AFRAA SG Interview: African Airlines Need to Work Together to Improve Connectivity
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RTX’s Pratt & Whitney announces North American Technology Accelerator
Second center of excellence to advance MRO technologies and performance
CHICAGO, April 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — (MRO Americas) Pratt & Whitney, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, today announced details of its North American Technology Accelerator (NATA), a commercial and military aftermarket operations center of excellence based in Florida. The NATA will have dedicated floor space, equipment and resources for the development and industrialization of technology insertion programs that will support the company’s global maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) network.
The accelerator projects in Florida are primarily focused on material restoration and process automation including advanced repairs, digital inspection, adaptive processing, and coating and masking for compressor and fan parts, blades, cases, and more. The benefits of these technologies will reduce cost, material demand, and environmental impact, while decreasing turn times, improving throughput, and delivering value to customers.
“NATA combines data science with people know-how and state-of-the-art automation to help address customer pain points such as inventory management and part availability, while accelerating our improved repair capabilities and efficiency to better serve our customers,” said Kevin Kirkpatrick, vice president, Aftermarket Global Operations at Pratt & Whitney.
Key projects include additive repairs for critical GTF engine components. With this new additive repair technology alone, Pratt & Whitney expects to recover $100 million worth of parts over next five years to support GTF MRO ramp.
NATA complements Pratt & Whitney’s fully operational Singapore Technology Accelerator (STA), which was established in September 2022 with a focus on robotics, advanced inspection, connected factory and shop digital twin. STA has since delivered over 30 innovations which will maximize the productivity in MRO processes. Both accelerators leverage other RTX research and development expertise to enhance automation, connectivity, analytics and intelligence to benefit aftermarket operations. Combined annual savings of at least $24 million is expected from Pratt & Whitney’s accelerator programs.
NATA and STA are part of Pratt & Whitney’s Industry 4.0 transformation, enabled by its Customer Oriented Results and Excellence (CORE) operating system which is at the foundation of the business’ technology accelerator strategy. CORE provides a common language, toolset, and methodology for delivering on customer commitments. The CORE system assesses and pinpoints critical areas and provides a framework from which to execute.
About Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units. To learn more, visit www.prattwhitney.com.
About RTX
With more than 185,000 global employees, RTX pushes the limits of technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our world. Through industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon – we are advancing aviation, engineering integrated defense systems, and developing next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with 2023 sales of $69 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.
For questions or to schedule an interview, please contact corporatepr@rtx.com.
RTX’s Pratt & Whitney announces GTF MRO capacity expansion at West Palm Beach facility
Engine center’s GTF capacity to increase 40% by 2025
CHICAGO, April 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — (MRO Americas) Pratt & Whitney, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, today announced a $20 million investment to increase the GTF maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capacity of its West Palm Beach Engine Center. The expansion will accommodate a 40% increase in capacity and is expected to be complete by the second half of 2025.
To accommodate the planned growth, the facility will increase its workforce by 25% over the next year and will add critical equipment in areas such as machining, test, clean and warehousing. It will also incorporate transformative technologies developed at the recently announced North American Technology Accelerator.
“The expansion at West Palm Beach is the latest example of our global investment to support the GTF fleet,” said Kevin Kirkpatrick, vice president of Global Aftermarket Operations at Pratt & Whitney. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to support customers and maintain their trust as we carry out the GTF fleet management plan.”
West Palm Beach was transformed into a fully capable GTF MRO engine center in mid-2021. It was the first Pratt & Whitney facility to adopt an automated system that assembles the high-pressure compressor (HPC) rotor and a refined overhead engine handling system. Since implementation, Pratt & Whitney has seen a more than 25% improvement in HPC rotor yield and a 50% reduction in process turnaround time.
In 2023, Pratt & Whitney announced three GTF MRO facility expansions and five shop activations to support the growing GTF fleet. There are currently 16 active GTF MRO engine centers around the world, with another three expected to come online by 2025.
The GTF MRO network is part of Pratt & Whitney EngineWise® solutions, which provide operators with a full range of aftermarket services resulting in long-term, sustainable value. Visit prattwhitney.com/enginewise for more information.
About Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units. To learn more, visit www.prattwhitney.com.
About RTX
With more than 185,000 global employees, RTX pushes the limits of technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our world. Through industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon – we are advancing aviation, engineering integrated defense systems, and developing next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with 2023 sales of $69 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.
For questions or to schedule an interview, please contact corporatepr@rtx.com
BIOMETRICS HOLDS THE KEY TO SMARTER DIGITAL TRAVEL
New SITA white paper highlights how biometric-driven IT solutions are being successfully rolled out around the world
GENEVA – 4 April 2024 – In 1930, there were only around 6 000 passengers travelling by air. By 1934, this had risen to just under 500,000*. Fast-forward to 2019 and it had exploded to 4 billion travelers. In fact the International Air Transport Association (IATA) projects 8 billion air travelers annually by 2040. The demand for air-travel is booming.
To prepare for this, 425 major construction projects (worth around US$450 billion) were already put underway at existing global airports. The industry also invested in 225 new airport projects in 2022, according to the Centre for Aviation. Bricks and mortar infrastructure is only part of the solution though. Without state-of-the-art, adaptable digital solutions, airlines and airports will struggle to manage passenger numbers. This will affect the quality of the travel experience they’re able to deliver.”
SITA’s Biometrics White Paper, ‘Face the Future’ highlights how the surge in air traveler numbers places extraordinary pressure on existing and new airports, national borders, and airline resources. In short, “existing paper-based and manual travel infrastructure and legacy processes simply won’t be able to cope”.
The solution, explains SITA, is in harnessing the power of facial and fingerprint biometrics to create a smoother, safer, and slicker air transport experience. By applying advanced technological solutions SITA will also solve other industry challenges, like space constraints, specialist staff shortages, and evolving passenger wants and needs.
The white paper takes us behind the scenes by showcasing successful case studies like the Star Alliance Biometric initiative and the Indian government’s DigiYatra program. Both cases use the end-to-end biometric passenger processing solution SITA Smart Path.
Stefan Schaffner, VP of Airports at SITA, explains: “SITA Smart Path biometrically enables every step of the passenger journey, from mobile enrollment to aircraft boarding and every point in between and beyond. With facial recognition across as many airport touch points as you need, it lets passengers manage their identity across their whole journey, in a unique and touchless way. The final result is a radically improved travel experience.”
The white paper goes on to outline more solutions using advanced biometrics technology. These include SITA Flex, a common-use passenger processing platform, and SITA Border Management, which covers border control, risk intelligence, and travel authorization. Both solutions are well recognized in the industry today and used by more than 40 airports globally. The white paper also breaks down SITA’s Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) solution, a hotly anticipated verifiable digital identity shared before arrival (with the passenger’s consent) for seamless border crossing.
As a member of both the IATA’s One ID initiative and the International Civil Aviation Organization’s DTC, SITA is leading the way in rolling out border-grade DTCs. They’re also helping define rigorous standards around passenger identity management within biometrics. An exciting example is how SITA DTCs were used to create Aruba’s Happy One Pass, a collaboration which lets passengers arriving at the Caribbean island nation of Aruba “can now disembark at international arrivals and cross the border without stopping or even showing a travel document”.
The future of air-travel is clearly outlined in the white paper – one that’s safe, ethical, and fully embraces biometrics. It emphasizes the need to prioritize privacy, flexibility, and adaptability.
The white paper’s release, along with its case studies and insights, reveals that the future of travel isn’t some distant concept anymore. It’s happening now. The global demand for travel is rising, and biometrics is at the forefront of this transformation.
About SITA
SITA is the technology provider to the air transport industry, delivering solutions for airlines, airports, aircraft, and governments. Our solutions power seamless, safe, and sustainable air travel.
With around 2,500 customers, SITA’s digital tools help operations run better at more than 1,000 airports and deliver connected aircraft to more than 400 airlines on 17,000 aircraft globally. SITA also provides tech solutions that help more than 70 governments strike the balance of secure borders and seamless travel. Our communications network connects every corner of the globe, and we bridge 45% of the air transport community’s data exchange.
In 2021, SITA became a certified Carbon Neutral company. We’re reducing our greenhouse gas emissions for all our operations, while also developing solutions to help the aviation industry meet its carbon reduction objectives. This includes reduced fuel burn and smother operational management. In 2022, we announced our commitment to setting science-based emission reduction targets aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative; Net-Zero Standard.
SITA is 100% owned by the aviation industry and is driven by its needs. It is one of the most internationally diverse companies, providing services in over 200 countries and territories.
For more information, go to www.sita.aero
Pearl 10X engine takes to the skies for the first time
Rolls-Royce (LSE: RR., ADR: RYCEY) announces it has successfully kicked off the flight test campaign for its latest aero engine for the business aviation market, the Pearl 10X, on the companys dedicated Boeing 747 flying testbed. The engine has been selected by French aircraft manufacturer Dassault to exclusively power its brand-new flagship aircraft, the Falcon 10X.
The start of flight testing is an important milestone for the Pearl 10X Programme and for Rolls-Royce as it focuses on growing in the business aviation market, as outlined at last year’s Capital Markets Day. The Pearl 10X is the newest member of the state-of-the-art Pearl engine family and the first Rolls-Royce engine ever to power a Dassault business jet. The French aircraft manufacturer’s selection of the Pearl 10X for its new top product is further evidence of Rolls-Royce’s position as the leading engine manufacturer in business aviation.
Based in Tucson, Arizona, USA, pilots and flight test engineers will put the engine through its paces over the coming months. The flight test Programme will include engine performance and handling checks at various speeds and altitudes, inflight relights, tests of the nacelle’s anti-icing system and fan vibration tests at various altitudes.
So far, the development Programme on the ground has included the rigorous testing of the new ultra-low emissions ALM combustor, which is compatible with 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and the new accessory gearbox, which allows for higher additional power extraction. The engine, which surpassed its target thrust levels on the very first test run, will be the most powerful business aviation engine in the Rolls-Royce portfolio.
Philipp Zeller, Senior Vice President Dassault, Business Aviation, Rolls-Royce, said: “We are excited to enter into this important next phase of the engine development Programme with the start of our flight test campaign. All the tests completed to date confirm the reliability of the engine and show it will meet the performance requirements to power Dassault’s flagship, the Falcon 10X.” The Programme is advancing at pace and has successfully accumulated more than 2,300 testing hours, both on the Advance 2 demonstrator and the Pearl 10X engine configuration.
The Pearl 10X features the Advance2 engine core, the most efficient core available across the business aviation sector, and combines it with a high-performance low-pressure system, resulting in a superior thrust of more than 18,000lbf. Compared to the last generation of Rolls-Royce business aviation engines, the Pearl 10X offers a 5% higher efficiency, while delivering outstanding low noise and emissions performance. The result is an engine that offers a market-leading combination of power and efficiency. This combination will enable customers and operators to have premium airport accessibility and fly ultra-long-range connections, whilst also being able to travel close to the speed of sound.
About Rolls-Royce Holdings plc
- Rolls-Royce develops and delivers complex power and propulsion solutions for safety-critical applications in the air, at sea and on land. Our products and service packages enable our customers to connect people, societies, cultures and economies together; they meet the growing need for power generation across multiple industries; and enable governments to equip their armed forces with the power to protect.
- Rolls-Royce has a presence in 48 countries and customers in more than 150, comprising over 250 commercial large aero engine customers, 160 armed forces and navies and approximately 40,000 active Power Systems customers. We are committed to becoming a net zero company by 2050 and we support our customers to do the
- Annual underlying revenue was £15.4bn in 2023, underlying operating profit was £1.6bn and free cash flow £1.3bn.
Rolls-Royce Holdings plc is publicly traded company (LSE:RR., ADR: RYCEY, LEI: 213800EC7997ZBLZJH69
African airlines’ performance updates by AFRAA – March, 2024
Airline Performance:
2024 is definitely the year of recovery for aviation. Airlines operations have exceeded pre-Covid level both in terms of capacity and traffic carried.
The number of seats offered in the region increased by 12.6%, from 14.3 million in March 2019 to 16.1 million in March 2024, thanks to new routes and frequencies added. Over the same period, ASKs also exceeded the level of March 2019 by 7.7%. African carriers accounted for 49.5% of the international capacity and 35.9% of the intercontinental capacity.
AFRAA estimates that passenger traffic carried by African operators in 2024 will be about 98 million. In terms of capacity split between African and non-African operators on both regional and intercontinental routes, AFRAA estimate a 50.7% and 49.3% respectively. A further disaggregation of capacity on only the intercontinental routes reveals a much lower share of 35.7% for Africa as against 64.3% for non-African operators.
Though continent-wide intra-African connectivity exceeded pre-Covid level since December 2022, major hubs like Johannesburg and Casablanca are yet to reach 2019 levels.
Similar to trafic growth, African airlines are also seeing improved revenue performance. AFRAA estimated revenue for January 2024 was US$ 1.83 billion compared to US$1.56 billion in November, 2023 indicating a revenue growth of 14.75%.
Global price of Jet A1 continues to fluctuate from week to week. The global average jet A1 price ended the week of 22nd March 2024 up 1.1% at $109.08/bbl.
Regulatory/Industry Affairs
ATNS in South Africa implemented the revised Air Traffic Service Charges, effective May 1, 2024. These charges were reviewed and approved by the regulator.
A proposed $20 per passenger fee at Kotoka International Airport (KIA) in Accra, Ghana to cover airport maintenance works and baggage belt repairs, without following due process attracted condemnation by operators and the industry. While there is a need for investment in infrastructure to meet growing demand, AFRAA advocates strict adherence by all service providers to the stipulated ICAO principles contained in DOC9082. Following intervention by the parliament of Ghana, levying of the proposed fee has been suspended.
Airplanes Africa Limited’s (AAL) has achieved a commendable feat by assembling the first Skyleader 600 aircraft in Tanzania. This could mark the beginning of Africa’s venture into aircraft assembly and components manufacture.
Uganda has reaffirmed its commitment to signing the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) solemn commitment. If done, this will bring to 39 the African State that have committed to opening up their markets. Similarly, internal discussions are ongoing in Tanzania on their commitment to SAATM. If the 2 countries join, EAC will boast a big domestic market for air travel. Open skies will boost intra-African connectivity, drive down airfares, and stimulate air traffic and revenue growth across the continent as well as create jobs.
Sierra Leone CAA’s Consumer Protection Unit has reached out to her ECOWAS partners in the Consumer Protection industry to harmonies the positions to safeguard the sub-region consumer interest in civil aviation. Striking a balance between protecting passenger rights and ensuring sustainable air services is crucial for a healthy aviation industry.
Ecuador has made positive strides with a new Tourism Law which eliminates currency repatriation tax and to reduce the 5% jet-fuel tax by 1% annually over the next 5 years. The African Continent can emulate this gradual tax reduction model of Ecuador to reduce some of the burdensome taxes that are hampering aviation development on the continent.
ICAO and the Aviation Working Group (AWG) are collaborating to enhance cross-border aircraft transferability by promoting compliance with the Cape Town Convention. This will improve efficiency and safety in the aircraft leasing and financing sector and AFRAA commends the 2 organisations for the initiative.
SAATM challenges and learnings from the EU: AFRAA Secretary General Intervention at the Connecting Europe Days.
AFRAA Secretary General – Mr Abderahmane Berthé, intervened in a panel session during the Connecting Europe Days on the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) on what lessons learnt from the air transport liberalization in the EU can be useful for SAATM.
On the challenges impeding the implementation of SAATM, Mr Berthé stated: “The air transport market in Africa is relatively small, we have seen some protectionism attitudes aiming to protect national carriers. Of course, this is a wrong approach because by nature traffic rights are reciprocal. it is therefore critical to increase the market size and facilitate its access.” To achieve this, he highlighted the following need to be addressed:
- Affordability of air transport for African citizens: reduce cost of operations and taxes and charges.
- African economy growth: GDP per capita (only 15% of global GDP per capita).
- Trade and tourism development: Intra-Africa trade is below 20% compared to more than 50% in other regions. Intra-Africa tourism is very small. In Africa when we talk about tourism, we are looking to tourism from non-African regions.
- Facilitation of air travel through visa openness is also critical. 50% of African citizens need a visa to travel within Africa.
- Airlines’ cooperation: commercial agreements and partnerships are essential to improve connectivity. AFRAA Route Network and Cargo Coordination is aimed at creating a forum for airlines to cooperate. Another success factor is airline consolidation. Over the past 18 years, the African continent has had the lowest level of market consolidation compared to the other regions in the globe. The engagement of States, airlines and all the relevant stakeholders is necessary to effectively achieve the required outcomes on airline consolidation in Africa.
This session looked into SAATM as a key to open the door for aviation to play a major role in connecting Africa, promoting its social, economic and political integration and boosting intra-Africa trade and tourism as a result.
The session gave insights into the state-of-play of the SAATM by AUC and AFCAC, and the challenges seen by other key African aviation stakeholders like AFRAA. EASA presented some key lessons learnt from the air transport liberalization in the EU.
The event was organized by the European Commission together with the Belgian Presidency of the Council in Brussels from 2-5 April 2024.
Jambojet CEO takes the stage on the April edition of AFRAA Sky-Connect show
Jambojet CEO takes the stage on the April edition of AFRAA Sky-Connect show
Join us for a thought-provoking one-on-one dialogue with Mr. Karanja Ndegwa Jambojet CEO as he addresses stakeholders on Jambojet’s milestones, intra-Africa connectivity and airline collaboration for a sustainable interconnected air transport industry in Africa.
Highlights of the dialogue:
- Regional airline operations and connectivity within the East African Community.
- Operating costs and infrastructure: cost built-up, airline ticket price and traffic composition and price elasticity, infrastructure to support passenger/cargo operations.
- Professional skills development and inclusivity.
- Airline collaboration – the opportunities, impediments and way forward.
Expect nothing but out-of-the-box thinking and far – reaching recommendations to shape Africa’s aviation.
Join us on 03 April 2024 at 14.00hrs EAT
Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FHSGdGQOR06YtpriVkbKmA
AFRAA SG Meets ASKY CEO and stakeholders in Togo, to advance SAATM.
AFRAA Secretary General, Mr Abderahmane Berthé, paid courtesy visit to ASKY Airlines CEO – Mr. Esayas Woldemariam Hailu in Lome – Togo. The discussion covered developments that have increased traction of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) implementation progress, notably the just-concluded SAATM Capacity building workshop for airlines that was organized by AFRAA in collaboration with AFCAC in Nairobi from 18-20 March 2024 and the ongoing recruitment process in Lomé of the YD/SAATM Administrative Council which will be chaired by Mr Berthé.
The Administrative Council shall be an independent body composed of 5 Members from 5 African regions who shall be Legal experts. They will adopt all decisions necessary for the operation of the Dispute Settlement Mechanism and perform the operational tasks assigned to it by the Regulation. The Administrative Council shall be supported by a Secretariat that shall perform the function of Registrar as well as enforce appropriate rules and administrative procedures.
The meeting further discussed the state of the industry, developments at ASKY Airlines and forthcoming industry events including, the 12th Aviation Stakeholders Convention and the Inaugural African Aviation Safety & Operations Summit taking place from 12-15 May 2024 hosted by Ethiopian Airlines under the high patronage of the Government of Ethiopia at the Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Mr Berthé was accompanied by Mr. Raphael Kuuchi – AFRAA Consulting Director Government, Legal & Industry Affairs