FutureFlight

The 2022 Revolution Aero conference will be held in San Francisco from September 12 to 13, gathering advanced air mobility leaders and innovators to share expertise and discuss the next steps for the rapidly evolving new sector of aviation. Funding, commercialization, and new technology all feature prominently in a packed agenda.

Ampaire will combine RED Aircraft's A03 engine with its electric propulsion system to transform the single-turbine Cessna Grand Caravan into a hybrid-electric aircraft. Announcing the partnership with the German company this week, Ampaire said it could be ready to start test flights with the first prototype before the end of 2022, en route to planned FAA approval in 2024.

Lilium is expanding plans to develop eVTOL jet operations throughout Europe, and it is making progress with the design of its all-electric aircraft, the company announced last week during the UK’s Farnborough International Airshow. 

Vertical Aerospace's VX4 eVTOL prototype is now fitted with the high-voltage electrical wiring interconnection system developed by GKN Aerospace. The UK-based company has also signed partnership agreements with training group CAE and Hanwha Systems.

Rolls-Royce is expanding its involvement in electric propulsion technology through a new partnership with South Korea's Hyundai Motor Company, which is developing an eVTOL aircraft through its Supernal division. The aircraft engine maker and the automotive group aim to have a fuel-cell electric aircraft demonstration underway in 2025.

Halo Aviation has agreed to be the first launch customer for Eve's urban air traffic management software. The two companies signed a letter of intent this week at the UK’s Farnborough International Airshow to collaborate on the product’s development and introduction. 

VoltAero has selected Safran’s EngineUs 100 electric motor to power its Cassio 330 prototype, and the company is partnering with Thales to implement airborne data collection and computing solutions for its Cassio family of hybrid-electric aircraft, the company announced this week at the UK’s Farnborough International Airshow. 

H2Fly aims to produce the world's first commercial airliner to run on liquefied hydrogen and is preparing to start testing its sixth-generation powertrain in 2023. It says the technology could support a 40-passenger regional airliner on flights of up to around 1,250 miles.

Eviation has engaged Parker Aerospace to develop six technology system packages its Alice all-electric commuter aircraft, including cockpit controls, the flap system, thermal management system.

The hydrogen-electric aircraft developer ZeroAvia has raised an additional $30 million from new investors, the company announced July 20 at the Farnborough International Airshow. These investors include Barclays Sustainable Impact Capital, the Saudi tech city Neom, and the Berlin-based technology fund AENU.