July 2022 - Aviation, Inflight and Aero Connectivity Consultants

Dassault Falcon 8X Dual Head-Up Display Installation Certified by EASA, FAA

The FAA and EASA have issued regulatory approval for the installation of a dual head-up display installation in Dassault’s Falcon 8X business jet. (Photo courtesy of Dassault)

Dassault has achieved civil aviation regulatory approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for the installation of a dual head-up display (HUD) modification for its Falcon 8X business jet.

The EASA and FAA approvals were issued for FalconEye, developed by Elbit Systems and first certified as in a single HUD configuration on the Falcon 2000LXS/S and 900LX in 2016. FalconEye is the industry’s first HUD to fuse separate synthetic database-driven terrain mapping and enhanced thermal and low-light camera images in the same display. It is also the first HUD to allow pilots to adjust the split between a synthetic vision system (SVS) and enhanced flight vision system (EFVS) imaging areas.

Carlos Brana, executive vice president, civil aircraft at Dassault Aviation, says the regulatory approval “results in enhanced safety and more capability for Falcons equipped with Dassault’s industry-first FalconEye technology.”

Dassault also has plans for certifying the dual HUD option on the Falcon 6X, due to enter service mid-2023, and on the ultra-long range Falcon 10X, planned for certification in late 2025. Some 8X operators have already scheduled installations for the dual HUD modification.

The French business jet manufacturer also expects the dual HUD configuration to ultimately permit the use of “an EFVS-to-land capability in near zero-zero conditions, pending new EASA regulations.”

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AirAsia Continues Pursuit of Future eVTOL Operations with Skyports Partnership

AirAsia has signed a one-year partnership with Skyports to study the feasibility of deploying eVTOL infrastructure in Malaysia. (Photo courtesy of AirAsia)

AirAsia has taken its latest step toward the future development of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL), signing a letter of intent (LOI) with Skyports to deploy air taxi infrastructure in Malaysia.

The partnership between Capital A Bhd.’s low cost airline subsidiary and Skyports comes following AirAsia’s launch of an Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) division and commitment to leasing 100 VX4 eVTOL aircraft from Avolon in February. Skyports, the London-based eVTOL infrastructure developer, has included a one-year partnership in the LOI where it will partner with AirAsia on feasibility studies for the deployment of eVTOL vertiports in Malaysia.

As part of its leasing agreement signed with Avolon in February, AirAsia also launched an Advanced Air Mobility division, which the airline says has tasked with establishing commercial applications for eVTOLs, drones and other emerging technologies. The division has also launched a drone pilot training program under a Certificate of Approval (COA) received from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) in January.

Avolon’s eVTOL leasing agreement with AirAsia is the result of an order for 500 VX4 eVTOL aircraft from Vertical Aerospace placed by the Ireland-based aircraft leasing company last year.

Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A, on the left, and Dómhnal Slattery, CEO of Avolon, signed a leasing agreement for 100 VX4 eVTOL aircraft in February. (Photo courtesy of AirAsia)

Malaysia’s capital city, Kuala Lumpur, will be the initial focus of the eVTOL infrastructure study conducted by AirAsia and Skyports.

“Following the announcement of our venture into the urban air taxi service earlier this year, we have been working around the clock to explore its feasibility in Malaysia,” AirAsia Head of Advanced Air Mobility, Captain Ling Liong Tien, said in a statement. “This partnership with Skyports will accelerate the review of the infrastructure including vertical take-off and landing platforms in the country as well as strengthen our potential as a zero-emissions ultra-short-haul air travel provider in Southeast Asia.”

Skyports has continued to pursue partnerships with key eVTOL aircraft makers, airlines, and air navigation service providers in different cities and countries across the globe this year. The eVTOL infrastructure startup is one of the companies participating in the U.K. government-funded Advanced Mobility Ecosystem Consortium that has been awarded a £9.5 million grant to develop the “essential building blocks” of an AAM ecosystem in the U.K.

Embraer’s Eve Urban Air Mobility (UAM) subsidiary and Skyports are also part of a consortium that includes L3Harris to develop a concept of operations for future eVTOL infrastructure to be deployed in Miami.

Yun-Yuan Tay, the leader of Skyports’ Asia Pacific operations, calls AirAsia “a powerhouse airline operator that brings great synergy to our work at Skyports.”

“This partnership highlights the steady progress of AAM development and interest in Malaysia and the wider APAC region,” Tay said.

The post AirAsia Continues Pursuit of Future eVTOL Operations with Skyports Partnership appeared first on Aviation Today.

JetBlue Expects to Close Acquisition of Spirit Airlines by 2024

JetBlue reached a new merger agreement to acquire Spirit Airlines for $3.8 billion, the two airlines said in a July 28 announcement. (Photo courtesy of JetBlue)

JetBlue Airways on Thursday announced a definitive merger agreement to acquire the Spirit Airlines for $3.8 billion, an acquisition still subject to regulatory approval that the New York-based carrier expects to officially close by 2024.

The merger agreement comes a day after Spirit terminated a previous merger agreement reached with Frontier in February. If the acquisition of Spirit clears regulatory approvals, the combination would create the fifth largest airline in the U.S., behind American, Delta, United, and Southwest.

Merging the two airlines would result in an all-Airbus fleet of 458 in-service aircraft with 300 outstanding orders, JetBlue notes. According to the merger agreement, JetBlue would bring its “JetBlue Experience” to all of the aircraft in the combined operational fleet.

Robin Hayes, chief executive officer for JetBlue, said the combined carrier will “advance our shared goal of disrupting the industry to bring down fares from the Big Four airlines.”

An image posted to the Spirit Airlines Facebook page notes that under a combined operation, JetBlue and Spirit Airlines would serve 77 million total passengers. (Photo, courtesy of Spirit Airlines)

JetBlue estimates that as the fifth largest airline, it would potentially control 9% of the market for passenger-carrying commercial airline flights operated in the U.S.

Ted Christie, president and chief executive officer, Spirit, commenting on the potential merger, said it would create the “the most compelling national low-fare challenger to the dominant U.S. carriers.”

“Bringing our two airlines together will be a game changer,” Christie adds.

Once approved, the combined airline would employ 34,000 total crew members, and JetBlue has also committed to “insourcing” some of the labor that Spirit currently has outsourced in certain cities. Based on December 2022 schedules, JetBlue expects the acquisition to help expand its operations to 1,700 daily flights to more than 125 destinations in 30 countries.

The merger agreement for the two airlines comes several weeks after JetBlue announced updates on some of the slots and routes operated on its new transatlantic operations to London. Spirit also recently introduced in-flight internet service to passengers for the first time.

Both airlines will continue to operate independently until the merger clears all regulatory approvals.

The post JetBlue Expects to Close Acquisition of Spirit Airlines by 2024 appeared first on Aviation Today.

Zipline and MultiCare Health System Partner to Launch Washington State’s First Commercial Drone Deliveries

A new partnership between Zipline and MultiCare Health System aims to launch drone delivery services for transporting medical supplies in 2024. (Photo: Zipline)

Autonomous electric drone developer Zipline recently announced a partnership with MultiCare Health System for launching the first commercial drone delivery operations in the state of Washington. MultiCare, a not-for-profit healthcare organization, will be able to use Zipline’s drones for delivering medical supplies throughout MultiCare’s network of hospitals, offices, and laboratories. The services will start in the Tacoma area before expanding elsewhere in the state.

Zipline expects to begin drone deliveries in 2024 following regulatory approvals. In partnership with MultiCare, Zipline will continue drone delivery operations for a duration of two years.

In June, Zipline was awarded its Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration. This authorizes the company “to complete the longest range on-demand drone deliveries in the U.S.,” Conor French, Zipline’s General Counsel, shared with Avionics International in an emailed statement. The initial certification allows for operations in North Carolina, and French explains that their team will work closely with the FAA in order to continue growing operations and enabling drone deliveries in other regions.

The engineering team at Zipline consistently designs, prototypes, and tests new technologies. One of their recent developments is a detect-and avoid system that uses acoustic-based technology to equip their drones “with 360-degree awareness over a range of 2,000 meters, allowing us to navigate the airspace safely and effectively,” according to French.

The solution utilizes an array of microphones that are situated on the wing of the aircraft. These microphones can differentiate between sound profiles and communicate that information for the aircraft to then determine the best course of action.

“We found that all the other technology solutions were too expensive because they were over-engineered, too infrastructure-heavy, or not precise enough to meet the regulatory requirements we were seeing, based on conversations we were having with regulators,” explained Okeoma Moronu, Head of Aviation Regulatory and Legal Affairs at Zipline, in a recent interview with Avionics.

Zipline has launched deliveries in Kannapolis, North Carolina, where the company has a distribution center. Two healthcare organizations, Magellan Rx Management and Novant Health, are able to use Zipline’s services for delivery of specialty medications directly to patients’ homes. These drone deliveries are “helping reduce barriers to care for patients and increase medication adherence,” French stated.

A Zipline distribution center located in North Carolina (Photo: Zipline)

Another major healthcare organization in North Carolina that uses Zipline’s delivery services is Cardinal Health. They are able to use the drones to quickly deliver products to pharmacies as needed, resulting in fewer scenarios where a patient’s medication is out of stock.

Conor French shared that the company has signed a partnership agreement with Intermountain Healthcare for delivery of specialty pharmaceuticals to patient homes. “Ultimately, our goal is to serve 90% of people in the Salt Lake City metro area, and we expect to begin deliveries later this year,” he explained.

Zipline operates at a national scale in Ghana and Rwanda. They perform deliveries to thousands of health facilities and can transport hundreds of different medical products. “We also recently began deliveries in Nigeria, and will soon begin delivering in Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire,” according to French.

Pictured above is a doctor in Rwanda, where Zipline performs drone deliveries to transport medical supplies to health facilities across the country.

The drones developed by Zipline have a range of 100 miles and can fly efficiently in all types of weather. French noted that one distribution center can provide services throughout a region with an area of 7,800 square miles or more—”roughly one-and-a-half times the size of Connecticut.”

Zipline’s ability to scale up by adding distribution centers has enabled the company’s operational success across Rwanda and Ghana.

The drone developer’s operations have also launched in Asia. As of last year, the Toyota Tsusho Corporation uses the delivery drone system for the on-demand distribution of medical supplies for health facilities in Japan’s Gotō Islands. Toyota Tsusho made investments into Zipline in 2018, and the companies also partnered for deliveries of medical products in Ghana.

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Archer Selects Honeywell’s Flight Control Actuation Technologies For Its eVTOL

Archer has selected Honeywell to provide the flight control actuation technology that will go into its eVTOL aircraft. Honeywell has also agreed to provide its Micro VCS thermal management technology. (Photo: Archer)

Archer Aviation revealed this week that Honeywell will supply flight control actuation technology for its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. This technology will enable the 12 tilt 6 configuration of Archer’s vehicle. Honeywell will also provide its thermal management technology which will contribute to a more comfortable in-cabin experience for passengers in the eVTOL.

A few months ago, Archer selected another supplier: Hexcel, a company that provides lightweight composites technology solutions. The Letter of Intent (LOI) was signed by both companies in April. Hexcel was chosen to supply high-performance carbon fiber material to Archer for manufacturing its production aircraft.

Archer also chose yet another supplier earlier this month. The company FACC, according to the agreement, will manufacture key fuselage and wing elements that go into Archer’s production aircraft. FACC specializes in lightweight construction of systems and structures for the aerospace industry. The company’s CEO, Robert Machtlinger, identified Archer as one of the market leaders in the urban air mobility space. “We expect this exciting new area of aviation to show strong growth and we’re thrilled to be part of the journey with such an innovative partner,” he said.

One of Archer’s requirements for the flight controls of its eVTOL is precision. The production aircraft will be operating in highly populated urban environments. Honeywell’s flight control actuators were chosen in part because they enable precise navigation. Their actuators have the capability to accept hundreds of micro adjustments and commands—coming from fly-by-wire computers—per second.

Micro VCS (Vapor Cycle System) is Honeywell’s thermal management system. It is designed to provide air conditioning for the cockpits and cabins of helicopters and urban air mobility (UAM) vehicles. The system can also cool down any heat-generating electronic components and batteries. The Micro VCS technology uses power electronics with Silicon Carbide switches, a high-speed centrifugal compressor, and next-generation refrigerant, according to Honeywell.

The thermal management system has been designed by Honeywell to be up to 35% lighter than a conventional vapor cycle system. This is an advantage for Archer’s eVTOL as well as other UAM vehicles, where every pound of vehicle weight matters. Multiple UAM aircraft developers are collaborating with Honeywell to incorporate the Micro VCS technology into their platforms. And Honeywell already provides a range of avionics, actuation technology, navigation, electric propulsion, radar, and communications systems for eVTOL aircraft.

Archer’s CEO, Adam Goldstein, commented on the new agreement with Honeywell, saying, “Honeywell’s position as an established leader in delivering advanced aerospace technologies will be critical to us delivering on our goal of certifying our production aircraft in 2024.”

Archer’s Maker is a full-scale eVTOL demonstrator aircraft with a maximum speed of 150 mph. (Photo: Archer)

Goldstein added that working with the best aerospace suppliers is crucial for Archer to commercialize its eVTOL aircraft that is as safe as possible.

Archer has already received the Special Airworthiness Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration. The company performed the first successful hover flight with its eVTOL in December 2021. According to a Letter to Shareholders earlier this year, Archer is coordinating with the FAA to complete the G-2 Means of Compliance by the end of 2022.

Archer has also received strong support from United Airlines to develop its eVTOL. United agreed to purchase 200 eVTOL aircraft from Archer last year. In April of this year, the two companies formed a joint advisory committee. This committee will research systems and features to improve eVTOL operations, and it will eventually make recommendations regarding maintenance and operational concepts.

The post Archer Selects Honeywell’s Flight Control Actuation Technologies For Its eVTOL appeared first on Aviation Today.

Hyundai’s Supernal Establishes First eVTOL Development Partnership With EP Systems

Supernal has entered into its first vehicle partnership, with the company Electric Power Systems, for eVTOL battery development. (Photo: Supernal)

Hyundai Motor Group’s Supernal, an advanced air mobility company based in the U.S., recently announced its first vehicle partnership. Supernal and Electric Power Systems have agreed to work together in developing and producing lightweight batteries for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

The partnership, which was made official at the Farnborough International Airshow last week, was also formed to enable the introduction of commercial eVTOL flights. Supernal and EP Systems aim to support further enhancements of aircraft performance for the advanced air mobility (AAM) market.

Jaiwon Shin, Supernal CEO and President of Hyundai Motor Group, commented on the new partnership with EPS, stating that the AAM industry “requires an expansive value chain and many aspects—from battery power to digital infrastructure and passenger experience—require improvements and cross-chain integration to enable progress.”

In addition to collaborating with partners in support of AAM value chain creation, Supernal has developed an eVTOL aircraft concept, which was on display at the Farnborough International Airshow.

Supernal displayed its eVTOL aircraft concept at the Farnborough International Airshow. (Photo: Supernal)

Supernal aims to achieve certification for commercial operations of its eVTOL by 2028. The eVTOL concept designed by Supernal’s team offers five seats and prioritizes a low vehicle weight along with overall safety and a comfortable interior.

Supernal’s new partner, EP Systems, develops electric propulsion systems for a variety of industries including aerospace, defense, automotive, and marine. NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing, Bell Textron, Embraer, Safran, and Aura Aero are some of EP Systems’ current customers. EP Systems was also recently selected to develop and manufacture the battery system for SkyDrive’s SD-05 air taxi.

EPiC Power is one of the solutions available from EP Systems—a 180Wh/kg lithium-ion battery system designed for eVTOL and hybrid aircraft. Another solution is the EPiC Energy system, with an energy density of 205Wh/kg. That system is tailored for use in all-electric aircraft, including eVTOLs.

Through its partnership with Supernal, EP Systems aims to support technological advancements that enable broad adoption of eVTOL aircraft, according to the company’s Chief Technology Officer, Michael Armstrong. “The requirements for the battery system of an eVTOL vary based on the design of the vehicle,” he said during an interview with Avionics International. “For some vehicles, the power requirements are very high because of the way they’ve designed the vehicle, while others may be a bit lower.”

The approach that EP Systems uses is developing a solution that meets the requirements of as many platforms as possible, Armstrong explained. “They all need cycle life, and they also all need energy density. The longer a battery can stay on the aircraft—the maximum number of flights it can perform—is extremely important.”

Increased cycle life and high energy density are two important factors for designing batteries to power eVTOL aircraft. (Photo: Supernal)

Now that eVTOL developers have demonstrated the viability of the concept, and proven that these kinds of aircraft can fly, the focus has shifted to economics and lowering the cost of ownership. One of the most effective ways to accomplish this is extending the cycle life of the batteries.

The other objective is improving energy density in batteries for eVTOL aircraft. The team at EP Systems expects that the energy density of their batteries will improve rapidly. “We’re looking at transitioning to cells within the next few years that get up to 350Wh/kg, which brings module energy density up to the mid- to upper-200s range at the fully packaged level,” Armstrong said.

“Some eVTOLs really unlock their potential when we get to 400+ watt-hours per kilogram at the cell level. We’re still a few years away from that, but we’re making steady progress towards it.”

Once commercial eVTOL operations begin, it will be vital to charge the aircraft quickly while maintaining or increasing cycle life. EP Systems is “developing technologies to unlock fast charging potential, and at the same time not lose cycle life,” Armstrong noted. “Our batteries can be charged for turnaround times of about 20–30 minutes, from a long-range mission perspective.”

He also mentioned another solution developed by EP Systems that will benefit eVTOL operations: a mobile microgrid truck. This vehicle will enable charging of electric aircraft at airports. It’s an ideal solution for airports that are not able to establish in-ground charging infrastructure immediately. Instead of setting up a permanent charging station, the microgrid truck will be able to move to where the aircraft is. It could enable eVTOL operators to quickly adopt the technology regardless of infrastructure-related constraints.

EP Systems also had their mobile microgrid truck on display at this week’s EAA AirVenture Oshkosh airshow in Wisconsin.

“The mobile microgrid acts as a corollary to the fuel truck. It provides energy at the point of charge,” Armstrong explained. Setting up in-ground infrastructure can be both difficult and expensive. The batteries integrated onto the truck could be charged at or outside the airport as needed. This concept was developed to leverage use of batteries that can no longer be used on the aircraft itself. The mobile microgrid lowers energy costs and maximizes the value of older batteries that are still functioning.

The post Hyundai’s Supernal Establishes First eVTOL Development Partnership With EP Systems appeared first on Aviation Today.

PODCAST: OneWeb, SpaceX, and Telesat Answer LEO In-Flight Connectivity Questions

Philippe Scherlet, Vice President of Aviation, Telesat, pictured here during his appearance on a panel discussion from the 2022 Connected Aviation Intelligence Summit, is one of the three guests on this episode. Other guests include executives from SpaceX and OneWeb.

On this episode of the Connected Aviation Intelligence Podcast, executives from OneWeb, SpaceX, and Telesat discuss the future of Low Earth Orbit (LEO)-powered in-flight connectivity for commercial airlines and business jet operators during an hour-long session at the 2022 Connected Aviation Intelligence Summit.

Would LEO satellite networks be capable of providing connectivity to every airborne aircraft in U.S. airspace simultaneously at any given time in the future? Will more airlines be receptive to SpaceX’s direct-to-airline LEO IFC equipment and service business model? What type of connection speeds and improvements in latency can LEO provide for connected in-flight passenger sessions? Will LEO satellites provide connectivity to airlines that fly polar routes?

During this exciting session recorded live during the Connected Aviation Intelligence Summit last month, the following executives answer the above listed questions and more:

Jonathan Hofeller, VP, Starlink Commercial Sales, SpaceX
Philippe Scherlet, VP, Aviation, Telesat
Jason Sperry, Market Development Director, Business Aviation, OneWeb

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: OneWeb, SpaceX, and Telesat Answer LEO In-Flight Connectivity Questions appeared first on Aviation Today.

DFS Declares Global Debut of GBAS CAT II Operations at Frankfurt Airport

An A380 lands at Frankfurt Airport in Germany, where DFS is now supporting GBAS CAT II approaches and landings. (Photo courtesy of DFS)

Airlines that fly to Frankfurt Airport can now use the Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) deployed there for category II (CAT II) landings, making it the world’s first airport to support GBAS CAT II operations, according to DFS, the German air navigation service provider (ANSP).

DFS first deployed GBAS at Frankfurt in 2014, and airlines have been able to use the digital precision landing system since then—under good visibility or CAT I conditions. Now, thanks to an upgrade made to the GBAS station deployed at Frankfurt by DFS, airlines for the first time can use GBAS even in poor weather conditions.

GBAS is a technology that the Federal Aviation Administration describes as a ground-based station that is tasked with correcting the Global Positioning System (GPS) signals used by aircraft within the vicinity of an airport to “improve the accuracy of, and provide integrity for, these aircrafts’ GPS navigational position.” The GBAS system deployed in Frankfurt, Honeywell’s SmartPath, supports up to 48 different approach combinations to various runways from a single ground station.

In emailed statements provided to Avionics International, Olaf Weber, GBAS product manager for DFS, said that the German ANSP demonstrated the feasibility of GLS (GBAS Landing System) approaches and landings down to CAT II under a collaboration with Lufthansa and Airbus as part of a Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) project called “Demonstration of Runway Enhanced Approaches Made with Satellite Navigation” (DREAMS). An upgrade made to the GBAS station allowed DFS to publish the GLS CAT II procedures with “3° and 3.2° glideslope,” according to Weber.

The GBAS antenna at Frankfurt Airport. “A lot of Boeing models are already equipped and approved for the GLS CAT II service. Airbus is currently working on approval for its aircraft types.” – Olaf Weber, GBAS Product Manager, DFS.

GBAS technology is also less expensive to maintain and operate compared to the traditional Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) used at most airports, mainly because it requires an individual ILS for each runway. That compares to GBAS which requires one ground station that features four GPS antennas, a computer, and a VHS transmitter capable of managing approaches and landings for every runway at the airport.

“A major challenge for differential GPS systems like GBAS is their sensitivity to spatial de-correlation due to variation in ionosphere delay between aircraft and the GBAS ground station. Therefore, DFS has integrated an [satellite based augmentation system] SBAS receiver to the GBAS ground station,” Weber said. “By adding an SBAS receiver to the GBAS ground station, it allows the station to make use of the navigational service EGNOS regarding ionospheric corrections and assures specific continuity requirements. In this way, the station supports CAT II operations based on amplified CAT I (GAST C) equipment.”

In order to fly the GBAS landings at Frankfurt or any airport that features GBAS ground stations, an aircraft needs to be equipped with a Multi-Mode Receiver (MMR), which Weber says most new in-production Boeing models feature already. Still, the number of aircraft properly equipped to fly GBAS landings at Frankfurt is relatively low.

According to ICAO, some of the main benefits derived from using GBAS for airlines include fuel savings, noise reduction, and more flexible flight paths for approaches and landings.

“The current GBAS equipage rate at Frankfurt Airport is about 10 percent,” he said, adding that “It is the world’s first GBAS CAT II service. Airlines, ANSPs and manufacturers have been collaborating on a worldwide scale. SESAR and the FAA’s NextGen programmes are working towards replacing ILS with ground-based augmentation systems.”

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Ampaire’s Hybrid-Electric Demonstrator Performs 1,135-Mile Nonstop Flight

Following a 1,880-mile journey, Ampaire’s EEL demonstrator aircraft landed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on July 22. (Photo: Ampaire)

Ampaire, the hybrid-electric aircraft developer based in Los Angeles, announced completion of a successful 1,135-mile-long nonstop flight with its EEL demonstrator aircraft. The company claims that this journey is the single longest nonstop flight performed by a hybrid-electric aircraft. The EEL, piloted by Elliot Seguin, flew a total distance of 1,880 miles from Camarillo Airport in California to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, from July 20–22.

The biggest challenge, according to Dr. Susan Ying, Ampaire’s SVP of Global Partnerships, was finding charging capabilities along the route. “Unlike Elon Musk, who built his own charge points, we don’t have that kind of money. But we are teaming up with partners such as B&V [Black & Veatch] to work on the infrastructure,” Dr. Ying told Avionics International in an emailed statement.

The hybrid-electric EEL testbed aircraft is a retrofit of the Cessna 337 (Skymaster) and can transport three passengers. (Photo: Ampaire)

Ampaire and Black & Veatch announced last month that their teams will collaborate to identify opportunities to develop airport electrification. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) includes the intent to leverage solar and energy storage to create clean-energy-powered charging at airports.

Ampaire retrofits planes with hybrid-electric propulsion systems, such as the DHC Twin Otter. The company expects to receive a supplemental type certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration in 2023, and has been targeting 2024 for beginning passenger service.

Ampaire’s Eco Caravan model (Photo: Ampaire)

The technology and expertise resulting from the EEL aircraft will be applied to Ampaire’s hybrid-electric Eco Caravan, the company’s first commercial product and an upgrade to the current Cessna Grand Caravan. The Eco Caravan will be a regional aircraft with a nine-seat design, and it has the potential to achieve fuel savings of as much as 70%. Dr. Ying confirmed that the Eco Caravan will take flight for the first time by the end of 2022.

Ampaire’s team intends to scale up its technology for larger regional aircraft, according to the company’s announcement. The next aircraft model that Ampaire intends to develop would be a 19-passenger airplane with two engines, Dr. Ying shared.

Ampaire also announced a key supplier for its Eco Caravan’s hybrid-electric propulsion system this week. The RED Aircraft AO3 series compression ignition engine rated to 405 kW, or 550 hp, in an integrated parallel configuration will be used to provide the base power for the Eco Caravan. Ampaire’s electrical system will provide the peak power for the aircraft.

RED Aircraft and Ampaire have signed an MOU to commercialize electric-propulsion aircraft. Ampaire intends to develop and certify propulsion systems for applications up to 800 hp. RED Aircraft’s objective is to develop and certify engine subsystems that are compatible with Jet A/sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and supply the subsystems to Ampaire.

According to the announcement, the thermodynamic efficiency provided by the RED engine is a significant improvement upon a comparable turboprop engine. And because the RED engine is compatible with SAF, the aircraft could potentially reach net zero carbon emissions. Ampaire also claims that operating costs of the Eco Caravan are 25% to 40% lower.

Ampaire’s CEO, Kevin Noertker, commented on the choice of RED Aircraft as a key supplier for their hybrid-electric aircraft: “The modern, powerful and ultra-fuel-efficient RED engines have exactly the right characteristics for the Eco Caravan’s hybrid-electric propulsion system and for many other upgrades or all-new designs we may pursue.”

The company plans to build hybrid-electric aircraft “well beyond 800 hp,” Dr. Ying told Avionics.

Ampaire’s hybrid-electric Cessna 337 Skymaster performed its first test flight three years ago at Camarillo Airport. The aircraft included one 210 hp engine and one electric motor to reduce emissions and operating costs. The 337 aircraft performed additional flights as part of the FAA’s flight test program throughout the summer of 2019, recording data related to its propulsion characteristics.

“The most practical way to achieve an all-electric future is to jump start the market with a partially-electric present,” Ampaire CEO Kevin Noertker remarked, saying that the modified Cessna 337 was the company’s first step towards the goal of a larger hybrid- or fully-electric aircraft.

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Dronamics CEO Talks Scaling Manufacturing and Launch of Cargo Drones

Dronamics, developer of large cargo drones, recently gained a new manufacturing partner—Quickstep Holdings—to manufacture its aircraft in Australia. (Photo courtesy of Dronamics)

The company Dronamics, headquartered in Bulgaria, is the developer and operator of a large cargo drone called the Black Swan. At the Farnborough International Airshow last week, Dronamics announced a new partnership with Quickstep, which became its first strategic manufacturing partner. Quickstep Holdings, an Australian aerospace composites business, will manufacture the cargo drones at its facilities in New South Wales.

Dronamics claims to be the first cargo drone company to receive a European drone airline license, also known as the light UAS operator certificate (LUC) that is granted individually by European national aviation authorities. The company’s strategy includes launching commercial operations in Europe by the end of 2022 and entering the market in Australia in 2023.

The Black Swan drone is designed as a fixed-wing aircraft that can take off and land at runways of at least 400 meters in length. It can operate on 100% synthetic fuel, and according to the company, it “can carry up to 350 kg of cargo at a distance of up to 2,500 km at up to 80% lower cost than any aircraft in existence.” Maximum speed is estimated to be 200 km/hour, or 125 mph. The Black Swan is designed for same-day deliveries, and could be used to quickly transport goods for a variety of industries like healthcare, telecom, manufacturing, or retail.

Svilen Rangelov, co-founder and CEO of Dronamics, explained in an interview with Avionics International that their business model includes continuing to operate as a cargo drone airline. The Black Swan vehicle has been in development for almost eight years, he added. While Dronamics will have a prototyping facility in Bulgaria, external manufacturing partners will mass-produce the vehicles for specific regions, Rangelov shared.

Svilen Rangelov, pictured above, is the co-founder and CEO of Dronamics. (Photo: Dronamics)

“Australia is a very interesting region for us and for our customers,” he said. The Black Swan cargo drone will be the largest autonomous cargo vehicle that Quickstep is partnering with to manufacture. The details of the contract between Dronamics and Quickstep will be determined in the next few months, and Rangelov confirmed that the first Black Swan drone will come off the Quickstep production line sometime in 2023.

The Dronamics team’s strategy was “to create a new type of vehicle that’s more efficient to produce and more efficient to operate than existing technology,” Rangelov remarked. They are now in the final stages of testing the full-scale airplane, and the first flight will take place this year, he added. It has been a fairly long process in part because of the need to keep cargo transportation solutions at a lower price point.

Three years ago, Dronamics had about 20 to 25 employees. Rangelov shared that the company’s staff today is about 140.

In May, the company received an LUC that enables self-authorization of flight operations, including beyond visual line of sight, or BVLOS. Dronamics simultaneously announced their intent to begin commercial flights out of Malta and Italy later this year.

“We’re the seventh company to obtain such an LUC in Europe, but the first one for a cargo-carrying machine,” stated Rangelov. As soon as they conclude the flight testing program, Dronamics will be able to fly commercially, he added.

When commercial operations launch, they will begin with one drone and slowly add more aircraft. They won’t be putting out 1,000 drones all at once, Rangelov explained. “That’s why it’s important to get the manufacturing partnerships in place now, so that by the time we gain that operational experience, the vehicles will be coming off the production lines.”

“The Dronamics solution could well revolutionize the middle-mile cargo delivery sector and this partnership gives Quickstep the opportunity to provide our engineering and manufacturing expertise into delivering a large sophisticated cargo drone.” – Mark Burgess, CEO of Quickstep (Photo: Dronamics)

In 2023, the Dronamics team will focus on initial operations over a limited number of routes and a more limited scope of operations. The challenge, according to Rangelov, will be keeping up with the operational and manufacturing schedule once they launch. Over the next few years, they will work on scaling operations in other markets and gaining approvals outside of the EU.

“It’s something that needs to be tested and validated in the real world. That’s why we wanted to partner with someone who is really experienced with that, like Quickstep, so we can minimize risk,” he said.

Towards the end of 2020, Dronamics announced the establishment of agreements with five airports in Europe. The company planned to deploy its droneport equipment at the selected airports, including a set of cameras, antennas, and ground control equipment. Sweden’s Skövde Airport, the Seinäjoki airport in Finland, and the Osijek Airport in Croatia were three airports that entered into agreements with Dronamics. Liège Airport in Belgium and Brescia Airport in Italy also agreed to have Dronamics deploy equipment at their airports.

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Monthly Archives: July 2022