FutureFlight

Airbus and aircraft engine maker CFM International will convert an A380 airliner to run on a hydrogen propulsion system that the companies are developing for the planned ZeroE aircraft that could be ready to enter commercial service in 2035. The flying testbed aircraft could be airborne in 2026 under a plan that will see the A380 fitted with a GE Passport business aircraft turbofan and run on hydrogen combustion.

AutoFlight aims to fast-track service entry for its four-seat Prosperity I eVTOL aircraft based in part on operational experience it expects to gain by flying cargo operations with an autonomous version of the design called CarryAll. The Shanghai-based company believes it can offer a price point of no more than $150,000 per aircraft and that by bypassing the aviation sector for both manufacturing and commercial operations it could achieve operating costs as low as $50 per flight hour.

According to Elroy Air co-founder David Merrill, his company's autonomous Chaparral C1 VTOL cargo transporter will bring the convenience and profitability of express freight deliveries to corners of the earth that cannot be reached by current aircraft and ground vehicles. He told the Vertical Flight Society's Transformative Vertical Flight conference that it will provide unprecedented door-to-door connections for cargo deliveries.

A project launched this week by vertiport developer Skyports and eVTOL aircraft manufacturer Eve will focus on issues such as airspace design, operations, and infrastructure in preparing an electric air taxi concept of operations for the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau. Multiple companies are looking to be involved in the government's plans to allow eVTOL services to launch at Osaka's World Expo event in 2025.

H2Fly believes that it will take another seven to eight years to get a hydrogen-powered Part 25-certified fixed-wing aircraft into commercial service, and around four to five years before we see smaller Part 23-approved models that could include eVTOL aircraft. The German company is working on a hydrogen powertrain—using a combination of fuel cells, liquid hydrogen, and electric motors—that it says could eventually support flights of up to 2,500 km with 40 passengers.

During the Singapore Airshow, Rolls-Royce, Embraer, and Scandinavian airline Wideroe launch a study to evaluate options to bring a zero-emissions regional airliner to market. In Norway, where Wideroe is based, the government has announced a policy that would require domestic scheduled flights to be fully electric no later than 2040, with initial services starting around 2030.

MightyFly claims that its MF-100 autonomous cargo aircraft has the potential to significantly reduce the costs of logistics operations by removing multiple-leg journeys and using an automated loading process. A prototype of the hybrid-electric vehicle has conducted initial hover testing and will soon transition to cruise flight as it prepares to operate in sectors of up to 600 miles with payloads of 100 pounds.

Joby says no injuries resulted from an accident with one of its two eVTOL aircraft prototypes, which is now being investigated. The remotely piloted flight was being conducted in an uninhabited area in California. The company has yet to publish details of any damage to the aircraft or how the incident may impact its flight test program.

At least 100 of the 500 Vertical Aerospace VX4 eVTOL aircraft that leasing group Avolon ordered in 2021 are to go to Malaysia-based AirAsia, which plans to offer ride-hailing flights booked via its app. Avolon has now placed 450 of the four-passenger aircraft with carriers also including Japan Air Lines and Brazil's Gol and Grupo Comporte. It will work with AirAsia to conduct market research for urban air mobility services and secure all the necessary approvals.

During this week's Singapore Airshow, Eve opened up about progress on the development of its four-passenger eVTOL aircraft, reporting that it is now ground testing a full-scale proof-of-concept prototype that could be ready to start flying in a few months from now. Meanwhile, Australian companies Microflight, Aviair and HeliSpirit signed agreements that could lead to 90 more sales of the all-electric aircraft.