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    Airbus and AURA AERO partner to decarbonise pilot training

    Airbus Flight Academy Europe, a 100% subsidiary of Airbus that supplies training services for the French Armed Forces pilots and civilian cadets, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AURA AERO, an aircraft manufacturer specialised in fully-electric designs, to jointly approach decarbonisation for pilot training by introducing electric-powered aircraft for commercial and military pilot formation.
    Under this agreement, Airbus Flight Academy Europe will collaborate on the initial development of INTEGRAL E, a fully-electric, two-seater trainer aircraft, ideally suited for initial stages of pilot training. While operating from an airfield equipped with superchargers, the INTEGRAL E aircraft can be charged in 20 to 30 minutes, granting the aircraft an hour of flight endurance.
    “Our target at Airbus Flight Academy is to operate a low-carbon aircraft fleet by 2030,” said Airbus Flight Academy Europe CEO, Jean Longobardi. “We are excited to collaborate with AURA AERO in this field and are convinced that, by combining our expertise, we can meet
    the ambition of decarbonising to the current pilot-training approach. INTEGRAL E could become the first step to a broader partnership.”
    Jérémy Caussade, CEO and co-founder of AURA AERO, said: “Our technical and commercial teams are very happy and honoured to have been chosen by Airbus to support the decarbonisation of their training activities. Pilot training will be an area where we expect early adoption of zero-emission approach, starting with two-seater aircraft. By partnering with AFAE, we will develop a new type of electrically-powered training to benefit all pilots in the future, whatever the aircraft they are flying.”ADVERTISEMENTAirbus aspires to lead the journey towards decarbonised aerospace, by pioneering disruptive technologies, including low-emission solutions, while delivering and continuously improving our fuel-efficient products.

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    Airbus teams-up with LanzaJet to boost sustainable aviation fuel production

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    Airbus teams-up with LanzaJet to boost sustainable aviation fuel production

    Airbus and LanzaJet, a leading sustainable fuels technology company, today announced they have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to address the needs of the aviation sector through the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
    The MOU establishes a relationship between Airbus and LanzaJet to advance building SAF facilities which will use LanzaJet’s leading, proven, and proprietary Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) technology. This agreement also aims to accelerate the certification and adoption of 100% drop-in SAF which would allow existing aircraft to fly with no fossil fuel. The aviation industry is responsible for approximately 2-3% of global carbon dioxide emissions, and SAF has been identified by airlines, governments, and energy leaders, as one of the most immediate solutions to decarbonize aviation, together with the renewal of fleets by latest generation aircraft and better operations.
    “SAF is the best near-term solution to reducing aviation emissions and this collaboration between LanzaJet and Airbus is an important step forward in the fight against climate change and enabling the global energy transition,” said Jimmy Samartzis, CEO of LanzaJet. “We look forward to continuing our work with Airbus and further growing our joint impact across the globe.”
    LanzaJet’s proprietary ATJ technology uses low-carbon ethanol to create SAF that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by more than 70% percent compared to fossil fuels and can further decrease emissions with a suite of carbon reduction technologies.SAF produced through LanzaJet’s ATJ technology is an approved drop-in fuel compatible with existing aircraft and infrastructure.
    “We are delighted to grow our partnership with LanzaJet, a leading company in the SAF production ecosystem. At Airbus we are committed to supporting SAF as a major lever in the reduction of CO2 emissions on the decarbonisation roadmap,” says Julie Kitcher, EVP, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Airbus. “With LanzaJet as a trusted partner, we can support the acceleration of the Alcohol-to-Jet SAF production pathway and at scale. This collaboration will also explore technological developments to enable Airbus aircraft to be capable of flying up to 100% SAF before the end of the decade.”ADVERTISEMENTThe whole ecosystem is playing an essential role to ensure the increased uptake of SAF. Besides working on the technical aspects and on concrete SAF projects, LanzaJet and Airbus will therefore investigate business opportunities across the world with airlines and other stakeholders.

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    IATA Launches Program to Improve Aviation Safety in Africa

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is launching the Collaborative Aviation Safety Improvement Program (CASIP) to reduce the accident and serious incident rate across Africa as part of the Focus Africa initiative.
    Launch partners in the program are: The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), The African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Boeing, The Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA).
    Together, the CASIP partners will prioritize the most pressing safety concerns on the continent and rally the resources needed to address them. The benefits of improving aviation safety in Africa will be spread across the economies and societies of the continent.
    “Improving aviation safety will play an important role in Africa’s overall development. Safe, efficient and reliable air connectivity is a major driving contribution to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. In that sense, CASIP will make it clear to governments across the continent that aviation must be prioritized as an integral part of national development strategies. With such broad benefits at stake, we hope that other parties will be encouraged to join the CASIP effort,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
    The starting point for safety improvement is the effective use of global standards for safety. At government level, a key indicator is effective implementation of ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS). Data for the year 2022 reveals considerable room for improvement with only 28 of 54 African states reaching an effective implementation rate for ICAO SARPS of 60% or higher.ADVERTISEMENTIn parallel, the CASIP partners will
    – Identify deficiencies in operational safety and implement corrective action plans
    – Provide safety training and workshops continent wide
    – Promote a data-driven approach to safety performance with emphasis on making safety data available to decision-makers and ensuring efficient accident/incident reporting
    “Improving safety performance is a priority for Africa. And we don’t need to reinvent the wheel to deliver the needed results. Collaborative safety teams in Latin America have demonstrated that safety improves when government and industry work together to implement global standards. By working together, the partners will pool resources to have a greater impact on areas where risk can be reduced, leading to measurable improvements in safety,” said Walsh.

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    Akasa Air Orders Four 737-8s To Support International Growth Plans

    Boeing and Akasa Air today announced an order for four additional 737-8 jets at the Paris Air Show. Akasa Air, which launched operations in 2022 with its first 737-8, has rapidly grown its market share and fleet to 19 airplanes across 16 destinations to support the fast-growing market in India.
    With the order of four additional aircraft, the Indian carrier’s order book comprises 76 jets, which include 23 737-8s and 53 high-capacity 737-8-200 airplanes.
    “As the world’s fastest growing airline, we are excited to add four more Boeing 737-8 airplanes into our fleet, taking our initial order of 72 aircraft up to 76 jets which will be delivered over the next four years. In addition to supporting our rapid domestic expansion, these airplanes allow us to take full advantage of the category leading 737-8 aircraft with its unparalleled range, as we prepare our foray into international routes,” said Vinay Dube, Founder and CEO, Akasa Air. “The fuel efficiency and lower carbon emissions of the 737-8 allows us to remain focused on sustainable operations, while also providing our environmentally conscious passengers with a more comfortable way to fly. Sustainability is at the core of our business, and we strive for more opportunities to reduce our impact to the environment.”
    The Indian carrier is operating 19 737-8s today with high-capacity 737-8-200 airplanes on order. As passenger traffic rises above pre-pandemic levels in India, the versatile 737-8 is supporting Akasa Air’s growth strategy and domestic network and positions the airline for future regional expansion.
    “This follow-on order by Akasa demonstrates the market-leading capabilities of the 737 MAX in the world’s fastest-growing commercial aviation market,” said Brad McMullen, Boeing senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing. “The efficiency and range of the 737-8 support Akasa Air’s plan to expand domestic and regional networks.”ADVERTISEMENTThe 737 MAX family provides Akasa Air with greater range and fuel efficiency, reducing fuel use and carbon emissions 20% compared to older-generation airplanes. In addition, the 737 MAX is a quieter airplane with a 50% smaller noise footprint.
    Boeing customers have placed more than 1,000 orders and commitments for the company’s new commercial airplanes since July 2022. This includes over 750 737 MAX airplanes, reflecting the value of the family’s versatility and commonality.

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    Airbus to trial in-flight auxiliary power entirely generated by hydrogen

    Airbus UpNext has launched a new demonstrator programme to explore, on the ground and in flight, a new architecture for the generation of non propulsive energy through the use of hydrogen fuel cells.
    On conventional airliners, the APU (Auxiliary Power Unit), a small additional engine that runs on traditional jet fuel, provides together with the engines the energy required to power a number of non-propulsive aircraft functions, such as air conditioning, onboard lighting and electric power for avionics. With this new technology demonstrator, led from its facilities in Spain, Airbus UpNext will replace the actual APU of an A330 with a hydrogen fuel cell system that will generate electricity. Known as HyPower, the hydrogen fuel cell demonstrator also aims to reduce the emissions of CO2, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and noise levels associated with a traditional APU.
    New design features and integration techniques will also contribute to maturing the safety and operations of future hydrogen-powered aircraft and will demonstrate the stable operation of a fuel cell in-flight, including its restart.
    “These tests will mark a new step in our decarbonisation journey and ZEROe programme through an ambitious flight demonstration that will take to the air by end 2025,” said Michael Augello, CEO of Airbus UpNext. “We want to demonstrate the operability and integration of the system, including refuelling the aircraft with hydrogen. We will demonstrate this system in realistic conditions, climbing to 25,000 ft and flying for one hour with 10kg of gaseous hydrogen on board. However, we cannot do this alone and our cooperation with the Spanish Government and external partners will be key enablers of these series of tests.”
    The flight test campaign will utilise a modified Airbus A330 and a ground test bed of the system. Airbus UpNext will procure a production unit for renewable hydrogen to fulfil the entire need for the test campaign.ADVERTISEMENTFor more information on Airbus UpNext, click here.
    @Airbus @AirbusUpNext #sustainability #hydrogen

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    Airline Associations Join Together to Call for Global Alignment of Slot Regulations

    Airline associations around the world called for governments to ensure the global alignment of airport slot regulations to safeguard the consistent, fair, and transparent allocation of slots under the Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines (WASG).
    In a joint statement (pdf), the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), Airlines for America (A4A), Airlines International Representation in Europe (AIRE), Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO), Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines (AAPA), European Express Association, European Regions Airline Association (ERAA), International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) set out the benefits of the WASG, which has ensured decades of stability and consistency in the application of slot management. Under the WASG, consumers have benefitted from a consistent growth in reliable schedules and expansion to new markets, while airlines and airports have seen an increase in the utilisation of scarce airport capacity.
    Fragmentation of slot regulation risks disruption to airline schedules and imperils the advances in global connectivity, efficiency, competition and choice which have characterized the aviation industry in recent decades. With the number of slot-regulated airports worldwide growing steadily, it is vital that governments recognize the importance of the harmonization of slot regulations in line with the WASG.
    The WASG has undergone a significant revision in recent years, with improvements to the new entrant definition to increase competition and access opportunities at congested airports. Slot performance monitoring has also been better defined to ensure optimal use of allocated slots. It is therefore important that national or regional slot regulations are aligned dynamically with the WASG so that the aviation sector and travelers can immediately benefit from these and other enhancements to the system.
    The Associations also urged governments thinking of incorporating the WASG or amending existing slot regulations to work with the Worldwide Airport Slot Board, a body comprising slot experts from airlines, airports, and slot coordinators, who oversee expert revisions to the WASG. Consulting with this group of experts can ensure that governments, their economies and citizens, will continue to reap the benefits of an increasingly more interconnected, sustainable and efficient air transport network.ADVERTISEMENT“The air transport industry thrives on consistent global standards. The Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines are the unsung hero the air transport system. Because of the WASG, travelers, businesses and economies the world over have benefited from constant growth in air connectivity, strong competition, and route diversity while ensuring that utilization of scarce airport capacity also increased. Governments should align their slot rules with this global standard to benefit from better air connectivity, efficiency, and consumer choice,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
    The statement was issued at the 152nd Slot Conference in Dublin, Ireland. The Slot Conference attracts over 1,000 delegates, with representatives of more than 200 slot coordinated airports and 215 individual airlines.
    This twice-yearly conference has been taking place since 1948 and is a significant moment in the aviation planning diary, allowing the opportunity to meet for quickfire optimization of planned schedules, while looking at new opportunities for route and network growth. The goal of the conference is for airlines to obtain the slots that will give them the best possible schedule to offer their customers at coordinated airports. The next conference will take place in Dubai, UAE, on14-17 November 2023.

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    Boeing Forecasts Demand for 42,600 New Commercial Jets Over Next 20 Years

    With a resurgence in international traffic and domestic air travel back to pre-pandemic levels, Boeing has projected global demand for 42,595 new commercial jets by 2042, valued at $8 trillion.
    Boeing released its 2023 Commercial Market Outlook (CMO), the company’s forecast of 20-year demand for commercial airplanes and services, in advance of the Paris Air Show.
    The new CMO comes three years after the pandemic grounded most of the global fleet. Key findings include:
    Passenger traffic continuing to outpace global economic growth of 2.6%.The global fleet nearly doubling to 48,600 jets, expanding 3.5% per year.Airlines replacing about half of the global fleet with new, more fuel-efficient models.“The aviation industry has demonstrated resilience and adaptability after unprecedented disruption, with airlines responding to challenges, simplifying their fleets, improving efficiency and capitalizing on resurgent demand,” said Brad McMullen, Boeing senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing. “Looking to the future of air travel, our 2023 CMO reflects further evolution of passenger traffic tied to global growth of the middle class, investments in sustainability, continued growth for low-cost carriers, and air cargo demand to serve evolving supply chains and express cargo delivery.”
    Boeing’s projections for regional demand and key trends through 2042 include:ADVERTISEMENTAsia-Pacific markets to represent more than 40% of global demand with half of that total in China.South Asia’s fleet will expand more than 7% annually, the world’s fastest rate, with India accounting for more than 90% of the region’s passenger traffic.North America and Europe each will account for about 20% of global demand.Low-cost carriers will operate more than 40% of the single-aisle fleet in 2042, up from 10% 20 years ago.After omitting demand for Russia and Central Asia in last year’s CMO due to uncertainty in the region, this year’s forecast covers Russia and Central Asia in the Eurasia region, which comprises about 3% of the global fleet by 2042.Commercial Services forecasts a total served market worth $3.8 trillion, including digital solutions that increase efficiency and reduce cost; robust demand for parts and supply chain solutions; growing maintenance and modification options; and effective training to enhance safety and support the pilot and technician pipeline.Also in the 20-year forecast period, Boeing anticipates demand for these models:
    New single-aisle airplanes will account for more than 75% of all new deliveries, up slightly from the 2022 outlook, and totaling more than 32,000 airplanes.New widebody jets will be nearly 20% of deliveries, with more than 7,400 airplanes enabling airlines to open new markets and serve existing routes more efficiently.Air cargo will continue to outpace global trade growth, with carriers requiring 2,800 dedicated freighters. This includes more than 900 new widebodies as well as converted narrow-body and widebody models.
    Boeing has published the CMO annually since 1961. As the longest-running jet forecast, the CMO is regarded as the most comprehensive analysis of the commercial aviation industry. Learn more about the Commercial Market Outlook on Boeing.com. Boeing will release its complete Pilot and Technician Outlook the week of July 24.
    As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing’s diverse team is committed to innovating for the future and living the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity. Learn more at www.boeing.com.

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    Honda Aircraft Company Announces Plan to Commercialize New Light Jet

    Honda Aircraft Company has announced that it will commercialize the HondaJet 2600 Concept, an all-new light jet that was first introduced at the 2021 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE).
    The company also said it will target type certification in 2028 for the new light jet, which represents a new product line for Honda Aircraft Company and will be offered alongside its existing very light jet model, the HondaJet Elite II.The new light jet program has garnered a positive market reaction since its introduction at the 2021 NBAA-BACE. The new aircraft will surpass the performance, comfort, and efficiency of typical light jets by providing a medium-sized jet experience. It is designed to be the world’s first light jet capable of nonstop transcontinental flight across the United States, with a quiet and spacious cabin suited for long-range travel and the ability to accommodate up to 11 occupants. The aircraft is also designed for single-pilot operation.
    Additionally, based on the commitment of Honda Aircraft Company to reducing carbon emissions, the new light jet will deliver unparalleled fuel efficiency, with up to 20% better fuel efficiency compared to typical light jets, and over 40% better fuel efficiency than medium-sized jets during a typical mission.
    “The commercialization of our new light jet represents Honda’s next chapter of skyward mobility, which further expands the potential of people’s lives,” said Hideto Yamasaki, President and CEO of Honda Aircraft Company. “By building on the expertise behind our technological innovations, we will accelerate the development of the program with sustainability a key element throughout.”
    Honda Aircraft Company has identified critical suppliers for the new light jet, entering into strategic supplier agreements with Aernnova for aerostructures and components, Garmin for avionics, Spirit AeroSystems for the fuselage, and Williams International for engines. Honda Aircraft Company is finalizing engineering designs for the new light jet, with fabrication activities underway.ADVERTISEMENTFor inquiries, please visit HondaJet.com

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