Declaration of intent - development of a flight test/demonstration program of zero- and low-emission aircraft

Sammendrag

Avinor AS and Civil Aviation Authority Norway (CAA Norway) intend to enter into a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Bristow Norway and Beta Technologies for the development of a flight test/demonstration program of zero- and low-emission aircraft. The purpose of the agreement is to develop solutions and knowledge related to future aircraft and requirements for airport operations/infrastructure, as well as conducting safe and efficient trials of new technology for regulatory learning and development within all relevant areas of aviation. Flights utilizing a battery-electric aircraft are estimated to take place after summer of 2025. Avinor’s objective is to facilitate and support testing and demonstration of zero- and low-emission aircraft, airspace and operational development to gain more knowledge about new technologies, facilitation needs and explore their practical applications. CAA Norway's main objective is to contribute to safe, societally beneficial, and sustainable aviation. As an aviation authority, CAA Norway, in collaboration with EASA, will contribute to regulatory facilitation and learning. The purpose is to enable safe testing and phasing in of new technologies in an ecosystem. It will also enable the regulators to identify the need for regulatory changes and to ensure that approval and certification processes are well prepared and can be carried out efficiently. The agreement is intended to accelerate the transition towards zero- and low-emission aviation and is part of the Avinor and CAA Norway collaboration to establish Norway as an international test arena for zero- and low-emission aircraft. Data and knowledge sharing is a key element of the agreement, and the activities will contribute to knowledge for the entire aviation ecosystem. The joint results of the research/development under the agreement will not be exclusive to the contracting parties, and in addition the financial burden is split between the parties. If a subsequent development phase provides a basis for it, the letter of intent will be replaced by a binding project agreement. Based on the above, the agreement is considered a research and development contract and is therefore exempt from the procurement regulation, cf. the Supply Regulations section 2-5. Any objections to the agreement should be submitted within 26.11.2024. For more information, se Tendsign: https://tendsign.no/supplier/index.aspx