The Diamondo Earthrounding project message supports the need to make aviation more sustainable and Tamarack Aerospace Group’s Transformation Center at the Air1st facility at Aiken Regional Airport (KAIK) supports both Diamondo Earthrounding and its message. So, this natural fit led the two Earthrounding pilots and their Tamarack Aerospace to Aiken on April 2nd, 2022, as the airport was gearing-up for pre-Masters business and private aircraft traffic. Approximately 200 Cessna CitationJets and another 250 aircraft will fill the runway and FBO in anticipation of the huge golf tournament located a half-hour drive away in Augusta, Georgia from April 4th to the 810h.
The Earthrounding pilot team of Matthias (Matt) Niederhauser and Robin Wegner took off from Zurich, Switzerland on January 2nd, 2022 and plan to be back to the same location on April 22nd (World Earth Day), after traveling 111 days, approximately 31,700 miles, visiting 73 airports and 35 countries.
The Earthrounding team made Aiken one of their stops because they identified Tamarack’s technology as an important contributor to helping aviation meet its UN Sustainability Goals of 50% reduction in net carbon emissions by 2050 compared to 2005 levels. Aviation is estimated to be responsible for approximately 2-3% of global carbon emissions today. The Aiken Regional Airport is the home of Tamarack’s East Coast Transformation Center where CitationJets are modified with Tamarack’s Active Winglet technology. Tamarack’s SMARTWING™ technology provides multiple performance and sustainability supporting benefits, including up to 33% reduced fuel usage in modified aircraft and the ability to reach optimum altitude without a step climb in under 30 minutes, while also reducing noise pollution. The technology allows for more non-stop missions and smoother rides than, for instance, other flat-wing CitationJets are capable of offering. The SMARTWING™ technology modifies an aircraft’s wingtips and features autonomous and almost instant predictive and reactive load alleviation.
Diamondo Earthrounding is a Swiss non-profit initiative, funded by donations, and led by Robin Wegner, a Swiss Air Force helicopter pilot and Matthias Niederhauser, an aviation consultant, both men in their late 20’s.
“This Earthrounding trip has been a dream of ours and it’s amazing that we are accomplishing the dream this year. We have been visiting incredible environmentally conscious aviation operations like Tamarack’s Transformation Center in South Carolina that are setting a huge example for responsible aviation around the world,” said Niederhauser.
“Supporting the Diamondo Earthrounding project is so exciting“, said Jacob Klinginsmith, Tamarack President. “We are totally committed to making aviation as sustainable as possible and absolutely support Matt and Robin on their historic journey around the world, making everyone more aware of the critical need for cleaner skies. Tamarack’s technology is here and available right now and we hope all aviators do what they can as soon as they can for sustainable aviation,” according to Klinginsmith.
The Earthrounding plane also fills up with as much Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) as possible during its exciting trip.
