Aerospace

Sikorsky has unveiled the configuration of the Hybrid-Electric Demonstrator (HEX), a fully autonomous prototype to be developed with GE Aerospace, at Heli-Expo.

UNIVERSAL HYDROGEN successfully ran megawatt-class fuel cell powertrain using its liquid hydrogen module.

AUTOFLIGHT completed demo flight on Shenzhen-Zhuhai (31 miles) with its 5-seat Prosperity eVTOL; flight took 20 minutes vs three hours by car.

KOREA AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES (KAI) subscribed to the Nadcap accreditation program for supplier quality throughout its organization.

JAMCO AMERICA, WA received FAA approval for its dynamic test facility.

David Smith to President and Chief Executive Officer of Robinson Helicopter, Torrance, CA. Kurt Robinson will transition to an Advisor.

Steve Dennis to Vice President of Training Design of CPaT Global, Houston.

HELICOPTER ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL was renamed VERTICAL AVIATION INTERNATIONAL (VAI) to include eVTOL and UAV platforms.

ARCHER AVIATION announced its Midnight eVTOL is now in final phase of its certification program with about 80% of subsystems and components having been sourced, significantly de-risking its path to certification. It has $625m liquidity.

HEICO FLIGHT SUPPORT earned $136.1m on $619m sales in first quarter ended Jan 31 vs $83.6m on $371m a year ago; results reflect growth in commercial aerospace parts/services business and contribution from acquisition of WENCOR.

SMBC AERO ENGINE LEASE purchased 19 engines in 2023 and sold 10, ending year with owned/managed fleet of 90.

PWC says there were 303 A&D M&A deals worth $42b in 2023 vs 411 worth $40b in '22; mid-size transactions will likely continue to drive M&A in 2024.

BOEING was found by a panel of safety experts in congressionally mandated report that its safety management problems stem from disconnect by senior management, inadequate and confusing implementation of culture, lack of employee and ODA leadership participation in SMS, and inadequate human factors, which have eroded due to a series of administrative decisions, including reorganization, decentralization, downsizing, and relocating headquarters out of the Seattle area.

The co-founders of Astra Space have offered a new, lower buyout bid for the embattled space startup.

Universal Hydrogen has run its megawatt-class fuel cell powertrain testbed using fuel supplied by its liquid hydrogen module for the first time.

Lilium says that production of key structures for its second production-conforming Lilium Jet is now underway.

Archer Aviation is shifting focus to the compliance and implementation phases of the FAA's type certification process.

Eve Air Mobility has selected Spain’s Aciturri to supply wing skins, spars and leading and trailing edges for its eVTOL aircraft.

Startup Beyond Aero has completed France’s first crewed flight of a hydrogen-electric aircraft.

Leonardo is performing a study with Italy’s armed forces on potential missions for the AW609 as the company works to certify the tiltrotor.

FAA certification for Bell's fly-by-wire 525 twin-engine, super-medium helicopter is expected by mid-year, company executives say.

Three months after SpaceX’s Starship/Super Heavy’s second flight test ended in a mid-air explosion, the FAA closed its accident investigation.

The use of uncrewed systems by Ukraine is inspiring nations including the UK to make major investments in drone capabilities.

The LEO constellation is driving down satellite internet costs.

SAFRAN AEROSYSTEMS was selected by Vietjet to supply life rafts, protective breathing equipment, crew masks, and life vests for its 737 MAXs.