Month: February 2022

GPMS, a firm that develops technology that optimizes information flow in the aircraft maintenance and analytics business, announced today that Transport Canada Civil Aviation has issued a Supplemental Type Certificate for GPMS’s Foresight MX, the company’s enhanced Health & Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) solution, on the Airbus H125 helicopter. The certificate was based on a prior Federal Aviation Administration STC and covers the installation of Foresight MX on the Airbus H125/AS350 B3 platform.

GPMS President Jed Kalkstein characterized how the approval would impact H125 operators in a positive manner: “With this STC, H125 operators in Canada like East West Helicopter/Panterra Heli Support will be able to adopt Foresight MX on their fleet and begin to maximize aircraft readiness, lower maintenance costs, and enhance safety in their operations.”

East West Helicopter completed the initial installation with support from its associated Canadian company, Panterra Heli Support. Enabled by FAA and TCCA STC’s, the company has partnered with NS AIR Leasing to futureproof its fleet of H125 series aircraft that will operate in both Canada and the United States.

Kalkstein explained that East West Helicopters highlights the unique value that Foresight MX delivers to different aspects of the industry. “As a lessor, they see the value of Foresight MX providing insight into their fleet assets and can be confident knowing that their customers have state-of-the-art predictive health monitoring available around the clock, around the world,” he said.

GPMS will be showcasing their technology at Heli-Expo 2022 in Dallas, TX, offering live demos and information on how their platform, dubbed Foresight MX, increases value to their customers.

Why it’s important: GPMS already has STC’s on a range of helicopter platforms including Airbus H125/AS350 B3, Bell 407 GX/GXP/GXi, Bell 429, Bell 412/212, and MD530, showcasing the benefits of predictive analytics tools that enable operators to more intelligently optimize the methods of maintenance and operation of their most costly investments – their airframes and powerplants. This same technology could easily be applied to aerial mobility systems to decrease maintenance downtime and improve the overall efficiency.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has formally issued the special conditions necessary for EHang to to obtain EH-216-S type certification. The Chinese aerial mobility company will need to follow these conditions for its two-seater eVTOL aircraft, the EH-216, in order to begin mass production and commercial operations. The conditions include criteria regarding flight performance, structures, design and constructions, propulsion systems, systems and equipment, and data link and ground control stations.

The 32-page special conditions document, effective February 9th, is now published on the CAAC website. If EHang successfully meets the requirements detailed in this document, the company’s EH-216-S will be able to begin commercial operations focused on low-altitude, passenger-carrying flights.

EHang’s rapid progress, which is currently years ahead of many competitors, can largely be attributed to a consensus with the CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of China) which, according to Founder, Chairman and CEO Huazhi Hu, is based “on the guiding principle that operational trial flights can gradually be carried out, while advancing the certification progress.”

The company says it has already completed around 2,800 “operational trial flights” across seven “air mobility trial operations”, providing aerial sightseeing and short-distance mobility services in Guangzhou, Hezhou, Shenzen, Zhaoqing and Sanya. Most recently, the EHang 216 autonomous aerial vehicle (“AAV”) completed a debut flight demonstration for aerial sightseeing in the tourism hotspot of Bali, Indonesia. This demonstration flight was conducted under EHang’s cooperation with Indonesian local partner Prestige Aviation, a subsidiary of Prestige Corp.

This news follows the appointment of EHang’s new Chief Operating Officer, Xin Fang. Fang will be in charge of the company’s daily operations, managing sales and commercialization of EHang’s planned aerial mobility services.

“I’m delighted to welcome Xin Fang to join EHang’s management team,” said Huazhi Hu, founder, chair, and CEO of EHang, in a press release. Hu went on to say that Fang’s background will “lay the solid groundwork for our next stage of business growth and operations as we are moving ahead with the 100 Air Mobility Routes Initiative, especially in the field of aerial sightseeing and tourism.”

Why it’s important: Obtaining type certification under the new special conditions will enable EHang to begin commercial operations in the near future, potentially years ahead of other air taxi makers. In addition, EHang’s high number of completed demonstration flights and its 20,000 autonomous trial flights with the EH216 have taken place 11 different countries – far more, the company claims, than any other manufacturer. “With abundant operational experience accumulated and safety records built,” reads EHang’s earnings report, “the Company expects to turn these operational trial flights into commercial ones after the approval of the EHang 216 Type Certificate is obtained.”

Source // EHang press release

Ascendance, the company behind the hybrid-propulsion eVTOL ‘Atea’, has now signed a deal with Singapore-based private air charter company Yugo Global Industries for a pre-order of 18 of its new aircraft.

Ascendance, founded in 2018 by aerospace experts who were involved with Airbus’s E-FAN project, is developing a hybrid-electric eVTOL called the Atea that will be able to carry up to five passengers, with flight ranges of over 250 miles. The goal of Ascendance is to develop a eVTOL aircraft that will reduce emissions as compared to other regional aircraft by about 80%, as well as introduce new kinds of travel through vertical take-off and landing capabilities.

Now, marking a major milestone, Ascendance has made its first pre-sale of 18 Atea aircraft to Singapore-based private air charter company Yugo Global Industries. Currently, Yugo Global Industries operates a fleet of helicopters and private jets from makers such as Bombardier, Bell, Airbus, Leonardo, and Robinson. With the addition of the Atea aircraft from Ascendance, Yugo hopes to add sustainably powered, innovative aircraft to its fleet.

Yugo Global Industries currently services customers throughout Asia-Pacific, Europe and even North America, offering an on-demand digital booking system for private charter flights, cargo delivery, and air ambulance services. The company has been in operation since 2018, and has so far has generated over $11 billion USD in revenue.

“We are thrilled that Yugo has selected Atea to be their first hybrid-electric VTOL to fly their APAC (Asia Pacific) routes upon delivery in 2025,” said Thibault Baldivia, chief customer officer and co-founder of Ascendance.

Why it’s Important: The announcement of this partnership with Yugo Global Industries comes shortly after Ascendance announced a €10 million funding round to develop the Atea aircraft. With the influx of this capital in combination with the new deal with Yugo Global Industries, Ascendance now has both the funding it needs to complete its aircraft development and an operator customer set in place. If Ascendance keeps moving forward in its current trajectory, the Atea may likely become one of the first hybrid-electric eVTOL aircraft to begin regional chartered flights.

Source // eVTOL.com, Ascendance, Yugo Global Industries

Related:

The Department of Defense has awarded Silent Arrow, the maker of an autonomous cargo delivery drone, with a $2.2 million dollar contract to test the vehicle over the next year. The contract was announced last week and will include testing in tandem with a Special Operations Command exercise later this year.

“We’d like to thank the Joint Chiefs and J7 for their confidence in awarding this seminal program,” Silent Arrow Founder and CEO Chip Yates said in the release. “We are looking forward to leaning in with our mission partners and delivering these disruptive capabilities to the warfighter to create a logistical advantage while reducing physical threats to those operating in harm’s way.”

“The $2.2M contract win resulted from the Pentagon-based Joint Staff (J7 Joint Force Development Directorate) partnering with U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and one of its theater components, in order to fund a series of advanced operational demonstrations and Concept of Operations (CONOPs) development activities for Silent Arrow’s flagship product, the GD-2000,” the company said in a press release.

Silent Arrow is the designer and manufacturer of the GD-2000, which is the subject prototype for the tests. The GD-2000 launches from a transport airplane (nominally a C130) and can autonomously deliver 1,600 pounds of cargo for ranges up to 40 miles from the launch point. A 2021 video from the company shows the Silent Arrow in operation, which has already completed demonstration flights across the globe.

The GD-2000 drones are actually unpowered gliders, providing a tactical advantage for delivery of payloads to battlefields. The company has stated it will also offer an electric version of the aircraft with the capability to takeoff and land on improvised airfields. The 40 mile delivery range of the GD-2000 is also advantageous for keeping larger cargo planes out of direct combat zones, which is a major disadvantage of traditional parachute payloads.

Why it matters: Autonomous eVTOL and UAS applications for military use are promising and offer opportunities to innovate on the battlefield and elsewhere. The use of autonomy not only reduces risk to manned delivery systems, but also paves the way to develop robust control programs for use in the public and commercial sectors too.

Wisk Aero, a Bay-Area Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company backed by Boeing, has partnered with the City of Long Beach, California through its Long Beach Economic Partnership (LBEP) to create an AAM working group focused on evaluating, planning, and implementing AAM services, with an emphasis on autonomy. Through the partnership, Wisk and the LBEP will conduct an Economic Impact study to measure potential economic benefits to the community and overall impact from AAM operations in Southern California.

Over the next two years, the new working group will examine four key areas to evaluate the opportunities and impacts that AAM will present for the city of Long Beach. These areas include an analysis of the economic impact and workforce development, community acceptance and outreach, integration of autonomous AAM into city transportation plans, and federal and state government funding opportunities.

With support from Wisk, LBEP will coordinate the development of an Economic Impact Study that will be conducted by the Cal State Long Beach (CSULB) Office of Economic Research. The study will estimate the annual economic impact of future AAM operations in Southern California and other regional state economies. The results of the study are expected to be completed and released later this year.

“We are excited to work with the City of Long Beach and LBEP in this unique partnership,” said Gary Gysin, CEO of Wisk. “With its rich aerospace past, current resurgence via Space Beach, and its central position in the LA Metro area, Long Beach is an ideal city for all-electric, autonomous urban flight opportunities. Through this partnership, Long Beach has the opportunity to be one of the first cities to realize the economic and environmental benefits of AAM, as well as to lead Southern California, and the United States, in autonomous, all-electric AAM.”

“Aerospace innovation has always been a strong part of Long Beach history,” says Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. “We have produced some of the world’s most modern aircraft, are leading in the space economy, and will now be home to new technologies in Advanced Air Mobility. We look forward to our partnership with Wisk and are proud of our local workforce who are educated, trained, and poised to make progress on these innovations.”

“Long Beach has long been a center of aerospace culture and capabilities,” said Randal Hernandez, co-chair of the working group, immediate past chair of the Long Beach Economic Partnership and former chairman of the City of Long Beach’sEconomic Development Commission. “Autonomous, all-electric AAM represents the next revolution in commercial aviation and promises significant economic benefits with minimal environmental impact. We are proud to partner with an AAM leader like Wisk to further explore the benefits that AAM can bring to the City of Long Beach, the southern California region, and the state as a whole.”

Why it’s important: Wisk has recently made major strides in the development of Advanced Aerial Mobility, as demonstrated by this partnership and by Boeing’s additional $495 Million investment into Wisk. Southern California has historically been an innovation hub for the aerospace industry, making it a well-suited location for launching AAM operations. The sprawling population of Los Angeles and Orange County also makes these areas an ideal proving ground for initial air taxi operations, where the demand for flights should be abundant.

Credit // Wisk press release

Embraer’s Eve eVTOL development division announced on February 18th at the Singapore Airshow the completion of a deal that would allow for up to 50 eVTOL orders from operators Aviair and Helispirit.

The collaboration would feature flights commencing from 2026 by Aviair or HeliSpirit. Aviair and HeliSpirit are multi-award winning operators that serve some of Western Australia’s most iconic tourist attractions in the Kimberley, South-West, and Greater Perth regions. The new partnership will add eVTOLs to the company’s existing fleet of over 50 rotary and fixed-wing aircraft and introduce Eve’s zero-emission aircraft into service in these locations. Aviair and HeliSpirit Managing Director, Michael McConachy said, “this year marks 20 years of HeliSpirit being eco-accredited as a green travel leader, entering us into the Eco Tourism Australia Hall of Fame, so this is great timing to commit to significantly reducing our carbon footprint by operating zero-emission electric aircraft.”

“Eve’s eVTOL technology is well-aligned with our business model and desire to be at the forefront of carbon-neutral solutions for the aviation industry. The low-noise footprint of the aircraft makes them particularly well-suited to operations in sensitive natural settings, including national parks and World Heritage-listed areas, as well as for urban transfers providing quick and efficient solutions for both business and tourism travellers,” Mr. McConachy added.

“This initiative is a significant milestone for Eve. Our partnership opens up an important market in Western Australia that will see our aircraft serving Australia’s iconic tourist attractions with zero-emission and low-noise flights. We share a common vision of a carbon-neutral future for air mobility, supported by Eve’s eVTOL, comprehensive service and support network, and air traffic management solutions,” said Andre Stein, co-CEO of Eve.

Why it’s important: While there are remaining hurdles on the path to widespread on-demand eVTOL usage and aerial mobility for passenger transport applications, there is truth in the continued widespread financial support of the industry with additional orders from operators who are placing commitments down on the table for the options to gain access to this crucial sector of the next generation of transportation technology.

Lilium, the well-known German developer of a seven-passenger eVTOL jet, has selected ABB as its partner to provide charging infrastructure for its all-electric aircraft.

Lilium and ABB, a large industrial robotics and technology firm, have formed a partnership in which ABB will begin building the fast-charging infrastructure for Lilium’s planned air taxi network, set to launch in 2024. The ‘MegaWatt’ chargers provided by ABB will fully charge Lilium aircraft batteries in 30 minutes, and charge them to 80% capacity within 15 minutes. These fast charging times will enable Lilium to operate the 20-25 flights per day it plans to complete with each aircraft. Each full charge will enable Lilium jets to travel for about 155 miles, with cruising speeds up to 175mph.

According to the agreement between the two companies, ABB will “develop, test and supply” the MegaWatt fast charging infrastructure. Said Frank Muehlon, President of ABB’s E-mobility Division, “Combining Lilium’s mission to grow sustainable aviation with ABB’s global market expertise and leadership in e-mobility and charging infrastructure is a win for the environment and a win for passengers.”

He continued: “We see this planned partnership as an important commitment to all relevant charging standards that are adopted by multiple electric ‘vehicle’ manufacturers. By supporting the new MegaWatt charging standard, ABB E-mobility is paving the way for the electrification of all modes of transport, from cars and trucks to marine vessels, mining vehicles, and now, aviation.”

Each MegaWatt Charging System (MCS) made by ABB will allow direct current (DC) charging of up to 1000 kW and can also be used for electric heavy-duty vehicles, such as trucks and buses. An MCS unit will be included at every veriport in Lilium’s regional air taxi network, and will adhere to the relevant standards that support interoperability for a variety of vehicles and applications.

Daniel Wiegand, CEO and Co-Founder of Lilium, commented, “Making sure we have the right charging infrastructure will play a crucial role in enabling our high-speed regional air network by allowing quick and efficient charging. We are proud to be working with ABB, who bring decades of experience in electrification and software, to set the charging industry standard for electric aviation.”

Why it’s important: ABB is an industrial technology firm with decades of expertise in developing transportation infrastructure, and has already had a history of great success in developing charging infrastructure for electric ground vehicles. By teaming up with ABB, Lilium has even more greatly added to its team of transportation industry experts, further setting itself up as one of the top European eVTOL network operators set to launch in the next few years.

Related:

• Lilium Lists on the Nasdaq, Completes Business Combination with Qell Acquisition Corp
• Lilium Inks $1 billion Deal with Leading Brazilian Airline
• Lilium Chooses Munich and Nuremberg for Initial Air Taxi Hubs

All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Joby have announced they are forming a partnership that will see Japan’s largest airline join with Joby to bring aerial ridesharing services to Japan. Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) also joined the partnership, with the intention of exploring opportunities such as connections with ground-based transportation.

ANA and Joby are set to collaborate on all aspects of establishing this new form of transportation in Japan, including the development of infrastructure, pilot training, flight operations, air traffic management, public acceptance, and regulatory requirements. Integration with ground transportation will also be considered, with Toyota supporting this effort. The parties will also collaboratively conduct discussions with relevant private companies as well as local and national governments.

The three partners are all existing members of Japan’s Public-Private Conference for the Future Air Mobility Revolution, which was established by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Investment and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to accelerate the adoption of aerial ridesharing in the country.

Commenting on the partnership and the opportunity presented by the Japanese market, JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, said: “Joby exists to help people save time while reducing their carbon footprint. Japan offers us a spectacular opportunity to do just that with 92% of the population living in urban areas and Tokyo registering as one of the top 20 most congested cities in the world.”

He continued: “We’re humbled to be working with ANA, an airline that has deservedly been awarded SKYTRAX’s 5-Star rating nine years in a row, and we look forward to working closely with them to bring our aerial ridesharing service to reality in Japan.”

Joby Aviation has spent more than a decade developing the technology behind its aircraft, has completed more than 1,000 test flights, and is the first and only eVTOL company to sign a G-1 (stage 4) Certification Basis for their aircraft with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Speaking about the opportunity presented by the introduction of aerial ridesharing in Japan, Koji Shibata, Representative Director and Executive Vice President at ANA HD, said: “ANA has 70 years of experience delivering safe and reliable flights to customers across the world. We’re proud to bring that operational experience to the table as part of this partnership and to be at the forefront of introducing this revolutionary form of transport to Japan.”

“Our customers value efficiency very highly, so being able to provide them with the option to travel rapidly – and sustainably – from an international airport to a downtown location is very appealing.”

The concept of aerial ridesharing has been gaining momentum in Japan as the country accelerates its efforts to prepare for the 2025 World Expo to be held in the western capital of Osaka. Osaka is the third most populous city in Japan and the largest component of the Keihanshin metropolitan area, consisting of more than 18 million residents.

While Joby’s aerial ridesharing service will be operated directly by the company and offered to passengers via its app or the Uber app in U.S markets, this announcement reflects Joby’s strategy to partner with local air transportation companies committed to delivering exceptional customer service and operational excellence in other countries. Additionally, Joby expects to work with local ground mobility partners to deliver seamless, end-to-end journeys for customers.

Why it matters: Airlines across the world are partnering with eVTOL manufacturers, and the agreement between ANA and Joby is the latest example of this movement. Joby brings to the table its wealth of experience in working alongside ride-sharing apps like Uber, as well as its notable eVTOL aircraft. Joby’s pre-existing investment relationship with Toyota and Toyota’s participation in this partnership is also exciting, for the potential of integrating Joby’s ride-sharing capabilities with ground-based transportation.

Rolls-Royce and the Luxaviation Group, a leading luxury jet and helicopter service provider, announced plans to collaborate on leading the development and deployment of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). Rolls-Royce will provide electrification solutions, maintenance support services, and digital solutions for Luxaviation Group’s planned network of vertiports.

Luxaviation already has a presence at over 120 VIP terminals across the world. Both companies share a vision of Advanced Air Mobility solutions including all-electric and hybrid-electric vertical take-off and landing as well as fixed-wing commuter aircraft.

The Memorandum of Understanding between Rolls-Royce Electrical, Rolls-Royce Power Systems and Luxaviation focuses on operations, vertiports and surrounding infrastructure to support these exciting new markets that will transform the way we travel. The strategic partnership will look at three main areas:

• Charging and energy infrastructure for vertiports
• Maintenance provision for electric aircraft
• Digital solutions for related applications across AAM

Rob Watson, President of Rolls Royce Electrical said: “Rolls-Royce will be the leading provider of all-electric and hybrid-electric power and propulsion systems for Advanced Air Mobility. As part of our strategy, we are looking to ensure we understand how we can deliver maintenance and services for these new aircraft building on our existing MRO and analytics capabilities. We are delighted to collaborate with Luxaviation who we believe will be a leading player in the AAM industry and that this collaboration will help both partners to be at the forefront of this new market.”

Andreas Schell, CEO Rolls-Royce Power Systems says: “Rolls-Royce will offer integrated solutions from a single source across its business units. Power Systems can already supply climate-friendly microgrids that combine renewable energy sources, battery storage and conventional power generation. Soon we will also offer them with fuel cell generators, hydrogen engines and electrolyzers. This is another demonstration of how Rolls-Royce is helping make aviation more sustainable.”

Related: Rolls-Royce and Roland Berger forecast $36.9bn Advanced Air Mobility Market opportunity for the Asia-Pacific region

Last year, Rolls-Royce announced a pathway to net zero carbon emissions and its electrical technology is one way in which the company is helping decarbonize critical parts of the global economy. Rolls-Royce is committed to ensuring its new products will be compatible with net zero operation by 2030 and all its products will be compatible with net zero by 2050.

Why it’s important: Luxaviation Group has over 60 years of experience in operations and has launched various projects promoting the future of Advanced Air Mobility. The first deliverable of this partnership will be the creation and implementation of a pilot project outlining electrical solutions. This strategic partnership leverages capabilities and technology across Rolls-Royce as they develop the electrical power and propulsion systems for eVTOL and commuter aircraft.

Volocopter announced today that it expects to deliver SGD 4.18 billion in cumulative economic benefits to Singapore by 2030. This is just one of the many benefits that Volocopter’s UAM services will bring to the city-state, according to the company’s “Singapore Roadmap” plan which was also released today. The document shares details on the potential routes, use cases, and operational considerations of Volocopter in Singapore.

“We are excited to have progressed to the next step of our UAM journey in Singapore today, by presenting a roadmap that sets out further details on the business and operation plans leading up to our commercial launch in the next two years,” said Christian Bauer, Chief Commercial Officer of Volocopter. “This can only be achieved through our close collaboration we have been fostering for the last few years with the Singaporean authorities and other local partners.”

Highlights from this Singapore Roadmap include:

• Volocopter’s internal studies show that its UAM services can generate an estimated SGD 4.18 billion in cumulative economic benefits and create up to 1,300 local jobs by 2030.  

• UAM will serve as an enabler to achieve the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and act as an engine for economic growth in a post-pandemic world. 

• The initial launch will be tourist flights over Marina Bay and Sentosa, then expand its network to include cross-border flights to Indonesia and Malaysia. 

• Volocopter envisions four to six VoloPorts in Singapore by 2030. Areas being considered:  Marina South, Sentosa, and Changi. 

• Volocopter’s consumer study in Singapore showed that 72% of those surveyed expressed high interest in flying in a VoloCity.

Volocopter was the first-ever electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) company to conduct a crewed air taxi flight in a city. The flight over the city-state’s iconic Marina Bay in 2019 gave observers firsthand experience of what an air taxi looks and sounds like. Working closely with several key stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Transport, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, and the Economic Development Board, the company has committed to launching UAM in Singapore as one of the first cities globally.

Volocopter is the only eVTOL developer that has a family of electrically powered aircraft including air taxis for short and long urban routes (the VoloCity and VoloConnect) and heavy-lift drones for goods (the VoloDrone). It is also the first and only eVTOL company holding both the required design and production organization approvals (DOA and POA) to advance its aircraft toward commercial launch.

Volocopter will be running a booth at the upcoming Singapore Airshow at the German Pavilion (C-L69).

Why it’s important: A growing number of aerial mobility companies, and host countries, are working to develop roadmaps which entail frameworks for the ultimate large-scale integration of eVTOL aircraft into their transportation networks. These roadmaps are evolving rapidly, but take the lessons learned and strengths of aerial mobility hardware development to date in mind to ensure the industry is best positioned for future success. Expect further announcements from Volocopter and other aerial mobility companies during the Singapore Airshow occurring this week.

The accomplished short distance, by-the-seat charter air mobility company BLADE recently reported major upticks in revenues during the year of 2021, signaling significant growth for the air mobility sector as eVTOLs become prevalent.

Image: BLADE Urban Air Mobility, which currently manages operations of helicopters, also mentioned future plans to work with BETA Technologies and their Alia eVTOL, which could include the eventual operation of a fleet of 20 of the aircraft.

BLADE highlighted many key areas of growth in their most recent financial disclosures. Firstly, the company reported overall revenue growth of 208%, bringing its total revenue for 2021 to $24.6 million versus $8.0 million in the previous comparable period. Noting another key growth spurt, the company also highlighted that its pre-pandemic revenue of $5.2 million grew by 371% to current revenue of $24.6 million.

While this massive growth is due to a number of factors, a likely key contributor is the rise in popularity of urban air mobility during the pandemic. More and more people with the means to do so are switching to private air travel rather than public. With this rise, personal air mobility as a concept is on the rise as well, meaning the world could start to see a transition to using air mobility services far more often as emerging eVTOLs (such as Beta Technologies’ Alia) makes these services more affordable.

In addition to expanding its urban transportation routes and maintaining its other business operations such as MediMobility organ transportation and private jet routes, departments of BLADE Urban Air Mobility are focused on working with their eVTOL partner Beta Technologies to accelerate flight testing, public awareness, and certification efforts for the four-passenger Alia eVTOL aircraft.

According to a recent press release from BLADE, the two companies are working together towards conducting a joint public flight test of the Alia aircraft in the greater New York area, possibly as soon as early Q2 of 2022. This demonstration flight will not only show the great progress that is being made by both BLADE and Beta, but is also meant to show the public the “near-silent” nature of this next-generation aircraft.

In addition, BLADE mentions that Beta Technologies has obtained a supplemental experiment type certificate from the FAA, which will enable them to double their flight testing capacity. BLADE also notes that the Alia aircraft has now been flying regularly between Plattsburgh, NY and the company’s base in Burlington, Vermont.

Why it’s important: With the massive surge in demand for the transportation needs provided by BLADE Urban Air Mobility, the company has been able to make an already-profitable set of offerings even more successful. By adding eVTOLs from Beta Technologies (which BLADE is working hard to accelerate), the company will be able to even further lower maintenance and operating costs on flights, allowing their offered services to become even more accessible and widespread.

Joby has announced today it has begun conformity testing with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the first step of many towards achieving a type certificate, and a significant milestone for the program. Joby’s first series of conformity tests, observed and documented by an on-site FAA Designated Engineering Representative (DER), were completed this week at Toray Advanced Composites USA’s facility in Morgan Hill, CA.

The purpose of the tests was to demonstrate the material strength of composites similar to those used on Joby’s aircraft. The resultant data will form the foundation for future testing of structural components of the aircraft as Joby progresses through the type certification process.

“After years of development and company testing, we’re excited to formally begin the process of conformity testing,” said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby. “We began engaging with the FAA in 2015 to lay the groundwork for certification of our aircraft, and today we move closer to bringing fast, clean and convenient aerial ridesharing to the world.”

In pursuit of an FAA type certificate, Joby will have to demonstrate their compliance with FAA regulations following completion and receive approval of requirements definitions and compliance planning. During this phase, Joby will complete thousands of inspections and tests to demonstrate the airworthiness and safety of its aircraft before receiving a type certificate from the FAA.

In November, Joby completed its first FAA part conformity inspection as expected, confirming that the batch of test coupons used in the “for credit” testing conformed to the attributes and specifications of their associated design data as intended for the aircraft’s type certification.

The coupons, constructed using a toughened epoxy and state-of-the-art carbon fiber, result in a material that is lighter and stronger than existing aerospace-grade composite, which is ideal for a high-performance eVTOL aircraft.

“Entering this stage of testing demonstrates that we’re capable of manufacturing composite parts in accordance with their design, our quality system is capable of producing conforming composite parts for the aircraft, and that we have the requisite traceability and design verification processes in place to progress toward our type and production certifications,” said Lina Spross, quality and supply chain lead at Joby.

In 2020, Joby became the first and only eVTOL company to sign a G-1 (stage 4) certification basis with the FAA, having received an initial (stage 2) signed G-1 from the FAA in 2019. In parallel with this work, the company continues to make progress with the FAA on defining the means of compliance that will apply to its aircraft as it progresses with certification efforts.

Why it matters: Conducting certification testing with the FAA is a significant accomplishment for Joby Aviation; not only because it is a key hurdle in commercializing an aerospace product, but also because it means the FAA recognizes the maturity of the design and manufacturing practices used by Joby. Currently, Joby is a leader in this phase, meaning it has an excellent competitive advantage toward being first to market with its aircraft. As a certification plan is agreed upon and finalized, expect to see larger scale tests of systems and flight profiles.

Bristol, England-based Vertical Aerospace has agreed to a joint development program with Italy-based Leonardo for the design, testing, manufacturing, and supply of the carbon composite fuselage for Vertical’s VX4 electric aircraft.

Vertical and Leonardo will work together on optimizing lightweight composite structures, modular design, systems installation, and structural testing for the co-development of the aircraft’s fuselage. This is currently in place for at least six certification aircraft, up to the successful certification of the VX4. The agreement has also stated the potential to scale fuselage production to 2,000 aircraft a year to meet Vertical’s existing market-leading order book demand. Vertical has what it believes is the largest conditional pre-order book (by value) in the eVTOL industry, of up to 1,350 aircraft worth $5.4 billion from American Airlines, Avolon, Bristow and Iberojet, including pre-order options from Virgin Atlantic and Marubeni, and through Avolon’s placements, airlines JAL and Gol.

Leonardo, the fuselage manufacturer for Boeing’s 787 jet, has long-established expertise in composite aerostructures development and manufacturing on civil and defense programs. The aerospace firm also has a close relationship with Vertical’s strategic composite materials supplier, Solvay. Vertical and Solvay are jointly developing advanced materials and manufacturing technologies that will enable high volume production of the VX4.

Michael Cervenka, president of Vertical said: “Vertical is pioneering electric aviation and is on a mission to transform the way people travel. I have been hugely impressed by Leonardo’s highly innovative and industry leading technical and manufacturing capabilities and our partnership has got off to a flying start. I’m thrilled that Leonardo will be joining us in this journey. We have a market-leading pre-order book for our VX4, and this partnership will ensure that we can scale the program to meet demand.”

Lucio Valerio Cioffi, Leonardo’s general manager, said: “Advanced air mobility is part of Leonardo’s mandate to innovate using our cutting edge, human-centered technology and industrialization expertise. We’re proud to collaborate with Vertical as part of our strategic vision in this brand new sector.”

Giancarlo Schisano, managing director of Leonardo’s Aerostructures Division said: “Leonardo, as partner to the world’s leading commercial aircraft manufacturers, is specialized in the production and assembly of major structural composite and metallic components for commercial aircraft. Leonardo strives to bring new technologies, materials and processes into our established practices in our production sites. This will be the case at our Grottaglie plant in Southern Italy, where we will focus our VX4 activities; the plant is one of the most advanced facilities in Europe to produce composite aerostructures.”

Why it’s important: Vertical’s partnership with Leonardo builds on its unparalleled ecosystem of partners, including Rolls-Royce, Honeywell, Solvay, GKN and Microsoft. Vertical continues to grow its team of experienced engineers and aviation executives and expects to begin the VX4’s test flight program later in 2022. The VX4 is designed to be a near-silent, entirely-electric, piloted aircraft with four-passenger capacity; if successful in building and certifying the aircraft to the design specifications, Vertical has the opportunity to pave the way for advanced air mobility and revolutionize the way we travel.

Source // Vertical Aerospace press release

On February 6th, SK Telecom, a prominent South Korean telecommunications company, and Joby Aviation announced they will work together to introduce emissions-free aerial ridesharing services to cities and communities across South Korea.

SKT’s CEO Ryu Young-sang and Joby’s founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt signed a strategic collaboration agreement at Joby’s manufacturing facility in Marina, California. The agreement will see the two companies work closely on introducing this revolutionary form of transportation in support of the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport’s “K-UAM” (Korean Urban Air Mobility) Roadmap, first announced in 2020. This roadmap is similar to Japan’s Aerial Mobility Roadmap, covered by TransportUP in June of 2021.

With a maximum range of 150 miles (241 kilometers), a top speed of 200 mph (321 km/h), and a low noise profile that will allow it to access built-up areas, Joby’s piloted aircraft is designed to make convenient, emissions-free air travel an everyday reality.

SKT has been promoting the development of urban air mobility by leveraging its expertise in telecommunications, autonomous driving, precise positioning, and security to become a leading company in connected intelligence. As a member of the “UAM Team Korea”, SKT is also working together with other major Korean companies to enhance the nation’s competitiveness in the field.

The partners intend to leverage SK’s T Map mobility platform, Korea’s largest mobility platform, and UT ride hailing service to provide multi-modal journeys to customers seamlessly integrating both ground and air travel. UT was established as a joint venture between SKT and Uber in 2021, bringing together SK’s T Map platform and Uber’s ride sharing technology. Joby and Uber have been collaborating since 2019.

Joby has already completed more than 1,000 test flights and has become the first, and only, eVTOL company to sign a G-1 (stage 4) Certification Basis for their aircraft with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

While Joby’s aerial ridesharing service will be operated directly by the company and offered to passengers via the Joby app or the Uber app in core U.S. markets, this announcement reflects Joby’s strategy to partner with local companies committed to delivering exceptional customer service and operational excellence to launch its service in select markets outside the U.S.

Why it’s important: This recent announcement furthers eVTOL developmental plans for Asia, following companies such as EHang that have attempted to jumpstart an early acquisition of a sizeable portion of the Asian market by making serious inroads toward aerial mobility marketshare dominance in their home nation of China. With Joby’s collaboration agreement with SKT Telecomm in South Korea, considerable resource sharing will occur that should enable both groups to leverage one another’s experience in aerial mobility operations and operations within South Korea for ride-sharing based comms infrastructure, and IT infrastructure required for running on-demand mobility operations.