Schwenk to step down as Pilatus achieves top result
Corona also placed great demands on Pilatus, causing turbulence for the company: Pilatus managed to maintain turnover at 1.1 billion Swiss francs nevertheless, almost the same level as in 2019, and operating income was even slightly better at 155 million Swiss francs. 129 aircraft were delivered in total and the order book is well filled at 1.7 billion Swiss francs. In releasing its 2020 results last week, Pilatus Aircraft chairman Oscar J. Schwenk also announced that he would be stepping down this summer but would remain with the company in a non-operational capacity. “In Hansueli Loosli, a current member of the board of directors, we have found a capable personality who is available and qualified for this office,” he said. The Swiss national Loosli joined Pilatus's board in mid-2020 and has chaired numerous other boards, including Coop, Swisscom, Bell Food Group, Transgourmet, and Coop Mineraloel.
Kopter SH09 rebranded as AW09
One year after completing the acquisition of the Swiss company Kopter Group AG (Kopter), Leonardo welcomes the SH09 single-engine helicopter as a full member of its product range by rebranding it as the AW09. The AW09 will continue to be developed by Kopter in Switzerland. The programme progresses further with the contribution of joint Leonardo-Kopter teams. The third prototype (P3) has now logged in excess of 40 flight hours in Switzerland since mid-January in its new configuration. Kopter is set to become a Centre of Competence for new light helicopters and an incubator of new technologies for vertical flight. As such, it will contribute to the development of new hybrid and electrical propulsion systems.
Airbus to transform European aerostructure assembly
Airbus has announced plans to create two new integrated aerostructure assembly companies in France and Germany. The new company in France would bring together the activities currently managed within Airbus in Saint-Nazaire and Nantes together with those of Stelia Aerospace worldwide. Another company in Germany would unite the activities of Stade and Structure Assembly of Hamburg with those of Premium Aerotec in Nordenham, Bremen and partly in Augsburg, while rebalancing activities towards the upper part of the value chain and reviewing its involvement in the manufacturing of detail parts.
These two new aerostructure assembly companies, both wholly owned by Airbus, would no longer be suppliers to Airbus but become integrated within the Airbus infrastructure. Airbus also intends to create a new global player in the detail parts business, anchored in Germany. Born out of today’s Premium Aerotec, this new entity would use its scale and advanced technologies to “capitalise on the significant long-term growth prospects with Airbus as well as external customers, on both civil and military platforms”. Airbus added that it continues to work on solutions with its social partners in Spain to optimise the current industrial and aerostructure set-up in the Cádiz area.
People: Stewart Angus to lead dnata’s ground handling operations globally
Having managed dnata’s international ground handling and cargo business since 2004, Stewart Angus has now been appointed divisional senior vice president for airport operations. The new role will also mean he is in charge of the company’s extensive airport operations at the two Dubai airports in the UAE. Stewart is also a Board Director across a portfolio of different businesses including hotels, retail F&B and liquor sales and distribution.
After graduating in Economics from the University of Warwick, Stewart qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse in London. Stewart later served at British Airways as Head of Finance for German subsidiary airline Deutsche BA and as Head of BA’s mainline operations to the Americas. He was also a Board Director of Brymon Airways and Plymouth City Airport. In 1995 Stewart joined Emirates and has held positions in finance, procurement and general management. As Vice President – Procurement, Stewart was responsible for the airline’s third-party operational contracts for its worldwide services. His interests include aviation history and watching any sport. www.dnata.com
Comments