The all-electric ES-19 aircraft turns out to be a hot favourite on the global market

Heart Aerospace, a Swedish startup company developing electric aircraft, has been developing the ES-19, an all-electric, 19-passenger regional aircraft for quite some time now. The company is only four-year-old and dedicated entirely to developing electric aircraft. It is also one of the founding members of the Nordic Network for Electric Aviation-the country plans to make all of its short-haul flights electric by 2024.

The ES-19 (tech and specs)

New Atlas

 Specifically designed to meet the future demands of the market in sustainable aviation, the 19-seater is equipped with a 400 kW electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack. According to the company, this motor is 20 times less expensive than conventional turboprops of the same size, with maintenance costs that are 100 times lower.

The ES-19 is planned to have a 400-kilometre (250 mi) range and be able to charge in less than 40 minutes. Furthermore, the current battery pack is expected to grow over time as battery technology continues to evolve.

Mentour Pilot

The Garmin G3000 avionics suite will be installed with custom functions related to managing the aircraft's electronic systems and a lightweight, high-resolution flight display.

Garmin G3000 Integrated Flight Deck | Representative | Aviation Today

The company has developed its propulsion system in-house and is using automotive industry batteries as its power source. MT-Propeller is providing the ES-19’s seven-blade propellers. It is also in talks with several aerospace groups with a view to source cockpit systems and flight controls.

The company hit a major milestone on December 17 last year, when a scale-model of the plane took its first flight at the Heart Aerospace HQ at Säve Airport in Gothenburg, Sweden.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u-rC9vEjVg

Heart Aerospace

The most dramatic thing about the test flight was how undramatic it was. The plane performed exactly as we predicted-soaring effortlessly through the air, with a precision take-off and landing. This test flight validated what we already knew- that the ES-19 aerodynamic design is inherently stable and safe.says Anders Forslund, founder and CEO of Heart Aerospace

Anders Forslund | Heart Aerospace

The test flight took four and a half minutes. The aircraft flew with an average speed of 125km/h (77mph/68 kn) and a maximum speed of 150 km/h (93 mph/ 80 kn). The takeoff andlanding speed was 85 km/h (53mph/45 kn).

While the full-scale ES-19 will be made primarily from aluminium, the subscale model was constructed from a mix of carbon fiber and fibreglass composites.

Reportedly, the company will change the certification basis for its first aircraft, the ES-19, to EASA Certification Specification CS-25 from CS-23, which will enable the optimization of the product, reduce regulatory risk, and increase the accessible market.

Furthermore, this change will also apply to international certification validations, including the FAA concurrent certification application, which will be for 14 CFR Part 25 instead of 14 CFR Part 23.

In September 2020, Sounds Air of New Zealand signed a letter of intent to purchase ES-19 aircraft. Heart signed a letter of interest with Finnair in March 2021, which would allow the airline to purchase up to 20 ES-19 aircraft. In July 2021, United Airlines announced its intention to purchase 100 ES-19 aircraft to be operated on United Express routes by Mesa Airlines.

Heart Aerospace

The first Swedish all-electric ES-19 aircraft is set to enter service by 2026.

SOURCE(s)

COVER: SoyaCincau

British Airways on Wednesday, July 6 axed 10,300 short-haul flights through the end of October, with the aviation sector battling staff shortages and booming demand as the pandemic recedes.

"The whole aviation industry continues to face significant challenges and we're completely focussed on building resilience into our operation to give customers the certainty they deserve," the airline said in a statement, having already announced hundreds of flight cancellations this summer.

The airline said it would now reduce its April-October schedule by 11%, having said in May the cuts would amount to 10%.

British Airways cancels 10,300 flights; to cut more flights during the summer holiday months

The cancellations are all short-haul with long-haul unaffected in this new round of cancellations which takes the total for the summer to 13%. The carrier is also facing disruption from planned strikes later this month.

British Airways will cut more flights during the crucial summer holiday months, as airlines and airports across Europe struggle to keep up with strong post-pandemic demand from holidaymakers.

“The Government recently decided to give the whole industry slot alleviation to minimise potential disruption this summer. While taking further action is not where we wanted to be, it’s the right thing to do for our customers and our colleagues. While most of our flights are unaffected and the majority of customers will get away as planned, we don’t underestimate the impact this will have and we’re doing everything we can to get their travel plans back on track. We’re in touch to apologise and offer rebooking options for new flights with us or another airline as soon as possible or issue a full refund."British Airways

Britain last month temporarily relaxed rules around airport slots to allow airlines to devise realistic flight schedules and avoid last-minute cancellations in light of staff shortages.

Airlines and airports across Europe are struggling to keep up with strong post-pandemic demand from holidaymakers, causing chaos for travellers and forcing Heathrow and Gatwick to impose their limits on capacity.

The airline said it would now reduce its April-October schedule by 11%, having said in May the cuts would amount to 10%.

The British government called on airlines last week to run "realistic" summer schedules to ensure they avoid a repeat of recent chaotic scenes at airports during the upcoming holiday season.

"This new flexibility means that we can further reduce our schedule and consolidate some of our quieter services so that we can protect as many of our holiday flights as possible," a BA spokesperson said in an email.

Akasa Air said on Thursday, July 7 said it has received the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from aviation regulator DGCA and will start commercial operations later this month.

The grant of the AOC marks the satisfactory completion of all regulatory and compliance requirements for the airline’s operational readiness, Akasa Air said in a statement.

https://twitter.com/AkasaAir/status/1545021622620663812

The process concluded with the airline having successfully conducted several proving flights under the supervision of the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation), it added.

Following the government’s initiative to usher in a new era of digitisation, Akasa Air is the first airline whose end-to-end AOC process was conducted using the government’s progressive eGCA digital platform.

“We are thankful to the Civil Aviation Ministry and the DGCA for their constructive guidance, active support and the highest levels of efficiency throughout the AOC process. We now look forward to opening our flights for sale, leading to the start of commercial operations by late July. This will begin our journey towards building India’s greenest, most dependable, and most affordable airline.” Vinay Dube, Founder-Chief Executive Officer, Akasa Air

According to the airline, it will commence commercial operations later this month with two aircraft and subsequently add planes to its fleet every month.

The airline received a no-objection certificate from the Ministry of Civil Aviation in August 2021 for starting flights.

By the end of the fiscal year 2022-23, the airline will have 18 aircraft and thereafter, will add 12-14 aircraft every 12 months. This will make up its order of 72 aircraft to be delivered over five years.

DGCA grants Air Operator Certificate to Akasa Air

Last November, Akasa Air announced ordering 72 '737 Max' aircraft from Boeing. The order includes two variants from the 737 MAX family -- 737-8 and 737-8-200.

ALSO READ - Rakesh Jhunjhunwala’s Akasa Air signs deal for 72 Boeing 737 Max planes

The airline unveiled the first look of its crew uniform on Monday, July 4 adding that it focuses on providing the best possible stretch to ensure their comfort over their busy flight schedules.

The company said it is the first Indian airline to have introduced custom trousers and jackets, with their fabric specially made for Akasa Air (using recycled polyester fabric which is made from pet bottle plastic salvaged from marine waste) and comfortable sneakers for its airline in-flight crew keeping in mind ergonomics, aesthetics and comfort.

Akasa will be the fifth Indian budget carrier after IndiGo, SpiceJet, GoFirst, AirAsia India and Air India Express

Among big/upcoming airlines, Akasa will be the fifth Indian budget carrier after IndiGo, SpiceJet, GoFirst, AirAsia India and Air India Express. And overall it will be the eighth (big) airline apart from full-service Air India and Vistara and regional carrier Alliance Air which is the only government-owned fixed-wing airline now.

Akasa is set to enter a market marked by cut-throat competition and a high-cost structure. Among others, it will grapple with IndiGo which controls close to 60% of India’s domestic air traffic, the Tata group, the new owners of Air India which are planning to fast expand it with hundreds of new airplanes and a resurrected Jet Airways raring to find it lost glory.

ALSO READ - Akasa Air plans to launch domestically by July end and internationally by 2023 end

Cover Image - Ankush Gupta (Twitter)

The civil aviation ministry is following up with the home ministry regarding security clearance for Air India CEO-designate Campbell Wilson and the approval is expected in the coming weeks, according to a senior official.

Tata Sons, which took over the loss-making airline on January 27 this year, announced the appointment of Wilson on May 12.

ALSO READ - MHA to conduct a thorough background check on the newly appointed CEO of Air India

Weeks after taking over the carrier, Tata Sons, on February 14, named Turkish Airlines' former Chairman Ilker Ayci as Air India's MD and CEO. However, Ayci, who was to take over on April 1, declined to join the group amid concerns expressed over his appointment in certain quarters.

Air India's CEO designate to soon receive security clearance from Home Ministry

ALSO READ - Amid the security row, Ilker Ayci declines Tata Sons’ offer to be the new CEO of Air India

Wilson was the CEO of Singapore Airlines' wholly-owned subsidiary Scoot Air. Singapore Airlines is a joint venture partner of Tata Group in full-service carrier Vistara. According to the civil aviation ministry official, an application for security clearance to Wilson is before the home ministry.

The ministry is following up with the home ministry on the security clearance for the new Air India CEO and the clearance is expected in the coming months. Under civil aviation rules, clearance of the home ministry is mandatory for the appointment of key personnel at airlines, including foreigners.

The home ministry did not offer a comment on the matter but a senior official said the application is under consideration. An Air India spokesperson did not respond to a query from PTI on the matter.

Campbell Wilson was the CEO of Singapore Airlines' wholly-owned subsidiary Scoot Air.

In a message to Air India employees on June 20, Wilson said the airline's "best years are yet to come" and that the journey to make it a world-class airline will require efforts that are "big and small, easy and difficult".

Wilson, an aviation industry veteran with over 26 years of experience, started as a management trainee with Singapore Airlines in New Zealand in 1996.

He then worked for the carrier in Canada, Hong Kong and Japan before returning to Singapore in 2011 as the founding CEO of Scoot, which he led until 2016.

Air India was started by the Tata Group in 1932 and the carrier was nationalised in 1953.

He also served as the senior vice president of sales and marketing of Singapore Airlines, where he oversaw pricing, distribution, e-commerce, merchandising, brand and marketing, global sales and the airline's overseas offices, before returning for a second stint as the CEO of Scoot in April 2020.

Through a competitive bidding process, the government in October 2021 sold Air India to Talace Private Limited, a subsidiary of Tata Sons for INR 18,000 crore. Air India was started by the Tata Group in 1932 and the carrier was nationalised in 1953.

Budget carrier IndiGo will reinstate salaries of pilots and cabin crew by another 8% from August 1. The airline will also reinstate layover and deadhead allowances for pilots and cabin crew from July 31.

IndiGo has also launched a Forex Card for crews and Zonal Employee Discount (ZED) through which airline staff can travel on discounted tickets on partner airlines, the airlines said in an email to its employees.

While the largest airline in India is moving forward with the restoration of allowances for the pilots, it is yet to reinstate pre-covid salaries. The overall salaries of pilots and cabin crew have been reinstated by 16% of pre-COVID salary.

IndiGo reinstates pilots and crew salaries by 8% from August 1

Furthermore, some allowances like night and overtime allowances are also yet to be restored. IndiGo introduced a 28% pay cut in May 2020 due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The hike in salaries by IndiGo comes just a few days after the airline witnessed delays in its flights across the country on July 2 and July 3 after a number of its cabin crew took leaves.

Salaries have been a difficult issue for IndiGo for the last few months as other domestic airlines in India had till now reinstated salaries of their employees higher than IndiGo.

ALSO READ - IndiGo partially restores pilot salaries by 8% from April 1

IndiGo introduced a 28% pay cut in May 2020 due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

India’s largest airline had in April raised the salaries of all its pilots by 8%, and had said that it would reinstate the salaries of pilots by another 6.5% from November in case there are no further disruptions to the flight operations.

However, the airline's pilots were disappointed with the recent 8% salary hike announced by the airline. Some of IndiGo's pilots had even threatened to go on strike in April but the airline had suspended the pilots who were planning to organise a strike.

ALSO READ - IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta addresses salary concerns, says will review wages regularly

IndiGo CEO Ronjoy Dutta on April 8 told employees through an email that raising salaries was a difficult and thorny issue but the airline would constantly review and adjust wages based on its profitability and the competitive environment.

IndiGo CEO Ronjoy Dutta on April 8 told employees through an email that raising salaries was a difficult and thorny issue but the airline would constantly review and adjust wages

“We are in an inflationary environment, we have gone through a very difficult period, first off pay cuts and then not the full restoration of pay. But I will say this, our heart is with the employees. We want to do the right thing for them, we would love to give them more pay raises so our heart is with them, but our head has to work in terms of let's be profitable,” Dutta had said in an IndiGo earnings call in May.

ALSO READ - 55% of IndiGo domestic flights delayed due to crew calling in sick; DGCA seeks explanation

Last week, several IndiGo's employees had taken last-minute leaves on Saturday, July 2 to appear for the walk-in interviews for hiring cabin crew by Air India and Air India Express.

Such incidents are only expected to rise in India in the coming few months with Air India, Akasa Air, and Jet Airways all looking to hire pilots and cabin crew for their operations.

As the demand for air travel increases, allowing airlines to deploy more of their fleet, pilots seek reversal of pay cuts.

As the demand for air travel increases, allowing airlines to deploy more of their fleet, pilots seek reversal of pay cuts. Despite the partial restoration of salaries, pilots across airlines remain disgruntled, creating challenges for managers.

ALSO READ - Air India begins restoring salaries to pre-pandemic levels gradually

Tata group, the new owner of Air India, has restored employee salaries by almost 75 per cent compared to the pre-Covid level. Another Tata group airline, Vistara, reinstated its pilots' salaries and flying allowance to pre-pandemic levels.

Indian aviation pioneer, name of JRD Tata will be inducted into the 'Memorial Wall' of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in the US this year.

The only other Indian to be inducted into the 'Memorial Wall', which includes names of famous aviators and astronauts, is the late Kalpana Chawla, the American astronaut who was the first woman of Indian origin to go to space.

"This year we celebrate the 90th anniversary of the first airmail flight by JRD Tata. It is only befitting that his memory will be honoured at the greatest aviation celebration of the world, in the dedication ceremony which will be held on July 31," said Capt S Sabu, secretary of the Indian chapter of EAA which was formed in January this year.

JRD Tata's name will be inducted into the 'Memorial Wall' of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)

The EAA has more than two lakh members and hosts the largest aviation gathering of its kind in the world in Oshkosh.

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is an international organization of aviation enthusiasts. Since its inception, it has grown internationally with over 200,000 members and nearly 1,000 chapters worldwide. It hosts the largest aviation gathering of its kind in the world, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.

"Every year on the closing Sunday, the EAA Aviation Foundation hosts the Memorial Wall ceremony where new inductees are honoured. This heart-warming ceremony includes a poignant reading of inductees' names, a breathtaking 'Missing Man' flight formation, and concludes with the playing of taps. The 'Missing Man' flight formation is a time-honoured tradition amongst aviators to honour those who are no longer with us."Capt S Sabu, Secretary, Indian chapter, EAA

Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata or JRD Tata was India’s first licensed pilot and the founder of India’s first commercial airline in 1932 — Tata Airlines, which became Air India in 1946.

Today, the airline JRD Tata founded is back in his company’s fold and some want to pay tribute to the “father of civil aviation” in India.

ALSO READ - Pilot body asks PM to mark October 15 as National Aviation Day and name an airport after JRD Tata

The Federation of Indian Pilots hopes October 15 this year itself can be declared National Aviation Day, as it will be the 90th anniversary of JRD Tata’s first flight.

The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), a body of commercial pilots, has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier in January asking him to declare the anniversary of JRD Tata’s first flight as National Aviation Day and the name of the next major airport in honour of India’s first commercial aviator.

The letter cites the United States of America, which celebrates August 19 as National Aviation Day every year. August 19 is the birthday of Orville Wright, the first person to accomplish powered flight.

The Federation of Indian Pilots hopes October 15 this year itself can be declared National Aviation Day, as it will be the 90th anniversary of JRD Tata’s first flight.