Member - Clean Tech Aviation

1.1 What problem does our product/service solve? The General and Business Aviation is a high-tech sector that operates with high costs and low margins and is dependant on the volatile transport aviation market. The recession of the past 4 years caused a dramatic lower passenger transport demand from the General Public. This situation caused idling crew demand in the large transport aviation industry. Flight Training organizations have a 2-year training program and cannot easily address cost reductions within one book year and follow in general the volatility of the large transport aviation companies. This situation has caused several FTO´s in Europe to file for insolvency or drastically shrink their staffing to service the reduced number of new hire students. The Aviation Energy Innovation (AEI) project consortium has recognized that in order for this fractionally operating General and Business aviation industry to be capable to transition to a cleaner emission footprint, they first need a solution that reduces their OPEX costs. With that cost reduction, they can then adjust their operation to present a cleaner footprint, and start growing again showing a green image branding to the market whilst operating with better margins and attractable lower training tuition prices for the clients (Students). The aircraft's in GA and BA are expensive investments between 250K Euro and 500K euro. These General and Business Aviation aircrafts used in Flight Training and business transport have in general a lifetime of 40 years and as such a long write off CAPEX period. It is therefore not realistic to expect that all aircraft operators can easily replace their existing fleet for newer cleaner and cheaper operating aircraft if they would be available. The highest cost in the aviation industry is caused by fuel prices (51 % of the OPEX costs) followed by Staffing costs, materials, and maintenance costs, and third aircraft navigation and landing costs. Therefore, if one should focus on the reduction of OPEX costs the greatest impacts occur when one achieves a percentage lower fuel price against the same or higher energy quality and safety. CTA has identified a solution by retrofitting the existing engines and aircraft on usage and fuel storage of Natural Gas (CNG/LNG) without changing the aircraft certified flying characteristics and a return on Investments within one book a year for the operator/users. The environmental clean energy worldwide awareness starts looking critical to the transport industry in general and aviation receives also a high attention level. The mindset change assists in the acceptance of our disruptive technology with the fuel up and the downstream industry as well as the aviation aircraft and aviation engine industry and the desire to change by the aircraft users and general public.