Making the Leap to Hybrid-Electric Bizjets – Can It Be Done? A published paper in a peer-reviewed scientific journal provokes a conversation about the future of hybrid-electric propulsion and large-cabin business jets. As the aviation industry appears to be poised to enter a new era of electric- powered flight with smaller eVTOL air taxis, what are the possibilities that larger,...Read More

Electra Unveils Turbo Electric Aircraft Concept for Next Generation Airliner as Part of NASA AACES 2050 Program By Jason Pritchard Electra has unveiled a new conceptual aircraft design for next-generation airliners developed as part of NASA’s Advanced Aircraft Concepts for Environmental Sustainability (AACES) 2050 program. The study explores how targeted electrification, advanced aerodynamics and integrated airframe-propulsion design can transform the efficiency and competitiveness of aircraft with 100+ passengers by...Read More

Joby Aviation Is Pushing the Boundaries of Electric Aviation Power-train chief Jon Wagner explains why integration beats invention By Elan Head When JoeBen Bevirt founded the company now known as Joby Aviation in 2009, electric aircraft were on few people’s minds. Tesla’s first electric vehicle, the Roadster, had arrived on the market just one year earlier, and it was not yet evident that EVs would transform the...Read More

Intelligent Energy Joins UK Alliance to Accelerate Hydrogen Flight By Intelligent Energy Limited Intelligent Energy (IE), the UK’s leading hydrogen fuel cell manufacturer, has joined the Hydrogen in Aviation Alliance (HIA), to help the UK to seize its opportunity to be a world leader in hydrogen flight. The alliance brings together companies from across the aviation sector, including Airbus, Bristol...Read More

ACAS X Is Already in the Cockpit. The AI-and-ATC Debate Is Three Years Too Late. Part 1. The FAA approved an AI-augmented collision avoidance system years ago. The current debate over SMART misses what the regulatory architecture already settled. By Vincent E. Bianco III ATC Correspondent, Leeham News & Analysis The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has already approved an artificial-intelligence-augmented...Read More

FAA Struggles to Keep Pace as Aerospace Industry Advances in AI Challenges in Modernizing Air Traffic Control and Certification The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has long grappled with antiquated air traffic control systems and chronic staffing shortages. These longstanding issues have been further compounded by recent challenges, notably the rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within the aerospace sector. The...Read More

Volocopter launches new product: VoloXPro Volocopter presents the newly developed VoloXPro aircraft — an electrically powered ultralight multicopter. Target groups in Europe include flight schools, flying clubs, air sports enthusiasts, and sightseeing flight operators. Internationally, the VoloXPro is intended for use as an air taxi in professional passenger transport. Certification as an ultralight aircraft is planned for Germany at the...Read More

Putting the pieces together: modular engineer licensing A new approach to gaining engineering qualifications aims to boost supply in this important trade. By Robert Wilson Trent Baker didn’t set out to be a pioneer in Australian aviation but that’s what he has become. As the first licensed aircraft maintenance engineer (LAME) to obtain his licence through self-study in a modular...Read More

Airworthiness cybersecurity guidance for RPAS now published The AC provides guidance on how RPAS designers and manufacturers can manage cyber threats. It also helps RPAS operators understand cybersecurity risks that could affect aviation safety. It focuses on: safety-critical aircraft subsystems ground systems command and control (C2) links supporting infrastructure. The AC includes security concepts, threat categorisation and a practical risk...Read More

Lawmakers Push FAA Certification Reforms For eVTOLs By Ben Goldstein A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced legislation aimed at streamlining parts of the FAA’s type certification process, with a particular focus on eVTOL and advanced air mobility aircraft. The proposed Aviation Innovation and Global Competitiveness Act would require the FAA to publish clearer timelines for certification reviews, define when...Read More