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Batteries for Electric Aviation: A Q&A With the CEO of Cuberg

Northvolt’s subsidiary, Cuberg, is leading a new program for the development of batteries that will power electric aircraft. (Photos: Northvolt/Cuberg)

Cuberg, a subsidiary of Northvolt, is spearheading a new program to develop high-performance batteries for electric aircraft. Cuberg’s team has worked on developing battery technology for the aviation industry since it was founded in 2015. Historically, the company’s focus has been on innovations related to core battery cell chemistry. Now, they are moving beyond the battery cells, or “building blocks,” to become a provider of full battery systems.

Richard Wang, CEO and founder of Cuberg, explained that this means “the entire engineered energy storage system which is a critical piece of certification and, ultimately, is a turnkey solution that any aircraft OEM can integrate into their platforms.”

Richard Wang, CEO of Cuberg

When Northvolt acquired Cuberg, the startup included about 25 employees. “Northvolt has really bought into the vision of developing advanced batteries for aviation,” Wang shared with Avionics. “Given their strong support, we’ve now grown to about 150 people. By the end of this year, [we will] probably grow to almost 250 people. I see Cuberg (and Northvolt) becoming the single most sophisticated and well-resourced battery development organization for aviation.”

He noted that Cuberg is now able to leverage some substantial investments from Northvolt. “They’re investing in this because this is also their future technology roadmap—to deploy to much higher-volume automotive markets. When aviation companies talk about how to leverage the investments and technology of the automotive world to benefit electric aviation and battery technology, I think this is probably one of the most direct manifestations of how leveraging automotive momentum, resources, and capabilities can enable electric aviation to go much, much faster.”

Richard Wang shared his perspective on the company’s new battery development program—as well as the electric aviation industry in general—in a recent interview with Avionics International. Check out our question-and-answer session with Cuberg’s CEO below.

Avionics: Could you explain the significance of the shift from focusing on battery cells to providing full battery packs?

Richard Wang: What we’re seeing is that this kind of turnkey solution, the full system delivery, has been quite attractive for customers to effectively integrate our technology without having to go through the pain of engineering their own battery systems.

It also showcases that our innovation is becoming more and more concrete and practical in terms of commercial deployment, because we have solved a lot of the complexities around integrating the cells into full systems. Even at the system level, we have developed a battery that has 40% more energy per weight than the best lithium-ion systems for aviation right now. That translates into roughly a doubling, or even more, in effective flying range. That really showcases that we are able to deliver this complete solution that enhances aircraft performance in electric aviation.

Cuberg’s aviation module

What challenges or obstacles have come up in the transition?

We decided to move beyond battery cells and into systems [because] many next-generation battery chemistries pose new and different kinds of challenges for system integration—things that are not so familiar to existing lithium-ion battery developers. A few examples of this:

Our battery cells, lithium metal cells, are known to require a little bit more pressure on the face compared to lithium-ion cells. So the mechanical design of our system has to evolve to apply a little extra pressure for optimal cyclability.
How you charge and discharge lithium metal cells and how you manage their operations from an electrical perspective is different. Lithium metal cells need more specialized types of charging and management to extract the best lifetime and reliability. We’ve also developed a battery management system from an electrical perspective to optimize performance.
The FAA’s DO-311 [Minimum Operational Performance Standards for Rechargeable Lithium Battery Systems] requires that you drive battery cells into thermal runaway and show that you’re able to contain that thermal runaway at the cell or at the module level without it further spreading to the rest of the battery system. How thermal runaway occurs with next-gen chemistries is qualitatively different. You need different kinds of materials and different mechanical and thermal designs to facilitate that certifiable design. We have a number of innovations—from a materials and mechanical design perspective—to ensure you can also handle the cell safely from a runaway perspective.

What is your perspective on the current state of electric aviation as it relates to battery advancements?

What we see is a lot of companies that are racing to get through flight demonstration campaigns and through to certifiable first-generation aircraft. Quite consistently across the industry, both for VTOL and CTOL players, the performance range or the practical flying range that they can achieve when the aircraft is fully loaded, with a certifiable aircraft and battery design, and considering reserve requirements from the FAA, the actual usable flying range drops very, very dramatically. Most VTOL [vertical take-off and landing] players are talking about effective flight ranges of well under 50 miles. A lot of other numbers that are being published cannot be achieved with current-gen battery technologies.

Even if you look in the CTOL [conventional take-off and landing] space, for some of the most optimized aircraft platforms, people are probably topping out at around 150 miles. Again, when you’re talking about realistic systems fully loaded with consideration for flight reserves and so forth, what we see is that the flight range with lithium-ion batteries is simply insufficient to really capture significant portions of the market as companies have envisioned for electric aviation.

There is a pathway to market, and companies are pursuing lithium-ion batteries currently, but the markets that they can serve are going to be quite restricted with lithium-ion batteries.

Ultimately, why it’s so critical to have a real breakthrough in battery energy per weight is that it opens up a more useful and effective flying range—you’re getting upwards of 150 miles for VTOL companies, as they originally envisioned, and CTOL players that can fly maybe 300+ miles.

We also see that the sophistication and level of capability around the batteries and battery companies serving aviation is still at a fairly early and immature level. You have a few small startups trying to develop aviation-grade battery systems using standard off-the-shelf lithium-ion cells, and there are a few OEMs trying to develop their own batteries. But when you look at the broader picture of battery technology and sophistication, it goes beyond just “Can you fly?” and even “Can you certify?” to “Do you have a full end-to-end life cycle management of that battery through to end-of-life, recycling, disposal, or second-life applications?”

We’re seeing a need for the broader battery industry to really lean into aviation to help support some of these bigger-picture solutions. A lot of this has been developed in the automotive world to a much higher level of sophistication at this point. The opportunity we see as part of Northvolt, a very large automotive battery manufacturer, is leveraging all of their capabilities that have been vertically integrated and deploying these things for aviation, where having this end-to-end solution solves a quite critical challenge for a lot of OEMs and operators.

Battery manufacturing at Cuberg

How do you see Cuberg’s strategy and priorities evolving in the next five or ten years?

Short-term, we have signed some major development agreements with aircraft manufacturers to deliver full battery packs and systems for ground testing this year and for first flight testing, in both VTOL and CTOL platforms, later next year—that’s our first big step. Based on that, we will then work with more companies that are coming into our pipeline to develop batteries for proper certification programs and work with them for a fully certifiable design. This is in the coming three years.

We anticipate the first certified aircraft using our lithium metal batteries either in late 2026 or perhaps 2027, given how long these certification timelines typically take. 2027 through 2030 is really when we are looking at substantially ramping up our manufacturing capabilities beyond that first wave of certified aircraft towards being able to deliver batteries for many thousands or tens of thousands of aircraft per year, and also to diversify. In addition to supplying manned aviation with CTOL and VTOL, we’ll also be looking at the very exciting heavy cargo drone industry that has significant need for battery innovations, and a few other adjacent segments that are ultimately driven by battery performance.

The post Batteries for Electric Aviation: A Q&A With the CEO of Cuberg appeared first on Avionics International.

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Norwegian Air Shuttle Renews Partnership with Anuvu for IFC Upgrades

Anuvu has announced a renewed partnership with Norwegian Air Shuttle which includes Anuvu upgrading the fleet’s currently-installed IFC hardware with its Dedicated Space technology. (Photo: Norwegian Air Shuttle)

Norwegian Air Shuttle recently renewed its partnership with Anuvu to continue their 12-year-long collaboration. Norwegian is set to become the first customer outside of North America to equip its entire fleet with Anuvu’s Dedicated Space technology.

The Dedicated Space solution, first deployed in 2022, distributes capacity dynamically to passengers based on need. Both existing Boeing 737 NG aircraft and Norwegian’s new 737 MAX will have their existing hardware upgraded.

Nancy Walker, SVP Commercial, Aviation Connectivity at Anuvu, commented on the news in an interview with Avionics International, saying that it’s not simply a renewal of their existing partnership. “There’s so many new aircraft coming into their fleet. It’s really a big win for us because of the size of the new aircraft,” she said. “Norwegian has been a longtime partner of Anuvu, and we’re thrilled to continue that partnership.”

Anuvu’s Dedicated Space technology received a Crystal Cabin award last year for the category recognizing excellence in IFC and digital solutions. According to Walker, this award was a factor in Norwegian Air Shuttle’s decision to renew its partnership with the company. Anuvu used Dedicated Space “to deliver high throughput to aircraft and dedicate specific channels to each aircraft so that they’re not having to share,” she explained.

Norwegian’s equipment onboard its existing fleet was relatively easy to replace, and it wasn’t necessary to remove a lot of hardware, Walker noted. This enabled the company to leverage capital that they already invested in the aircraft.

Another factor in the partnership renewal was that Anuvu’s team deeply understood the goals and the culture at Norwegian Air Shuttle, and they had developed close ties with each other throughout the long-term partnership. “Of course, you can have all the culture and people that you like, but if you can’t give them what they need for their passengers that will carry them forward for years, you’re not going to win,” she added.

Anuvu’s strategy of designing systems to meet the needs of their customers sets them apart from others in the in-flight connectivity market. “Other competitors look at things like, ‘What assets do I have on my books right now that I have to find other users for? How can I make what I have available? How can I get the airline to shift what they need to match what I have to offer?’”

“We look at it the other way: How can we take what the customer wants and design a custom solution for them?” Walker shared. “As the largest lessor of satellites in the mobility space and the fact that we are dedicated to mobility, we uniquely understand those things and can really hear what our customers need.”

“I think it’s the customization that we offer airlines to meet their needs, our ability to knit together exactly what they need in terms of satellite capacity and coverage, that also sets us apart—and our look at using hybrid solutions. What do we offer today, how can that be used in the future, and how do we take LEO, GEO, MEO, and knit them all together to meet the needs of the customer?”

Anuvu is launching its first two MicroGEO satellites from Astranis Space Technologies soon. (Photo: Anuvu)

Anuvu announced earlier this year that, to support development of its constellation, it will lease ground-station infrastructure and antennas from Telesat. Anuvu is also working with MicroGEO satellite builder Astranis Space Technologies on deployment of its all-digital GEO constellation.

Norse Atlantic Airways began featuring in-flight entertainment supplied by Anuvu last year. Southwest Airlines has also invested in Anuvu’s in-flight connectivity network, putting $2 billion into upgrades for its in-service Boeing 737 fleet. New orders will all have Viasat’s Ka-band IFC service installed.

The post Norwegian Air Shuttle Renews Partnership with Anuvu for IFC Upgrades appeared first on Avionics International.

Startup Aerovy is Developing Software to Manage Electric Aircraft Charging

Startup Aerovy Mobility has developed software solutions to assist in planning and setting up charging infrastructure for electric aircraft. (Photo: Electro.Aero)

Aerovy Mobility, a startup newly launched by Purdue University graduate students, is developing software that company founders said will help airports and other entities to plan for and manage electric aircraft charging for advanced air mobility (AAM) vehicles.

“Aerovy software tools help airports and vertiports plan for, and remotely manage, electric aircraft operations,” Aerovy CEO Nick Gunad, a Ph.D. candidate in Purdue’s School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, told Avionics International. “Airports are seeking to overhaul energy infrastructure to support the increase in energy demand—electrification of both ground mobility and aviation.”

Aerovy’s planning software tool called AATLAS will help airports and future vertiport operators identify optimal sites for powering electric aircraft and the necessary assets, including battery storage systems and hydrogen generators, needed at those sites, according to the company. An operational software called VEMS will provide a “live energy management tool that manages the energy that flows through onsite assets and coordinates with the grid and aircraft fleets, minimizing operating cost over time,” Aerovy stated when announcing its launch.

“The AATLAS planning software identifies locations that would attract the most demand so operators would be able to make back their investments quickly,” Gunady explained. “It also assesses the expected usage over time, simulating charging events minute by minute throughout the day. We can size power generation and storage assets, which enables end users to reduce dependence on the grid.”

Gunady added that the VEMS operational software “automatically connects users with all their assets at infrastructure sites, including chargers and off-grid energy systems. Customers will have full control over their infrastructure site without physically needing to be there.”

Gunady said in an interview that “energy will be the greatest barrier to scalability for AAM,” adding: “However, many of the physical assets required for future AAM charging will be similar, if not the same core technologies behind ground mobility charging assets. Aerovy’s software tools allow these assets to be [deployed with] adequate preparation and analysis of expected energy requirements.”

He added the barrier toward electric charging of aircraft is not charging stations, but the assets needed to operate those stations. “AAM charging infrastructure can be installed relatively quickly, but currently a lead time exists for procurement of the necessary assets for charging,” Gunady said. “Aerovy has several hardware partners to provide an end-to-end solution for anyone interested in airport electrification.”

Aerory said it has established partnerships with Altaport, an automation software company based in Salt Lake City; Electro Aero, an electric aviation charging technology company based in Perth, Australia; Greenstar Aviation Partners, an investment firm based in New York; and Skyportz, a developer of vertiport infrastructure based in South Yarra, Australia.

“The company has several memorandums of understanding in place,” Aerovy said.” It is looking to raise funds by the end of 2023.”

Purdue said it is “connected” with the startup.

The post Startup Aerovy is Developing Software to Manage Electric Aircraft Charging appeared first on Avionics International.

Airbus UTM Develops “Fairness Engine” to Enable Equitable Access to Airspace

Ensuring fairness with airspace access is key to enabling uncrewed aircraft and other advanced air mobility vehicles to operate in the same ecosystem as conventional aircraft. (Photo: Airbus UTM)

Key to enabling the integration of uncrewed aircraft systems, or UAS, is establishing equitable access to airspace. Dr. Scot Campbell, Head of Airbus UTM, explained in an interview with Avionics International that they are developing the concept of a fairness engine as part of their research. Essentially, the engine will assign priority fairly to UAS operators and service providers when traffic management conflicts arise.

Airspace fairness has been a central focus for Airbus UTM since its inception. Dr. Campbell remarked that the media focuses more on early implementation of UTM (UAS traffic management) and standards, but managing fairness in the airspace needs to be a priority for the industry.

Airbus UTM has collaborated with multiple organizations to investigate airspace fairness, including Metron Aviation (acquired by Airbus in 2011) and MIT. According to Dr. Campbell, they have found throughout these collaborations that for managing uncrewed air traffic, “you can’t apply what has been done traditionally in the crewed air traffic management arena, where fairness in traditional air traffic management is largely done ‘first-come, first-served.’” The air traffic controller gives priority to the first aircraft that arrives, limiting the chance of midair collisions.

“When we started looking at the uncrewed traffic management architecture and concept, [the first-come, first-served approach] isn’t something that can be directly applied.” He explained that this is because one of the fundamental services involved in UTM is strategic deconfliction. The direct application of this approach for UTM would be “first-requested, first-served.” Someone that plans an operational intent, then, would be given first priority in the airspace.

“You can imagine a number of situations where that isn’t ideal,” Dr. Campbell said, “where you can have a lot of operators that plan in a certain area, not allowing other operators to plan in the same area. Then, there’s not necessarily a guarantee that that operator might even fly. We saw this as a big reason to really understand fairness in the UTM airspace and come up with solutions, to envision ways that fairness can be managed and controlled.”

Though the eventual goal would be to establish a service that controls airspace fairness, it’s necessary to first understand what fairness is and how it can be measured. “How can you have a system that looks at the data exchange within UTM and identifies where there might be inequities in the system?” he asks. “You have to make sure the system is recording the right metrics. That has been an early focus of our work.”

“It’s also really important that we think about this now as UTM systems are being implemented, because we want to make sure, as UTM is rolled out—even at the bleeding edge of this—that we’re monitoring and identifying fairness so that if things aren’t fair, we can do something about it.”

It’s vital to record data such as operators that did not end up flying after making a plan, those that start operating later than their scheduled time, and whether or not they fly the entire volume they had reserved. This information will provide an initial look at how the system is actually being used. “We want to have fairness across the system and to make sure that the airspace is being used as efficiently as possible, but also as equitably as possible,” Dr. Campbell explained.

In an ideal world, a system for UTM would take into consideration how frequently each operator uses a given airspace and adjusts the prioritization equitably. The system should not favor a certain type of use case over another, for example. This becomes more complex when taking into account that use cases such as package delivery or urban air mobility will not always plan operations in advance.

“The fairness engine will monitor various metrics and give priority to the operators so that we are, to the best of our ability, creating a very accessible airspace,” he said.

Dr. Campbell discussed the decentralized nature of UTM systems and the potential impact on managing fairness. “When you decentralize the system with UTM, you have a set of third-party service providers that all provide services to a different set of operators. Those third-party service providers all need to coordinate their planning so that the flights are deconflicted.”

“One third-party service provider can’t [enable] fair and equitable operations within its umbrella. It is really important, in this decentralized architecture, to have a layer that is essentially providing monitoring of fairness across the different service providers. This doesn’t have to be a centralized service; it can be a set of common rules that each of the service providers follows.”

The post Airbus UTM Develops “Fairness Engine” to Enable Equitable Access to Airspace appeared first on Avionics International.

NASA Aerospace Engineer Talks Supersonic Flight

NASA’s Quesst mission is designing and building a research aircraft, the X-59, to make commercial supersonic travel over land possible again. Pictured above is the cockpit view of the external vision system that will be placed in the X-59. (Photo: Lockheed Martin/Garry Tice)

The FAA banned civilian supersonic travel over land in 1973. NASA’s Quesst mission is designing and building a research aircraft, the X-59, utilizing technology to reduce its noise and to help make commercial supersonic travel over land possible again. The team plans to fly the aircraft over various populated areas in the U.S. to collect data, which may be used to write new sound-based rules for supersonic flight over land.

The Quesst mission kicked off with the first phase, aircraft development, in 2018, which will continue until 2024. Phase two includes acoustic validation, and NASA’s team will conduct its community response study—phase three—in 2025 and 2026. Finally, the Quesst mission will share a complete analysis of the community response data with regulators.

The X-1 airplane was the first to fly faster than the speed of sound in 1947. The U.S.’s supersonic transport (SST) program was canceled in 1971, but the Concorde—developed by the UK and France—made supersonic flights across the Atlantic Ocean with passengers up until 2003, when the model was retired.

Avionics International recently caught up with Edward Haering, Aerospace Engineer at the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center in the Research Aerodynamics and Propulsion Branch, to learn more about the Quesst mission. He shared that they intend to fly the X-59 for the first time this year, and they will spend roughly nine months testing out all of the systems to ensure its safety.

An illustration of the X-59 (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

“Every time you have a change in lift or change of volume with a supersonic plane, the wings and the canopy and the tail produce a shockwave,” he explained. “These individual shocks tend to combine with each other, get stronger, and combine into one strong shock at the front and one strong shock at the back.”

The Quesst mission involves working on the X-59 experimental aircraft to keep the individual shocks separated and to prevent them from combining. Ideally, the only sound produced should be a low thud—”kind of like your neighbor across the street slamming their car door,” Haering said. “If you were listening for it, you’d probably hear it, but if you’re doing something else, you may not even notice it.”

The X-59 is the first aircraft where researchers are attempting to keep all of the shockwaves on the plane separated—from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail.

The biggest challenge for the Quesst mission is getting the shape of the plane right. The nose needs to be very sleek, Haering shared, and they want to avoid bumps in the fuselage.

The team is also doing a lot of preparation to make sure that the plane flies safely. Lockheed Martin, who was selected to complete the preliminary design of a demonstrator aircraft in 2016, is designing the X-59 to ensure its safety before transferring it to NASA.

The X-59 has an external vision system, developed by Core Avionics & Industrial, that relies on small cameras and projects onto high-resolution screens. The pilot will use these monitors for forward-facing visibility instead of a front-facing window. “Our pilots say that they see just as well, if not better, with the 4K monitor,” a NASA representative noted.

“We will be doing all kinds of testing, taking pressure measurements very close to the plane and all the way down to the ground to make sure it’s as quiet as we think it’s going to be,” explained Ed Haering.

“Once we prove that it is quiet enough, then we plan to fly over communities,” he said. They will perform flights that produce sounds both louder and softer than the target to see how people respond.

(Photo: NASA)

The target is 75 decibels perceived level, which takes into account the response of the human ear, and other noise metrics will also be computed, Haering shared. That data will then be presented to the FAA and to ICAO. This research will help these organizations to decide what threshold is appropriate.

Allowing supersonic travel over land opens up significant economic opportunity, he said. “Once the rule is changed, aerospace companies could design planes below that level and know that they can fly legally and not disturb a lot of people.”

The post NASA Aerospace Engineer Talks Supersonic Flight appeared first on Avionics International.

“Intelligent” Cabin Experience from Collins Aerospace Nominated for Crystal Cabin Award

Collins Aerospace is nominated for three Crystal Cabin Awards recognizing its InteliSence cabin experience, Pothos cabin air ionizer, and Q-Tech. (Photo: Collins Aerospace)

Collins Aerospace, one of the world’s largest aerospace and defense companies, was named as a finalist for three Crystal Cabin Awards this week. This recognition is given to companies that use innovation and improved technology to develop outstanding improvements in aircraft interiors and passenger experience. Collins was recognized for its InteliSence cabin experience, Pothos cabin air ionizer, and Q-Tech.

The Crystal Cabin Awards recognize outstanding innovations in eight different categories pertaining to aircraft interiors and passenger experience: cabin concepts, cabin systems, health and safety, IFEC and digital services, material and components, passenger comfort, sustainable cabins, and universities. Collins was recognized in the categories of passenger comfort (InteliSence), health and safety (Pothos), and cabin systems (Q-Tech).

InteliSence aims to modernize the onboard experience through the use of sensors and AI technology. These two systems track passenger interactions with various objects within an aircraft suite. This includes items involved with in-flight service like glasses and plates along with passenger’s personal items like cell phones and other electronic devices. This information is then shared with cabin crew, who can then use the information to offer more attentive service by proactively offering things like refills and converting seats to lie-flat beds.

The InteliSence intelligent cabin experience improves operational management. Using the technology, airlines are better able to optimize power usage and enable proactive maintenance. (Photo: Collins Aerospace)

Collins also aims to improve the air quality on commercial aircraft through the introduction of Pothos, a cabin air ionizer. This product deodorizes aircraft cabins by targeting areas more prone to odor because of more air recirculation. Collins claims Pothos can mimic the air quality of pristine outdoor conditions, and points to the system’s compact and lightweight design along with its easy integration with existing aircraft designs as its major selling points.

Collins’ innovative Q-Tech, another Crystal Cabin finalist, uses alternative materials to reduce sound in aircraft cabins. A sound-absorbing “metamaterial,” it can be placed in a variety of strategic locations within the cabin to mitigate certain noises. Galley equipment, seats and even headrests can be outfitted with this new material, which has shown to be 10x more effective in absorbing sound when compared to existing wall panels.

This is not the first time Collins was recognized for innovations in passenger experience. The company has earned 12 Crystal Cabin Awards total. This includes last year, when the company’s thermoelectric cooling system SpaceChiller was awarded the first place prize in the passenger comfort category for its ability to efficiently chill aircraft compartments to a temperature safe for food without the use of refrigerants.

This year’s Crystal Cabin Award winners will be announced on June 6, 2023, at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany. Along with Collins Aerospace’s InteliSence technology, innovations from both Adient Aerospace and Airbus were nominated in the passenger comfort category. Adient Aerospace, in partnership with Boeing EnCore Interiors, began offering a new configuration called the Ascent Front Row Suite that includes a desk, minibar, library, bed, and room for a companion. Airbus has been nominated for its A350 Airspace Cabin that incorporates a new rest compartment for the flight crew as well as larger galleys.

The post “Intelligent” Cabin Experience from Collins Aerospace Nominated for Crystal Cabin Award appeared first on Avionics International.

FAA Updates Its Blueprint for Future Air Taxi Operations

The FAA has taken steps to plan for a smooth integration of advanced air mobility operations through the release of its Urban Air Mobility Concept of Operations 2.0 blueprint. (Photo: FAA)

The introduction and integration of advanced air mobility (AAM) operations, which includes electric air taxis and autonomous vehicles, is one of the challenges currently facing the aviation industry. With a variety of developers inching closer to feasible prototypes and a multitude of operators demonstrating interest in beginning commercial service with AAM aircraft, the Federal Aviation Administration has taken steps to plan for a smooth integration of this technology into pre-existing infrastructure through the release of its Urban Air Mobility Concept of Operations 2.0 blueprint.

The release of this document comes at a time of promise for air taxis and other eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) operations. Developers across the world are finalizing prototypes of small aircraft designed for short, urban flights. Perhaps most notably, Archer’s Midnight aircraft has already received orders from United Airlines. The carrier, which ordered 100 units, aims to place the aircraft in service as soon as next year. With ambitions like this from such a major airline, it seems planning to accommodate this technology is a critical step in maintaining the safety of air travel.

Delta Air Lines has also entered into a long-term partnership with eVTOL developer Joby Aviation to launch services. The airline made an upfront equity investment into Joby that totaled $60 million.

Acting as an updated regulatory blueprint, this document outlines changes in air space and procedure to accommodate eVTOL aircraft and similar AAM operations. This blueprint is not concrete legislation and has no permanence. Rather, as the document explains, “It is a target description of the evolution of integration from the near-term Innovate 28 environment to a future of high-density urban operations. The concept focuses on a potential longer-term target supporting exploration and validation efforts. Future versions of the ConOps will reflect the outcomes of analyses, trials, concept maturation, and collaboration.” Upon the entrance of eVTOL operations to commercial service, more adjustments will be made to better accommodate the technology and ensure safe and efficient operations.

The evolution of the operational environment for urban air mobility, or UAM (Photo: FAA)

As the first air taxis enter service, they’ll follow most general aviation regulations. This means eVTOL aircraft will utilize existing infrastructure, operating much like helicopters do currently. Launches and landings will be performed on helipads and vertiports in city centers, and flights will use existing routes while communicating with air traffic control when necessary. Additionally, for the foreseeable future, air taxis will only be permitted to operate on one-way paths.

As air taxis gain popularity, the segment will begin using its own infrastructure like new vertiports and corridors dedicated to connecting them. This could lead to the development of new regulation to accommodate technological advancements—namely, concepts like uncrewed flights and two-way operations. However, as the Urban Air Mobility Concept of Operations 2.0 demonstrates, for the time being the FAA is focused on slowly introducing air taxis to existing infrastructure before accommodating the technology with new regulations.

The post FAA Updates Its Blueprint for Future Air Taxi Operations appeared first on Avionics International.

OPINION: A Return to Profitability for Commercial Aviation

Rob Mather of IFS identifies the five key developments that will bring profits back for commercial aviation in 2023. (Photo: IFS)

An overriding sense of optimism is rippling through the aviation industry again after a turbulent couple of years. Profits look set to return to airlines for the first time since 2019 as predicted by the International Air Transport Association. Rob Mather, Vice President, Aerospace and Defense Industries, IFS identifies the five key developments that will bring profits back to the industry. His predictions span new modes of travel on earth and space to new manufacturing developments, not to forget the need to negotiate the bumps in the road caused by maintenance and sustainment challenges.

A net profit of $4.7 billion and a 0.6% net profit margin is on the table for the aviation industry in 2023 according to the International Air transport Association (IATA) figures—the first profitable year since 2019. Fueling these rises in profit is a 20% increase in deliveries of large aircraft by compared to 2022 figures and production rates will match this increase by the end of FY 2023, according to Fitch Ratings figures. It also predicts the increase in air traffic to boost aftermarket sales and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services.

Exploiting these opportunities in the aviation value chain are crucial with slim profit margins, so any chance for marginal gain is essential to explore. Some of these profits can be realized within five growth areas in the aviation industry on both a macro and micro scale.

30% of aerospace organizations set to diversify suppliers – As near-shoring and additive manufacturing shape supply chain evolution

Unstable supply chains are one of the biggest causes for concern within the aerospace and aviation industry. Deloitte stated in its most recent Aerospace & Defense Industry Outlook, that it believes there will be a shift to regional sourcing from global sourcing next year, including the transfer of raw materials, parts, and complete A&D goods globally. A key priority for aviation businesses to diversify their supply chains to pivot to local sourcing and near-shoring to prevent concentration risks across the supply chain. One method that is seems tailor made to enable this push towards localization is additive manufacturing (AM)—which is already showing its potential and is designed to help reduce, control, and lessen supply chain challenges. AM has already been found to reduce cost and lead time of spare parts/inventory management by 60-90% compared to other manufacturing methods.

3D printing is already being implemented by many airline operators and MRO providers in a range of ways. After Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) couldn’t find off-the-shelf engine covers, exhaust plugs and other parts due to supply chain issues for its stored aircraft, the airline turned to partnering with a local aviation engineering business with 3D printing capabilities to print the relevant parts. Recently, a component for the IAE-V2500 engine’s anti-icing system received official aviation certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) after being manufactured by Lufthansa Technik’s Additive Manufacturing (AM) Center. Despite these advancements there are still bumps in the road to wide adoption and regulatory success, but the future is bright for local suppliers having a role in play in improving the resilience of the aviation industry supply chain and additive manufacturing will be crucial in this journey.

Commercial space travel takes flight – Commercial space market to grow over one-third in 2023 as it receives boosts from space travel and satellite infrastructure

In 2023, we’re looking at a new kind of space race. NASA and SpaceX both have lunar visits in their sights. The widely covered NASA Artemis Moon Mission will eventually include a crewed lunar landing. Meanwhile SpaceX is targeting making lunar orbits more accessible with its Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket. Its dearMoon mission is a weeklong journey containing a crew of artists, content creators, and athletes from all around the world that will travel within 200 km of the lunar surface. Other “space tourism” market entrants include Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, all contributing to the industry exhibiting a huge Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 36.4% from 2022-2028.

Beyond space tourism, there are other areas of focus in the increasingly commercialized space sector. As the number of satellites providing critical on-earth infrastructure support increases—for communications connectivity, navigation, weather observation etc. – Space Infrastructure Servicing (SIS) or in-orbit servicing is becoming a growing addressable market. This includes the life extension, phasing, repair, and maintenance of critical assets as they orbit the earth. The market is huge. Some research organizations forecast as much $14.3 Billion In-orbit Servicing & Manufacturing revenue through 2030. In 2023 expect to see enabling technology evolve alongside the expanded commercialization of space.

A quarter of advanced air mobility (AAM) start-ups to progress from prototype to Entry into Service (EIS)

The commercial aviation advanced air mobility (AAM) industry is still in “start-up” mode. There are some stand-out OEMs manufacturing the next-generation of air transportation, but there is still more progress to be made in terms of aviation authority certification and creating the supporting infrastructure to manage these new methods of travel. Projections from the Advanced Air Mobility Index show that 24% of the top AAM start-ups are expected to move from prototype and testing to Entry into Service (EIS) over 2023 and 2024.

On the regulatory side, there are also encouraging breakthroughs. At the beginning of November 2022, the FAA proposed its criteria for the Joby Aviation Model JAS4-1 eVTOL air taxi aircraft to be certified—providing an example of how eVTOL certification would work in practice. In December, the FAA published its proposed airworthiness criteria for Archer’s Midnight eVTOL. Over the next few years, as the industry matures, many of these manufacturers will become the operators and maintainers of these new air assets.

To get there though, the advanced air vehicle manufacturers will need to shift from prototyping mode to production mode. As start-ups this is new territory for most of the leading AAM companies, and infrastructure that can provide a digital backbone capable of supporting AAM system design, manufacturing, supply chain, and aftermarket services, will be essential to develop the successful commercialization and sustainment of AAM now and into the future.

One in three leading airline operators will make MRO upgrades and modernization in 2023 – as traditional software become outdated

On the flip side, traditional airframe sustainment and support is also coming under the microscope. A large proportion of top airlines are managing their maintenance processes through highly configured ERP implementations, older best of breed systems, or legacy software. While some of these implementations are coming to the end of their system lifecycles, getting to the point where existing software used to manage aviation maintenance needs to be replaced, others are being forced to upgrade by their software vendor. These upgrades involve a major technology shift, and particularly with the heavily customized ERP implementations, will even end up requiring the effort of a brand-new implementation. These upgrades are required just to keep maintenance software operational, let alone support new business models, growth plans or new aircraft introductions.

Investment in modern aviation maintenance software is vital for airlines to grow and thrive in the current marketplace. “Evergreen” maintenance solutions will enable airlines to deploy continuous improvements over time instead of massive upgrade projects at the end of system lifecycles. An evergreen solution will guarantee ongoing system performance characteristics, and scale MRO to meet passenger and business demand now and into the future. This will also enable them to capitalize on new embedded technologies to improve automation and optimization, while maintaining security standards.

This is underlined by a recent ARC Advisory Group report: “There is a growing trend among carriers with large fleets to seek enterprise level core MRO solutions that are more comprehensive in scope (fleet/line, engine, component, heavy maintenance), and are at enterprise scale. Based on the research of this study, legacy ERP/MES systems are being replaced or seek replacement by core MRO solution sets at enterprise scale. The shift in the market share of MRO software solution providers reflects this growing trend among the top carriers.”

Achieving industry sustainability goals move closer as sustainable aviation fuel eclipses 1 billion liters in 2023

Sustainability is progressing in the aviation industry as more businesses make sustainability promises, progress is being made for traditional and new forms of aircraft propulsion. More sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is being used to power traditional aircraft flights. SAF production is expected to close out 2022 at 300 million liters according to IATA Figures a tripling over 2021 production. SAF is predicted to account for 65% of the mitigation needed to meet industry net zero CO₂emissions targets, meaning production will must rise to 450 billion liters annually by 2050. The positive sign is that over 50 airlines and over 450,000 of total commercial flights are using SAF as shown by IATA.

For new modes of air transport, AAM is seen by Deloitte as crucial for the industry to meet its sustainability targets, especially due to the progress in certification and Entry into Service shown above. This is already starting happen, and the AAM industry is receiving more investment and orders from airline operators including Air Canada, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines according to Cirium.

AAMs have a huge role to play in the reduction of emissions for regional or urban movement—a recent Deloitte study predicts AAMs to reduce travel time by 75% with zero operating emissions for a 25-mile intracity trip. In support of this is McKinsey estimates flights below 600 miles in length, make up for 17% of total airline CO₂emissions. Put these together and its clear AAM can help alleviate emissions problems due to their electrification and hybrid propulsion features incorporated into standard airframes for short-haul and regional distances.

2023 is the year for the aviation sector to reach new heights

Following a tough period for the aviation industry, the difference between profit and loss for many businesses will be these macro and micro-level developments. The aviation organizations that explore these new manufacturing processes, new methods of propulsion and new methods of air transport will quickly grab market share as the aviation sector progresses through 2023 and beyond.

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North Dakota: The Silicon Valley of Drone Innovation

North Dakota is ideal for the development of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) or drones because of the state’s low population and its heavy focus on agriculture and energy. (Photo: North Dakota Department of Commerce)

In a conversation with Avionics International, Josh Teigen, the Department of Commerce Commissioner for North Dakota, and Frank Matus, Director of Digital Aviation Solutions for Thales Group, talked about how the state is enabling innovations in drone technology.

North Dakota’s plans to become the epicenter in the U.S. for uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) began about 10 years ago, according to Teigen. Two key advantages of the state are its low population and its heavy focus on agriculture and energy—spaces where drones can bring significant value.

Over the past decade, North Dakota has made more than $100 million in investments into UAS technology—both for the airspace and for ground infrastructure. “We have the first UAS business park—1.2 million square feet of hangar space that’s growing every day,” he said. The business and aviation park, called Grand Sky, is used to conduct autonomous drone operations and to develop the necessary ground infrastructure.

Teigen described beyond visual line of sight, or BVLOS, operations as the “first frontier” of UAS development. “If someone’s looking to commercialize technology, they have to come here—this is the first place that you have that ability. In the future, we see [potential for] things like cross-border operations, both state borders and national borders, and being the hub for intellectual property development.”

Jim Richter, Surveyor, City of Grand Forks, North Dakota (pictured left) with Jeff Richards, ATM Operations Expert, Thales (pictured right) (Photo: Thales and Grand Sky)

Thales was initially selected as a systems integrator partner in Sept. 2021 for Vantis, North Dakota’s statewide UAS network. “Thales is involved in aerospace projects all over the place—160 different countries around the world,” Frank Matus mentioned. “We’ve been very conscious to not get away from the prescriptive methodology of aviation safety and the culture that surrounds that with the FAA.”

He noted that in the last year alone, Thales has gotten more than 30 regulatory approvals through its work with the FAA, including several approvals for its partner companies that utilize the Vantis network or the Northern Plains UAS Test Site in Grand Sky.

“We have a Mission and Network Operations Center [MNOC], where we oversee operations. We provide the operators in the field with a remote display so they have some situational awareness of the airspace system. All that resonates well with the FAA. If you look at other states and other other projects that are being done by either test sites or third-party companies, there’s not the level of rigor or focus on infrastructure to supplement the human that’s out flying the operations.”

Matus added that it’s not simply a matter of advancing the technology. “The technology’s there today, but it’s really [about] building up the safety case, looking at local rules, regulations, community acceptance,” he said. “It’s the whole policy nature of what goes into this that I think North Dakota does better than any other place in the world.”

In North Dakota, Thales and the Northern Plains UAS Test Site are developing and assisting local government in the use of UAS for public safety training and natural disaster mitigation, such as flooding. (Photos: Thales and Grand Sky)

Each spring, there is snow melt and flood activity; the Red River is notorious for overflowing and reaching flood stage. North Dakota has done a great job in flood mitigation work over the last last two decades. Now we’re starting to see that the investments that are made in technology like the Vantis program are really helping to transform how we’re managing public safety and natural disaster response.

This year for the first time, we came together to figure out how to use the network for flood mitigation. We started early once the snow started to melt, watching the rising floodwaters. We came up with several areas that were high-risk areas for flooding, and we actually put drones there.

We were a little bit more proactive this year so we could prepare where we needed to put first responder capabilities or even just monitor the waters that are rising. Using drones on a daily basis to go out and do aerial photography and LIDAR mapping, and getting that in the hands of decision-makers for those sorts of relief activities was critical. We learned a lot more that will help us prepare for next year and the years to come. – Frank Matus

Commissioner Teigen remarked that there is currently a competition amongst states for both capital and talent. Regulatory policy and fiscal policy are at the core of encouraging capital and talent, especially when it comes to UAS. “North Dakota has built a regulatory framework that I think is second to none in terms of the ability to do something new, to do something unconventional,” he said.

To enable investment in UAS or other sectors requires two “layers” of policy, he added. “One is ‘business friendliness.’ Can you do something outside the box? I think we’ve done a great job of that.”

The second layer includes tax policy. “We actually just passed new tax reform, bringing tax rates down even further to the point where it’s really economical to do business in North Dakota,” Teigen shared. “We also have the only state-owned bank in the entire nation—the Bank of North Dakota exists for the sole purpose of economic development.”

Frank Matus of Thales shared that his team’s priority is to continue to demonstrate that Vantis is the ideal pathway for BVLOS approvals for all states, not just North Dakota. “Our number one priority is to our investors—in this case, in North Dakota, it’s the legislators that put the confidence in this project over several other competing projects, knowing that it is so transformative to the economy of the state to diversify.”

“We’ll continue to try and differentiate between traditional aviation and UAS integration,” Matus stated. “This becomes more of a community challenge. The acceptance and adoption rate will be based on what our communities want, and this will not be done at a federal level to impose a framework on states to do this. We think we’ve got the right model in place.”

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Airbus and Embraer Report Q1 Results

Despite an overall decline in EBIT, Airbus continues toward its goals for increasing production rates for a variety of its commercial aircraft. Within the commercial sector, Embraer earned $198.8 million in revenue, seeing an increase of 17.5% compared to the previous year.

Two of the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers, Airbus and Embraer, have announced their Q1 2023 results. Looking at a variety of metrics, the companies report improvements in some areas while indicating certain standards have fallen behind Q1 2022’s performance. Either way, the results of both companies highlight extensive and widespread recovery within the aviation industry as a variety of operators order and receive new aircraft.

Within the first quarter of 2023, Airbus boasted 156 commercial aircraft orders. Following cancellations, this figure dropped to 142 orders. Both figures remain below the company’s Q1 2022 gross orders (253 aircraft), but remain much higher than the 83 aircraft left on the order books following cancellations for that time period. This leaves Airbus with cumulative orders for 7,254 commercial aircraft. Meanwhile, Airbus Helicopters received orders for 39 units, falling well below Q1 2022’s demand for 56 helicopters.

At the HAI Heli-Expo event in March of this year, Airbus Helicopters made several announcements, including a partnership with Genesys Aerosystems. The companies are working together to develop an IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) capability for the H125, expected to be available in the second half of 2024. It will include an upgraded cockpit, redundant hydraulic and electrical systems, and a new autopilot.

Coinciding with Airbus’ decline in orders in certain industry segments, the manufacturer’s consolidated revenues also dropped to €11.8 billion (down from €12 billion in the same period last year). Airbus delivered 127 commercial aircraft to customers during the quarter: 10 A220s, 106 A320 Family aircraft, 6 A330s and 5 A350s. Revenues from commercial aircraft declined 5% compared to last year, largely due to decreased deliveries. However, the decline was partially offset by the strengthening of the U.S. dollar. Despite weakened performance in the commercial sector, Airbus Helicopters increased deliveries to 71 units (up from Q1 2022’s 39 units), allowing revenues to rise by 26%. Despite this, lower volume in military air systems resulted in a 6% decline in revenue for Airbus Defense and Space.

Airbus’ EBIT (earnings before interest and tax) decreased to €773 million, a sharp decline from Q1 2022’s €1,263 million. EBIT adjusted for Airbus’ commercial aircraft activities dropped from 1,065 million in Q1 2022 to €580 million in the first quarter of this year. Airbus blames less deliveries and worsened hedge rates for the decline in adjusted EBIT.

Despite an overall decline in EBIT, Airbus continues toward its goals for increasing production rates for a variety of its commercial aircraft. The company continues toward its goal of producing 14 A220s monthly by the middle of the decade. Meanwhile, A320 family production is also increasing, with Airbus aiming to reach a monthly production rate of 65 aircraft by the end of 2024.

Despite the setbacks, Airbus’ Chief Executive Officer Guillaume Faury showed confidence in Airbus and its future prospects. He explained, “The first quarter confirmed strong demand for our products, particularly for commercial aircraft. We delivered 127 commercial aircraft, which is reflected in the Q1 financials. The quarter also benefited from a good performance in Helicopters. We continue to face an adverse operating environment that includes in particular persistent tensions in the supply chain. Our 2023 guidance is unchanged with commercial aircraft deliveries expected to be backloaded. We remain focused on delivering the commercial aircraft ramp-up and longer-term transformation.”

Meanwhile, Embraer also saw growth and decline in various industry sectors in its Q1 2023 results. The Brazilian aircraft manufacturer is known for developing both commercial regional jets and business jets for private operators.

In the first quarter of this year, Embraer delivered 15 jets. Of these deliveries, 7 were commercial aircraft while the other 8 were executive jets. Of these business jets, 6 were light and 2 were mid-sized aircraft. The company’s order backlog is now valued at $17.4 billion, and quarterly revenue reached $717 million, a 19% increase from Q1 2022. Embraer points to having a better commercial mix and significant growth in both Defense and Security and Services and Support as an explanation for the increase. The results aligned with the company’s forecast for the time period.

Within the commercial sector, Embraer earned $198.8 million in revenue, seeing an increase of 17.5% compared to the previous year. This was fueled by more deliveries of the E2 aircraft. Meanwhile, the manufacturer generated $87.1 million in revenue from executive jets, a 3% decline from the first quarter of last year. Despite this, revenue from Defense and Security increased 56.3% to $97.7 million, while Services and Support revenue increased by 20.3% to $326.2 million.

As manufacturers like Airbus and Embraer navigate a post-pandemic industry, they face a variety of challenges that threaten their profitability. However, both companies have shown resilience and growth in at least some industry sectors, indicating that they—along with the rest of the industry—are continuing to recover from a challenging few years.

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