Results for: ampaire
Surf Air Mobility to Acquire Ampaire
Surf Air Mobility, a new developmental department of regional air mobility provider Surf Air, has now acquired aviation hybrid-electric power train developer Ampaire shortly after the company set a record for the longest route to date with an electric aircraft. With this acquisition, Surf Air Mobility, formed in 2020, looks to improve “affordability, accessibility, and environmental footprint of regional travel”. Surf...

Surf Air Mobility to Acquire Ampaire

Surf Air Mobility, a new developmental department of regional air mobility provider Surf Air, has now acquired aviation hybrid-electric power train developer Ampaire shortly after the company set a record for the longest route to date with an electric aircraft. With this acquisition, Surf Air Mobility, formed in 2020, looks to improve “affordability, accessibility, and environmental footprint of regional travel”.
Surf Air Mobility was recently formed after Surf Air, a short-haul flight service provider, acquired Blackbird, an aviation marketplace that provides passengers the option of chartering private flights. Soon after being formed, Surf Air Mobility acquired a $200 million USD investment from Global Emerging Markets Group in order to go public. Now, Surf Air Mobility looks to provide an (eventually electric) alternative to driving or flying on commercial airlines for trips of 50-500 miles.
According to Surf Air Mobility co-founder and CEO Sudhin Shahani, “We see the near-term opportunity to transform existing turboprop aircraft across the entire industry as the first step to ultimately extend to fully electric aviation across all trip lengths.”

The Ampaire Electric EEL prototype, capable of flying up over 300 statute miles
Before the acquisition, Ampaire was working on developing hybrid-electric power trains for 9-19 seat piston and turboprop aircraft, currently possessing two propulsion testbeds from a modified Cessna 337 Skymaster. Additionally, Ampaire is now developing a megawatt-class, hybrid-electric propulsion conversion for the 19-seat twin-turboprop de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter.
According to Ampaire co-founder and CEO Kevin Noertker, “The same building blocks of the electrified power train from the Twin Otter can be applied to other turboprops in the Part 23 category, for example the Cessna Caravan. We’ll continue working on both.”
With the reduced direct operating costs of hybrid-electric aircraft, Surf Air Mobility will be “able to create a new kind of point-to-point network that opens up previously untenable markets with more direct connections,” says President Fred Reid. “With half of all U.S. flights 500 mi. or less, hybrid-electric technology will have an immediate and broad-reaching impact.”
Why it’s important: Surf Air Mobility’s acquisition of Ampaire will align Ampaire closer with aircraft operators to streamline development and deployment of their electric aircraft. According to the company, it will also enable Ampaire to address a wider range of aircraft for upgrade.
Source // Aviation Week Network
Ampaire Flies Longest Route to Date for an Electric Aircraft
Ampaire is a Los Angeles-based company whose mission is to be the world’s most trusted developer of practical and compelling electric aircraft. To start, the company is retrofitting existing passenger aircraft to electric power – the quickest and most capital efficient approach to making commercial electric air travel a reality. Ampaire flew the largest hybrid electric aircraft at the time...

Ampaire Flies Longest Route to Date for an Electric Aircraft

Ampaire is a Los Angeles-based company whose mission is to be the world’s most trusted developer of practical and compelling electric aircraft. To start, the company is retrofitting existing passenger aircraft to electric power – the quickest and most capital efficient approach to making commercial electric air travel a reality. Ampaire flew the largest hybrid electric aircraft at the time in May 2019, and they have recently accomplished the longest flight to date for any commercially relevant aircraft employing electric propulsion, in this case a hybrid-electric propulsion system.
Ampaire’s Electric EEL, a six-seat Cessna 337 twin-engine aircraft modified with an electric motor in the nose and traditional combustion engine in the rear, took off from Camarillo Airport just north of Los Angeles at 12:20 PM. Test pilot Justin Gillen and Flight Test Engineer Russell Newman, flew up California’s Central Valley at 8,500 feet, landing at Hayward Executive Airport at 02:52 PM. Straight line distance was 292 statute miles, and the route as flown 341 statute miles.
Speed during the cruise portion of the 2 hour, 32-minute flight averaged around 135 mph. “The mission was a quite normal cross-country flight that we could imagine electrified aircraft making every day just a few years from now,” Gillen said.
This milestone in electric aviation took place after four weeks of flight testing in the Camarillo area for this second Electric EEL test aircraft, which first flew on September 10th. In that period, the aircraft flew over 30 hours during 23 flights, in 28 days, with 100% dispatch reliability. “Our success in taking this aircraft in a short period from the test environment to the normal, everyday operating environment is a testament to our development and test organization, and to the systems maturity we have achieved with our second aircraft,” said Ampaire General Manager Doug Shane. A former president of Scaled Composites, Shane is one of the world’s foremost experts on the development and flight testing of new aviation concepts.
The EEL flown to Hayward is dubbed the Hawaiʻi Bird, as it will take part later this year in a series of demonstration flights with Hawaiʻi-based Mokulele Airlines on its short-haul routes. The flight trials with Mokulele will not only demonstrate the capabilities of the EEL but will help to define the infrastructure required for wide adoption of electric aviation by airlines and airports. These flight demonstrations will mark the first time an electrically-powered aircraft has flown under an FAA “Market Survey” experimental aircraft certificate in order to gain real-world flight experience.
In Hayward, the aircraft will be partially disassembled for shipment to Hawaiʻi. The Hawaiʻi flight trials are funded in part by Elemental Excelerator, a global climate-tech accelerator based in Honolulu.
The Electric EEL can generate fuel and emissions savings up to 50 percent on shorter regional routes where the aircraft’s electrical propulsion unit can be run at high power settings, and generate savings of about 30 percent on longer regional routes such as the Camarillo to Hayward flight.
“The Electric EEL is our first step in pioneering new electric aircraft designs,” said Ampaire CEO Noertker. “Our next step will likely be a 19-seat hybrid electric retrofit program that will lower emissions and operating costs, benefiting regional carriers, their passengers and their communities.” Ampaire, with funding from NASA and others, is in the midst of design studies for such an aircraft based on the popular de Havilland Twin Otter aircraft. Ampaire has named the hybrid-electric 19-seater aircraft the Eco Otter SX.
Why it’s important: Ampaire’s strategic approach to retrofitting existing aircraft has allowed the company to rapidly progress in the development of its propulsion technology and demonstrate the potential for making commercial electric air travel a reality. The Los Angeles-based startup has achieved so in the most capital-efficient manner, and is well-positioned to continue its progress given its current partnerships and funding. As said by Ampaire General Manager Doug Shane, “the ability to put innovative electric technologies into the air rapidly in order to assess and refine them is central to Ampaire’s strategy to introduce low-emissions aircraft for regional airlines and charter operators within just a few years.”
Related: Ampaire To Electrify Caravan, Twin Otter
Source // Ampaire press release
Ampaire To Electrify Caravan, Twin Otter
Ampaire is currently the developer of the highest capacity hybrid-electric aircraft ever flown. Last month, after the company’s successful flight of its hybridized Cessna 337 Skymaster, it announced a partnership with Personal Airline Exchange (PAX) which included an order for 50 Ampaire EEL Electric Aircraft. Mokulele Airlines on Maui has also taken interest in the EEL, and both airlines plan on...

Ampaire To Electrify Caravan, Twin Otter

Ampaire is currently the developer of the highest capacity hybrid-electric aircraft ever flown. Last month, after the company’s successful flight of its hybridized Cessna 337 Skymaster, it announced a partnership with Personal Airline Exchange (PAX) which included an order for 50 Ampaire EEL Electric Aircraft. Mokulele Airlines on Maui has also taken interest in the EEL, and both airlines plan on offering passenger service late this year in Hawaii.
Just this week, Ampaire announced plans to bring hybrid-electric power to more models of existing aircraft, including the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan and Viking Twin Otter:

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan – Cessna’s largest single-engine airplane ever built, it has a range of 1232 miles and can carry up to 14 passengers. Photo // Swissphoto
Additionally, Ampaire has announced intentions to add a diesel-hybrid retrofit option for piston-powered aircraft. Company CEO Kevin Noertker said his company’s engine conversions cut fuel consumption by between 70 to 90 percent, reduce maintenance expense by 20 to 50 percent, and produce significantly quieter aircraft. According to Noertker, Ampaire currently holds contracts with the U.S. Air Force and NASA, and has received an investment from aircraft engine-maker Continental, in addition to the order for 50 EELs by PAX.
Noertker has said the market for bringing hybrid electric power to commuter aircraft could be worth more than $4 billion, noting that Norway has already set a goal of mandating all-electric aircraft on in-country flights of less than 90 minutes.

Viking Twin Otter – Originally a bush plane, the small commuter has a range of 887 miles and can carry up to 19 passengers. Photo // Aviation Tribune
Ampaire, while still waiting for certification, is well on its way to production in order to fulfill its backlog currently valued at $70 million. “Ampaire’s Electric EEL pre-production prototype is flying right now and performing beautifully,” said Noertker. “We look forward to operators being able to share the thrill of flying electric.”
See our previous article on Ampaire where you can find a clip of the Ampaire EEL in flight.
Why it’s important: Ampaire has chosen to specialize in engine conversions and leave airframe design and manufacturing other companies that have been perfecting these efforts for decades. This has allowed Ampaire to move both quickly and successfully in the electric aviation industry, which is evident by its flying prototype, fundraising success, and order backlog.
Sources // AINonline; Ampaire
Personal Airline Exchange (PAX) Orders 50 Ampaire Electric Aircraft
Personal Airline Exchange (PAX) just placed an order for 50 Ampaire EEL Electric Aircraft. Personal Airline Exchange (PAX) is a newly surfaced company offering shared regional flight chartering. On the PAX platform, customers will be able to book flights on private aircraft and split the cost with other customers, paying a ‘per seat’ price, much like an Uber Pool. This...

Personal Airline Exchange (PAX) Orders 50 Ampaire Electric Aircraft

Personal Airline Exchange (PAX) just placed an order for 50 Ampaire EEL Electric Aircraft.
Personal Airline Exchange (PAX) is a newly surfaced company offering shared regional flight chartering. On the PAX platform, customers will be able to book flights on private aircraft and split the cost with other customers, paying a ‘per seat’ price, much like an Uber Pool. This is a model shared by companies like BLADE, NetJets, Surf Air, and others. PAX is still currently in the fundraising stage, having just started a campaign on crowdfunding platform Startengine. PAX intends to initially pilot its service with Ampaire aircraft in Southern California before scaling nationwide.
Ampaire, while still waiting for certification, is well on its way to production. “Ampaire’s Electric EEL pre-production prototype is flying right now and performing beautifully,” said CEO Kevin Noertke. “We look forward to operators being able to share the thrill of flying electric.” Ampaire is targeting certifying its Electric EEL product in 2021:
While Ampaire is not the only electric aircraft maker, it made history earlier this month by flying the Ampaire 337, which is the highest capacity hybrid-electric aircraft ever flown. Other companies making electric aircraft include Zunum Aero and MagniX, which just partnered with Harbour Air to transform its seaplanes into an all-electric fleet.
PAX has stated its intentions of partnering with Ampaire for long term, planning to reserve Ampaire’s TailWind electric jets once they become available. PAX’s ultimate goal is to build a network utilizing thousands of airports to achieve true and affordable on-demand travel .
Why it’s important: The recent order from PAX for 50 Ampaire aircraft establishes PAX as another company with the vision of building a fully electric on-demand aviation network. With Ampaire’s flight technology already prototyped and nearly ready for deployment, Ampaire can help PAX achieve its goal of beginning operations sooner rather than later in Southern California, driving the industry of personalized air travel forward.
U.S. Congress Introduces Legislation to Support Aerial Mobility Infrastructure
The United States House and Senate have introduced legislation looking to advance the development of aerial mobility, notably with bipartisan support. Under the name of “Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act,” the proposed bills call on U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to “establish an inter-agency working group to coordinate efforts to develop a complete AAM ecosystem to support...

U.S. Congress Introduces Legislation to Support Aerial Mobility Infrastructure

The United States House and Senate have introduced legislation looking to advance the development of aerial mobility, notably with bipartisan support. Under the name of “Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act,” the proposed bills call on U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to “establish an inter-agency working group to coordinate efforts to develop a complete AAM ecosystem to support widespread operations of new eVTOL aircraft”, or in other words, federal support for the development of an aerial mobility infrastructure system.
The U.S. House bill, H.R. 1339, was referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation on February 26th, 2021, by Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kansas), and was co-sponsored by Garret Graves (R-Louisiana). In the Senate, S.516 was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on March 1st, 2021, backed by Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona).
According to Sen. Moran, “American aviation is entering a new era of innovation and growth, and industry leaders should have a seat at the table as the federal government creates programs to advance the development of this technology and sets safety and operation standards.”

According to Sen. Moran (R-Kansas), “American aviation is entering a new era of innovation and growth, and industry leaders should have a seat at the table as the federal government creates programs to advance the development of this technology and sets safety and operation standards.” Photograph: Hyundai
The proposed inter-agency working group would include representatives from the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), NASA, and U.S. Depts. of Defense, Energy, Commerce, and Homeland Security. Additionally, eVTOL aircraft manufacturers would be invited to participate, as well as pilot training and ground handling organizations, aircraft operators, aircraft maintenance providers, pilot and ATC unions, state, local, and tribal agencies, first responders, environmental groups and energy companies.
If enacted, the working group would be established within 120 days from the date of enactment, and ready to start deliberations 60 days afterwards. The group’s main tasks would be to provide a review and examination of all the factors — such as safety and security involved with air traffic management concepts involving AAM, federal policies that can be leveraged to advance AAM and necessary infrastructure to support the development of AAM, and benefits associated with such development — required to support aerial mobility development and to report on proposals within 180 days after the completion of this work, implying a rough estimated timeline that extends to the fourth quarter of 2022.
The legislation has received support from several key aviation industry groups, including the NBAA, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), Aerospace Industries Association, the Vertical Flight Society, Helicopter Association International, American Association of Airport Executives, and Airports Council International.
According to GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce, “The Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act goes well beyond the good work the FAA is doing to certify and build the operational regulatory framework to introduce electric aircraft into the National Airspace System,” Bunce said, adding such inter-agency and industry coordination would “help realize the enormous potential and broad societal benefits of this rapidly developing and transformative aviation sector.”
“On-demand AAM provides a path for the U.S. to maintain its position as the world leader in civil aviation, and there are significant opportunities for general aviation and our highly skilled workforce, which is why we support this important legislation,” added NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen.
Why it’s important: This legislation displays the rising popularity of aerial mobility, with bills being introduced in both House and Senate with bipartisan support. If enacted, aerial mobility development in the domestic market would be greatly accelerated, as federal support would allow for easier paths into installing aerial mobility infrastructure and services within the United States.
Source // AIN Online
LiquidPiston Awarded Air Force Contract for Development of Hybrid-Electric Solution
LiquidPiston Inc., a company that develops advanced rotary internal combustion engines, has been awarded a Phase I STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) contract from the USAF’s Agility Prime initiative. The contract will award $150,000 USD to LiquidPiston, who will be adapting their next-gen rotary diesel engine, X-Engine, for use with a hybrid-electric propulsion system in the Air Force’s UAS and...

LiquidPiston Awarded Air Force Contract for Development of Hybrid-Electric Solution

LiquidPiston Inc., a company that develops advanced rotary internal combustion engines, has been awarded a Phase I STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) contract from the USAF’s Agility Prime initiative. The contract will award $150,000 USD to LiquidPiston, who will be adapting their next-gen rotary diesel engine, X-Engine, for use with a hybrid-electric propulsion system in the Air Force’s UAS and ORBs, a sub-classification of aerial mobility vehicles defined by the USAF as a vertical take-off and landing aircraft that features an electric power source and distributed electric propulsion, or an eVTOL.
“Our work with the Air Force demonstrates the versatility and utility of our X-Engine across the Department of Defense including our ongoing work with the US Army,” said Alec Shkolnik, CEO and co-founder of LiquidPiston. “Today’s solutions for power and energy are held back by a lack of technological innovation; gasoline engines are inefficient, diesel engines are big and heavy, and while the world wants to go electric, batteries lack significantly compared to the energy density of fuel. The X-Engine solves these challenges, and with this contract, we look forward to showcasing the value a hybrid-electric configuration can bring to unmanned flight.”
LiquidPiston, Inc. focuses on development of compact, quiet, fuel efficient, low vibration, multi fuel capable combustion engines that are scalable from one horsepower to over 1,000. The company’s patented High Efficiency Hybrid Cycle (HEHC), an improved thermodynamic cycle, and unique engine architecture are the driving forces behind LiquidPiston’s highly optimized X-Engines.
The X-Engine is a lightweight rotary engine capable of running on JP-8, jet fuel, diesel and other heavy fuels. The X-Engine has only two primary moving parts – a shaft and rotor – resulting in compact size and low-vibration operation. The highly modular design of the engine along with its lightweight high-speed alternators allows for simple scalability and integration into electric vehicles. For comparison, the X-Engine is 30% more fuel efficient and 5-10 times lighter than a diesel engine, and 2-4 times more fuel efficient than a small turbine.

LiquidPiston’s X-Engine, coupled with a generator, will be configured to charge UAS and ORB battery technology and keep it charged during flight, greatly extending the overall range of a vehicle powered by an electric propulsion system.
Photograph: LiquidPiston
LiquidPiston’s X-Engine, coupled with a generator, will be configured to charge UAS and ORB battery technology and keep it charged during flight, markedly extending the overall range of a vehicle powered by an electric propulsion system. Alternatively, the X-Engine can also be configured in parallel with an electric drivetrain, producing thrust or lift directly. These capabilities allow the X-Engine to address one of the most major issues regarding electric vehicles, the limited energy density of current battery technology. With this hybrid approach, the USAF looks to improve the performance capabilities of their drones and ORBs.
Why it’s important: One of the major issues facing aerial mobility aircraft (as well as other electric vehicles) is the limitations of current battery technology, which severely limits the travel range when compared to non-electric vehicles. One of the most prevalent solutions is to implement a hybrid approach, which greatly increases the range while keeping some of the benefits of electric propulsion. LiquidPiston’s contract with the USAF shows the USAF’s resolve to promote early working models of UAS and aerial mobility vehicles to accelerate the commercial industry.
Source // The Argus-Press
Aura Aerospace ‘Battery’ Enables 10-minute eVTOL Recharging
Aura’s Powercell is claimed to be 90% recyclable, and made primarily of aluminum foil and graphene, containing zero cobalt. Cobalt is used in almost all lithium batteries today to increase energy density and cycle life, but it is one of the most destructive metals to produce in terms of its human rights impact. At the end of its lifespan, Cobalt can be...

Aura Aerospace ‘Battery’ Enables 10-minute eVTOL Recharging

Aura’s Powercell is claimed to be 90% recyclable, and made primarily of aluminum foil and graphene, containing zero cobalt. Cobalt is used in almost all lithium batteries today to increase energy density and cycle life, but it is one of the most destructive metals to produce in terms of its human rights impact.
At the end of its lifespan, Cobalt can be melted down and recycled back into its base materials. Aura then uses those base materials to make their Powercells. In short, Aura’s supply chain is achieves sustainability by potentially using 100% post industrial and consumer waste in its battery production.
The Powercell is rated for 250,000 cycles, several orders of magnitude greater than high performance drone lithium-polymer (LiPo) and Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) batteries which are rated at approximately 200 and 1000 cycles, respectively.
Why it’s important: With 40 years of combined direct experience with electric VTOL systems, Aura’s founders have laid the pathway to extreme high energy, heavy lift electric VTOL applications. Delivering on industry needs at both a component and systems levels, Aura Aerospace is establishing a platform of safety, reliability and dependability in high power electric VTOL systems. Furthermore, the cycle life improvements of the Powercell over other batteries will significantly decrease battery replacement costs over the life of a product or vehicle, making it an appealing investment for eVTOL operators. Ongoing battery replacement can dramatically increase cost of ownership, as well as significantly impact environmental sustainability.
Volocopter Raises €200 Million in Series D Funding Round
Volocopter has just announced the signing of their Series D funding round, which successfully amassed €200 million in additional capital. According to the company, the funds will be used to “solidify [its] leading position in the UAM market by bringing the VoloCity, the battery-powered air taxi for cities, to certification and by accelerating the launch of its first commercial routes.”...

Volocopter Raises €200 Million in Series D Funding Round

Volocopter has just announced the signing of their Series D funding round, which successfully amassed €200 million in additional capital. According to the company, the funds will be used to “solidify [its] leading position in the UAM market by bringing the VoloCity, the battery-powered air taxi for cities, to certification and by accelerating the launch of its first commercial routes.” Cumulatively, Volocopter has now raised €322 million.
Volocopter is in the final stages of providing new, sustainable mobility options for cities around the world. Their future services range from electric autonomous air taxis flying passengers directly and safely to their destinations, to transporting goods with the company’s VoloDrone.

Volocopter’s Initial Round of VoloFirst Flights in Singapore Sold Out Credit // Volocopter
“Volocopter is ahead of the curve in the UAM industry, and we have the achievements to prove it,” says Florian Reuter, CEO of Volocopter, in a recent press release. “No other electric air taxi company has publicly performed as many flights in cities around the world, with full regulatory approval, as Volocopter has. Our VoloCity is the fifth generation of Volocopter aircraft and has a strong path to being the first certified electric air taxi for cities. Volocopter already has the extensive partnerships necessary to set up the UAM ecosystem for launching both our company and the industry into commercial operations. We are called the pioneers of UAM for a reason, and we plan to keep that title.”
Volocopter advertises a holistic offering to the UAM market by developing a full ecosystem to connect all the vital parts to get the industry off the ground. This includes multipurpose aircraft (VoloCity and VoloDrone), and physical and digital infrastructure (VoloPort and VoloIQ), as well as partnerships with global leaders in their respective fields.

Volocopter’s Initial 2X Prototype (depicted) was replaced with the next design iteration, the VoloCity, the company’s prime aircraft for future air taxi use. Image // Volocopter
New investors in Volocopter include funds managed by BlackRock, global infrastructure company Atlantia S.p.A., Avala Capital, mobility technology giant Continental AG, global technology focused investment fund Jericho Capital, global technology and business solutions provider NTT via its venture capital arm, Tokyo Century, a leading Japanese leasing company, leading family offices, and others. All existing investors, including Geely, Daimler, DB Schenker, Intel Capital, btov Partners, Team Europe, and Klocke Holding amongst others also joined the round.
Related: Volocopter Raises EUR 50 Million in Series C Funding Round
Volocopter has performed several milestone flights in Helsinki, Stuttgart, Dubai, and over Singapore’s Marina Bay in recent years. While the first routes are yet to be announced, the company has committed to establishing air taxi services in Singapore and Paris, with plans to expand many more routes in the US, Asia, and Europe.
Related: Volocopter Initiates Campaign to Bring Air Taxi Service to US cities
Why it’s important: Volocopter has ten years of development experience, and is the first and only electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) company to receive Design Organisation Approval (DOA) by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The company has also exhibited the ability to attract investors from a variety of companies across the globe, positioning it to thrive in international markets as its services naturally expand. The capital these investors have committed to Volocopter will be instrumental as it works toward opening initial commercial air taxi routes within the next two years as planned.
Source // Volocopter press release
Bye’s eFlyer 2 is a Specimen for Aerial Mobility Supply Chain and Production
Denver, Colorado based Bye Aerospace has begun assembly of the fuselage of eFlyer serial number #001, marking the first assembly steps for the aircraft which has garnered 717 purchase order agreements to date for eFlyer, four-seat eFlyer 4, and other Bye Aerospace all-electric aircraft. The company announced in a press release on Monday, March 1st that the fuselage is being...

Bye’s eFlyer 2 is a Specimen for Aerial Mobility Supply Chain and Production

Denver, Colorado based Bye Aerospace has begun assembly of the fuselage of eFlyer serial number #001, marking the first assembly steps for the aircraft which has garnered 717 purchase order agreements to date for eFlyer, four-seat eFlyer 4, and other Bye Aerospace all-electric aircraft. The company announced in a press release on Monday, March 1st that the fuselage is being assembled in Warren, Oregon by Composites Universal Group (CUG). CUG will also assemble the Toray carbon composite wings for the production eFlyer 2 aircraft, which are both technically complex composite assemblies that likely reflect similar geometries and manufacturing processes that will be used for aerial mobility aircraft in the future.
CEO of Bye Aerospace, George Bye, stated that “We are closing several new agreements and expect to make additional market announcements very soon.” which would raise the number even higher than 717.
Also included in the Release was an update on Specific Certification Plans (SSCPs), most of which are near completion and are in final approval coordination with the FAA. “Even with the challenges presented to us by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, our team remains laser focused on collaboration efforts with the FAA on the eFlyer 2’s certification program,” Bye said.
In sorting through the nuance of managing supply chain sources and confirming partnerships with composite manufacturing firms poised to handle an increased rate of manufacturing of electric general aviation aircraft, Bye Aerospace foreshadows what a typical eVTOL supply chain and manufacturing infrastructure may ultimately look like. Paired with SSCP dialogues with the FAA, the design, manufacture, and certification of the eFlyer 2 series of aircraft will undoubtedly afford aerial mobility companies with the opportunity to examine the lessons learned from Bye’s production processes and apply those lessons to generate even more efficient production schema. Further, the sheer quantity of demand for Bye Aerospace’s eFlyer aircraft is indicative of the level of interest in new electric aircraft, whether they be for training, general aviation, or air taxi purposes. The willingness of flight training providers to adapt to these new aircraft will also allow for the realization of reduced emissions during operation, and lower operating costs per hour with simpler propulsion systems.
Why it’s important: Bye Aerospace’s current progress should serve as a building block upon which aerial mobility companies base their production plans. While the specific aircraft being produced will differ, the common features of this production ecosystem will closely mirror those of future eVTOL aircraft, and manufacturers that can already manage the unique requirements of composite production will likely in the future have growing waitlists once aerial mobility aircraft reach their final certification phases.
Falck Partners with Kitty Hawk for Development of eVTOLs in EMS
Falck has announced a collaboration with Silicon Valley’s Kitty Hawk, a company known for its advanced eVTOL aircraft. The emergency response and healthcare company partnered with Kitty Hawk to establish a joint innovation platform involving Project Heaviside, Kitty Hawk’s latest eVTOL aircraft, to be used in EMS operations. The partnership builds on Falck’s previous drone initiative, Vertical, which focuses on...

Falck Partners with Kitty Hawk for Development of eVTOLs in EMS

Falck has announced a collaboration with Silicon Valley’s Kitty Hawk, a company known for its advanced eVTOL aircraft. The emergency response and healthcare company partnered with Kitty Hawk to establish a joint innovation platform involving Project Heaviside, Kitty Hawk’s latest eVTOL aircraft, to be used in EMS operations.
The partnership builds on Falck’s previous drone initiative, Vertical, which focuses on assessing the feasibility of drone technology in the prehospital and ambulance services of the future. Now with Project Heaviside, Falck aims to test and evaluate new technologies on a larger scale, making emergency healthcare more accessible and affordable. Project Heaviside is notable even among other eVTOL competitors for its noise level; the aircraft is exceptionally quiet while remaining fast and maneuverable. Project Heaviside has undergone 13 prototype designs and over 700 test flights since its launch. With this partnership, Kitty Hawk will also provide their engineering team with decades of experience in commercial aviation, aerospace, automotive engineering, flight testing, and industrial design.
“The agreement with Kitty Hawk takes us to the next level in our commitment to integrate eVTOL aircraft into our ambulance operations. Kitty Hawk brings the technology, while we at Falck contribute with our ambulance service area as a use case. This combination gives us the best conditions to investigate how we can jointly unleash the potential of new technology and develop the ambulance-borne health solutions which are likely to set the standard in the near future,” said Jakob Riis, CEO of Falck.
According to Sebastian Thrun, Co Founder and CEO of Kitty Hawk, “We are excited to be working with Falck to collaborate on bringing our Heaviside aircraft for emergency services, first in Denmark and then to other areas. Falck is an innovative leader in the area and this agreement marks a first and important step in making eVTOL available to more people.”
Falck expects to introduce Heaviside in a close collaboration with customers in Denmark and Europe, followed later on by those in the United States.
Why it’s important: This new partnership will integrate Kitty Hawk’s Heaviside into Falck’s Emergency Medical Services, which will give Heaviside an opportunity for real-world use, and help decrease Falck’s overall emergency response time. A successful application of the Heaviside within Falck’s program will help enable a successful commercial future for Heaviside, as well as eVTOL as a whole.
Source // PR Newswire
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EHang 216 AAV Completes First Trial Flights in Beijing and over South China Sea
Today EHang announced that it has successfully completed the first trial flights of its EH216 over the sea of Southern China; the autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) took off from Hengqin New District and landed at Dong Ao Island in Zhuhai City. Earlier this week, the company also announced the completion of unmanned test flights in Beijing, marking the first time...

EHang 216 AAV Completes First Trial Flights in Beijing and over South China Sea

Today EHang announced that it has successfully completed the first trial flights of its EH216 over the sea of Southern China; the autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) took off from Hengqin New District and landed at Dong Ao Island in Zhuhai City. Earlier this week, the company also announced the completion of unmanned test flights in Beijing, marking the first time that a passenger-grade AAV flied over the capital of China, a highly regulated airspace in China. These unmanned trial flights obtained the official approval from the CAAC, China’s airspace regulator, and are featured in the short video below:
EHang’s demonstration over the South China Sea was strategically located over a popular tourist destination: Dong Ao Island is known for its pleasant natural scenery, and has the market potential for developing short-to-medium distance air travel related scenarios in coastal areas. Compared with traditional sightseeing ferries and helicopters, the purely electric passenger-grade AAV uses point-to-point direct flight, which is safer, more efficient and carbon emission-free. It can unlock new perspectives for passengers to enjoy the scenery in the sky and provide a safer, more comfortable and more personal flight experiences. As aerial flight technologies continue to evolve, AAVs powered by clean energy have become a new trend of low-altitude tourism.

The EH216 AAV conducting its first trial flights near Dong Ao Island, located in the south-central part of Wanshan Archipelago of Zhuhai City, February 2021. Credit // EHang
Moving forward, EHang will continue to development of aerial island tourism and explore new application scenarios of AAV technologies. EHang also intends to promote a new use case model of “urban air mobility (UAM) + leisure tourism” in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area with the goal of building international tourism destinations. This will lay a solid foundation for the subsequent development of aerial sightseeing routes and operations.
Why it’s important: As of February 2021, EHang has successfully conducted more than 10,000 trial flights of its EH216 AAV, including passenger-carrying trial flights, in 42 cities across 8 countries. Additionally, the company has been working closely with the regulatory authorities on regulations and industry standards for urban air mobility. EHang has vocalized its intention to continue strict compliance with regulatory requirements and drive the industry development, which will assist in making safe, autonomous and eco-friendly air mobility accessible to everyone.
Recent News: EHang Provides Updates on Major Production Facility and Announces Onsite Investors Day
Source // EHang press release
Joby Aviation Releases First Footage of Air Taxi Prototype in Flight
Historically, Joby Aviation had been quietly ramping up production and initial flight tests of its air taxi eVTOL prototype, until today. The company released this week a pair of videos showcasing their prototype during a flight test. Notably, the video highlights the prototype’s ability to take off, transition to horizontal flight, and return for landing. The videos follows the recent...

Joby Aviation Releases First Footage of Air Taxi Prototype in Flight

Historically, Joby Aviation had been quietly ramping up production and initial flight tests of its air taxi eVTOL prototype, until today. The company released this week a pair of videos showcasing their prototype during a flight test. Notably, the video highlights the prototype’s ability to take off, transition to horizontal flight, and return for landing.
The videos follows the recent headlines made by Joby detailing a SPAC merger with Reinvent Technology Partners, valuing Joby at just over $5.7B USD. The merger also paves the path to listing Joby on the New York Stock Exchange.
The prototype, nearly 10 years in the making, is capable of transporting 5 individuals at speeds up to 200 mph a distance of 150 miles using existing battery technology. The eVTOL aircraft uses six large tilting rotors to achieve vertical lift and horizontal winged cruise as demonstrated in the videos.
Perhaps most incredible is the aircraft’s noise footprint, where during liftoff in the video, Joby CEO and Founder JoeBen Bevirt continue on with a normal speaking volume. In the video, Bevirt states the merger with Reinvent Technology Partners will open a path for Joby to becoming a publicly traded company and will give it the resources needed to focus on certification efforts and commercial entry to service by 2024.
“With the Reinvent team at our side, we are one step closer to making this fantastic future real. We can’t wait to welcome you onboard,” stated Bevirt.
Why it matters: The aerial mobility space has seen a recent gold rush of investors, SPAC mergers, and investments by existing automotive and aerospace stakeholders. Joby Aviation is clearly leading among its competitors for its progress in its flight test campaign, fundraising, and certification efforts. The videos are the first of its kind from the company and demonstrate just how quiet the aerial mobility future will be. With plenty of capital and a robust talent base, expect Joby to be entering urban skies in the near term.
Jaunt Air Mobility Awarded Air Force Contract for eVTOL Noise Reduction Research
Jaunt Air Mobility designs and manufactures hybrid and electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, and specializes in Reduced rotor Operating Speed aircraft (ROSA™), which combine a fixed-winged aircraft’s efficiency and advanced helicopter performance. The company has recently announced that it has been awarded a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract by the US Air Force program AFWERX, via the Air...

Jaunt Air Mobility Awarded Air Force Contract for eVTOL Noise Reduction Research

Jaunt Air Mobility designs and manufactures hybrid and electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, and specializes in Reduced rotor Operating Speed aircraft (ROSA™), which combine a fixed-winged aircraft’s efficiency and advanced helicopter performance. The company has recently announced that it has been awarded a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract by the US Air Force program AFWERX, via the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).
Under the contract Jaunt will team with Penn State University and Continuum Dynamics, Inc. (CDI) to employ advanced acoustical analysis techniques to characterize noise from Jaunt’s unique Jaunt Journey Compound Gyrodyne VTOL aircraft concept. This is one of three contracts awarded by AFRL to Jaunt under the leadership of Martin Peryea, CEO of Jaunt Air Mobility.
“The purpose is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the noise sources in our aircraft configurations and the unique noise reduction opportunities,” says Martin Peryea. “We will apply the knowledge to the design of the Jaunt Journey all-electric (eVTOL) aircraft, allowing us to develop the most efficient, ultra-low noise aircraft for our customers in the urban air mobility market as well as cargo, medevac, and close air support military aircraft.”
Leading the Penn State University team is Professor Kenneth Brentner, an internationally renowned expert in aeroacoustics and rotorcraft noise. Dr. Brentner will be assisted by Mr. Dan Wachspress of CDI, the chief developer of CDI’s CHARM comprehensive rotorcraft analysis used throughout the eVTOL industry. Dr. Brentner stated that, “For this research, we will use CDI’s CHARM software coupled with our PSU-WOPWOP and PSU flight simulation software to model the Jaunt test vehicle. This noise prediction system was validated through comparison with NASA acoustic flight tests of six medium to lightweight helicopters in steady and maneuvering flight conditions.”
Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are highly competitive programs that encourage domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) with the potential for commercialization. Through a competitive awards-based program, STTR enables small businesses to explore their technological potential and provide the incentive to profit from its commercialization. Central to the STTR program is the partnership between small businesses and nonprofit research institutions. STTR is to bridge the gap between basic science and the commercialization of resulting innovations.
Why it’s important: Jaunt’s government-funded noise research is equivalently applicable to the commercial applications for which the company’s vehicle is also designed. The technologies fostered by STTR programs such as this grant from the AFRL are essential to the forward progress of aerial mobility. Noise minimization is a key driver of public acceptance, and with this contract, Jaunt can work with aeroacoustic experts to expedite the integration of eVTOL aircraft in our airspaces.
Related: Jaunt Air Mobility and Varon Vehicles Partner for Aerial Mobility in Latin America
Source // Jaunt Air Mobility press release
How Aerial Mobility will Merge with Private Aviation Management Infrastructure
Personal air transportation has traditionally been limited to private helicopters and private jets, but as electric aerial mobility becomes a reality, the private aviation industry begins the transition toward accommodation and management of electric aircraft. Because traditional methods of personal air travel such as helicopter and private jet charters are prohibitively expensive, personal travel by air has mainly remained a...

How Aerial Mobility will Merge with Private Aviation Management Infrastructure

Personal air transportation has traditionally been limited to private helicopters and private jets, but as electric aerial mobility becomes a reality, the private aviation industry begins the transition toward accommodation and management of electric aircraft.
Because traditional methods of personal air travel such as helicopter and private jet charters are prohibitively expensive, personal travel by air has mainly remained a luxury only for the wealthy. However, eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft) will be both more affordable to both operate and maintain, making them far more accessible to the public than former options. As a result, these new flight operations will have much higher daily flight volumes than traditional charter, which will create the need for new types of fleet management systems.
Companies that currently manage these aircraft and their charter operations, such as JetEdge, Wing Aviation, FlexJet, and more recently BLADE Urban Air Mobility have a depth of experience in handling the massive task of optimizing fleet management. However, unlike ground transportation companies like Uber, due to their lower volumes and more fluctuating prices, a large proportion of these companies manually manage each chartered flight. This means that although members of their teams are experts in fleet management and optimization, there is no background software that manages charter request reception, quote issuance, and backend operation execution without substantial human intervention. eVTOL aerial mobility companies such as Lilium, Joby Aviation, and others seek to use software to make the air travel experience more similar to the ride-hailing ground transportation experience of today – a development that is crucial in wide spread commercial applications of aerial mobility.

An Uber demand heat map versus Flight Aware, a route and aircraft tracking system for both public and privately chartered aircraft
It will be interesting to observe moving forward which of these operator companies choose to branch out their expertise into this sector. Will companies like Joby or Lilium create their own fleet management systems from scratch? Or, will they pull simultaneously from ground ride-hailing companies like Uber as well traditional charter operators to create entirely new systems? So far, the latter seems to be the approach by highly successful Joby Aviation, which recently received an airworthiness certification from the USAF for its eVTOL, and acquired Uber Elevate during a similar time period.
Another question will be how traditional charter infrastructure organizations choose to integrate with aerial mobility infrastructure that is being built in major cities. Traditionally, private jet charter patrons have elected to receive ground transportation from an FBO (a private terminal at airports for private charters) to their final destination. However, as eVTOLs begin to get more popular, these charter patrons may soon rather travel by eVTOL to their final destinations rather than wait in traffic. Already, companies like Ross Aviation (an FBO company that has terminals at many major airports around the US), have partnered with BLADE Urban Air Mobility to begin planning eVTOL vertiport infrastructure at their respective FBOs. This indicates that both BLADE’s and Ross’s eventual intent is allow charter patrons to board eVTOLs directly from private jet charters. As the eVTOL industry grows, vertiports throughout major cities will become more prevalent, allowing these charter patrons to fly directly to their hotels, conferences, or business meeting locations without ever needing to step into a car.

A Ross Aviation terminal featured with a potential Vertiport design by Volocopter.
The decisions and responses to the challenges of fleet management will in turn end up transforming eVTOL travel into a common method of transportation used by people from all parts of society. As the world begins to move to a more eVTOL oriented future, companies both past, present, and future will begin to shape the infrastructure world that will enable eVTOL.
Why it’s important: Companies the world over are beginning to make decisions that will enable certain pathways toward the growing world of eVTOL. Experts from aircraft management, companies in ground transportation ride-hailing, and new eVTOL creators will likely combine their efforts to create the eVTOL oriented world of the the future. As the newer companies continue to grow, watching which decisions are made and which partnerships are formed will provide a clearer and clearer picture of the concrete logistics that will make eVTOL work.
EHang Provides Updates on Major Production Facility and Announces Onsite Investors Day
EHang Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: EH) provided an update last week on the development of its new AAV production facility in Yunfu city, China. The retrofitting process of the existing building is being completed and production of EHang AAVs is expected to start in the second quarter of 2021. The Yunfu facility has a total planned gross floor area of 24,000...

EHang Provides Updates on Major Production Facility and Announces Onsite Investors Day

EHang Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: EH) provided an update last week on the development of its new AAV production facility in Yunfu city, China. The retrofitting process of the existing building is being completed and production of EHang AAVs is expected to start in the second quarter of 2021.

The new Yunfu manufacturing facility, as seen from above
The Yunfu facility has a total planned gross floor area of 24,000 square meters. It will be the home to EHang’s newest aerial vehicle assembly lines, a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) processing center, a painting workshop and a carbon fiber composite materials processing area. In addition, the Yunfu facility will include a research and training center and an outdoor flight test vertiport.
Upon completion, the Yunfu facility will play a major role in producing EHang’s flagship products, the EH216 series of passenger-grade AAVs, with a planned initial annual capacity of 600 units which can be further increased to support the growing global market needs. EHang expects that it will be the first AAV commercial production facility of this scale.
EHang plans to host an Investor Day event for a facility tour at the new Yunfu Facility in late June 2021. Further details will be announced at a later day.
The existing production facility at the headquarter of EHang in Guangzhou spans a total area of 8,750 square meters and houses production processes for its AAV products. After the Yunfu facility is up and running, the major role of the facility in Guangzhou will be gradually migrated to focus on supporting the Company’s expanding new products R&D efforts.
Watch the video tour of the EHang Yunfu facility below:
Why it’s important: Right now, EHang is one of the furthest companies along in the process of creating, distributing, and beginning operating its autonomous air taxis. The Yunfu manufacturing facility will be EHang’s second, and the company is already conducting paid aerial tourism operations with its aircraft in many cities throughout China. Many companies world wide can begin to look at EHang for an example of how initiating large-scale air taxi operations in their own countries may work.
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