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Chief Commercial Officer at Jaunt Talks eVTOL Development

A sub-scale model of Jaunt’s eVTOL was on display at the 2022 NBAA-BACE. (Photo: Jessica Reed)

ORLANDO, Fla. — Jaunt Air Mobility, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is building an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft as well as a hybrid-electric VTOL model. Jaunt has been a wholly owned subsidiary of The AIRO Group since March 2022. Jaunt’s focus is on electrifying advanced air mobility (AAM) operations to transport both people and cargo. The company’s design and manufacturing is located in Montreal, Canada.

Jaunt recently announced the formation of a new strategic partnership with South Korean startup MintAir. The partnership involves developing an AAM service in Korea, and MintAir signed a letter of intent to purchase as many as 40 eVTOL aircraft from its new partner.

The eVTOL developer started the Access Skyways alliance a couple of years ago to engage with experts in urban air mobility (UAM) infrastructure and to address future challenges in UAM. In February, the company Avports joined the Access Skyways alliance and signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate with Jaunt in the integration of eVTOL vehicles into the existing ecosystem.

During last week’s NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), Simon Briceno, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Jaunt Air Mobility shared his thoughts with Avionics International on the company’s progress in developing their eVTOL, partnerships and collaborations, and insights into the AAM industry. Briceno is also SVP of Strategy & Business Development for AIRO. Check out our question-and-answer session with Jaunt’s CCO below.

Pictured above on the right is Simon Briceno, Jaunt’s Chief Commercial Officer. (Photo: Jaunt)

Avionics International: Can you share some of the latest updates from Jaunt?

Briceno: We merged with five other companies as part of The AIRO Group, our parent company, earlier this year. We merged with the intent to go public through an IPO, and we announced in August that we filed our S1 registration statement with the SEC here in the U.S. to list publicly at some point in the future. We’re going through that process to raise the capital that we need.

We’ve also had an Air Force contract that ended in June with a focus on developing a high-speed VTOL aircraft that can fulfill high-speed missions with particular vertical take-off and landing and hovering requirements and certain payload requirements. We just finished Phase I. Phase II will be starting any time now [for the companies that are selected]. That’s important for us in terms of our relationship with the Air Force and AFWERX program. We’re working on the hybrid concept with the military in addition to our primary commercial program which is the all-electric aircraft.

Avionics International: In addition to the letter of intent from MintAir, what other LOIs has Jaunt signed?

Briceno: We’ve made progress in terms of securing some key customers throughout the year. We signed letters of intent for our aircraft, the Jaunt Journey, with a company in Brazil called Flapper Tecnologia that does on-demand operations using helicopters and business jets. They’ve been in operation in Brazil for many years.

We signed another LOI with Vertiko Mobility, an operator in Montreal, specifically targeting the advanced air mobility space and setting up operations in and around Quebec. We’re working on a few others that we can’t share just yet.

Avionics International: What progress has Jaunt made towards certification?

Briceno: We have been working closely with the Canadian government for support. There have been discussions for at least a year and a half now. We are meeting all of the requirements for applying, and engaging with them in the various funds and programs that they have—both at the provincial and federal level—to get support for the program. A lot of that is contingent, of course, on raising the capital on our end. They kind of go hand in hand. All of that, hopefully, will converge here soon, and our program timeline is still the same.

We intend to certify in 2027 and are working with Transport Canada for certification over the next several years. We’ll be starting our demonstrator aircraft development next year. Our target is 2024 for flight testing and demonstration with our pre-production full-scale piloted model.

The Jaunt Journey is designed to carry four passengers and is expected to have a top speed of 175 mph. (Photo: Jessica Reed)

Avionics International: What avionics systems will be onboard Jaunt’s eVTOL, and what will the pilot experience be like?

Briceno: We announced last year that we’re working with CAE for the development of several things—the main thing is our Systems Integration Lab. They have a ton of experience in developing engineering simulators and systems integration, and they’re going to be leading that program for Jaunt.

In parallel, they’ve been able to develop technologies for pilot training; they’ve been doing a lot of VR work, and they’re progressing nicely in that area. They’re working with some other companies in the AAM space to develop the capabilities and technologies that will be needed to train pilots. They will ensure not only that we have the number of pilots that we’ll need to operate, but also that it is cost-effective for them to get training. Developing ground-based simulation and training devices really helps to get costs down.

These aircraft are not your traditional aviation aircraft. They’re new technologies that have to be developed to replicate the behavior and the flight characteristics. All that work is ongoing with CAE, and we’re really happy with the progress they’re making. It will certainly ramp up once we get our demonstrator program up and running next year—they will be involved in a lot of that.

Avionics International: What do you see as the biggest challenges for eVTOL and other advanced air mobility aircraft?

Briceno: The challenges have remained relatively the same; they’ve only intensified, which is good, I think. If you look at it holistically, from an ecosystem standpoint, you have your aircraft challenges—technology development, new materials, new systems, fly-by-wire systems integration, pilot cabin, battery technology, and the ability to contain any failures with batteries. Additionally, certification is going to be extremely important for many of these aircraft. We’re fortunate to be able to have a certification basis that follows existing rotorcraft rules. We don’t see ourselves as having as many challenges in that area as some of the other players. The pilot shortage is another key challenge.

Once you start getting outside the aircraft—fortunately that’s something within the aircraft bubble that we can control with our suppliers and our experience certifying aircraft. One thing we have less control over, and have to devote more time and energy to, is informing the public about the value that this new transportation system and option will bring to them. There’s a perception from the public as to how noisy and disruptive helicopters are. There’s a lot of work to be done there.

The other challenge or hurdle that we’ll need to address over time is infrastructure charging—being able to operate these aircraft at the tempo and utilization that they’re going to be operated at with all the right infrastructure technology in place. Those are our areas that we’re looking at today that need to be addressed immediately, and over the next few years, to be confident that we can operate.

The post Chief Commercial Officer at Jaunt Talks eVTOL Development appeared first on Avionics International.

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PODCAST: Honeywell Aerospace VP Talks Aviation Sustainability and Improving Today’s Fleet with Tomorrow’s Technology

David Shilliday, Vice President & General Manager of Power Systems, Honeywell Aerospace, is the guest on this episode of the Connected Aviation Intelligence Podcast.

On this episode of the Connected Aviation Intelligence Podcast, David Shilliday, Vice President & General Manager of Power Systems, Honeywell Aerospace, joins to discuss the Phoenix, Arizona-based company’s vision for getting the most value available related to sustainability advancements with the current in-service global commercial airline fleet.

“The current post-COVID travel spike has reinforced traveler demand. The aviation industry is pushing for disruptive solutions to improve airline profitability to recover from COVID as well as global initiatives to further technologies that support zero emissions in aviation,” according to Honeywell.

Shilliday provides perspective on how the current fleet can be operated more efficiently from air traffic management, flight planning fuel efficiency and sustainable aviation fuel perspectives.

This episode is sponsored by Honeywell Aerospace.

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: Honeywell Aerospace VP Talks Aviation Sustainability and Improving Today’s Fleet with Tomorrow’s Technology appeared first on Avionics International.

NBAA Session Highlights Ongoing ADS-B Privacy Concerns for Business Aviation Operators

(Photo: FreeFlight Systems)

Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast Out’s (ADS-B Out) ability to provide up-to-the-minute aircraft position and ownership information is still a concern for business and general aviation operators, according to a session that highlighted the issue during the 2022 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE).

The “Privacy in the ADS-B Era” education session at this year’s BACE featured a discussion about the issue some business and GA operators have with ADS-B that Avionics International has been covering for several years: Widely available, inexpensive ADS-B tracking equipment allows virtually anyone to track the flights of 1090 MHz ADS-B-equipped aircraft all over the world.

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“It’s not a surprise this is such a big topic in our industry today,” Doug Carr, NBAA’s senior vice president of international affairs, said in highlights of the session released by NBAA.

“This is about a four-decade ongoing challenge,” Carr adds.

Arguably the most famous example of the ADS-B privacy concerns of business aviation operators has been the coverage by several mainstream media outlets of a Twitter account that uses ADS-B to track the movements of the jet owned by Elon Musk. In February, The New York Times published an article covering the account managed by a college student that uses an ADS-B-powered bot that tracks the movement of Musk’s Gulfstream G650ER.

@ElonJet is able to do that, because the jet owned by Musk—like all other private and commercial jets—has a 24-bit International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) address.

That address is assigned to an aircraft’s registration number and has historically been broadcasted by Mode S transponders installed on air transport category aircraft. With the FAA and most other civil aviation regulators now mandating the use of ADS-B Out transponders compatible with the ADS-B surveillance systems they’re using, that info is now broadcasted across ADS-B networks and available to ground-based ADS-B receivers.

Each aircraft’s assigned ICAO code is based on its registration and a public algorithm that makes the position of the aircraft publicly available. With enough effort and research, that means the ownership associated with those aircraft is usually available or easily discovered by non-air traffic controllers that have ADS-B receivers or use flight tracking applications and websites.

That can be a concern for some corporate flight departments that want to keep the movements of their aircraft—and the individual or company that might operate it—private.

“Aviation enthusiasts were starting to see they could fill in the gaps with their own technology to create air traffic networks independent of the FAA,” Carr says. “Now in 2022, we have robust, non-FAA networks publishing real-time information about air traffic.”

According to NBAA, the following four tools help operators mitigate this, including the following:

Using a trust or LLC for aircraft ownership
Participating in the Limited Aircraft Display Data (LADD) program
Using a third-party call sign
Participating in the Privacy ICAO Aircraft Address (PIA) program

However, as noted by Jens Hennig, vice president of operations for the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, those mitigations do not combine to provide a permanent fix.

“We can’t hide you forever,” Hennig said.

NBAA’s update on the ADS-B Privacy education session also notes that while in recent years these concerns have mainly been associated with U.S.-based operators, recent ICAO meetings have seen similar concerns expressed “on these security issues with many Gulf states bringing the discussion to the table.”

Check out the ADS-B privacy resources provided by NBAA here. The Federal Aviation Administration also has a web page dedicated to the issue.

The post NBAA Session Highlights Ongoing ADS-B Privacy Concerns for Business Aviation Operators appeared first on Avionics International.

Avionica Gets Qatar G650ER Fleet Deal, Launches Cloud-Based Flight Data Monitoring with ERGOSS

Avionica CEO Raul Segredo (left) and ERGOSS

ORLANDO, Fla. — The first two days of the 2022 NBAA BACE featured the launch of a new cloud-based flight data monitoring service and a quick access recorder fleet equipage deal for Avionica. Check out some of the details on both deals shared by the Miami, Florida-based avionics maker below.

Avionica, ERGOSS Partner for Flight Data Monitoring as a Service

On Tuesday, Avionica confirmed a new partnership with Bressols, France-based flight data analysis provider ERGOSS to introduce what they describe as a “fully plug and play SaaS [Software-as-a-Service] cloud-based solution” for flight operations quality assurance (FOQA) monitoring.

The technology has been co-branded by the two companies as “avSARA,” combining Avionica’s onboard aircraft interface device and flight data monitoring computers with the “SARA” cloud service operated by ERGOSS. SARA uses Microsoft Azure’s cloud computing and algorithms to enable a set of flight data monitoring tools aligned to the individual needs and interests of operators.

As a cloud-native application, SARA has the ability to automatically point out “flights of interests, some emerging adverse trends while also constantly monitoring your SPI’s [Safety Performance Indicators]” according to its website. Regional French airline Hop!, a subsidiary of Air France, has been using the ERGOSS “SARA.TECH” platform to transmit aircraft data in real time, according to a March 2022 press release from ERGOSS.

The ERGOSS logo (left) and Avionica logo (right) at the Avionica booth during NBAA (Photo: Avionica)

ERGOSS CEO, Fabrice Tricoire, says the company has sought to introduce a product like avSARA since 2010 and “now it became concrete and a full functional reality.”

The combination of SARA and their onboard data acquisition and analysis boxes will enable operators to “switch pre-configured recorders on and have robust and reliable data within 15 minutes of landing,” Avionica notes in an Oct. 18 announcement.

“Information accessible includes flight data, platform analysis, statistical reports, and 4D replay of all flights for any aircraft in your fleet,” according to Avionica.

Qatar Airways G650ER Fleet

Qatar Executive Airways will install Avionica’s miniQAR-avCM wireless quick access recorder technology on every G650ER within its in-service fleet. The private jet division of Qatar Airways operates 15 total G650ERs—the largest G650ER fleet in the world—and will install the miniQAR-avCM in an effort to “have access to flight data within minutes of landing,” according to Avionica.

“Avionica is excited about the installation on the G650ER fleet with Qatar. For thirty years, we have been listening to our customers and we understand Qatar’s requirements for quick access to data and standardization of their fleet under one platform,” Claudia Espinosa, Vice President of Commercial for Avionica, said in a statement.

Installations of the miniQAR-avCM flight data technology on Qatar are to begin within the final three months of the year.

The post Avionica Gets Qatar G650ER Fleet Deal, Launches Cloud-Based Flight Data Monitoring with ERGOSS appeared first on Avionics International.

Textron Selects Two SKYTRAC Systems for Hawker 4000, Citation Sovereign FANS 1/A Upgrade Program

SKYTRAC’s DL 150 satellite data unit has been selected by Textron Aviation for its FANS 1/A+ upgrade program. (Photo: SKYTRAC)

ORLANDO, Fla. — Textron Aviation will feature SKYTRAC’s DL 150 satellite data unit (SDU) and SkyNode S200-012 as part of its Future Air Navigation Systems (FANS 1/A+) upgrade program for the global in-service fleet of Hawker 4000 and Cessna Citation Sovereign aircraft.

FANS 1/A consists of controller-pilot data link communications (CPDLC) and automatic dependent surveillance-contract (ADS-C) to enable controllers to monitor and communicate with flights or reduce aircraft separation distances in areas in which radar is not feasible. Civil aviation regulators and air traffic service providers have enacted CPDLC mandates in some flight information regions throughout the globe, including, most notably, sections of high altitude European airspace and the North Atlantic Track Route System.

SKYTRAC describes the DL 150 as a ARINC 741 SDU that is compatible with the Iridium satellite network. According to the DL 150 product page, there are also pending supplemental type certifications for the DL 150 on the Hawker 800, 850, and 900, as well as Gulfstream’s G150, G200, and several other commercial and business aircraft models.

Pictured above is the SkyNode S200-012. (Photo: SKYTRAC)

The SkyNode S200-012 is also an Iridium-based system that meets the requirements as a Long-Range Communications System (LRCS) for Air Traffic Services (ATS) safety services communication, according to SKYTRAC. The system was designed based on standards set in Satellite Voice Guidance Material (SVGM) and FAA Advisory Circular 20-150B (AC20-150B).

In-service Hawker 4000 and Cessna Citation Sovereign jets feature Honeywell Primus Epic avionics, according to SKYTRAC. The installation of DL 150 and SkyNode systems will upgrade the data link and satellite voice communications capabilities of both aircraft.

“We are committed to working with Textron Aviation and supporting their efforts to bring these communication improvements to the Hawker 4000 and Sovereign in-service fleets,” Jan van der Heul, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at SKYTRAC, said in a statement. “This is an exciting time for us as we shape the next generation of Iridium-based satellite aeronautical services.”

The post Textron Selects Two SKYTRAC Systems for Hawker 4000, Citation Sovereign FANS 1/A Upgrade Program appeared first on Avionics International.

Joby Applies for Certification of its eVTOL in Japan

Joby has formally applied for certification of its eVTOL in Japan following the FAA’s type certification. (Photo: Joby Aviation)

Joby Aviation announced this week that it has completed the formal application to certify its electric air taxi with the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau. Joby has applied specifically for validation of the FAA’s type certification, which the team is currently pursuing. Joby’s aircraft is a five-seater electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle.

This announcement followed an agreement between Japanese and U.S. regulatory authorities to offer a streamlined process of approval for U.S. eVTOL developers to validate their aircraft in Japan.

According to Joby, the application submitted to the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) is thought to be the first of its kind.

Founder and CEO, JoeBen Bevirt, remarked on the company’s application and the potential to offer eVTOL services across Japan. “With 92% of residents living in urban areas, we have a spectacular opportunity to save people time in congested cities like Tokyo, Yokohama, and Osaka while also reducing their impact on the environment,” he stated in the announcement.

“We strongly believe that a collaborative approach to regulation helps to foster greater safety and, by working hand-in-hand on certification, Japan and the U.S. are ensuring that both countries continue to play a leading role in the adoption of climate-friendly transportation.”

One of Joby’s advantages is actually its connections in Japan. Toyota has been a strategic partner of the eVTOL developer since 2018 and has invested close to $400 million in the company so far. Japan’s largest airline, ANA Holdings, is another partner of Joby.

Joby has also received significant support in the U.S., seeing an investment from Delta Air Lines totaling $60 million just last week. The eVTOL developer expects to launch services with its aircraft in 2024. It was awarded a Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate in June, earlier than expected, which is an important milestone on the road to certification.

Joby holds contracts with the Army, Navy, and Air Force for testing potential military applications of its eVTOL. The company expanded its existing contract with the Department of Defense in August to include the Marine Corps. The total potential value of the contract with he DoD is now greater than $75 million.

The post Joby Applies for Certification of its eVTOL in Japan appeared first on Avionics International.

CEO and CCO of Hyundai’s Supernal Talk eVTOL Development

The CEO and CCO of Supernal, a subsidiary of Hyundai, spoke with Avionics International this week about the development of their eVTOL aircraft. (Photo: Jessica Reed)

Orlando, Fla. — Supernal, a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group, is developing an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. It was announced this week that Supernal signed an agreement with Honeywell Aerospace to consider integrating the Anthem flight deck into their eVTOL. Supernal is also collaborating with BAE Systems on the design and development of a compact flight control computer.

Mike Whitaker, Chief Commercial Officer at Supernal, shared his perspective on the agreement with Honeywell in an interview with Avionics International at the 2022 NBAA-BACE. “We’re looking for partners that we can work with longer-term to build out components for this particular segment of aviation—advanced air mobility,” he said.

“Our focus is to manufacture these aircraft in a high-rate, automated fashion, similar to how we do it with cars, but achieving the same level of safety that you do with aircraft.”

Supernal’s team sees Honeywell Aerospace as a strong partner to develop components for their immediate needs, as well as a long-term partner. In the future, Whitaker explained, “we’re going to want to bring down the costs, simplify the operations, and ultimately move into autonomous operations.”

Supernal will be conducting test flights by the end of 2022, he stated, using a sub-scale technology demonstrator. “We view the next two years as a fairly intensive time for flight testing of different vehicle platforms. A lot of that is about systems integration—working with the Honeywell products and other products to make sure they are integrated safely and efficiently.”

Whitaker also commented on the decision to first launch a piloted eVTOL. Customers are not quite ready to get into an aircraft without a pilot, and the general population is still not knowledgeable about the mode of transportation. Building confidence in these types of aircraft will take time, he noted.

Initially, although the aircraft will be piloted, operating it will be quite simple. The vehicle will incorporate a high level of automation in order to facilitate the eventual transition to autonomous flight. According to Whitaker, the technology for autonomous operations is here already. The challenges are public acceptance and meeting standards for safety established by the Federal Aviation Administration.

“We’re targeting 2028 for certification of the first vehicle, which will be piloted,” he shared. “We view automation as happening closer to the mid-2030s. It’s not just the certification of the vehicle and the technology. It’s also new airspace rules, because the FAA right now doesn’t have rules for autonomous operations in civil airspace.”

What needs to happen, he continued, is the creation of an entirely new set of rules—including requirements for separation between vehicles in the airspace. Even though eVTOL aircraft and other advanced air mobility (AAM) vehicles will be equipped with sense-and-avoid or detect-and-avoid technologies, these solutions will need to enable very dense operations in urban areas.

“For autonomous operation in the future, you have to have an entire new ecosystem in place,” Whitaker remarked.

The capability to manufacture mass quantities of eVTOLs will be key for eVTOL developers. Whitaker noted that Supernal needs to either manufacture components themselves or collaborate with a partner who can manufacture large volumes of high-quality components in a cost-effective way.

Pictured above is Supernal’s CEO, Jaiwon Shin, third from the left, and CCO Mike Whitaker, far right. (Photo: Supernal)

Supernal’s CEO, Jaiwon Shin, stated that two of the main technological barriers for urban air mobility (UAM) are related to batteries and autonomous flight. Battery performance needs to reach a certain level to support UAM operations, and “commercial airlines are already doing a lot of automated flight,” he shared with Avionics. “Autonomy is a couple of steps higher than just automation.”

These two challenges need to be overcome in the near future, Shin believes. In the long-term, even more important is the development of a new ecosystem to support UAM. This includes vertiport infrastructure and air traffic management systems as well as collaboration with state, local, and federal governments to ensure safety.

“We certainly are focusing on vehicle development,” said Shin, “but at the same time, because of the importance of the ecosystem, we also have built a strong team to lead some aspects of the ecosystem, or cooperating and collaborating with other stakeholders to open the market.”

He explained that another key to success for UAM is seamless integration. Customers value the ability to rely on a single mode of transportation for their entire journey. As a customer, he said, “I just don’t want to see the long wait, or see that when I get to the vertiport, the plane is not there. I don’t want to change transportation modes five times.”

The post CEO and CCO of Hyundai’s Supernal Talk eVTOL Development appeared first on Avionics International.

Gogo Completes Update of 150 Towers for 5G In-Flight Connectivity Network

“Our team was tenacious and overcame a host of issues including Covid-19, weather, the supply chain, and geopolitical concerns, to build a new network of 150 towers nationwide – and they did it in less than 12 months.” – Gogo Business Aviation COO Sergio Aguirre

ORLANDO, Fla. — Gogo Business Aviation has completed the deployment of all 150 towers towers that are enabling its next generation 5G in-flight connectivity (IFC) network. The Denver, Colorado-based connectivity service provider confirmed completion of the new network on Monday, with a live-stream of the last tower installed for the network in Oregon during an event at the 2022 National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (BACE).

The newly deployed network now has IFC coverage for the contiguous United States, with Gogo planning to expand that to business aviation operators flying in Canadian airspace next year. Gogo has been flight testing 5G antennas, modems, SIM cards, and other equipment on the network since June 2021.

Sergio Aguirre, COO of Gogo Business Aviation, commenting on the completion of the network, said the company “overcame a host of issues including Covid-19, weather, the supply chain, and geopolitical concerns, to build a new network of 150 towers nationwide – and they did it in less than 12 months.”

Gogo’s 5G coverage map

Each of the 150 towers that enable Gogo’s 5G network are part of its existing 250-tower 3G/4G network. The 5G network is using an unlicensed spectrum in the 2.4 GHz band.

Other updates provided by Gogo upon completing the network deployment focused on the status of the 5G aircraft technologies they have been developing. Gogo’s belly-mounted MB13 5G antennas and X3 computer have both achieved “first-article” supplemental type certification (STC). The company has not released what aircraft type those STCs were completed for.

There are plans to amend that STC once the 5G chip that Gogo is awaiting becomes available. In August, Gogo CEO Oakleigh Thorne said during their second quarter earnings call that a new issue emerged in late-stage testing of the chip being developed by Airspan for the X3 system.

Above is an image of the last of the 150 towers updated with 5G antennas for Gogo’s next generation IFC network. (Photo: Gogo Business Aviation)

Development of that chip is expected to be complete by mid-2023, according to Gogo’s latest statement released about its status and performance.

Gogo has already reported connection speeds on average of up to 25 mbps on flight testing of the existing network.

The post Gogo Completes Update of 150 Towers for 5G In-Flight Connectivity Network appeared first on Avionics International.

Eve Partners with Blade for eVTOL Pilot Project in India

Eve Air Mobility and FlyBlade India have entered into a new strategic partnership for the expansion of urban air mobility in India. (Photo: Eve)

ORLANDO, Fla. — Embraer’s Eve Air Mobility recently announced a strategic partnership with FlyBlade India to further develop the urban air mobility ecosystem in India. FlyBlade India is a joint venture between Blade Air Mobility and Hunch Ventures. The company has placed a non-binding order for as many as 200 of Eve’s aircraft.

Eve is developing an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft specifically for urban air mobility (UAM) operations. A full-size mockup of its eVTOL’s cabin was first revealed in July at the Farnborough Airshow. The updated design of its aircraft includes a conventional wing and tail rather than the previous canard configuration.

As part of the new strategic partnership, Eve and Blade will embark on a three-month-long pilot project. They will conduct intra-city helicopter flights in an undisclosed major city in India. The country presents unique challenges and opportunities for UAM including accessibility concerns, regulations, and traffic congestion.

Blade India will collect data on the operations and customer experiences throughout the pilot project. This data, in turn, will inform the further development of Eve’s eVTOL aircraft, its air traffic management (ATM) solution, and solutions for service and support. Last week, Eve announced that it is also collaborating with Skyway Technologies to integrate its ATM software solution for UAM.

Amit Dutta, managing director, BLADE India, remarked on the new partnership, saying, “India’s traffic congestion woes are only expected to get worse. This partnership allows us to leverage Eve’s deep expertise in not just EVA design but also in the infrastructure required to support UAM.”

Gerard DeMuro and André Stein are co-CEOs of Eve Air Mobility. Stein commented that the company is thrilled to partner with Blade India and to pioneer UAM in the region. “This initial order will allow us to enter into service in India and further develop the ecosystem according to the community’s needs,” he stated.

The eVTOL developer conducted a similar project last month using helicopters from Blade Air Mobility. Eve flew passengers within downtown Chicago over the three-week-long project with the goal of studying UAM operations, passenger journeys, and ground services.

In another big announcement last month, United Airlines shared news of a $15 million investment into Eve. A conditional purchase agreement for 200 eVTOLs was signed between the companies, with an expected delivery date in 2026. United has also shown support for another eVTOL developer, Archer Aviation, providing a $10 million pre-delivery payment for 100 aircraft in August.

The post Eve Partners with Blade for eVTOL Pilot Project in India appeared first on Avionics International.

Electra Receives Order for 1,000th eSTOL Aircraft

Electra.aero and Welojets signed a letter of intent at the NBAA-BACE this week. Welojets has placed an order for 32 eSTOL aircraft from Electra. (Photo: Electra.aero)

ORLANDO, Fla. — Electra.aero signed a letter of intent with Welojets for 32 eSTOL (electric short take-off and landing) aircraft. The LOI was signed at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (BACE) this week. Electra’s order book now totals 1,000 aircraft, valued at more than $3 billion, and includes 27 customers. In addition to Welojets, other customers include Tailwind Air, MintAir, Skyportz, and Bristow Group, among others.

Welojets is a private air mobility provider of business jets in Europe and North and South America. Alfredo Lisdero, President of Welojets, commented on the announcement, saying, “We plan to fly the Electra eSTOL aircraft into existing airports as well as use it to expand our operations into new markets that cannot be served currently with traditional fixed wing aircraft.”

Electra acquired another eSTOL company, Airflow, at the beginning of June. Marc Ausman, Chief Product Officer at Electra, was previously the CEO of Airflow. “We’ve taken the best of what we each learned individually and put that together into defining the requirements of the aircraft,” he told Avionics International in an interview at NBAA-BACE.

“We have been moving forward with one aircraft,” Ausman added. “As part of the development process, we have a technology demonstrator aircraft that we’ll be flying in the first part of next year, then there will be a pre-production aircraft, then a production-conforming aircraft. Entry into service will be around 2027.”

Initial use cases for Electra’s aircraft will be conducting flights on existing routes to replace older aircraft.

Electra’s sub-scale eSTOL model on display at NBAA (Photo: Jessica Reed)

Electra’s team is currently working to determine the requirements of the market for their aircraft. A supplier for the fly-by-wire system has been selected, Ausman shared. “It will have the latest glass cockpit displays, and even though there are eight motors, it will have a single throttle or power lever.”

The eSTOL aircraft will include capacity for a pilot and co-pilot, although it is certified for single pilot operations. “A lot of our customers said they like to carry a second pilot to train new pilots,” he said. “There’s a lot of pilot training going on now.”

Electra developed an STOL concept rather than a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft to avoid some of the issues that come with certifying a VTOL model. Operators, customers, and regulators are all familiar with aircraft that take off and land from a runway.

“This is a very conventional aircraft in many ways,” Ausman remarked. “It’s a fixed-wing aircraft with fixed landing gear, very standard in terms of how the fuselage and the cockpit is laid out.”

Pictured above is Marc Ausman, Chief Product Officer of Electra.aero, at NBAA (Photo: Jessica Reed)

Electra’s eSTOL certainly incorporates new technologies, but many of the design decisions were made to minimize risk—both technical and regulatory.

The aircraft can operate using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) or traditional fuel, meaning that electrical charging infrastructure is not required.

With the STOL capability, customers will be able to expand into new markets and develop the structure of their routes “in ways they can’t do with today’s aircraft,” he noted. “We offer a lower cost per seat mile, we offer quieter operations than traditional aircraft in this class, and we offer the ability to take off and land from a field the size of a soccer field, or a 300-foot runway length.”

The cost for passengers flying in an eSTOL aircraft from Electra.aero could be as much as 75% lower than flying in an aircraft that takes off and lands vertically.

Electra’s customers include those involved in the transportation of medical supplies, VIP travel, cargo options, and military applications. Ausman mentioned that Electra has been successful in receiving grants from the military to further develop their eSTOL technology. For example, AFWERX’s Agility Prime program within the U.S. Air Force awarded a $1.5 million contract to the eSTOL developer as a direct-to-phase II small business innovation research (SBIR) contract last year. A Phase III contract was awarded to Electra in February 2022.

The post Electra Receives Order for 1,000th eSTOL Aircraft appeared first on Avionics International.

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