February 2022 - Aviation, Inflight and Aero Connectivity Consultants

FAA’s Latest 5G Airworthiness Directive Revises Landing Requirements for Most 737s

The FAA has issued a new airworthiness directive requiring flight manual changes for thousands of U.S.-registered Boeing 737s, including the 737-800 pictured here. (Boeing)

A new airworthiness directive (AD) published by the Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday identifies hazardous interference from 5G C-Band wireless broadband operations that could prevent radio altimeters on most Boeing 737s from performing their intended function.

The latest 5G C-Band directive requires operators of all 737s—except for Model 737-200 and -200C series airplanes equipped with a certain flight control system— to revise their airplane flight manual (AFM) to incorporate specific operating procedures for instrument landing system (ILS) approaches, speedbrake deployment, go-arounds, and missed approaches, when in the presence of 5G C-Band interference. FAA officials issued the AD after receiving new data reported by Boeing over the last month, as the aircraft manufacturer has been continuously evaluating and testing the impact of 5G C-band on its aircraft and subsequently issuing updates to customers about their latest findings.

Based on data reported by Boeing, the agency determined that the -200 and -200C series equipped with the SP-77 flight control system are not susceptible to 5G C-Band interference. The AD attributes this exception to the SP-77’s lack of autoland and flare modes, two of the main functions impacted by the interference on the other models that will require an AFM revision under the new directive.

An estimated 2,442 U.S.-registered aircraft are affected by the AD and the AFM revision will cost 737 operators a combined $207,570, according to the directive.

“The FAA determined anomalies due to 5G C-Band interference may affect multiple other airplane systems using radio altimeter data, regardless of the approach type or weather. These anomalies may not be evident until very low altitudes,” FAA notes in the AD. “Impacted systems include, but are not limited to, autopilot flight director system; autothrottle system; flight controls; flight instruments; traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS); ground proximity warning system (GPWS); and configuration warnings.”

Among the effects on the systems identified as those that rely on radio altimeter data, there is a possibility that the autopilot could disconnect during approaches that use ILS or Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) procedures. Data reported to the FAA by Boeing also showed that 737 model autothrottles “may retard to idle prematurely in the flare.” Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) and radio altitude-based alerts may also become unavailable due to 5G C-Band interference.

The directive is the latest issued by the AD targeting 737 models, after publishing a directive last month that revised landing requirements on 737 MAX aircraft. Directives have also been issued regarding landing requirements for the Boeing 747-8, 757, 767 and 777.

“The AD does not apply to landings at airports where the FAA determined the aircraft radio altimeters are safe and reliable in the 5G C-band environment,” the FAA said in a Feb. 23 statement. “It also does not apply to airports where 5G isn’t deployed.”

The post FAA’s Latest 5G Airworthiness Directive Revises Landing Requirements for Most 737s appeared first on Aviation Today.

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Iris Automation Receives FAA Approval for Drone Flight Beyond Visual Line of Sight in Nevada

The FAA recently granted approval to Iris Automation for beginning beyond-visual-line-of-sight drone flights in Nevada. (Photo: Iris Automation / The City of Reno Fire Department)

Avionics technology company Iris Automation has been granted approval by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for flying automated drones beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) in an unpopulated area near the city of Reno, Nevada. The City of Reno was one of nine lead participants that worked with the FAA during the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Pilot Program, which concluded in Oct. 2020.

The FAA immediately resumed its work in partnership with the City of Reno as part of a new program called BEYOND, building off of the groundwork established during the UAS Integration Pilot Program. Primarily, BEYOND aims to address the challenges associated with UAS integration. The collaboration with Iris Automation serves, in part, to improve rescue response times during the Reno Fire Department’s river rescue operations. The expectation, according to the City of Reno, is that “utilizing UAS will have a significant positive impact on saving the lives of victims and reduce the resources required to conduct these operations.”

FAA approval was awarded to Iris Automation for the company to utilize the Casia X, its advanced detect-and-avoid (DAA) technology, and explore its ability to increase safety in rescue operations. The Casia system is capable of operating onboard an aircraft as well as in a ground-based configuration. According to the announcement from Iris, “onboard sensors like Casia X, combined with carefully designed concepts of operation, provide a cost-effective and scalable solution, enabling high levels of safety.” In coordination with the FAA, Iris has worked to develop its DAA technology to mitigate risks of aircraft collisions and to facilitate integration of unmanned aircraft into the airspace.

Of the 41 water rescues performed by the Reno Fire Department each year, 85% of them occur on the Truckee River downtown, and 10% occur in the dark. Rescue operations in water are already extremely dangerous both for the victims and for the rescue team, but in moving water like a river, the level of danger is even higher. This is where a UAS aircraft could help—enabling the BVLOS capacity for rescue operations means that fewer fire department staff members will be put into dangerous situations, according to the Reno Fire Department. “Drones allow us to launch into flight safely at a moment’s notice, with new and more effective approaches to making our downtown river corridor safer while also saving time and money,” said Reno’s Fire Chief, Dave Cochran. He hopes that this FAA approval for BVLOS drone operations will make it easier for other fire departments and public agencies to incorporate UAS into their operations.

Iris Automation’s Casia X detect-and-avoid technology may increase safety for the Reno Fire Department during search-and-rescue operations. (Photo: Iris)

By participating in the BEYOND program and collaborating with the FAA, the City of Reno engages with a variety of both public and industry stakeholders, and it has the opportunity to establish safety and performance standards for BVLOS operation. “The BEYOND program,” commented Iris CEO Jon Damush, “is an important example of constructive government and industry cooperation, and a testament to the forward-thinking leadership of the City of Reno. We’re thrilled to work side by side with the FAA and our home city, delivering our technology to enhance the daily lives of our community and beyond.”

UAV Navigation and Iris Automation started a partnership in August last year to augment the Casia X system with UAV Navigation’s VECTOR autopilot system and enable advanced DAA operations for autonomous aircraft. The Casia software, which utilizes artificial intelligence and computer vision for BVLOS operations, had recently been improved in performance and flight data uploads. The VECTOR autopilot system adds the ability for aircraft to avoid collisions when remote-control datalinks may be lost.

A few weeks after the partnership with UAV Navigation was announced, Iris entered into an agreement with Swoop Aero in order to create a BVLOS drone navigation system that would be incorporated onto Swoop Aero’s FAA-certified Kite aircraft. Iris’s CEO Jon Damush remarked in the announcement, “Demand for these use cases is highest in regions with stringent air safety standards, and avoiding mid-air collisions is the most important aspect of reducing air-risk.”

The post Iris Automation Receives FAA Approval for Drone Flight Beyond Visual Line of Sight in Nevada appeared first on Aviation Today.

Wisk and City of Long Beach Partner to Study Economic Impact of Advanced Air Mobility

Wisk and the City of Long Beach have joined in a two-year partnership to determine the economic impact of advanced air mobility (AAM) operations in Long Beach and other areas. (Photo: Wisk)

Wisk Aero, an advanced air mobility (AAM) company, just announced a partnership with the Long Beach Economic Partnership to conduct a study on the economic impact of AAM operations in Southern California. Over the next two years, Wisk and the City of Long Beach will coordinate in bringing together local government, business, and community leaders in a working group focused on autonomous flight and the implementation of AAM in Long Beach.

The working group will initiate research into four components of AAM integration, according to Wisk:

Analysis of economic impact and workforce development
Community acceptance and outreach
Integration of autonomous AAM into city transportation plans
Federal and state government funding opportunities

To explore the economic impact of AAM operations, both Wisk and the Long Beach Economic Partnership (LBEP) will support the Cal State Long Beach Office of Economic Research in conducting the study and expect to have results later in 2022. “Autonomous, all-electric AAM represents the next revolution in commercial aviation and promises significant economic benefits with minimal environmental impact,” remarked Randal Hernandez, co-chair of the working group who has served as chair of the Long Beach Economic Partnership and was previously chairman of the City’s Economic Development Commission.

Pictured above is Wisk’s sixth-generation eVTOL aircraft. (Photo: Wisk)

Wisk’s CEO, Gary Gysin, remarked that Long Beach is an ideal choice for integrating electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft due to its location in Los Angeles and the role that the growing aerospace industry has played in Long Beach’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. 2.7% of employment in Long Beach comes from the aerospace industry, and those jobs have increased at least 48% since 2018, according to Seiji Steimetz, the chair of economics at Cal State Long Beach.

Robert Garcia, Mayor of the City of Long Beach, agrees that aerospace innovation is particularly strong there. “We have produced some of the world’s most modern aircraft, are leading in the space economy, and will now be home to new technologies in Advanced Air Mobility,” he said in the press release from Wisk.

Long Beach is an ideal location for integrating advanced air mobility operations, in part because of existing infrastructure such as the Long Beach Airport. (Photo: Wisk)

Last month, Wisk received a $450 million investment from Boeing, intended to assist Wisk in development of its self-piloted eVTOL aircraft in addition to scaling up manufacturing. To date, Wisk has received support in developing its eVTOL and advancing AAM through partnerships with Blade Urban Air Mobility, Kittyhawk, and NASA. Part of Wisk’s goal in advancing AAM is to leverage infrastructure that already exists, such as airports that can be repurposed as vertiports and stations for charging electric aircraft. For Wisk, a key feature of the City of Long Beach is its airport—specifically its accessibility as well as its proximity to lots of industrial space.

The post Wisk and City of Long Beach Partner to Study Economic Impact of Advanced Air Mobility appeared first on Aviation Today.

Airbus and CFM International to Test Hydrogen-Powered Passport Engine on Modified A380

The Airbus A380 testbed will be used for the company’s new hydrogen demonstration program in partnership with CFM International. (Photo: Airbus)

In an agreement with CFM International, Airbus is beginning a hydrogen demonstration program, with the first flights taking place in the next five years. CFM International—a joint company between Safran Aircraft Engines and GE—will modify a GE Passport turbofan to enable the combustor, fuel system, and control system to operate on hydrogen. Both Airbus and CFM are committed to pursuing net-zero carbon emissions for the aviation industry by 2050.

Airbus and CFM will collaborate in testing the direct combustion engine fueled by hydrogen, according to the announcement from Airbus, both via ground and flight tests. They expect the engine to enter into service on a zero-emission aircraft by 2035. Airbus is providing the A380 flying testbed for testing the hydrogen combustion engine in cruise mode. The company’s facilities in France and Germany will supply liquid hydrogen tanks. Airbus will also oversee flight testing in addition to determining the requirements of the hydrogen propulsion system.

Airbus Chief Technical Officer Sabine Klauke remarked in the company’s press release that the partnership agreement with CFM is the biggest step Airbus has taken to accelerate hydrogen-powered flight since they revealed their ZEROe concepts in 2020. Airbus introduced its ZEROe demonstrator, the A380 MSN1, this week. The aircraft will carry four liquid hydrogen tanks and the hydrogen combustion engine will be mounted on the rear fuselage.

Before the flight test is conducted with the A380 platform, CFM will perform a ground test program with the GE engine. The GE Passport turbofan’s advantages for the hydrogen demonstration program include its size, advanced turbomachinery, and fuel flow capability. (Photo: GE)

Exploring the capabilities of hydrogen combustion is one of CFM International’s key areas of focus, having launched the Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines (RISE) Technology Demonstration Program in June 2021. The goals of the RISE program include “reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by more than 20% compared to today’s most efficient engines, as well as ensuring compatibility with alternative energy sources like Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and hydrogen to provide even further sustainability benefits,” according to a whitepaper released by the company.

“Bringing together the collective capabilities and experience of CFM, our parent companies, and Airbus, we really do have the dream team in place to successfully demonstrate a hydrogen propulsion system,” commented Gaël Méheust, CFM’s CEO and president.

The ZEROe demonstrator aircraft has the hydrogen combustion engine mounted on the rear fuselage. (Photo: Airbus)

In addition to entering a hydrogen-fueled aircraft into service by 2035, another goal for Airbus in working towards decarbonization of the aviation industry is to use 100% SAF for fueling all operations by the year 2030. Already the company’s final assembly line in Mobile, Alabama, uses SAF for delivering all aircraft produced at the facility. And, in demonstration of the company’s commitment to zero-emission flight, Airbus signed the Global SAF Declaration last week, along with Singapore Airlines, Rolls-Royce, and Safran. This declaration calls members of the industry to join efforts to increase production and use of SAF in the next 10 years.

(Photo: Airbus)

At the Airbus annual press conference last week, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury remarked that the hydrogen power industry is accelerating rapidly. “We are very committed to entering into service in 2035 the first hydrogen [aircraft], and we are investing a significant amount of money to be ready for that time frame.” He shared that, while there is positive momentum around hydrogen-powered aircraft, the infrastructure for producing, transporting, and distributing green hydrogen first needs to be developed and put in place.

Faury also sees a lot of momentum in the eVTOL industry. Necessary developments include technology advancements, certification, and regulatory frameworks for operation before the market is structured enough to become profitable. “We are investing at Airbus, and we see many others investing a lot of money into that segment. There is still a lot of work to be done before we come to real commercial operations,” he stated, estimating that this will take place in the second half of this decade. “There might be some attrition compared to what we see today [in terms of] the number of companies working on eVTOLs—a smaller number of concepts will make it to the market.”

“It makes a lot of sense for us to be part of the eVTOL ecosystem,” Faury explained. “We like the fact that eVTOLs rely on electric flight. All that we do for electric flying will be used for other products, and in particular for commercial aviation at a later stage.”

The post Airbus and CFM International to Test Hydrogen-Powered Passport Engine on Modified A380 appeared first on Aviation Today.

PODCAST: A New Cloud-Native Cockpit Approach to Flying with Honeywell Anthem

This episode is sponsored by Honeywell Aerospace. HoneywellAnthem.com

On this episode of the Connected Aviation Intelligence Podcast, Jason Bialek, Honeywell Anthem Product Line Director, and Jed Johnson, a Pilatus PC-12 and PC-24 pilot, discuss Honeywell’s new cloud-native Anthem flight deck.

Honeywell first launched its new cloud-native Anthem flight deck during an unveiling ceremony in October. Lilium, the Munich-based electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) developer, has announced Anthem as the cockpit system for its 7-Seater Lilium Jet. Separately, Bristol, U.K.-based Vertical Aerospace will also use Anthem as the cockpit system for their VA-1X all-electric air taxi.

Bialek and Johnson provide an overview of how this new all-touchscreen connected flight deck could transform the way pilots fly while giving some insight on their current stage of development for Anthem in 2022.

Have suggestions or topics we should focus on in the next episode? Email the host, Woodrow Bellamy, at wbellamy@accessintel.com, or drop him a line on Twitter @WbellamyIIIAC. Also, check out the agenda for the 2022 Connected Aviation Intelligence Summit just posted to our event website!

Listen to this episode below, or check it out on iTunes or Google Play. If you like the show, subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes as soon as they’re released.

The post PODCAST: A New Cloud-Native Cockpit Approach to Flying with Honeywell Anthem appeared first on Aviation Today.

Rolls-Royce, Safran, Airbus, and Singapore Airlines Sign Declaration to Advance Use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel

The Global SAF Declaration was signed last week by Singapore Airlines, Rolls-Royce, Airbus, and Safran, indicating their commitment to the advancement of sustainable aviation fuel. (Photo: Singapore Airlines)

At the Singapore Airshow last week, four entities signed the Global SAF Declaration in a demonstration of their commitment to promoting and accelerating sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production and consumption. Singapore Airlines was the first airline to join in the declaration; it is also open to all aviation and aerospace organizations. Rolls-Royce, Safran, and Airbus are the other signing parties. For the aviation industry, increasing SAF utilization is a key component in working towards decarbonization.

Antony Szafranek, SVP Americas for Rolls-Royce, emphasized his company’s role in the pursuit of net-zero emissions by 2050 and the importance of SAF in reaching that target. ”The most powerful way of getting to net-zero,” he told Avionics International, “is playing our role to help facilitate and stimulate demand, help remove barriers that we can control, and encourage dialogue across the value chain,” as well as ensuring the availability of competitively-priced SAF. Rolls-Royce is dedicated to ensuring that all new products will be compatible with net-zero operation by 2030, with the longer-term goal of compatibility for all products by 2050.

SAF has the potential to contribute roughly 65% of the necessary reductions in emissions for the global aviation industry to achieve net-zero by 2050, according to the International Air Transport Association. Currently, however, aircraft are certified to operate on no more than 50% SAF combined with conventional jet fuel. Rolls-Royce announced in October of last year that all of its Trent engines would be compatible with 100% SAF by the year 2023. It has completed test flights with its Trent XWB and Pearl engines, and the team partnered with Boeing and World Energy to carry out a test flight of the 747 Flying Testbed aircraft using a Trent 1000 engine fueled by 100% SAF, along with three engines using conventional jet fuel. Szafranek remarked that they are in the process of testing their engines in order to ensure that aircraft performance is maintained while running on SAF.

“There is a place for gas turbine technology, especially for longer-range missions,” Szafranek explained. “Our latest engine is 15% more efficient than earlier generations. That continuous improvement has always been in our DNA.” He added that their latest technology demonstrator will likely deliver efficiency improvements in the range of 25%. The UltraFan engine, he said, is due to be completed with its building phase and undergoing ground testing by this summer. “We’re anticipating a requirement for the technology in [the Ultra Fan] around the 2030s; the UltraFan entering into service will depend on aircraft manufacturers’ requirements.” The team at Rolls-Royce will take notes on the research and development that goes into the UltraFan engine and roll back improvements into the existing generations of engines.

Szafranek envisions a future for gas turbine technology up to 2050, and integrating SAF will be a key part of that journey. He expects that other airlines will join in signing the Global SAF Declaration in the coming weeks and months, and the team at Rolls-Royce is engaged in dialogues with multiple airlines to share strategies for achieving decarbonization.

Eric Dalbiès—Chief Technology Officer of Safran, commented on the company’s participation in the press release, saying, “[We are] fully committed to deliver disruptive innovation for decarbonisation, with ultra-efficient engines and 100 % sustainable aviation fuels capability, in order to enable the ambitious energy transition required in the aviation sector.”

Chief Technical Officer of Airbus, Sabine Klauke, also remarked in the press release that Airbus aircraft will be certified to fly with 100% SAF by 2030. “The challenge is to further increase and encourage the uptake of SAF globally as well as incentives and long-term policies that encourage SAF use. The Declaration will support exactly that, and Airbus is inviting further players in the industry to join the initiative.”

The full Global SAF Declaration concludes by saying, “Each of us is committed to continue working with existing industry bodies (e.g., ATAG, ICAO and CORSIA, etc.), existing SAF initiatives (e.g., Fuelling Flight Project, Business Aviation Coalition for SAF, WEF Clean Skies for Tomorrow Coalition, etc.) and with governmental initiatives (e.g., the EU Green New Deal, ReFuelEU Aviation, etc.) to make the widespread and rapid adoption of SAFs a reality.”

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Bell’s Unmanned APT Aircraft Demonstrates Ground-Based Detect-and-Avoid Flight

Bell and NASA partnered in completing a flight demonstration with Bell’s APT aircraft to show its ground-based detect-and-avoid capabilities. (Photo: Bell)

Bell Textron recently shared the news that their unmanned Autonomous Pod Transport (APT) aircraft successfully completed a demonstration of ground-based detect-and-avoid (DAA) flight. A subsidiary of Textron Inc., Bell was the first company to certify a commercial helicopter and is now focusing on advanced air mobility (AAM) developments. This DAA flight demonstration was part of an extension of Bell’s Systems Integration and Operationalization (SIO) project in partnership with NASA.

NASA has also partnered on SIO projects with American Aerospace Technology Incorporated (AATI) and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI), Inc. with the goal of advancing commercial unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operations. The three partners—Bell, GA-ASI, and AATI—are also working towards FAA type certification for the APT.

Bell’s original NASA SIO project aimed to facilitate flight through complex airspace, said Matt Holvey, Director of Intelligent Systems at Bell, in an interview with Avionics International. With the recent extension of the SIO project, he explained, “We wanted to explore the feasibility of ground-based monitoring, a ground-based surveillance system, and how that might work with the onboard systems as part of an AAM ecosystem.”

The APT flight served as a research exercise for Bell and NASA to explore aspects of advanced air mobility. (Photo: Bell)

They considered a couple of options for a ground-based monitoring solution: a big monolithic radar like at a large airport, or a low-cost distributed approach to radar such as a corridor with a series of radar arrays placed along it. The team at Bell chose the latter option for testing the feasibility of building out ground-based infrastructure that had the potential to scale up in a future AAM ecosystem, said Holvey. At the corridor, they have 15 total low-cost Echodyne radar with three or four radar per array.

According to the company’s announcement, the DAA demonstration was focused on executing a Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) mission in complex airspace while using DAA technology to detect any intruders. The mission utilized Bell’s 429 commercial helicopter in addition to the APT aircraft. Additionally, the Bell 429 incorporated Bell’s QuantiFLYTM system—an aircraft communication unit—to enable fully automatic flight data monitoring and recording.

Holvey remarked that one of the most important takeaways was that they had demonstrated “the ability to track an aircraft with a smaller radar signature or radar profile through the airspace,” as well as learning how to validate the effectiveness of tracking the APT aircraft.

Before performing the detect-and-avoid flight with the APT aircraft, Bell utilized Microsoft’s AirSim to observe a simulated flight. (Photo: Bell)

Although the demonstration was a contract between Bell and NASA, they worked closely with Hillwood Development Company and utilized Hillwood/AllianceTexas’ Mobility Innovation Zone (MIZ) as a testing environment. “Hillwood also provided multiple sites for radar setup, and testing was conducted at the AllianceTexas Flight Test Center,” according to Bell’s announcement.

The team at Bell also partnered with Microsoft in order to simulate the flight through the corridor. “We used Microsoft’s AirSim, a simulation environment for autonomous systems,” Holvey said. “We modeled out that corridor in a virtual environment—a digital twin of the real world—and simulated flying our aircraft through that space. We checked if the simulated radar could have full line of sight of the aircraft; were there ever any gaps in coverage as the APT flew through that corridor space?” Running the simulation helped Bell to drive down costs and drive up repeatability of similar deployments.

All of the radar monitoring the APT vehicle’s flight fed into a single operator dashboard. “We had the operator and flight engineers monitoring the radar while performing normal vehicle operations,” Holvey said. They also had weather data flowing in to the dashboard to overlay different conditions such as wind and rain, in addition to ADS-B data that was pulled in. Holvey explained that the demonstration was a “research exercise for the entire ecosystem” which helped Bell and its partners to better understand the future of AAM and what type of surveillance developments will be needed.

The post Bell’s Unmanned APT Aircraft Demonstrates Ground-Based Detect-and-Avoid Flight appeared first on Aviation Today.

PODCAST: AFuzion CEO Vance Hilderman Talks Aviation Engineering Advancements, Jobs and New Technologies

AFuzion CEO Vance Hilderman is the guest on this episode.

On this episode of the Connected Aviation Intelligence Podcast, Vance Hilderman, CEO of Afuzion, discusses advances in aircraft technologies and some aviation engineering trends for 2022.

Hilderman is founder and CEO the CEO of Afuzion, and has also served as the CTO of several companies, he is a world-renowned aviation safety critical technology development and certification author, speaker and industry influencer. He joins this episode to give some insights on how commercial aircraft technologies are advancing and a reality check on the adoption of artificial intelligence and machine learning in aviation. We also discuss the future of aviation engineering jobs and why, despite the impact of COVID, the aviation industry has a growing need for engineers across multiple disciplines.

Listen to this episode below, or check it out on iTunes or Google Play If you like the show, subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes as soon as they’re released.

The post PODCAST: AFuzion CEO Vance Hilderman Talks Aviation Engineering Advancements, Jobs and New Technologies appeared first on Aviation Today.

AutoFlight’s Prosperity I Performs Proof-of-Concept Transition Test Flight

AutoFlight’s eVTOL, the Prosperity I, successfully performed a transition test flight, moving from vertical take-off to horizontal flight and back to vertical motion for landing. (Photo: AutoFlight)

AutoFlight, a startup developing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, completed a proof-of-concept transition test flight with its Prosperity I last month. This test flight, which demonstrated the aircraft’s ability to move from vertical take-off motion to horizontal flight, took place in Jiangsu, China, in AutoFlight’s flight test area.

The startup is one of the first eVTOL companies worldwide to successfully complete a transition flight—only one other 4-seater eVTOL aircraft has achieved this. The aircraft was unmanned during the flight test, but the vehicle is designed to carry three passengers in addition to a pilot.

The company hopes to achieve manned flight certification in Europe by the year 2025, and completing this transition flight was an important milestone towards that goal. The Prosperity I eVTOL is being developed for transporting passengers within cities, or for connecting trips between two nearby cities or airports. The company intends for its services to eventually cost the same as a taxi ride, and to provide the same level of safety—as AutoFlight put it, “clean, safe, quiet, and affordable airborne transportation for everyone.”

In the transition phase of AutoFlight’s test flight, “the rotors on the top stopped spinning and locked in a streamlined position, while the propellers in the rear pushed the aircraft forward like a traditional fixed-wing plane,” according to the company. The CEO, Tian Yu, remarked that the Prosperity I aircraft was able to complete the transition phase smoothly and safely.

Prosperity I is one of only two 4-seater eVTOL aircraft to date that have completed a transition test flight. (Photo: AutoFlight)

AutoFlight Europe’s Managing Director, Mark Henning, commented on the engineering team’s confidence as they progress in development of Prosperity I. “The simplicity of AutoFlight’s design lies in our patented ‘Lift and Cruise’ configuration, which combines superior range and safety with low technical complexity, making it affordable to manufacture, maintain and operate as an air taxi.”

Founding Partner Christian Koenig shared that the company plans to make both manned and unmanned eVTOL aircraft. One of the competitive advantages of Prosperity I is its configuration which is less technically complex than others on the market. “The intention is to combine a very simple but robust aircraft configuration, pair that with an established supply base, and [take advantage of] the production costs in China,” he told Avionics. In addition to working towards EASA certification by 2025, another long-term goal for the company is to obtain certifications for all key markets.

A video from AutoFlight featuring the transition test flight was just released by the company. According to the video, the aircraft performing the test will be the final design of Prosperity I. AutoFlight’s aircraft range will be 250 kilometers and will have a cruising speed of 200 km per hour.

AutoFlight’s mission is to provide “clean, safe, quiet, and affordable airborne transportation for everyone.” (Photo: AutoFlight)

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Jaunt Air Mobility and Avports Partner to Advance eVTOL Integration

Jaunt Air Mobility and Avports will work together to advance the integration of eVTOL aircraft and carbon-neutral air mobility operations. (Photo: Jaunt)

Avports and Jaunt Air Mobility recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to coordinate in the integration of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft into the aviation ecosystem. Avports joined Jaunt’s infrastructure alliance, Access Skyways, which was created to address some of the critical challenges in urban air mobility (UAM) that may arise over the next decade. The new partnership will expand Avports’ efforts to introduce an environmentally friendly option for commuting and accelerate progress towards carbon neutrality.

The Access Skyways alliance was started just about a year and a half ago. Jaunt’s Chief Commercial Officer, Simon Briceno, explained in an interview with Avionics what Jaunt and its partners hope to achieve with Access Skyways. “As an OEM of an eVTOL, we realized very quickly that, in talking with potential customers, there were some areas of the operations that really needed the expertise from other organizations.” They particularly saw the need for expertise related to UAM infrastructure. In order for eVTOL aircraft to begin successful commercial operations and integrate into the existing ecosystem, operators will need to be able to charge the vehicles frequently and efficiently.

Jaunt reached out to organizations that were experienced in the infrastructure space, including BAE Systems, Price Systems, and PS&S—which had experience in designing vertiports as well as partnering with Uber Elevate. They began talking with Avports because of the company’s experience in managing existing airport operations. “These organizations come together and bring the experience and expertise that we need to help our customers—existing aviation operators, part 135 operators, or future eVTOL operators—to address some of those challenges,” Briceno commented.

Pictured from left to right are Arturo Garcia, Avports COO; Jorge Roberts, Avports CEO, Martin Peryea, Jaunt CEO; and Simon Briceno, Jaunt’s Chief Commercial Officer. (Photo: Jaunt)

Arturo Garcia, Chief Operating Officer at Avports, also shared some perspectives on their contribution to the Access Skyways alliance. For the last five years, he said, it has been clear that eVTOL flight is a main part of the developing advanced air mobility (AAM) industry, and coordination and understanding will be integral to the successful implementation in the coming years.

He remarked that eVTOL aircraft have evolved very rapidly to meet the demand for sustainable flight. “We have new opportunities for ground infrastructure, such as vertiports. That is something we have been very involved with, along with the Jaunt team: working to facilitate that integration into airports,” said Garcia. He also highlighted Avports’ expertise in specific aspects of ground infrastructure such as permits, public acceptance, and interaction with the communities.

Jaunt’s Simon Briceno noted that the company takes a very realistic approach to planning and implementing initial operations. “We do not intend to need any new infrastructure for landing/take-off facilities on day one of operations,” he said. There is a lot of existing infrastructure, including over 5,000 airports in the U.S. used for general aviation. In the near-term, Briceno explained, more than 90% of the key elements that Jaunt will need to begin operations are already in place—mainly under-utilized airports and heliports near large cities—based on their analysis and modeling of ridership demand. “Our aircraft will be flying in today’s airspace under today’s rules,” he commented.

Jaunt and Avports both prioritize sustainability and environmentally-friendly integration of eVTOL aircraft into the existing airspace. (Photo: Jaunt)

Jaunt’s eVTOL aircraft, pictured above, takes off and lands like a helicopter, and it transitions to forward flight like a traditional fixed-wing aircraft.

When considering direct costs for operating an aircraft, Briceno said, Jaunt is able to significantly reduce two components: the cost of fuel itself and maintenance. Because eVTOL aircraft have fewer moving parts and less complex systems, “we’re able to flow down those savings in direct operating costs to ticket price,” he explained. Additionally, as operations ramp up, the cost for customers will decrease. Jaunt’s priorities include sustainable power generation as well as offering an affordable method of transportation.

One of Avports’ priorities in recent years has also been sustainability. Arturo Garcia emphasized the importance of having the right strategy in place as they replace existing aircraft with low-emission or zero-emission alternatives over time. Part of that strategy will include providing power that is environmentally friendly and renewable. This could include installing photovoltaic solar panels at airports, said Garcia, or “creating additional [methods for] providing thermal power—using geothermal strategies including hydrogen- and fuel cell-operated vehicles and tools in order to provide that zero-emission framework for overall operations.”

Another important factor for electric aircraft is having additional resilience from an external power supply to recharge their batteries. A reliable power source will be necessary, and will ideally be produced as sustainably and efficiently as possible. Continuity of power will also be important for electric aircraft—making sure that operations and services are not interrupted due to older existing infrastructure or extreme weather.

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Monthly Archives: February 2022