Nolinor Aviation, Canada’s largest commercial charter airline, has acquired multiple aircraft production slots from Natilus, a U.S. aerospace manufacturer developing hyper-efficient blended-wing-body (BWB) aircraft. As part of the agreement, Nolinor has secured production slots for Natilus’s regional freight aircraft, the KONA, to support its expansion into remote operations in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut while reducing emissions in these sensitive environments.
With global electrification driving growth in northern Canada’s mining sector, Nolinor is experiencing increased flight demand for transporting workers, equipment, and supplies. Operating in regions with limited road infrastructure and extreme weather, Nolinor serves as a vital link to remote communities, delivering essential cargo during the summer months.
As the world’s largest operator of the B737-200, equipped to land on dirt, gravel, or ice runways, Nolinor leverages its aircraft for maximum cargo efficiency. The airline is investing in fleet expansion and exploring new airframe designs, such as the blended-wing-body, to maintain its market advantage.
“This partnership marks a pivotal step in our commitment to innovation and operational excellence,” said Marco Prud’Homme, President of Nolinor Aviation. “During our visit to Natilus’s head office in San Diego last fall, we were impressed by their groundbreaking approach to aircraft design and their dedication to addressing the unique challenges of the cargo industry. The KONA’s gravel runway capability is a perfect match for our operations, and we are eager to leverage its potential to better serve our customers across Canada and beyond.”
Natilus, the first to commercialize the BWB design for freight operations, is developing a family of sustainable aircraft aimed at reducing fuel consumption by 30% while increasing payload capacity by 40%. Like the B737-200, the KONA is designed for takeoff and landing in challenging environments, including unpaved, shorter gravel runways commonly found in northern Canada. The aircraft also offers 50% lower operating costs compared to traditional tube-and-wing designs.
“For isolated communities in northern Canada, air freight serves as a lifeline to access essential goods and services and enables connectivity to other territories,” said Aleksey Matyushev, CEO and Co-Founder of Natilus. “As Nolinor continues to evolve its specialized air freight service for passenger and cargo transit, Natilus is committed to supporting their efforts to improve logistics efficiency and reduce the carbon emissions of their fleet operations.”
Natilus plans to begin production of the KONA before the end of the decade, with its passenger aircraft, the Horizon, set to follow in the early 2030s.
Source: Swifteradio.com
