Today saw the official opening of the 54th Paris Air Show by French President Emmanuel Macron, who was welcomed with spectacular aerial displays demonstrating the aviation industry’s talents.
The air show, which is taking place all week at Le Bourget Exhibition Centre, was the perfect place for big industry announcements. Airbus revealed three big orders – 500 A320 from IndiGo, the biggest single purchase agreement in the history of commercial aviation; flynas, the Saudi air carrier, ordered 30 new A320neo Family aircraft; and Air Mauritius ordered three A350 aircraft to expand its network in Europe and South Asia, bringing its total A350 fleet to seven.
Aircraft unveiled
Volt Aero used the air show to launch the Cassio 330 electric-hybrid aircraft, hailed as a “milestone for electric aviation” by Jean Botti, VoltAero’s CEO and Chief Technical Officer. “VoltAero delivers on its promise to take an all-new approach for quiet, efficient and eco-friendly transportation that is based on a hybrid design combining thermal and electric propulsion for maximum flight safety,” he added.
Meanwhile, De Havilland Canada unveiled its new DHC-6 Twin Otter Classic 300-G and signed a purchase agreement with Jetcraft Commercial for 10 of the aircraft, and Eve Air Mobility revealed the first three suppliers for its eVTOL aircraft – Nidec Aerospace LLC , BAE Systems, and DUC Hélice Propellers.
Testing times
Rolls Royce announced it would begin testing its new small gas turbine, specifically designed to power hybrid-electric flight, that is part of a larger turbogenerator system being developed for the urban air mobility market.
Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) also announced that they have commenced studies for a midlife upgrade for the A-29 Super Tucano aircraft. Developed to meet the demanding requirements of the FAB, the A-29 aircraft is currently used in the Brazilian territory in training, air interception, and surveillance missions, in addition to being used by the Air Demonstration Squadron (EDA), known as ‘Smoke Squadron’.
