Emerging Technologies

China is top talking point for NATO; Considering B-21 exports; New hypersonic weapons contracts; and NRO launches secret payloads.

The U.S. Navy has launched a $100,000 prize challenge seeking artificial-intelligence solutions for Project Overmatch.

Pratt senior fellow Michael Winter says there is potential for mega-cities to produce sustainable aviation fuels from garbage and waste using Fischer-Tropsch plants.

GE Aviation and Safran want to widen the field of possibilities as they have to meet the needs of two competing airframers—something CFM has consistently managed to do with one family of engines and customized versions.

Targeting FAA certification by late 2024 or early 2025, the Denver, Colorado-based company’s ambitious test and development plan calls for assembly and first flight of the initial TriFan 600 test aircraft within the next 20 months.

The manufacturer aims to prepare for the next generation of aircraft, planned to be introduced by 2035.

Kitty Hawk has set an aggressive goal of achieving FAA certification of the Heaviside within three years.

CFM International joint venture partners GE Aviation and Safran have launched an aggressive technology development program to pave the way for a new generation of fuel-efficient unducted—or open fan—engines to enter service around the mid-2030s.

The administrators of Air Mauritius announced that the watershed meeting of the national airline’s creditors initially scheduled for the end of June has been postponed to January 2022 following a Supreme Court decision. Anuradha Deenapanray Chappard reports.

After years of development, the FAA is bringing to bear a new capability for tracking spacecraft.

Electra unveils; Honeywell backs Lilium; EcoPulse testing; Electric trainer; eVTOL Casevac.

Eve begins working with operators after booking the first orders for its eVTOL air taxis.

As another electric air-taxi startup announces plans to go public, Embraer has confirmed that its Eve Urban Air Mobility spinoff is in talks with a blank-check company.

Between receiving EASA certification for the aircraft and its electric propulsion unit in June 2020 and the end of last year, Pipistrel delivered 39 Velis Electros.

The tests at Airbus UK in Filton, England, evaluated the complete assembly of the Safran electric engine, Airbus nacelle and DUC Helices propeller.

A decade-long pursuit of a new autonomous flight technology is entering the home stretch of an R&D phase filled with stops and starts.

Balance sheet and debt concerns add to launch timing uncertainty as Boeing continues to study potential revisions to next aircraft program

DFS air traffic controllers have taken advantage of depressed air traffic to trial better ways of working and are looking at going beyond the existing “remote tower” concept.

Boom Supersonic sees opportunity as recovery reshapes long-haul flying.

European and U.S. authorities are putting the pieces in place to enable advanced air mobility.

A digital-first approach is key to achieving Tempest’s development goals, but the technology needs to be proved.

EASA provides industry with the first concrete guidance on certification requirements for AI in safety-critical applications.

Regional air mobility startup Electra has unveiled its first commercial product, a hybrid-electric aircraft designed to fly a pilot and seven passengers up to 500 mi. with takeoff and landing distances of just 100 ft.

Regional airline Ravn Alaska has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with startup Airflow for 50 electric logistics aircraft.

Kamil Al Awadhi has taken up the reins as vice president, Africa and Middle East, for the International Air Transport Association (IATA). He now plans to help steer airline recovery in the region, as he explained to Alan Peaford.