News

EASA Publishes SC-VTOL

• 29 Aug 2019 04:18 PM
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The Vertical Flight Society has been supporting the development of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft since 2014. One of the defining challenges for implementing eVTOL for urban air mobility (UAM) is the lack of applicable regulations. Standards organizations like ASTM International, RTCA, SAE International and the European Organisation for Civil Aviation Equipment (EUROCAE) have been working with the burgeoning community in developing standards to support certification. In addition, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) has been working with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and other regulators to facilitate harmonized standards development for eVTOL certification.

The Potential of eCTOL

• 29 Aug 2019 09:15 AM
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While essentially all of the news on electric aviation in Vertiflite has focused on electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, developments of electric conventional take-off and landing (eCTOL) airplanes have recently accelerated.

Oshkosh e-AirVenture

• 27 Aug 2019 05:28 PM
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The world’s largest gathering of pilots and aviation enthusiasts takes place every year in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) has hosted its massive fly-in convention for 50 years.

Oshkosh has a long been associated with innovation, from experimental homebuilt aircraft and Burt Rutan’s imaginative designs to the world’s fastest, largest and most expensive civilian and military aircraft.

Lilium Expands to London

• 24 Aug 2019 02:52 PM
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Based outside of Munich, Germany, Lilium announced on June 11 that it had selected London to be “the base for a world-class software team it plans to develop.” Hundreds of high-end software engineering roles will be created in the city over the next five years as the business seeks to make affordable, electric, on-demand air taxis a reality by 2025.

First Turkish eVTOL

• 24 Aug 2019 02:51 PM
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According to the Daily Sabah newspaper, Istanbul-based UAV manufacturer Baykar is nearing completion of the country’s first eVTOL aircraft, called the “Cezeri” — named after the 12^th century Muslim inventor/engineer Ismail al-Jazari. 

NEC Flies Testbed

• 24 Aug 2019 02:49 PM
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NEC Corporation has developed an eVTOL testbed to help development autonomous management systems for UAM aircraft. NEC stated that the much larger eVTOL aircraft fly differently than small drones and they need a full-size eVTOL aircraft to obtain the data needed to allow them to make and validate working aircraft management systems.

EHang Operational

• 24 Aug 2019 02:48 PM
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According to the eFlight Journal on July 2, Chinese drone maker EHang has delivered the first 10 of its two-seat Model 216 eVTOLs to a Chinese operator and eight more to deliver to undisclosed overseas clients, with additional deliveries in China coming. The EHang 216 is a derivative of the single-seat EHang 184 will operate with a special permit to fly under a specific operational risk assessment (SORA) trial rule by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) that allows the operator to carry passengers.

Kitty Hawk Announcements

• 24 Aug 2019 02:47 PM
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On June 25, The Boeing Company and Kitty Hawk Corporation announced a strategic partnership to collaborate on future efforts to advance safe urban air mobility (UAM). The strategic partnership will bring together the innovation of Kitty Hawk’s Cora division with Boeing’s scale and aerospace expertise.

XTI Continues Progress

• 24 Aug 2019 02:45 PM
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Testing of the 65%-scale unmanned demonstrator of the XTI Aircraft TriFan 600 has moved to the Northrop Grumman Utah Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Test Site in Box Elder County, Utah, which was coordinated by the Deseret UAS organization. Meanwhile, the company announced in July that it had selected GE Aviation’s Catalyst engine as the core of the hybrid-electric propulsion system for the TriFan 600.

Hanwha Invests in Karem Butterfly

• 24 Aug 2019 02:44 PM
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South Korean industrial giant Hanwha announced on July 11 that it was investing $25M in a spin-off from Karem Aircraft, Inc., dedicated to bringing its all-electric air taxi vehicle, Butterfly, to market. The Butterfly is being developed for Uber Elevate and uses Karem’s Optimum Speed Rotor technology to power a vectored-thrust vehicle with four large rotors mounted on the wings and tail.