Canadian airlines embrace innovative aircraft with eco‑friendly edge
Modern aircraft with a combined wing design will fortify the foundations of Canadian airlines. This results from a recently signed agreement. Previously, such aircraft were acquired by a significant American cargo company.
A similar prototype of a passenger aircraft, which will feature wings "blended" into the fuselage, was recently showcased at the CES 2025 electronics show in Las Vegas - JetZero and Siemens plan to produce it together. It turns out they are not the only ones; the California company Natilus has been working on such BWB (blended-wing-body) aircraft models for years.
For now, modern cargo freighters, then passenger aircraft
Nolinor Aviation, a Canadian airline specializing in charter services, signed an agreement with Natilus, a California aircraft manufacturer, to purchase several Kona cargo aircraft. According to the manufacturer, the Kona aircraft, developed in compliance with federal and Canadian aviation regulations, aims to usher air transport into a new era thanks to its modern design.
The new aircraft will use less fuel and land in challenging terrain
What distinguishes it from a regular aircraft besides its futuristic wing design? Kona can operate in challenging terrain—it is adapted for working on gravel and unpaved runways, allowing it to take off and land on runways up to approximately 793 metres long. In comparison, the Boeing 737-200 requires a runway length of about 1,700 metres for takeoff and a paved surface.
Furthermore, the Natilus aircraft was developed to transport cargo weighing up to 3.8 tonnes over a distance of about 1,665 kilometres. The new aircraft will have wings with a span of around 25 metres. Thanks to a special design with a parallel fuselage, it will provide cargo space over twice as large as traditional transporters of the same size. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67D engines, it is designed to consume 30% less fuel.
Canada aims to utilize them in mining provinces
The buyer will surely appreciate the Kona aircraft's lower maintenance needs. The rear-positioned engines above the wings reduce exposure to runway contaminants, unlike traditional models with engines under the wings.
Nolinor Aviation plans to use Kona for remote cargo operations in the Canadian Northwest Territories and Nunavut, where increased mining activity has led to a higher demand for both passenger and cargo flights. This cooperation aims to improve operational efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Nolinor Aviation operates from its main base in Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories of Canada, with satellite bases in Edmonton and Winnipeg. The current fleet consists of nine Boeing 737-200 aircraft capable of carrying 119 passengers or 15 tonnes of cargo. The ability of the new Kona aircraft to land on unpaved runways will be crucial for operations in remote regions of northern Canada, requiring just a 793-metre runway for takeoff and landing on surfaces such as dirt, gravel, or ice.
For now, cargo, but passenger planes in the future
Natilus is also working on a Horizon passenger aircraft project with a blended-wing design (BWB) that could accommodate about 200 passengers.
Canadians are not the first customers of futuristic aircraft. As early as 2023, Ameriflight, the largest cargo carrier in the USA with over 100 aircraft, placed an order for 20 aircraft from Natilus. According to the aviation agency Altair, the 20 Kona aircraft for Ameriflight were priced at $134 million USD.
