When the future becomes electric

The plans being put in place for electric planes are a glimmer of light for small airports in Africa that experience little traffic and may have been built more with political considerations in mind than with an eye on a return on investment.

To benefit from the forthcoming innovation, the aviation industry should not only begin to make preparations for this innovation to air travel, but trade negotiations must bring to the table where Africa can be a player in the value chain so that we are not just aircraft drivers only and possible graveyards for aircraft of various types.

This week there was the report that Dutch start-up Maeve Aerospace had revealed plans for an all-electric regional airliner which it says will carry as many as 44 passengers on sectors of up to 460 km (250 nm) by 2029. Their plans, as they further stated, is to leverage on improvements on battery technology to expand to 52 seats by 2032 and have a range of 710 km by 2040.

The company further revealed that four airlines have so far signed letters of support covering provisional orders of 20 of the Maeve 01 aircraft. This aircraft will have eight wing mounted propellers.

One news of importance to Africa and places where there are small airports is that one of the launch customers, Fly With Lucy, a European company, has set a goal of creating a network of 3000 small airports across Europe. Also another customer Air Napier of New Zealand has plans to operate the aircraft on city pairs which are currently only connected on long drives.

With rising inflation and global cost of living challenge, loans taken by African governments on infrastructure projects are at risk of default in repayment by debtor countries. This innovation in technology therefore provides an opportunity to re-strategise on ways to shore up cash flows to meet such obligations.

Recall that one major challenge faced by aviation in Africa is the high cost of running airlines. For instance it is reported that the cost of jet fuel is significantly higher in Africa than in other markets. Another challenge is that the product can be sometimes challenging to source in Africa leading to delayed and sometimes cancelled flights that negatively impact the customer experience.

An airline executive in Africa, Mr Allen Onyema, is quoted to have said: “If the present challenge of aviation fuel is not fully addressed, about three airlines may quit operations due to unbearable cost of operations… The fuel crisis is not limited to Nigeria…” Where the future is no longer in the distant horizon for electric aircraft, this is a ray of hope that not only airlines but all stakeholders should begin to look forward to and prepare for.

Another innovation is the electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. This type of aircraft uses electric power to take off, hover, and land vertically. They are also referred to as air taxis or flying taxis. They are powered by a battery, are very much like a helicopter and are typically designed to carry two to six passengers including a pilot. This innovation has been recognized as being a potentially disruptive new transport mode. It may make sense to think of small flying vehicles zooming between skyscrapers in this regard.

Thinking of the value chain, there are opportunities across numerous cutting edge technologies. Some of them are: Lithium metal batteries, advanced composites and axial flux motors, some experts have said. It is no news in Africa that the resources needed for these technologies are abundant in the continent. Africa also has a teeming youthful population that is a ready source of manpower. Even those in diaspora are acquiring skills across many areas of human endeavour such that they will be a ready source of expertise for the innovations taking place in the aviation industry. This will be a WIN-WIN if they are all brought to the trade negotiations for sustainable aviation in the continent.

Not only will airports begin to think of the needs of customers who will be using these innovative forms of travel but also the needs of these small aircraft will not be the same as the conventional jet engines they are used to.

So, infrastructure and facilitation plans should begin now as the future is here.

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