Netherlands government to limit aircraft movements at Schipol
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) expressed shock at the announcement by the government of the Netherlands will cut the number of annual flights at Schiphol Airport to 440,000 – a 20% cut to Schiphol’s potential cap. The Dutch government last week made an announcement that the number of flights arriving at Schiphol airport will be capped to bring down pollution. Schiphol, which is among the busiest airports in Europe, will be limited to 440,000 flights a year from 2023. This represents an 11 per cent reduction from the pre-pandemic numbers in 2019. “This sudden decision is a shocking blow to aviation, jobs, and the economy of the Netherlands. It comes on top of a tripling of the passenger tax, and a 37% rise in airport charges. We are seeing a throttling of air connectivity which has been steadily built up for 100 years, and supported large parts of the Dutch economy and the aspirations of millions of Dutch travelers,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
According to the IATA, the justification put forward for the cut is not supported by facts. The government claims that the cuts will reduce noise and deliver a significant reduction in NOx emissions. But aviation’s NOx contribution is around 1% of total NOx deposition in the Netherlands, and the redistributed noise paths that are also a part of this initiative will actually increase the number of people exposed to aircraft noise. The airport has already had over 280,000 movements this year, putting it on track to reach its existing 500,000 movement limit. www.iata.org
European network of helicopter academies launched
The newly launched network of independent helicopter academies, the Leading Helicopter Academies of Europe (LHA), is committed to raising standards, by combining their strengths and industry knowledge. “Recognising each other as suppliers of quality, working together, we can now offer training across the board for all aspects of helicopter flight,” says LHA spokesperson and CEO of Norway-based European Helicopter Center Anette K Haldorsen. The LHA has a combined fleet of 150 helicopters, providing over 16,000 hours of training every year and offering over 80 flight instructors at 22 bases all over Europe, which means that pilots can learn to fly in all types of terrain and weather conditions, for all kinds of roles and missions.
The ten founding members of the Leading Helicopter Academies are European Helicopter Center (Norway), Heli Austria Flight Academy, Helibravo (Portugal), HeliCentre (Netherlands), Heli-flight (Germany), Helicopter Groundschool (Belgium), LION Helicopters (Czech Republic), Mountainflyers (Switzerland), Pole-Air (France) and Superior Air (Greece). www.lha.eu
First helicopter flight powered solely by sustainable aviation fuel
An Airbus H225 has performed the first ever helicopter flight with 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) powering both Safran’s Makila 2 engines.This flight, which follows the flight of an H225 with one SAF-powered Makila 2 engine in November 2021, is part of the flight campaign aimed at understanding the impact of SAF use on the helicopter's systems. Tests are expected to continue on other types of helicopters with a view to certify the use of 100% SAF by 2030.“This marks a new stage in our journey to certify the use of 100% SAF in our helicopters, a fact that would mean a reduction of up to 90% in CO2 emissions alone," said Stefan Thome, Executive Vice President, Engineering and Chief Technical Officer, Airbus Helicopters.
According to the Waypoint 2050 report, the use of SAF in aviation could account for 50-75% of the CO2 reduction needed to reach net carbon emissions by 2050 in the air transport industry. While SAF production currently accounts for only 0.1% of total aviation fuel production, this figure is expected to increase dramatically in the coming years. Today, all Airbus commercial aircraft and helicopters are certified to fly with up to a 50% blend of SAF. www.airbus.com
People: Boeing elects David L. Gitlin to Board of Directors
The Boeing Company Board of Directors last week announced that it has elected David L. Gitlin as its newest member. Gitlin will join the Aerospace Safety Committee and the Finance Committee. He brings to the Board more than 20 years of aerospace industry experience. Since April 2019, seven independent directors have joined the Board. These directors collectively bring significant experience in aerospace, safety, engineering, manufacturing, cyber, software, risk oversight, audit, supply chain management and finance. Gitlin's election to the Board fulfills the Company's commitment, as part of the settlement of certain shareholder derivative claims in March 2022, to add another director with aerospace, engineering or safety systems background to the Board.
David Gitlin, 53, currently serves as chairman and chief executive officer of Carrier. Prior to his election as chairman in April 2021, he served as president and CEO of Carrier. Gitlin previously served in a number of leadership roles at United Technologies Corporation, including president and chief operating officer of Collins Aerospace Systems, president of UTC Aerospace Systems, president of Aircraft Systems, UTC Aerospace Systems, and the following positions with Hamilton Sundstrand: president of Aerospace Customers & Business Development; vice president of Auxiliary Power, Engine & Control Systems; vice president and general manager of Power Systems; and vice president of Pratt & Whitney programs.
Gitlin earned a bachelor's degree from Cornell University, a Juris Doctor from the University of Connecticut School of Law and an MBA from MIT's Sloan School of Management. www.boeing.com