FutureFlight

Among new civil aviation safety research projects to be supported by the European Union's Horizon Europe program are tasks related to the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning and new standards for the operation of uncrewed aircraft systems.

Honeywell says that initial ground testing of its one-MW turbogenerator has already demonstrated power density and efficiency that is significantly greater than currently available equipment provides. It is developing the equipment to power hybrid-electric aircraft and for recharging electric batteries.

Eve—which, following its recent initial public offering, is still majority-owned by Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer—is the latest eVTOL pioneer to turn to the automotive sector for help. The master services agreement between Porsche and Eve covers studies in industrial operations, logistics, supply-chain management, and part distribution. Even though Embraer itself has a global supply-chain and product-support network for its airliners and business aircraft, Eve says it requires “an unprecedented approach optimized for efficiency, productivity, and safety.”

A letter of intent signed by Quebec-based Vertiko Mobility and Jaunt Air Mobility calls for potential sales of 70 of the all-electric Journey aircraft, plus at least two of the longer-range hybrid-electric models and options for 25 more units. The companies expect to firm up the contract in March 2025, by which time Vertiko says it will have built an initial five vertiports and Jaunt expects to be close to achieving type certification for its aircraft.

Lilium claims to be the first company to achieve a transition from vertical hover to wing-borne cruise flight with a full-sized electric jet aircraft with ducted fan engines. The transition is critical to the ability of an eVTOL aircraft to operate flexibly, and Lilium says it will now extend its flight test campaign as it prepares to build a full-scale production-conforming prototype in 2023.

TCab Tech's five-seat E20 eVTOL aircraft will have six rotors, each powered by its own Safran EngineUs 100 electric motor. Safran is already providing its motors for several new fixed-wing electric aircraft and is now pursuing its first publicly acknowledged eVTOL program under an agreement with the Chinese start-up that was announced this week.

During last week's European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in Geneva, Eviation opened its order book for the nine-passenger electric fixed-wing aircraft to international customers. It sees the Alice joining the fleets of scheduled airlines, business aviation operators,. and freight carriers

The flaps that will redirect airflow from the 30 electric fan engines on Lilium's eVTOL aircraft will be jointly developed by Spanish components and aerostructures group Aernnova. Lilium is also working to achieve longer-term advances in battery technology through a new research and development collaboration with lithium specialist Livent.

Osaka, Japan, is being prepared as a proving ground for eVTOL air taxi services that are set to begin in 2025. The required ground infrastructure could include vertiports integrated with existing parking lots under a new collaboration between local companies Park24, Aioi Nissay Dowa, and Kanematsu, and ground infrastructure specialist Skyports.

Xwing is working to gain approval to convert existing aircraft, such as the Cessna Caravan, to operate autonomous commercial cargo flights under the supervision of a ground-based pilot. It is seeking FAA approval to start flights with its technology on an experimental basis and has just recruited Earl Lawrence, the FAA's outgoing executive director for certification.