Italian regional SkyAlps, which currently operates four De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q400s, plans to grow its fleet to 14 aircraft next year. It has formed a partnership with US company Tamarack on a new eco-efficient winglet for the De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q400.
PARIS–Italian regional SkyAlps, which currently operates four De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q400s, plans to grow its fleet to 14 aircraft next year and has formed a partnership with US company Tamarack on a new eco-efficient winglet for the Q400.
SkyAlps, based in Bolzano in northern Italy, launched in 2021 using aircraft operated by Maltese operator Luxwing. In January this year, SkyAlps secured its own Italian air operator’s certificate (AOC) and bought its current fleet of four Q400s outright.
Speaking to ATW at the Paris Air Show, SkyAlps CEO Alex Spinato detailed the airline’s ambitious growth plans. A fifth Q400 will join the SkyAlps fleet over the coming days and another three are scheduled to arrive over the next three months. These were previously operated by defunct UK regional Flybe.
Four additional Q400s are under negotiation and should join the fleet in February or March 2024, taking SkyAlps to a total of 14 aircraft.
The company is aiming to tap into niche regional routes, which are not economically viable for 150-seat narrowbody operations. Its current network includes 15 destinations in Croatia, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland.
SkyAlps’s parent company ABD Holdings is a green energy supplier and owns Bolzano Airport. SkyAlps has its main base at Bolzano, as well as a second base in Verona. Spinato said more bases are in the pipeline. He plans to deploy a further three aircraft at “a couple” of new bases in southern Italy.
During the air show, SkyAlps held a joint briefing with US aerospace supplier Tamarack Aerospace. SkyAlps has signed a letter of intent to launch a new eco-efficient winglet for the Q400, named the Eco-Smartwing, which Tamarack is developing.
Tamarack already produces winglets for the business aviation market, but this marks the company’s entry into commercial passenger aircraft. One of SkyAlps’ Q400s will be seconded to Tamarack as a test aircraft to demonstrate and certify the winglet. SkyAlps expects the winglet will be operational in around two years, cutting fuel consumption and emissions by around 7%-8%
Modification work will begin on the SkyAlps Q400 over the next couple of months. The aircraft will then go on a Tamarack demonstration tour, visiting Bolzano, Dubai, and Tokyo from November this year.
