FutureFlight

Energy group Shell and Rotterdam The Hague Airport in the Netherlands are working with ZeroAvia to prepare safety standards and protocols for refueling hydrogen-powered aircraft. ZeroAvia, which recently conducted a first test flight with a Dornier 228 technology demonstrator, intends to convert existing regional airliners to hydrogen propulsion using its fuel cell technology.

Samad Aerospace, the UK start-up working on the Starling family of eVTOL and eSTOL aircraft, has rebooted itself under the name ARC Aero Systems and with an ambitious business plan to bring new models to market: a compound rotorcraft as well as a pair of autonomous cargo uncrewed air vehicles (UAVs). ARC stands for Advancing Regional Connectivity, and its founder, Seyed Mohseni, says that the company’s mission has shifted to serving subregional passenger and freight applications, rather than short flights within urban areas.

Despite an “encouraging” response from potential competitors in the new Pulitzer Electric Aircraft Race, the U.S. National Aeronautic Association has decided to postpone the event to a date that has yet to be determined. Originally scheduled to take place from May 22 to 25, the cross-country air race will follow a 1,000-nm route from Eppley Airfield (KOMA) in Omaha, Nebraska, to Dare County Regional Airport (KMQI) near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. 

Ryse Aero Technologies is getting ready to begin deliveries of its Recon personal eVTOL this year. After flying the Recon at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last month, the company opened its online reservation system and has already collected nearly 100 order requests for the $150,000 aircraft, Ryse CEO Mick Kowitz told FutureFlight. 

Major aerospace groups, including Honeywell, Collins, and Textron, are taking roles in research and development projects under the auspices of the European Union's Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking, which is leading efforts to achieve net zero carbon in air transport by 2050. Work that is starting now is mainly focused on new hybrid-electric and hydrogen propulsion systems.

Skyway Technologies has partnered with Moonware to help prepare vertiports and other ground infrastructure for the impending arrival of next-generation aircraft such as eVTOL air taxis. The California-based companies plan to work together to digitally integrate Moonware's highly automated ground operations with Skyway's urban air traffic management systems.

According to Volatus Infrastructure, Penn State University sports fans could be among the first passengers to use eVTOL aircraft via a new vertiport at Bellefonte Airport in Pennsylvania. The company says the facility could also be used for flights to other destinations on the U.S. East coast.

The Air One and XP4 eVTOL aircraft are being marketed to yacht owners through new partnerships with, respectively, the International Seakeepers Society and solar catamaran builder Silent-Yachts. The companies behind the two vehicles say they will be certified for use in 2024.

Azul Conecta, a regional airline in Brazil, has signed a letter of intent with hybrid-electric aircraft developer Ampaire to upgrade up to six of its Cessna Grand Caravans to Eco Caravans. The announcement comes about two months after Ampaire successfully conducted the first flight test of an Eco Caravan, which is a hybrid-electric version of the Cessna 208 Grand Caravan.

GKN is the latest seasoned aerospace group to sign up as a partner to help Lilium develop its six-passenger eVTOL aircraft. The company, which is already supporting Vertical Aerospace's eVTOL program, will jointly develop and integrate the electrical wiring interconnection system for the all-electric vehicle.