We make flying more sustainable

Following the ceremonial handover of the first aircraft in June at ILA Berlin, Lufthansa Technik AG today also delivered the second Airbus A321LR (Long Range) to the German Air Force with a transfer flight from Hamburg to Cologne-Bonn. Like its sister aircraft already in service with the tactical registration 15+10, the new 15+11 will now also be available to the German Air Force for troop transport and parliamentary flight operations on short-, medium- and long-haul routes. The respective capacity of each of the two aircraft in this configuration is 136 passengers.

During a small ceremony at Lufthansa Technik's base in Hamburg, all involved personnel had already officially bid farewell to the aircraft last Friday. Not only Lufthansa Technik's project team was invited to attend, but also, among others, the personnel involved from the German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw), the Bundeswehr Technical Center for Aircraft and Aeronautical Equipment (WTD 61) and the German Air Force, which had previously subjected the 15+11 to an intensive testing and acceptance program. With its completion, the first phase of the modification project is now finished.

In the coming year, however, both A321LRs will return to Lufthansa Technik to be modified and certified for MedEvac (Medical Evacuation) duties in the second phase of the project. This will expand the aircraft's range of operations to include capabilities for the qualified air transport of wounded, injured and diseased passengers. In this context, three different configurations will be available to transport up to six intensive care patients or up to twelve mildly or moderately ill/injured patients. To this end, Lufthansa Technik will deliver a total of twelve units and two reserve units of the Patient Transport Unit New Generation (German: Patiententransporteinheit Neuer Generation, short: PTE NG) to the German armed forces. The company was able to complete various preliminary work for the MedEvac mission, for example for the oxygen supply on board the two aircraft, already during the first phase of the project.

After one of the biggest aviation industry crises, Lufthansa Technik AG's apprentice training program this year has returned in terms of numbers to roughly where it was in 2020: 186 young people will begin their apprenticeship at the German locations of the company. Furthermore, a  total of 23 dual students were taken on, i.e. school graduates who combine their degree courses with practical applications.

"We need reinforcements for the decade ahead; mechanics and engineers for the production divisions, we need young staff members for logistics and also the commercial sector," says Barbara Koerner, Head of Training & Dual Studies at Lufthansa Technik. "We are competing with many other companies that are preparing for the changes brought about by the upcoming generation change and increasing digitization. The job market has changed a great deal: In a constantly evolving world, we increasingly find ourselves in the situation of no longer being able to choose but having to be chosen as an attractive employer. In this respect, vocational training of highly qualified workers remains one of our most important measures for securing the future."

In view of an increasingly tight HR market, Lufthansa Technik is using a number of new methods in addition to tried-and-tested measures in personnel marketing in order to reach young people who are suitable both personally and professionally: With new visual language and under the slogan "We are Aviationeers" in printed and online advertising formats as well as social channels, the company is also advertising for new employees in Hamburg and Frankfurt with campaigns in public transport and in fast-food restaurants. Presence at trade fairs will also be intensified again, as will cooperation projects with schools and universities.

Of the altogether 209 new training positions or places to study, 122 are directly attributable to Lufthansa Technik AG, 36 for the first time to the technical operations of Lufthansa Airlines, and the remainder to the companies of the Lufthansa Technik Group (see listing below). The percentage of women in this year is a good 14 percent. The inclusion of people with physical disabilities also remains a declared goal of the company: In Hamburg, two hearing-impaired people will start their training as tool mechanics this year.

This year, Lufthansa Technik AERO Alzey (LTAA) has two occasions to celebrate: The wholly owned subsidiary of Lufthansa Technik AG now counts 30 years of experience in the maintenance, repair and overhaul of CF34 engines – a type that mainly powers regional and business aircraft. In 1992, the first overhauled CF34-3 engines were redelivered in Alzey, the first engine type of the later CF34 series. The engine type has since then developed into a stable backbone in the service portfolio of the company:  The CF34-8 was introduced in 2002, and the CF34-10 in 2011.

As one of the world's leading providers of repair and overhaul services for this type of engine, the company has been complementing the network of engine manufacturer General Electric (GE) for 30 years. During this time, the employees of LTAA have managed close to 2,000 shop events and more than 200 customers.

"Congratulations to LTAA on 30 years of supporting the CF34 program," said Cristina Seda-Hoelle, General Manager, Regional and Business Aviation for GE Aviation. "Our commitment remains strong in the continued investment of the CF34 engine line to keep supporting our customers in the regional and business aviation space. LTAA's technical capabilities and proven support fit well with GE's mission to provide superior engine service."

In addition, LTAA`s employees can look forward to the expansion of their facilities: Due to the further growing demand, the construction of a new production building with 1,500 m² area is planned for mid-2023. This allows to create a production-related storage area for tools, modules and devices, which will enable four additional engine bays by repurposing hall space. It is also planned to hire more than 40 new employees with different specializations within the next two years.

"To have over 30 years of sustainable and innovative success with an engine requires a strong partner like GE on the one hand, and our excellently trained employees on the other," said Matthias Gruber, Managing Director of LTAA. "Their outstanding commitment as well as the cooperative partnership has allowed LTAA to shape and help develop the market over a long period of time. That is what makes me personally extremely proud of our company."

Dennis Kohr, currently "Head of Product Sales & Fulfillment Open Loop, EMEA", previously held several leading positions in Sales and Customer Service, also outside the Lufthansa Group. After joining Lufthansa Technik in 2006 as a project manager in Component Sales, his professional career led him to Jet Aviation, among others, first to Switzerland as Director Sales and Customer Support and later to Austria as Accountable Manager. After eight "non-Lufthansa" years, Dennis Kohr returned to Lufthansa Technik in 2018 as Head of Product Sales EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) in the Component division.

"I am looking forward to the exciting new task of further expanding Lufthansa Technik's market share in APAC together with my colleagues in the APAC sales team and in cooperation with all product segments, and to carry the "voice of the customer" from Asia to Hamburg. As local travel restrictions are further eased, the goal is to successfully position Lufthansa Technik in this trend-setting growth phase. On a personal level, I am also excited to get to know Lufthansa Technik even better in all its product diversity," says Dennis Kohr.

Dennis Kohr completes Lufthansa Technik's corporate sales senior leadership team, consisting of Kai-Stefan Roepke, who is responsible for EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and Georgios Ouzounidis, who is heading the sales activities for the Americas region.

AVIATAR, Lufthansa Technik's digital operations suite, now operates carbon-neutral. The Digital Fleet Services business segment has had this certified by standardized reporting and offsetting via the certified compensation platform SQUAKE. AVIATAR is thus a pioneer among digital tech ops platforms in the aviation industry as well as among Lufthansa Technik's business segments.

At AVIATAR, the achievement of carbon neutrality is based on two pillars. On the one hand, the emissions caused by the technical cloud and office infrastructure as well as by the employees were already massively reduced in the past years. While 152 metric tons of CO₂ equivalents were still emitted in 2019, this figure was almost halved in 2021, to just 77 metric tons. This corresponds to the average annual footprint of just seven people. The halving of emissions is all the more remarkable given the significant increase in the number of customers over the same period and a tripling of the number of aircraft serviced on the AVIATAR platform. AVIATAR will continue to vigorously pursue the goal of reducing its real emissions.

On the other hand, AVIATAR's carbon footprint is already neutral today, thanks to full financial compensation of the remaining emissions through a broad portfolio of social and environmental projects. These include, for example, the installation of wind turbines in India, reforestation of rainforest in Nicaragua, support for sustainable food production in Burundi, and the procurement of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The compensation of emissions is carried out in close cooperation with SQUAKE. The IT startup, a spin-off from the Lufthansa Group's Innovation Hub, automates the emissions accounting and enables AVIATAR to operate the calculated compensation exclusively via certified projects. This ensures that the emissions generated are offset in a complete, transparent and verifiable manner. In addition to the annual compensation of future emissions from now on, AVIATAR has decided to also compensate its emissions from the past three years (319 tons of CO2 equivalent) via SQUAKE.

"Of course, we are proud to be the pioneer among digital tech ops platforms in launching a carbon-neutral product," said Philip Mende, Vice President Digital Fleet Services at Lufthansa Technik. "But this is just the start for us. On the one hand, we will continue to drive forward the real reduction of emissions in our production in a targeted manner and firmly anchor the topic of sustainability in our product development. On the other hand, we intend to conduct further studies in the near future in order to precisely quantify the emission savings that AVIATAR enables for our customers, for example by avoiding technical diversions or by optimizing aircraft performance and flight operations. Here, we expect even more impressive figures."

CO₂ neutrality of its digital product segment is only the first step for Lufthansa Technik. In the four other business segments, too, the continuous reduction of emissions enjoys high priority. Although neutrality in the rather "classic" industrial segments is much more difficult to achieve than with digital products, Lufthansa Technik has set itself ambitious milestones here as well. By 2025, the CO₂ footprint of the entire company is to be reduced by 25% and the share of renewable energies is to increase to 50%. Further milestones exist for increasing the recycling rate (to 75%), improving resource efficiency (by 25%), and reducing the chemical footprint (by 25%). With an ever-increasing number of sustainability products, such as the Cyclean engine wash  system or the surface technology AeroSHARK, Lufthansa Technik also supports airlines around the world in achieving their sustainability goals.

About SQUAKE:
SQUAKE is a CO₂ compensation platform aimed at companies from the entire travel, mobility and transport industry. By using a special programming interface, companies can easily calculate and offset the CO₂ emissions of the services they offer. This makes it possible to develop sustainable products that are optimally tailored to the needs of their customers. SQUAKE is an independent spin-off of the Lufthansa Innovation Hub.

Boeing, ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH and Lufthansa Technik today signed a three-party agreement that reinforces joint efforts to support Germany's new P-8A Poseidon fleet. With the new agreement, Boeing, ESG and Lufthansa Technik will be the team responsible for executing the P-8A sustainment program in Germany.

"We are expanding our partnership with ESG and Lufthansa Technik in the form of a three-party agreement that will allow us to best support our German customer and the operational needs of the German Navy", said Indra Duivenvoorde, Senior Director, Boeing Government Services Europe & Israel. "This partnership demonstrates our commitment to directly supporting our customer locally with German industry primes."

The new agreement builds on two separate Memoranda of Understanding that were signed separately with ESG and Lufthansa Technik in 2021 and now involves all three parties, outlining additional detail regarding each company's role in the German P-8A program.

"This agreement underlines our joint performance promise and our commitment to provide the Bundeswehr with urgently needed capabilities", said Christoph Otten, CEO ESG. "At the same time, we see this as a special obligation to proactively contribute our capabilities and competencies to the programme as a long-standing technology and innovation partner of the German Armed Forces and the Naval Aviation Command, particularly in the areas of systems integration, aviation certification or secure communication."

With the formalization of this new industry partnership, Boeing, ESG and Lufthansa Technik will provide support to the German customer in all areas of aircraft sustainment and training that will bring the highest operational availability to the German Navy's P-8A fleet.

"The three companies complement each other in an excellent way. This enables us to offer the best possible service level over the entire life cycle of the aircraft," commented Michael von Puttkamer, Vice President Special Aircraft Services at Lufthansa Technik. "We are very much looking forward to further cooperation with our partners."

First deliveries to Germany are slated to take place in 2024 and Boeing estimates that the P-8A program will employ up to 250 people in Germany.

Deployed around the world with nearly 150 aircraft delivered or in service, and over 450,000 collective, mishap free flight hours, the P-8A is vital for global anti-submarine warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and search-and-rescue operations.

About Boeing in Germany:
Boeing has been a committed partner to the German aerospace industry for many decades. The company employs approximately 1 000 direct employees at its facilities in Germany and supports many thousands of other highly skilled jobs throughout the country with an established network of partners and suppliers. Boeing Germany actively contributes to the research and development of digital and sustainable technologies for the future of aviation.

About ESG:
ESG Elektroniksystem und Logistik-GmbH is one of the leading German companies for the development, manufacturing, integration, maintenance, support and operation of complex, safety-critical systems, mission equipment, software and IT. ESG is a certified aviation company for aircraft and aviation equipment for the German Bundeswehr and an aviation engineering company in line with EASA Part 21J, EASA Part G and EASA Part 145. ESG's independent engineering spirit and in-depth domain knowledge are at the core of the company's entrepreneurial DNA. As a reliable technology and innovation partner to the German Armed Forces, government agencies and industry, ESG has been providing customized solutions, services and products for over 50 years.

Today, Sören Stark (55) has taken over as Chairman of the Executive Board of Lufthansa Technik from Dr. Johannes Bussmann who leaves the Lufthansa Group at his own request after 23 years. At the same time, Harald Gloy (50) has succeeded Stark as the company's Chief Operations Officer. Gloy thus bears responsibility as "Accountable Manager" in accordance with EASA Part 145 and is the contact person for aviation authorities with regard to Lufthansa Technik AG's MRO operations. Dr. William Willms continues to serve as Chief Financial Officer in the three-member Executive Board team.  

Stark joined Lufthansa Technik's Executive Board in 2019. Previously, he was responsible in the Executive Board for Operations at Lufthansa Cargo AG for three years. He began his career at Lufthansa Technik in 2004 as managing director of Lufthansa Technik Logistik in Hamburg. From 2011 to 2016, the industrial engineer was in charge of Lufthansa Technik's aircraft overhaul division. 

With immediate effect, Harald Gloy will also head the Executive Board department Human Resources as Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and Labor Director, which was previously part of the area of responsibility of Bussmann. Gloy was most recently Labor Director and a member of the Executive Board of Lufthansa Cargo AG being  responsible for Operations. Prior to that, the engineering graduate held various management positions at Lufthansa Technik.

Lufthansa Technik AG today handed over the first of two Airbus A321LR (Long Range) troop transports to the German Armed Forces at the ILA Berlin airshow. In the presence of Lufthansa Technik COO Soeren Stark and Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury, the State Secretary in the German Ministry of Defense, Benedikt Zimmer, and the German Air Chief, Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, formally took delivery of the aircraft with the tactical registration 15+10.

The conversion of the aircraft at Lufthansa Technik's base in Hamburg began last December. In the months that followed, it was initially modified for flexible troop and passenger transport as well as parliamentary flight operations on short, medium and long-haul routes. The maximum capacity in this configuration is 136 passengers.

As part of this initial modification phase, Lufthansa Technik has moreover already made numerous preparations for the so-called MedEvac role, which will expand the aircraft's scope of operations to include capabilities for the qualified air transport of wounded, injured and diseased passengers. This encompassed, for example, extensive pre-modifications such as an extended oxygen supply on board, which is absolutely necessary for the upcoming use as a "flying intensive care unit".

The necessary supplemental type certificate, both civil and military, for the aircraft together with the associated New Generation Patient Transport Units (German: Patiententransporteinheit Neuer Generation, in short: PTE NG) is planned for mid-2023. It will enable the transport of up to six intensive care patients or of up to twelve mildly or moderately ill/injured patients. Lufthansa Technik will deliver a total of twelve units and two reserve units of the PTE NG to the German Armed Forces.

"The handover of the first A321LR to the German Air Force is another milestone for us in what has become a successful partnership spanning decades. I am all the more pleased that we have once again succeeded in meeting the high demands of our customer," said Soeren Stark, Chief Operations Officer of Lufthansa Technik. "With a cabin precisely tailored to the needs of the German Air Force, our team has once again set standards. For this, my sincere thanks go to all involved." 

"I am delighted to take delivery of the first of two A321LRs here at ILA today. Only two years have passed from the financing commitment to delivery of the aircraft: An example of how fast the procurement of available products can run. We want to build on these processes in the future," said Benedikt Zimmer, State Secretary at the German Ministry of Defense (BMVg). "But of course, all this is also due to the team effort. I would like to thank those involved from the BMVg, the BAAINBw, the German Air Force and the companies who worked together here in a spirit of trust."  

"For me, the main thing is that this Airbus A321 Long Range in its gray livery sends a clear signal to our troops. The soldiers of the German Armed Forces will be delighted with the new transport aircraft - an upgrade to 'Military Business Class'," added Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, the German Air Chief. "Our new Airbus will soon be flying west across the Atlantic to pick up Navy exchange crews in Latin America, for example, it will fly our Army comrades to Lithuania or our servicemen and women to Africa. This A321 will shoulder an enormous mission package and help save lives on its worldwide missions. We are thus excited about this new 'member' of our 'Air Force Family'. Our flight crews, on-board crews, technicians and members of the Special Air Mission Wing welcome it warmly."

"Together with our partner Lufthansa Technik, we have worked to ensure this aircraft meets all expectations," explained Guillaume Faury, Chief Executive Officer of Airbus. "The A321LR not only flies longer routes than ever, it also delivers a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to previous generation aircraft and is certified to run on 50% sustainable aviation fuels, which can reduce emissions even further. In short, I have every confidence the A321 Long Range will be an excellent addition to the Special Air Mission Wing and is a perfect complement to their ACJ350s, of which the first is already in service."

The handover at the ILA was preceded by an intensive test and acceptance program conducted by the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw), the Bundeswehr Technical Center for Aircraft and Aeronautical Equipment (WTD 61) and the Special Air Mission Wing of the German Federal Ministry of Defense (Flugbereitschaft BMVg). According to this, the aircraft, which currently is still on the civilian register, can now soon receive its official military certification under the tactical registration 15+10. At the same time, the first members of flight, cabin and technical crews of the German Air Force have already been extensively trained by Lufthansa Technik and Lufthansa Technical Training in handling the new A321LR. The sister aircraft with the tactical registration 15+11 is expected to follow shortly.

AVIATAR, Lufthansa Technik's digital solutions suite, will soon also be further developed on Spain's east coast: To meet the high demand for digital products, Lufthansa Technik is opening a new location in Valencia on July 1. By the end of the year, an initial team of up to 20 IT experts will be working on data-driven applications ranging from predictive maintenance to automated fulfillment solutions optimizing the entire value chain of the aviation industry.

Valencia, with its leading universities and rising tech company ecosystem, was chosen as the ideal location for growing internationally. An emerging tech scene with more than 900 start-ups, multiple incubators and community events create opportunity for future collaborations. In order to ease its landing and effectively connect with the local business network, AVIATAR has partnered with the Invest in Valencia Office, a joint initiative of the City Council of Valencia and the Official Chamber of Commerce acting as a facilitator and connective link to the city.

At AVIATAR Valencia, the new colleagues will work in synchrony and at eye-level with their counterparts at the headquarters in Hamburg, Germany. Agile software development is applied across the entire organization and each employee is directly assigned to a product. This accelerates the onboarding process and allows to have a meaningful impact right from the start. Initially, AVIATAR will settle within a co-working space close to the city center of Valencia. Both, hybrid working and a lively exchange across the two locations are encouraged.

AVIATAR is looking for experienced Full-Stack Developers and Software Architects who are eager to work in an international environment and driven to disrupt the aviation industry digitally. At a later stage this year, Data Scientists and junior positions in further disciplines will also be available.

All positions are published on https://www.be-lufthansa.com.

Launched in 2017, AVIATAR is the independent platform for digital products and services developed by Lufthansa Technik. The platform offers its users digital products ranging from predictive maintenance to fulfilment and automated solutions. AVIATAR combines fleet management solutions, data science and engineering expertise to provide a comprehensive range of integrated digital services and products for airlines, MRO companies, OEMs and lessors that seamlessly integrate with physical fulfilment in TechOps and beyond.

Condor Flugdienst GmbH and Lufthansa Technik AG have signed a contract for the installation of Lufthansa Technik's newly developed HeatNOW floor heating system in the A320 aircraft fleet.

Cold spots in aircraft are a well-known problem: While the passenger cabin is zone-controlled to comfortable temperatures at outside temperatures of -52 °C, it can get as cold as -10 °C in the galleys during a flight, especially in the lower door areas, due to the sometimes very cold air flow created by the differential pressure. These conditions not only create an uncomfortable working environment for crew members; other problems can also arise from the potential freezing. In situations where an aircraft is operating in very cold weather, the temperature differences cause condensate to collect on the door seal and mechanical parts, freezing there and potentially preventing the doors from opening easily in icing conditions on the ground.

HeatNOW is a heating system based on a patented conductive coating that effectively prevents the formation of cold areas in the aircraft. The heating pad consists of a heating layer between two additional protective layers. Connected to the on-board power, the electrically conductive layer acts as a resistor and heats itself in a self-regulating manner. The power can be regulated in various stages as required. HeatNOW thus provides an even and homogeneous heating of the floor areas.

Conventional solutions, such as standard heated floor panels, not only have high failure rates due to their design, they are also expensive and less efficient, as they can sometimes only be repaired at great expense. The ultra-thin and lightweight HeatNOW system, on the other hand, can be installed easily and flexibly on almost any desired floor panel, in galleys and or in seating areas, and guarantees high performance with great reliability. HeatNOW is EASA-certified for the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft family. The certification can easily be extended to other aircraft types.

"We chose HeatNOW primarily because the health of our crews is very important to us. With this new heating system, we want to offer our crews a more comfortable workplace and keep them from having to stay in a partly cold working area," says Christian Schmitt, Chief Operating Office and Accountable of Condor Flugdienst GmbH.

"After having been asked by several airlines to develop a cost-effective alternative for retrofitting a floor heating system in the cockpit and cabin areas, we are now pleased to equip Condor as our first airline customer with HeatNOW. For cargo aircraft operators, HeatNOW is also extremely interesting as an additional floor heating system in the forward galley area between the cockpit and the main cargo bay, where the cargo attendants spend time during the flight. We believe we are providing a great alternative here, either as an additional heating system in already equipped aircraft or as a full retrofit solution," says Niels Dose, Product Sales Manager at Lufthansa Technik AG.

About Condor Flugdienst GmbH

As Germany's most popular leisure airline, Condor has been taking its guests to the world's most beautiful holiday destinations for over 66 years. Every year, more than nine million guests fly with Condor from the nine largest airports in Germany, from Zurich in Switzerland and, from summer 2022, also from Vienna in Austria to around 90 destinations in Europe, Africa and North America. Condor operates a fleet of over 50 aircraft, which are maintained by the company's own maintenance operation, Condor Technik GmbH, according to the highest safety standards at the Frankfurt and Düsseldorf locations. From autumn 2022, Condor will be the German launch customer for new Airbus A330neo long-haul aircraft. Thanks to state-of-the-art technology and maximum efficiency, the latest-generation 2-litre aircraft is the European front-runner with 2.1 litres per passenger per 100 kilometres and the highest level of customer comfort.