Canadian Airline Nolinor Purchases Production Slots for Natilus Cargo Aircraft

Regional freighter KONA will transport to remote locations with minimal infrastructure.

Natilus's regional cargo aircraft, KONA.
Natilus's regional cargo aircraft, KONA.
Natilus

Nolinor Aviation, a Canadian commercial charter airline, announced the purchase of multiple aircraft production slots from Natilus, a U.S. aerospace manufacturer developing a family of hyper-efficient blended-wing-body (BWB) aircraft. As part of the agreement, Nolinor has purchased production slots for Natilus's regional freight aircraft, the KONA. The addition of KONA to its existing fleet will support Nolinor's goal of expanding its services to remote operations in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut while reducing emissions in these ecologically sensitive areas.

As global electrification drives substantial growth in mining activities across northern Canada, Nolinor is experiencing an increase in flight demand for the transportation of workers, equipment and supplies in its key service regions. Operating amid limited road infrastructure and challenging weather conditions, Nolinor serves as a lifeline to remote regions in rural Canada, transporting essentials and equipment during the summer months.

Nolinor is the world's largest operator of the B737-200 aircraft, which are equipped to land on dirt, gravel, or ice runways. The B737-200 allows for greater cargo capacity and requires fewer trips to transport essential cargo – making it particularly suited for deliveries to the northern regions. To maintain its competitive edge in the market, Nolinor is investing in fleet expansion and looking for new airframe designs – such as the blended-wing body – to meet its future needs.

The first to commercialize the blended-wing-body design for commercial freight operations, Natilus is developing a family of sustainable blended-wing-body (BWB) aircraft designed to unlock improved aviation economics by reducing fuel consumption by 30% while increasing payload capability by 40%. Like the B737-200, Natilus's regional cargo aircraft, the KONA, can take off and land in challenging environments, including unpaved, shorter gravel runways typically found in northern Canada. The KONA also offers 50% lower operating costs when compared to similarly sized tube-and-wing aircraft.

Natilus is expected to begin production of KONA before the end of the decade, followed by its passenger aircraft, the Horizon, in the early 2030s.

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