Australian regional airline Skytrans has partnered with local startup Stralis Aircraft to convert a 19-seat Beech 1900D turboprop to hydrogen-electric propulsion for flight trials in 2025.
China’s Duofo Group has acquired Italian ultralight helicopter manufacturer Fama Helicopters with the goal of expanding into uncrewed aircraft and electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles.
After disruptions and delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Bye Aerospace and the FAA are finalizing certification plans for the eFlyer 2 electric trainer, keeping the company on course to have the first electric aircraft certified under Part 23 Amendment 64 airworthiness regulations.
The pros and cons of the different fuel-cell types should be considered carefully for hydrogen-powered aircraft, as well as liquid-hydrogen production sites, says Bauhaus Luftfahrt, a Munich-based aviation science and technology think-tank.
Europe is extending its lead in building the regulatory foundations for advanced air mobility with the expected release this week by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency of its draft operating and licensing rules for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and their pilots.
Advanced air mobility publicly held companies are staying the course for a startup industry—a roller coaster that saw the average price increase by 15.8% a week ago and then fall by 19.8% this week.
Airbus and Munich Airport, already partners in Germany’s Air Mobility Initiative, are to market turnkey solutions to cities and regions globally interested in developing advanced air mobility ecosystems.
The European Commission (EC) has launched the Alliance for Zero Emission Aviation to prepare the aviation ecosystem for the entry into service of electric- and hydrogen-powered aircraft that will contribute to Europe’s goal to be climate neutral by 2050.
Paving the way for certification of its 100-kW electric propulsion system for general-aviation aircraft, Swiss startup H55 has received its design organization approval from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.
Archer has restarted flight-testing of its Maker technology demonstrator, but has significant ground to cover to catch up with its closest rivals in the electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing industry.
Spanish unmanned-aircraft manufacturer Umiles has unveiled a concept prototype of an electric air-taxi and its design for a piloted two-passenger production aircraft, the Integrity3. A single-seat design, but remotely piloted, the prototype is planned to fly mid-year.
Rolls-Royce has revealed it is developing an all-new turbogenerator for use in advanced-air-mobility applications including primary propulsion for electric short-takeoff-and landing aircraft and extending the range of electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing vehicles.
The advanced-air-mobility supply base is widening, with Airbus selecting automotive industry players KLK Motorsport and M&F Gerg to design and produce the rear fuselage of the CityAirbus NextGen electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing air taxi.
Tokyo-based startup Tetra Aviation has secured ¥450 million yen ($3.3 million) to continue development of its Mk-5 personal electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft.
A Netherlands’ aerospace cluster plans to develop a hydrogen-electric propulsion system for retrofit to 40-80-seat regional turboprops as a path to securing a position on future Airbus and Embraer sustainable aircraft programs.
A German startup plans to demonstrate the weight-saving structural integration of a battery system into a wing as the first step toward developing a nine-passenger all-electric regional airliner with 500 km (270 nm) range.
Regional carrier Mokulele Airlines has been named the launch partner in Hawaii for Regent’s 12-passenger Viceroy seaglider, an electric wing-in-ground-effect transport for dock-to-dock overwater routes.
The inferiority of batteries as energy sources compared with aviation fuel is widely accepted. Yet electric aviation startups continue to push the envelope of what battery-powered aircraft can achieve.
