Innovative flight compensation company, Colibra, is now live for users in the United Arab Emirates to use. For the first time the ‘Fly Now, Pay if Okay’ service allows passengers with a valid UAE residency to book flights that they only pay for if their flight arrives on time. They now have the privilege to be the first in the world to use the pilot version of the product and test this disruptive travel technology.

The Colibra app guarantees UAE residents that if the flight is cancelled or delayed for more than three hours, passengers do not have to pay for their plane tickets at all. This service is entirely free for users of the app, allowing them to book tickets within 30 days before departure (and arrival) and then pay the regular ticket fare if their flight arrives on time or within three hours of its scheduled departure. 

The Colibra app is now available to download on the Apple Store for IOS users, as well as on the Google Play Store for Android users.

How the app works:

1. The passenger chooses a flight – it must depart and arrive within 30 days from the booking date

2. Adds his/her personal data – Colibra doesn’t charge at the time of booking

3. Colibra charges the passenger upon arrival if everything goes smoothly and the service is delivered (ticket’s price is at no extra cost). In all other cases, the user travels for FREE.

Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), in conjunction with the U.S. Navy, completed its first flight test integrating Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) with the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet for the Kuwait Air Force. Sniper ATP will be located on the Weapon Station 5, an area on the aircraft where pods or weapons attach, and is expected to be fielded with the aircraft in late 2023. This integration gives existing and future Super Hornet fleets the ability to add Sniper ATP’s precision targeting and surveillance capabilities, which are critical to pilot survivability.

“Integrating Sniper ATP onto Weapon Station 5, commonly known as the ‘cheek station,’ brings state-of-the-art tracking algorithms, two-way-data-link, and many other capabilities to the Kuwait F/A-18E/F crews that will positively impact the overall success of their missions,” said Kenen Nelson, director of Fixed Wing Sensor Programs at Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control. “This also means that all F/A-18E/F customers will have the option of a reliable, easily maintainable and modern targeting pod.”

To verify the mechanics of the system, flight testing with a non-operational Sniper ATP was conducted at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland in March. Subsequently, flight-testing with an operational Sniper ATP was conducted at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in California in March. Both first flight tests were successful.

“The Sniper ATP provides an additional tool in the already robust Kuwait F/A-18 Super Hornet package,” said Jessica Idleman, Boeing program manager Kuwait F/A-18 program. “The Super Hornet provides the warfighter with enhanced situational awareness and Sniper ATP is an important part of our technology insertion plan and future growth of the platform.”

Currently, Sniper ATP flies on both the Kuwait F/A-18C/D and Canadian CF-18 Hornets. As the Kuwait Air Force transitions to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, they will benefit by receiving the new capabilities that the latest Sniper ATP configuration provides to the Super Hornet fleet. There are currently more than 27 countries and 15 different types of aircraft operating with the platform-agnostic Sniper ATP.

The modular design, field-proven reliability (Sniper ATP exceeds 500 hours Mean Time Between Maintenance Events [MTBME]) and a world-class depot partnership with Robins Air Force Base makes Sniper the lowest Life Cycle Costs targeting pod on the market. 

For additional information, visit our website: http://www.lockheedmartin.com.

dnata, a leading global air services provider, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Blue Aqua Food Tech (Blue Aqua) to boost food security in Singapore. The partnership will see Blue Aqua upcycle organic waste from dnata’s catering and ground handling operations into alternative insect protein for aquafeeds.

Blue Aqua’s innovative bioconversion solution processes underutilized nutrients from the leftovers that can be transformed into quality insect proteins for aquacultural use. The bioconversion is a virtuous circle that makes the insect protein a sustainable and efficient alternative to traditional fishmeal.

Compared to traditional protein, insect protein is a sustainable solution with low land, water, and carbon footprint, offering a very high yield. The partnership will supply Singapore’s farmers with sustainable access to domestically produced animal feed, which is traditionally imported.

The MoU is the starting point to a deeper partnership between Blue Aqua and dnata, which will look into the development and implementation of a ‘Zero Waste’ master plan. The air services provider will also add Blue Aqua to its list of suppliers to purchase locally farmed seafood for its catering operations.

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Dirk Goovaerts, dnata’s Regional CEO for Asia Pacific, said: “We are delighted to partner with Blue Aqua to further decrease food waste and support the local food production supply chain. This initiative will help us minimise our environmental footprint whilst delivering the highest value for our customers and the communities around us.”

Dr Farshad Shishehchian, CEO & Founder of Blue Aqua International Group, said: “Blue Aqua has been a strong advocate for sustainable and practical farming since its inception, this partnership with dnata is a perfect fit. We are excited to grow our efforts in food technology to develop a circular economy in aquaculture globally through our network, starting with Singapore.”

The global population is expected to reach 9.9 billion by 2050, and food production has to increase by 70% to fulfil this demand. This is further implicated by food security concerns worldwide and the rapid degradation of valuable farmland. Waste management is a global issue that governments and companies are racing to solve. Singapore imports more than 90% of its food, yet, its food waste amounts to 744,000 tonnes annually. Today, less than 20% of Singapore’s food waste is recycled.

Blue Aqua’s Waste-to-Protein Program aspires to significantly reduce food waste across Singapore’s food supply chain through aquaculture. This is in line with Singapore’s vision of being a ‘Zero Waste Nation’, which means the recycling rate has to be increased to 70%. Singapore has also set a “30 by 30” goal, aiming to have the nation produce 30% of its food domestically by 2030. With this mandate, aquaculture will play an important role in the future of Singapore’s food security. However, local farms still rely heavily on imported feed and raw materials, which the program is aiming to mitigate.

VistaJet today announces additions to its state-of-the-art infrastructure with the delivery of the first two of its Global 7500 aircraft, ready for commercial availability, and the order of 10 new Challenger 350 planes, from long-standing partner Bombardier.

VistaJet is the first company to provide a fleet of Global 7500 aircraft, unlocking the world with the largest and longest-range business jet. The 7500 is a gamechanger, and with VistaJet’s unparalleled network and technological capabilities, it will join the best ecosystem to operate at its peak — opening an extended world of non-stop air mobility for Members, in the very best comfort and space. Up to 12 Global 7500 aircraft are planned to join the VistaJet fleet over the next two years.

The Challenger 350 order, the majority of which are expected to be delivered through 2022, is on the back of growing and urgent demand from corporates and executives who are interested in the super-mid segment — VistaJet has seen a surge of nearly 50% in corporate interest globally since July 2020. The award-winning Challenger 350 aircraft is an integral offering in VistaJet’s super-midsize range, which is driving the higher demand with new and existing customers. It is consistently one of the best-selling businesses jets among charter operators and corporate flight departments across the globe and offers several unique benefits.

The Challenger 350 and Global 7500 new additions will bring VistaJet’s global fleet to over 90 aircraft providing access to 187 countries, with regional flying in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, including domestic flights within India.

The pandemic is clearly demonstrating that customers are increasingly requiring guaranteed global access 24/7. VistaJet’s leading flexibility and adaptability across its business model and service offerings are playing a critical part in its success and resilience, and this latest order of Challenger 350s clearly reiterates its confidence in the future of the industry.

Additionally, in 2021 VistaJet will complete the upgrade of its entire Challenger 850 fleet, including the installation of the fastest in-flight connectivity available with KU-band technology, and enhancing the largest, most productive and comfortable corporate cabin available in its class.

Further, all VistaJet Challenger 605 planes will be fully equipped with KU-band connectivity and upgraded interior on board by the end of 2021 and the Challenger 350 aircraft following suit by end of 2022; 95% of its Global 6000 aircraft will be upgraded with KU-band technology and the elevated interior during 2021 to further enhance customer experience onboard.

Today’s launch is off the back of continued incredible demand for VistaJet’s asset-free solutions, including the new Corporate Membership launched in October 2020. The first quarter of 2021 marked a consecutive quarter in growth in hours sold, up 23% year-over-year, and new Program Members up 90%.

Thomas Flohr, Founder and Chairman, VistaJet said: “It is an incredibly exciting time as VistaJet transforms the architecture of how companies and individuals fly. We continue to see rapid acceleration in new Members, which is driven by corporate and executive demand for our business mobility offerings. Global private aviation networks will be even more vital to support businesses and the economy. The expansion of our worldwide fleet will guarantee our customers full confidence in a consistent flying experience anywhere in the world — offering the best value in the industry through our unique asset-light flight solutions. We remain committed to providing critical support to businesses in this new world — we kept our business steady during 2020 and we are seeing much increased demand for VistaJet’s asset-free solutions in 2021 and beyond.”

Éric Martel, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bombardier said: “We are extremely proud of our long-standing partnership with VistaJet and are thrilled that they have again chosen Bombardier aircraft to support their fleet expansion plans. With unmatched performance and comfort, the Global 7500 and Challenger 350 are the perfect aircraft to support VistaJet’s rapid growth as more people turn to business aviation and the enhanced safety and reliability it provides.”

Airports bracing themselves up to handle renewed passenger traffic in 2021

Safer travel technologies to drive the post-pandemic world

Touch-free experiences top health safety priority

Real-time customer services to be at the forefront

Airports to be more passenger-centric and IT-driven by 2025

Global Airport Construction market to reach US$1.4 trillion by 2025

DXB continues improvising to remain an ideal destination in the future

After a bleak year due to the global travel restrictions following the coronavirus pandemic since March 2020, airports are expected to be humming with activity again in 2021 with a surge in passengers travelling across the borders.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has predicted global revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) improving by 50 per cent with passenger numbers forecast to grow to 2.8 billion – with the opening of borders by mid-2021 – one billion more travellers than in 2020.  Representing 290 airlines or 82 per cent of total global air traffic, it remarked that people have not lost their desire to travel and travel rebounded where barriers have been removed. It had been projected earlier that Arabian Gulf airports will be handling 450 million passengers a year once the travel returns to 2019 levels.

Reed Exhibitions Middle East, organisers of the Airport Show, the world’s leading airport industry B2B platform has rescheduled the event’s 20^th edition in Dubai for three days from 24^th May at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). The organisers have said that the airport industry, after a year of unprecedented strain, challenges and changes, has a renewed sense of optimism as it enters 2021 with traffic gradually picking up as more travel corridors are established between important routes. As the airports are getting themselves ready and resetting themselves for the post-pandemic influx of travellers, they have started increasingly looking at the latest solutions and technologies to ensure safer travel until 2025 – and even beyond.

To be held under the patronage 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, Airport Show-2021 will see the top decision-makers of key airports from across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) making their way to Dubai to search for new products and services for their facilities.  The 2021 show is planned to be held across 11000 square metres of exhibition space with exhibitors and participants from over 50 countries expected.  It will have two co-located events: Global Airport Leaders Forum (GALF) and ATC Forum, taking place for the sixth and third year respectively.  Two new conferences have also been added to GALF: Airport Passengers’ Experience and Airport Digital Transformation.

Ibrahim Ahli, Deputy CEO of Dubai Air Navigation Services (dans) which is the sole handler of air traffic movements at Dubai International Airport, the world’s number one airport for international travellers for the seventh consecutive year, said, “Portraying the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, that aims at making Dubai an airport for the world, we are adopting and implementing special strategic and future projects for the aviation sector which will promote the continuation in handling air traffic efficiently even during the challenging times of coronavirus pandemic. dans is fully equipped to utilise up-to-date technology to build synergy with our aviation and related stakeholders in overcoming challenges and fulfil the Emirate’s vision in utilizing innovative technologies to remain a hub of choice for passengers by offering the best services.”

He added, “We are working to enhance the efficiency of operations and carrying out systems upgrade for the safety and security of aircraft movements, much before the demand gathers further momentum. dans will continue improvising procedures, services and facilities to remain an ideal player today – and even in tomorrow’s aviation industry. The Airport Show will enable aviation professionals to gain ringside views of newer technologies and digitisation for a greater sweeping impact. Now and in the future, the Aviation service sector is set to proactively and extensively work smarter and have a more future-oriented outlook. Given the prevailing conditions across the world, Airport Show will be the ideal platform to get hold of anything and everything the industry requires.”

Daniyal Qureshi, Group Exhibition Director at Reed Exhibitions Middle East, said significant investments and upgrades will be taking place at airports globally to implement the new health, safety and technology adoption initiatives by IATA and Airports Council International (ACI) with Airport Show a central meeting place to showcase new innovations to industry players. Key changes expected to be implemented at airports over the next five years will focus on new IT-driven technology and solutions and adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, Cloud, Remote Control and Drone Technology; new green targets and initiatives, and passenger-centric touch-less solutions, self-check-in/bag drop and mobile-enabled services. Airports have always been exploring new ways to simplify the overall travel experience by adopting smart technologies and solutions which one can find in plenty at  Airport Show, he said.

The global Airport Construction market is projected to reach US$1.4 trillion by 2025, driven by a growing government focus on building infrastructure for economic growth and societal evolution. According to an IATA study, over US$1.2 trillion is expected to be spent on global airport infrastructure development up to 2030. Another study says the global market for ‘smart’ airports is projected to reach US$23 billion by 2025. According to the Construction Intelligence Centre (CIC), airport-related construction projects in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) are valued at over US$222 billion, with over US$93 billion in the execution stage. In the MEA region, Saudi Arabia leads the airport construction pipeline with US$59 billion worth of projects, followed by the UAE with US$58 billion projects.  The Middle East ranks fourth out of six regions globally in terms of total investment value and it is by far the biggest market for the average spend per airport project, according to a report by Frost & Sullivan.

After only 12 months of construction time, the latest hangar of AMAC Aerospace has opened its doors to welcome the first mid-size jets. The new building offers space for up to 7 mid-size jets and adds 4’850m² respectively 30’000m² of new apron to the four existing hangars at EuroAirport in Basel, Switzerland.

Dedicated to mid-size jets

“We are proud to have managed this project successfully in this demanding time,” commented Bernd Schramm, Group COO of AMAC Aerospace. “The Hangar will be dedicated to mid-size jets maintenance and can accommodate up to 7 midsize jets like Bombardier Global or Challenger series or Gulfstream series or a combination thereof. The maintenance services for these types of aircraft were always high in demand and is steadily increasing due to our highly recognized quality of work.”

List of serviced mid-size jets serviced in Basel

·        Bombardier BD-700 (Global Express/Global Express XRS/Global 5000/Global 5500/Global 6000/Global 6500; as of April: Global 7500) series

·        Bombardier BD-100 series (CL 300/350)

·        Bombardier CL-600-2B16 series (CL 604/605/650)

·        Gulfstream GIV (G650/650ER), G450, GV Series, G550, G650, GVI, GVII (G500/G600)

·        Pilatus PC-12 series

·        Pilatus PC-24 series

Impressive wooden structure

AMAC’s hangars are famous for the wooden structure. The solid wood frame structures consist of several layers of wood; they are specially laminated to increase the rigidity and are harmoniously ecological. The wooden bars were cut and shaped in the factory, so by the time they reached Basel, they were ready to be installed like Lego bricks. The transport of the massive wooden beams was exceptional and impressive: eleven special-purpose trucks had to be organized to bring these wooden elements from Alsace to AMAC’s hangars at the EuroAirport Basel. 

Challenging construction site

To build the hangar construction, a pneumatic crane was needed. Since the crane did interfere with the safety distance of 7% to the runway, it had to be ready to be removed in a very short time. Given an emergency, that the runway had to be cleared, the crane had to be deconstructed within 20 minutes time. Fortunately, this was never the case, the project was spared from any accidents.

Three floors down

“Since Basel lies in a seismic area, safety comes first,” explains Philippe Schurrer, project manager and Director Safety & Security, Facility Management. “Several columns were sunk 6m down in the ground. The hangar is standing on these reinforced foundations which are able to absorb any shocks or vibrations. Hangar 2, 3 and 4 are built after the same principle, even going down to 8m, hangar 1 has the same depth as hangar 5,” he adds.

Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) Ltd. today announced it had substantially completed the agreement with American Airlines signed in the third quarter of 2020 to deliver 18 new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

Firoz Tarapore, Chief Executive Officer of DAE said: “This transaction reflects our agility, our balance sheet strength, our underwriting capability, our ability to assist one of our long-term customers and our belief in the product strength of the 737 MAX 8 aircraft. We are delighted to see an increasing number of global aviation regulators return the MAX to the skies. We wish American and Boeing great success.”

Ihssane Mounir, Senior Vice President of Commercial Sales and Marketing of The Boeing Company, added: “DAE is putting their purchasing strategy and growth plan in action and helping operators during this challenging time in our industry. We are delighted to once again partner with DAE to support a valued customer such as American Airlines and we are honored by their trust and confidence in the Boeing 737 family.”