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United Airlines and Archer Create eVTOL Advisory Committee

Archer’s development of an eVTOL aircraft for urban air mobility is the main focus of a new joint advisory committee formed in collaboration with United Airlines. (Photo courtesy of Archer)

A joint advisory committee for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft was just formed between Archer Aviation and United Airlines. The committee will support Archer’s eVTOL development process with recommendations related to maintenance and operational concepts. Both companies intend to facilitate large-scale adoption of aircraft for the future advanced air mobility (AAM) market by researching systems and features that can improve eVTOL operations. In the long-term, the focus for Archer in this collaboration is creating operational efficiencies with UAM fleet support that incorporates existing networks and logistics concepts.

United Airlines first entered into an agreement with the eVTOL developer in February 2021 to purchase 200 of Archer’s vehicles, along with an additional, optional purchase of $500 million. The new joint eVTOL advisory committee that was just announced is chaired by Dave Dennison, Archer’s Vice President of Engineering, and Mauricio Angel, United’s Managing Director for United Express TechOps Strategy and Operations.

Other members from United Airlines will join the committee, including Jason Onorati, Director of Maintenance Programs; Robert Bernard, Senior Manager for Maintenance Programs; Brian Johnson, Director of Materials; Edward Espiritu, Senior Manager for United Airlines Ventures; and Monal Merchant, Senior Manager for UAX Engines and Engineering.

Archer’s CEO, Adam Goldstein; COO Tom Muniz; and Maintainability Lead Armando Chieffi will represent the company on the new committee as well. “The formation of this advisory committee further demonstrates Archer’s commitment to building advanced infrastructure to support UAM at scale,” said Goldstein in the announcement from Archer. He explained that United’s expertise regarding commercial aviation operating strategy will be leveraged as the committee develops recommendations for future eVTOL operations. “The adoption of UAM is about more than just the certification of our aircraft,” he continued. “United’s operational experience here will be invaluable as we work towards delivering aerial ride-sharing at scale.”

At the foundation of the new partnership is a shared goal of advancing sustainable urban air mobility (UAM), President of United Airlines Ventures, Michael Leskinen, remarked. “Assembling this group of industry-leading talent, and harnessing the valuable insights it yields, will be a vital step in enabling consumer adoption of eVTOL.”

Archer’s all-electric Maker aircraft completed its first successful hover flight test in December. Following that achievement, the team has moved forward with an ongoing flight test campaign that will continue throughout 2022 and beyond. The four-seater production aircraft may make its debut at the end of this year or in 2023. Goldstein expects the launch date for aerial ride-sharing services in the UAM market towards the end of 2024.

Another recent announcement came from Archer Aviation regarding a leadership change that simplifies Archer’s operating structure. According to the company, co-founder Brett Adcock is stepping down as co-CEO but will remain a member of the Board of Directors. As of April 18, Adam Goldstein is the company’s sole CEO. “Co-founding and leading Archer was one of the greatest experiences of my life, and I am so proud of the incredible Archer team and their many accomplishments. I am fully committed to the success of Archer,” said Adcock.

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PODCAST: Ethiopian Airlines USA Regional Director Talks Pandemic Recovery, Air Cargo and More

Samson Arega, the new USA Regional Director of Ethiopian Airlines, is the guest on this episode.

On this episode of the Connected Aviation Intelligence Podcast, we’re joined by the new regional director for U.S. operations of Ethiopian Airlines, Samson Arega.

After a three-year stint as the country manager of Ethiopian Airlines’ Canadian office, Arega transitioned to his new position as the leader of U.S. operations for Ethiopian earlier this year. Arega provides some perspective on how Ethiopian’s air cargo operations continue to grow, how the airline never fired any of its employees throughout the entirety of the pandemic, and some perspective on the airline’s in-flight Wi-Fi and other new technologies it is using.

Have suggestions or topics we should focus on in the next episode? Email the host, Woodrow Bellamy, at wbellamy@accessintel.com, or drop him a line on Twitter @WbellamyIIIAC. Also, check out the agenda for the 2022 Connected Aviation Intelligence Summit just posted to our event website!

REGISTRATION FOR THE 2022 CONNECTED AVIATION INTELLIGENCE SUMMIT IS NOW OPEN, AIRLINES ARE FREE TO ATTEND! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TODAY!>>

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: Ethiopian Airlines USA Regional Director Talks Pandemic Recovery, Air Cargo and More appeared first on Aviation Today.

Starlink In-flight Connectivity Service Agreement Reached for Hawaiian Airlines Fleet

Hawaiian Airlines has a new agreement with SpaceX to add in-flight internet service enabled by Starlink connectivity to its fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft. (Photo, courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines)

Hawaiian Airlines has become the first major airline to reach an agreement with SpaceX that will add in-flight connectivity (IFC) service enabled by Starlink satellites to a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft with installations scheduled to begin next year, according to an Apr. 25 announcement from the company.

The Hawaiian Airlines agreement follows last week’s announcement by California-based public charter operator JSX that it would become the launch air carrier for Starlink IFC, with the first passenger-carrying flights featuring the new service to begin later this year. Several days after the JSX announcement, Hawaiian Airlines unveiled its own new agreement with SpaceX to add Starlink connectivity to its fleet of Airbus A330 and A321neo aircraft, as well as the Boeing 787-9s it currently has on order.

In an emailed statement to Avionics International, Alex Da Silva, a representative for Hawaiian Airlines confirmed that the Starlink IFC service will be complimentary to passengers.

“We are working with Starlink to map our implementation timeline, and determine our schedule for testing and engineering work for the Wi-Fi infrastructure,” Da Silva said. “We are working with Starlink to map our implementation timeline, and determine our schedule for testing and engineering work for the Wi-Fi infrastructure.”

Hawaiian’s fleet of Boeing 717s that operate shorter inter-island flights will not be equipped with Starlink IFC terminals. According to the airline’s 2021 annual report filing, Hawaiian’s in-service fleet consists of 24 total A330-200s and 18 A321neos, with 10 total 787-9s on order under a 2018 purchase agreement with Boeing.

Starlink is the first in-flight internet service that will be offered by Hawaiian, as the airline currently offers access to wireless streaming in-flight entertainment (IFE) content on its A321neo flights, and other forms of IFE on other aircraft models—with no connectivity currently available onboard.

“We waited until technology caught up with our high standards for guest experience, but it will be worth the wait,” Hawaiian Airlines President and CEO Peter Ingram said in a statement.

Starlink is SpaceX’s Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, one of several whose operators have eyes on disrupting the IFC market by offering high-speed access to broadband in-flight at a lower cost. SpaceX Vice President of Starlink Commercial Sales Jonathan Hofeller has been discussing the company’s vision for IFC during several public appearances over the last year, including most recently at the Satellite 2022 conference in Washington D.C.

“Hawaiian Airlines is ensuring its passengers will experience high-speed internet the way we expect it in the 21st century, making hassles like downloading movies before takeoff a relic of the past,” Hofeller said in a statement. “With Starlink, the in-flight experience is greatly simplified so that once passengers step onboard the plane the internet works seamlessly throughout their flight. Soon, passengers will enjoy all the benefits of having the world’s best inflight internet connectivity from the comfort of their seats.”

The post Starlink In-flight Connectivity Service Agreement Reached for Hawaiian Airlines Fleet appeared first on Aviation Today.

Satcom Direct Becomes Gulfstream Default Datalink Provider, Certifies IFC Antenna System

Left to Right: Satcom Direct’s John Kummer, VP Strategy & Programs, Jim Jensen Founder and CEO, and Chris Moore, President, celebrate STC approvals for the Plane Simple terminal on Gulfstream types. (Photo, courtesy of Satcom Direct)

Satcom Direct (SD), the Melbourne, Florida-based business aviation services company, has expanded the number of new connectivity technologies it is providing to Gulfstream to start 2022, including the launch of a new antenna system and becoming the default data link provider for new in-production Gulfstream jets.

Earlier this month, SD’s “Plane Simple” Ku-band tail-mounted antenna System achieved FAA Supplemental Type Certification (STC) approval for Gulfstream G550, G450, GV and GIV jets. The STC approval was followed by an an April 20 announcement confirming SD’s FlightDeck Freedom (FDF) flight deck communications platform as the default data link system on new and in-production Gulfstream G500, G600 and G650ER jets.

The first production line-fits for the models have already been completed, according to the company. Both achievements will expand SD’s ability to provide connectivity services as well as new flight operations and passenger experience applications for Gulfstream operators.

Under a collaboration with Bobingen, Germany-based aircraft modification and certification services company, the Plane Simple antenna system has also received certification approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency, (EASA) for multiple Bombardier types, covering Global 6000, 5000, Express XRS and Express jets.

SD’s new certification achievements for the Plane Simple antenna system marked the end of several years of development of that system in partnership with QEST, Quantenelektronische Systeme GmbH, a company based in Holzgerlingen, Germany that makes antenna transmitting and receiving equipment.

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)

During an interview with Avionics International in February upon achieving qualification of the new antenna system on Intelsat’s FlexExec network—a Ku-band satellite service that exclusively serves business aviation launched by Intelsat in 2018—Chris Moore, president of Satcom Direct said that the company developed the 12-inch tail-mounted antenna system with just two line-replaceable units for mid-to-large sized business jets with a range of 3,000 miles or more.

“The two LRUs are really important because the modem unit goes in the un pressurized vessel of the airframe. So it doesn’t take up any space within the aircraft’s baggage compartment where most of the current systems go today,” Moore said. “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. We’re the first company that we know of that has developed an antenna system purposely designed for business jets.”

Moore said that an unnamed business aviation operator has already started flying with the antenna system using Intelsat’s FlexExec network. Enabled by Intelsat’s Epic high-throughput satellite (HTS) network, the service enables a 10-megabit-per-second connection to the aircraft, enough to enable simultaneous live-streaming on passenger and pilot devices.

SD has also integrated a cybersecurity module into its connectivity services that exists within its SD Pro software as a service platform. The module interfaces all internet traffic occurring over its various networks with its global data infrastructure where engineers constantly monitor the network for security risks.

Flight testing of more than 115 flight hours over 62 individual legs with 250 GB of data transmitted provided the qualification for the new system on an SD-owned Dassault Falcon 2000LX, according to a Jan. 24 press release about the new system.

According to Moore this is the first of a series of antennas that the company will launch.

“Plane Simple is our Ku-band system, however we’re also working on Ka-band variants, and we’re also working on an electronically steered phased array, or flat-panel antenna. Our focus is on developing an open architecture that gives operators that ability to make use of the best and most capable satellite networks that meet their respective operational profile requirements,” Moore said.

SD expects further certification approvals for the new antenna on other aircraft models by the end of the second quarter from the FAA and Transport Canada in addition to EASA.

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SpaceX Signs JSX as First Air Carrier for Starlink In-flight Connectivity Service

JSX is adding SpaceX’s Starlink in-flight internet service to its Embraer jets starting later this year. (Photo, courtesy of JSX)

JSX, the California-based Part 135 public charter operator, will become the first air carrier to operate aircraft using SpaceX’s Starlink satellites for in-flight connectivity (IFC) service.

The company posted the announcement to its LinkedIn and Twitter accounts on Thursday, indicating that its first SpaceX-equipped aircraft will start flying with Starlink’s IFC service this year.

“JSX is proud to be the first air carrier to adopt SpaceX Starlink internet inflight, free for every Customer onboard. We’d call it the best Wi-Fi in the sky, but it’s actually the greatest Wi-Fi in the galaxy – coming later this year,” the announcement says.

The charter air carrier has released no details beyond its social media announcements, and several minor statements about how the service will perform on passenger-carrying flights. CNBC reported Thursday that JSX CEO Alex Wilcox confirmed their agreement with SpaceX covers up to 100 aircraft and is currently pending regulatory approval.

“Our Customers have repeatedly asked us when we would offer inflight Wi-Fi, and we’ve said that we’ll do it when we find the best product in the world. Today, I’m proud to say, we’ve found it and the wait for Wi-Fi on JSX is nearly over,” Wilson said in an April 21 press release. “Starlink’s technology will change the way JSX Customers access and enjoy the Internet while inflight and demonstrates another example of how our forward-thinking model of flying delivers the most simple, joyful, and seamless air travel experience available in the skies.”

The majority of routes operated by JSX are between airports located in California and southwestern destinations, with a fleet of 77 total Embraer 135s and 145s. The JSX brand is a subsidiary of private charter JetSuite, and focuses on providing short haul flights at prices that compete with commercial airline business cabin fares. The company previously had committed to becoming the launch customer for the SmartSky Networks IFC service.

The JSX charter air carrier service route map. (Photo, courtesy of JSX)

SpaceX has been indicating its intention to provide IFC service via its Starlink satellite network since March 2021, when the company made its first Federal Communications Commission (FCC) filing asking for a license that would authorize the operation of Starlink terminals for Earth Stations in Motion (ESIMs) on aircraft, ships, and vehicles, according to reporting featured in Via Satellite, a sister publication to Avionics International.

Starlink is a constellation of satellites in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) that provides broadband internet service in a direct-to-consumer model that has been adjusted to serve enterprise and industrial applications. SpaceX has launched 2,335 Starlink satellites to date, following their latest launch on April 21.

Jonathan Hofeller, who serves as vice president of SpaceX, has also discussed the company’s plans for in-flight connectivity services in several public appearances over the last year. As an example, during his participation on panel discussion at the Satellite 2022 conference in March, Hofeller said the Starlink IFC service will be capable of enabling streaming to every passenger on an aircraft.

“We believe in a future where connectivity is abundant, you’re not scrapping for kilobits per second here. It’s so much that people get on the plane and they stream just like they do in their home, so we’re designing a service that every single passenger on that plan can stream simultaneously if need be,” Hofeller said.

During a virtual appearance on a Connected Aviation Intelligence panel discussion about LEO satellite IFC for aviation services, Hofeller said the company has developed its own IFC terminal that leverages its phased array consumer antenna for aviation.

“High-speed, low-latency internet is critical in our modern age, and during air travel is no exception,” Hofeller said in a statement, commenting on the JSX agreement. “With Starlink, we’re able to provide an internet experience similar to or better than what passengers experience at home. We are creating a future that when all customers walk on to the plane, the internet just works – no hassles, no logins. By being the first air carrier to adopt Starlink, JSX is setting this new standard for air travel.”

Correction: A previous version of this article referred to JSX as an airline. It has been updated to reflect JSX’s status as a Part 135 operator classified as an air carrier, not an airline.

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GE Aviation Embracing Software Modularity in Third Generation Connected Flight Management System

GE Aviation is working on the introduction of its third generation “TrueCourse” Connected FMS software. (Photo, courtesy of GE Aviation)

GE Aviation is actively working with several unnamed commercial and military aircraft operators on the introduction of its third generation TrueCourse Connected Flight Management System (FMS) software, Avionics International learned during a recent interview with Jeremy Barbour, the company’s Connected Aircraft General Manager.

The third generation FMS is being developed with TrueCourse segmented into reusable software components and certification artifacts, making them easier to upgrade over the life cycle of the aircraft. GE Aviation’s avionics division has been working on making its FMS more software centric and connected to pilot tablet applications since 2018, when it first demonstrated an open architecture cockpit concept at the Farnborough International Air Show.

Barbour explained how GE is preparing for the first operational launch of their upgraded Connected FMS software.

“Our latest FMS product, TrueCourse, is a third generation design that applies all of the lessons learned from our prior two architectures. It is enabled by a software technology called Framework that enforces several design practices that are key to our modularity. These practices are valuable from both a design evolution and a certification standpoint as the regulatory environment continues to apply additional scrutiny on software functions,” he said.

Interviews with other GE avionics engineers in recent years have focused on the company’s goal of establishing a new a new interface to the FMS, that gives tablet electronic flight bag (EFB) applications bi-directional access to the FMS. The company has also made its Connected FMS software development kit available to third party application developers.

GE Aviation’s TrueCourse Connected FMS segments software functions into reusable components and certification artifacts, making them easier to upgrade over time. (Photo, courtesy of GE Aviation)

According to Barbour, Framework is helping to “future-proof” their FMS, making it more software-centric and capable of advanced diagnostics that identify anomalies or system errors that could occur while in-flight. The Framework software is also responsible for managing all of the static memory within the FMS, or all of the navigational data that gets stored and randomly accessed by the FMS in response to pilot inputs.

Management of that static memory within the FMS is critical to enabling GE’s third generation connected FMS concept, as it allows two key elements, Barbour said. “Any data point managed by Framework can be exposed to external systems via our Connected FMS technology. If data is the new oil, TrueCourse, enabled by Framework, is an fantastic asset. Anything the pilot could do through the FMS user interface in the cockpit can be accomplished through the Connected FMS tablet interface programmatically. This provides the ultimate capability for future autonomy needs. When we say the design is future proof – we mean it.”

More than 14,000 in-service commercial and military aircraft feature GE Aviation’s FMS software, including the Airbus A320 and A330, all Boeing 737 variants and the KC-46. TrueCourse is one of several flight management systems that are being modified with connectivity links and interfaces that connect tablet EFB devices to an aircraft’s databus network. Universal Avionics, Thales, and Honeywell Aerospace are among the other avionics makers that currently have their own flavors of cloud native and connected FMS technologies in development or ready for launch.

Barbour said that their connected FMS has not been used on any in-service commercial aircraft yet, however, the company is actively working with an unnamed airline on its eventual commercial launch, and has several military aircraft users are trailing the upgrade as well. One Connected FMS application that Barbour has found interest in from his discussions with airline pilots is dynamic re-routing.

“Dynamic re-routing occurs when a pilot learns something about their current route that they did not know when they planned flight. That could be weather, turbulence or even traffic flow management at the destination airport. Updating time of arrival, navigating around winds, chasing a tail wind in order to increase fuel efficiency at different altitude, we see a lot of opportunities for the Connected FMS to make better use of that information. Modifying the flight plan on the FMS today is an extremely manual process, and the Connected FMS could automate a lot of those tasks,” Barbour said.

GE currently does not have a targeted date on when the first True Course Connected FMS software will start flying, however, Barbour said their focus right now is on incorporating feedback they have received on how to optimize the EFB-FMS application data exchange and integration.

The post GE Aviation Embracing Software Modularity in Third Generation Connected Flight Management System appeared first on Aviation Today.

CAAC Releases Preliminary Report on China Eastern Airlines MU5735 Crash

The team investigating the crash of China Eastern Airlines Flight MU5735 has recovered its flight data recorder, pictured here. (Photo, courtesy of Xinhua News Agency)

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) published its preliminary report regarding an ongoing investigation into what caused a Boeing 737-800—flight MU5735—operated by China Eastern Airlines to crash during a March 21 flight from Kunming to Guangzhou.

CAAC’s preliminary report provides very few details about the crash, information downloaded from the flight data and cockpit voice recorders or any significant updates at all about the investigation beyond what has already been publicly released. As previously confirmed by the agency, the aircraft crashed in Guangxi new the Wuzhou City, Zhuang Autonomous Region, killing all 132 flight crew members and passengers onboard.

According to the report, when an air traffic controller tried to reach the flight crew once the aircraft started dangerously losing altitude, they received no reply. Flight tracking provider FlightRadar24’s replay of the flight shows that the aircraft reached an altitude of about 29,100 feet before taking a sharp nose dive into the ground.

“At 14:21:40, the last recorded aircraft information by the radar was: standard pressure altitude of 3,380 meters, ground speed of 1,010 km/h, and heading of 117 degrees. Subsequently, the radar signal disappeared,” CAAC writes in the report.

CAAC’s report also found no major defects within the airworthiness condition of the aircraft and no unique system or component issues from a review of its maintenance history. None of the recorded communications between the pilots and air traffic controllers that occurred prior to controllers losing contact were found to be abnormal either.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) started assisting CAAC in its investigation into the crash of MU5735 on April 1, and has not released any updates or statements on its involvement in the investigation since then.

“Under the provisions of the International Civil Aviation Organization Annex 13, the NTSB is participating in the CAAC’s investigation of the China Eastern B-737 accident. Those provisions also stipulate that the authority in charge of the investigation, in this case the CAAC, release all investigative information,” a representative for the NTSB told Avionics International in an emailed statement.

The ongoing investigation will continue to focus on several aspects of the crash “as wreck identification, classification and inspection, flight data analysis, and necessary experimental verification in accordance with relevant procedures, and scientifically and rigorously identify the cause of the accident,” according to CAAC.

The post CAAC Releases Preliminary Report on China Eastern Airlines MU5735 Crash appeared first on Aviation Today.

Zanite Files Definitive Proxy Statement Ahead of Business Combination with Embraer’s Eve

Eve Urban Air Mobility and Zanite Acquisition Corp. are on track to fulfill the business combination agreement made in December 2021 and form a new company, Eve Holding. (Photo courtesy of Eve UAM)

Embraer’s Eve Urban Air Mobility entered into an agreement with Zanite Acquisition Corp. in December 2021. This agreement includes a planned business combination in which Eve will become Zanite’s wholly-owned subsidiary. The resulting company will be known as Eve Holding, Inc. and will list on the New York Stock Exchange under “EVEX” and EVEXW.”

Zanite has now filed the definitive proxy statement on Form DEFM14A, an essential step in the process of making Eve a publicly-traded company. On May 6, Zanite’s stockholders will meet virtually to approve the business combination with Eve. If other customary closing conditions are satisfied, the merger is expected to close on May 9.

Following the successful closure of the business combination agreement, the new Eve Holding will receive a $30 million investment from Acciona—a developer of renewable energy solutions and infrastructure. Acciona’s CEO, José Manuel Entrecanales, is also expected to join the Board of Directors as part of the deal with Eve.

About a month ago, Eve shared two other big announcements. Global Crossing Airlines Group signed a Letter of Intent to form a partnership with Eve in research and development of a UAM (urban air mobility) ecosystem that includes infrastructure for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. GlobalX also intends to order up to 200 of Eve’s eVTOL aircraft that will likely be delivered in 2026.

Also in March, Eve made another effort to support UAM in forming a consortium with Skyports, L3Harris, and the Community Air Mobility Initiative (CAMI). The consortium’s objective is to produce a concept of operations for UAM services connecting Miami International Airport (MIA) and the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Eve’s eVTOL aircraft was selected for use by Nautilus Aviation, an Australian luxury helicopter operator that offers scenic tourist flights. As part of the agreement, finalized in December, Eve will deliver 10 of its eVTOL aircraft to the company in Queensland, Australia.

The air mobility business incubator division of Norwegian airline Widerøe, called Widerøe Zero, also demonstrated its interest in Eve’s eVTOL concept last year. A November announcement shared that both companies are partnering to develop a concept of operations for eVTOL aircraft in Scandinavia.

The post Zanite Files Definitive Proxy Statement Ahead of Business Combination with Embraer’s Eve appeared first on Aviation Today.

Viasat Achieves First In-Flight Connectivity Type Certification in China

(Photo courtesy of Viasat)

Viasat has achieved the first type certification for its in-flight connectivity system in China on the Airbus A320.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) issued a Validation of Supplemental Type Certificate (VSTC) to the satellite operator for the installation of Ka-band satellite systems on Airbus A320s. Under the new VSTC, A320 operators based in China can modify their aircraft with Viasat’s antenna, radome, modem, server, and wireless access points (WAPs).

According to Viasat, the new VSTC was issued based on an Airbus A320 STC previously certified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Xinhua, a Chinese media outlet managed by China’s government, in February published an update noting that Airbus plans to deliver the 600th A320 family aircraft assembled at its final assembly line in north China’s Tianjin Municipality this year.

Don Buchman, Viasat’s vice president and general manager, Commercial Aviation, called their first Chinese type certification “significant because Chinese-based airlines, using our best-in-class equipment, are now a step closer to delivering an on-the-ground internet experience to their passengers while in-flight. We’re grateful to our partners in China for their support and are committed to continuing to invest in this important market—where we have operated since 1994—for the long run.”

Viasat’s CAAC A320 type certification comes following a November agreement established with China Satellite Communications (China Satcom) that will allow the satellite operator to offer its Ka-band service to domestic and international airlines via the Ka-band ChinaSat-16 satellite system.

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Tecnam Unveils New P-Mentor Training Aircraft with G3X Cockpit

Tecnam unveiled its new P-Mentor flight training aircraft this week, with plans to make its public debut later this month at a general aviation trade show in Germany. (Photo courtesy of Tecnam)

Capua, Italy-based general aviation aircraft maker Tecnam has unveiled its new flight training single piston-engine P-Mentor that will make its global debut during Germany’s AERO Friedrichshafen trade show later this month.

The two-seater P-Mentor aircraft received its European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) CS-23 type certification on April 7, and it is capable of training student pilots from their first flight up to instrument training. P-Mentor has a range of 730 nautical miles (nm), with a max cruise speed of 117 kts.

Inside the cockpit of the P-Mentor is Garmin’s G3X, with Garmin GI275 as a backup instrument and multiple configurations to allow performance based navigation (PBN) as well as GFCTM 500 autopilot training. G3X consists of two touchscreen displays, standard synthetic vision, and the company’s built-in built-in “Connext” technology for wireless flight plan transfers.

The P-Mentor’s cockpit features Garmin’s G3X avionics system. (Photo courtesy of Tecnam)

Additional design features on the new P-Mentor include an all-new wing and a “tapered planform with laminar flow airfoil and mixed structure; light alloy for spars and wing box, CFRP for the one-piece leading edge,” according to Tecnam.

“I am sure this new design will revitalize the Trainer market, helping many flight schools to remain competitive and profitable and making new student pilots happier and more proficient. Real sustainability, fuel economy, and profitability start here,” Tecnam’s Managing Director, Giovanni Pascale, said in a statement.

(Photo courtesy of Tecnam)

Tecnam claims that the P-Mentor saves “up to 10 tons of CO2 for every graduated Commercial Pilot” that the aircraft provides flight training for.

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