Germany ‘A Laughing Stock’ After Minister’s Plane Grounded
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article in The Times.
This is the first paragraph.
Faulty wing flaps on an ageing Airbus have left officials red-faced after Germany’s foreign minister was forced to abandon the plane en route to Australasia.
Germany’s foreign minister is Annalena Baerbock, who is a Green Party politician.
A lot of the comments are asking, what was a Green Party politician doing flying all the way to Australia in a fuel-hungry four-engine Airbus A 340.
The article got me thinking.
Consider.
- Government ministers, diplomats and some business people, will always need to fly around the world for some important face-to-face meetings.
- Perhaps, this won’t happen as much as it did in the past with the development of better communications technology, but there will always be a need in some cases.
- There are over 20,000 business jets in service.
- Most business jets could be run on sustainable aviation fuel.
- Some business jets have a very long-rage.
I can see one of the manufacturers developing sustainable business aircraft to fit various segments.
Lightweight Zero-Carbon Business Aircraft
Aircraft like the Eviation Alice will dominate this field.
- The aircraft is battery-powered.
- It can carry nine passengers.
- It has a range of 440 nautical miles.
- It can operate as either a feeder airliner, business aircraft or small parcel carrier.
- It is planned to be in service in 2027.
The Alice already has a substantial order book.
There are several other aircraft in this segment under development.
Lightweight Hybrid-Electric Business Aircraft
Aircraft like the Faradair BEHA are under development.
- The aircraft is powered by a Honeywell turbo generator running on sustainable aviation fuel.
- It can carry eighteen passengers.
- It has a range of around a thousand miles.
- It is being developed at Duxford Airfield.
- The aircraft has a radical quick-change interior.
- Operational trials are planned to start in 2026.
Like the Alice the Faradair BEHA is different.
Lightweight Business Aircraft Running On Sustainable Aviation Fuel
I can see several of the smaller business aircraft being certified for sustainable aviation fuel.
Cessna sold 8,000 of their Citation jets in 2022 and have delivered around 7,500 according to Wikipedia.
Cessna won’t be giving up that market without a fight.
Certifying the aircraft to run on sustainable aviation fuel would be the interim solution until a hydrogen-powered business aircraft becomes available as it surely will.
The biggest problem will be to make enough sustainable aviation fuel.
Long-Range Business Aircraft Running On Sustainable Aviation Fuel
Long-range business jets like the Gulfstream G800 are true intercontinental transport.
- They can carry nineteen passengers and sleep ten.
- Range is 8,000 nautical miles.
- The jets are powered by Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines.
- This press release from Rolls-Royce is entitled Rolls-Royce Conducts First Tests Of 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel For Use In Business Jets.
I think it is right to assume that long-range business jets like the Gulfstream G800 will be able to fly intercontinental routes on a net-zero basis.
An Airbus A321 XLR Running On Sustainable Aviation Fuel
Airbus and to a certain extent Boeing are the elephants in the room.
Airbus have launched an A321 XLR for long routes.
- The aircraft can carry over 200 passengers.
- It can fly up to 5,400 miles.
- It is selling well.
- Air Canada are thinking of using the plane on transatlantic routes.
The engines are from either CFM or Pratt & Whitney and I would be very surprised if the aircraft couldn’t run on sustainable aviation fuel.
Conclusion
I can see a new pattern of flying developing.
To return to the case of Germany’s foreign minister, I could see her going to Australia in a long-range business jet like the Gulfstream G800 running on sustainable aviation fuel.
- She might take a flight from Berlin or perhaps a more convenient airport with a rail connection.
- The plane would refuel in the Middle East and possibly Singapore.
It would be interesting to see how her green supporters reacted.
I can also see Airbus A321 XLRs running on sustainable aviation fuel across the Atlantic, being marketed as the net-zero way to the USA.
After all, Lumo market themselves as the net-zero way to Scotland against the airlines.
The Anonymous Widower 
I would at least hope that if a larger traditional plane is used then any spare space is filled with productive cargo, maybe humanitarian aid with a suitable stop enroute to offload.
Comment by MilesT | August 17, 2023 |
There were (and still are) some almost new Airbus A350 available at the airbase of the air force department for VIPs (in German: Flugbereitschaft). I do not understand that they did not fly with one of those planes to Abu Dhabi as
a quick replacement so that the minister and her team would have easily been able to continue the trip to Australia.
Is there anybody here who does understand (and/or know) why their airforce did not use such an A350 instead ?
Comment by Wolfgang Maresch | August 17, 2023 |
The Embraer Lineage 1000E – lauded as “the crème de la crème of private business jets” was the choice of our current Foreign Secretary on his recent flights around the Caribbean and South America. Although lacking the extreme range of the Gulfstream it’s capable of carrying 19 and is probably the smallest kind of plane that might accommodate the entourage that normally is associated with ministerial overseas journeys.
By comparison dear old Liz Truss used a government leased A321-200 NEO LR, capable of carrying up to 50 passengers when she was negotiating all those great trade deals in Japan and Australia.
Comment by fammorris | August 17, 2023 |
I thought the A330 Voyager MRTT (operated by the RAF) was also supposed to be VIP transport for UK Government. Yes to using/renting a smaller plane for some missions, but why renting A320LR’s, was the MRTT busy? is a rented A320LR overall cheaper? (doubtless likely to be greener as a A330 is a significant step up in size)
Comment by MilesT | August 18, 2023 |
That’s why I like the concept of the Airbus A 321 XLR, with its 5,400 miles transatlantic range.
Many years ago, I remember reading in Flight International about JCB’s sales strategy.
Dealers in countries around Europe would put together parties of possible buyers and they would be flown to East Midlands Airport in JCB’s corporate jet and given a very full demonstration of all JCB’s machines at the factory.
I can see companies using A 321 XLRs for selling expensive solutions.
But they would be ideal for the UK Government to take a delegation to something like the UN in New York.
Comment by AnonW | August 18, 2023
The A330 MRTT is primarily tasked as an air to air tanker and is often unavailable hence the government decision to lease the A321 – apparently for 5 years.
Comment by fammorris | August 18, 2023
Is the leased A321 LR really a 321 in a normal-ish commercial transport fitout or is it technically an ACJ 321 LR i.e. low passenger capacity interior–with meeting rooms, beds and whatnot (Airbus Corporate Jet–what Boeing called a BBJ Boeing Business Jet).
Comment by MilesT | August 18, 2023 |
More of a modified VIP layout which I suppose makes it more like an Airbus Corporate Jet with accommodation for 30 – 50. Apparently the ‘owner’ has three of these.
Comment by fammorris | August 18, 2023 |