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Overair and Bristow Group Sign MOU for Butterfly eVTOL Commercialization

Overair and Bristow Group signed an MOU to work together on commercialization plans for Overair’s Butterfly eVTOL aircraft. Bristow has also pre-ordered between 20 and 50 Butterfly aircraft.

A new collaboration between Overair, electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle developer, and global provider of sustainable vertical flight solutions, Bristow Group, aims to develop commercialization plans for Overair’s Butterfly eVTOL aircraft. Bristow has placed pre-orders for up to 50 of the Butterfly aircraft as part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that the two companies signed.

According to a Dec. 16 press release, Overair and Bristow “will work together to develop an operations development framework focusing on vehicle design considerations, key performance parameters, FAA certification, flight planning best practices, data sharing for improvement of flight operations, connected vehicle and health monitoring strategies, configuration and maintenance protocols, infrastructure, ground support operations, connected fleet management, and government affairs and promotion of eVTOL operations.”

Overair’s Butterfly: 0 carbon emissions in flight, dependable route availability regardless of weather conditions, and top speed of 200 mph.

Overair’s CEO, Ben Tigner, remarked that Bristow’s significant experience in vertical transportation will accelerate the development and commercialization of the Butterfly aircraft. “Their operating insight, combined with our development and execution of the Butterfly program, will position Butterfly to serve Bristow as a valuable workhorse on high-density routes,” said Tigner.

Chris Bradshaw, President and CEO of Bristow, looks forward to the partnership and the expanded opportunity to advance Bristow as a leader in the vertical transportation market. Some of the unique features of the Butterfly eVTOL aircraft include reduced noise levels, low maintenance costs, and ability to navigate varied weather conditions make it a useful addition to high-density routes with environmental concerns and unpredictable or harsh weather patterns.

In an interview with Avionics International, Josh Aronoff, Overair’s Head of Business Development, explained that Butterfly is ideal for metropolitan areas such as the Northeast Corridor. “If you schedule your day around a flight departing from JFK,” he wrote, “you must be able to depend on your EVTOL ride to get you there, even if the weather changes.”

Butterfly offers a range of 100+ miles, 5 passengers plus cargo, and a 2-3x redundant flight control system.

The Butterfly aircraft is built to carry five passengers in addition to a pilot and luggage. Aronoff noted that early use cases for Butterfly are likely to be airport shuttle operations and cargo/medical transportation. “Through current and future partnerships with infrastructure providers, and by working directly with municipal governments, we are also laying the groundwork for future vertiport development,” said Aronoff.

The Butterfly program was initiated in 2018 and is on track to certification in 2025, with commercial entry into service following in 2026. An advantage of their focus on the long-term market is that “the maturity of FAA regulations, infrastructure, and airspace management [are expected] to coincide with our timeline.” Additionally, Aronoff stated, “We chose not to quickly build an experimental demonstrator or any additional sub-scale vehicles [they have already flown two so far] and instead focus our efforts on ensuring each activity undertaken by the program significantly advances the design towards certification and increases the technical maturity of Butterfly in an accretive manner.”

Bristow’s priorities as it diversifies its operations are a fleet that can offer efficient vertical lift and aerial transport services. The company, which is one of the world’s largest helicopter operators, is also committed to establishing a more sustainable fleet and reducing its carbon footprint. Of the range of vehicles Bristow is considering, according to the press release, Butterfly is the only one with a vectored thrust configuration.

Aronoff commented that the vectored thrust design is aerodynamically efficient—perhaps the most efficient in an aircraft for the long-term market—and that the increased complexity and effort in design and development will ensure a competitive advantage. It also features “several layers of redundancy and low disk loading, and takes advantage of our unique technology, including cyclic control, to drastically reduce vibratory loads in transition.”

Helicopters and tiltrotors today have less aerodynamic efficiency because they are limited to certain RPM ranges which prioritize engine-driven operational speeds, said Aronoff. With Overair’s patented Optimum Speed Propulsion system, in comparison, “We can greatly vary the RPMs of our rotors between vertical flight and forward flight to keep the blades operating at peak aerodynamic efficiency during all modes of operation, which unlocks a tremendous amount of efficiency in the propulsion system.”

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Embraer’s Eve to List on NYSE in 2022 Through Business Combination with Zanite

Eve UAM, an Embraer company, intends to list on the NYSE following a business combination agreement with Zanite Acquisition Corp. in 2022.

Embraer’s Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions is set to produce its first fully-operational electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in partnership with private aviation entrepreneur Kenn Ricci, co-CEO of Zanite Acquisition Corp. Orders for Eve’s eVTOL total 1,735 aircraft to date, amounting to roughly $5 billion, and deliveries are scheduled to commence in 2026.

Eve has announced a new business combination agreement with Zanite. in which Eve will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zanite. In the second quarter of 2022, the renamed Eve Holding, Inc. will list on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under “EVEX” and “EVEXW” when the transaction is complete.

On the same day its scheduled NYSE listing was announced, Eve also received two separate non-binding letters of intent (LOIs) from U.S.-based regional airlines Republic Airways and SkyWest each committing to future purchases of 100 eVTOL aircraft. Azorra, a Florida-based commercial aircraft lessor specializing in Embraer regional jets, also signed an LOI with Eve for up to 200 eVTOL aircraft.

“Today almost half of commercial aircraft are leased and we believe leasing companies will also play an active role in Urban Air Mobility, allowing operators to remain asset light. Azorra has a history of helping markets grow and we are excited to join them in this new frontier for aviation,”Andre Stein, co-CEO of Eve said in a statement.

Another announcement this week involving Eve came from Embraer’s Defense & Security team, which has embarked on a joint study with BAE Systems to explore the development of defense applications for the Eve eVTOL. According to a Dec. 21 press release, the study “builds on Eve’s development for the urban air mobility market and will look at how the aircraft could provide cost-effective, sustainable, and adaptable capability as a defense variant.”

BAE Systems Air COO Ian Muldowney commented that Embraer’s innovative technology will accelerate new and sustainable innovations in combination with BAE’s “extensive defense engineering and systems integration experience.” Under the joint study agreement signed by the two companies, engineers from BAE Systems’ Air sector in Lancashire, UK, will work with the Embraer Defense & Security team based in São José dos Campos, Brazil to explore how a defense variant could be used for a range of applications such as personnel transportation, surveillance and reconnaissance, disaster relief and humanitarian response.

BAE Systems and Embraer Defense & Security are performing a joint study to explore development of Eve’s eVTOL aircraft for the defense and security market.

According to Zanite’s Ricci, “We selected Eve because of its simple and certifiable eVTOL design, its capital efficient approach to fleet operations, and Embraer’s global footprint that we believe will enable Eve to not only reach vehicle type certification, but to scale its manufacturing, support, and operations globally.”

Eve was established by Embraer S.A. as an independent company in October 2020. Embraer will maintain about an 80% equity stake in the new Eve Holding, which includes its investment in the [Private Investment in Public Equity] PIPE. As the majority of ownership of Eve transitions from Embraer to Zanite, Eve will continue to retain the royalty-free license to Embraer’s background IP to be used within the UAM market.

An announcement from Embraer and Kenn Ricci shared plans to produce the first fully-operational eVTOL via Eve, and deliveries may begin as early as 2026.

The 18 total operating partners who have already placed orders for Eve’s eVTOL include six fixed-wing and eight helicopter operators in addition to four ridesharing service providers.

The post Embraer’s Eve to List on NYSE in 2022 Through Business Combination with Zanite appeared first on Aviation Today.

DroneUp Acquires AirMap’s Unmanned Traffic Management Service

DroneUp, authorized drone services provider for 13 states, recently announced that it has acquired AirMap, Inc., and its UTM platform.

Aviation technology provider DroneUp recently announced its acquisition of AirMap, Inc., the digital airspace and automation company. AirMap offers an Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) service which will benefit DroneUp’s network of pilots and growing ground infrastructure. The company’s UTM service provides comprehensive flight data for up to 100,000 international flights each day.

As one of three UTM providers deployed internationally, AirMap provides UTM in Switzerland in addition to serving customers throughout North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and Australia. DroneUp has achieved government authorization as a drone services provider for 13 states in which it serves public sector organizations. The company also has over 190 active waivers and authorizations with the FAA.

One of the most significant advantages of the AirMap platform is its capacity to advance safety for DroneUp’s operations and in particular for last-mile drone services. Tom Walker, DroneUp’s CEO, said in the press release, “We’ve integrated with the best aerospace teams to bring drone delivery and flight services to market faster and more economically with our patented flight management software, and now the industry’s number one UTM solution. We believe DroneUp has a moral obligation to continue investment in and expansion of the AirMap platform. We will ensure this resource remains openly available to the drone industry, municipalities, and the FAA.”

Keeping the AirMap platform openly available is an important part of DroneUp’s focus on safety. In an interview with Avionics International, Senior Director of Marketing & Communications, Amy Wiegand, explained, “As drone flight volume increases, safely managing flights is increasingly complicated and requires an automated system to plan, request clearance, and factor in potential hazards and airspace restrictions. The AirMap platform advances safety for drone operations while also providing advantages for other drone operators to publish their flight plans, promoting uniform safety.”

In November, DroneUp also announced its partnership with Walmart to provide consumers the option of drone delivery from DroneUp “Hubs,” or drone airports. Three locations in Arkansas will operate full-time, on-demand deliveries, with two more locations in the state set to open in the next few months. The drone deliveries are managed by a crew of expertly trained operators. According to DroneUp’s Tom Walker, “Teaming up with Walmart to launch three delivery Hubs marks a significant leap forward in the broader use of [unmanned aircraft system] UAS to provide last-mile consumer delivery services and supply chain efficiency options.”

The acquisition of AirMap will help DroneUp to surmount the industry’s main hurdles: UAS pilots, software and hardware, and UTM. Ben Marcus, AirMap co-founder, stated, “Since its inception, AirMap has worked to create a future where drones deliver value to millions of people in their everyday lives.” He is confident that the partnerships DroneUp has established, and the company’s commitment to its mission, will contribute to building this future.

The post DroneUp Acquires AirMap’s Unmanned Traffic Management Service appeared first on Aviation Today.

Archer Aviation Completes First Hover Flight with Maker eVTOL

The Maker eVTOL was unveiled in June 2021 and completed a successful hover test six months later, in addition to receiving airworthiness certification from the FAA.

Archer Aviation just announced completion of the first successful hover flight of its Maker aircraft which took place last week on Dec. 16. Archer is one of only a few companies making electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to receive the Special Airworthiness Certificate from the FAA. The Maker demonstrator aircraft was revealed in June 2021, just six months before the hover flight took place, and is expected to have a 60-mile range at 150 miles per hour.

During the hover flight, the demonstrator aircraft climbed into the air and hovered in place, then returned safely to land on the ground. This achievement, according to the company’s press release, “marks the completion of the company’s first full and complete systems test and validation of every hardware and software component working as intended to move the aircraft into the air.” The success of the Maker’s first hover flight is also significant because last week was also the anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ first flight at Kitty Hawk, NC, which took place in 1903.

In November, the two co-CEOs of Archer, Brett Adcock and Adam Goldstein, stated that the first generation of their production aircraft will make its debut in 2023. However, in this week’s announcement, the company revealed plans to unveil the production-ready version of its aircraft in late 2022. The production aircraft will have four seats, while the Maker demonstrator is a two-seater aircraft. Goldstein commented that the team is working towards “launching an aerial ridesharing service in late 2024. Everything we’ve accomplished this year, every milestone hit and partnership struck, was all with one goal in mind: developing both an aircraft and a UAM ecosystem that could scale and change the face of intra-city travel.”

He also indicated that the majority of demand for their electric air taxi is likely to be for urban air mobility missions.

Adcock also commented on the company’s journey over the past six months that culminated in the Maker’s first flight, and he expressed his pride in their team that was able to accomplish the task. “It’s been humbling to build a leading eVTOL company and educate the public on clean transportation alternatives,” he said. “Today is a milestone for both Archer and the future of travel.”

Archer’s flight test team has dedicated themselves to ensuring that the Maker meets the FAA requirements for airworthiness certification, in addition to preparing for a successful hover flight, for the past two months. The ground testing phase for the demonstrator aircraft involved verifying the control and propulsion systems and stress testing the motors to ensure that all systems were operational and ready for the flight testing phase.

Next on Archer’s radar is to broaden their flight test campaign to include hover envelope expansion and transition envelope expansion.

The post Archer Aviation Completes First Hover Flight with Maker eVTOL appeared first on Aviation Today.

Vertical Aerospace Merges with Broadstone Acquisition Corp., Lists Shares on NYSE as EVTL

Vertical Aerospace has merged with Broadstone Acquisition Corp. and listed shares on the NYSE as EVTL. Vertical also unveiled the design for their VX4 eVTOL last week.

The global aerospace and technology company Vertical Aerospace Group shared news of their merger with Broadstone Acquisition Corp., and Vertical’s ordinary shares begin trading this week (as EVTL) on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Prior investors include American Airlines, Honeywell, Rolls-Royce, Avolon, Microsoft’s M12, Rocket, 40North, and Kouros. Pre-orders for Vertical’s aircraft total $5.4 billion, including American Airlines and Virgin Atlantic, among several others.

As CEO and Founder Stephen Fitzpatrick states, zero-emissions aviation is Vertical’s main priority. “We have global leaders in aviation as partners and a world-class team that can make zero emissions flight a reality for millions of people around the world. It is fantastic to reach this milestone and I am so proud of what the team has achieved.”

The VX4 is projected to have a top speed of 200 mph.

Avolon, an international aircraft leasing enterprise and one of Vertical’s PIPE investors, announced an order for 500 of Vertical’s electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in June 2021. Their eVTOL began as the VA-X1, which was granted flight permission by the U.K.’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in 2018. The second aircraft, the VA-X2, debuted with its first flight in 2019, and the VA-X4 was unveiled in 2020—but was recently rebranded as VX4.

Vertical revealed the full-scale design of the VX4 in a video last week. Commenting on the milestone achievement this week, Dómhnal Slattery, Chief Executive of Avolon, said, “[Vertical has] the right aircraft, deep industry experience, and the financing in place to achieve the highest global safety certification and scale production to meet demand.”

Rolls-Royce’s electrical power system will be integrated into Vertical’s eVTOL.

Projected features of the VX4 include a top speed of 200 mph, noise levels that are 100 times quieter than a helicopter, and a four-passenger capacity at costs similar to a taxi ride. Honeywell will supply its flight deck technologies including its Compact Fly-by-Wire System and advanced avionics featuring Simplified Vehicle Operations technology. Rolls-Royce’s electrical power system, including 100-kW-class lift and push electrical propulsion units, will be integrated into Vertical’s eVTOL, representing Rolls-Royce Electrical’s first entry into the UAM market with a commercial deal.

Warren East, Chief Executive of Rolls-Royce, congratulated Vertical on the merger and remarked, “We have a joint ambition to lead the way in the exciting Urban Air Mobility market and our partnership reinforces our position as the leading supplier of all-electric and hybrid-electric propulsions systems for aviation.”

Vertical Aerospace plans to reach full certification through the European Union Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) by 2024 and initiate high-scale production of the VX4 immediately afterward. Achievements planned for 2022 include VX4’s first test flight, Design Organization Approval (DOA), and finalizing the design phase. Then, according to Vertical’s website, they aim to achieve Production Organization Approval (POA) in 2023 before pursuing Type Certification in 2024.

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ZeroAvia Raises $35 Million from United and Alaska Air Group to Provide Hydrogen-Electric Engines for Large Aircraft

ZeroAvia receives $35 million in its latest round of investments for developing its 100% hydrogen-electric engines.

United Airlines announced an investment this week in ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric engines. ZeroAvia has secured $35 million in this latest round of investments from both United and Alaska Air Group. The total amount of investments in ZeroAvia is now $115 million and includes previous investors AP Ventures, Horizons Ventures, Shell Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Summa Equity, and Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund.

ZeroAvia’s agreement with United includes the ability to purchase up to 100 of ZeroAvia’s engines. The 100% hydrogen-electric engines may be integrated into United Express aircraft in 2028. United is currently the largest airline to have committed to hydrogen-electric aviation. CEO Scott Kirby stated in a press release, “Hydrogen-electric engines are one of the most promising paths to zero-emission air travel for smaller aircraft, and this investment will keep United out in front on this important emerging technology.”

ZeroAvia’s new raise of $35 million will aid the development of its 2–5MW zero-emission powertrain system and will allow the company to expand its locations across the US, UK, and continental Europe. Val Miftakhov, CEO and founder of ZeroAvia, said, “As we prepare for ground and flight testing of our first commercial intent product in the coming weeks, this backing by our investors will enable us to accelerate delivery of our engine for larger aircraft.”

When the partnership between ZeroAvia and Alaska Air Group was announced just two months ago, Miftakhov commented, “The aviation industry is one of the hardest industries to decarbonize; however, with this collaboration, we are one step closer to achieving our goal of making our skies emission-free.” The engineering team from Alaska Air Group, the parent company of Alaska Airlines, is working with ZeroAvia’s team on the “ZA2000,” a scaled version of their existing hydrogen-electric powertrain, to be retrofitted on a De Havilland Q400 with 76 seats.

ZeroAvia’s powertrain repowers existing airframe models.

In an interview over email with Avionics International, a representative from ZeroAvia explained in greater detail how their powertrain system which will replace conventional propulsion systems. “Fuel cells use hydrogen from the onboard storage tanks and oxygen from the ambient air in a catalytic chemical reaction that produces electricity. The fuel cell system provides power to the electric motors, which propel the aircraft.”

Fuel cells provide 60% or higher efficiency in comparison with internal combustion efficiency, which is up to 30% in small engines and at most 50% in large engines. The company’s main target market is regional commercial travel. ZeroAvia’s representative remarked, “We believe that this market has the most potential to benefit from our zero-emission technology.” However, there may be applications for agricultural use of their engines in the future.

ZeroAvia has achieved recognition for having flown the largest hydrogen-electric aircraft to date—a six-seater aircraft. The team has also performed 35 flight tests and is now preparing for ground and flight testing of the ZA600 powertrain, which will be used in a Dornier 228 19-seat aircraft, according to the representative.

The company is working towards several goals in pursuit of beginning commercial operations in 2024. In the coming weeks, the team will complete the first test flights from the UK as part of the HyFlyer II project, including a 300-mile hydrogen-electric flight in a 19-seat aircraft. After that, said the representative, “We will work towards certification of the powertrain to ensure that it is ready for adoption in 2024.”

In September 2020—during the first iteration of the HyFlyer project in Cranfield, England—ZeroAvia achieved the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell powered flight of a commercial-grade aircraft. The company now aims to launch, in 2024, the first hydrogen-electric commercial route from London to Rotterdam airport using the ZA600 powertrain to enable zero-emission propulsion for a 19-seat aircraft.

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Eviation Aircraft’s Executive Cabin Design Features Wider Seats, Panoramic Windows with Zero Carbon Emissions

Alice’s all-electric aircraft now comes in an executive cabin configuration with seats for six passengers.

Eviation Aircraft just revealed its executive cabin design as a new configuration of its all-electric Alice aircraft. The original commuter version, which debuted as a prototype in June 2017 at the Paris Airshow, has a 9-passenger capacity. The new executive cabin configuration seats 6 passengers with wider seats and has 16.5-inch-wide windows. Eviation has also designed a cargo configuration of the Alice, with a temperature-controlled cargo compartment of 450 cubic feet in volume.

The spacious executive cabin is the widest cabin in its class at 6 feet, 4 inches.

Some features highlighted in the press release are the “largest baggage compartment in its class at 100 cubic feet and a total baggage allowance of 850 pounds,” reduced noise levels—“Less noisy by a factor of more than 100 during takeoff and cruise compared to its jet-fueled counterparts,” zero carbon emissions, and a roomy cabin that is “the widest in its class, measuring 6 feet, 4 inches across.” The aircraft’s range is 440 nautical miles, and it also has a payload of 2,500 pounds.

Eviation’s cargo plane configuration has the capacity for nine passengers.

Two magni650 electric propulsion units power the aircraft; magniX’s electric propulsion systems are the only ones that have been flight-proven at this scale. Honeywell’s BendixKing is providing its AeroVue Touch integrated flight deck for Alice’s cockpit. “The single-volume, high-energy-density Alice battery energy system is made from currently available battery cells and technology,” according to the press release.

Eviation CEO Omer Bar-Yohay intends to help shape the future of aviation with the Alice aircraft, and remarks on the executive cabin design as “a glimpse into what business travel can and will look like in the very near-term.” Vice President of Sales, Jessica Pruss, announced in the press release that there has been a lot of interest in the executive cabin configuration of its electric aircraft and that Eviation is currently receiving orders for Alice with the company targeting 2026 for its first deliveries.

“We are shaping the future of travel through electric aviation,” said Eviation’s CEO Omer Bar-Yohay.

In addition to Alice’s executive cabin design, the cargo configuration has also received interest from companies working towards sustainability. DHL for example, announced a purchase order of 12 Alice aircraft for cargo transport in August 2021. John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express, stated, “Our investments always follow the objective of improving our carbon footprint. On our way to clean logistics operations, the electrification of every transport mode plays a crucial role and will significantly contribute to our overall sustainability goal of zero emissions.”

During an interview with ABC News in November, Bar-Yohay—who first established Eviation in 2015—said he expects Alice to begin test flights before the end of the year, however the company has not yet committed to a timeline or date.

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Heart Aerospace Chooses Garmin’s G3000 Integrated Flight Deck for its ES-19 Aircraft

Heart Aerospace’s ES-19 airliner will now feature a fully integrated flight deck: Garmin’s G3000. The all-electric ES-19 could begin serving the regional air transport market in 2026.

Garmin International recently announced a long-term agreement to provide its G3000 integrated flight deck for Heart Aerospace’s 19-seater electric airliner, the ES-19. The G3000 selected by Heart will be customized to meet electric aircraft requirements and will facilitate future system upgrades efficiently. In addition to the agreement with Garmin, Heart has also signed on Aernnova, a Mayor, Spain-based company that engineers and manufactures aerostructures, to design and develop the structure for their new aircraft.

Swedish electric aircraft startup Heart Aerospace made an appearance headlines earlier this year when United Airlines Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, and Mesa Airlines announced a joint $35 million investment. These funds went towards developing Heart’s ES-19 aircraft. Announcements like these demonstrate that major airlines are interested in contributing to the development of electric-powered aircraft. Heart’s airliner may be ready to achieve type certification by the third quarter of 2026 from both European and U.S. civil aviation authorities. United Airlines also has a purchase agreement for 100 of these aircraft once they meet certain requirements for operation and safety.

Alex Bennett, Garmin’s director of aviation OEM and defense sales, said in emailed statements to Avionics International that the G3000 flight deck “will interface with Heart Aerospace’s battery management system (BMS), motor control units (MCU), and other systems unique to the ES-19’s electric drive train.” To optimize the flight deck for regional operations, Garmin plans to customize the G3000’s engine indication and crew alerting systems along with system synoptics and flight management system (FMS) performance algorithms.

Garmin’s G3000 flight deck is designed to fulfill the unique requirements of electric aircraft.

The partnership between Garmin and Heart Aerospace includes working to define the ideal presentation of key parameters from both the drive train and power systems, which will minimize workload for the crew while delivering crucial data regarding the aircraft’s performance and any potential problems. The flight deck will display relative endurance of the aircraft determined from information provided by the BMS in addition to wind conditions and the FMS calculated route.

Garmin’s vice president of aviation and marketing, Carl Wolf, quoted in the press release, said, “We’re confident in Heart’s practical, market-driven approach to expanding the regional air transport market with the introduction of the first all-electric airliner, whose lower operating costs have the potential to enable more universal access to air travel and a broader network of short-haul flights.”

Other aircraft currently using Garmin’s G3000 are the Phenom 100, Phenom 300, HA-420, M2, CJ3+, Denali, TBM 940, M600, SF50, and the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft being developed by Joby Aviation.

A representative from Heart Aerospace told Avionics to their current focus is around development of some of the key systems to be featured on the ES-19, they explained, “We are now starting to lay out the onboard systems—avionics, flight controls, probes—into our master CAD model. We’re also routing their interconnecting wire harnesses.” The company is certainly expanding as development continues to ramp up. Heart has hired more than 80 employees in 2021, a tenfold increase from the eight employees that were part of the company at the start of the year.

In the third quarter of 2022, Heart intends to complete a Preliminary Design Review (PDR) as the next major milestone towards achieving certification. Q3 2023 is the goal date for completing a Critical Design Review (CDR), and they hope to perform the first flight by the end of 2024.

With an expected release date of late 2026, the first generation of the ES-19 is geared towards short-range regional transportation, with a maximum range of 250 miles. This distance can increase as improvements are made to battery energy densities. Heart’s long-term goal is for all flights shorter than 1,300 kilometers (just over 800 miles) to utilize electric aircraft by 2050. Flights of this distance currently account for a third of the emissions generated by aviation. The Heart representative commented, “We are nowhere close to the practical physical limits of battery technology, but I don’t think we will be crossing the Atlantic on all-electric planes any time soon.”

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Airbus Corporate Jets Completes First TwoTwenty Flight in Mirabel

Airbus Corporate Jets completed the first test flight of its new TwoTwenty business jet in Mirabel this week. (Airbus Corporate Jets)

Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ) completed the first flight of its new TwoTwenty business jet at Mirabel Airport on Dec. 14, a year after the French aircraft manufacturer launched a business aviation variant of the A220-100 commercial airliner.

ACJ’s TwoTwenty features seating for up to 18 passengers with a range of up to 5,650 miles or more than 12 flight hours “at a price point of a ULR bizjet,” according to an Airbus press release. “The ACJ TwoTwenty is the only business jet featuring six wide VIP living areas, of around 12m2/130 ft2 each,” according to Airbus.

The TwoTwenty will also be the first corporate jet model Airbus is manufacturing at its Mirabel, Canada A220 final assembly line that was acquired as part of their purchase of the former Bombardier C Series aircraft that became re-branded as the A220 in 2017.

A cross-section of the TwoTwenty’s interior sections provided by Airbus Corporate Jets

Other details about the TwoTwenty featured in ACJ’s TwoTwenty brochure include a maximum flight level of 41,000 feet, with a max operating speed of Mach 0.82 and a typical cruise speed of Mach 0.78. Airbus also notes that the TwoTwenty’s in-flight internet system is capable of up to 50 megabits per second (Mbps) connectivity speeds. The TwoTwenty will also feature the in-flight entertainment Li-Fi system unveiled by ACJ earlier this year.

Comlux, the Switzerland-based private jet charter management and operations company, signed an agreement with ACJ in October to become the exclusive interiors provider for the TwoTwenty. The company’s Indianapolis-based completions center will provide the completions for these aircraft, according to Airbus.

The production test flight in Mirabel was performed by Christophe Marchand and Adam Mason as test pilots and supported by Romuald Scheling as flight test engineer.

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Japan Airlines Completes Trial of Unconnected In-flight Mobile Device Meal Ordering Software

Japan Airlines is one of two carriers that has now trialed the use of a P2P mobile device software developed by Ditto. (Ditto)

Japan Airlines (JAL) has completed a pilot project testing the use of a real-time database that allows passenger mobile devices to synchronize data in real-time “even without internet connectivity,” according to Ditto, the California-based startup that provides the database.

The pilot involved JAL flight attendants and passengers trialing the use of Ditto’s software for in-flight meal ordering via mobile devices that the company emphasizes can be performed with no internet connectivity. JAL trialed the software on 12 flights involving more than 60 flight attendants using Apple iPads to trace passenger orders in real-time throughout the duration of each flight.

“Ditto offers a software development kit (SDK) that a developer embeds into an application, such as an airline’s passenger app, and then it automatically manages the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios to connect to other devices peer-to-peer,” Adam Fish, CEO and co-founder of Ditto, told Avionics International. This means airlines don’t need to install any hardware—Ditto can connect crew devices to other crew and to passengers using Bluetooth and [peer-to-peer] P2P Wi-Fi of the mobile devices onboard. The core technology of Ditto is our replicated database that automatically syncs over any available network.”

According to their website, the SDK that was provided to JAL is Ditto’s “Small Peer,” that comes equipped with an embedded database to ensure that the mobile devices that the SDK is running on will always be able to read and write data, using a series of communication techniques “Bluetooth Low Energy, P2P Wi-Fi and Local Area Network.”

Ditto provides this visual overview of its Big Peer cloud database that helps enable its real-time database for mobile device-to-device communications. (Ditto)

Separately, Ditto also manages a Big Peer, its cloud database, and a series of nodes that host HTTP APIs, webhooks, and other real-time synchronization mechanisms for enabling data sharing between devices.

“For in-flight ordering, Ditto offers pre-built software called SkyService which airlines can use directly or customize as building blocks. JAL’s trial used this. Alternatively, other airlines use SkyService just as a guide on how they can build the ordering into their own apps. SkyService contains a crew application which allows the crew to chat, coordinate tasks, manage the menu and inventory and process orders,” Fish said.

JAL flight attendants using Ditto’s software to track in-flight meal orders.

Etihad Airways has also trialed the use of Ditto’s cross-platform database. In an April 21 press release, the Middle Eastern carrier notes that their flight crew evaluated the use of Ditto to “communicate with each other in real-time in a socially distanced manner and also digitally record guests’ meal orders in Business Class, replacing the current paper-based ordering method.”

According to Etihad, “if successful,” they believe they could eventually replace printed menus and allow passengers to order in-flight meals directly on their mobile devices.

Disney Lo, assistant manager for JAL’s Information Technology Planning Department, told Avionics that the airline is enthusiastic about exploring new technologies “that allow us to do our jobs to the best of our ability.”

JAL flight attendants trialed the use of Ditto’s software on 60 flights. (JAL)

“We see the great potential of Ditto’s technology which helps us elevate our service to the next level by improving the communication quality in the cabin environment. Our crew members are excited to see a seamless working environment, providing better flight experience to our passengers. We are expecting to realize digital mobilization with this technology in the future,” Lo said.

First established in 2018, Fish said that Ditto’s software has also been used in quick-service restaurant point of sales systems, robotics, defense, and education applications.

Fish said that Ditto has other similar trials in the works that will eventually be launched with several European and U.S. airlines next year.

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