For now, urban air mobility is focused on small two-four-passenger air taxis. But a UK study suggests that larger, 30-50-seat electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft could be competitive with existing modes of public transportation while reducing emissions and congestion.
The expected restart of Boeing 787 deliveries means attention will soon shift to how quickly the stored backlog will move and new aircraft will roll out.
This is the summer of supply chain discontent in aerospace and defense, according to widespread laments by top executives in recent quarterly financial updates.
Southwest Airlines does not expect to receive any 737-7s in 2022, the airline says, raising the possibility that the variant may not be certified before a year-end law that affects its flight deck design.
Hybrid Air Vehicles has begun marketing a larger cousin of its in-development low-carbon Airlander 10 airship, and has set up a partner program with potential customers to help inform design and specification.
Safran has found titanium suppliers to replace Russia’s VSMPO and sourcing the critical metal for engine manufacturing is no longer a problem, according to CEO Olivier Andries.
Honeywell Aerospace’s plans to supply flight-control actuation and thermal-management technologies to Archer Aviation for its electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft.
Airbus will slow the trajectory of its A320 production rate ramp-up but will still hit its ultimate target of 75 airframes per month in 2025, company executives say.
Casting structures for commercial aerospace engines are the top limitation holding back Boeing airliner production and deliveries, although ongoing China challenges and workforce shortfalls remain significant barriers.
Supply chain instability and continued blockage of deliveries into China will reduce Boeing’s full-year 737 MAX delivery total from its previous target of 500 to somewhere closer to 400, the company says.
