FutureFlight

Joby Aviation has begun wind tunnel testing with one of its eVTOL aircraft propellers at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California. The tests are taking place inside the National Full-Scale Aerodynamic Complex, which is the world’s largest wind tunnel facility.

The Tech TP technology demonstrator project is part of the wider Clean Sky European Union-funded Achieve program. The main objective is to drive the propeller electrically, enabling new operating modes such as taxiing and inflight auxiliary power, without using power directly from the aircraft’s main turbine engines, delivering an 18 percent cut in fuel consumption and reduced CO2 emissions.

Airbus, now in its seventh year of refining its strategy for the advanced air mobility sector, expects its efforts to bring new products to market to be more visible this year. The European aerospace group is preparing to start taking delivery of parts for its CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL prototype, allowing it to begin assembly of the four-seat vehicle this year ahead of the planned launch of flight testing in 2024.

As the advanced air mobility sector works on plans for digital flight operations and air traffic management, it should learn lessons from the chaotic implementation of 5G C-band communications, says the aeronautics standards organization RTCA. The new communications technology has caused interference with aircraft avionics systems, resulting in disruption to commercial flights.

In its latest move toward adopting autonomous cargo transport operations, Ameriflight has provisionally agreed to purchase up to 35 Rhaegal-A VTOL cargo drones from Sabrewing Aircraft Company. In recent years the company has been taking steps to introduce autonomous flight technology into its fleet, partly in response to the ongoing pilot shortage.

Charter flight provider Blade is among the early prospective customers for Beta Alia-250 and the New York City area is one of its key markets. Other prospective customers for the all-electric aircraft include express delivery company UPS, helicopter operator Bristow, medical group United Therapeutics and lessor LCI.

Dubai’s ruler, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has approved plans to develop vertiports as part of the emirate’s future air mobility infrastructure network. The decision was announced on February 14 following a joint presentation by the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) with Skyports Infrastructure and eVTOL aircraft developer Joby Aviation at the start of the 2023 World Government Summit.

Final assembly of the first company-conforming example of Joby's four-passenger eVTOL aircraft is a significant milestone in the company's path to production approval by the FAA. Manufacturing is being conducted in accordance with an officially released design and a quality management system.

NASA’s first all-electric experimental aircraft, the X-57 Maxwell, recently notched another milestone on the path to its first flight. Engineers at the agency's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, have successfully completed thermal testing of its cruise motor controllers. 

Access to engineering expertise based within the European Union could provide a boost for UK-based VRCO's efforts to bring its XP4 personal eVTOL vehicle to market. The company expects the four-seater to prove popular with affluent private pilots who might use it for trips such as hopping on and off yachts.