It’s a brave new world out there, and it’s getting closer every day. Decades of science fiction films in which the skies over cities are filled with all types of exotic flying machines seem on the verge of coming true.

Small cargo-carrying drones are already being used in several parts of the word, dropping urgently-needed medicines to locations perhaps 10-20 miles from their launch point. Larger uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) are being trialled to deliver mail to remote locations.

And now, the first generation of electrically-powered vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft are expected to be in service within the next three years. A few years further down the road, those eVTOLs will be able to fly passengers wherever they want around a city without a pilot at the controls.

While the first generation of eVTOL aircraft will probably be used to transport groups such as arriving airline first- or business-class passengers to their final destinations, the plan globally is that at some point in the not-too-distant future, the aircraft will be as ubiquitous as taxis.

Of course, that scenario depends on the availability of ‘vertiports’, as they are becoming known, in urban areas. This is likely to be more difficult in older cities, such as those in Europe – a recent UK media briefing by existing airport operators and others made it clear that finding the necessary space and recharging facilities in a city such as London is fraught with difficulties – but this is likely to be much less of a problem in Gulf nations.

With all these factors now in play, Saudi Arabia has announced the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) in Saudi Arabia initiative, developed by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA).

Enabling Advanced Air Transport in the Kingdom follows 2022’s release of the Environmental Sustainability Development Plan in Civil Aviation, which seeks to establish a regulatory framework based on best global practices, aimed at minimising aviation's environmental footprint.

This is an ambitious roadmap to make the Saudi air transport sector the safest and most developed in the Middle East.

The initiative includes a wide range of solutions covering the various classes of aircraft mentioned above. These technologies will be characterised by high technical capabilities, says GACA, and will also have the practical effect of alleviating congestion on roads and facilitating easy access to remote areas in the country. The aim is that this will, contribute to overall economic and social development in the country.

The AAM initiative includes the steps that must be taken to create a comprehensive road map that places AAM at the forefront of the aviation industry, said Capt. Sulaiman Al-Muhaimidi, executive vice president of GACA for aviation safety and environmental sustainability.

The new generation of airborne vehicles will revolutionise the movement of passengers and goods, but will also allow faster responses to emergencies, medical evacuation and aid to the population if a natural disaster strikes.

Al-Muhaimidi said that tests had been conducted in the Kingdom that included trials of new air vehicles in various types of terrain and climatic conditions. These had produced positive results. Additionally, the use of electric power by most of the new generation of vehicles will add to sustainability and contribute to Saudi Arabia’s plans to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2060.

"We're not just building a new mode of transportation; we're creating the backbone for the next era of economic and social development in Saudi Arabia," he said.

The new policy document expresses the country’s clear ambition to at least rival the neighbouring UAE, which for many years has pushed the aviation sector to the front of its economy.

International cooperation constitutes a major aspect of the AAM journey in the Kingdom, as memoranda of understanding (MoU) were signed with a number of countries, including South Korea, Singapore and China, in addition to concluding agreements with leading companies in designing and manufacturing AAM aircraft to ensure that the Kingdom achieves an advanced position in this field, especially in the safety and development sectors.

FAI Aviation Group is a global provider of mission critical aviation services. The 37-year-old company offers fixed-wing air ambulance, special missions, VIP charter, aircraft management and full MRO services. It has retained a sales and medical assistance office in Dubai for over 20 years.

It recently received Commercial Airline Medical Escort (CAME) accreditation from the European Aeromedical Institute (EURAMI) for its Dubai-based medical escort service.

Barbara Baumgartner, managing director, FAI rent-a-jet DMCC branch, said: “This is a fabulous endorsement for FAI and its medical escort service, which underlines our unwavering attention to quality, safety and service excellence in our air medical operations. Our Dubai-based medical escort service is hugely popular with our largest Middle Eastern clients and we look forward to continuing to welcome patients and all who fly with us throughout 2024 and beyond.”

The Dubai office offers a medical escort service on commercial aircraft as an additional service to its existing regional air ambulance clients as well as its direct clients.

The company has scooped a number of high-profile awards for its air ambulance work, including last year being awarded “air ambulance company of the year” from Middle East Aviation Awards during the Dubai Airshow.

“As the preferred partner of medical assistance, insurance and government organisations in the region for over two decades, FAI is experienced in meeting all the socio-cultural needs of its clients in the Middle East,” said Baumgartner.

“Of course, we also assist end clients to fly their family members for either treatment abroad or repatriate patients back to their home country. We offer an extensive regional network and importantly, a thorough understanding of the special characteristics of the region.”

Baumgartner offered a recent example of a medevac flight from the UAE.

“This month we flew a 29-year-old from the UAE to Los Angeles enabling the patient to hopefully use this last live-saving chance of a lung-transplant. It had been medically a very demanding mission but also logistically very challenging. To fly this high-risk critical patient literally around the world, we had to specially reconfigure one of our Challenger aircraft at our base in Germany prior to starting the mission from the UAE,” she explained.

Baumgartner said FAI Aviation Group is focusing on expanding its operational capabilities in Dubai recognising the critical importance of high-quality medical services in aviation.

“FAI Aviation Group is actively hiring more UAE-based doctors and nurses with ICU experience,” she said. “This expansion is aimed at enhancing the quality and range of its medical aviation services, reflecting its commitment to providing the highest standards of care and safety for its clients.”

The group’s fleet includes five Bombardier Global Express, six Bombardier Challenger 604s, and five Learjet 60s.

The company’s hub in the region is the dedicated business aviation airport, Al Bateen Executive in the UAE.

“Close access to Emirates and Etihad Airways enables efficient crew changes and also provides logistical support for FAI’s Asian business operation,” explained Baumgartner.

“While FAI does not currently base any aircraft permanently in the region, it will typically have at least one of the fleet operating in the Middle East daily.”

The company recently celebrated a ‘key milestone’ with its expansion in  the region.

“FAI has established a company in the Kingdom of Bahrain. This move aligns closely with the vision of its strategic shareholder, the Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, which is the sovereign wealth fund of Bahrain and a significant minority stakeholder in FAI Aviation Group,” said Baumgartner.

“Bahrain offers a strategic advantage with its recent airport expansion and strengthened position in the regional aviation space, positioning the Kingdom not only as a hub for regional traffic, but also as a key gateway for transitory traffic to Asia.”

A critical component of FAI Aviation Group's expansion in Bahrain is the pursuit of a Bahrain AOC (air operator certificate) license, aimed primarily at bolstering its VIP passenger charter business segment.

Baumgartner added: “The pursuit of the AOC license will enable FAI Aviation Group to operate more effectively within the region, offering enhanced services to its clients and reinforcing its commitment to excellence in aviation.”

It’s not every day you come across a chimpanzee in the cockpit, but for Anthony Caere it’s not that unusual. Head of Virunga National Park’s (VNP’s) Air Wing programme, the 43-year-old Belgian born pilot has been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for the last 11 years.

“I came originally to work as a pilot on a television documentary about flying doctors. It was on this trip that I met the conservationist and anthropologist Emmanuel de Merode, the director of VNP, and we donated the Cessna 206 we were using to his project.”

There was one small snag. Merode needed a pilot. “He asked me if I wanted to stay and that was that!” Caere told African Aerospace. “We started up VNP’s Air Wing with one Cessna 206 to help monitor and protect the park and the wildlife living in it. We now have 10 aircraft, thanks in large part to the support of US-based non-profit organisation, Last Chance for Animals (LCA).

In addition to the Cessna 206, Air Wing’s fleet includes a Cessna 182 and Bat Hawk aircraft.

Designed with surveillance and conservation work in mind, the Bat Hawk’s half open cockpit is similar to that of a helicopter and provides excellent forward visibility either side of the cockpit.

Alongside a handful of expats, some of VNP’s rangers have now also been trained as pilots. “Following a rigorous selection process, we currently have three Congolese pilots working for the Air Wing.

“We’re also looking to build additional airstrips and incorporate modern technology in our aerial surveillance work, including the use of Artificial Intelligence to help identify, gather and analyse data on wildlife populations more efficiently.”

As head of the Air Wing, Caere’s typical day involves a fair amount of administration and scheduling of flight operations. He is also tasked with overseeing maintenance of the Bat Hawks and securing spare parts.

Given the Bat Hawks ability to land in remote locations on air strips of just 250-300m long, the aircraft are also used to transport equipment and supplies, as well as for medical evacuations.

Caere noted that medical emergencies can range from rescuing rangers from rebel attacks to injuries from snake bites.

“Time is of the essence when getting these victims to safety, so medevac services are at the core of our work,” he said, revealing he has lost 72 colleagues in the last 11 years.

Some of the aircraft are also equipped with a large DJI - Matrice drone and cameras which are used to take pictures every three to five seconds of the ground below. These thousands of images are then stitched together to provide a crystal-clear, high-definition image of the park.

“We often rescue orphaned infant chimpanzees. They are traumatised, as most if not all of their family will have been killed in order to get just one baby, which if it’s smuggled out of the country can be sold for as much as US$20,000.

“So, before we fly them off to safety, we spend time with them to form a bond and keep them calm.

“They are like human babies, so once you’ve built up that trust, it’s easy to wrap them in a blanket and keep them safe and warm in the cockpit with you,” he said.

Being an Air Wing pilot in VNP is certainly not for the feint hearted. “We operate in extremely challenging and frequently dangerous situations,” said Caere. “Often the airstrips themselves are short and difficult to land on.”

Given his time again, would Caere have pursued a more conventional career as a commercial pilot? “Since I was a child, the only thing I ever wanted was to fly and work with animals. So, for me my work is a dream come true.”

It's a job he was clearly destined for as he concluded: “Nothing is more enjoyable than flying a Bat Hawk at a low altitude over the VNP with a big herd of elephants below, the sun setting on the horizon and music blasting through my Bose headset!”