The Future of Advanced Air Mobility

Kerry Lynch

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Textron Refreshes Leadership of eAviation Division to Progress Nexus eVTOL Aircraft Program

Kriya Shortt is taking over as president and CEO of Textron's eAviation division while Rob Scholl moves over to lead Textron Specialized Vehicles.
Rob Scholl, president and CEO of Textron eAviation, is leaving the segment to assume a new role as head of Textron Specialized Vehicles, an industrial business unit that manufactures golf cars, snowmobiles, and other utility vehicles. Textron has named long-time company executive Kriya Shortt to succeed Scholl as head of the eAviation division, effective August 31. 
Kriya Shortt

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Electra Rolls Out eSTOL Technology Demonstrator Aircraft Ahead of Flight Testing

During an event at Virginia Regional Airport in Manassas, the company explained how it intends to bring a nine-passenger, hybrid-electric eSTOL aircraft into commercial service in 2028.
Following extensive ground tests, Electra is preparing to start flight tests with a two-seat technology demonstrator for its planned nine-passenger, hybrid-electric eSTOL aircraft. The company believes that the aircraft will transform regional air services, mainly through its ability to operate from landing surfaces as small as about 300 feet. By 2025, it expects to start flight testing a full-scale prototype en route to type certification in 2028.
Electro.aero's eSTOL technology demonstrator aircraft was unveiled on June 12, 2023.

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NASA's X-59 Supersonic Aircraft Set To Fly This Year

Lockheed Martin, working with NASA, has installed the tail section of the X-59 supersonic aircraft in preparation for first flight this year.
Lockheed Martin, working with NASA, has installed the tail section of the X-59 supersonic aircraft in preparation for first flight this year. The aircraft is being designed with new technologies that would emit a lower boom, described as a soft thud, to buffer the impacts of the shockwaves associated with supersonic flight.
X-59 Tail Section installation

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FAA Lays Foundation For eVTOL Aircraft Operations With Vertiport Standards

The U.S. aviation regulator has published safety guidelines for key advanced air mobility ground infrastructure.
The FAA's has published eagerly awaited standards on vertiport design that will provide infrastructure developers with important guidance on topics such as the recharging of electric aircraft. The U.S. aviation safety agency has advised that standards will need to evolve as more complete information on the performance of new eVTOL aircraft becomes available.
FAA has issued guidelines for the design of vertiports to be used by new eVTOL aircraft.

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Disjointed U.S. and Europe Could Lose Advanced Air Mobility Leadership to Asia, Warns eVTOL Leader

Michael Cervenka, president of UK-based eVTOL aircraft developer Vertical Aerospace told Honeywell's Air Mobility Summit that there must be alignment on policy, regulation and global collaboration.
Asia stands to offer the biggest opportunities for advanced air mobility companies, according to Vertical Aerospace president Michael Cervenka, who urged industry and regulators in the U.S. and Europe to collaborate
Vertical Aerospace's VA-X4 eVTOL aircraft will carry four passengers.

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U.S. Lawmakers Look To Build Advanced Air Mobility With FAA Reauthorization Bill

House of Representatives aviation subcommittee chair Larsen sees the upcoming bill to approve spending by the U.S. aviation regulation addressing broad issues such as infrastructure for advanced air mobility..
Congressional leaders expect are eying a range of issues for the FAA reauthorization bill that will be in the works next year that includes "clear direction" for the FAA to make sure the proper resources are dedicated to the advanced air mobility industry.
Left to right: Rep. Garret Graves (R-Louisiana), Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Washington), and GAMA v-p government affairs Paul Feldman (Photo: Kerry Lynch/AIN)

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eVTOL Aircraft Developers Remain Concerned Over New FAA Operational Regulations

The U.S. aviation safety agency now says it needs to develop a special federal aviation regulation to facilitate the use of advanced air mobility vehicles in commercial operations and to address pilot training.
FAA's shift of certification rules for advanced air mobility vehicles opened the door to other concerns, including operational and training requirements as well as international validations. However, the agency is working toward the release of a special federal aviation regulation by 2024.
Archer is flight testing its Maker technology demonstrator for its planned eVTOL aircraft.

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Embraer, BAE Strengthen Plans To Use Eve's eVTOL for Defense Applications

Embraer and BAE have signed a letter of intent with Eve Air Mobility to potentially order up to 150 of Eve's eVTOL vehicles to be used for defense and security applications.
Embraer is expanding its partnerships with BAE Systems under memoranda of understanding signed on Tuesday during the 2022 Farnborough International Airshow to explore defense and security applications for the Eve eVTOL.
Jackson Schneider and Ian Muldowney shake hands in an Eve eVTOL display.

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CAE Develops AAM Mixed-reality Trainer, Teams with Piper on Electric Archer STC

Aviation training group CAE is developing a flight trainer to address the emerging needs of the advanced air mobility sector.
Aviation training group CAE is developing a flight trainer to address the emerging needs of the advanced air mobility (AAM) sector, and it has partnered with Piper Aircraft to develop a supplemental type certificate (STC) for an electric powerplant conversion of the single-engine Piper PA-28-181 Archer light airplane, the companies announced Tuesday at the Farnborough Airshow.
CAE air mobility (AAM) simulator

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MagniX Teams with Brazil's Desaer on Hybrid-electric Regional Airliner

Desaer, which has been developing the ATL-100 light regional twin turboprop, is looking at the next iteration, the ATL-100H, which incorporates magniX magni350 electric propulsion units.
Under the partnership announced on February 8, electric-propulsion specialist MagniX would collaborate with Desaer on an ATL-100H hybrid variant that would be powered by two magni350 electric-propulsion units and two turboprop engines. The aircraft is mainly intended to serve as a regional airliner in the same class as 19-seaters like the Dornier Do-228.
Desaer's planned hybrid electric ATL100 regional airliner