FutureFlight

French start-up Ascendance Flight Technologies has made significant changes to the design of its four-passenger hybrid-electric Atea VTOL aircraft, adding six more in-wing ducted fans and an extra horizontal propeller in the tail. With new funding in place, the company now says it should be ready to start flight testing a full-scale prototype in 2023.

Sweden's Heart Aerospace says it has commitments from two airlines for up to 220 examples of its electric-powered ES-19 commuter aircraft. The program just received further support with the appointment of aerostructures specialist Aernnova as a design partner. The Spain-based group has extensive experience with building aerostructures for leading manufacturers, including Boeing and Airbus.

Advanced air mobility ground infrastructure specialist Skyports is one of 30 companies partnered with Paris airport operator Groupe ADP to advance plans to launch eVTOL air taxi services in and around the French capital in time for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. The company is designing and building a modular vertiport at Cergy-Pontoise Airport to be used as an operational testbed for several aircraft that could be provided by partners including Airbus, EHang, Vertical Aerospace, Volocopter, and Pipistrel.

Cranfield Aerospace Solutions is acting as systems integrator for Project Fresson's plans to convert the nine-passenger Islander utility aircraft to run on gaseous hydrogen, using fuel cells provided by Ricardo UK, fuel tanks from Innovatus Technologies, and fuel cell cooling technology from Reaction Engines. The program is backed by Britten-Norman, which has been manufacturing the Islanders since the late 1960s.

French authorities have approved Aura Aero's parts manufacturing capabilities under Part 21G regulations, marking an important first step toward its production goals. The start-up's plans include an electric training and aerobatic aircraft and a 19-seat regional airliner.

UK-based Samad Aerospace says it will build a production prototype in 2022 as it aims for type certification of the Starling Cargo eVTOL aircraft in 2023. The vehicle will be able to carry up to around 130 pounds on flights of up to 135 miles.

Textron's eAviation team, which formed in March 2021, continues to evaluate and define its ambitions in electric aviation and the wider advanced air mobility sector. According to Rob Scholl, who leads the unit, the company won't publicly confirm new active programs until the business case for these is fully established, but it will explore alliances with technology and capital partners.

According to JetBlue Ventures president Amy Burr, the U.S. airline wants to have its finger on the pulse of new technology and business models with the potential to transform the wider travel industry. In her view, the Covid pandemic proved to be a significant driver of change, with passengers wanting a lower-touch experience and more of the efficiencies that digital systems deliver. Improving air transport's environmental sustainability is another priority factor behind the group's investment decisions.

Russia's Central Institute for Aviation Motors is taking the lead in research and development work on the EU-RPD-350T power unit, which incorporates a piston engine and an electric motor that can operate in parallel to drive propellers. Possible applications for the powertrain, which could eventually run on liquid hydrogen, include new hybrid-electric VTOL and fixed-wing aircraft.

Skyroads develops hardware and software to support the airspace operating environment required for the anticipated scaling up of operations by autonomous aircraft and crewed eVTOL vehicles as well. The German company has joined other specialists in supporting the work of Supernal's new Airspace Management Consortium, which the Hyundai subsidiary has tasked with preparing to address the air traffic management infrastructure needs of the advanced air mobility sector.