al Ahbabi, Director General of the UAE Space Agency and Apollo 15 Command Module Pilot Col. Al Worden, among others.
Among the major global companies participating are: Lockheed Martin, Rafale from France, Raytheon from the US and Korea Defence Industry Association. New exhibitors includes Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA), Dnipro, the Ukraine-based
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UAE in Focus
Emirates evaluating its fleet requirement
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fter years of rapid growth, the world’s biggest international carrier is reviewing its fleet requirement in light of the demise of the Airbus A380 jumbo and a deteriorating global economy. In an interview to Bloomberg, Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airlines, remarked he’s seeing “signs of diminishing demand”, and the rate of growth falling off as the strains from trade tensions to political upheaval weigh on
economies around the world. “We’re not in a good place at the moment, but we’ll deal with it,” he said. Emirates will retire the A380 in the next 10 to 15 years. The review signals shifting priorities for Emirates, which turned itself into the world’s largest international carrier by deploying the A380 and the original Boeing 777 to funnel global travellers through its Dubai hub.
Self-driving wheelchairs trialled at Abu Dhabi airport
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trial run of self-driving wheelchairs has been launched at the Abu Dhabi International Airport to allow passengers with restricted mobility move on their own. The wheelchair is the first for any airline and airport in the region. The Abu Dhabi Airports partnered with Etihad Airways to introduce the wheelchairs at Terminal 3 ahead of its launch at the new Midfield Terminal. The autonomous wheelchairs will allow passengers navigate easier through the airport without any assistance. The trial will last until the end of the year. It will involve intensive testing and mapping of the airport environment to facilitate autonomous movement.
EK’s A380 makes debut at Cairo airport
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he A380 of Emirates Airlines made its debut at Cairo International Airport (CAI) as the award-winning airline brought its popular aircraft to Egypt for the first time.
with 426 seats in Economy Class on the lower deck. Emirates started operations to Cairo in April 1986 with three flights a week and since then has carried more than 7.3 million passengers to and from Cairo.
The landing demonstrated the airport’s readiness to accommodate the A380, the world’s largest commercial passenger jet. The Emirates A380 operating to Cairo is set in a three-class configuration,
Operations have steadily grown with increases in both frequency and capacity between Cairo and Dubai to match passenger demand. Today, EK operates 21 weekly flights between Cairo and Dubai.
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This will ensure that passengers can use the new technology, if introduced following the testing process. The wheelchairs will offer passengers up-to-date boarding times and gate information, an automatic brake function, and sensors to detect any obstacles in its path.
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UAE in Focus
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November 2019
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UAE in Focus
Abu Dhabi Airports closes City Terminal facility
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bu Dhabi Airport closed its convenient City Terminal checkin facility. It did not give a reason for the closure beyond stating it was part of efforts to deliver a “smooth and seamless” passenger experience.
Previously, a passenger could get a boarding pass there and skip the hassle of bringing bags to the airport. Travellers are now being redirected to the main airport or the other remote check-in at the Abu Dhabi
National Exhibition Centre. City Terminal in the Tourist Club neighbourhood was a popular place to check in as it was on a regular direct bus route to the airport.
Etihad was among the major carriers at city terminal and the airline charged AED30 for the service. It is unclear if Abu Dhabi Airport has any further plans for the building but it is getting ready to open its huge Midfield Terminal building.
City Terminal was once a bus station, built more than three decades ago in concert with another in Al Bateen and the still operational main terminal.
flydubai first in ME to retrofit Boeing 737-800 Tender issued for ‘world-class ecommerce solution’ at DXB
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ubai Airports, which unveiled a new brand for Dubai International (DXB) this February, is inviting commercial partners to develop and operate a ‘world-class ecommerce solution’ for retail, food and hospitality services across Dubai International (DXB). This is in line with its strategy to transform DXB from a ‘conventional airport operator to a consumer-led organisation’, focused on developing exceptional experience and choice. The RFP is specific to the selection of qualified partners to design, deploy, maintain and operate the eCommerce component, and to implement and operate a retail and food fulfilment service.
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ubai-based flydubai completed the first Split Scimitar Winglets installation on its fleet of Next-Gen Boeing 737-800 aircraft, becoming the first airline in Middle East to invest in this fuel saving technology. The retrofit programme will see up to 30 aircraft fitted with the new Split Scimitar Winglets until October 2020.
Upon completion of the programme, the airline’s retrofitted Next-Generation aircraft will benefit
from greater fuel efficiency while producing less carbon emissions. By reducing the drag created at the end of the wingtip and distributing the lift of the aircraft more evenly across the whole wing, the Split Scimitar Winglets reduce fuel consumption for the carrier by 1.5 percent. The winglets are estimated to reduce flydubai’s annual fuel bill by over 200,000 litres per aircraft and reduce CO2 emissions by more than 510 tonnes per aircraft per year.
November 2019
25
Interview
Excessive competition behind LCCs collapse
In an interview, Joerg Eberhart, CEO of Air Dolomiti, talks about new airlines making the competitive situation crowded
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wholly-owned subsidiary of Lufthansa since 2003, Air Dolomiti connects the Italian hubs of Milan Malpensa, Florence and Turin with German bases in Frankfurt and Munich. Founded in 1991, the Italian regional carrier operates a 13-strong fleet of Embraer jets across 18 different destinations. In 2018, it carried more than 2.3 million passengers. The airline places itself squarely in LCC territory given its single class cabin. Operating out of Munich Airport, it has enjoyed a period of sustained expansion to become one of the German base’s largest carriers by volume of traffic. It is building a cutting-edge fleet through renewal policies and is now a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents 290 airlines in 120 countries around the world. In an interview with an IATA publication, Air Dolomiti CEO Joerg Eberhart speaks his heart out. Why it took you long to join the IATA? We are pleased to join IATA which has always striven to protect and promote the industry. We have recently announced the launch of an ambitious plan for growth, and in the coming years, we aim to extend our network and our fleet. I am sure that the Association will be able to support us on this path and that the partnership will prove fruitful. The aviation industry is facing major challenges requiring successful strategies and innovations. I have been at its helm since 2014
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and knows what path of renewal is required for the airline. What new perspectives does the IATA membership opens for the airline and how do they complement its current plans for growth? We were very proud to join IATA, the international authority that has always worked to safeguard and support the aeronautics industry by setting standards on operational costs, maximizing investments’ efficiency and creating specific training programs for airline professionals. I am certain that the Association will be able to support us greatly in our important growth plan and that its international concept will encourage us to reach an industrial character.
Could you tell us about the airline’s current expansion plans? Our expansion plans foresee an increase of connections between Italy and Germany. The implementation of many connections accomplished together with Lufthansa is also planned, in particular from Munich to Brussels, Prague, Sofia, Bilbao and many others. Our commercial expansion program will be completed by 2023. Concerning the internal area, my plans regard primarily the personnel. Our goal is to double the number of employees that by the next four years will achieve 1,000 units. The growth plan will start in 2019. It makes us very proud because we will grow from 12 to 26 aircraft. The new 14 aircraft will join the fleet gradually, with completion
Interview
flexibility and problem-solving capability.
Joerg Eberhart scheduled for 2023. It is a big step as more aircrafts will enable the company to cover more European destinations within the Lufthansa Group’s network.
What major innovation breakthroughs expected in the next few years? Air Dolomiti is constantly keeping up to date with the latest airline directions in terms of technological innovations. More in detail, we are developing a new platform that will allow digitalization of several manual activities and backup files like the TLB, a logbook that registers all flight data regarding aircraft maintenance works and any external damage report manually completed by Maintenance staff.
What are the advantages of being part of an airline group? Certainly, we benefits from this situation for many reasons. We are the only Italian airline in the Lufthansa Group and operating under our own brand allows us to build strong ties with the country in which we are based.
The objective is to finalize digitalization saving time, reducing human factor risks as well as reducing paper waste and perform significant resources optimization. Another very interesting project for the future is the use of drones in our Engineering and Maintenance departments in order to complete structural aircraft inspections.
Verona and the main Italian cities are connected to the world thanks to the Lufthansa Group’s main hubs in Munich and Frankfurt. And, of course, there are great advantages deriving from the Group’s support in operational, administrative and financial areas. Air Dolomiti is in a position to combine the strength, stability, and high standards of Lufthansa with Italian creativity,
What are the biggest obstacles in following the path of growth and renewal? An increase of passengers is forecasted in the next years in Europe and that is a comforting fact. Nevertheless, the aeronautic industry is going through a difficult time as new players are entering the market and making the competitive situation crowded. I think it is vital to create synergies that enhance
a greater bargaining power, which is necessary to overcome high fuel costs. In the last few months, many low-cost companies collapsed because of an excessive competition. Furthermore, nowadays the environmental issue must not be underestimated: in spite of the commitments of the sector, there is still much to be done and the public opinion is very sensitive about it. Will you be able to recruit enough staff for your needs? Our recruitment process started last year and it will continue throughout 2019. Air Dolomiti will open up the door to hundreds of new hires both of flight crew and ground support personnel. In particular, for flying personnel, we planned a cutting-edge program that has never been done before in Italy: the creation of an Air Dolomiti Flying Academy where new pilots will be trained, in cooperation with Lufthansa Aviation Training and the European Flight Academy (EFA). Air Dolomiti will finance it in part, offering scholarships to allow the cadets to take on a training curriculum. Italy is a nation with huge potential, and I hope that our idea is received with enthusiasm. Air Dolomiti is in a position to combine the strength, stability, and high standards of Lufthansa with Italian creativity, flexibility and problem-solving capability. Is infrastructure in Germany and Italy suited to your needs? The infrastructure is already at a very good level but there is always room for improvement in Italy as well as in Germany. We hope that new investments will be decided shortly in order to enlarge and innovate the existing infrastructures and support economic growth in the airline sector. In northern Italy especially, there is real potential for premium offers and the optimized intermodality of rail and air services.
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Special Report
Going Bust
A record 284 airline failures occurred globally since 2007, with Thomas Cook Airlines and Adria Airways being the latest to go bust
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ver 1,300 new airlines have been set up in the past 40 years, an average of over 30 each year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), a trade association for the world’s 290 airlines representing 117 countries and accounting for carrying 82 percent of total available seat miles air traffic. As per the ICAO/IATA designator codes, there are currently over 5,000 airlines of which up to 800 commercial airlines globally operates scheduled flights. In the US airline industry, approximately 100 certificated passenger airlines carry over one-third of the world’s total air traffic.
an earth-shaking development in the world, but the airlines industry received a big shock when the grand old player of the tour business went out of business like a pack of cards. Thomas Cook, one of the world’s oldest travel brands, closed shop without any prior signs of going out of business.
A record 284 global airline failures occurred since 2007, with the UK’s Thomas Cook Airlines and Adria Airways of Slovakia being the latest to go bust. In the past two years alone, a record 35 airline failures occurred, mostly in Europe. In 2017, as many as 79 new airlines entered the industry globally, as 25 went bankrupt.
The 178-year-old British travel and tours operator had an “insurmountable” debt of about US$2.1 billion. It ran its own hotels and also operated its own airline. Thomas Cook Airlines was flying passengers to at least 82 destinations around the world, in Africa, Asia, North America and Europe. In the early 2000s, Thomas Cook began moving into the airline business and
Airlines biting the dust is no longer
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The first major US carrier Braniff, failed way back in 1982, only three years after the de jure deregulation of the US airline industry. slowly absorbed Condor, a Frankfurtbased airline that was formerly a subsidiary of Lufthansa. In 2003, it began operating its own airline, Thomas Cook Airlines, a UKbased operation with 34 airplanes in the fleet, including 27 short/midhaul A321-200s and seven long-haul A330-200s.
Special Report
Adria Airways of Slovakia was another airline after Thomas Cook Airlines which filed for bankruptcy, ending 58 years of service. It cancelled all scheduled flights. A new airline is being considered by the government to improve Slovenia’s international connectivity. The airline operated the last revenue flight with its own aircraft and crew from Copenhagen to Ljubljana. Airlines closure is a phenomena as old as the aviation industry itself, with a number of carriers meeting similar fate since 1914 when the world’s first passenger airline, Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-Aktiengesellschaft (DELAG), ceased the world’s first transatlantic passenger airline service on hydrogen-filled rigid airship operations with the beginning of the World War I in 1919. That year, the world’s first scheduled passenger airline service took off between St. Petersburg and Tampa in Florida, but it lasted only for about four months. Several airlines were established between the 1920s and 1930s across the world, with some of them still carrying on the rich tradition of flying. Established in 1919, KLM Royal Dutch is the world’s oldest operating airline under its original name. The airline industry came together on a global platform in April 1945 with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) with just 57 members from 31 nations, mostly in Europe and North America. As the airlines industry developed, a number of major airlines declared bankruptcy and have either ceased operations or reorganized. Like any other business, airlines are susceptible to market fluctuations and economic
difficulties. Pre-1978, bankruptcies were extremely rare in the unduly regulated environment, but there have been well over 100 bankruptcy filings in the US since 1978, although not all of these resulted in liquidation, according to Airlines for America (A4A). In Europe, a number of airline bankruptcies occurred prior to Thomas Cook fall. Two airline operators, Aigle Azur and XL Airways, are before the French bankruptcy courts. The list of sector bankruptcies includes: Monarch, Air Berlin and Alitalia which failed in 2017, followed by Primera and Cobalt last year and Germania, Flybmi and Iceland’s WOW in 2019. Wow Air operated as LCC for about seven years before shutting down operations. Also closed was British Midland Regional. The Dominican flag carrier, PAWA Dominicana, succumbed to financial woes that were present since it resumed commercial operations in mid-2015. US regional carrier Great Lakes Airlines went into history books after it faced financial challenges. The regional arm of SWISS, SWISS Global Airlines, too folded. Swedish regional carrier Nextjet ceased operations as well. Venezuelan carrier Aserca Airlines also went bankrupt. Wataniya Airways of Kuwait also closed. So was the case with FastJet Tanzania. The only LCC in Jordan, Air Arabia Jordan, stopped flying too. Skywork Airlines also stopped operating from Bern airport. Also gone for ever was Small Planet Airlines. Among the 36 smaller airlines which ceased operations includes: Air Costa Rica, Air Viking, ASL Airlines Spain, Azur Air, BackBone Aviation, BinAir, Blink, CABI Airlines, Cello Aviation, Cimber, Cobalt Air, Dart
The airline industry came together on a global platform in April 1945 with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) with just 57 members from 31 nations, mostly in Europe and North America. Airlines, Express Airways, Fly Viking, Latin American Wings, Norfolk Island Airlines, Orca Airways, Palau Pacific Airways, VLM Airlines and Yourways. According to a study by University of Portland about the air carriers in the US between 1980 and 2005, airline bankruptcy became an everyday event in the year 2005. The first major US carrier Braniff, failed way back in 1982, only three years after the de jure deregulation of the US airline industry. In October 2008, the European Regional Airline Association (ERA) Director General, Mike Ambrose, stated airline bankruptcies around the world are set to double over the Northern Winter, with at least 70 failures expected for the full year. According to an analysis by UK website protectmyholiday.com, a whopping 254 global airlines seized to exist in the last two decades. That count went up by 30 till September 2019. All along the way in the future, more airlines will fall by the side as their wings will be clipped for a variety of reasons, including bankruptcies.
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Middle East
Saudia takes delivery of its first Boeing 787-10
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merican airplane manufacturer Boeing delivered to Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) its first Boeing 78710 Dreamliner, which will play a key role in the airline’s fleet and network expansion.
The largest member of the Dreamliner family will complement Saudia’s fleet of Boeing 787-9. Saudia operates a state-of-the-art fleet equipped with the latest technology. It already has Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, but is now adding the 787-10 variant which will further support the future network growth plans. In addition to the Boeing
787-10, Saudia operates 13 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner airplanes and 33 Boeing 777-300ER jets. Boeing 78710 continues to expand its global presence. More than 30 of this Dreamliner model has been delivered to seven operators
since the airplane entered commercial service last year. Since entering service in 2011, the 787 family has enabled the opening of more than 235 new point-to-point routes and saved more than 40 billion pounds of fuel.
Kuwait’s T4 revenues to hit US$328 million in five years
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evenues of Kuwait International Airport’s Terminal 4 in its first five years of operation would reach US$328 million, a top official said. A deal has been signed with Korea’s Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) to operate the T4. During the first year of T4 operation, which started in August 2018, the facility’s operation efficiency and service improved, especially the punctuality which exceeded 90 percent. T4 operation has also helped ease crowdedness at the Kuwait International Airport especially during the summer season when the traffic reached nearly six million passengers. T4 has a capacity of receiving 4.5 million
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passengers annually. Over four million passengers had used T4 during the period from August 2018 to August 2019. The 55,000-square-metres terminal has a capacity to accommodate some 4.5 million passengers per year. It contributes US$60 million to annual state revenues. Building T4 entailed US$173.2 million investments.
Gulf Air takes delivery of its seventh Boeing 787-9
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he national carrier of Kingdom of Bahrain received its seventh Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
The Dreamliner joined the fleet, thereby increasing the total number of Dreamliners operated by the carrier to seven. This will be followed by the delivery of three more by 2021. In 2018, Gulf Air launched its new brand identity and introduced its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner along with a series of new destinations. The 787-9s are to be deployed for new routes to New York, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
MRO
MRO facility opens in Subic Bay
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new facility for Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services has opened at the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA), transforming the former US Navy base into a 24/7 hub for business aviation in Asia-Pacific.
Strategically-located within an 18,000 square-meter hangar, Aviation
Aircraft Maintenance undergoing digital transformation
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amco Systems, an Indian software products and services provider, is supporting airlines like Air India, Republic Airways, Cobham and Astra Airlines in digital transformation of aircraft maintenance.
Concepts Technical Services (ACTSI) is to become a premier parking and MRO service provider for business jets within the region after completing its phase one upgrade of its facilities, which can easily match OEM and client standards. Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) says the facility in the former military airbase in the Philippines
Digital MRO market worth US$4.7 billion by 2030
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he digital MRO market is projected to grow from US$1.0 billion in 2019 to US$4.7 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 14.6 percent from 2019 to 2030.
According to a report, the increasing digitalization of MRO to increase efficiency and reduce aircraft downtime is the key factor which is expected to fuel the growth of the digital MRO market. However, limited budgets which restrain the adoption of MRO hurdle the growth of this market.
The bedrock of digital transformation is real-time capture of MRO transaction data at source. Then come insights from Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). The third step is innovation to exploit these insights. Major road markers in this transformation: using bots and mobility, applying ML and AI to data and API-based data interchanges to induct data. Paperless task cards and manuals are one early objective of transformation.
served as a global hub for courier giant Federal Express until 2009.
Based on application, the artificial intelligence segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.
MRO in Japan in steady expansion mode
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apan is home to major airlines like Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA), but its MRO industry has been less developed until now. The scene is changing. Japan is one of the most mature commercial aviation markets in Asia and its two major airlines fly more than 420 aircraft in extensive domestic and international networks. However, the MRO services are outsourced overseas - ANA sends its aircraft to China, Taiwan and Singapore for heavy maintenance. Okinawa, a prefecture comprising more
than 150 islands in the East China Sea between Taiwan and Japan’s mainland, is studying diversifying its economy by setting up an airframe MRO facility to serve the domestic and potentially regional aviation markets. Okinawa is hoping to kick-start a commercial aviation hub revolving around Naha Airport, similar to the Singapore Seletar Aerospace Park. MRO Japan is working toward attaining European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Part 145 certification by 2020.
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Opinion
Sustainability is critical to aviation’s growth E
nvironment was at the top of the agenda at the 40th Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
offset growth of international flight emissions from 2021, generating US$40 billion of aviation-funded climate finance by 2035.
Robust discussions took place between the member-states with two critical outcomes: ICAO Council will come out with options for the adoption of a long-term aspirational goal for reducing carbon emissions from international aviation, and strengthening support for the successful implementation of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), the world’s first global carbon offsetting scheme.
The Assembly also made decisions on many other critical issues and initiatives. It requested the ICAO Council to develop a work program on accessibility for Passengers with Disabilities in order to reach for a disability-inclusive air transport system.
A decade ago, the aviation industry agreed to cut aviation emissions to half the levels of 2005 by 2050 and is working on a pathway to achieve that goal. For the first time, ICAO member-states agreed to consider a long-term goal for governments to reduce aviation emissions—a move that is strongly welcomed by airlines. Decarbonizing the aviation sector is a major challenge and our focus is on making consistent progress. From 2020—with the help of CORSIA—the sector’s growth will be carbon neutral. National policy measures aligned to a global long-term emissions reduction goal will enable the industry to work even more effectively on crucial opportunities like commercializing sustainable aviation fuels and more efficient air traffic management. CORSIA will
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It also directed the Council to urgently consider the establishment of a high-level body with the industry to regularly provide strategic advice on issues like the integration of UAS or drones into airspace. The gathering also resolved to urge the states to ratify Montreal Protocol of 2014 which modernizes measures to deal with unruly passengers, a measure that IATA fully supports. It also endorsed the IATA One ID project to benefit from biometric recognition to secure and facilitate the passenger clearance process. The IATA has been working with the ICAO since its inception 75 years ago to ensure that the important work of ICAO is fully informed by the industry’s technical and operational experience. Over many decades we have successfully supported ICAO in setting the standards and recommended practices that have facilitated the safe and efficient
Alexandre de Juniac Director General and CEO IATA
development of global connectivity. And we are working together so that aviation can successfully tackle the challenge of climate change. Everyone has their unique role to play. But aviation is a team effort. This Assembly demonstrated once again how this cooperation is moving aviation towards an even safer, more efficient and sustainable future.
Opinion
At 100, KLM is still fit K
LM Royal Dutch Airlines is the world’s oldest international airline still operating under its original name. We turned 100 years old on October 7th. This occasion is not just testimony to a century of successful enterprise, innovation and commerce, but also to the faith that passenger and partners continues to have in KLM. It is an ode to KLM’s aviation pioneers, who literally put civil aviation on the map worldwide. KLM was the first airline to successfully pursue partnerships and alliances, after which many other countries and airlines followed our example. This has brought together hundreds of millions of people around the globe. Together with Schiphol, KLM is of great importance to our global connectivity opportunities in the Netherlands. The world is no longer the same as it was 100 years ago, but the pioneering spirit of Albert Plesman is still very much alive at the company. When you look at the history of KLM, we’ve gone through a long-time frame of innovation, entrepreneurial approach and doing new things. The network of Netherland’s flag carrier is connecting the country to the world and the world to the Netherlands. The relevance of KLM
and Dutch society is huge. It was a vision that aviation would take to the skies helped us propel forward. KLM’s inaugural flight between the Netherlands and Canada was 70 years ago when the KLM Royal Dutch Airlines crew boarded a Lockheed Constellation 747 to welcome passengers at Montreal’s Dorval airport on May 30th in 1949. With the heart of its operations based in Amsterdam, the KLM Group serve its global network with a fleet of 209 aircraft in 2018. In 2004, KLM merged with Air France, but continue to operate largely separately. Since then, it has pushed the concept of one Air France-KLM Group – two airlines and three core activities (passengers, cargo and engineering and maintenance). KLM is also a partner in the SkyTeam Alliance, which jointly serves 1,063 destinations in 173 countries.
Pieter Elbers President and CEO KLM
as CEO, I wanted to make sure that when we were 100, KLM would be a healthy, fit and thriving company. If you see where we are today, we’re ordered new aircraft, we have good customer feedback, our cargo business has been restructured and we’re thriving.
KLM is the first European airline to operate Boeing 787-10s and it will have eight of this type of aircraft to its fleet in the coming years. The carrier is taking a unique approach to sustainability by encouraging passengers to make responsible decisions when it flying. KLM’s new campaign urge travellers to think about the environmental impact of flying before committing to a journey and to consider environmentally-friendly alternatives. In 2014, when I started
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Airlines
Jazeera Airways plan LondonBangkok trips
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fter a surge in narrow-body plane flights across the Atlantic, the Middle East discount carrier Jazeera Airways aims to push the model to its limits with services between Europe and Southeast Asia using the single-aisle jets.
Jazeera wants to acquire Airbus long-range A321neo LR narrowbody to open up the prospect of a 15-hour trip from London to Thailand with a stop at its Kuwait hub, and is even considering the XLR version to allow flights as far as Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China. Jazeera is already adding a route from Kuwait to London that will be
the world’s longest with an A320neo. The carrier will launch London flights on October 27, while a route to Dhaka in Bangladesh starting December will stretch the network further east. Shorter routes within the usual four or five hour range of an A320 will remain Jazeera’s primary focus and the carrier aims to add another 20 such destinations, mainly in India, the Middle East and central Asia. The Kuwait-based carrier’s will be the first low-cost, long-haul flights between the Middle East and the UK. It will be first direct connection with the UK in more than half a century.
Polish Airlines launch IncheonBudapest route
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OT Polish Airlines has launched its Incheon-Budapest route, which marked the first time for the airline to connect an Asian country to a city outside of Poland. It was for the first time in its history, LOT launched a connection to Asia from outside Poland. The tourism and business potential between Budapest and Seoul has surged with annual passenger traffic reaching 75,000, and the number of passengers travelling annually between Central and Eastern Europe and Seoul exceeding 580,000. The drastic increase in economic cooperation between Hungary and Korea was a key factor when
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deciding to launch flights to Budapest. The carrier provides three flights a week between the two destinations, using a Boeing 787-Dreamliner. The airline is currently satisfied with the three operations per week but hopes to increase to daily flights in the future. LOT, which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, has drastically expanded its presence in recent years to 111 routes by the year-end.
New warning about US airlines water quality
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new study says quality of water found in an airplane’s tanks can vary considerably from one carrier to another. The 2019 Airline Water Study from DietDetective.com and the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Centre suggests airline passengers should not drink coffee or tea served on-board. They should not wash their hands in the lavatory, but should bring along their own hand sanitizer instead. And passengers should never drink any water on-board a commercial flight unless it comes out of a sealed bottle. The US federal government regulates airline water quality and the rule specifies how often airlines must test samples from their airplane water tanks for coliform and possibly E. coli bacteria, and how often they have to disinfect and flush those tanks.
Water is rated on a score of zero to 5, with 5 being the best quality, and ‘a score of 3.0 or better indicates that the airline has relatively safe, clean water. Among major airlines, the highest water score was recorded at both Alaska and Allegiant at 3.3.
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Cargo & Logistics
Asia Pacific to be US$59 billion air cargo market by 2027
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he Asia-Pacific air cargo market, which accounted for US$ 37.63 billion in 2018, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.2 percent over the forecast period of 2019-2027 to account for US$ 59.13 billion in 2027. According to a report, the rapid growth of the e-commerce sector in the region and rising demand from the temperature-sensitive product are the key driver that is propelling the growth of the air cargo market. Moreover, the airport infrastructures in Southeast Asian countries are supporting national carriers to expand air freights, which in turn is expected to boost the air cargo market growth in the forecast period. Air cargo stakeholders have a tremendous opportunity in Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and others. The airports of Singapore, Incheon, and Hong Kong, Taiwan are supporting national carriers to expand air freights in ASEAN countries and also encouraging operators to increase services. The air cargo market players are focusing on various initiatives to enhance its reach to rural areas and boost its position in the market.
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Deutsche Post-DHL to spend €2 billion on digitization
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ostal, express and logistics giant Deutsche Post DHL Group has unveiled strategic plans running until 2025, with the digitalisation of operations topping the future agenda. It would spend €2 billion on digitising its business and would modernise its IT systems and integrate new technologies. It will offer its employees targeted advanced training to enable them to use these technologies and steadily improve its services, processes and standards.
Efficiency will be improved by greater automation and improved transaction processes through warehouse automation and robotics programmes.
Leipzig/Halle outlines expansion plans
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ermany’s Leipzig/Halle airport (LEJ) has unveiled strategic plans to increase its cargo footprint, with a €500 million investment package for expansion that includes a second Cargo City. The hub, which saw a 7.2 percent rise in cargo volumes to just over 1.2 million tonnes in 2018, already has integrator DHL as a major customer and the freighter operator has its own large-scale expansion plans at Leipzig/Halle. DHL is not alone in seeing the Germany hub’s cargo potential. The pace of change at Leipzig/ Halle has quickened since October 2018. This is by far the largest investment programme at LEJ since the 1990s. The deal mentions 20 weekly flights to/from Leipzig/ Halle Airport from the end of 2021,
gradually increasing to 50 in 2030. Around 1,000 cargo flights take off and land every week including 120 flights to and from Asia. Overall, about 50 freight airlines regularly use Leipzig/Halle and operate flights to more than 200 destinations every year. DHL has committed to expanding its footprint at LEJ, and has invested more than €600 million since 2008.
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Technology
Why aviation needs AI more than ever
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raham Grose, Aerospace & Defense Industry Director at IFS, says many in the aviation industry still use spreadsheets and paper-based solutions. Maintenance in the commercial aviation industry is of utmost importance. The need to fulfil rigorous safety standards and the downstream impacts of any errors in aircraft maintenance have positioned
this topic front and centre for manufacturers and airline operators. Many current approaches to aircraft maintenance also having a significant impact on the revenue streams of airline operators. In 2017, airlines spent a combined US$76 billion on maintenance, repair and overhaul, representing around 11 percent of total operational costs. Reacting to engineering problems as
and when they occur causes delays and disruption in flight schedules, lengthens waiting times for sourcing parts, and presents barriers to effective and timely communication between all parties in the aviation ecosystem.
Spanish LCC to assist in hybrid-electric aircraft design
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panish LCC Volotea will assist in the development of a new hybrid-electric aircraft for regional transport between small destinations.
Aireon wins award for advancing aircraft surveillance
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ased on its recent analysis of the global air traffic management market, Frost & Sullivan has recognized Aireon with the 2019 Global Technology Innovation Award for introducing the first-ever global air traffic surveillance system that uses space-based automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) receivers on satellites. Aireon’s global ADS-B technology increases the overall safety, efficiency, and capacity of the aviation industry, as well as lowers operating costs by providing improved predictability for planned optimal routing of aircraft.
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As part of a long-term agreement with Madrid-based electrical engineering start-up DΔNTE Aeronautical, it will collaborate in the design of the prototype and explore its viability on commercial routes linking small and medium-sized destinations. The small aircraft would be “suitable for operating very short, non-existent routes in the next decade”, the statement said. The “eco-friendly” project is eyeing
routes that are typically unprofitable for traditional aircraft, offering alternatives where other means of transport are not available. In this way, it intends to further the economic development of rural areas and tourist destinations underserved by means of transport. he new prototype’s engines are powered by electricity stored in batteries or generated on board with high-efficiency internal combustion engines. Institutions such as the IE Business School in Madrid, the universities of Sydney and Adelaide in Australia, and the high-tech and innovation consultancy Altran are also involved.
Drones
SAFIR brings integrated drone traffic management step closer
UPS gets nod to become a drone airline
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nited Parcel Service (UPS), an American multinational package delivery and supply chain management company, has been given approval to run a drone airline and it plans to expand deliveries on hospital campuses and eventually other industries. The certificate by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) came even before getting the airline designation subsidiary, UPS Flight Forward, has operated more than 1,000 flights at a hospital campus in North Carolina. Flight Forward can fly an unlimited number of drones, a key step toward expanding the operation. It can also fly drones at night - the company plans to do that after installing the necessary coloured warning lights on each drone. However, UPS still faces severe restrictions before it can run a large commercial operation with drones.
UPS will eventually apply for FAA permission to have a single operator fly multiple drones at the same time. The airline certificate lets UPS fly drones carrying more than 55 pounds. Operations will be limited to campus-like settings because FAA has not yet written regulations to allow commercial drone flights over populated areas. UPS believes the earliest commercially viable uses of drones will be for same-day deliveries, for augmenting truck-borne deliveries in rural areas, and for larger drones that could carry cargo of up to a ton from one rural area to another, The Associated Press said.
NLR launches first drones beyond the visible line of sight
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furious increase in the number of drones in the sky holds implications for the airspace safety. As part of a joint European project, the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Center (NLR) has brought the Dutch public and private sectors
together in a quest to implement Europe’s vision for the safe, secure and efficient management of drone traffic, known simply as U-space. The Podium project is a European collaboration between four countries including Denmark, France and the Netherlands. The scope of the project focuses on how U-space is able to cope with unexpected situations. For this assignment, the Netherlands developed two test scenarios.
he U-space SAFIR consortium, a group of 13 public and private organisations, successfully showcased integrated drone traffic management for a broad range of drone operations. Drones continue to capture the imagination and are now playing a vital role in a range of different industries. Three U-space service providers (USSP) and one Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) have integrated their services to control the airspace collaboratively.
Hyundai is stepping into the air taxi race
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yundai is entering the increasingly crowded world of urban air mobility (UAM) with a new hire from NASA. Hyundai is entering the still mostly hypothetical world of flying cars, announcing a new head of its newly formed Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Division. Jaiwon Shin, formerly of NASA, will be tasked with “developing smart mobility products within the aviation industry. The new team at Hyundai will develop core technologies that will establish the company as a driving force in urban air mobility, a sector that is expected to grow into a market worth US$1.5 trillion within the next 20 years.
November 2019
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