Embraer eyes India for supply chain expansion
A high-level delegation from Embraer visited India last week as it evaluates the expansion of its supply chain into the country. Embraer foresees potential suppliers across its defense, commercial aviation and executive jets businesses for areas such as aerostructures, machining, sheet metal, composites, forgings, wire harness, and hardware and software development, recognizing that aerospace engineering capabilities are clearly present and available in the country. The visit comes amidst burgeoning relations between Brazil and India. “India has a robust aviation and defense industry, and we see strong viability for manufacturers and systems developers in India to be key suppliers to Embraer,” said Roberto Chaves, Executive Vice-President of Global Procurement and Supply Chain at Embraer.
Leasing giant Avolon to acquire Castlelake Aviation
Avolon, a leading global aviation finance company, announced an agreement to acquire Castlelake Aviation Limited, an entity managed by Castlelake L.P., the global alternative investment manager. Castlelake’s total assets as of 31 March 2024 were US$5.0 billion, which included a portfolio of 105 aircraft on lease, commitments for 13 new-technology aircraft, 2 engines on lease, and 9 loans. The portfolio is 68% narrowbody aircraft, 70% new technology aircraft, has a weighted average aircraft age of 4.7 years, and a weighted average remaining lease term of 8.4 years. Avolon, along with AerCap and SMBC Aviation Capital, is one of a trio of Ireland-headquartered companies that dominate the aircraft leasing industry. More than half of the world's passenger aircraft fleet is owned by aircraft lessors.
GAMA: Bizjet deliveries, billings up in first-half 2024
Last week, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) published the Second Quarter 2024 General Aviation Aircraft Shipment and Billing Report. The general aviation aircraft manufacturing industry’s results for the first six months of 2024, when compared to the same period in 2023, show increased deliveries across the piston airplane, business jet and piston helicopter segments along with an increase in the overall value of aircraft shipments. “Through the first half of 2024, we continue to see robust demand for new aircraft, as indicated by the impressive backlogs. Our constraints continue to be ongoing supply chain and workforce recapitalization issues, which are routinely compounded by unacceptable turn times in terms of responsiveness and lack of decision making by the FAA specialists on such things as issue papers, certification plans and regular correspondence,” said Pete Bunce, GAMA President and CEO. Aircraft shipments through the second quarter of 2024, when compared to the same period in 2023, saw piston airplanes increase 7.3% with 761 units, turboprops decrease 3.4% with 280 units, and business jets increase 8.8% to 322 units. The value of airplane deliveries through the second quarter of 2024 was $11.3 billion, an increase of 24.2%. Helicopter shipments through the second quarter of 2024, when compared to the same period in 2023, saw piston helicopter deliveries increase 2.7% with 115 units, and turbine helicopter deliveries decrease 7.7% with 313 units. The value of helicopter deliveries was $1.7 billion.
People: Grazia Vittadini new Chairwoman of Lufthansa Technik’s Supervisory Board
At its meeting on 12 September 2024, the Lufthansa Technik Supervisory Board appointed Grazia Vittadini as its new Chairwoman. The aviation technology expert takes over from Dr. Detlef Kayser whose term of office ended. Since 1 July 2024, Grazia Vittadini has served as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Lufthansa Group with responsibility for the Group’s Fleet and Technology (“Technik”), IT & Innovation division and Sustainability.
Vittadini has made a stellar career in aviation holding several senior positions including CTO of Airbus Group and Rolls-Royce. The trained engineer came to Lufthansa Group from Rolls-Royce plc, London, where she has served as Chief Technology Officer and a member of the Executive Team. Nearly 20 years, from 2002 to 2021, Grazia Vittadini held various positions in a range of locations at Airbus Group. Her duties also ranged from design engineer to production to audit. In 2017 she was appointed Executive Vice President, Head of Engineering and a Member of the Executive Committee of Airbus Defense and Space. She was appointed Chief Technology Officer and a Member of the Airbus Executive Committee in the year 2018. Prior to her Airbus Group career, Grazia Vittadini served as a stress and design engineer at Fairchild Dornier in Oberpfaffenhofen and as a focal point for the Eurofighter Role Equipment Program at AEREA Aircraft Equipment of Milan. She began her career in 1998 as Head of the Technical Department at Marves (Milan). An Italian and German dual national, Grazia Vittadini holds a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, specializing in Aerodynamics, from the Politecnico di Milano (Polytechnic University of Milan). She further holds an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering & Technology from Cranfield University (UK).
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