FutureFlight

U.S. Part 135 amphibious commuter carrier Tailwind Air plans to fit floats on its 20 Airflow Model 200s to serve ports in New England and along the Mid-Atlantic coast. The eSTOL aircraft will be able to carry 10 passengers on flights of up to 500 miles.

Without the drawer of factors such as state government tax breaks, Vermont is looking to attract aviation-focused high-tech start-ups, like Beta Technologies, which is developing the Alia 250 eVTOL aircraft in Burlington. According to technology campus and business accelerator vertical capital fund Hula, the northeastern U.S. state is now a magnet for well-educated, highly skilled employees who can increasingly pick and choose where they live and work.

While the capital raised from its merger with Broadstone Acquisition is almost 25 percent less than Vertical Aerospace expected, the start-up says the funds will cover the cost of bringing its four-passenger eVTOL aircraft to market by 2024. The prototype for the newly renamed VX4 fixed-wing model is expected to make a first flight in 2022 as the company works on EASA type certification.

German air mobility start-up intends to operate 100 of Electra's hybrid-electric eSTOL aircraft from 2026. Under a memorandum of understanding signed this week, the partners will work together to develop a network of urban and regional flights in Europe.

H2 Clipper says its airship will be used to transport hydrogen fuel supplies and other freight around the world more cost-effectively than existing maritime, air, or ground transportation will allow. It expects to fly a scale model of the hydrogen-powered vehicle in 2024, followed by a full-sized prototype in 2027.

Following Airbus's 2020 announcement of its ZeroE hydrogen airliner program, DeHavilland Canada is set to become the second commercial aircraft manufacturer to deliver new hydrogen-powered models off the production line. Its partner ZeroAvia says that, using its hydrogen-electric powertrain, a 76-seat version of the Dash 8-400 twin turboprop should be able to fly more than 500 nm (575 miles).

A new equity stake in hydrogen-electric engine developer ZeroAvia gives United Airlines the ability to purchase up to 100 zero-emission, hydrogen-electric propulsion systems for use in aircraft operated by its United Express division by 2028. United is the second major carrier to back the start-up, with Alaska Airlines having subscribed to earlier funding commitments that have now raised a total of $115 million.

Robotic Skies founder and CEO Brad Hayden says that the advanced air mobility sector's ambitions to rapidly scale up eVTOL aircraft operations will require solid arrangements for maintenance and support. He feels this will necessitate taking the best practices from the existing Part 145-regulated world of aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul services and adapting these to fit the diversity of the new aircraft and the different business models of the companies that will operate these. New backing from the Hearst group could support its ambitious expansion plans.

Interior configurations for Eviation's all-electric, fixed-wing Alice aircraft now include an executive cabin with a lavatory and wardrobe to stow personal belongings. The model, which is expected to make a first flight this month, will also be offered in a nine-passenger regional airliner configuration, as well as for cargo services.

A new investment in BAE Systems’ bus and marine vessel electrification facility upgrades energy storage, controls, and power conversion systems for aviation applications. The aerospace and defense group's expanded facility in New York state will have greater capability for developing and manufacturing electric systems and will include a new laboratory focused on energy, storage, controls, and power conversion technology.