Emirates has kicked off a huge two-year retrofit program, commencing work on the first of 120 aircraft earmarked for a full cabin interior upgrade. This will include the installation of the airline精东影业 latest Premium Economy seating. 

The program, which was announced in early August 2022, represents a multi-billion-dollar investment to improve its inflight experience for passengers.  

A look at the new Emirates A380 premium economy at the Berlin ILA airshow

• Aircraft
• Best of 2022

byVictoria Bryan

2022-06-23

“Biggest-known” aircraft retrofit program  

To carry out the ambitious project, the Gulf carrier recruited 190 additional staff and engaged with 62 key partners and suppliers who have hired hundreds of skilled workers.  

The project, which Emirates describes as  鈥�the biggest-known aircraft retrofit program in modern commercial aviation鈥�, involved months of thorough planning, including detailed tests runs on an actual A380 aircraft. Engineers requested 2,200 part numbers and Emirates raised 12,600 purchase orders for the initial phase of the program. Purpose-built workshops have also been established at the Emirates Engineering Centre, which have been fully stocked with the parts and equipment needed to complete the retrofit project.  

What does the retrofit program entail?  

Over the next 16 days, engineers and technicians will completely dismantle the A380精东影业 cabin interior before reassembling it in a carefully planned and tested sequence. 

The retrofit program will result in a massive visual overhaul for the aircraft, including the introduction of new color tones and a hand stenciled Ghaf tree motif in the airline精东影业 famed Shower Spa. The retrofit team will stick to a meticulously planned process. One team will remove the Economy class seating, allowing the cabin interior精东影业 side panels to be removed by a separate team and transported to a purpose-built workshop, where they will be laminated with the airline精东影业 new color scheme. In order to allow for the 56 Premium Economy class seating, 88 Economy class seats will need to be removed from the front of the main deck.  

The Business and First Class seating in the upper desk will be taken apart and transported via a specially adapted catering vehicle to bespoke workshops. The Business Class seats will be renovated and re-upholstered with leather at Emirates Engineering. The First Class seats will be refurbished by experts at Dubai World Central (DWC). 

The aircraft精东影业 carpeting and flooring will also be completely replaced, allowing for the newly refurbished seating to be installed.  

One down, 119 to go鈥� 

Following the refit, the aircraft will be thoroughly inspected and certified by aviation authorities before re-entering service. 

The second aircraft to receive a makeover, registration A6-EUW, is scheduled to roll into the Emirates Engineering Centre on December 1, 2022.  

Emirates has stated that the program will involve its engineers working on two aircraft simultaneously. This will result in one aircraft being grounded and transported to Emirates Engineering to undergo retrofitting every eight days. All 67 Airbus 380s in the retrofit program are expected to be back in service by May 23, 2024, when Emirates will begin to retrofit 53 of its Boeing 777 aircraft. The carrier expects all 120 aircraft scheduled to receive new interiors will be back in operation by May 23, 2024.  

The airline精东影业 Premium Economy cabin class offers additional legroom and more deluxe seating, an option currently only available on the A380精东影业 London, Paris and Sydney routes. With the advent of the retrofit program, Emirates鈥� Premium Economy cabins will be available to more travelers by the end of the year. 

Emirates to debut new A380 Premium Economy cabins across five major airports

• Aircraft

byGabriele Petrauskaite

2022-09-02

 

The Luftwaffe will arrive Down Under in mid-August, with more than 200 personnel, six Eurofighter Typhoons, three A330 multi-role tanker transports and an A400M transport aircraft, the Australian Department of Defence said in .   

One purpose of Pitch Black is to demonstrate the Royal Australian Air Force精东影业 (RAAF) commitment to building and enhancing military relationships with regional and partner nations. The exercise will enhance regional security 鈥渢hrough multinational interoperability and understanding鈥� the RAAF stated on its website.  

The biennial three-week multi-national large force employment exercise will primarily take place from RAAF Base Darwin and RAAF Base Tindal. RAAF Base Amberley, located near Ipswich, will also be included in this year精东影业 exercise.  

鈥淭he Indo-Pacific is of great importance to Germany. We share the same values with many partners in this region,鈥� Chief of the German Air Force Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz said.  

鈥淒efending those values in case of a war emergency and being able to support our partners is something that needs to be practised,鈥� he added.  

The German Air Force with its Eurofighters, a multi-role aircraft employed in air-to-air as well as air-to-ground combat (both at close range and from a long distance), also assumes responsibility in Europe and within NATO for securing the airspace. This includes the quick reaction alert element in Estonia and working closely with Italian and UK air forces in Romania. 

Germany opts for F-35 

The German government has also recently agreed to purchase the F-35 to replace its Tornado weapon system, with Pitch Black providing an opportunity to integrate more closely with Australia精东影业 F-35A, the press release added.  

鈥淭he F-35 aircraft will further expand the broad spectrum of our capabilities. Since the Royal Australian Air Force is already flying this combat aircraft, we will be able to learn from them as well,鈥� Gerhartz said. 

US approves sale of 35 F-35A fighters to Germany for $8.4 billion

• Defense

byClement Charpentreau

2022-07-29

Following Pitch Black, the Luftwaffe will participate in Exercise Kakadu before continuing its Rapid Pacific deployment to Japan and the Republic of Korea. Once the exercises are complete, Gerhartz will fly himself in a Eurofighter through to Japan.  

Pitch Black will host up to 2,500 personnel and up to 100 aircraft from a range of partner and allied nations, including Australia, France, Germany, Indonesia, India, Singapore, UK, the Philippines, Thailand, UAE, Canada, Netherlands, Malaysia, New Zealand and the US, with Japan and the Republic of Korea also participating fully in the exercise for the first time. 

The exercise will also support a concurrent International Observer Group program, providing an opportunity for foreign forces to gain an appreciation of how Australia prepares for and executes major activities. 

Norwegian Air carried more than 1.9 million passengers in June 2022, the highest number since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Unite members at AFS returned a 93% 鈥榶es鈥� vote calling for strike action from a 92% turnout. 

Striking employees will stage an initial 72-hour walkout beginning at 5am on July 21, 2022 and ending at 4.59am on July 24.  

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: 鈥淎FS needs to offer its workers a decent pay rise. Oil and gas companies are making massive profits so AFS has the wherewithal to make a proper offer. AFS workers have sustained wage cuts for three years so it精东影业 time AFS rewarded their sacrifices.鈥� 

BA check-in staff at Heathrow, represented by two unions, have also voted in favour of walkouts this summer in a row over restoring pay.  

AFS is a joint venture operation whose partners include BP, Total Energies, Q8 Aviation and Valero Energy. 

鈥淥ur members at AFS will receive Unite精东影业 complete support until this dispute is resolved and workers receive a decent pay increase,鈥� Graham continued.  

British Airways workers at Heathrow vote to strike

• Airlines

byZivile Zile

2022-06-23

AFS provides fueling services to more than 70 airlines at Heathrow, including Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines (A1G) (AAL), United, SAS, Air France, Emirates, Delta, JAL, KLM and Singapore Airlines (SIA1) (SINGY).  

The strike action will cause 鈥渃onsiderable disruption and delays across Heathrow鈥�, said Unite union regional officer Kevin Hall, adding that 鈥渢his strike is entirely of AFS精东影业 own making鈥�.  

鈥淯nite has given the company every opportunity to make a decent pay offer and it has failed to do so. Even now strike action and the resulting disruption can be avoided if AFS returns to the negotiating table and makes an offer that meets our member鈥� expectations,鈥� Hall added. 

News of the strike comes at a time of numerous flight delays and cancellations across Europe while the industry continues to struggle to meet the surge in demand for air travel amid staff shortages.  

The most recent of these was announced on July 5 when British Airways reduced its schedule by 11%, resulting in around 1,000 flight cancelations to destinations across Greece, Spain, and Portugal from its two major hubs in London, Heathrow Airport (LHR) and Gatwick Airport (LGW). However, British Airways will be unaffected by the AFS strike action as it uses a different supplier.  

British Airways warns of further cancellations amid staff shortages: Reuters

• Airlines

byGabriele Petrauskaite

2022-07-05

Despite much progression within the role itself, gender binaries are still present and outdated uniform policies remain, with many big airlines still requiring staff to conform to stringent standards of beauty and dress. The job has evolved to require staff to be trained in handling scenarios such as terrorist attacks, passenger behavior, emergency landings and medical assistance, which is hardly an easy feat when you鈥檙e required to don a pair of high heels and tight-fitting skirt.

So, as the industry progresses toward gender equality, several news articles seem to suggest that airlines are beginning to review these standards of dress for employees following mounting pressure from unions. But how are airlines challenging these outdated views? And is enough being done to support female flight attendants?

What changes have already been proposed?

The flight attendant uniforms we are familiar with today have their roots in the very first examples that began to emerge during the 1930s. When they first appeared, flight attendant uniforms served a purpose, promoting an image of professionalism and style. However, these uniforms have not changed in line with the evolving duties of the flight attendant, illustrating a lack of progress in the workplace.

However, as the aviation industry continues to address issues of gender inequality and diversity, there is some evidence of change. But is that change happening quickly enough?

Back in 2019, when a global health crisis was far from anyone精东影业 imagination, a number of airlines began to announce that they would be reviewing gendered and outdated uniform rules, particularly those affecting female staff members. Gone was the emphasis on appearance, the focus instead moving to practicality.

One such airline aiming to shake up uniform policy was SkyUp, a Ukrainian charter and low-cost airline. SkyUp traded the traditional skirt suit for more practical trousers, swapped high heeled shoes for trainers and made changes to its hair and makeup requirements.

During an interview with , Marianna Grygorash, head of marketing at SkyUp Airlines, revealed that the uniform change was implemented after concerns were highlighted in interviews with cabin crew.

“We have highlighted one of the globally important topics – women’s rights and gender equality,鈥� Grygorash said in the interview.

“We hope that this will become an impetus for global positive transformations in views and attitudes towards the treatment of women not only in aviation, but entirely.

“A woman in any field should have comfortable working conditions, and the 鈥榯rademark鈥� of the crew should not necessarily include heels and a classic suit,” she added.

SkyUp is not alone in rethinking their uniform policies in line with gender equality and inclusion. According to a May 2020 report from Simple Flying,  

Similarly, Iceland精东影业 PLAY have also adopted a relaxed fit suit and ditched the high heels. , PLAY said its new uniforms, created by designer couple Gunni Hilmars and Kolla, aimed to 鈥渟crap the constrictive rules often associated with these uniforms and include relaxed fits, stretchy fabrics and of course, shoes meant for working on your feet!鈥� 

鈥淔orget running around in high heels – comfortable sneakers are the way to go. Instructions regarding hair, make up, tattoos and nail polish are gone. The uniforms are not gender specific, and our crew can pick whatever works for them from a varied selection of outfits,鈥� the release continued.

Aer Lingus also announced that it would be relaxing uniform restrictions. In , published on January 15, 2020, Aer Lingus unveiled a new-look uniform from Irish designer Louise Kennedy, which includes 鈥渢he addition of trouser and dress options鈥� and 鈥済arment materials have a level of stretch and are designed to fit and flatter all body shapes and sizes鈥�.

At the time, director of Marketing and Digital Experience at Aer Lingus, Dara McMahon, said that the redesign, which was part of the carrier精东影业 brand refresh that began in 2018, had 鈥渂een a carefully considered and highly researched process鈥�.

鈥淥ur cabin and ground crew told us clearly that comfort, practicality, versatility and flexibility needed to be key factors in the redesign,鈥� McMahon added.

As well as recognizing the need for change, it seems as though airlines are beginning to recognize that there is an opportunity by revamping the uniforms that they can present themselves as a fresh and vibrant force in the marketplace.

Union action leads to change

On March 28, 2022, that it would be updating its uniform policy in collaboration with employees in an effort to 鈥減rovide more freedom and flexibility in individual and gender expression鈥�.

鈥淭his is what it means to care 鈥� to ensure everyone can bring their best and most authentic selves to work and to be an inclusive and welcoming environment for employees and guests alike. That精东影业 the journey we鈥檙e on, and the future of Alaska Airlines,鈥� the statement continued.

Fingernail polish, makeup, two earrings per ear, and a single stud nose piercing are considered 鈥渆xpression options available to all employees鈥�. There is also greater freedom afforded to the placement of tattoos, more hair style options would be permitted alongside 鈥渁djusting the names of our uniform kits to be focused on fit vs. gender identifications鈥�. The airline has also created personal pronoun pins that each employee has the option to wear with their uniform. 

The statement continued: 鈥淲e are also developing new, gender-neutral uniform pieces for our frontline employees, including flight attendants, customer service agents, and uniformed lounge employees, working with Seattle designer Luly Yang and with input from employees.鈥�

The gender-neutral uniforms are expected to be ready to wear by 2023.

However, , a letter to Alaska Airline精东影业 from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) written on behalf of a non-binary flight attendant, alleged that the carrier精东影业 flight attendant uniform policy discriminated against non-binary workers by forcing them to 鈥渃onform to rigid gender stereotypes鈥�.

It精东影业 worth noting that Alaska Airline精东影业 revamped uniform came almost a year after the letter was submitted suggesting that workers and unions are a driving force when it comes to implementing this sort of change.

But is sexism still in the air?

While much is being done to combat sexist and dated policies, it seems that sexism is still well and truly in the air. According to a recent YouGov poll of 3,996 British adults conducted on 15 March 2022,

That same month, Maria Fernandez, a flight attendant for Iberia, created a petition after the Spanish flag carrier unveiled its first new uniform policy in 15 years. Although female flight attendants were permitted to wear trainers during flights, they were expected to change into high heels in airports and during boarding.

, which was attracted 83,377 supporters and is written entirely in Spanish, states 鈥淚鈥檓 not stewardess Barbie! Iberia: DO NOT force us to wear heels. Let us choose!鈥�

The controversial uniform policy is expected to come into effect on June 1, 2022.

Meanwhile, published on March 1, 2022, Australia精东影业 largest trade union, ASU, wrote an open letter to Qantas鈥� CEO, Alan Joyce demanding that .

鈥淲丑颈濒别&#虫补0; uniforms have come a long way since the age of miniskirts and towering heels, there精东影业 still a way to go,鈥� the open letter continued. 

It asked that Joyce 鈥渞emove the requirement for women to wear make-up鈥�, 鈥渁llow women to wear low-heel shoes, including permitted loafers鈥� with all uniform items, not just trousers鈥�, and 鈥渃onsider whether heels and hosiery are still necessary at all鈥�.

Sexism, it seems, is still influencing uniform policies and decision making.

Still a long way to go (in high heels)

While aviation is synonymous with innovation, it still appears to be behind the times when it comes to progressing in the areas of gender equality, particularly the appearance of its female and non-binary staff.  

But things are slowly changing and, while they鈥檙e not moving at a rapid pace, it seems that the voices of its workforce, who are calling for these important changes, are finally being heard.

While it精东影业 evident that there is a value for both airlines and flight attendants to revamp uniform policy to reflect the modern world and the dynamic and vital role cabin crew perform, it will be interesting to see if more carriers are quick to adopt these changes

A reference book co-authored by 精东影业精东影业 very own Recruitment Director and brand-new columnist Captain Michel Treskin aims to demystify each step in the pilot selection process. 

To mark International Pilots鈥� Day, 精东影业 spoke to Michel about the book, what makes a successful pilot and how it feels to join our editorial team. 

鈥淚’m passionate about flying of all types and about the people operating the aircraft,鈥� Michel explains. 鈥淢y articles will focus on the journey and experiences of those who enjoy being in the wild blue yonder. Plus, I will be discussing and analyzing flying events that might impact the way we fly.鈥� 

Michel, who has a long history of flying, began his aviation career in the Canadian Air Force where he flew jets and tactical helicopters for 13 years and did his ground tour as a pilot selection specialist for the military. Michel was then recruited by the Royal Saudi Air Force as a maintenance test pilot and type rated instructor and examiner on the Pilatus PC-9 turboprop aircraft. After returning to Canada, Michel flew for several airlines and many corporate jet operators and joined Transport Canada as an aviation safety system inspector. He has also worked in Dubai, UAE as a pilot selection specialist, where he selected more than 3,000 pilots for Emirates, conducted more than 10,000 interviews and was an evaluator on Boeing and Airbus aircraft. In 2015, he joined OSM Aviation as head of pilot selection but was furloughed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, clearly, he knows his stuff. 

鈥淚 have gained a lot of experience and I thought that it would be great for me to pass it on to other pilots going through a selection process,鈥� says Michel. 鈥淚’ve conducted over 15,000, if not 20,000, pilot interviews, and I know exactly what to look for.鈥� 

And so, Michel decided to pen The Complete Pilot Selection Handbook, alongside co-writer, flight instructor Stein Mj氓tveit, for anyone who is considering becoming a pilot. The book is unique because it is written by pilots, for pilots, and aims to provide readers with details surrounding all phases of the pilot selection, from the initial interview, psychometrics, group exercises, simulator, and core competencies, to the final interview. 

鈥淚t doesn’t matter if you鈥檙e a cadet, first officer or an experienced Captain, you can open the book and see exactly what airlines and companies are looking for when they’re selecting a pilot,鈥� says Michel, who believes the book can 鈥渋ncrease a pilot精东影业 chance of passing by 50%鈥�. 

He continues: 鈥淭he book covers everything: the simulator assessment, the psychometric assessment, it covers the philosophy of selecting the right pilot and it also gives a pilot, who is starting their career, exactly what they need to work on to become a better pilot.鈥� 

Why do pilots go through a selection process? 

Every pilot is required to go through a selection process before they can join an airline or even a flight academy. But why is that? Well, when a company is preparing to spend thousands of dollars on training, they want to ensure candidates will be successful. Reputable flight academies also have a rigorous selection process that filters out those who might fail. 

鈥淭he selection process for me is extremely important. Out of 10,000 pilots, I will probably only select 1,500,鈥� reveals Michel. 鈥淲hen I select a pilot, I can guarantee the company that they will never have a problem with that person, that they will always be top-notch. 

鈥淵ou have to go through a selection process, even to become a student, because they want to make sure that if you’re going to spend a lot of money on training, they want to make sure you’re going to pass. This is something I also talk about in the book.鈥� 

So, what does it take to become a successful pilot? 

鈥淔irst of all, a good pilot is a very good flier,鈥� Michel explains. 鈥淔or me, the most important part is that the pilot is able to control the airplane in all conditions. 

鈥淏ut a good pilot is also a good manager and a good instructor. They are taking care of the person on the right and actually helping them to grow into a better pilot, while they [also continue] to grow themselves.鈥� 

Equally, Michel also notes that there are ways to identify a pilot who, put simply, probably shouldn鈥檛 be flying. 

鈥淭here are a lot of pilots who have got through the hoops but when it comes down to the nitty gritty or finesse, they don鈥檛 have it and, unfortunately, they鈥檙e still flying,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檝e seen chief pilots at big companies that could not pass my [flight] simulator, and I鈥檝e seen it so many times.鈥� 

But Michel is also keen to point out that this is often a result of inadequate, or simply bad, training. 

He explains: 鈥淚f they have received poor training at the beginning, then they will struggle. So, if you can train correctly and [pilots are] given the right tools from the start, then you should be able to form a really good structure.鈥� 

What精东影业 hiring like now? 

As carriers recover from the global health crisis, what is the climate like in pilot recruitment? And are there now fewer barriers in the selection process? 

鈥淭here are a lot of pilots out there,鈥� says Michel. 鈥淪o therefore, it’s a dime a dozen and a lot of companies will actually take whatever is out there. They’ll say, 鈥極h, you flew at this airline before but now you want to join this carrier. Okay, no sweat. We will take you, don’t worry about it鈥�. 

鈥淭here is a tendency post-pandemic because there’s a surplus of pilots, that companies will sometimes say, 鈥榃ell, we don’t have time to do this. It’s a lot of money鈥� as it takes time and money to do a selection process, so they’ll say, 鈥榃ell, don’t worry about it, we’ll just give you a little test. 鈥�. 

鈥淭hat’s why, I think, we’re seeing a lot of incidents, accidents, and mishaps post-pandemic, because pilots haven’t been flying for a while and now, they get back in the cockpit, [and] think it’s going to come back to them,鈥� he adds. 鈥淏ut it takes a while and it’s not as easy as we think.鈥� 

Instead, Michel argues that companies should continue to ensure that pilots continue to 鈥済o through the hoops like they used to before鈥�. 

鈥淎fter two, three years of not flying, you become extremely rusty,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not perfect, so we do forget and that’s why, psychologically, there are some issues here and there. And, like I said, that’s why we can see the spike in accidents and incidents in the last year.鈥� 

He adds: 鈥淚 couldn’t go back [to] flying. I’ve been away for so long. I was born to fly, I’ll fly anything, helicopters, whatever, but to go out there and get a job in the airlines? Never. I’ll never do that again because I can admit to myself, 鈥榶ou don’t have it anymore鈥� and I’m completely okay with that. I’ll go fly a small airplane and have fun.鈥� 

Two pilots, then one, then…? 

After 47 years in the industry, has Michel seen many changes to the way pilots are trained? 

鈥淭here are more people becoming pilots, so now they [are referred to] airline ready programs. The program is much more extensive,鈥� he explains. 鈥淗owever, the flying is much easier because automation has been introduced into training. The pilot is more of a system monitor than hands-on. 

鈥淚f the system crashes, even though there is backup, you want to make sure that the person in the front can at least bring the aircraft down safely, without people getting hurt and properties being destroyed.鈥� 

鈥淭raining has changed a lot. That doesn’t make the person a bad pilot, it’s just that I prefer having an old school guy in the front over a new school guy, but that’s just the way I am.鈥� 

He continues: 鈥淲e’re all going through this automation phase and, eventually, we’re going to go to the single pilot, then the single pilot will disappear and we’re going to come to artificial intelligence.鈥� 

Over the years, technical advances have made it possible to safely fly a passenger plane with just two pilots. But now there精东影业 talk of things being scaled back to just a single pilot on the flight deck for both commercial and cargo flights. 

鈥淭he single pilot will be relying more on the automation,鈥� says Michel. 鈥淏ut what happens if something happens to the pilot? So, there’s a lot of things that we need to think about before we say 鈥榶es, that’s a good idea鈥�.鈥� 

So, does Michel have any advice for budding pilots? 

鈥淒on’t stop learning,鈥� says Michel. 鈥淏ut also, don鈥檛 accept the command just because you’ve got the hours and they offer you the seat. One of my biggest recommendations or tips is never accept the command unless you feel 100% certain that you’re ready. 

鈥淎lso, keep on opening the books, be the best you can. Don’t rely on your automatics, fly as much as you can, when you can.鈥� 

As energy prices across Europe continue to soar, The Netherlands is encouraging individuals and businesses to save on gas usage. Amsterdam精东影业 Schiphol Airport has announced that it will be joining a nationwide effort to reduce energy consumption. 

Kazakh airline Air Astana announced its suspension of flights to Russia after insurance coverage of commercial flights from and to the Russian Federation and over its territory was revoked as part of sanctions imposed on the country in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine. 

The suspension comes a few days after the UK government精东影业 announcement that it would be implementing sanctions blocking any Russian entity from accessing the services of UK-based insurance and reinsurance companies. This decision followed Britain’s sanctions implemented on February 27, 2022, preventing Russian-owned or controlled aircraft, including private and commercial jets, from flying into or crossing UK airspace.  

UK bans Russian aviation, space companies from insurance market

• Civil Aviation

byGabriele Petrauskaite

2022-03-04

 

Moscow精东影业 Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO) will temporarily close its Terminal D owing to sanctions placed on Russia in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine. 

The latest groups to announce that they will be venturing into the aerial ridesharing market are Japan精东影业 largest airline, ANA Holdings (ALNPY), and California-based aerospace company, Joby Aviation. The partnership will also join forces with Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota), Joby精东影业 largest outside investor and which will explore other aspects of the value chain, including ground-based transportation. 

In a statement published on the company精东影业 website on February 14, 2022, JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, said: 鈥淛oby exists to help people save time while reducing their carbon footprint. Japan offers us a spectacular opportunity to do just that with 92% of the population living in urban areas and Tokyo registering as one of the top 20 most congested cities in the world.鈥� 

鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to bring that operational experience to the table as part of this partnership and to be at the forefront of introducing this revolutionary form of transport to Japan,鈥� said Koji Shibata, representative director and executive vice president at ANA. 

Shibata added: 鈥淥ur customers value efficiency very highly, so being able to provide them with the option to travel rapidly – and sustainably – from an international airport to a downtown location is very appealing.鈥� 

Joby has developed an all-electric, five-seat aircraft capable of vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL). The aircraft has a maximum range of 150 miles and a top speed of 200 mph, boasting a low noise profile, which makes it sensitive to built-up areas, Joby’s piloted aircraft was designed to be both efficient and emissions-free, capable in some cases of cutting everyday travel times by 75%. The aerial ridesharing service will be operated directly by the company and offered to passengers via the Joby app or Uber app in US markets, 

ANA and Joby will collaborate on all aspects of the new venture, including the development of infrastructure and pilot training as well as handling public acceptance. The companies will also hold discussions with local and national governments as well as private groups. 

Both Joby and ANA are members of Japan精东影业 Public-Private Conference for the Future Air Mobility Revolution, established by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Investment and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. This was created to promote aerial ridesharing in the country. 

The announcement comes as Japan prepares for the 2025 World Expo, to be held in Osaka, the third most populous city in the country with more than 18 million residents. 

Joby and ANA are not the only companies hoping to bring electric air taxis to Japan. Avolon. In October 2021, lessor Avolon signed a deal to sell or lease up to 100 Vertical Aerospace electric air taxis to Japan Air Lines.  

Avolon signs deal with JAL for electric air taxis in Japan 鈥�

• Aviation Technology and Innovation

byVictoria Bryan

2021-10-20