Otto Celera 500L - next game-changer in private and commercial aviation

With the world becoming more climate-conscious, now more than ever, efforts are on to produce more sustainable products, especially in aviation, which is massively intense when it comes to energy.

Aviation is touted to contribute to about 3% of global emissions which is almost more than twice the entire emission of Netherlands! It is also reported that one international flight produces more emissions than a family car does in a whole year, and that’s after all the emissions after each person is cut out.

With something as inevitable as air travel, how can we, then offset, or at least reduce, all the carbon footprints released during travel?

Otto Aviation's recent unveiling of the "Otto Celera 500L" just might be the answer to that.

Otto Celera 500L | Otto Aviation

The Otto Celera 500L is a business and utility light aircraft developed by American start-up, Otto Aviation. Reportedly, 31 test flights have been flown using the aircraft as of August 2021.

A brief history

Having commenced in 2015, the prototype made its maiden flight in January 2018. After multiple performance tests, the company officially announced the aircraft and its development program in August 2020.

Tech and Specs

Capacity6 passengersCabin Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)Cabin Volume448 cu ft (12.7 m3)Powerplant1 × RED A03 diesel piston engine, 550 hp (410 kW) approximate at take-offCruise Speed 400 kn (460 mph, 740 km/h) Range4,500 nmi (5,200 mi, 8,300 km)Service Ceiling30,000 ftMaximum Glide Ratio22:1Fuel Economy13.1–9.4 L/100 kmWikipedia

Competing with light business aircraft like the Cessna Citation CJ3+ jet or the Beechcraft King Air 350, the 500L is a mid-wing monoplane powered by a single RED A03 turbocharged V12 four-stroke aircraft diesel engine of 500 hp (370 kW). Yes, you heard that right- a single-engine!Fret not, as fortunately, the RED AO3 engine is actually two engines in one, with two banks of six cylinders that can operate independently.

RED A03 Engine | Asian Aviation

The 500L comes in an unusual teardrop form, a far cry from the conventional cylindrical shape of most commercial aircraft.

Otto Celera 500L light Interior View | Otto Aviation

Ironically, the fairly stout and blunt nose and a pointy tail only add to the overall aerodynamic efficiency of the plane.

The RED A03 is powered using conventional Jet-A fuel, but features a turbocharged 12-cylinder piston engine, making it operation-efficient.

The aircraft’s efficiency, combined with the engine’s efficiency, makes it not only fuel-efficient but has a range of up to 4500 nautical miles. Imagine flying that long on nothing but raw piston engines!

How does this change the way we fly when it comes to energy efficiency?

Boldmethod

Operating costs with 500L are touted to be only $328, which is miniscule when compared to flying a business jet (over $2000 hourly)Carbon footprint per passenger comes to  around 150 MPG - roughly three times better than flying commercialEnhanced flying experience with increased headroom, large first-class seating, and much more room in generalCan be modified for military applications too

Innovation at its core is solving a problem without conventional biasWilliam Otto, founder and CEO of Otto Aviation

William Otto | Otto Aviation

Furthermore, the company has designed the model in such a way to include electrical propulsion, later on, further strengthening its place as the next game-changer in sustainable aviation.

FAA certifications are targeted for  2023–2025. 

Did you know? The Celera 500L can be scaled up 20% while maintaining its extensive laminar flow. This increase results in a cabin volume nearly double the size of the current configuration leading to a possible 1000L prototype shortly.

SOURCE(s)

COVER: Otto Aviation

Flight operations at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport were affected on Monday, May 23 morning as several parts of the national capital and the NCR received heavy rain with thunderstorms.

The airport authorities have requested the passengers to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information.

Heavy rain disrupts flight operations at Delhi Airport

At least 19 flights have been diverted to Jaipur, Lucknow, Indore, Amritsar, and Mumbai, news agency ANI tweeted quoting Delhi airport sources.

"Due to bad weather, flight operations at Delhi airport are affected. Passengers are requested to get in touch with the airline concerned for updated flight information," Delhi Airport tweeted.

https://twitter.com/DelhiAirport/status/1528540769312722944

All departures and arrivals and their consequential flights have been affected due to inclement weather. Airlines have also requested passengers to check on their flight status before heading to the airport as the flight operations have been kept on hold.

Hundreds of passengers have been stranded since early morning as flights departing from the airport are being rescheduled. The number of affected flights was likely to rise throughout the day as the thunderstorms continue.

https://twitter.com/flyspicejet/status/1528532569629007872

SpiceJet tweeted that the bad weather in Delhi may affect departures and arrivals at the airport and requested its passengers to keep a check on their flight status.

IndiGo also issued a travel advisory for its passengers, asking them to keep enough travel time in hand while travelling to the airport.

https://twitter.com/IndiGo6E/status/1528559043308322817

Meanwhile, India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted that thundershower with moderate intensity rain and gusty winds with a speed of 60-90 Km/h would continue to occur over and adjoining areas of the entire Delhi and NCR during the next two hours.

Strong winds and heavy rain uprooted trees in parts of Delhi which resulted in roads getting blocked.

IMD said that impact on vulnerable structures, kutcha houses, traffic and visibility is expected and suggested people stay indoors and avoid travel if possible.

Budget carrier IndiGo on Thursday, December 23 announced the appointment of Emirates former executive Neetan Chopra as its chief digital and information officer (CDIO), effective January 3.

In this newly-created position, Chopra, who is currently the group chief technology officer at Dubai Holding, will be responsible for all aspects of IndiGo's information technology and systems, processes, and organisation, with a strong focus on attracting, retaining, and developing key IT and digital talents, the airline said in a late-evening statement.

Neetan Chopra

He previously held the position of senior vice-president of IT and innovation at Emirates, according to the statement. According to IndiGo, the newly created role of CDIO will provide vision and leadership for developing and implementing IT and digitalisation initiatives as an integral part of IndiGo's business strategy.

"With IT, technology and digital becoming more and more strategic to the company, and the fact that there will be an enormous focus in terms of innovation and driving digitalisation, we decided to combine the two organisations under a common leadership of a 'chief digital and information officer'.We are pleased that Chopra has chosen to come on board with us. His extensive airline experience in technology and digital disruption will be immensely helpful as we chart IndiGo's future."Ronojoy Dutta, Whole-Time Director and Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo

Having begun his career at Accenture Consulting in India in early 1992, Chopra moved to the UAE and joined Emirates in 1995 as a senior IT manager and served the Gulf carrier till 2018 when he moved to Dubai Holding as their Group CTO, according to the statement.

"We live in unprecedented times and for those who are curious, open and driven, the digital era presents a spectacular array of opportunities. I look forward to co-creating the digital future of IndiGo with our passionate employees, our discerning customers, our collaborative partners, and the world's most vibrant tech ecosystem."Neetan Chopra, Chief Digital and Information Officer (CDIO), IndiGo

Helicopter transport firm BLADE on Friday, May 20 announced the launch of its chopper services in Goa, offering rides for local travellers as well as tourists.

According to the company, the helicopter service is meant for inbound travel and it will connect Goa Airport to North Goa, South Goa and Old Goa -- a village having a cluster of heritage monuments.

State chief minister Pramod Sawant inaugurated the service at Aguada helipad in North Goa. With this launch, the company aims to make Goa more accessible and navigable for travellers, it added.

https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1527729174206910464

BLADE has three landing points - North Goa (in Surla), South Goa and Old airport -- available to it for operating its services in the state, as per the company.

Heli-tourism services aim to make places more accessible through short-haul air mobility, said Amit Dutta, managing director at BLADE India.

"The Goa airport and North-South Goa have always been disconnected due to the road travel time involved and have been a pain point for travellers in Goa and locals alike. The goal is to bridge the gap between the two locations and help local communities and businesses thrive by being connected," he stated.

BLADE India launches chopper services from Goa Airport

BLADE said it will provide fly-by-the-seat helicopter services from Goa airport to North and South Goa wherein a customer can book a seat in a helicopter through the company's official website or app.

Besides, a customer can also charter the entire chopper for travel within the state as well as interstate (Maharashtra), it stated. Also, travellers can opt for short experiential helicopter flights of 10-15 minutes to enjoy an aerial view of Goa, BLADE said in the release.

"Heli tourism will let us explore the hinterlands of Goa like never before. The government will provide any kind of support for such initiatives to promote tourism in the state," chief minister Sawant said.

ALSO READ - BLADE India plans a chopper shuttle service between Bengaluru city and the airport

BLADE India is rapidly expanding its footprint in the country and geared up to enter India's most preferred leisure holiday destination Goa

Goa is the third state for BLADE India, a joint venture between New York-based BLADE Urban Air Mobility Inc and Delhi-based venture capital firm Hunch Ventures. It forayed into the Indian market with the launch of its services in Maharashtra in March 2019.

In December 2020, the company expanded its operations to Karnataka. After an overwhelming response in Maharashtra and Karnataka, BLADE India is rapidly expanding its footprint in the country and geared up to enter India's most preferred leisure holiday destination Goa, the company said.

ALSO READ - BLADE India launches helicopter service from Bengaluru to Coorg and Kabini

BLADE is an urban air mobility (UAM) platform committed to reducing travel friction with a personalized flying experience

BLADE also has helicopter services elsewhere in the country. In Karnataka, you can hop on to a chopper in Bengaluru for a ride over Hampi, Coorg, and Kabini. In Maharashtra, you can fly between Mumbai, Pune, Amby Valley and the temple town of Shirdi. BLADE’s chopper service in Goa will launch in August. Tariffs and schedules will be announced shortly.

"The real beauty of India lies in Bharat-the interiors. These interiors, today, are hard to reach so we need solutions based on helicopters which can connect potential tourists to the real Bharat and create employment opportunities for them."Goa can lead the rest of the country when it comes to this (Tourism).Sunny Guglani, Head, India and South Asia, Airbus Helicopters

Gulglani also feels that Helicopters can play a pivotal role in unlocking the true potential of Goa when it comes to tourism.

BLADE is an urban air mobility (UAM) platform committed to reducing travel friction with a personalized flying experience and enabling time-efficient air transportation alternatives to some of the most congested and inaccessible ground routes in India.

"The aim of heli-tourism services is to make places more accessible through short-haul air mobility. The Goa airport and North-South Goa have always been disconnected due to the road travel time involved and have been a pain point for travellers in Goa and locals alike. The goal is to bridge the gap between the two locations and help local communities and businesses thrive by being connected".Amit Dutta, MD, BLADE India

With BLADE, one can book by the seat on scheduled flights in Maharashtra, between Mumbai-Pune-Shirdi-Hilton Shillim and Aamby Valley; in Karnataka between Bangalore, Evolve Back Resorts Coorg and Kabini, Mercara Golf Course Madikeri or charter anywhere across the country and abroad.

It has also partnered with Airbus to expand its short-haul air mobility services in India through fleet expansions and further explore and expand UAM in the country.

Air France-KLM and IndiGo on Thursday, December 23 announced that they have entered into a codeshare agreement that allows each airline to sell seats on the other's flights.

With this new partnership, Air France and KLM will offer their customers access to 25 new Indian destinations, a joint statement mentioned. This means that once the codeshare agreement comes into force, Air France-KLM group will be able to sell seats, on its distribution system, of IndiGo flights on 25 domestic routes.

Similarly, IndiGo will also be able to sell seats on the European airline group's flights on more than 250 routes, the joint statement noted.

A codeshare agreement is a business arrangement in which two or more airlines publish and market the same flight under their airline designator and flight number as part of their published timetable or schedule.

From their hubs in Paris and Amsterdam, Air France and KLM operate flights to four Indian cities -- Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru.

"Subject to government approval, this cooperation (codeshare) will start in February 2022," the statement mentioned.

IndiGo had in September also announced that it has entered into a code-sharing agreement with American Airlines, which will help place the latter’s code on 29 of IndiGo’s domestic routes in India. IndiGo also has codeshare agreements with Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways.

Scheduled international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23, 2020. However, limited passenger flights have been operating between India and approximately 32 countries, including France and the Netherlands, under the 'air bubble' arrangements.

Ryanair on Wednesday, December 22 more than doubled its annual loss forecast and cut its January traffic estimate by 33%, blaming travel restrictions in France, Germany and Morocco following the emergence of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

But it said it was too soon to say whether similar cuts would be required to its February and March schedules and would wait for further scientific data before making any decisions.

The Irish low-cost airline, Europe's largest by passenger numbers, flew more than twice as many flights within the continent in the second week of December as any other airline, according to Eurocontrol, Europe's air traffic regulator.

(Image Courtesy - France 24)

But restrictions on British passengers flying to Germany and France - and all EU passengers to Morocco - forced Ryanair to cut its December passenger forecast to a range of 9 to 9.5 million, from 10 to 11 million, a company statement said.

Ryanair plans even deeper cuts in January, reducing its forecast to between 6 and 7 million from 10 million.

Chief Executive Michael O'Leary, one of the most outspoken critics of COVID-19 travel restrictions, last week said the mood in Britain and Ireland in the face of Omicron was one of "panic".

O'Leary has argued that it is impossible to limit the spread of virus variants and that high-quality filters on planes make them relatively safe. Many health experts argue that air travel is nevertheless a high-risk activity.

As a result of the cuts, Ryanair, which just last month announced its first quarterly profit since the start of the pandemic, now expects to post a net loss of between 250 million euros ($283 million) and 450 million in the 12 months to the end of March.

That is down from its earlier forecast of a loss of between 100 million and 200 million euros. "These figures are hugely sensitive to any further positive or negative COVID news flow," the Ryanair statement said.

The airline, which normally employs a strategy of filling its planes irrespective of the discounts needed to fill seats, promised an update when it releases financial results for its third quarter, the three months to the end of December, on January 31.

It now expects to fly just under 100 million passengers in the year to the end of March from an earlier forecast of just over 100 million, it said.

(With Inputs from Reuters)