ENVIRONMENTAL factors and technology will drive significant changes in aviation over the next 10 to 15 years, according to Jonathan Hinkles, chief executive of Loganair.
Asked by Donald Martin, editor of The Herald and The Herald on Sunday and host of the Go Radio Business Show with Hunter & Haughey what the future holds for the industry, Mr Hinkles said: “I am very comfortable that within the next 10 to 15 years we will be flying a significant proportion of our flights powered by hydrogen and/or electric power.
“I have never seen a rate of progress such as there is at the moment going into that whole area and it is fascinating.”
Discussing technology, he said that Loganair had also been exploring the use of drones to deliver food and supplies to some of Scotland’s small islands. “The pace at which technology is evolving … it’s something I have not seen in just coming up to 30 years in aviation.”
Mr Hinkles, who started his career in aviation with Qatar when it was a fledgling airline with just six plans, said: “There are going to be big changes, driven by environmental factors and the step-change in technology.”
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