The aviation industry will face numerous challenges in the near future in terms of the environment and sustainability but also connectivity. Airports already possess strong awareness of environmental aspects and implement various environmental measures. In addition to this, the preparation of our regional airports for commercial electric aviation will require a great deal, but there is also an opportunity to realize a currently underdeveloped transport potential.
In March and April, the electric aviation project FAIR and its partners visited Kokkola-Pietarsaari Airport, Seinäjoki Airport, Lycksele Airport, Hemavan Airport, and Sandnessjøen Airport, and presented the project for financiers and partners in Mo i Rana, Norway, and at Vaasa Energy Week in Finland. Coordinated site visits to the airports and organized meetings with project stakeholders were very rewarding.
– Meeting the airports’ employees, learning about their operations, and listening to local and regional politicians’ perspectives on the significance of aviation for the business sector and development provide valuable input for our ongoing work, states Mr Arne Smedberg, CEO at BioFuel Region and an active participant in the project work.
Below are some short summaries of the airport activities and discussions:
The FAIR-team at Lycksele Airport.
Lycksele Airport
Lycksele Airport is a regional airport centrally located in the county of Västerbotten and it connects the surrounding area to Stockholm by offering two daily flights. The airport also facilitates an ambulance helicopter which provides a vital accessibility to hospital care in a vast region. Thank you for the hospitality and rewarding discussions on electric aviation and needed infrastructure at the airport!
The FAIR-team at Sandnessjøen Airport, Stokka.
Sandnessjøen Airport (Stokka)
Sandnessjøen Airport (Stokka) is beautifully located close to Sandnessjøen and is owned and operated by Avinor. With a takeoff runway of 1199 meters, it is a part of the Norwegian short-takeoff-and-landing network and very well suited for electric aviation. We also got the opportunity to listen to the development plans of both Sandnessjøen Airport and Brønnøysund Airport. As both airports already serve regional flight connections, the shift to sustainable fuels both at the ground service and in the air, are very much in focus. Thanks for the hospitality!
Hemavan Airport
Located almost in the middle of the ski slope of Hemavan, the airport supports air traffic to Stockholm 6 days a week. As a popular ski resort, the airport plays an important role in providing accessibility both for the inhabitants, but also for the growing tourism sector. Thanks for important talks on accessibility and how electric aviation can serve Hemavan in the future!
The FAIR-team at Kokkola-Pietarsaari Airport.
Kokkola-Pietarsaari Airport
In May the FAIR team visited the Kokkola-Pietarsaari airport. Rewarding discussions about regional flights and possibilities with electric flights in a near future were on the agenda. The discussions were spiced up by the news about the plans to soon start an east-west flight route between Kokkola-Pietarsaari and Skellefteå. Thank you for an exciting visit!
Seinäjoki Airport
The FAIR team also met up at Seinäjoki Airport. Thank you for good discussions about FAIR, the future of the airport, and the cooperation with Dronamics. We look forward to continuing following the exciting ongoing development!
About the project
FAIR (Finding innovations to Accelerate the Implementation of electric Regional aviation) is a first step of preparing the Kvarken and Nordland region for an early implementation of electric aviation.
The project increases the knowledge base, investigates the possibilities and surveys both the needs and the required technical investments.
The project’s partnership consists largely of actors in three Ostrobothnian Counties (Finland), Västerbotten (Sweden) and Nordland (Norway).
This project is in line with the Traffic strategy for the E12-region with goals for carbon neutral transport as well as measures aimed at investigating east-west regional flight routes.
Financed by Interreg Botnia-Atlantica
Read more www.flyfairkvarken.com
