Number 16 – 29 February 2024

“This being Leap Year the signs of the Zodiac are all on the rampage. Although the signs of the Billings Zodiac are all on the jump this year, there is no cause for alarm. Once in four years this frolic occurs and is said by the doctors to be necessary for their health.” Josh Billings

SAAF HQ in Pretoria closed

The South African Air Force has finally come to its senses and closed its headquarters building where, as we have previously reported, temperatures inside soared to 39°C, equipment stopped working and conditions were unbearable. All HQ staff are working from home for at least the next few weeks. This is actually the responsibility of the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) and this exact situation happened a few years ago anyway.

Taken off the DPWI website

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure is committed to the attainment of a transformed built environment sector by: providing strategic leadership to the South African construction and property industries; establishing and ensuring compliance to policy and legislative prescripts for the management of state-owned and leased-in immovable assets and South African construction and property sectors; providing strategic direction on the integration of public works priorities and contributing to the national goals of job creation and poverty alleviation through Public Works Programmes. Is this not laughable?

In any event there are more ‘generals’ pulling huge salaries in the SAAF than any time in the history of the SAAF and yet there are fewer airworthy SAAF assets than ever before. These people do not need a working head office in Pretoria, they need to hold their meetings under some acacia tree close to AFB Waterkloof so that they can enjoy the experience of natural weather. Cry our beloved country!

Congratulations to Duncan Frew and Keegan Dames with the successful completion of your C208 rating.

2 March
EAA Chapter 322 monthly gathering at EAA Auditorium
Contact Neil Bowden E-mail: airadventuresa@gmail.com

2 March
EAA Young Aviators meeting at the EAA Auditorium from 10h00
Contact Tyla Puzey

The newly inaugurated EAA Young Aviators will be having their first official get together at the EAA auditorium at Rand airport on Saturday 2 March at 10h00 after the usual monthly EAA Chapter 322 meeting. This initiative by Tyla Puzey has certainly taken off by attracting younger generation aviation enthusiasts, especially from flying schools to listen to experts speaking about their experiences within their individual fields. African Pilot will be fully supportive of this initiative to extend learning and friendship to the younger generation of aviation enthusiasts.

2 March
SAA Museum Society Specialised Tour limited to nine adults
Contact E-mail: events@saamuseum.co.za Cell: 076 879 5044

LAM investigation into money losses

LAM’s director of restructuring, Sérgio Matos, revealed at a press conference in Maputo that Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (TM, Maputo) has launched an internal investigation after discovering that around USD3.2 million vanished from several of its ticket sales points during December 2023. The company is currently tracking the movement of funds from its various point of sale (POS) terminals to identify how and where the cash was diverted. “Three weeks ago, we launched an operation to find out where the money is going. We are selling more, but the company is not getting all the money,” he said. He added that “we are working quickly with LAM’s internal security and have collected almost all the POSs and starting with 20 ticket points of sale, by Sunday we had collected 81 POSs.”

In what he branded a scheme of embezzlement, he explained that “in the last three months of evaluations we saw that the difference we were having was in the order of USD2 million or USD3 million. In December alone, there was a deficit of USD3.2 million.” Matos also said that inspections had revealed suspicious cases even when collecting cash in stores. “The collection of cash is done by security companies,” he said. “When we tried to find out, at LAM points of sale, how it is done and when they receive it, it was found that sometimes the deposit was made three days later, which means that money is collected from the company and then it is stored somewhere for two or three days and only after that comes the borderô” – a statement of credits and debits.

Matos further said that his team had discovered a LAM account in Malawi with USD1.2 million to which no one in the company appeared to have access. In addition, there have been cases of employees “who use or have used company funds to buy their own homes. When these employees are contacted, each comes up with an excuse and we believe that this may be the same group that uses the media to deliberately portray the company in a bad light.”

Fuel anomalies

State-owned LAM has been under a process of restructuring over the last year or so and has spoken of fleet renewal ahead of intercontinental and cargo operations. The restructuring team is working as part of a planned revitalisation under Fly Modern Ark, a South African company that took over the management of the Mozambican airline in April 2023 and of which Matos is a part. Since then, LAM’s debt levels have been declining. Matos said that other inspections had found anomalies in the supply of jet fuel. “If an aircraft has fuel capacity for around 80,000 litres, in the documents the same aircraft is being fuelled at 95,000. So the question is, where are the remaining 15,000?” he asked. LAM was forced to delay multiple flights in February as it faced fuel shortages, local media reported. The airline’s restructuring team and suppliers disagree on who is responsible for the situation and what its exact cause is, but the carrier and Mozambique’s state-owned petroleum company, Petromoc, agree that LAM has a USD70 million debt to the supplier.

Following the flight delays that left many passengers stranded, independent broadcaster STV reported that LAM owes MZN600 million meticals (USD9.4 million) to Petromoc, another MZN42 million (USD657,000) to Puma Energy and USD27,000 for fuel to Harare International. However, Matos maintained at the press conference that there was no problem with payments and that there was instead a ‘lack of fuel from the supplier.’ He also said that since December, LAM has owed only Petromoc and not any other fuel supplier. Meanwhile, Petromoc denies it ran out of fuel on Sunday and declined responsibility for the delays.

On 14 February, the senior management of LAM wrote a letter to Mozambique’s Minister of Transport and Communications, Mateus Magala, distancing themselves from the statements made by Matos and Fly Modern Ark and denying that certain LAM managers had been involved in embezzlement or sabotage.

Nigeria offered Indonesian CN235 transporters

During the Singapore airshow last week state-owned aerospace company PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) said it is finalising the sale of four CN235-220 transport aircraft to the Nigerian military. PTDI said it continues to penetrate the African market and is in the process of obtaining a new procurement contracts.  This will be the first export order obtained by PTDI in 2024, expanding the market in the African region and opening a new footprint in Nigeria. To date, PTDI has sold 70 CN235 aircraft to customers around the globe, including to Senegal, Burkina Faso and Guinea. PTDI said “this order from Nigeria will underscore Indonesia’s role as a significant defence partner on the African continent and its capabilities in defence manufacturing. This new contract for Nigeria is also one of our strategic steps to penetrate the markets of South Asian and African countries.”

The CN235-220 has a maximum take-off weight of 16 500 kg and can carry payloads of up to 5 200 kg. This can include 49 fully equipped soldiers or up to 34 paratroopers for airborne insertion operations. Alternatively, up to 18 stretchers for medical evacuation and disaster relief missions can be fitted. Powered by two General Electric CT7-9C engines driving two four-bladed Hamilton Standard HS 14 RF-21 propellers, the aircraft can reach a maximum speed of 237 knots (440 km/h) with an economical cruise speed of 169 knots (312 km/h).

This aircraft was developed independently by PTDI through technology transfer cooperation with CASA Spain in 1980. The CN235-220 aircraft has a number of advantages, including the ability to take-off from short, unpaved and grassy runways, with a glass cockpit avionics system, autopilot, accompanied by ramp doors and winglets at each wingtip for better stability and fuel economy.

Qantas Airbus A380 engine found missing tool in the engine at LAX

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has launched an investigation after a tool was found inside a Qantas Airbus A380 engine. According to the ATSB, the compressor turning tool was discovered behind the fan blades of number one engine on the Airbus A380-842 at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on 2 February 2024. Mechanics at LAX were carrying out a maintenance inspection on the Airbus A380 when the foreign object was found. In an investigation report drafted and published on the ATSB website, investigators said that the tool in question was first reported lost on 6 December 2023. 

The ATSB indicated that it expects to release a final report sometime after 1 July 2024, following completion of the investigation. “Should a critical safety issue be identified during the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify relevant parties, so that appropriate safety action can be taken,” the ATSB said. Apparently, Qantas is taking this incident very seriously. The Australian flag carrier said it had notified the ATSB when the tool was found.  The tool is a piece of flexible plastic. It had no effect on the operation of the engine. The Airbus A380, registered VH-OQI, was delivered to Qantas on 13 January  2011 and carried 485 passengers.

Russia loses a second A-50

Ukraine officials say their military shot down a second Russian A-50 aerial command and control aircraft in less than a month but there are also reports the plane was downed by friendly fire. Whatever happened, it appears to be confirmed that the $330 million aircraft, one of eight in the Russian Air Force inventory, went down in a fireball in the Krasnodor region in occupied Ukraine more than 150 miles from the front lines. Russian authorities have not confirmed the loss but military bloggers have and social media is carrying video of the incident.

The A-50 is used extensively for targeting and attack coordination. The downing came just after two attacks on Odessa that killed three people. The A-50 is based on the Il-76 and is normally a highly protected asset. If the video reports on the crash are accurate, the A-50 was hit by a missile while apparently taking evasive action at only about 1,000 feet.

France marks first crewed hydrogen-electric flight

French startup Beyond Aero has announced it flew a crewed LSA-sized demonstrator aircraft based on a ULA G1 using a hydrogen-electric propulsion system. It is the first step in eventually creating a hydrogen-powered business aircraft. The little plane, dubbed the Bleriot, took off from Gap-Tallard, France, in early January with test pilot Paul Prudent at the controls. After a lap around the field, Prudent went on to complete an initial flight test programme that included 10 take-offs and landings and two longer flights over the next six weeks to validate the 85-kW propulsion system.

The motor was powered using a ratio of two-thirds gaseous hydrogen to one-third on battery power. It stores 1.2 kg of hydrogen in three onboard tanks compressed to almost 5,000 psi. “This successful flight test campaign underscores the feasibility of the manufacturer’s powertrain architecture, with the goal of making possible, certifiable and profitable, the first electric business aircraft designed for hydrogen propulsion within the decade,” the company said.

Report raps Boeing internal safety oversight

While Boeing brass brag about the safety culture in the company, frontline employees who implement the safety processes aren’t getting the same message according to a report commissioned by the FAA. The report, done by a panel of experts in response to the fallout of the crash of two Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in 2018 and 2019, found “a disconnect between Boeing’s senior management and other members of the organization on safety culture.” It also said the implementation of the safety culture at the company was “inadequate and confusing” and that the rules and the training to meet those rules are in ‘constant state of change, creating employee confusion, especially among different work sites and employee groups.’

The report focused on the function of the 1,000 staff members with Organisation Designation Authorisation who have the legal responsibility to oversee safety standards on the shop floor. In addition to not clearly understanding their mandate, they also feared retaliation for speaking up the report says. This influences the ability of UMs to execute their delegated functions effectively. The panel did note that Boeing had restructured management of the ODA but that members could still face retaliation through salary and ranking for booking holidays.

Russia steps up GPS jamming in Nordic countries

Finland, Norway and Poland have all reported Russian jamming of GPS is affecting not just military units but airlines and air ambulance services. According to the Barents Observer GPS jamming is practically a daily occurrence near the Russian border where Russia is stepping up ‘hybrid warfare.’ It said the number of jamming incidents has more than doubled since Russia invaded Ukraine two years ago. Russia uses GPS jamming to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks. The report makes no mention of GPS spoofing, in which receivers are tricked into displaying incorrect navigation data on screens but it is nevertheless a concern for non-military operators. “We depend on good GPS signals to quickly locate areas with people missing in extreme weather” said Finnmark Police Deputy Chief Trond Eirik Nilsen. Further south, Polish officials say jamming has affected aircraft there and over the Baltic Sea.

US and UK warplanes strike 18 Houthi targets after new ship attacks

American and British forces carried out a series of airstrikes to weaken the Houthis’ military capabilities on Feb. 24, attacking 18 targets at eight locations in response to the group’s latest attacks on commercial shipping off the coast of Yemen, the Pentagon said. It was the fourth wave of ‘necessary and proportionate’ strikes against Houthi military installations since January, not counting numerous self-defence strikes that have sought to blunt the Iran-backed rebels.

The Pentagon said that the strikes were aimed at ‘Houthi underground weapons storage facilities, missile storage facilities, one-way attack unmanned aerial systems, air defence systems, radars and a helicopter.’ The strikes were carried out by US Navy aircraft flying from the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and Royal Air Force aircraft, according to US officials. The British Ministry of Defence said that four RAF Typhoons participated in the mission along with two Voyager refuelling tankers. The RAF jets took off from RAF Akrotiri, the UK air base in Cyprus.

“Intelligence analysis had successfully identified several very long-range drones, used by the Houthis for both reconnaissance and attack missions, at a former surface-to-air missile battery site several miles northeast of Sanaa,” the UK MOD said in a statement. “Our aircraft used Paveway IV precision-guided bombs against the drones and their launchers, notwithstanding the Houthis’ use of the old missile battery revetments to try to protect the drones.”

Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and New Zealand provided support for the US and British operation, their governments said in a joint statement, without specifying the nature of the assistance. ‘These strikes are in response to Houthis’ continued attacks against commercial and naval vessels that have not only endangered international seafarers but the lives of the Yemeni people,’ the joint statement said.

The Houthis have launched a persistent series of attacks against international vessels, including hits on US and British-owned ships in recent days. The missile launched on 18 February by the Houthis struck the British-owned M/V Rubymar, which forced the crew to abandon the ship. US Central Command said on 23 February that the ship was carrying 41,000 tons of fertilizer and the attack had created an 18-mile-long oil slick that now threatens to become an environmental disaster.

The 19 February Houthi one-way drone attack struck the US-owned Navis Fortuna whilst another missile attack that day nearly hit the American-owned M/V Sea Champion, which was on its way to deliver humanitarian aid to Yemen. A 22 February missile attack struck the British-owned M/V Islander and injured a crewmember. The Houthis have also claimed to have shot down two Air Force MQ-9 drones over the past three months.

“The Houthis’ have conducted more than 45 attacks on commercial and naval vessels since mid-November constitute a threat to the global economy, as well as regional security and stability and this situation demands an international response,” the joint statement said.

US troops in Iraq, Syria and Jordan have been attacked more than 165 times since 17 October 2023. The US has responded with a series of airstrikes, including one that struck 85 targets in Iraq and Syria earlier this month after three troops were killed in Jordan. The Biden administration says it is trying to avoid a wider war in the region, acting only when necessary to protect US and allies troops and international commerce. 

Editor comments: It seems that slowly the world is inching closer to all-out conflict as the world’s  superpowers wage war with each other.

Hungary orders four Saab Gripen C fighters

Swedish manufacturer Saab has announced the signing of a contract with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) to purchase four additional Gripen C fighters to be delivered to Hungary. “With the Gripen fighter, Hungary has one of Europe’s most capable air forces,” said Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab. “We look forward to continuing our close collaboration with the Hungarian Government and defence industry.” This purchase is an amendment to the existing contract between FMV and the Hungarian government, initially signed in December 2001. The original agreement was to acquire 14 Gripen C/D fighters for the Hungarian Air Force. 

The recent contract amendment, signed by the Hungarian Ministry of Defence and FMV on 23 February  2024, will bring Hungary’s total number of Gripen C/D aircraft to 18. Saab will also provide Hungary with upgrades and assistance beyond the year 2035. Furthermore, Saab and the Hungarian Ministry of Defence have solidified their partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This strategic collaboration aims to enhance fighter aircraft capabilities and strengthen high-tech industrial areas. It also includes plans to establish a Centre of Excellence for VR technologies in Hungary.

Etihad Airways welcomes three new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners to its fleet

Etihad Airways has welcomed the arrival of three new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, increasing its fleet strength to 88 aircraft. The national airline of the UAE announced the latest additions on 23 February 2024, as the 787-9s arrived at Abu Dhabi Zayed International Airport (AUH). All three planes include Etihad’s new cabin interior, set in a two-class configuration of 32 business suites and 271 economy seats. The planes are set to enter service later this month.  The 787-9s will further bolster Etihad’s fleet as it launches additional destinations over the coming months. 

California Bill would phase out 100LL starting in 2026

A pair of California Democratic senators have introduced a bill that would start banning the sale of 100LL at some of its busiest GA airports starting on 1 January 2026. The bill, introduced by Sen. Caroline Menjivar and Sen. Henry Stern at a streaming event at Whiteman Airport in Pacoima, in the San Fernando Valley, two weeks ago, would end sales of 100LL at airports next to a ‘disadvantaged community’ (California defines those areas in its Health and Safety Code) or next to a city with more than 700,000 people. Those definitions would cover much of the Los Angeles basin and areas of the San Francisco Bay area. In 2028, the ban would apply to airports next to an urban growth boundary (a development boundary that prevents urban sprawl). On 1 January 2030, 100LL would be banned statewide.

If the law is enacted (it has already been referred to the State Senate’s transportation and judiciary committees) it would start the ban of 100LL four years ahead of the FAA’s timeline, which is aiming for 2030. It would also likely conflict with federal jurisdiction over airport management, but Menjivar said the health and community impacts demand immediate action. She said California has always been at the forefront of environmental action and she said after her state enacts the ban, others will follow. “California needs to lead from the front,” she said. EAA reported last week that it was aware of the new bill and was planning to fight it.

Surprise AD for Pratt & Whitney PT6 engine

An Airworthiness Directive has hit Pratt & Whitney Canada’s signature turboprop engine, the PT-6, previously considered to be ‘bomb proof’. The PT6 has been in continuous production since it entered service 60 years ago and is used across a range of types of aircraft including the TBM 960, Pilatus PC-12, Cessna Caravan, Beechcraft King Air and, in turboshaft configuration, many helicopters.

The Airworthiness Directive (AD), issued by Transport Canada, affects engines fitted with newly manufactured Second Stage Power Turbine (PT2) blades. The AD mandates removal of the suspect blades prior to next flight. It follows one in-service report of PT2 blade failure and two failures during tests. The AD says: “P&WC is still investigating the root cause of the blade failures, but preliminary investigation determined that the power turbine modules in all event engines contained newly manufactured Part Number (P/N) 3056693-01 blades from the same raw material. In all cases, the blades had accumulated less than 25 hours air time since new. Failure of PT2 blades could lead to engine power loss or in-flight shut down, potentially resulting in reduced control of the aeroplane.

Textron Aviation leads industry deliveries across multiple segments

According to the annual shipments and billings report published by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), Textron Aviation continues to lead the industry in multiple segments. Thanks to our customers, we celebrate leading industry delivery achievements in the following categories for 2023:

• Total jets
• Midsize jets
• Light-entry jets
• Business and utility turboprops
• Light single-engine pistons

Legendary status is not solely defined by numbers. It is earned through consistent commitment to our customers’ success. This achievement is a result of the collective efforts of our team, leveraging the talent of our employees, the expertise of our suppliers and the partnership and feedback from our customers.

With the unwavering support of Cessna and Beechcraft owners and operators, we are constantly pushing the boundaries of technology and aircraft design, inspiring future generations. We are honoured to be a part of your sky and eagerly anticipate reaching even greater heights together.

ST Engineering AirX signs LOI for customisation of AirFish WIG craft from EMS

ST Engineering has announced that its joint venture, ST Engineering AirX, has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Eurasia Mobility Solutions (EMS) for up to ten AirFish wing-in-ground (WIG) craft, with an option for an additional ten. The agreement entails the customisation and delivery of the ten-seater AirFish 8, starting from 2025, catering to Türkiye’s tourism and private transportation sectors. Utilising aerodynamic forces for fuel efficiency and high speed, the AirFish WIG craft travel on water surfaces, represents a ground-breaking marine transport solution. ST Engineering AirX, the original equipment manufacturer, partnered with Peluca in 2023 to establish ST Engineering AirX, aiming to capitalise on the potential of WIG technology and commercialise the AirFish-family of WIG craft.

Jeffrey Lam, President of Commercial Aerospace at ST Engineering, highlighted the significance of the collaboration, saying, “This is a significant milestone for ST Engineering’s Commercial Aerospace business as we scale up our engineering and original manufacturing capabilities to develop more innovative and sustainable solutions that connect people and goods along some of the earth’s vast coastal areas.”

The AirFish 8, capable of taking off and landing on water without the need for dedicated infrastructure, offers a convenient option for maritime public transport, logistics services and potential military applications in littoral waters. With a capacity for ten passengers or 1,000 kg of logistics, the AirFish 8 can travel up to 90 knots, positioning itself as one of the fastest marine craft in operation. Certification and market entry are anticipated by 2025, making it a compelling alternative to ferries, helicopters and seaplanes. New start-up Eurasia Mobility Solutions (EMS), founded by Kubilay Ilgin in 2023, is a smart urban mobility solutions provider headquartered in Istanbul, Türkiye.

Avenatti’s HondaJet is back on the market

Disgraced celebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti’s 2016 HondaJet is back on the market after it was purchased late last year at a US Treasury Department auction. Global Elite Aviation bought the aircraft, which had been seized by the government when Avenatti, who most famously represented Stormy Daniels in her suit against then-President Donald Trump, was indicted on fraud and tax charges. He was found guilty of multiple counts of stealing settlement money from clients and failing to file tax returns and the government said part of those ill-gotten gains went into buying the plane. The plane has been stored at Chino since it was ferried there by the government after the seizure.

According to the sale listing the plane has less than 400 hours and has not been touched since it was bought out of government storage. It needs to go through a full airworthiness check before it can be flown again so the new owner is offering a discounted price for an immediate sale. The price will go up if the current owner does all the checks. It is described as being in excellent condition and the owner says the engines have been run up monthly since it has been in storage.

With Intuitive Machines, the US returns to the Moon

On 22 February the Odysseus space module operated by US company Intuitive Machines successfully landed on the Moon, eight days after its launch aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida. Coming more than fifty years after the conclusion of the Apollo programme, this achievement signals the return of the US to the lunar surface and marks the first time that a private company has landed on Earth’s natural satellite. “After troubleshooting communications, flight controllers have confirmed Odysseus is upright and starting to send data,” Intuitive Machines announced on X. “Right now, we are working to downlink the first images from the lunar surface.”

The mission, IM-1, was successfully launched on 15 February 2024, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Odysseus carries six instruments owned by NASA aimed at gathering information about the lunar environment, as part of the Artemis manned space programme which plans to send astronauts to the Moon by 2026. The contract value for this initial exploration mission with the company stands at $118 million.

In early January 2024, the US company Astrobotic, also contracted by NASA to transport its instruments to the Moon, attempted to touch down its Peregrine lander on the lunar surface. However, the mission encountered issues with fuel leaks and misaligned solar panels, resulting in failure. In April 2019, the Israeli spacecraft Beresheet, one of the early private initiatives in this realm, crashed on the Moon. A few years later, in April 2023, a lander operated by the Japanese company Ispace lost contact and likely crashed onto the lunar surface while attempting to land.

Intercity demonstration flight

AutoFlight, the eVTOL pioneer, presented the world’s first inter-city electric air-taxi demonstration flight between the southern Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai. AutoFlight’s five-seater Prosperity eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft completed a significant milestone by autonomously flying the 50km (31 miles) route from Shenzhen to Zhuhai. The flight from Shenzhen to Zhuhai across the Pearl River Delta took just 20 minutes, a journey that would require three hours by car. This achievement marks the world’s first public flight of an eVTOL aircraft on a cross-sea and inter-city route, spanning across the bay where the Pearl River meets the sea, connecting the two southern Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai.

This flight marks a significant milestone in the development and road to certification of this exciting new form of mobility. The route between Shenzhen and Zhuhai is part of the future air traffic scenario planned by the regional government as it develops its ‘low-altitude economy’ strategy that will see the opening of thousands of vertiports and hundreds of eVTOL airs routes across the Greater Bay Area in southern China. Low-altitude application scenarios will include passenger transport, tourism, logistics and emergency services. In the short term, plans are in development to achieve 300,000 cargo UAV flights in this region per year.

Tian Yu, founder, CEO and Co-Chairman of AutoFlight said: “We are thrilled to showcase AutoFlight’s cutting-edge capabilities today in the world’s first cross-sea and inter-city eVTOL demonstration flight. Working closely together with the local authorities and partners here and in other jurisdictions around the world, we will continue to drive this revolution to bring safe, efficient, sustainable and affordable eVTOL flight options to cities around the world.”

AutoFlight’s partner in the region Heli-Eastern, a major low-altitude General Aviation carrier and helicopter service provider, recently entered an agreement with AutoFlight to purchase 100 Prosperity passenger eVTOL aircraft. The aircraft will be used on routes such as the one demonstrated by AutoFlight, from Shekou Ferry Port in Shenzhen to the Jiuzhou Ferry Port in Zhuhai, as well as from other transportation hubs in the region.

The demonstration flight took place in one of the world’s most densely populated areas, home to circa 86 million people and in an airspace that borders multiple international airports, including Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Macau. The flight showcased AutoFlight’s cutting-edge aviation technology in a highly complex environment and its dedication to safety and regulatory compliance in pushing the boundaries of urban air mobility.

The demonstration flight was uncrewed and fully autonomous, with certification for crewed passenger flights anticipated within approximately two years. Referred to as air-taxis, eVTOLs do not require traditional airports or runways. Similar to helicopters, they take-off vertically and transition into fixed-wing flight mode in the air, cruising at high speeds like traditional large aircraft. The aircraft delivers an electric-powered, safe, comfortable, sustainable and affordable performance at significantly lower noise levels than traditional aircraft. Prosperity was designed by Frank Stephenson, the renowned designer who revolutionised the Mini and the Fiat 500, and created iconic designs for Ferrari, McLaren and Maserati, among many others, before turning his design talents to the skies and the realm of flying taxis.

High Eye wins international tender of the Netherlands Ministry of Defence

High Eye has emerged victorious in an international open tender issued by the Ministry of Defence Netherlands, marking a significant milestone in our journey of innovation and growth. This prestigious tender victory signifies not only a tremendous achievement by High Eye but also a testament to the quality and capability of our Airboxer. As part of a comprehensive programme spanning more than two years, our team will diligently work to integrate the Airboxer seamlessly into all aspects of the Netherlands Ministry of Defence’s operations, both in Europe and abroad.

The comprehensive programme encompasses the integration of our Airboxer VTOL UAV along with its ground control system, training modules, maintenance packages, operational training and cutting-edge EO / IR camera payloads. We are proud to announce that the first complete Airboxer System will be delivered this year, marking the beginning of an exciting partnership with the Ministry of Defence Netherlands. In response to this momentous achievement, our CEO, Mr. Joost, expressed his sentiments, stating, “We are pleased to win this tender and honoured to integrate our Airboxer in the operations of the Netherlands MOD. This partnership signifies not only a significant milestone for High Eye but also a testament to our commitment for years to deliver top-notch UAV solutions for defence and security applications.”

Drogo Drones successfully deploys drones across multiple states in India

The prestigious project that was initiated by Shri Narendra Modi, Honourable Prime Minister of India, to raise awareness through outreach activities and achieve saturation of various welfare schemes launched by the Government of India, has gained momentum across the nation. Drogo Drones played a vital role in the success of the programme by deploying over 300 drones across Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Chhattisgarh in partnership with IFFCO, FACT and NFL to cover 30,000+ Gram Panchayats in 60 days by touching over 1.5 million lives. The deployment of drones in these states marks a significant milestone in the VBSY project, aimed at harnessing the potential of drone technology to address key challenges and drive positive change in communities. From agricultural spraying to crop health monitoring and environmental conservation, the drones are going to play a crucial role in the lives of farmers in the near future.

Mr. Yeshwanth Reddy, CEO of Drogo Drones, expressed his satisfaction with the successful deployment of the drone fleet, stating, “We are thrilled to see our drones actively contributing to the Viksit Bharath Sankalp Yatra project, enabling us to make a tangible difference in the lives of people across India. This deployment underscores our commitment to leveraging technology for social good and sustainable development.”

Drogo Drones remains dedicated in providing support and expertise to the Govt. of India and the great vision of the Prime Minister in making India truly visit in the years to come. Drogo is setting up drone service centres in every district of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to offer spraying services to farmers. Drogo plans to expand these services to many other states across the country over the next few months.

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