Elfly - Air New Zealand vil bytte ut sin turboprop flåte innen 2030 - Curt Lewis

 

Air NZ plans to be flying electric aircraft by 2030, chief pilot says

New Zealand's aviation industry is starting to take its first steps towards electrification.

Air New Zealand is planning to have an electric aircraft in its fleet by 2030, and its turboprop fleets will eventually be replaced with aircraft powered by alternative energy, its chief pilot says.

In an interview for Capa – Centre of Aviation, Air New Zealand chief operational integrity and safety officer, David Morgan, said the national carrier, and the aviation industry, had to find solutions to reduce emissions and combat climate change.

“We are of the view that we would like to see a zero carbon aircraft in our fleet sooner rather than later.”

Morgan said he hoped that would be by 2030.

The pilot would probably begin as a trial and carry just cargo, not passengers, he said.

It was likely to be a single engine aircraft, but a twin-engine 20 to 30 seater aircraft would be “viable” in 10 years, he said.

The revelation comes after Marlborough-based regional airline, Sounds Air, recently outlined its plans to be operating at least three electric aircraft by 2026.

Air New Zealand has a goal of net zero emissions by 2050.

Air New Zealand’s fleet of 23 Bombardier Q300 would be replaced with an aircraft that ran on alternative power some time after 2030, he said.

“That's our expectation. That's the fleet plan.”

The 50-seater Q300 have an average age of 15 years.

Its newer ATR-72 fleet would also eventually be replaced with aircraft powered by alternative energy, he said.

Air New Zealand has 28 of the 68-seater ATRs, with an average age of five years.

Morgan said Air New Zealand was focused on decarbonisation and had a goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

Air New Zealand plans to replace its Bombardier Q300 with planes powered by alternative energy.

Alternative aviation fuels, such as green hydrogen and zero emissions aircraft, would help it reach 50 per cent of its net zero target, he said.

Morgan said he was surprised at the rate of change and innovation happening in sustainable aviation.

“It's quite exciting, and we want to be part of that.”

“As long as we prevaricate and delay we're not going to, as an industry, solve the problem that we have to solve,” Morgan said.

“For us, it's about decarbonisation.”

Morgan, who has been with the airline for more than 35 years, said the aviation industry had either not known how to address climate change or had not wanted to.

Good airlines were focused on meeting the needs of their customers, and customers were increasingly concerned about the environment the impact flying was having on it, he said.

Air New Zealand’s ATR fleet has an average age of five years.

Morgan said Air New Zealand chief executive Greg Foran recognised the difficulty that the industry was in and the airline’s obligation to communities to help solve the climate change crisis.

“Greg's given the mandate for us to push and push harder.”

Covid-19 had not slowed down Air New Zealand’s sustainability goals and the airline was challenging the International Air Transport Association to think about sustainability in the same way it did with safety.

Air New Zealand chief operational integrity and safety officer, captain David Morgan says its decarbonisation goals will be achieved by using zero emissions aircraft and sustainable aviation fuel.

“The reason for that is because the clock is ticking.”

The Government, as a majority shareholder of the national carrier, had outlined its expectation that the airline should be involved in finding sustainable aviation fuel solutions, he said.

“As we are such a significant part of aviation in New Zealand we'll have to look to deliver that.”