Canadian airline set to revolutionize cargo with futuristic jets
Modern aircraft featuring a blended-wing design will soon become part of the Canadian airline fleet. This development comes as a result of a newly signed agreement. Previously, such aircraft were procured by a major American cargo company.
A similar prototype of a passenger aircraft, which boasts wings "blended" into the fuselage, was recently showcased at the CES 2025 electronics show in Las Vegas. JetZero and Siemens plan to produce it jointly. However, they are not alone in this field—California-based company Natilus has been developing blended-wing-body (BWB) aircraft models for several years.
For now, modern cargo freighters, followed by passenger planes
Nolinor Aviation, a Canadian airline specialising in charter services, has 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 consume less fuel and operate in challenging areas
What distinguishes it from a conventional aircraft, besides its futuristic wing design? Kona can operate in challenging areas, having been adapted for use on gravel and unpaved runways, allowing it to take off and land on runways as short as approximately 790 metres. 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 designed to transport cargo weighing up to 4.2 tonnes over a distance of about 1,670 kilometres. The new aircraft will have wings with a span of around 25 metres. Thanks to a special parallel fuselage design, it will offer cargo space more than 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 intends to use them in mining regions
The buyer will surely appreciate the Kona aircraft's lower maintenance requirements. With engines positioned at the rear above the wings, they are less likely to absorb runway debris, unlike traditional models with engines beneath the wings.
Nolinor Aviation plans to utilise the Kona for remote cargo operations in Canada's Northwest Territories and Nunavut regions, where an increase in mining activities has led to greater demand for both passenger and cargo flights. This collaboration aims to improve operational efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Nolinor Aviation operates from its main base in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, as well as satellite bases in Edmonton and Winnipeg. The current fleet consists of nine Boeing 737-200 aircraft that can carry 119 passengers or 15 tonnes of cargo. The capability of the new Kona aircraft to land on unpaved runways will be crucial for operations in remote regions of northern Canada, requiring only a 790-metre runway for takeoff and landing on surfaces such as dirt, gravel, or ice.
For now, cargo; in the future, passenger planes too
Natilus is also working on a Horizon passenger aircraft project featuring a blended-wing design (BWB) that could accommodate around 200 passengers.
Canadians are not the first to embrace futuristic aircraft. As early as 2023, Ameriflight, the USA's largest cargo carrier with over 100 aircraft, ordered 20 aircraft from Natilus. According to the aviation agency Altair, the 20 Kona aircraft for Ameriflight were priced at £110 million GBP.
