Charlotte Bailey joined AIN’s editorial team in 2025 as a news reporter covering multiple topics including business aviation, new technology and the defense sector. She is also a frequent presenter in AIN’s video news reports. 
UK-based Charlotte has a strong interest in vintage military jets and in 2023 published a book about the de Havilland Vampire, as well as serving as a consultant on the topic for TV and movie projects. She is keen to expand her flying experience and enjoys hands-on assignments worldwide. In 2024, Charlotte was honored as Best New Journalist in the Aerospace Media Awards. Early in her career, Charlotte was involved in manufacturing customized hot air balloons.

News Reporter 

Charlotte Bailey

As the UAE works toward implementing its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) roadmap, a current “soft requirement” for a voluntary 1% blend could soon be superseded by a compulsory mandate. Speaking at an Airbus event on the opening morning of the Dubai Airshow, Sharif Al Olama, undersecretary for energy and petroleum affairs at the UAE’s ministry of energy and infrastructure, explained that over the next year, a “comprehensive assessment” on the initiative’s economic impact will inform future regulation.
“We want to hit the ground running [regarding SAF],” Al Olama said. “We in the UAE have the power to drive this at a global scale.” Indeed, over the next week, he will be holding meetings with Abu Dhabi Airport, Dubai Airport, Etihad Airways, and Emirates to discuss “when we can move to the next phase.” Overall, he cites these parties’ reactions as “very positive,” with the UAE’s SAF and LCAF [Lower Carbon Aviation Fuel] Committee also “playing a role in terms of mediating between the offtakers and the suppliers.”
Al Olama believes the region is well poised to help spearhead SAF for a number of reasons. “First and most important is [the UAE’s] capability of attracting investment, availing finance, and then also the ease of doing business. The second is a very agile government. […] And third, we do have certain resources that can help us deliver these kind of mandates,” he told AIN. An initiative underway in Hong Kong to convert airport waste into SAF is also a “blueprint we can apply immediately elsewhere,” he added, noting that “the scale of airports we have in the UAE” are ideally placed to benefit from a similar use of the “comprehensive ecosystem.”
Maryam Ali AlBalooshi, environment manager at the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority, added that the pressure is on to deliver “a good result” by 2028. “We are trying to build our model in a different way [to other countries],” she suggested, concluding that while the UAE has the policy and roadmap in place, “other elements are [currently] lacking."

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

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News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

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News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News about commercial airlines, including regulations, aircraft orders, safety, acquisitions, and mergers.

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News, issues, personnel, equipment and developments about air traffic management.

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

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News and developments about aviation fuel, including jet fuel, aviation gasoline, and biofuel.

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

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News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

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