FutureFlight

Monte aims to be the world's first carbon-neutral aircraft finance and leasing group by 2027. The London-based group has signed a letter of intent for 40 of the hydrogen propulsion conversion kits that Cranfield Aerospace Solutions is developing for the Britten-Norman Islander commuter aircraft. Monte has previously made agreements with electric aviation companies Ampaire and ZeroAvia.

The continental scale and geographical characteristics that make Australia different from other countries aspiring to be hotbeds of new electric aircraft are prompting local start-ups like AMSL Aero to take a fresh approach to jump-start the advanced air mobility (AAM) sector.

Italian manufacturing group TESI will build the first prototype for VoltAero's Cassio 330 prototype, which is expected to make its initial flight in 2023. The Cassio family of hybrid-electric aircraft will have a range of around 800 miles and carry up to 10 passengers.

Saudi Arabian regional development project Neom and Hong Kong’s Gly Capital Management have joined Volocopter’s investor base with $182 million in Series E funding.

Archer Aviation has selected Italian aerospace company Mecaer Aviation Group to develop and supply the landing gear for Archer’s Midnight, a piloted eVTOL air taxi designed to carry four passengers on trips of up to 100 miles.

Amprius has agreed to supply its ultra-high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries with silicon nanowire anodes to BAE Systems for electrically powered flight applications. The companies will also explore use cases for the batteries in other defense applications.

An electric-powered R44 helicopter modified by Tier 1 Engineering and Lung Biotechnology showed a new way to transport transplantable organs.

EHang has signed a memorandum of understanding with airliner maintenance, repair, and overhaul group Haeco that calls for cooperation in the fields of manufacturing and assembly, continued airworthiness, digital platforms, product support, and talent training ahead of certification of the EH216-S passenger-carrying autonomous air vehicle.

Today’s burgeoning advanced air mobility (AAM) market has spawned dozens of companies around the world racing to develop eVTOL air taxis, with plans calling for fleets of the novel aircraft to transport passengers as early as 2024. But to make the dream of AAM a reality, those fleets of eVTOL aircraft will need dedicated places to take off and land, and most communities lack the needed infrastructure.

Ampaire reported its receipt of a firm order for 25 Eco Caravans from sustainable aircraft financier Monte, along with options covering another 25 of the hybrid-electric airplanes. The deal codifies what Ampaire calls the parties’ “preferred partner” relationship.