The next phase in safety and sustainability

Steffen de Vries - CEO at Aeronamic

Here we are, in 2024. Let’s start with a moment of reflection on what the past year has brought us. And, perhaps more importantly, let’s take a look ahead to what’s coming up this year. We all know that the commercial market is still recovering, while new markets are growing rapidly. 2023 had its challenges, but Aeronamic is anticipating substantial growth in 2024. This will be seen in every area of our work, with a central focus on greater safety and sustainability. Here is our CEO, Steffen de Vries, to tell us more.

From refinement to reinvention

Steffen: “In 2023, Aeronamic celebrated its 35th anniversary – a significant milestone. Reflecting on the past year, several things stand out for me. The first is the resurgence in commercial flights, particularly within continents, while international flights lagged somewhat. It’s clear that market recovery takes time, but the market itself is evolving – a fact that needs no explanation. I find it fascinating to see the shift in aviation from evolution to revolution. The evolution of aviation involved 70 years of refining a concept, constantly improving it, and making airplanes lighter and more efficient. But we’ve reached the end of that development curve. The challenge now is to reinvent flying and make it more sustainable. Aeronamic is heavily committed to this aim – as is the Dutch government, which is evidenced by our active participation in projects like ‘Aviation in Transition’.”

Taking our e-compressor on a test flight

“Over the past few years, we have heavily invested in product development. We are now entering a new phase in our Mission Zero Program, and we anticipate many new projects and new clients. For instance, we are set to make significant advancements with our own e-compressor, a step towards sustainable aviation. The e-compressor, which we are currently refining, is suitable for both cooling and pressurization applications. Of course, we’re not doing this alone. We’re working closely with major tier 1 companies and end customers, as well as entities in urban air mobility. In 2024, we expect to take our e-compressor for a real test flight.”

Growing the fleet

“We are intensifying efforts on our defense facility. In Woensdrecht, we’re gearing up for the F-35 maintenance program. We’ve made significant progress in optimizing our facility and achieving the necessary certifications. In 2024, we will be fully operational, working in close collaboration with key parties, including the Royal Netherlands Air Force, Ministry of Defense, and LCW. We will be servicing at minimum all European F-35 fighter jets for about 40 years. And Aeronamic has grand ambitions in this area. We want to be able to serve the world, including America, and this calls for growth. But to be honest, we have little difficulty in hiring new people, whether for defense or any of our other operations. Aviation is inherently attractive to people, especially when working in the field of safety and sustainability. At the same time, we want to keep hold of our current colleagues and accomplish more work with the same great team.”

“In conclusion, I am proud of this remarkable company that has been contributing to safe, sustainable aviation for 35 years. Now, onto even more safety and sustainability!”