Azul’s First Airbus A350 Arrives in Belo Horizonte

Ryan Ewing

Saturday, September 17, 2022 at 09:32 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Azul's first A350 (Photo: Aeroin)

On Wednesday (14), Azul Linhas Aéreas’ first Airbus A350-900XWB landed at Confins airport in Belo Horizonte. The aircraft arrived from France, where it had been since the end of August.

The Airbus A350 will receive the Brazilian registration PR-AOY in Belo Horizonte. Subsequently, the aircraft will be transferred to Campinas, the company’s base, to advance in the model inclusion process.

Initially, as announced by AEROIN, the A350 will be used on domestic flights for crew training, with possible destinations such as Manaus, Recife, Belém and Fortaleza. By the end of the year, international flights will begin.

This article was originally published by Sebastian Polito on Aviacionline in syndication with AirlineGeeks.

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

JSX Announces New Routes and Increased Frequencies

Joey Gerardi

Saturday, September 17, 2022 at 11:13 AM ET

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Edited By:

Vanni Gibertini

One of JSX's Embraer E145s (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)

Dallas-Based JSX has announced via social media that it will be adding some new routes, and increasing some of the frequencies on a few of the routes they already operate. The airline operates a fleet of 30-seat Embraer E135s and E145s.

A JSX E-145 in Austin. The airline exclusively operates the E-145 for its intra-Texas flights. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Mateen Kontoravdis)

New Routes

In the way of new routes, the airline has announced it will begin flights from Dallas Love Field to Miami in less than a week, on Sept. 22, 2022. These flights will operate five times a week, with flights occurring on Thursdays through Mondays, and will operate on a winter seasonal basis with services continuing until at least March of 2023. That is all in terms of new nonstop routes, but the airline is getting more into the one-stop and connecting game as the remaining two new routes are one-stop services.

The first new one-stop route they announced was Austin, Texas to Gunnison/Crested Butte in Colorado. These one-stop flights will begin on Nov. 18, 2022, and will operate between twice and four times a week depending on the week. The flight stop will be at Dallas Love Field, a route the airline operates daily from Austin. The total time from Austin to Colorado is scheduled at three hours and 55-minutes; a one-hour flight from Austin to Dallas, a 45-minute layover, and a two-hour and ten-minute flight from Dallas to Gunnison.

The second new one-stop route will be from Dallas Love Field to Oakland, Calif., and will operate daily starting Nov. 1, 2022. Flights will operate with the stop occurring in Las Vegas and the total travel time will be four hours and 50-minutes from takeoff at Dallas Love Field until landing in Oakland, which includes a 30-minute stop in the previously mentioned layover city.

Increased frequencies

The first frequency increase will be on Dallas Love Field to Gunnison/Crested Butte, Colo., and will increase to 2-to-4 flights per week. This service increase starts on Nov. 18, 2022, the same day as the new one-stop Austin to Gunnison flights, meaning this frequency increase is most likely included to help the extra inflow of passengers from Austin. The Dallas to Gunnison flights does have a hiatus of service between the summer and winter season with the last summer flights scheduled to occur on Sept. 25, 2022, and not resuming until the frequency increase in November.

The second route to see an increase in flights is Miami to Westchester County, N.Y. which will go up to five times a week on Sept. 22, 2022. Flights will operate on Thursdays through Mondays, currently, the flights only operate twice a week. This is an exciting development as less than two weeks ago American Airlines announced they would start this exact route in Jan. 2023, meaning this increase can contribute to friendly competition on this route.

JSX has been growing significantly and adding more routes recently, Dallas to Las Vegas increases to daily on Oct. 1, 2022, and they also start daily flights between Dallas and Orange County, Calif. on Sept. 29. Their route map is becoming more populated especially around their headquarters in Dallas, a place they didn’t even fly to a couple of years ago.

JSX Route Map as of Sept. 16, 2022 (Photo: JSX)

Joey Gerardi

Joey has always been interested in planes for as long as he can remember. He grew up in Central New York during the early 2000s when US Airways Express turboprops ruled the skies. Being from a non-aviation family made it harder for him to be around planes and would only spend about three hours a month at the airport. He was so excited when he could drive by himself, the first thing he did with his driver's license was get ice cream and go plane spotting for the entire day. He graduated from Western Michigan University in 2022 with a B.S. in Aviation Management & Operations and a Minor in Business, and currently works for a major airline in his hometown.

Air Canada Orders 30 Electric Regional Aircraft

John Flett

Friday, September 16, 2022 at 10:00 PM ET

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Edited By:

Benjamin Pham

ES-30 Aircraft in Air Canada Livery (Photo: Heart Aerospace)

Air Canada announced the signing of an agreement with Heart Aerospace of Sweden for the purchase of 30 ES-30 electric-hybrid aircraft. The battery-powered aircraft is currently under development and is expected to enter into service in 2028. With zero emissions and an expected charging time of 30 to 50 minutes, the ES-30 would be deployed on the Canadian airline’s regional network giving operational cost savings and benefits.

In a press release announcing the agreement Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada said, “Air Canada has taken a leadership position in the industry to address climate change. The introduction into our fleet of the ES-30 electric regional aircraft from Heart Aerospace will be a step forward to our goal of net zero emissions by 2050.”

“Already, Air Canada is supporting the development of new technologies, such as sustainable aviation fuels and carbon capture, to address climate change,” Mr. Rousseau added. “We are now reinforcing our commitment by investing in revolutionary electric aircraft technology, both as a customer for the ES-30 and as an equity partner in Heart Aerospace.” As part of the agreement, Air Canada will acquire a $5 million equity stake in Heart Aerospace.

Anders Forslund, founder and CEO of Heart Aerospace said, “Air Canada is a strategically important partner for Heart Aerospace. The company has one of the world’s largest networks operated by regional turboprops, and it is also a progressive, future-leaning company, especially in green transmission. With the ES-30 we can start cutting emissions from air travel well before the end of this decade.”

The ES-30 is expected to have a capacity of 30 passengers with ‘an all-electric, zero-emission range of 200 km.’ The layout of the aircraft will be 2 by 1 in a 3-across configuration with the inclusion of a lavatory and a galley. With the supplementation of reserve-hybrid generators, the aircraft range of the lithium-ion battery power could be extended to 400 km and with a reduced capacity of 25 passengers a distance of 800 km may be achieved.

Heart Aerospace’s main offices and hangar facility is based at Säve Airport in Gothenburg, Sweden, and the company cites United Airlines Ventures as one of a number of investors. The company had initially been developing the ES-19 aircraft with a number of agreements and letters of intent in place with airlines. With the announcement of the development of the ES-30 the company has advised that orders from ‘United Airlines and Mesa Air Group for a total of 200 electric aircraft with an option for an additional 100 planes are reconfirmed for the updated ES-30 design.’

Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines said, “From the beginning Heart and United have been on the same page – with an acute focus on safety, reliability, and sustainability. Heart’s exciting new design – which includes expanded passenger capacity from 19 to 30 seats, and a state-of-the-art reserve-hybrid engine – is the type of revolutionary thinking that will bring true innovation to aviation.”

John Flett

John has always had a passion for aviation and through a career with Air New Zealand has gained a strong understanding of aviation operations and the strategic nature of the industry. During his career with the airline, John held multiple leadership roles and was involved in projects such as the introduction of both the 777-200 and -300 type aircraft and the development of the IFE for the 777-300. He was also part of a small team who created and published the internal communications magazines for Air New Zealand’s pilots, cabin crew and ground staff balancing a mix of corporate and social content. John is educated to postgraduate level achieving a masters degree with Distinction in Airline and Airport Management. John has held the positions of course director of an undergraduate commercial pilot training programme at a leading London university. In addition he is contracted as an external instructor for IATA (International Air Transport Association) and has been a member of the Heathrow Community Fund’s ‘Communities for Tomorrow’ panel.

5 Tips for Your Next European Adventure

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Thursday, September 15, 2022 at 02:43 PM ET

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Edited By:

Parker Davis

When traveling from one end of Europe to the other, you might want to consider traveling by train. (Photo: Pixabay)

The world is expansive, and Europe is a continent that many people are drawn to. It’s home to some of the most exciting cities, diverse cultures, beautiful landscapes, and rich histories. If you’re also someone who has been exploring the idea of traveling to Europe in the near future, this blog post will offer helpful tips to get started on your next European adventure.

Use Budget Airlines Within Europe

If you’re traveling within Europe, you can save a lot of money using budget airlines. These low-cost airlines are very common in Europe and can be a great way to get around. Some European budget airlines include Ryanair, EasyJet, Wizz Air, and Norwegian. Remember that these airlines charge for everything other than the seat you’re sitting in (and sometimes that too), so travel light and be sure to read what’s included in your ticket on the website.

Also, book your flight well in advance, especially during peak seasons. This is when many people travel, so flights are more expensive and might be harder to come by.

Travel By Train

If you’re traveling from one end of Europe to the other, you might want to consider traveling by train. Trains are very common in Europe and are usually a very efficient and affordable mode of transportation. Some popular train routes include Paris to Rome, Paris to Berlin, London to Paris, and Madrid to Barcelona.

You can purchase your tickets online before arriving in Europe. Another bonus is that most trains have wifi, so you won’t be disconnected while on the trip. Again, remember that trains are often more expensive during peak season, so if possible, try to plan your trip during a less busy time.

Stay Longer In One Place

If you have a specific city you want to visit, consider staying longer in that city instead of just passing through. This will allow you to dig into the culture and see what the town offers beyond typical touristy sights. You can find home-sharing websites like Airbnb, which will enable you to stay in a local’s home for a reasonable price.

This can be a great way to experience the city like a local, and it can also be a great way to connect with other people while on your trip. During your day trips, look out for local amenities such as Barcelona bag storage to help you unload your luggage and not have to carry it with you when out and about.

Book Day Trips In Advance

If you’re visiting a specific city or area in Europe, it may be worth your while to book a day trip or two beforehand. This can be a great way to see the sights without planning a whole vacation around these excursions. Some popular day trips include visiting the Eiffel Tower in Paris, touring the Colosseum in Rome, visiting the Christmas markets in Germany, and more. Keep in mind that there are certain times of the year when certain attractions are closed. For example, the Eiffel Tower may be closed during winter due to weather conditions.

Learn Key Phrases

No matter where you’re traveling, it’s always a good idea to learn the basics of the language spoken in the area. Many free online resources are available to help you learn a new language. Some popular websites include DuoLingo, Babbel and Busuu. You can also purchase language-learning apps on your phone. This can be a great way to connect with locals, learn more about the culture, and save money while on your trip.

Final Words

If you’re someone who loves to travel and is looking for a new European adventure, hopefully, this blog post was helpful! There is so much to see and do in Europe; you should start planning your trip as soon as possible. Europe is perfect for all types of travelers, so be sure to make it a part of your next itinerary!

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

AirlineGeeks.com was founded in February 2013 as a one-person blog in Washington D.C. Since then, we’ve grown to have 25+ active team members scattered across the globe. We are all here for the same reason: we love deep-diving into the fascinating realm of the airline industry.

United Airlines to Launch Direct Flights Between New York and Dubai Following Codeshare Agreement

Chase Hagl

Thursday, September 15, 2022 at 09:09 AM ET

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Edited By:

Parker Davis

A United 777 at Dulles International Airport. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Craig Fischer)

On Wednesday United Airlines and Emirates officially announced their new codeshare agreement at an event hosted in United’s hangar at the Washington Dulles International Airport. The agreement will connect United customers to over 100 plus destinations through Dubai and nearly 200 locations within the U.S. for Emirates customers.

The partnership between the two was initially teased on Twitter when United tweeted two “wide-eye” emojis and tagged Emirates. Emirates was quick to reply to the tweet with a “waving-hand” emoji, which quickly sparked rumors of the codeshare agreement. Additionally, United had sent a “special event” invitation to reporters titled “Come Fly With Us” with Chief Executive Scott Kirby and Emirates President Tim Clark in Washington.

“Two of the biggest, and best-known airlines in the world are joining hands to fly people better to more places, at a time when travel demand is rebounding with a vengeance. It’s a significant partnership that will unlock tremendous consumer benefit and bring the United Arab Emirates and the United States even closer,” stated Emirates President Sir Tim Clark at today’s event. “We welcome United’s return to Dubai next year, where our hub Dubai Essentially becomes a gateway for United to reach Asia, Africa and the Middle East via the combined network of Emirates and flydubai. We look forward to developing our partnership with United for the long term.”

United Airlines will launch nonstop service between its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and Dubai. For the 6,852-mile journey, the carrier will utilize its 276-seat Boeing 777-200ER aircraft configured with 50 Polaris class seats (business), 24 Premium Plus seats, 46 Economy Plus seats and 156 Economy seats.

Beginning on March 27, 2023, United will offer once-daily flights between the city pairs. Traveling east, the flight is blocked at 13 hours and 25 minutes and 14 hours and 50 minutes heading west. UA164 will depart Newark at 10:15 p.m. arriving the following day at 7:40 a.m. UA163 is set to depart Dubai at 2:15 a.m. with arrival in Newark at 9:05 a.m.

The aircraft will be stationary in Dubai for a long period of time, but the schedules into, and in particular out of Dubai are intended to mesh with banks of incoming and outgoing flights operated by Emirates, proving connectivity to the airline’s network.

Once in Dubai, United customers will have the option to travel to upwards of 100 destinations served by Emirates itself or its sister company, flydubai.

“United’s new flight to Dubai and our complementary networks will make global travel easier for millions of our customers, helping boost local economies and strengthen cultural ties,” stated United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby. “This is a proud moment for both United and Emirates employees, and I look forward to our journey together.”

Emirates customers will have much more ease connecting through a few of its currently served cities of San Francisco, Chicago and Houston. The agreement will allow customers to connect to nearly 200 cities on a single ticket, allowing for a simpler and quicker check-in and luggage transfer process.

Additionally, the two carriers will also have interline agreements on the remaining eight destinations served by Emirates – New York, Boston, Orlando, LA, Miami, Dallas, Seattle and Washington D.C.

Chase Hagl

Chase Hagl grew up in Twin Falls, Idaho. His love and passion for Aviation landed him in Orem, Utah where he obtained a B.S. in Aviation Management with a minor in Business Management from Utah Valley University. Chase currently works as a flight attendant in Charleston, SC and is also the primary Inflight ASAP ERC representative for startup airline, Breeze Airways. His experience in the aviation industry spans back four years, working in areas including agriculture application, customer service, maintenance, and flight ops. In his free time, Chase enjoys road biking, astronomy, and flying.

Ethiopian Airlines, Still Hungry for More Freighters, Announces Deal with Titan Investments for Boeing 767Fs

Victor Shalton

Wednesday, September 14, 2022 at 06:00 AM ET

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Edited By:

Vanni Gibertini

An Ethiopian Cargo Boeing 777 lifts off in Limburg, Netherlands. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fabian Behr)

Ethiopian Airlines Group has signed a long-term dry lease agreement with Titan Aircraft Investments,the joint venture between Titan Aviation Holdings and Bain Capital Credit, for three Boeing 767-300ER converted freighters.

Ethiopian Airlines is expected to take delivery of the first aircraft later this month with the second delivery planned for later this year and the third aircraft planned for 2023, according to an announcement by Atlas Air.

“We are delighted to welcome Ethiopian Airlines as a strategic customer and support its growing freighter fleet,” said Michael Steen, President and Chief Executive Office of Titan Aviation Holdings. “We are honored that Ethiopian Airlines recognizes our industry and technical expertise and has placed its trust in Titan.”

For his part, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew said, “This dry lease agreement will be fundamental to our fast-growing cargo operation as Ethiopian is a key global player in the air cargo business. We are glad about the partnership with Titan Aircraft Investments to enhance our capacity with three more B767 converted aircraft in addition to the existing nine widebody freighters and four B737 converted aircraft.”

Titan Aviation Holdings, a subsidiary of Atlas Air Worldwide and a freighter-centric leasing company, is now the third largest freighter lessor globally by fleet value, managing 33 aircraft worldwide with a book value of over $1.5 billion.

Ethiopian currently operates nine Boeing 777 freighters and four Boeing 737-800 freighters. It will add five more brand new 777 freighters in the next three years besides its plans to buy five new generation Boeing freighters, the Boeing 777-8, to be added into its fleet by the end of this decade.

A League of Its Own

The airline is by many efficiency and operational metrics a standout as Africa’s top airline. Its cargo division, Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services, is the largest cargo network operator in the continent and one of the major global cargo carriers with a modern warehouse at its hub in Addis Ababa. In the 2020-2021 fiscal Ethiopia carried more than 750,000 tonnes of cargo.

It provides freight services to its global customers in over 66 global destinations in Africa, the Gulf, the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. It operates 12 dedicated freighters that include nine Boeing 777s and four Boeing 737-800 freighters.

In the strategic road map of Ethiopian — Vision 2035 — Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services plans to be a full-fledged profit center with annual revenue touching $2.87 billion, have a fleet of 24 freighters serving 70 cargo destinations, and carry close to a million metric tons of cargo.

This comes as the International Air Transport Association released data for global air cargo markets in July 2022, showing a continued track of traffic close to pre-Covid-19 pandemic levels .

Global demand, measured in freight ton-kilometres, was sitting in July 2022 within 3.5% of the July 2019 level but 9.7% below July 2021 against a backdrop of falling orders, according to IATA.

Capacity was 3.6% higher than July 2021 — 6.8% higher for international operations — but still 7.8% lower than July 2019 levels. Air cargo has thrived during the health crisis thanks to the reduction capacity and the explosion in demand, which caused prices to soar.

Victor Shalton

Victor Shalton's love for aviation can be traced to when he was 11-years-old. As a seasoned aviation writer, he takes pride in providing the best aviation coverage around the globe and is passionate about advancing his skills in the aviation space. In addition, he loves travelling, writing, arts and while his speaking engagements have taken him around the world, he is proud to call Nairobi home.

Air India Expands Fleet Size and Staffing to Bolster Operations

Pete Ainsley

Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at 10:00 AM ET

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Edited By:

Benjamin Pham

An Air India Boeing 787-8. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Recently, Air India announced an enhancement of its flight capacity by leasing 30 new aircraft. The airline signed leases and letters of Intent for 30 aircraft, including 21 Airbus A320neos, four Airbus A321neos and five Boeing B777-200LRs. The new aircraft are expected to be delivered as soon as December.

“After a long time without significant growth Air India is delighted to resume expanding its fleet and global footprint,” Campbell Wilson, the airline’s CEO and Managing Director said.

The airline’s latest move is the first significant fleet expansion after being acquired by the Tata group this year, the number of aircraft will increase by 25 percent, not counting 16 aircraft that returned to the skies recently. Air India currently owns 128 aircraft. However, the airline didn’t provide the price tag of the new aircraft.

The new flight could improve its services to North America. Earlier, the airline increased its flight frequencies from New Delhi to Vancouver, Canada.

According to Air India, the new Boeing B777 will be operated the route from Mumbai to North American cities, including San Francisco, New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark, N.J. Also, Air India is set to operate a three-times-weekly service from Bangalore, India to San Francisco with the new Boeing B777. In addition, the airline will introduce Premium Economy class on long-haul flights for the first time — allowing the passengers can taste a better service without breaking the bank. According to local media, Vistara is the only carrier currently offering Premium Economy in the country.

Meanwhile, four Airbus A321neos are expected to be delivered by the first quarter of 2023, while 21 Airbus A320neos will join the fleet in the second half of 2023. The new 25 aircraft will be operated on domestic services and short-haul international routes. It is believed that Air India can bolster its capacity to compete with other carriers, such as Indigo and Vistara.

“These new aircraft, together with existing aircraft being returned to service, address an immediate need for more capacity and connectivity, and mark a strong step forward,” Wilson added.

Airline’s Staffing Expansion

In addition, Air India will hire trainee pilots and cabin crew for the Airbus A320 and Boeing 777 to expand its workforce. This expansion comes after the travel demand surge in the country.

Since Tata took over Air India, the airline has decided to extend its retirement age for pilots from 58 to 65 and improve the airline’s on-time performance (OTP). Earlier, the report showed its OTP was left behind — compared to other Indian carriers.

Meanwhile, the flag carrier has announced that it will increase flight operations to Qatar — the host country of the FIFA World Cup — which take place in November. The new scheduled flight will enter service from Oct. 30 to Dec. 27.

Pete Ainsley

Delta Air Lines Introduces Triangular Route for South Africa

Vanni Gibertini

Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at 08:00 AM ET

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Edited By:

Benjamin Pham

A Delta A350. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Ben Suskind)

Delta Air Lines is planning to introduce a new route from the United States to South Africa that would put another destination in high demand on its map. On Dec. 2, the Atlanta-based carrier will launch a new triangular route linking its main base at Atlanta’s Hartsfield International Airport to Johannesburg and Cape Town.

The route to Cape Town has been on Delta’s wish list for a very long time, but the market turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the restrictions imposed by the South African Government on international travel put the plans on hold for almost two years. The non-stop flight to Johannesburg that was in place before the pandemic was operated with a Boeing 777 aircraft, but Delta is not operating this aircraft type any longer so it will be the new Airbus A350 aircraft to fly the route.

This required some creativity on behalf of the flight planning department at Delta since the aircraft does not have the capability to fly non-stop from Johannesburg to Atlanta at full capacity. In fact, the largest city in South Africa’s O.R. Tambo Airport is located at an altitude of 5,558 feet or 1,694 meters above sea level, slightly higher than Denver, and this heavily affects aircraft performance at take-off considerably reducing the aircraft range. Therefore, Delta has planned to fly a short sector to Cape Town, which is at sea level, where the A350 aircraft would be refueled before its return flight to Atlanta.

Since the bilateral agreement between the U.S. and South Africa does not allow for cabotage, i.e. does not allow foreign carriers to operate domestic flights within another country, Delta Air Lines will not sell the domestic sector within South Africa, but nonetheless, this solution will allow the U.S. carrier to include the beautiful Cape Town in the list of its destinations.

Extra Frequencies Needed

The plan encountered the opposition of United Airlines — who sought approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) — to operate three times a week from Washington, DC’s Dulles Airport to Cape Town, South Africa, in addition to their daily service from Newark, N.J. However, the bilateral agreement regulating services from the U.S to South Africa would only allow 21 flights per week, and there were only four frequencies per week available to be assigned, and these new services was requiring an extra six frequencies per week.

In fact, Delta’s plan is to operate the triangular flight from Atlanta to Cape Town, South Africa through Johannesburg four times a week. The carrier will supplement the operation with three extra non-stop frequencies from Atlanta to Cape Town so that the coastal town in South Africa could get a daily service. However, this would require authorization for the three extra flights a week to Cape Town, South Africa.

The DOT was able to negotiate with its South African counterpart to increase the number of allowed frequencies to 23 so that both United and Delta could go ahead with their plans. United will start its new service from Dulles Airport to Cape Town on Nov. 18.

“As demand for travel increases, we’ll be offering our largest-ever schedule between South Africa and the U.S. this summer. Thanks to this added connectivity, customers will have access to more than 160 cities in North and South America, giving people even more opportunities to reconnect or expand business ties between our two countries, which U.S. Government data estimated to be worth $17.8 billion in 2019,” Jimmy Eichelgruen, Delta’s Director of Sales for Africa, the Middle East and India, said, to Simple Flying.

Vanni Gibertini

Vanni fell in love with commercial aviation during his undergraduate studies in Statistics at the University of Bologna, when he prepared his thesis on the effects of deregulation on the U.S. and European aviation markets. Then he pursued his passion further by obtaining a Master’s Degree in Air Transport Management at Cranfield University in the U.K. followed by holding several management positions at various start-up carriers in Europe (Jet2, SkyEurope, Silverjet). After moving to Canada, he was Business Development Manager for IATA for nine years before turning to his other passion: sports writing.

United Invests Another $15 Million in Electric Flying Taxi

Fangzhong Guo

Monday, September 12, 2022 at 04:02 AM ET

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Edited By:

Jack Dawin

United signs purchase agreement for up to 400 eVTOL aircraft from Eve aiming to revolutionize commuter experience in cities around the world.(Photo: United Airlines)

United, on September 8, announced a $15 million investment in EVE Air Mobility. In addition, it made a conditional purchase agreement for 200 four-seat electric aircraft plus 200 options. The airline is expecting the first deliveries as early as 2026.

EVE Air Mobility is an Embraer-backed startup that spun off from Uber Elevate after Joby Aviation took control of the program. The Melbourne, Fla-based company is designing a four-seat electric Vertical Take-off and Landing(eVTOL) aircraft capable of flying up to 60 miles. While the company showed a cabin mockup at the Farnborough Airshow, its plane has yet to take its maiden flight.

EVE to Simulate Operations in Chicago

EVE Chicago XP poster. (Photo: EVE Air Mobility)

Even though EVE does not have a flying aircraft, it plans to conduct an eVTOL dry run from September 14 to September 30 in United’s home city, Chicago. The dry run would gather data about operations to optimize its Urban Air Traffic Management(UATM) offering. The company aims to complement its eVTOL platform with UATM when it’s ready to scale up.

Since the company does not have a certified aircraft yet, it’s leveraging its relationship with Blade Air Mobility for the operation. The consortium will offer $150 flights to and from Chicago Vertiport to two suburbs outside the city in a helicopter. Testing out of Chicago may appear to cater to United’s appetite, but the real reason is probably more mundane due to Blade’s existing involvement at the vertiport.

Route map of EVE Air Mobility’s dry run in Chicago. (Photo: EVE Air Mobility)

Blade Air Mobility currently offers helicopter and seaplane rides in New York and Los Angeles. One of its key markets is shuttling passengers between Manhattan and the New York airports. Therefore an air taxi fits perfectly in its business model. The New York-based company has an agreement with Eve for up to 60,000 hours of flight time per year from 2026, equating to about 60 aircraft on Blade’s platform.

The idea of a dry run is not new to the eVTOL industry. Joby Aviation also planned on gathering operation data with a Cirrus aircraft since its plane won’t be ready until 2024.

Putting Eggs in Different Baskets

United Airlines has 200 Archer Aviation Midnight’s on order. (Photo: Archer Aviation)

The investment from United comes only a month after the company placed a $10 million deposit for Archer Aviation’s similarly sized air taxi. This move also makes United the first airline to publicly invest in multiple air taxi startups.

The Chicago-based airline has a similar purchase agreement for 200 four-seat Archer Midnight plus 100 options. Although the two aircraft have nearly identical ranges and capacities, the architectures are vastly different. Archer’s midnight features six tilt and six VTOL-only rotors. At the same time, EVE’s latest concept utilizes eight VTOL-only motors and two propeller motors.

The diversified investments will give the Chicago-based airline a higher chance of bringing Urban Air Mobility(UAM) into reality. It also aligns with the company’s strategy in the fuel sector, as it has a diverse investing profile in hydrogen-electric, battery-electric, and sustainable aviation fuel.

Will Chicago be the Next eVTOL Breeding Ground?

An EVE Air Mobility aircraft in Republic Airways Livery with Chicago in the backdrop. (Photo: EVE Air Mobility)

Most of the US-based eVTOL programs have their bases in California and Florida. It makes sense since both places have less concentrated skyrises and large city footprints. However, UAM needs to work in other traffic-congested cities to provide more value for humanity.

Chicago could be the pilot in this category since its airspace is not as restricted as other high-density markets such as New York or DC. When Republic Airways announced its non-binding agreement to purchase 100 EVE aircraft, it received its rendering with Chicago in the backdrop. The latest interest from United and Blade’s alliance with Chicago Vertiport might be the catalyst to bring more UAM efforts to Windy City.

Fangzhong Guo

Fangzhong grew up near an OEM airport in northeastern China, where he developed his enthusiasm for aviation. Taking upon his passion, he's now working as an aircraft interior design engineer. Besides working in the aerospace industry, Fangzhong enjoys trying out different types of airplanes and seeing how airplane interiors have evolved. So far, he's flown on over 80 types of aircraft. He also planespots in his spare time. His rarest catches included the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft and AN-225.

ITA Airways’ Airbus A350 Draws Crowd During Italian Grand Prix Flyover

Vincenzo Claudio Piscopo

Sunday, September 11, 2022 at 02:15 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

ITA Airways Airbus A350 and Frecce Tricolori fly over the Monza Autodrome. (Photo: Mattia Cosmai | thecosmaspotter)

An Airbus A350-900 from Italy’s national airline, ITA Airways, flew over the skies of Monza on Sunday for its first flight. After dedicating its first Airbus A350s to Valentino Rossi, Marcello Lippi, Roberto Baggio and Enzo Bearzot, the latest arrival was dedicated to Enzo Ferrari, founder of the Scuderia Ferrari Grand Prix motor racing team, and subsequently of the Ferrari automobile marque.

The new Airbus A350 with ITA Airways’ classic light blue livery made its first flight at Monza at the Italian Grand Prix, accompanied by nine Aermacchi MB.339 A/PAN MLU of the Frecce Tricolori at the start of the race, flying over the starting grid while the Italian national anthem was being sung by Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli.

This is a historic event, as it is the first time the Italian national airline has been present at the Italian Grand Prix, and the first during which the Frecce Tricolori have performed together with an airliner.

The event was made possible by Enzo Ferrari’s son, Eng. Piero Ferrari (Ferrari’s vice president) to Eng. John Elkann (Ferrari’s president) and the management team of the Italian car company founded in Maranello in the province of Modena.

The name Enzo Ferrari, was written on a red background on the blue livery of the ITA Airways aircraft, an exclusive detail among all the aircraft in the fleet, which instead have the name of the personage to whom the aircraft is dedicated on a blue background.

This is the fourth aircraft in ITA Airways’ fleet that, on the occasion of the Italian Grand Prix, has a new blue livery with the Logo of the 100th Anniversary Celebrations of the Monza Autodrome (1922-2022), founded on Sept. 3, 1922. This Airbus A350 joins three other aircraft that the Italian flag carrier has dedicated to individuals who have written the history of Italian motor racing, namely the A330 named after Tazio Nuvolari, and two Airbus A319s named after Alberto Ascari and Michele Alboreto.

In the past few days, an Airbus A350 in the white livery of ITA Airways, which arrived from the airline’s hub airport Rome Fiumicino, had carried out tests ahead of the overflight at the Monza GP together with two aircraft of the Frecce Tricolori at Milan Linate airport.

The Italian airline had chosen in recent months to lease six Airbus A350 long-haul aircraft to complete the modernization of its fleet and thus pursue the green goal of reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 25 percent. These aircraft have become the symbol of ITA Airways’ fleet and are used for intercontinental routes, mainly to North America.

Vincenzo Claudio Piscopo

Vincenzo graduated in 2019 in Mechanical Engineering with an aeronautical curriculum, focusing his thesis on Human Factors in aircraft maintenance. In 2022 he pursued his master's degree in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Palermo, Italy. He combines his journalistic activities with his work as a Reliability Engineer at Zetalab.