Italian Air-Carrier Plans Major Fleet Upgrades

Sky Alps, the Italian airline operating flights from Bolzano Airport (BZO) in Northern Italy’s autonomous South Tyrol province, has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Sandpoint, Idaho-based Tamarack Aerospace Group to partner in the development of a highly modified DeHavilland Q400 regional aircraft featuring Tamarack’s Eco-SMARTWING technology.

Differing from conventional, passive winglets, Tamarack’s Performance SMARTWING technology automatically controls wing bending during turbulence and other inflight events by effectively turning off the winglets—thereby alleviating wing-loading. This is accomplished via load-sensors and a camber surface capable of responding to system inputs in fractions of a second. The Active Winglet/load-alleviation system is fully automatic, requires no pilot action, and functions independently of other aircraft systems. What’s more, installation of Tamarack’s Performance SMARTWING requires no aircraft structural reinforcement.

In addition to Tamarack’s Eco-SMARTWING, the planned Q400 will be retrofitted with products and technologies developed by a highly-regarded contingent of aviation and aerospace concerns.

SkyAlps is expected to presently announced details of a Bolzano, Italy to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Tokyo, Japan demonstration tour to be undertaken by the modified Q400.

SkyAlps ambitions to modernize and streamline extend to the entirety of its fleet, which the Italian air-carrier intends to upgrade with new, weight-reducing avionics suites and cabin-interiors offering what the company calls unsurpassed passenger comfort. Moreover, SkyAlps plans to power its operations with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), when possible, and employ modern and efficient route-planning technologies.

The sincerity of SkyAlps’s commitment to the wellbeing of both air-travelers and the plant is evinced by the air-carrier’s intention to offer the upgrade package currently under development for its own fleet to competing airlines.

Details of the SkyAlps’s upgraded Q400 aircraft and Tamarack’s contributions thereto will be announced prior to the opening of 2023’s Paris Air-show—which gets underway on 19 June and continues through 25 June.

Founded in 2010 for purpose of developing advancements in aircraft efficiency, Tamarack Aerospace Group is currently engaged in serious and confidential talks with global single-aisle aircraft manufacturers, operators, lessors, and service organizations.

Tamarack founder and CEO Nick Guida stated: “There has been exceptional interest in Tamarack’s solicitation for manufacturing partnerships now because of aviation’s current increased focus on sustainable flight and Tamarack’s technology is arguably the most dramatic aviation fuel saving and emission reducing technology proven and available right now.”

Mr. Guida added, “Our Eco-SMARTWING winglets instantly react to turbulence, smooth flight, allow for enhanced ability for safety and control, while being able to take-off in high and hot conditions with higher payloads and reduce noise pollution. Noise pollution is lessened because our upgraded aircraft can use shorter runways and get higher faster, away from airports and population centers.”

Tamarack’s Active Winglet upgrade has been installed on nearly ten-percent of the world’s Cessna CitationJet fleet and has proven a boon to private and charter operators alike. The system facilitates increased aircraft range, payload, and takeoff weight while improving ride-quality. To date, approximately 180 CitationJets have been upgraded with Tamarack technology. The company’s Performance SMARTWING has also been installed on Cessna’s M2 GEN2 jet, as well as Beechcraft’s King Air 200 and 350 models.

FMI: www.tamarackaero.com