Aviation

Germany’s Condor airline with a new brand identity

Condor is vacation. And vacation is stripes. Germany’s most popular leisure airline is unveiling its new brand identity today: In the future, Condor will wear stripes in five colors. Inspired by parasols, bath towels and beach chairs, Condor is evolving into a distinctive and unique vacation airline.

The corporate identity’s lead colors are yellow and blue. They have been complemented by the contrasting color gray. The Condor signet, the condor in a circle, goes back to one of Germany’s most influential designers, Otl Aicher. The figurative mark has been given a facelift, with finer and more dynamic lines. It can be found again in the tail unit of the aircraft. The Condor lettering has also been adapted: It is now more compact, and the new lower case has made the word mark more independent and consistent with the image. The logo appears in high-contrast black on the fuselage of the aircraft.

Initially, Condor‘s aircraft will carry five colors in a striped look: yellow, red, blue, green, and beige stand for the facets of the diversity of Condor’s guests, employees and the multitude of opportunities to discover the world with Condor.

The crew uniforms, accessories such as neckerchiefs, ties and pins will shine in the new design too, which will also make its way on board, to the airports, on the website and on social media: in the coming weeks and months, many items on board will be replaced, such as cups, blankets and cutlery, as well as all materials on the ground such as boarding passes, ID cards and airport signage. The replacement will run successively, with nothing of old design being disposed of, but everything being used up. Around 80 percent of the fleet is to be repainted by 2024, because new paint jobs are due anyway. Condor is thus choosing the most sustainable way to redesign its brand identity and fleet.

First A380 powered by 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel takes to the skies

The new design was unveiled in Toulouse with the first A330neo, which will take off for Condor in the fall. The first 2-liter aircraft will of course take off with green stripes. As early as tomorrow, the first Condor aircraft in the new look will be on route: the Airbus A321 with the registration D-AIAD will wear yellow stripes and fly to Lanzarote on April 5 at noon. In the upcoming weeks, five more Boeing 757 and Airbus A320/1 aircrafts will be repainted, so that six aircrafts will be flying in the new design in the summer flight schedule. They will mainly fly to Mallorca, Greece, the Canary Islands and Egypt.

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Aviation

India Launches Its Medium-Lift Class Helicopter Program, chooses New Engine

India’s longstanding need for a Medium Helicopter may soon become a reality as the country has fully ramped up its engine development efforts. This new helicopter is set to replace the Russian-built models currently in service and will play a crucial role across various scenarios for the Indian Armed Forces.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and SAFHAL Helicopter Engines Pvt. Ltd. (SAFHAL) have launched a groundbreaking partnership to develop a state-of-the-art high-power engine named Aravalli.

This new engine will power the upcoming 13-ton Medium Lift Helicopter (IMRH) and the Deck-Based Multi-Role Helicopter (DBMRH), both of which are being designed and developed by HAL.

Named after the majestic Aravalli mountain range in India, the Aravalli engine symbolizes the country’s drive for self-reliance, or Aatmanirbharta, in critical engine technologies. This cutting-edge engine will be instrumental for the IMRH, a versatile 13-ton multi-role helicopter designed to meet the needs of the Indian armed forces, and the DBMRH, a 12.5-ton naval variant tailored for the Indian Navy.

The IMRH is poised to become a cornerstone of the Indian armed forces over the next decade. With its first flight expected in 3 to 4 years, the IMRH is anticipated to begin induction by 2030, with plans to integrate between 300 to 400 units, and potentially more in the future.

The IMRH is envisioned as a highly versatile multi-role helicopter that will enhance the operational capabilities of the Indian military. The DBMRH, designed for naval operations, will also face the challenges of high-altitude environments in regions such as Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh—areas of strategic importance due to their proximity to the China border.

In addition to its military applications, the Aravalli engine is projected to enter the civil market, serving roles in offshore operations, utility services, and VVIP transport. The long-term vision includes Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) activities to further extend the engine’s utility and support the aviation industry.

This collaboration between HAL and SAFHAL builds on their successful history of working together on the Shakti engine, which powers several HAL helicopters, including the Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv, the Light Combat Helicopter Prachand, and the Light Utility Helicopter. The proven success of this partnership lays a strong foundation for the development of the Aravalli engine, setting the stage for a new era in India’s helicopter capabilities.