All News Archives - Page 57 of 109 - Aviation, Inflight and Aero Connectivity Consultants

PODCAST: AirFi CEO Talks Wireless IFEC and Creating Mall in the Sky for Airlines

Job Heimerikx, CEO and co-founder of AirFi, is the guest on this episode.

On this episode of the Connected Aviation Intelligence Podcast, Job Heimerikx, CEO and co-founder of AirFi, joins to discuss commercial airline wireless in-flight entertainment and connectivity trends.

AirFi, a global supplier of wireless in-flight entertainment and connectivity technologies, is headquartered in the Netherlands. Their technology is rather unique in the in-flight entertainment and connectivity market because of its size and what it can enable for airlines in terms of applications such as in-flight movies, ordering meals, and payment validation.

Some of their airline customers include Sun Country, Eastern Airlines, Corendon Dutch Airlines, and Atlantic Airways, among others. We discuss the unique size of their wireless IFEC solution, how they’ve added Iridium connectivity to their technology, and why they’re finding that the type of low bandwidth non-streaming connectivity they’re providing is still popular with airlines in 2022.

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: AirFi CEO Talks Wireless IFEC and Creating Mall in the Sky for Airlines appeared first on Aviation Today.

—————
Boost Internet Speed–
Free Business Hosting–
Free Email Account–
Dropcatch–
Free Secure Email–
Secure Email–
Cheap VOIP Calls–
Free Hosting–
Boost Inflight Wifi–
Premium Domains–
Free Domains

Joby Signs Expanded Contract with Department of Defense

Joby Aviation has expanded an existing contract with the U.S. Department of Defense. The Marine Corps, Army, Navy, and Air Force will all test Joby’s eVTOL and explore use cases such as emergency medical response. The contract’s total potential value is now more than $75 million. (Photo: Joby Aviation)

Joby Aviation recently expanded its existing contract with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The U.S. Marine Corps now joins the Army, Navy, and Air Force in testing and exploring applications for Joby’s electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The contract’s potential value increased by more than $45 million; its total potential value is now more than $75 million following the recent expansion. The company expects to launch its eVTOL in 2024 following type certification with the Federal Aviation Administration. Joby’s team has also applied formally for concurrent validation of its FAA type certification in the UK.

The Marine Corps will participate in government-directed flight tests and evaluate various use cases of Joby’s eVTOL, such as resupply, emergency medical response applications, and relocation of personnel. Joby’s defense partnerships provide the company with access to testing facilities and offset some research and development costs. The expanded contract with the DoD also offers early operational experience for government customers.

Joby became the first company developing an eVTOL aircraft to receive military airworthiness approval for its prototype vehicle in December 2020. The eVTOL developer also performed flight tests in collaboration with NASA in September 2021 to collect data on vehicle performance and noise levels.

Joby’s second pre-production prototype aircraft was awarded U.S. Air Force Airworthiness Approval and Special Airworthiness Certification from the FAA at the end of last year. The company announced in March 2022 that its team had completed its first Systems Review and Compliance Review and earned approval from the FAA.

Joby was awarded a Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate from the FAA in May, earlier than the company originally expected. This enabled Joby to start on-demand commercial operations with air taxis.

JoeBen Bevirt, CEO and founder of Joby Aviation, remarked on the expanded partnership with the U.S. DoD, saying, “As we work toward our goal of launching a passenger ridesharing service, we’re grateful for the support of our defense partners. This extension provides valuable support for our ongoing development efforts and allows our partners to see first-hand the potential for this aircraft in their future concept of operations.”

Joby’s prototype eVTOL aircraft received military airworthiness approval at the end of 2020 and a Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate from the FAA in May of this year. (Photo: Joby)

Joby reported its financial results for the second quarter of 2022 on August 11. $61 million in net cash was used for purchases of property and equipment, as well as for operating activities, in Q2. Total operating expenses were calculated at $99.4 million, and the net loss for the second quarter totaled $49.6 million, according to Joby’s letter to shareholders.

The company shared that the manufacturing of the tail section of its first production-intent aircraft is now complete, and the team is progressing with assembly of the wing and fuselage.

“We have also built and begun internal acceptance testing on the majority of the powertrain and electronics assembly unit types for our first production aircraft,” Joby reports in its letter to shareholders. “These assemblies – including design-intent electric propulsion units, battery modules, and mission display computers – were built on our production lines in our San Carlos, CA, facility using scalable processes capable of supporting hundreds of aircraft per year.”

The post Joby Signs Expanded Contract with Department of Defense appeared first on Aviation Today.

Archer Receives $10M Pre-Delivery Payment from United Airlines for 100 eVTOLs, Shares Q2 Financial Results

United Airlines provided a $10 million pre-delivery payment to Archer Aviation for 100 eVTOL aircraft. Archer recently held an earnings call to share financial results from the second quarter of 2022. The team revealed that its production aircraft, Midnight, is expected to begin flight testing next year. (Photo: Archer)

On August 10, Archer Aviation announced that it received a $10 million pre-delivery payment from United Airlines for 100 of Archer’s production aircraft, an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle. The eVTOL developer also held an earnings call to review its financial results from the second quarter of 2022.

Archer’s co-founder, CEO, and director Adam Goldstein revealed the name of their production aircraft, Midnight, during the earnings call. Archer’s prototype eVTOL, the Maker, has served as a testbed for supporting the development of the Midnight production aircraft that will eventually be certified with the Federal Aviation Administration. Goldstein also shared that Archer completed the Preliminary Design Review of its Midnight eVTOL this past week. The team plans to start flight testing of Midnight in 2023.

Goldstein remarked on the new pre-delivery payment from United, saying, “I am incredibly proud of the entire Archer team as we reach this milestone in our partnership with United Airlines. To receive a cash deposit is validation of Archer’s achievements to date, not only with flight testing and product development, but also a great signal of confidence in our roadmap to commercialization.”

United Airlines has previously supported Archer in the process of developing its eVTOL. Archer and United formed a joint advisory committee in April. The committee supports the development process with recommendations for maintenance and operational concepts. United also entered into a partnership with Archer in early 2021 that included the intent to purchase 200 of Archer’s eVTOL aircraft.

According to the company’s announcement about the pre-delivery payment from United, Archer has recently finished the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) of its production aircraft: “The PDR lays out all aspects of the aircraft’s specifications and manufacturing requirements, necessary pre-conditions for determinations that the design is feasible for regulatory compliance and viable to bring to market.”

During the PDR, Archer’s team reviewed and froze key design elements of the Midnight eVTOL. Archer now continues to work with the FAA to ensure agreement on the Means of Compliance for Midnight.

Michael Leskinen, President of United Airlines Ventures, commented, “We believe eVTOLs have the potential to both help achieve carbon-neutral travel and serve as an innovative new tool to change how United customers experience comfort, convenience, and efficiency during their commutes within cities across the globe.” (Photo: Archer)

The Q1 financial results for Archer included GAAP operating expenses of $65.3 million, non-GAAP total operating expenses of $39.6 million, and net loss of $59.2 million.

In comparison, the numbers for Archer’s Q2 included GAAP operating expenses at $80.2M, non-GAAP operating expenses at $50M, and net loss of $71.7M.

The company expects GAAP total operating expenses for the third quarter to total between $95M and $103M.

During the Q2 earnings call, Adam Goldstein stated that the company is now at an inflection point and is advancing its efforts towards commercialization. “This includes the development and certification of our production aircraft, building out the supply chain and manufacturing infrastructure needed to produce the aircraft and kicking off efforts to prepare for our initial launch markets and routes for commercial operations,” he said.

According to Goldstein, the Maker aircraft allowed the team to validate multiple capabilities of the 12 tilt 6 configuration along with decisions regarding software and flight controls for their eVTOL. The production aircraft, Midnight, was designed for optimal performance in commercial operations. The payload, range, and speed, along with other performance requirements, have been selected specifically to optimize operating economics.

“The vast majority of our 400-plus employees are working day-to-day on the development and certification of Midnight as well supporting go-to-market activities,” said Goldstein.

Archer recently completed the first two phases of the flight test program for the Maker aircraft—hover and critical azimuth. The third phase currently underway includes evaluation of Maker’s system performance at increasing forward speeds, Goldstein said. Archer’s team is on track to perform the first full transition hovered fixed wing flight by the end of 2022.

Archer Aviation recently revealed the name of its production aircraft, Midnight, pictured above. (Photo: Archer)

Archer’s Chief Operating Officer Thomas Muniz explained during the earnings call that Midnight is designed specifically for high throughput urban air mobility transportation. The aircraft is expected to offer a payload greater than 1,000 pounds. Midnight may also be capable of charging in only 10 minutes between flights of roughly 20 miles.

“We are ramping up our manufacturing and supply chain activities as well as progressing the build of an initial Midnight aircraft that will enter flight tests next year,” Muniz said. “We anticipate parts for the Midnight aircraft will start arriving at our low rate initial production facility later this year.”

Muniz also shared that the team has performed some wind tunnel testing with the Maker aircraft. “We are currently building our final high-fidelity models to launch our final wind-tunnel test campaign in the coming months,” he added.

The post Archer Receives $10M Pre-Delivery Payment from United Airlines for 100 eVTOLs, Shares Q2 Financial Results appeared first on Aviation Today.

Business and General Aviation Avionics Sales Increased in First Half of 2022, AEA Report Says

The Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) published its second quarter 2022 business and general aviation avionics sales report this week. (Photo courtesy of Duncan Aviation)

Global sales of business and general aviation avionics increased by 15.8% to more than $1.3 billion during the first six months of 2022, according to the second quarter report published by the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) this week. Between April and June, based on the avionics suppliers that participate in AEA’s report, sales increased 19.9% to $708 million compared to the same period a year ago.

The latest report published by AEA is the eighth consecutive quarter where sales of business and general avionics equipment has increased. Forward-fit sales of electronics featured on new in-production aircraft represented 54.2% of total sales during the first half of the year, according to the report.

Collins Aerospace, Garmin, Gogo Business Aviation, and Honeywell Aerospace are among the 21 different avionics manufacturers that participated in the second quarter report, a number that AEA notes can change periodically due to mergers and acquisitions or new companies participating.

The report comes following several quarterly earnings calls where executives from most of the companies participating in AEA’s report discussed supply chain issues disrupting the development of some new technologies. Garmin, for example, reported a 13% revenue increase to $205 million for its aviation segment during the second quarter and expects total revenue growth in the segment to increase by 10% this year.

“During the quarter, supply chain constraints eased bringing back orders down from historically high levels, but we have more work to do to meet the strong demand for our products,” Garmin CEO Cliff Pemble said during their second quarter earnings call.

Gogo Business Aviation CEO Oakleigh Thorne also told investors last week that the launch of their 5G in-flight connectivity (IFC) service could be delayed until mid-2023 due to a testing delay that their computer chip supplier Airspan is going through. Canada’s ADS-B airspace mandate has also been delayed by six months because of supply chain constraints, according to their Aug. 2 announcement.

AEA President and CEO Mike Adamson said the avionics sales increase reported for the first six months of the year are encouraging, but also cautioned about “inflationary pressures that could factor into that increase.”

“Companies participating in the market report indicated they had increased their prices nearly 6%, which is substantial, yet below the 8.5% rise in the U.S. annual consumer price index reported in July,” Adamson said in a statement. “The effort to manage and maintain the flow of products by our avionics OEMs dealing with supply constraints and the ever-increasing cost to produce and re-certify their products is extraordinary.”

The post Business and General Aviation Avionics Sales Increased in First Half of 2022, AEA Report Says appeared first on Aviation Today.

Intelsat and OneWeb Partner on LEO/GEO In-Flight Connectivity

Intelsat is partnering with OneWeb. (Photo, courtesy of Intelsat/OneWeb)

OneWeb and Intelsat have signed a global distribution agreement to offer a multi-orbit in-flight connectivity (IFC) service combining Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) and Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellite capacity. The companies announced the agreement Thursday and expect it to be in service by 2024.

Under the agreement, Intelsat will distribute OneWeb capacity coupled with its service. Intelsat said this will fill gaps in IFC coverage and capacity at airport hubs, across oceans, and over polar routes.

“This level of connectivity will enable airlines to maximize brand affiliation with passengers through all their onboard services – delivering a truly connected end-to-end passenger journey,” said Jeff Sare, Intelsat’s new president Commercial Aviation. “The hybrid service offering further allows the global airline community to plan their suite of next-generation onboard services with confidence – not only ensuring a future-proofed passenger inflight connectivity experience, but also the implementation of a connected airline digitalization strategy.”

Ben Griffin, OneWeb vice president of Mobility Services, called the deal a “watershed moment” for the IFC market and said the partnership delivers the highest value for the lowest risk.

This partnership comes after Intelsat announced a new IFC solution in June, with a new multi-orbit capable, electronically steered array terminal to offer increased flexibility to its airline customers.

OneWeb is in the midst of a deal to combine with operator Eutelsat.

This article was first published by Via Satellite, a sister publication to Avionics International.

The post Intelsat and OneWeb Partner on LEO/GEO In-Flight Connectivity appeared first on Aviation Today.

Boeing Can Start Delivering 787 Dreamliners Again

American Airlines released this image of the 787-8 they received from Boeing’s South Carolina factory on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy of American Airlines)

Boeing can begin delivering 787s again, 14 months after stopping deliveries of the Dreamliner when manufacturing flaws were discovered on several undelivered models last year. American Airlines received the latest 787-8 to join its fleet from Boeing’s South Carolina factory on Wednesday.

Issues with composite skin flatness and small gaps discovered between sections of the fuselage in some undelivered 787s led Boeing to lower the production rate and stop delivering the Dreamliner in May last year. At the time, Boeing had 100 total 787s waiting to be delivered, all of which have been cleared to resume delivery flights now by the FAA.

“This milestone would not be possible without the hard work, dedication and perseverance of so many of you,” Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said in a message to employees. “Thank you for how you have demonstrated our shared values throughout this process.”

The FAA acknowledged last year that the fuselage composite issues were internally identified by Boeing and disclosed to the FAA. While the rework of the fuselage flaws was occurring over the last year, Boeing lowered the 787 program’s production rate to below five per month.

The company reported 120 total undelivered 787 Dreamliners sitting in inventory during their July 27 second quarter 2022 earnings. Boeing CFO Brian West, speaking during the earnings call, also reported $283 million in “abnormal costs” for rework associated with the 787 program and the company still anticipates incurring up to $2 billion in abnormal costs for the program through the end of 2023.

“These costs are driven by rework and production rates below five per month. It is important to keep in mind that cash margins on the 87 remain positive and are expected to improve significantly over time,” West said during the call. “With over 400 airplanes in backlog, recent orders and commitments announced at Farnborough and additional demand as the commercial market recovers, we see a strong future for the 87 program.”

The post Boeing Can Start Delivering 787 Dreamliners Again appeared first on Aviation Today.

Former Intel Engineer to Lead Daedalean Launch of US Operations for Autonomous Avionics

Dr. Yemaya Bordain will serve as the president of U.S. operations for Daedalean, the Swiss developer of artificial intelligence software for aircraft systems. (Photo courtesy of Daedalean)

Daedalean, a Switzerland-based developer of artificial intelligence and machine learning software for avionics systems, has launched its first operations outside of Europe with a new office in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Yemaya Bordain will serve as president of Daedalean’s Americas business after spending the last seven years as an aerospace engineer and global sales director at Intel.

The launch of Daedalean’s first American office joins their existing Zurich and Latvia locations. According to emailed statements provided to Avionics International, the Phoenix office will focus on business development activity for U.S.-based partners and customers while manufacturing and engineering activities will continue at their headquarters in Switzerland.

“Daedalean is leading the charge in creating a world where we’ll be keeping up with the Jetsons as we skip over traffic jams in autonomous and situationally-aware aircraft,” Bordain said in a statement. “I am so thrilled to be joining their pioneering team. It is an exciting challenge to play a key role in achieving this future.”

Bordain’s previous experience includes co-architecting the “first Intel-based commercially-available offering in safety-critical avionics,” according to her personal website. She also managed partnerships between Intel and some of the aerospace industry’s largest electronics suppliers including Lockheed-Martin Corporation, Collins Aerospace, Indra Sistemas, and Mercury Systems.

Bordain joins co-founders of Daedalean Luuk van Dijk—left—and Anna Chernova right to lead the U.S. operations of the company. (Photo courtesy of Daedalean)

Her experience at Intel adds to the list of engineers running Daedalean that have worked at some of the largest Silicon Valley-based companies. Dr. Luuk van Dijk, one of the company’s two co-founders, previously worked on senior software engineering projects at Google Zürich and SpaceX. Anna Chernova, the other co-founder and a pilot, also previously worked as a qualitative analyst for Google.

Over the last year, Daedalean has been focused on its ongoing collaboration with Florida-based avionics manufacturer Avidyne to develop the PilotEye cockpit vision system. PilotEye is being developed by the two companies to leverage the use of Daedalean’s neural network to replicate the decision-making, hazard avoidance, and situational awareness skills of a human pilot.

“As far as we know, this will be the world’s first certified system for civil aviation with a non-trivial safety case that has a machine-learned component for AI assistance to a human pilot,” Chernova said, commenting on the opening of their first U.S. office. “It’s more than yet another instrument: it can see and interpret the visual scene beyond human vision and capability.”

The Avidyne-Daedalean PilotEye system onboard a test aircraft (Photo courtesy of Daedalean)

Avidyne submitted a supplemental type certification/technical standard order (STC/TSO) application to the Federal Aviation Administration and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for PilotEye in December last year. So far, while still working on obtaining certification for the system, they have received an Issue Paper for the system from the FAA and a Certification Review Item from EASA.

In May, the FAA’s Aviation Research division jointly with Daedalean published a 137-page technical report “Neural Network Based Runway Landing Guidance for General Aviation Autoland,” outlining how the W-shaped Learning Assurance process can meet FAA intent for certification and development processes, as well as inform future policy.

Outside of their work with Avidyne, Daedalean completed a series of flight tests with Eve earlier this year to evaluate the use of their autonomous flight control software on future electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Since its founding in 2016, Daedalean has disclosed $72 million in financing and currently has a team of more than 90 people with expertise in “machine learning and computer vision, aviation-grade software engineering, flight testing, safety assessment, and certification,” according to their website.

The post Former Intel Engineer to Lead Daedalean Launch of US Operations for Autonomous Avionics appeared first on Aviation Today.

Fototerra Upgrades Embraer EMB-110 Antenna to Improve Airborne Surveillance of Brazilian Coastline

Fototerra is upgrading its special missions Embraer EMB-110 aircraft, pictured here, with Satcom Direct’s Plane Simple Ku-band antenna system. (Photo courtesy of Satcom Direct)

Fototerra, the Texas-based special missions fleet operator, is upgrading the antenna featured on its Embraer EMB-110 aircraft that specialize in flying geographic data capture missions for Brazilian oil and gas companies. The antenna currently featured on the EMB-110 will be replaced with the Satcom Direct (SD) Plane Simple antenna—a Ku-band system first launched on several Gulfstream aircraft models earlier this year—according to an announcement made by the company at the Latin American Business Conference and Exhibition (LABACE) occurring in Sao Paulo, Brazil, this week.

Satcom Direct has partnered with Pro Aero, Brazil’s largest civil aviation certification company, and Jazz Engenharia Aeronáutica, a Brazilian aircraft maintenance provider and re-seller of SD’s technologies. Fototerra’s modification of the EMB-110 will also mark the first installation and operation of the new Plane Simple antenna on a special mission aircraft after its debut on an unnamed Gulfstream operator earlier this year.

Jazz Sales Director, Felipe Nardi, commenting on the upgrade, said Plane Simple will “replace current micro-wave technology which Fototerra uses to monitor the maritime coast on behalf of the oil and gas industry. The existing technology requires Fototerra to stay near the coastline to communicate images effectively. Once we’ve installed the terminal, this limitation will be removed.”

Upon replacing the EMB-110’s existing antenna system, the modification will attach the 12-inch Plane Simple antenna to the top of the twin-turboprop in the center of the aircraft’s fuselage. Separately, a modem, the second of the Plane Simple system’s two line replaceable units (LRUs), will be installed inside the aircraft cabin.

The Plane Simple Ku-band tail mount antenna was confirmed qualified for Ku-band service activation by Intelsat in January. (Photo courtesy of Satcom Direct)

“Most of the antenna systems available for business jets today have four to five LRUs and are variants of systems developed for airliners that have been aligned to business jets,” Satcom Direct President Chris Moore said, during an interview with Avionics International about the new antenna system earlier this year.

Connecting the special missions flights operated by Fototerra’s EMB-110 to Intelsat’s FlexExec Ku-band satellite network will provide enough bandwidth for the aircraft to transmit “hyperspectral images, lidar data, radar data, and infrared, ultraviolet, thermal, and fluorescence techniques” in real-time to Fototerra’s servers and on to their customers as requested.

“We have been waiting for this capability for a long time and are enthusiastic about completing missions with the technology in place,” Gulherme Pinho, CEO of Fototerra, said in a statement commenting on the Plane Simple upgrade.

Jazz Engenharia Aeronáutica, the Brazilian MRO provider, is completing the upgrade of the Plane Simple antenna on the aircraft now and expects to re-deliver the upgraded EMB-110 to Fototerra by the end of next month.

The post Fototerra Upgrades Embraer EMB-110 Antenna to Improve Airborne Surveillance of Brazilian Coastline appeared first on Aviation Today.

US Air Force Awards eVTOL Pilot Training Requirements Contract to Aptima

Aptima was awarded a contract by the U.S. Air Force to evaluate the requirements for eVTOL pilot training. (Photo: BETA Technologies)

This week, it was announced that the U.S. Air Force has awarded a new contract to a company called Aptima. The contract will support development of pilot training specifically for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft operation.

Aptima is a company that engineers solutions to improve individual performance in technology-intensive environments. The team will work with the Air Education and Training Command’s Detachment 62 (Det 62) to determine the requirements for eVTOL pilot proficiencies and training as part of the contract awarded by the U.S. Air Force (USAF). Det 62 supports the AFWERX Agility Prime program, and it will drive certification standards and development of curricula for eVTOL pilots.

In fulfilling the USAF contract, Aptima will work to assess pilot competency requirements, “including how pilots learn and perform on eVTOL platforms that have varying levels of automation,” according to the announcement. Aptima’s Samantha Emerson, project manager for the contract, noted that experienced and novice pilots both possess unique skills. “We’ll assess how these differences affect performance in aircraft with various levels of automation,” Emerson explained.

“The learnability study will help us not only understand the baseline pilot skills and competencies needed for proficient eVTOL flight, but also the impact of automation on pilot performance,” she added.

Some research referenced by Aptima suggests that pilots with more experience experience greater difficulty in learning to operate aircraft that are highly automated. In comparison, novice pilots are less likely to “overcontrol” the aircraft, and will instead let the automation control the vehicle.

Emerson commented that highly experienced pilots may even have to unlearn certain concepts or skills and go through re-training in order to operate aircraft with higher levels of automation and augmentation.

Aptima has previously developed technologies in collaboration with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to measure, analyze, and optimize pilot performance. One of the technologies is called PETS, or Performance Evaluation Training System, that collects data from flight simulators and produces objective measurements of performance.

The findings that result from this USAF contract will contribute to Det 62’s efforts to test and evaluate its assumptions regarding eVTOL pilot training. According to Aptima, “The findings could also influence how aircraft manufacturers design platforms in the future as we discover which aspects of flight benefit most from improved automation.”

The post US Air Force Awards eVTOL Pilot Training Requirements Contract to Aptima appeared first on Aviation Today.

Vertical Aerospace Releases Q2 Financial Results, Plans for Hover Testing

Vertical Aerospace published a letter to shareholders this week reporting the company’s results from the first six months of 2022. Vertical finished building the full-scale VX4 eVTOL prototype which will be used for flight testing soon. (Photo: Vertical Aerospace)

Vertical Aerospace, designer and manufacturer of the VX4 electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, provided company updates in a letter to shareholders this week, including plans to perform a series of tethered hover flight tests as soon as the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority grants the company a piloted permit. The tethered hover tests are important for demonstrating the aircraft’s stability during take-off and landing as well as confirming performance of flight control systems and batteries. Vertical’s entry into service of the VX4 is targeted for 2025.

Following a series of taut and loose tethered hover flights, Vertical Aerospace will perform untethered flight tests, including multi-axis maneuvers, at up to 50 feet in altitude. According to the company, these flight tests will “continue to expand the flight envelope, testing stability and control, the flight control system, propeller to propeller interactions, loads, vibrations and system operation during low speed transition.”

The next objective is to demonstrate transitions between hover and wing-borne cruise, at altitudes of 5,000 to 10,000 feet, and at speeds of up to 145kts. Transition flights will validate the vehicle’s aerodynamics, structure, powertrain, and flight control systems.

Vertical’s founder and CEO Stephen Fitzpatrick remarked on the company’s performance in the first half of 2022, noting, “In the last quarter, we have expanded our pre-order book to more than 1,400 and announced new VX4 applications in emergency medical services, cargo and business aviation, with Babcock and FLYINGGROUP.”

The VX4 is a piloted, four-passenger eVTOL aircraft that is expected to have a top speed of 200 mph and a range of 100+ miles. (Photo: Vertical Aerospace)

Vinny Casey, Chief Financial Officer at Vertical, commented in the letter to shareholders: “During the first half of 2022 we invested in the build of the VX4 Prototype, the development of our test and certification activities and in the people, systems and processes to support the company.”

Key takeaways from the company’s financial results are a net operating loss of £39 million for the first six months of 2022, as well as cash and cash equivalents of £158 million, which it expects to cover funding of operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements for the next year or more. This month, Vertical also established an equity subscription line with global financial services group Nomura. This enables the eVTOL developer to issue up to $100 million in new ordinary shares.

Vertical expects net cash outflows for the second half of 2022 used in operating activities to total £40 to £50 million.

In the first half of 2022, Vertical’s achievements included completion of the full-scale VX4 prototype build, along with a series of ground tests. Vertical completed 90% of the build by the end of March. According to the company’s letter to shareholders, the team expects to begin flying in the coming weeks. During the second quarter, Vertical also “secured concurrent validation of the VX4 between EASA and CAA on the same SC-VTOL certification basis.”

The VX4 is a full-scale prototype that will conduct much of its flight testing with a pilot present in the cockpit, according to the Q2 shareholder letter. “Qualifying a vehicle for piloted flight is a much bigger challenge than flying with remote controls. This requires the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to perform a detailed review before signing off our airworthiness and issuing us with a piloted permit to fly,” according to Vertical. The prototype has completed ground-based testing such as vibration tests, lift load tests, and propeller thrust tests in order to confirm that the prototype meets the design specifications.

Other highlights from this year included a strategic partnership with Molicel, a company that will supply high-power cylindrical format cells for the battery pack of Vertical’s VX4. And American Airlines recently agreed to pre-pay for 50 of Vertical’s eVTOL aircraft. The airline entered into a $1 billion agreement with Vertical last year to purchase up to 250 of the VX4 aircraft and an optional 100 additional aircraft. American also made plans to invest $25 million in the eVTOL developer at the time.

Vertical entered into an agreement with Hanwha Aerospace this year to develop electric actuators that will be integrated into the VX4. The actuators will provide tilt and pitch control for the eVTOL’s four forward propellers as well as aerodynamic control surface actuation on the V-tail and wing.

The post Vertical Aerospace Releases Q2 Financial Results, Plans for Hover Testing appeared first on Aviation Today.

Category Archives: All News