FutureFlight

Tetra Aviation has secured experimental aircraft airworthiness approval from U.S. and Japanese aviation safety agencies, clearing the way for its Mk 5 eVTOL aircraft to be delivered as a kit-built product. Its longer-term plan is to achieve full Part 23 type certification for the single-seat vehicle.

On September 10, shareholders are expected to approve the proposed merger between German eVTOL startup Lilium and special purpose acquisition company Qell, and this will lead to a flotation on the New York Stock Exchange. The company has nominated directors for its board, which is to be chaired by former Airbus CEO Thomas Enders. These include airline executive David Neeleman, who is chair of Brazilian airline Azul, which in August placed a provisional order for 220 of Lilium's eVTOL aircraft.

VoltAero was founded by former Airbus chief technical officer Jean Botti, who led the group's E-Fan electric aircraft program. He has now appointed three former Airbus colleagues, Pilar Albiac-Murillo, Charles Champion, and Sean O’Keefe, to add depth of experience to the start-up's leadership team as it advances plans to bring the Cassio family of hybrid-electric aircraft to market.

In two weeks of flight testing for NASA's Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign, engineers will collect noise readings from Joby's eVTOL aircraft as it takes off, flies overhead, and lands. The company and NASA will assess the noise levels, comparing these with recordings made in urban environments to assess the impact of operations such as air taxis and freight deliveries.

As advanced air mobility nears market entry in the next several years, industry leaders agree that much work lies ahead on building out the infrastructure and tackling key issues such as autonomy, safety, and security. But those leaders, speaking during a webinar hosted by Helicopter Association International (HAI) last week, agreed that the existing ground infrastructure in place can provide a starting point for such operations.

Reykjavik Flight Academy's commitment to buy three all-electric eFlyer training aircraft from Bye Aerospace will support the school’s environmental benchmarks.

Eve Urban Air Mobility has begun cooperating with commercial partners and government entities for the development of a concept of UAM operations in Rio de Janeiro, where the Embraer subsidiary plans to conduct demonstrations using conventional helicopters by the end of the year. The company is developing a four-passenger eVTOL aircraft that it expects to enter commercial service in 2026.

Advanced air mobility ground infrastructure Skyportz has forged an alliance with Australian helicopter operator Microflite to support the introduction of new electric aircraft for applications including air taxi services, medical support, and freight deliveries. The companies will look to support other prospective eVTOL and eSTOL aircraft operators and develop an ecosystem to support the expansion of the new mode of transportation across the country.

Under an agreement with Electra, helicopter group Bristow is to add 50 new eSTOL fixed-wing aircraft to its fleet starting in 2026. Bristow will help the start-up to bring the model to market, providing input on design as well as customer and regulatory requirements. It views middle-mile cargo deliveries as one of the most promising areas of demand for the hybrid-electric short takeoff and landing aircraft.

Carbon-reducing propulsion solutions like sustainable aviation fuel and battery-based electric power reduce aviation's dependence on fossil fuels, but proponents of hydrogen power say they can achieve the ultimate zero-carbon objective for the air transport sector. According to innovators like Universal Hydrogen, HyPoint, and ZeroAvia, they could get converted aircraft into commercial service as early as 2025.