“We have made the decision to wind down Kittyhawk,” the company announced on its Twitter account Wednesday. “We’re still working on the details of what’s next.”

We have made the decision to wind down Kittyhawk. We’re still working on the details of what’s next.

— Kittyhawk (@kittyhawkcorp) September 21, 2022

Kittyhawk is just one of hundreds of companies formed in the past decade or so as part of a worldwide movement to develop inexpensive, convenient, emissions-free air transportation over gridlocked traffic on the ground. 

It’s unclear precisely what Kittyhawk means by “winding down”—whether it means a significant reduction in development activity, or, as the phrase suggests, a total shutdown of operations. Kittyhawk did not immediately respond to FLYING’s request for further comment. If Kittyhawk completely ends its independent aircraft development activities, it won’t be the first eVTOL firm to throw in the towel, and it won’t be the last. 

News of Kittyhawk winding down comes as another eVTOL developer with ties to Page, Wisk Aero, prepares to unveil its new four-seat, sixth-generation prototype for a self-flying air taxi. Kittyhawk is also an investor in Wisk, and Wisk commented about the situation on its Twitter account Wednesday. “Today’s news does not impact Wisk,” Wisk’s tweet said. “We remain in a strong financial position with both Boeing and Kittyhawk as investors.” 

Today’s news does not impact Wisk. We remain in a strong financial position, with both @Boeing and @kittyhawkcorp as investors. https://t.co/Pe98tOX9cI

— Wisk (@WiskAero) September 21, 2022

Although California-based Wisk is largely backed by Boeing (NYSE: BA), Kittyhawk’s Zee Aero group was initially involved when it developed an autonomous eVTOL test article called Cora in 2018. A year later, Zee Aero eventually became Wisk after it partnered with Boeing. 

Page—who founded Kittyhawk with autonomous automobile pioneer Sebastian Thrun—may be winding down as part of a strategy shift in light of Wisk’s progress toward achieving certification for its aircraft. 

• READ MORE: Wisk and Boeing Release First Concept Operations Plan for Self-Flying Air Taxis

Kittyhawk built and experimented with several eVTOL designs with various missions and capabilities. 

One of Kittyhawk’s test articles—dubbed Heaviside H2—was designed as a remote-piloted, single-seat, all-electric eVTOL aircraft with tilting motors, canards, and a large wing. It successfully flew more than 100 sm on a single battery charge, and achieved a top speed of 180 mph, according to Kittyhawk. Heaviside H2 was successful enough to garner support from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory’s AFWERX Agility Prime Program, aimed at accelerating advanced air mobility (AAM) technology. 

Another Kittyhawk eVTOL design, called Flyer, was an ultralight aircraft with water landing capabilities. 

Not surprisingly, the eVTOL sector is proving itself to be a tough place to succeed. The Vertical Flight Society has counted more than 700 eVTOL concepts, so far. Despite hundreds of concepts and companies in the game, only a handful are actually flying full-sized prototypes. 

So far, none have achieved certification for their aircraft, although In California, Wisk, Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) and Joby Aviation (NYSE: JOBY) appear to be leading the way, along with Vermont’s Beta Technologies, as well as Volocopter and Lilium (NASDAQ: LILM) in Europe.

The safe bet is that—for lots of different reasons—many other eVTOL developers will be falling by the wayside in the coming years, as an emerging aviation sector struggles to define itself in a challenging arena. 

The post Google Co-Founder’s Kittyhawk eVTOL Company ‘Winding Down’ appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Tom Anderson, Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) COO of urban air mobility, spoke with FLYING several weeks ago to offer his thoughts about top-line goals, including obtaining a Part 135 certificate, vertiports for maintenance, landings, and takeoffs, as well as training for pilots and technicians.

Anderson came to Archer earlier this summer after more than three decades working in the traditional airline sector, including stints at Airbus, Boeing, Virgin America, and Breeze Airways. He’s also a certificated pilot who holds an A&P as well as an IA. If Anderson can find the time, he tries to enjoy the beautiful California weather and go flying. 

Having recently completed PDR (Preliminary Design Review), we are making tremendous progress on this aircraft and can’t wait to share more details with the public in the future… https://t.co/IgJCVIE27G

— Archer (@ArcherAviation) September 5, 2022

At this point in his career, Anderson said he brings to Archer the benefits of seeing different elements of an airline ecosystem. “I can see how they need to all come together in a coherent orchestra,” he said. Archer is not only building a new kind of aircraft, but also plans to build an airline while manufacturing and selling aircraft to other operators. “I think that’s what drew me to Archer,” he said. 

“We’re not opening up a cookbook here and saying, ‘How do I make a souffle? Or how do I make a pizza? Or how do I make a birthday cake?’ We are doing something that has never been done before. We’re trying to think about the best way to design, certify, and produce a vehicle.”

• READ MORE: Archer COO Has Deep Commercial Aviation Roots 

Archer’s tiltrotor design for its production aircraft called Midnight includes six proprotors turned by lithium-ion-battery-enabled electric motors. The aircraft will seat a pilot and four passengers and have a range of 60 sm and a cruise speed of 130 knots. The eVTOL’s mission: to provide quick, emissions-free flights over traffic gridlock in cities such as Los Angeles and Miami. 

A Part 135 Airline 

Obviously, Anderson is focusing on helping Archer obtain a Part 135 operator certificate, but he’s also helping to define airline vertiport operations and passenger experience, as well as technician and pilot training. 

Under Archer’s current plans, those holding FAA commercial pilot certificates will be eligible to fly for the airline. Anderson believes Archer’s on-demand air taxi service could help attract more technicians and pilots to airlines, helping to ease the pilot shortage. 

“I think we’re going to play an extremely beneficial role in the industry, in that we’re going to bring pilots into the cockpit of an Archer, they’re going to get a type rating, they’re going to operate these aircraft, and then, many will probably choose to get their ATP and go fly for a major airline.”

Vertiport Ops 

In a deal announced last year with national parking garage operator Reef, Archer signaled it intends to use existing infrastructure for at least some operations, including landings, takeoffs, and daily maintenance. 

“The battery pack will stay with the aircraft for a fairly long period of time,” Anderson said. “When the aircraft lands, we plug it into electricity, and give it a bit more juice. And then it goes on to its next mission.” He said the company has been undertaking a deep dive analysis on designing flight profiles over the course of a typical operations day, including energy requirements. 

“It’s fairly manageable, and I think people will be pleasantly surprised about that.”

• READ MORE: What Safety Features Should Vertiports Include?

Passenger Experience

Archer is planning an “Uber-esque” experience for its passengers—whom Anderson refers to as “guests.”  

“A guest will be able to access us via an Archer app, to get to the local vertiport. We’ll take them and three other people who want to go to the same destination at the same time and get them on their way.”

Anderson envisions a security process that begins even before passengers arrive at the vertiport. A passenger vetting process will be included in the app. “We’ll be able to vet guests before they get to the vertiport, and put them through appropriate screening before they get on board the aircraft,” Anderson said. 

“It won’t be like standing in line for hours on end at Heathrow. You’re coming to a vertiport, and we ought to be able to make sure people are safe and ready to go in an efficient way.”

Pilots That Greet Passengers by Name

Although the idea is still in the early planning stages, Anderson said the app could also help streamline the FAA-required safety briefing. 

“I don’t see any reason why we can’t—via the app—give you a little safety training course and have guests answer a couple of questions before they get to the vertiport. So when you get to the vertiport, you’re ready to enjoy the flight and go flying, rather than watch the same passenger safety briefing for the 156th time on whatever your favorite airline is and say, ‘Why are they wasting my time telling me something they told me 156 times?’”

Thanks to passengers providing their photos through the app, pilots will be able to address each passenger by name during boarding. “So there are definitely things we can do to make this much lower friction. You know, a more pleasant experience than what people are used to doing.”

Learning To Fly Archer Aircraft

Anderson has flown the aircraft in Archer’s simulator, saying he found the eVTOL easy to operate. “It’s two sticks and the controls are quite intuitive,” he said. “People get the hang of it relatively quickly.”

“Chief Test Pilot” isn’t just a cool job title, it’s a wide-ranging role here at Archer that impacts everything from cockpit design to pilot training. Meet Jeff Greenwood, our Chief Test Pilot, and learn about how he’s helping shape the future of eVTOL https://t.co/wso2QnVsyx

— Archer (@ArcherAviation) September 13, 2022

Archer’s full-sized Maker prototype test article has been undergoing flight testing this summer. Long term, the company says it remains on track for FAA certification in time to enter service in 2024. 

• READ MORE: Video Reveals Archer Flight Test Campaign

Archer is competing in an emerging market with a handful of other eVTOL developers now flying full-sized prototypes, including Uber-backed Joby Aviation (NYSE: JOBY), Germany-based Lilium, and Wisk Aero, which is largely financed by Boeing (NYSE: BA). 

With an investment from United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL), Archer envisions a possible future where passengers would fly air taxis from vertiports in neighborhoods and small towns to hub airports, where they would board traditional jetliners for long-distance travel. 

• READ MORE: How Much Will It Cost To Fly on eVTOL Air Taxis?

But for now, Anderson has been working hard on his first mission: standing up the operations certificate, “We’re building up work streams and rolling up our sleeves as to how we’re going to—in a very detailed and pragmatic manner—solve the major questions.”

Optimism is high. In fact, Anderson predicts that “before too long, FLYING is going to be writing a review of what it’s like to fly an Archer.” 

The post Archer Aviation Offers a Glimpse of Air Taxi Operations appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Heart announced Thursday it will abandon previous plans to develop its ES-19 in favor of a larger, battery-powered electric regional aircraft design called the ES-30, which incorporates a non-electric power source for reserve range— two turbogenerators that burn sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

“The 19-seat version was an interesting experiment, but 19-seat planes have absolutely zero relevance in the airline industry,” said aviation industry analyst Richard Aboulafia, a managing director at AeroDynamic Advisory, a boutique aerospace and defense management consultancy. 

Heart CEO Anders Forslund put it somewhat bluntly in a press release: “The ES-30 is an electric airplane that the industry can actually use.”

Today we agreed to purchase 30 ES-30 electric-hybrid aircraft from @heartaerospace, a step toward our goal of net zero emissions by 2050. These regional aircraft will seat up to 30 passengers & fly quietly with zero emissions when on battery power.

More: https://t.co/1JeRJyHXwZ pic.twitter.com/JR1J5MqKcf

— Air Canada (@AirCanada) September 15, 2022

It also doesn’t hurt Heart’s prospects that Air Canada and Saab have signed on to the ES-30. Thursday’s announcement included the news that Canada’s flagship carrier has provisionally agreed to buy 30 ES-30s. Saab, well-known for its background in military aviation and automobile production, was founded in Sweden and has roots stretching back to the early days of powered flight. Each company has agreed to invest $5 million to develop ES-30. 

Aboulafia said the two familiar brands represent a “solid endorsement,” but “It’s hard to tell what’s for advertising these days and what’s a real investment for the future.”

• READ MORE: Heart Aerospace Picks Garmin G3000 for Its Electric Regional Airliner

Heart and other aircraft developers are a part of the worldwide push throughout the aviation industry to find environmentally friendlier propulsion systems. 

Globally, civil aviation produces about 2.1 percent of all human-induced CO2 emissions, according to the Air Transport Action Group. Government and airline initiatives aimed at reaching net-zero emissions are helping to drive development of electric and hybrid electric platforms. 

RELEASE: Saab Partners with Swedish Electric Aircraft Company Heart Aerospacehttps://t.co/cSpSZwkJym

— Saab (@Saab) September 15, 2022

‘It’s Hard To Know’

Under electric power, the ES-30 is expected to offer a range of 200 km (108 nm), and with the SAF-burning reserve, an extended range of 400 km (216 nm) with 30 passengers, Heart said. With 25 passengers, range expectations increase to up to 800 km (432 nm).

“The reserve-hybrid system is installed to secure reserve energy requirements without cannibalizing battery range,” Heart said. “It can also be used during cruise on longer flights to complement the electrical power provided by the batteries.”

Aboulafia said he has “always been more comfortable with hybrids than I have with batteries. You have to carry an awful lot of battery by weight in order to go anywhere, with anything on board. Hybrid always offers a better way forward.”

But a big question surrounding the ES-30’s propulsion system “is whether all of this onboard equipment pays its way in terms of real estate.” As Aboulafia put it, “Without detailed technical assessments, it’s hard to know.”

Orders for Heart’s previously planned electric airliner—ES-19—including those from United Airlines and Mesa Air Group, have been reconfirmed for the ES-30, Heart said. Those orders amounted to 200 aircraft purchases with options for an additional 100. Also, Heart said “many” potential customers who had signed letters of intent (LOIs) for the ES-19 have updated those LOIs to reflect the ES-30.

“In total, Heart Aerospace has LOIs for 96 ES-30s,” the company said. 

Heart’s surprise redesign brings to mind Boom Aerospace’s unveiling in July of a new design for its Overture supersonic passenger jet.

Heart’s redesign “appears to have some actual science behind it, whereas Boom’s appears to just be a playful session of freehand drawing,” Aboulafia quipped. The announcement had a “complete lack of explanation for why Boom was moving to a four-jet configuration without any reference to engines whatsoever.”

• READ MORE: Boom Unveils Redesign of Its Supersonic Airliner 

Last year, Heart said the smaller ES-19 was expected to make its first flight in 2024, and enter service in 2026, pending certification. 

Now, as Heart moves forward with its larger design, the company said it expects the ES-30 to enter service in 2028.

The post Will a Larger Airframe Help Heart’s Electric Airplane Become a Reality? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

For years, the battery industry talked about reaching a higher gravimetric energy density—a so-called “magic number” of 450 watt hours per kilogram, which some experts said would break the sector wide open and spur the emerging eVTOL industry forward. 

For comparison, a typical off-the-shelf electric vehicle (EV) battery has an energy density of 250 to 350 watt hours per kilogram. But in November 2021, a company called Amprius announced it was developing the first commercially available lithium-ion battery that offered 450 watt hours per kilogram. By February, the company was sending out its first shipments. Now, the Fremont, California-based battery manufacturer says it’s on the verge of a commercially available lithium-ion battery with an energy density that’s even higher: 500 watt hours per kilogram.

“We’ve already achieved 500 watt hours per kilogram,” said Ronnie Tao, Amprius vice president of business development, in an interview with FLYING. “We’ve already achieved cycle lives greater than 500 cycles. We’re very excited about the potential of our platform.” 

Tao said these high energy density batteries are in late-stage development—meaning they’ve manufactured samples—but Amprius has not yet technically commercialized them. “We sample [batteries] out for people to test and validate, and to see if they’re interested in putting it into their applications,” Tao said. 

For the electric sector, range is everything. A battery with greater energy density theoretically could allow eVTOLs to fly longer and farther. With longer range, an eVTOL with an intended mission to ferry cargo or passengers on short, 25-minute hops could now be used to fly between nearby cities and towns.  

Several eVTOL developers—including Joby Aviation (NYSE: JOBY), Wisk Aero, Lilium (NASDAQ: LILM), Volocopter, Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR), and others—are now flight testing full-sized prototypes and working toward certification by the FAA or EASA. However, none have yet received certification for their aircraft. 

Developers of electric aircraft have been working hard to push the range limits of their aircraft. Last year, Joby Aviation reached a milestone, flying its S4 prototype a distance of 150 nm on a single charge, using conventional off-the-shelf EV batteries. It was an important moment for the aircraft—which demonstrated it could achieve its intended range in a flight test environment.   

• READ MORE: Joby Hits Range Target 

Three months ago, Beta Technologies flew eight legs across six states in a demonstration flight of its Alia electric aircraft totaling 1,219 nm, including one leg measuring 255 nm. 

• READ MORE: Electric Aircraft Flies Eight Legs Across Six States 

Faster Recharging Times

Beta’s website says Alia will be able to fully recharge from empty in 50 minutes. By comparison, Amprius claims it has achieved a remarkable recharge rate in its proprietary batteries: 0 percent to 80 percent in just six minutes. 

Battery recharging times are another important metric that’s directly connected to the operational success of the eVTOL sector. Time is money, as they say. But also, several air taxi developers, including California’s Joby and Archer are executing vertical business models that will require large-scale operations. To effectively operate on that kind of scale, battery recharging needs to be as fast as possible, to minimize turnaround time and maximize number of flights per aircraft. 

Amprius says its cutting edge battery technology has the potential to increase range and shorten turnaround times—two factors that could go a long way toward helping an unproven industry succeed in a very skeptical industry. 

As you might expect, the eVTOL developers are very tight-lipped about their technology—including their battery systems. Several have told FLYING they’ve been flight testing their prototypes with off-the-shelf lithium-ion batteries designed for electric cars. However, eventually, off-the-shelf EV batteries will not be good enough, experts say. Manufacturers believe the electric aviation sector will be willing to pay higher prices for certificated, high-performance batteries that will be able to extend aircraft range and reduce turnaround times. 

Amprius has its sights set on winning that market. 

Testing With Airbus 

Already, the company has provided batteries for a high-performance, high altitude experimental drone aircraft manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space for the U.S. Army. The Airbus Zephyr flew for 64 days straight, partially thanks to its Amprius battery packs. The experimental drone ascended to more than 60,000 feet, flying over the southern U.S., the Gulf of Mexico, South America, and Arizona, before it abruptly crashed for reasons that the Army has not revealed. 

“Things are different when you’re operating up in the stratosphere,” Tao said. “You have very, very different operating conditions. And it required us to be innovative, to understand how can we simulate environments up there, so that what we build translates. There are different elements that need to be considered both from the cell level and from the system level,” he said. “Airbus allowed us to take those learnings and really start to apply it to everything else aviation.”

• READ MORE: Airbus Solar Powered Drone Flies 64 Days Nonstop

Breakthrough Technology

So, what has been the breakthrough technology that has allowed Amprius to achieve 450 and now 500 watt hours per kilogram? In a word, the breakthrough was about silicon. 

For decades, anodes—the positive and negative poles on a rechargeable battery where electrons are released into an external circuit and where electrons are returned to the battery—have been made from less conductive carbon graphite. Scientists have long known that silicon would be a much more effective material for anodes, but because silicon has a tendency to swell when charged with lithium, it was never able to be successfully used. Swelling can lead to cracked anodes, which would make the batteries useless.

Our mission is to make the highest energy density silicon anode lithium-ion batteries in the world. Our products help enable new applications and markets that require the high-density storage capabilities that we provide: https://t.co/YSVYG0oSCL#amprius #ampriustechnologies pic.twitter.com/pDOFNo4oJu

— Amprius Technologies (@AmpriusInc) August 19, 2022

Amprius—building on initial research at Stanford University—figured out a way to manufacture a silicon anode that resists swelling and cracking. 

Now, manufacturers such as Enovix (NASDAQ: ENVX) and Sila are following the trend. They’ve developed silicon anode batteries for cell phones, wearable tech, and laptops. Sila has been applying this technology to batteries for electric cars. 

Going Public

Amprius is on track to go public before the end of this year through a merger with special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Kensington Capital Acquisition Corp. IV (NYSE: KCA.S).

“The reason why we are going public is not to solicit more funds for R and D development,” Tao said. “The entire use of funds is going towards scaling our mass production solution.” He said production will take place in the U.S., perhaps in Texas or Georgia.

The merger, announced in May, puts Amprius at an implied value of $939 million, assuming no redemptions by public stockholders. Subject to approval by Kensington stockholders, gross proceeds from the merger will amount to about $430 million for Amprius, including $230 million in cash and up to $200 million in additional equity financing. 

In the meantime, the company said it has been engaging in “strategic discussions” about supporting most of the major eVTOL developers that are currently flight testing full-sized prototypes.

Nonetheless, it remains to be seen whether Amprius battery technology will eventually prove itself in the eVTOL arena. “By partnering up, we can give them considerations for things such as battery performance or temperature control,” Tao said. “All of our lessons learned can be applied effectively to aviation.”

The post Cracking the Code for eVTOL Batteries appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

That’s according to Ohio-based Ryse Aero Tech, which recently conducted the first crewed flight of its Recon ultralight electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (eVTOL) designed for agricultural and rural use.

In an increasingly crowded emerging eVTOL market, the Recon stands out, according to Ryse Aero Tech. The single-seat aircraft weighs less than 300 pounds, and its six carbon fiber proprotors are designed to reach a maximum altitude of 700 feet at a cruising speed of up to 35 knots, or 40 mph. The aircraft is controlled by a joystick and an integrated removable tablet PC with redundant controls.

Recon is as easy to operate as an all-terrain vehicle, which means anyone can fly it, the company says. Because of its lightweight design, the aircraft qualifies as a powered ultralight and therefore doesn’t require a pilot certificate.

• READ MORE: USAF Accelerates Flight Testing of Unique Single-Seat Hexa eVTOL

Ryse began testing the Recon in Cincinnati, during a series of crewed flights in late July.

“It was effortless and very enjoyable to fly,” Erik Stephansen, Ryse’s director of regulatory affairs and aeronautics, said in a statement. “I was thrilled at how I could literally hover, take my hands off the controls and the Recon sat there stable and safe.”

The flight test campaign included taking flight control systems through takeoffs, controlled hovers, forward flight, pivot turn maneuvers, and landings, Ryse said.

The flight tests marked a step forward toward accomplishing the company’s mission of providing “an accessible aircraft to people with a purpose and make flight accessible to all,” Mick Kowitz, CEO of Ryse Aero Tech, said in a statement. “We proved today that this vehicle is reliable, stable, and enjoyable, but most importantly, it’s safe.”

Ryse said it will be exhibiting the Recon later this month in Boone, Iowa, at the Farm Progress Show, which is described as “the nation’s largest outdoor farm event.” The company also said it is on track to begin deliveries of the Recon by mid-2023.

• READ MORE: USAF Flight Tests LIFT’s Hexa eVTOL

The Recon isn’t the only ultralight eVTOL headed to market that won’t require a pilot certificate to fly. Earlier this year, Lift Aircraft inked a contract with the U.S. Air Force to develop its single-seat ultralight eVTOL, Hexa.

Like Ryse, Lift Aircraft says its 18-proprotor, amphibious eVTOL will operate under the FAA’s powered ultralight classification in FAR Part 103. Last month, the Air Force completed a 10-minute flight test of the Hexa, which the service said was a step toward incorporating the aircraft into military operations. 

The post Agricultural eVTOL Makes First Crewed Flight appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

On Wednesday, the so-called eBeaver made its first point-to-point flight—a 45 sm journey from Harbour Air’s terminal adjacent to Vancouver International Airport (CYVR) to Pat Bay, near Victoria International Airport (CYYJ). After landing, the eBeaver had ample reserve battery power remaining, Harbour Air said. 

The Harbour Air experimental eBeaver has been converted to a lithium-ion-battery-enabled 750-hp all-electric motor manufactured by Seattle-based magniX. The airline aims to achieve certification to begin all-electric commercial flights with passengers as soon as next year.

“I am excited to report that this historic flight on the eplane went exactly as planned,” said Kory Paul, a Harbour Air test pilot and vice president of flight operations. “Our team as well as the team at magniX and Transport Canada are always closely monitoring the aircraft’s performance, and today’s flight further proved the safety and reliability of what we have built.’’

Yesterday, Harbour Air's ePlane completed it's first ever point to point flight with the support of magniX! Congrats to everyone making history yet again! We are proud and honored to be a part of the innovators in the Electric Aviation industry changing the world for the better. pic.twitter.com/HjS2oVdfZO

— magniX (@magniX) August 18, 2022

Harbour Air has been pioneering development of all-electric flight since the first successful eBeaver flight test in 2019. The company operates a de Havilland fleet of Beavers, DHC-3 Otters, and DHC-6 Twin Otters to carry local commuters and tourists.

Some exciting buzz from our ePlane team! On Aug 17, our ePlane completed its first ever point-to-point test flight! A smooth takeoff from the Fraser River in Richmond & landing at Patricia Bay. A momentous test flight for the [log]books! Learn more here: https://t.co/knosBLVMEz pic.twitter.com/IUxhvQAH2o

— Harbour Air Seaplanes (@HarbourAirLtd) August 18, 2022

The airline—which carries more than 500,000 passengers on 30,000 commercial flights per year—has set a goal to eventually convert its entire fleet to all-electric aircraft. 

The post Harbour Air Makes First Point-to-Point Flight with Electric Beaver appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

“Charged up for the weekend,” said an August 12 post on Eviation’s Twitter account, showing Alice parked in front of a hangar in Moses Lake, Washington. The tweet offered no hint of precisely when the flight might take place. An Eviation spokesperson told FLYING Monday that Alice remains on track to make its first flight “this summer”—which, by the calendar, officially ends September 22. 

Testing for the carbon-fiber, fly-by-wire, twin-motor, battery-enabled aircraft moved to Moses Lake in May, following months of ground tests at Arlington Municipal Airport (KAWO) north of Seattle—where Alice’s first flight was originally planned. 

Charged up for the weekend.#AllElectric #Alice #MosesLakeWA pic.twitter.com/07SqFzw6tH

— Eviation Aircraft (@EviationAero) August 12, 2022

Meanwhile, the team surrounding Alice continues to grow. Last month at England’s Farnborough International Airshow, Parker Aerospace announced it will be developing several technology system packages for the aircraft. Parker and Eviation have begun “entering the design phase” for the aircraft’s eventual production and certification. Parker named six technology system packages it plans to develop for Alice, including:

• Flight control system, consisting of sidestick, throttle, rudder control, and various switches
• Electromechanical flap system
• Thermal management 
• Hydraulic powerpacks
• Vibration and noise mitigation 
• Sealing solutions

Powered by twin, rear-mounted magniX650 electric motors, Alice has garnered much attention across the nascent electric aircraft industry, as the Israeli startup attempts to develop and bring to market a viable, fully electric airplane for regional cargo and passenger missions. 

First unveiled at the 2019 Paris Air Show, Alice is designed to seat nine passengers and two pilots. It’s proposed to have the following specs:

• Maximum cruise speed: 250 knots 
• Range: about 440 nm 
• Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW): 16,500 pounds 

Eviation had been hoping to conduct Alice’s first flight late last year, but the company said the COVID-19 pandemic and bad weather pushed testing and preparations into 2022. 

This year, the project has undergone two key leadership changes, including the departures of chairman Roei Ganzarski in January and Eviation co-founder Omer Bar-Yohay, who stepped down as the company’s CEO in February. Shortly before his departure Bar-Yohay told FLYING he expected Alice’s first flight was “days away.” 

After Gregory Davis took over as interim CEO, he offered a general explanation about the moving timeframe for first flight: “Part of it is continuous optimism,” Davis said. “Things come up. That’s why you test.”

• READ MORE: Eviation Interim CEO Explains Leadership Change

Under Davis’s leadership, Eviation said it had begun a safety board review of the aircraft, before the project moved to Moses Lake. 

How Alice Got Its Name

Inspired by the Lewis Carroll fantasy novel, the name Alice serves as a homage to Alice in Wonderland. Back in 2016, when Eviation was new, Bar-Yohay was working while Jefferson Airplane’s song White Rabbit was playing in the background. He started calling the project Alice, and “the name just stuck,” he told FLYING.

Eviation intends to certify Alice under Part 23 for airworthiness. 

“It’s the first Part 23 aircraft that’s all fly-by-wire,” Bar-Yohay told FLYING in January. “It was a very, very painful aspect of the development of this system. It makes the system much more complex and it takes a long time and a lot of money to do this right.”

Company officials have said they expect the airplane to earn FAA type certification in time to enter service in the 2025 timeframe.

In April, Eviation and Cape Air expanded its original 2019 agreement to become Alice’s launch customer, signing a letter of intent to buy 75 of the new aircraft models, pending certification and production. The Massachusetts-based regional carrier’s fleet currently includes Cessna 402s, Britten-Norman Islanders, and Tecnam P2012 Travellers. Germany-based DHL announced last year an order for 12 cargo variants of the aircraft. 

A Regional Electric Commuter Airliner 

Eviation is one of several companies hoping to successfully develop an entirely new form of air travel enabled by electric batteries. If all goes as planned, supporters say Alice could become a vital part of a zero-emission travel ecosystem. 

Development of a viable electric airliner could lead to the establishment of zero-emission regional air passenger routes. That, in turn, could influence the commuter airline system, which is currently dominated by hub airports. 

Bar-Yohay said in January that the lion’s share of air travelers are only interested in flying to destinations under 300 nm, but the current system forces them to fly hundreds of miles out of their way to transfer at a hub. 

“Think about how ridiculous that is,” he said. “If we can compete on both the price per seat mile and we can win hands down on the environmental aspects, and we don’t have to go so far—or so big—why would you fly anything else?” 

“Long term,” he said, “this will be everywhere.”

The post New Signs First Flight of Eviation’s All-Electric Alice May Be Near appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The deal includes an option to buy an additional 50 Alia eVTOLs, designed to carry payloads up to 1,400 pounds or five passengers and a pilot. 

“We designed Alia with reliability, efficiency, and the highest-value cargo in mind, all of which are central to the types of critical missions Bristow carries out on a global stage,” said Kyle Clark, Beta founder and CEO. “Over the past few months, we’ve made strides with our flight test program, proving the aircraft is capable of performing in conditions it will see in service. We are gratified by Bristow’s confidence in our continued progress, and we look forward to partnering to provide a safe and sustainable system to transform regional transport

• READ MORE: Electric Aircraft Flies Across Six States

First revealed in 2020, Alia is Beta’s second-generation eVTOL test article. It’s a single-prop pusher with a 50-foot wing and V-tail. The aircraft is designed to achieve vertical lift during takeoff and landing from four fixed rotors. Alia is being developed for multiple advanced air mobility (AAM) roles, including cargo, medical transport, and passenger transportation. Beta says the aircraft will be capable of carrying a pilot and cargo—or four passengers—as far as 250 nm on a single charge. Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW): 6,999 pounds. 

Beta is one of a handful of eVTOL startups currently flight testing entirely new electric aircraft designs, aimed at providing effective and reliable zero-emission transportation.

“This order firmly positions Bristow as an early adopter and leader in pragmatically developing AAM operations and ushering in a new era in vertical lift solutions,” said Dave Stepanek, Bristow executive vice president and chief transformation officer. “By leveraging our 70-plus years of expertise as a leader in vertical lift, we plan to use the Beta Alia to safely and reliably move passengers and time-sensitive cargo as part of the development of new regional mobility networks in the U.S. and other strategic locations.”

Although it doesn’t expect to achieve FAA aircraft type certification for Alia until 2024, Beta has already announced purchase agreements with UPS Flight Forward (NYSE:UPS) and Blade Urban Air Mobility (NASDAQ:BLDE). 

The post Bristow Group Places Firm Order for Beta Technologies eVTOLs appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

In partnership with Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education (ITE), the exhibit will offer free tours of the VoloCity air taxi prototype and a 3D scale model of its planned VoloPort facility for air taxi takeoffs and landings. It will be located at the school’s Aerospace Hub, the ITE’s aircraft technician training center. 

The announcement comes five months after Volocopter and Singapore unveiled plans to create an entire eVTOL ecosystem, starting in 2024 with guided air tours of the city-state’s Mariana Bay Area and expanding to commuters and business travelers by 2030.

• READ MORE: Volocopter Plans to Launch Singapore Air Taxis by 2024

Plans call for Singapore’s urban air mobility (UAM) infrastructure to eventually include four to six VoloPorts. 

Although Singapore is expected to be among Volocopter’s first launch markets, the company is also hoping to offer air taxi service with VoloCity in Paris during the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Eyes on Asia

It’s the latest signal that Volocopter continues to see Asia as a key to its business strategy.

Volocopter announced plans last year to launch air taxi service at Japan’s World Expo in 2025. 

The company also has plans aimed at South Korea, where last November it staged a demonstration flight of its 2X test article.

Also, Volocopter has made deals to begin manufacturing and selling eVTOLs in China.

About the Aircraft

The company says VoloCity continues to move toward certification for flight under European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regulations for the SC-VTOL category.

In 2021, the aircraft secured production organization approval (POA) in compliance with EASA under Part 21G. In 2019, it attained design production organization approval (DOA) under Part 21J.

• READ MORE: EASA Proposes Air Taxi Regulations

VoloCity Air Taxi Specs

A Four-Seater

This past May, a demonstrator for Volocopter’s VoloConnect, the company’s first four-seater, flew its first flight test.

• READ MORE: Larger, Faster Volocopter Makes First Flight

Volocopter is targeting VoloConnect for certification in time to enter service in 2026.

The post Volocopter Opens Air Taxi Exhibition appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

In the April 2021 event, the airplane lost power during a flight test, causing a forced landing just outside Cranfield Airport (EGTC), in Bedfordshire, England. Neither member of the two-person flight crew was injured in the accident.

The event serves as a reminder that—although there have been many successes—the electric aviation industry still faces significant challenges in its journey toward making electric flight viable and reliable as an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels.

According to the accident report, released July 7 by the U.K.’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), the airplane was reconfigured so its motors could be powered by either a high-voltage lithium battery or a hydrogen fuel cell. A key part of the powertrain includes devices called inverters that transform direct current (DC) electricity from the energy sources to the motors. In the moments before the accident, “electrical power was lost to both motors as the power source was changed, and the inverters locked out, at a position in the circuit where the aircraft could not safely glide to the runway,” the AAIB report said.

The inverters locked out, the report said, because during the change from battery to hydrogen fuel cell while in flight—a normal process in the electric aircraft’s operation—the propellers windmilled, which turned the motors. The motors acted as generators, producing energy that was fed back to the inverters, which triggered an overvoltage protection protocol that caused the inverters to lock out.

According to the report, the pilot in command identified the power loss from the aircraft response, rather than the instrument display. Nine seconds after the power loss at an altitude of 880 feet above the airfield, the crew said the inverters had been lost.

The pilot issued a mayday call and began a left turn to line up for landing on Runway 21, but “almost immediately he recognized that he did not have sufficient height to complete the maneuver,” the report said. The pilot then lowered the gear and selected full flaps for a forced landing at about 87 knots ground speed on a level grass field. The Piper hit a hedge and plowed through it, breaking off the left wing.

It stopped when its nosewheel and left main wheel rolled into a ditch, the report said. The flight crew exited the airplane unhurt through the “upper half of the cabin door.”

What Went Wrong

The accident report criticized the “location of the system status display and the absence of aural warnings.” As a result, “critical information regarding the motor operation was not readily available to the pilot. The only indication of a loss of power was a change in color of the small symbols M1 and M2 on the cluttered system status display, which was obscured when the pilot’s hand was on the power lever.”

ZeroAvia also did not carry out sufficient ground testing “to determine the effect of the back voltage from a windmilling propeller on the inverter protection system,” the report said.

Shortly after the accident, ZeroAvia began its own internal investigation into the accident. “Many of the issues identified in the report were similarly noted in our internal investigation and have subsequently been addressed robustly,” ZeroAvia said in its July 7 statement. “We have embedded key learnings into both our organizational culture and structure, as well as our future technical designs.” The company said it has created a safety and security review board, as well as added “extensively qualified members in several critical positions, including within our design, airworthiness, and flight test teams.” The company also said it has established a “safety management system based on a ‘just’ aviation culture, including occurrence reporting, investigation, and corrective actions functions.”

ZeroAvia said future projects would incorporate lessons learned in terms of handling back voltage due to windmilling.

Other Factors

According to the report, other factors that contributed to the accident included:

• “The emergency procedure to clear an inverter lock out after the protection system operated was ineffective.
• An investigation had not been carried out into a previous loss of power resulting from an inverter lock out, which occurred three flights prior to the accident flight.
• The risk assessment had not been reviewed following the loss of propulsion on two previous flights.
• Ad hoc changes were made to the flight test plan, including the position where the electrical power source was switched, without the knowledge of the competent person.”

The airplane “met all the requirements to be flown under” the U.K.’s Civil Aviation Authority regulations for electric airplanes (CAP1220), and “a comprehensive dossier was produced by the competent person. However, this was a complex project, and the competent person was unable to completely fulfill his responsibilities as detailed in CAP1220.” The report said the “competent person’s involvement was restricted in a number of areas due to issues within the organizational relationships, the fast tempo of the project, other work commitments, and restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

ZeroAvia

It’s important to note that ZeroAvia is one of the world’s leading developers of electric airplanes. Since 2017, the California-based company has been experimenting with existing small airplane platforms by converting them from traditional fossil-fuel burning powerplants to electric.

• READ MORE: ZeroAvia to Retrofit DeHavilland Q400 for Electric Flight

In 2020, the company flew what it called the world’s first hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered flight of a commercial-grade aircraft.

In 2021, ZeroAvia partnered with Alaska Air Group to develop a 76-seat electric airliner from a de Havilland Q400 and last May, it announced plans with Mitsubishi’s MHI RJ Aviation Group to electrify its CRJ series of regional jets.

• READ MORE: ZeroAvia to Electrify CRJ Series

Recommendations

The AAIB report recommended that the CAA develop additional guidance “on the design and positioning of controls and displays used in the operation of the aircraft.”

It also recommended clarifying “the scope of projects considered suitable to be carried out under CAP1220.”

In addition, the report called on CAA to ensure that the “individual nominated as a competent person under CAP1220, Operation of Aircraft Under E Conditions, has the knowledge, skills, experience, and capacity to manage and oversee the experimental test program.”

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