The new rule requires manufacturers to incorporate improved fuel-efficient technologies into airplanes manufactured after January 1, 2028. It also applies to subsonic jet airplanes and large turboprop and piston-engine airplanes that have not yet been certified, the FAA said.

• READ MORE: FAA Proposed Rule Targets Turbine, Turboprop, and Piston Aircraft Fuel Efficiency

“We are taking a large step forward to ensure the manufacture of more fuel-efficient airplanes, reduce carbon pollution, and reach our goal of net-zero emissions by 2050,” said FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker.

Among the aircraft that will be required to meet the new standards are the Boeing 777X and newly built versions of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner; the Airbus A330neo; business jets including the Cessna Citation; and turboprop transports such as the ATR 72 and Viking Air Limited Q400. The regulation does not affect airplanes currently in service. 

• READ MORE: ‘We Need to Fly Aircraft—We Don’t Fly PowerPoints’

Civil aircraft such as those listed contribute 9 percent of domestic transportation emissions and 2 percent of total U.S. carbon pollution, according to the FAA. 

The final rule, which can be found in the Federal Register, is part of the U.S. Aviation Climate Action Plan aimed at achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from the American aviation sector by 2050.

The post FAA Releases Final Rule on Aircraft Fuel Efficiency for Emissions appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The firm on Thursday announced it successfully completed a hybrid-electric ground test using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from partner Dimensional Energy. The pure, 100 percent ASTM D7566 SAF is produced from electricity and carbon dioxide and was used to fuel Ampaire’s nine-seat Eco Caravan, a modified Cessna 208B Grand Caravan.

The goal of testing was to validate the performance of Dimensional Energy’s pure e-fuel SAF. According to Ampaire, the results “exceeded expectations,” demonstrating a massive increase in energy efficiency compared to traditional jet fuels.

Both Ampaire and Dimensional Energy received funding and support from climate technology investor Elemental Excelerator. According to Ampaire, the investment has helped the partners more than double the efficiency of SAF consumption while driving emissions to near zero.

“By showcasing the transformative efficiency gains achievable through hybrid-electric propulsion, we are driving the future of eco-friendly air travel,” said Kevin Noertker, CEO of Ampaire. “For those already recognizing the potential of SAF, its integration into our hybrid-electric aircraft enhances its appeal even further.”

Ampaire’s Eco Caravan is a hybrid-electric design with a range of 1,100 sm (956 nm) and a payload of 2,500 pounds. In 2022, the manufacturer said the model could be the first electric regional aircraft to fly commercially. Ampaire expects FAA certification this year.

The aircraft is equipped with Ampaire’s proprietary AMP-H570 AMP Drive hybrid-electric propulsion unit. According to the company, the system will reduce fuel consumption and emissions by 50 to 70 percent compared to conventional Pratt & Whitney PT6 engines, which are common on Cessna Caravan turboprops.

Ground tests paired the hybrid-electric propulsion system with Dimensional Energy e-fuels to “reimagine” 100 percent electric flight and address SAF quality and cost concerns, the goal being to enable broader use. According to Ampaire, Dimensional Energy has two projects that will “add significant inventory to the world’s availability of e-fuels.”

“Technology providers have to collaborate beyond innovation and into execution,” said Jason Salfi, CEO of Dimensional Energy. “By combining Dimensional Energy e-fuels with Ampaire’s aircraft technology that can reduce the amount of fuels combusted during flight, we quicken the pace up the steep curve of the energy transition and reduce the need for extraction faster.”

Nonprofit investor Elemental Excelerator provided both Ampaire and Dimensional Energy with project development capital and years of support to scale the companies’ tech. The three partners intend to continue their collaboration and research into sustainable flight.

“[Ampaire and Dimensional Energy’s] innovations reduce pollution and noise in neighborhoods around airports and make possible a cleaner way to fly,” said Dawn Lippert, CEO of Elemental Excelerator.

Ampaire’s recent ground test wasn’t the company’s only milestone in the past few months. In fact, it doesn’t even come close to the firm’s biggest achievement: a 12-hour, 1,375 sm (1,195 nm) flight of its Electric EEL demonstrator. The flight set a high-water mark for hybrid-electric aircraft endurance, eclipsing the company’s previous record.

The EEL is a modified Cessna 337 Skymaster, also equipped with the AMP-H570 AMP Drive, that functions primarily as a testbed aircraft but could also serve owner-flown, charter, and short-haul regional airlines and carriers. It has a 400 sm (348 nm) range and 450-pound payload.

In 2020, Ampaire and the EEL also completed the first trial of a hybrid-electric aircraft along an actual airline route, in partnership with Hawaii’s Mokulele Airlines. The Eco Caravan, meanwhile, made its maiden voyage in 2022.

Ampaire’s largest order for the hybrid-electric design comes from U.K.-based lessor Monte Aircraft, which agreed to order up to 50 Eco Caravans. The firm also has an agreement with Azul Conecta—a subsidiary of Azul, Brazil’s largest airline by passenger volume—to convert six Grand Caravans in its fleet.

Meanwhile, Ampaire is working with NASA on several projects, most notably one that would install its propulsion system aboard a Twin Otter DHC6. It has an agreement with private charter operator WingTips for the conversion of 50 Twin Otters to Eco Otters—another Ampaire concept—in addition to 20 Caravans.

Unsurprisingly, major airlines and manufacturers are ramping up development of SAF as Ampaire matures its tech. Both Gulfstream Aerospace and Virgin Atlantic completed inaugural transatlantic flights fueled entirely by SAF in November. Rolls-Royce that month said all of its current engines can now run on 100 percent SAF.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), SAF production tripled from 2021 to 2022. And with aviation industry groups working to speed its adoption, the dawn of SAF appears to be on the horizon.

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Daher’s position demonstrates well the state of the global aerospace market.

“We are in a paradox situation—some are happy; some are not happy,” said Patrick Daher, board chair for the Daher group, in kicking off the company’s performance review for 2023 in Paris on February 7. “We are feeling the impact of the international situation, and then we are still recovering from COVID, but the COVID crisis is over for us…But some international threats—for example the war in Ukraine and the Middle East, the future elections, the situation in China—all these events have created a political instability that is really worrying for the future.”

Yet industry events such as the 2023 Paris Air Show indicate where the future lies—with caution as to the expense of making change. “As chairman [of] the Salon de Bourget in 2023 and chairman of Daher…I have the chance to see that energy transition is coming with a really high price,” said Daher. “Speaking about industry, we have really good news in terms of an increase in production.”

In 2023, Daher recorded strong deliveries of both its TBM and Kodiak series turboprops, with a total of 56 TBMs and 18 Kodiaks, for a total of 76 units. In addition, it counts more than 100 turboprops in its order book, taking it well into 2025.

READ MORE: Daher Delivers 100th TBM 960

An Industry Overview

At the same time, major Daher client and partner Airbus has never manufactured so many aircraft—a record number went out the door in December, as Daher noted in the report. That is in spite of the constant pressures brought on by inflation, provisioning difficulties, recruitment challenges, rise in wages, and lowering margins. Collectively these have led to soft pricing models that have persisted through the past couple of years.

“We have forgotten how to deal with such problems of inflation that we experienced 20 years ago,” said Daher. “It was really hard to find raw materials, and this was linked to geopolitical problems, [such] as the war in Ukraine. We were missing material. This lack of raw materials is linked to the mismanagement of the supply chain—the suppliers failed to ship what we needed to manufacture our aircraft—and to produce what our clients asked us to do.”

Another problem Daher noted has been the lack of employee candidates. “It is not easy to recruit the right profiles…The COVID crisis changed behaviors in terms of wages and employees, so it is really hard for us to hire and find talents.” This has driven companies like Daher to invest heavily in training—because like never before they have had to recruit from outside the aviation industry.

“All these factors in 2023—after COVID, we were expecting 2021 and 2022 to be difficult—but these problems arrived in 2023,” Daher said. “All of these factors resulted in our weakened profitability. We need to consider the energy transition and the decrease in carbon intensity…2023 highlighted the emergency but also the [convergence], vis-à-vis the problem of decarbonization.”

The Daher group considers government support crucial—specifically CORAC, the French council for civil aviation research—and 300 million euros per year have been earmarked by CORAC to help fund the energy transition. “Aviation industry, all research efforts, have converged, because in the past each company focused on a specific research field, but right now there is a really clear target: low-carbon, low-emission aircraft,” Daher said.

Eco-Pulse Update

For the French OEM, the convergence flies today via its hybrid-electric Eco-Pulse technology demonstrator, which uses a TBM airframe, electric motors and powertrain components form Saran, and electric power storage by Airbus in a distributed lift model (simply put) to test various components and how they interact in actual flight operations. The Eco-Pulse retains a Pratt & Whitney PT6A turboprop engine, but in December made its first flight segments completely powered by the six electric motors.

“It is a major step towards decarbonization,” said Daher. “Because high voltage electricity can be a good solution…we are continuing with some hybrid tests. This is the first step…People thought I was crazy [last year] when I spoke about this target [to have a marketable product by 2027], but we are headed in that direction.” It will be a TBM or Kodiak because those are the models Daher has in its portfolio, but the company has yet to determine which will be chosen and exactly what that will look like.

FLYING asked if the OEM could share any feedback—including any performance data, if possible—from those first flights. Christophe Robin, vice president of engineering for Daher’s aircraft division, provided this insight: “EcoPulse is a technology demonstrator, therefore, aircraft performance is not the goal. The EcoPulse configuration has been chosen with the strategy of increasing the level of complexity in hybridization to develop a ‘maturity picture’ for all of the technologies involved—including examining side effects such as weight penalties, as well as issues induced by HIRF (high-intensity radiated field) and lightning.”

READ MORE: We Fly: Daher TBM 960

Log’in, Shap’in, Fly’in

To support innovation efforts, Daher launched its second tech center, Log’in, in Toulouse, also geared toward decarbonization. “Out of 7 million tonnes [of carbon emissions] we realized that a big quantity is related to our clients, and we want to work on these figures [as well] in order to work on decarbonization,” said Daher.

Fly’in will be the third tech center Daher launches, in Tarbes, focused on aircraft development, “stepping up” in both technology and the drive towards net-zero emissions.

FLYING also asked Daher to expand on the current projects that have already been realized from the new technology centers and Eco-Pulse. Robin shared a portion of what the group has learned thus far, and what it expects to benefit from. 

“In addition to the aspects of EcoPulse that are linked to aircraft hybridization, another important focus is demonstrating the application of advanced composites on aircraft,” said Robin. “Under the guidance of Daher’s research and technology teams, EcoPulse is using composites for the aircraft’s winglets, engine pylons, Karman and battery fairings, as well as the air inlet—which were produced primarily with an infusion-based carbon/cork micro-sandwich. A goal of EcoPulse is to make it possible to evolve the performance and feasibility of integrating these technologies on secondary parts/components of Daher-built aircraft, while developing rapid prototyping skills used within the aviation framework.”

This is complementary to other developments underway at Daher—including projects in cooperation with partners such as CORAC (the French Council for Civil Aeronautical Research).

Pascal Laguerre, chief technology officer for Daher, provided significant insight beyond the Eco-Pulse demonstrator. “Taking a wider view for activities outside the framework of EcoPulse, Daher devotes a significant part of its overall R&D budget to thermoplastics,” said Laguerre. “This material is particularly promising in the world of aerostructures for future applications on production aircraft. It lends itself more easily to the automation of production (issue of throughput), and it is recyclable, repairable and weldable. Its mechanical properties make it possible to use less material and, overall, make structures lighter—all of which are key qualities with a view toward reducing carbon emissions. This is focused on accelerating the development of real applications in the future for the benefit of its customers, including [several more widely focused] projects.”

For example, as part of CORAC, Daher leads the largest French research project on thermoplastics in current execution, called TRAMPOLINE 2 (TheRmoplAstic coMPosites for hOrizontaL tail plaNE), as well as utilizing induction welding instead of riveting—with a weight savings of 15 percent.

Also, the investment has already borne fruit in components that will be found on the company’s current TBM product lines.

“After more than three years of R&D work, Daher succeeded in manufacturing rudder pedals in recycled high-performance thermoplastic composites from production scraps to equip the TBM, which have been certified for flight on production TBMs,” said Laguerre. “In addition to being lightweight, thermoplastics have low thermal conduction, as well as equal or better physicochemical and mechanical properties: It’s a win-win for Daher customers. And beyond the environmental benefits, the cost of these parts is significantly reduced compared to metal machining.

“In addition, Daher has obtained the first results of an R&D project called CARAC TP, carried out in collaboration with a set of academic laboratories competent in composite materials. The objective [is] to identify and characterize the thermoplastic composites best suited to aeronautical applications and compare them to thermoset materials. The project makes it possible to study materials in depth through multiple tests that go beyond the scope of qualification programs carried out in the industry: impact resistance, fire resistance, environmental aging (ozone, UV, fluids), impact of manufacturing processes on physicochemical properties, material performance, etc.”

Daher looks also outside its walls to new small businesses to help drive this innovation charge. Encouragingly, more than 300 aerospace-relevant startups took part in the Paris Air Show.

“We had 25 of these startups at the Daher stand at Le Bourget,” said Daher, noting that the company looks forward to engaging with these innovators, perhaps through acquisition or collaboration, on various projects.

WATCH: We Fly the Kodiak 900, Ready for Grand Adventures

The Takeoff 2027 Strategy

Daher reported a strengthening bottom line but noted there is room for improvement. At the press conference, Daher CEO Didier Kayat indicated the belief that Daher would become profitable based on its strategic realignment to better serve four sectors: aircraft, industry, industrial services, and logistics. The company also plans a transformation of the organizational structure by 2025, to help align and draw down any existing silos between the business functions.

To this end, Daher made a quartet of additions to its executive committee in the later part of 2023. On October 1, Alain-Jory Barthe joined Daher’s Industry division as senior vice president. Then, on January 1, Cédric Eloy became the head of the Industrial Services division as senior vice president of manufacturing services, and Julie de Cevins became the group’s chief sustainability officer—a key appointment, given the group’s charge to attain net-zero goals by 2050. Finally, on February 1, Aymeric Daher became senior vice president of the Logistics division.

Daher is adapting its organization to support the four business units, with the following actions:

• To create a managerial culture that is based in what it calls the “Daher Leadership Model”—effectively empowering a cadre of 1,500 leaders within the company to act with an entrepreneurial spirit
• To anticipate challenges and innovate toward decarbonisation solutions, with Eco-Pulse among other projects
• To support the acquisitions needed for growth across the four sectors.

Acquisitions have already borne fruit for the company, including the Stuart, Florida, facility.

“The acquisition of AAA strengthened the Industrial Services division, for example,” Daher said. “We are now the leader of industrial services…We can support aircraft manufacturers in peak periods.”

If Daher can make its way through the concurrent challenges of acquisition-driven growth, corporate restructuring, price pressures, and order fulfillment, its plan for the years ahead puts it on track to form part of the global solution to decarbonization—as well as providing the aircraft the customer demands for the future.

The post Daher’s Decarbonization Plans Drive Towards Hybrid-Electric Aircraft, Composites appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Elfly, the developer of Noemi (short for no emissions), moved into new facilities last week at Sandefjord Airport, Torp (ENTO), about 70 miles south of Oslo, Norway. Torp is the largest privately-owned airport in the country, and Elfly will use the site to build its first full-scale Noemi prototype, as well as for testing and validation.

Elfly bills Noemi as a “modern-day amphibious aircraft,” powered by batteries and a pair of electric engines, with a large access door and windows. The design was inspired by predecessors such as the de Havilland Twin Otter and Grumman Mallard. It is expected to have a 124 sm (108 nm) range.

Elfly hopes to bring Noemi to market in 2029. It will begin with the complex landscape of Norway and its thousands of fjords and lakes before expanding worldwide. It’s unclear where the company will fly next, but its website depicts maps of New York City, Miami, Seattle, and major cities in Europe, the Middle East, East Asia, and Oceania.

Before that, the company intends to fly its full-scale Noemi prototype in 2026. That model will feature an unpressurized cabin powered by twin electric motors with up to 1 megawatt of combined output.

Ultimately, Noemi will offer commuting and sightseeing flights from city centers to islands or from harbors to airports, for example. Elfly is also developing models for cargo transport and medical evacuation. The company aims to save a total of 3 megatons of carbon emissions by 2050, aligning with Norway’s goal for domestic aviation to be emission-free by 2040.

The design is part of a research project funded by private investors and the Research Council of Norway, and Elfly is collaborating with the Norwegian government to develop it. The company will use an $8 million grant it recently obtained from Enova SF, a government enterprise that promotes environmentally friendly energy production and consumption.

“Torp Airport is an excellent new location for us to build and engineer while we retain our business unit in Bergen, [Norway],” said Elfly founder and CEO Eric Lithun. “It affords us plenty of space to grow for testing and also as we ramp up our team this year. Moreover, the airport’s dynamic management is very enthused by our plans to return seaplane travel to the fjords and lakes of Norway—and beyond, using electric power.”

The airport includes a full-scale NATO standard runway. It hosts national and international scheduled air services from Wideroe, Ryanair, Air Baltic, Norwegian, and Wizz Air, as well as various charter flights.

Elfly will take over a 1,160-square-meter office and workshop space within Torp’s 1,700-square-meter hangar, where it will build the first Noemi prototype. The company’s new neighbors include Norwegian Air Ambulance and its fleet of Airbus H135 and H145 helicopters, multiple flying schools and training centers, and Wilderoe’s Dash 8-Q400 maintenance facility.

Construction on the new facility is scheduled to begin this summer. In anticipation of the move, Elfly recently expanded its team to include 30 senior engineers, with new arrivals from Airbus, Pilatus Aircraft, HondaJet, Dornier Seawings, and Heart Aerospace.

“Torp is encouraging Elfly in its efforts to introduce zero-emission aircraft, as electric planes undoubtedly will contribute towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly aviation,” said Gisle Skansen, CEO of TORP Sandefjord Airport. “We look forward to following their progress very closely as a valued new tenant.”

Elfly is targeting certification for Noemi under the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) CS-23 normal aircraft category up to Level 4, which it says will allow the design to evolve into a 19-seat seaplane.

Initially, it will be offered in a business or executive cabin configuration for nine passengers plus luggage. The manufacturer will also offer a “VIP layout” with six seats and a “tourist pleasure” model for 13 passengers, minus baggage.

Elfly intends to operate 15 Noemi aircraft under its own Air Operator Certificate, which it recently announced it is targeting. In December, the firm signed a letter of intent with the Lofoten Islands region to develop a zero-emission regional aviation ecosystem in the archipelago. The islands are expected to be one of the company’s launch markets.

At EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, this past July, Elfly selected U.S. firm Electric Power Systems as the battery provider for Noemi. The company is now focused on confirming an engine provider.

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Dallas-based JSX, the only regional air carrier with a five-star rating from the Airline Passenger Experience Association, signed letters of intent (LOIs) to acquire as many as 332 hybrid-electric models from manufacturers Electra.aero, Aura Aero, and Heart Aerospace. The charter jet service expects to receive its first delivery in 2028, with a hybrid-electric rollout that same year.

The semiprivate operator emphasized the new aircraft will be used to connect (or reconnect) small communities to major cities with sustainable, relatively affordable flights. Its commitments are part of a pledge to add more environmentally friendly air service options on the heels of the Joe Biden administration’s renewed efforts to decarbonize the aviation sector.

“As the network airlines order ever-larger aircraft, it is inevitable that more and more small markets will be abandoned,” said Alex Wilcox, CEO and co-founder of JSX. “Electra, Aura Aero, and Heart Aerospace are visionary organizations that share in JSX’s commitment to serving smaller communities, working together with us to weave sustainable regional air travel back into the fabric of American commerce and freedom of movement.”

JSX said it vetted dozens of “environmentally conscious airplane proposals” over the past few years before settling on Electra, Aura, and Heart, which it said are focused on the “natural first frontier” for scalable, low-emissions aviation: small, fixed-wing, regional aircraft. The company says it will be the first in its category to adopt hybrid-electric technology.

The New Additions

JSX signed LOIs for a total of 132 firm aircraft orders and 200 options, which the carrier intends to add to its fleet of 48 Embraer E145s, each reconfigured for 30 seats.

The air carrier placed 32 orders for Electra’s nine-seat, hybrid-electric ultra-short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft, with an option for 50 more. The low-emission design has a range of 500 nm and can carry up to 2,500 pounds of cargo. Compared to vertical takeoff alternatives, Electra claims the eSTOL offers more than twice the payload, 10 times the range, and 70 percent lower operating costs.

The eSTOL’s calling card is its ability to take off and land with just 150 feet of runway. Electra enables this through a unique blown-lift technology, which allows the aircraft to take off at speeds as slow as a car driving through a residential neighborhood. The model also deploys distributed electric propulsion, with batteries that recharge in flight, while a turbine-powered generator drives eight electric motors spread across the wing.

According to Electra, the company has a backlog of more than 1,700 preorders from more than 30 companies, including Houston-based helicopter provider Bristow Group.

“Our eSTOL aircraft is uniquely positioned to deliver on JSX’s commitment to provide sustainable access to small communities and large cities alike,” said JP Stewart, vice president and general manager of Electra.

From Aura, JSX agreed to purchase 50 Era aircraft—designed to carry 19 passengers or 1.9 tons of cargo for up to 900 nm—with the option for 100 more. Era uses all-electric propulsion during takeoff, which reduces the aircraft’s noise and environmental footprint. The design features a flexible seating configuration and pressurized cabin, and Aura has collected several hundred orders.

“Era, our low-carbon aircraft, provides the performance required for JSX to bring air connectivity to more local communities,” said Jeremy Caussade, president and co-founder of Aura. “This agreement marks a new step in our development in the USA.”

Finally, JSX signed an LOI for 50 firm orders and options apiece for Heart’s ES-30: a 30-passenger, regional hybrid-electric airplane. Designed for short-haul routes, the model has a maximum range of 432 nm, but it can also cover 216 nm in hybrid configuration or 108 nm in all-electric mode. Heart says the design lowers emissions, noise pollution, and operating costs.

As of September, the company had 250 firm ES-30 orders with options and purchase rights awarded for 120 more. Customers include United Airlines Ventures, Mesa Group, and Air Canada.

“The ES-30, with its competitive economics and green credentials, fits very well with JSX’s vision, and we see not only the opportunity to reconnect many regional routes lost over the years, but also open many more new ones,” said Simon Newitt, president and chief commercial officer of Heart.

Each of the three manufacturers brings unique design features to the table. But according to JSX, all three aircraft models will lower operating costs and emissions while fitting within existing infrastructure and regulatory parameters.

Regional Air Travel for All

JSX bills itself as a “hop-on” public charter jet service, with the mission of offering competitively priced flights between private terminals. In short, the goal is to provide regional air travel—which traditionally has been reserved for the ultra-wealthy—to all.

But that’s easier said than done. Commercial airlines only serve a few hundred U.S. airports, leaving providers such as JSX to fill in the gaps. At present, the company provides 120 public charter flights per day to 24 business and leisure destinations in eight U.S. states, Mexico, and the Bahamas. However, that still leaves thousands of airports without convenient travel options.

JSX says its Part 135- and Part 380-certified operations, combined with the performance of its new hybrid-electric aircraft, will open thousands of federally funded airports—which otherwise would be inaccessible to those who can’t own or charter an entire aircraft—to service.

The company claims the incoming models will introduce more favorable operating economics, allowing it to “dramatically” lower the cost of service. It expects to open new flight options for over 2,000 U.S. airports that don’t currently offer regular air service, without the need for government subsidies.

In recent months, JSX has steadily added routes to its coverage map while shifting its business away from larger airports. In September, it ditched Miami International Airport (KMIA) for nearby Miami-Opa-Locka Executive Airport (KOPF) and swapped San Diego International Airport (KSAN) for McClellan-Palomar Airport (KCLD). 

The Dallas-based company also cut flights from Dallas Love Field (KDAL) to Austin and shifted operations from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (KAUS) to Austin Executive Airport (KEDC). And last week, it announced plans to move its Arizona operations from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (KPHX) to a private terminal at Scottsdale Airport (KSDL).

However, federal regulators have recently taken aim at public air charters—including JSX.

While the company was not specifically named, the FAA in August released a notice of intent to develop a potential rule that would force public air charters to adhere to the same rules as commercial airlines. For example, carriers like JSX would only be able to employ co-pilots with 1,500 hours of training and be barred from flying out of private terminals. In other words, the rule would essentially eliminate the public air charter business model.

“The size, scope, frequency, and complexity of charter operations conducted as ‘on-demand’ operations under the part 135 operating rules has grown significantly over the past 10 years,” the agency said. “While the FAA has adjusted its oversight of these increased operations, the FAA is considering whether a regulatory change may be appropriate to ensure the management of the level of safety necessary for those operations.”

The FAA has received tens of thousands of comments on the proposal, many of them the result of an email campaign JSX targeted at its customers. The debate has divided the major commercial airlines: JetBlue and United Airlines, both JSX partners and investors, have decried the rule, while American Airlines and Southwest Airlines have backed it. In addition, several prominent industry groups have banded together in opposition, while airline industry unions have rallied in support.

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The post Regional Air Carrier JSX to Purchase More Than 330 Hybrid-Electric Aircraft appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

FLASH—which stands for Fuel Additives for Solid Hydrogen Carriers in Electric Aviation—is the DOE’s latest hydrogen-related initiative. The project will see the department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and aerospace and defense titan Honeywell collaborate on a prototype hydrogen fuel storage system for long-range drones.

But while most hydrogen fuel is stored as a gas or liquid, the partners are eyeing a mechanism to store solid hydrogen. The material could be quickly burned off to produce the element’s gaseous form, allowing uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) fuel cells to convert it to electric power.

The yearlong collaboration is expected to result in the development of a hydrogen fuel cartridge, which Honeywell could deploy on its application platforms. The company develops other solid-state cartridge systems for UAVs, but it’ll look to boost their performance through low-temperature, fast-release technology from FLASH.

Honeywell will provide technological expertise, fuel cartridge testing, supply chain support, and fuel cell prototyping and evaluation for the project. NREL in FLASH’s first phase “will provide technical expertise on FLASH formulations, fabrication, and characterization of the hydrogen fuel storage.”

The project’s ultimate goal is to mature new hydrogen carrier tech within the DOE Energy Materials Network’s Hydrogen Materials Advanced Research Consortium (HyMARC) project. HyMARC is focused specifically on providing clean, affordable hydrogen.

“This is a dream project for a national lab researcher,” said Steve Christensen, one of the NREL leads on the project proposal. “Honeywell has already built and tested devices that can use our materials, giving us the chance to drop our technology directly into their systems and move this promising drone fuel toward commercialization through collaborative research and development.”

Christensen added that the DOE hopes the technologies developed through FLASH “result in a market application.”

The initiative is funded by NREL, Honeywell, and the DOE’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office through the Technology Commercialization Fund. The fund is strapped with $62 billion in allocations through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and supports a range of clean energy projects.

FLASH specifically is focused on developing a solid substance that could release hydrogen gas. NREL and Honeywell said the material has a high hydrogen capacity and can be operated at low temperatures. The idea is to provide a continuous supply of hydrogen that can be converted to electricity to enable low-noise, zero-emission, long-range flights.

“This class of materials is remarkably tunable and therefore highly versatile to industrial hydrogen delivery requirements,” said Noemi Leick, NREL’s principal investigator on the project.

The partners are looking to apply the tech on long-range and heavy payload UAVs in particular. These are mostly powered by internal combustion engines, which create more noise and emissions than electric propulsion. And when electric batteries are used, they can limit the drone’s range because they must be charged frequently.

Honeywell pointed out that hydrogen today is largely stored in bulky, compressed gas tanks, which are difficult to install on a compact drone. NREL added that the FLASH fuel storage system and a fuel cell could be bundled into a single, swappable cartridge—much like the electric battery cartridges many UAV operators are used to.

“Today’s long-range drones are typically powered by internal combustion engines,” said Katherine Hurst, NREL senior scientist and group manager. “While they provide the required range that battery-powered electric UAVs lack, these engines have issues with excessive noise, vibration, and emissions, including carbon emissions. This is an exciting opportunity to demonstrate the performance of hydrogen storage materials that we developed in our laboratory together with Honeywell to fuel a real-life flying vehicle.”

The partners pointed to atmospheric monitoring—which can be inhibited by the exhaust gases and rumbling engines of UAVs—as a potential new use case for FLASH technology. They also floated inspections of electric power lines, gas pipelines, solar panel farms, wind turbines, and other long-range applications as potential opportunities. In particular, long-range, beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) missions could lower operating costs for service providers.

“Hydrogen can offer significant advantages for electric vertical take-off and landing [eVTOL] systems in terms of endurance and range,” said Dave Shilliday, vice president and general manager of urban air mobility and uncrewed aerial systems at Honeywell Aerospace. “Additionally, using hydrogen as a power source can also significantly expand the possibilities of UAVs beyond the limitations posed by battery-electric powertrains. Honeywell will work with NREL to develop the necessary hydrogen-related technology to contribute to the further growth of the industry.”

As things stand, the FLASH solution is projected to operate as a one-way fuel that must be recycled or refilled once spent. However, a project within NREL’s Laboratory Directed Research and Development program is exploring ways to recycle hydrogen fuel using electrochemical processes, which could one day allow UAVs to be powered by renewable energy.

If the project is deemed a success, FLASH “will be qualified for future technological development in optimization, scaling, and cost reduction,” NREL said. The laboratory also filed a nonprovisional patent application for FLASH tech, which laid the foundation to allow Honeywell Aerospace to continue developing it for commercial deployment.

It’s unclear whether Honeywell or NREL will explore hydrogen fuel storage systems for crewed electric aircraft as well. But it’s worth noting the former recently agreed to install flight control systems for electric aircraft maker Heart Aerospace and has partnerships with several manned eVTOL manufacturers—including Archer Aviation, Lilium, Vertical Aerospace, and Pipistrel—through its urban air mobility business.

NREL, meanwhile, just partnered with Joby Aviation to research the environmental impact of its air taxi, signaling potential interest in exploring hydrogen for crewed electric aircraft. The lab is also committed to researching hydrogen storage and fuel more generally, positioning it as a potential player as the aviation industry works to meet long-term sustainability goals.

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The post Honeywell, DOE Developing Hydrogen Fuel Storage for Long-Range Drones appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Joby subsidiary H2Fly on Thursday revealed it completed piloted flights of its four-seater HY4 demonstrator powered by liquid hydrogen, a milestone it says is the world’s first. The company made four takeoffs from an airfield in Maribor, Slovenia, using cryogenically stored liquid hydrogen to power a hydrogen-electric fuel cell system, which kept the aircraft in the sky for over three hours on one occasion.

Prior to this week’s tests, H2Fly had only flown with pressurized gaseous hydrogen. It said switching to the liquid form of the fuel source will double the HY4’s range from about 405 to 810 nm, a promising sign for a company that hopes to supply hydrogen-electric powertrains for zero-emissions medium- and long-haul commercial flights.

JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, has repeatedly touted the benefits of hydrogen, hinting at the company’s desire to explore it as a fuel source. The company has no stated plans to integrate hydrogen fuel cells on its air taxi, but Bevirt gave its subsidiary some praise.

“H2Fly are pioneers in their field, and we’re proud of them achieving this watershed moment in the use of liquid hydrogen to power aircraft,” he said in a statement. “In the years to come, battery-electric and hydrogen-electric propulsion systems will enable us to build aircraft that are quieter and make mid- to long-range air travel possible with zero emissions. It’s critical we take action now and invest aggressively in these technologies for the health of our planet and future generations to come.”

The flight test campaign marked the culmination of Project HEAVEN, a European government-backed consortium created to explore the use of cryogenic liquid hydrogen in aircraft. H2Fly led the project, which also included partner Air Liquide, Pipistrel Vertical Solutions, and the German Aerospace Center. The tests were also funded by a pair of German federal ministries and the University of Ulm.

“This achievement marks a watershed moment in the use of hydrogen to power aircraft,” said Professor Josef Kallo, co-founder of H2Fly. “Together with our partners, we have demonstrated the viability of liquid hydrogen to support medium and long-range emissions-free flight. We are now looking ahead to scaling up our technology for regional aircraft and other applications, beginning the critical mission of decarbonizing commercial aviation.”

Compared to the pressurized gaseous hydrogen H2Fly used prior to these flights, the cryogenically stored liquid form has a higher energy density, enabling a lower tank weight and volume. That boosts the range and payload of the aircraft. Hydrogen fuel cells also produce electricity without combustion or emission and do not need to be recharged so long as they’re fed a supply of hydrogen and oxygen.

“Today’s success demonstrates the full potential of liquid hydrogen for aviation,” said Pierre Crespi, innovation director at Air Liquide, which designed, manufactured, and integrated the liquid hydrogen tank that powered the HY4. “Liquid hydrogen can be stored onboard and transported. Hydrogen is key to the energy transition and this new step proves that it’s already becoming a reality.”

With HEAVEN flight testing complete, H2Fly says it is now focused on the path to commercialization. The company recently announced a new H2F-175 fuel cell system—capable of providing a full power range at altitudes up to 27,000 feet—which it hopes will prove there are real-world applications for the technology beyond low-altitude demonstrations.

H2Fly will also open a Hydrogen Aviation Center, co-funded by the Ministry of Transport Baden-Württemberg, at Stuttgart Airport (EDDS) next year. One day, the center may provide fuel cell aircraft integration facilities and liquid hydrogen infrastructure to large swaths of the European aviation industry.

The Promises and Pitfalls of Hydrogen

Incredibly, the HY4 made its maiden voyage over half a decade ago in 2016. In April 2022, it set what H2Fly believes to be the altitude record for a hydrogen-powered aircraft, cruising at over 7,200 feet. Around the same time, HY4 completed a cross-country flight from Stuttgart Airport to Friedrichshafen Airport (EDNY) 77 sm (67 nm) away, the first for a hydrogen-powered passenger airplane between two commercial airports.

A few months prior to this week’s piloted test, H2Fly and Air Liquide also conducted on-ground coupling tests of an aircraft-integrated liquid hydrogen storage system, which validated the Joby subsidiary’s ability to install its architecture.

Looking ahead, H2Fly hopes to add hydrogen-electric propulsion to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) CS-23 and CS-25 category aircraft. It has a partnership with Deutsche Aircraft to fly a 40-seat Dornier 328 demonstrator equipped with its fuel cell system in 2025.

But what will come of all this innovation?

H2Fly isn’t the only firm exploring hydrogen fuel systems; industry titan Airbus is also looking into applications for the technology, including a hydrogen-powered turbine engine. Another firm, ZeroAvia, is also in the mix, having recently flown the largest aircraft to be powered by a hydrogen engine, a 19-seat Dornier 228 demonstrator.

The firms have all been gripped by the allure of hydrogen, which is expected to greatly reduce emissions and help operators reach their ESG goals. It could also extend the range and payload of an aircraft, opening up new markets and use cases. But all that glitters is not gold, detractors say, poking a few holes in the hydrogen argument.

Some, like CleanTechnica’s Michael Barnard, worry the fuel source will be green but not cheap. As an example, he pointed to an effort by Air Liquide and others to establish a liquid hydrogen manufacturing facility for maritime shipping—that venture failed because of high production costs. Others point out that while hydrogen is environmentally friendly, its production often creates staggering emissions of its own, calling into question how “green” it truly is.

Liquid hydrogen in particular can also be difficult, costly, or even dangerous to transport. It requires specialized packaging to combat its high combustibility and may necessitate either an extensive logistics network or the construction of manufacturing sites near airfields. Neither option is ideal.

Further, there are some design and safety concerns around storing liquid hydrogen fuel near passengers. It needs to be kept in ball-shaped tanks that are as large as possible to prevent the liquid from boiling off, which creates challenges when designing an aircraft that also carries people.

Still, liquid hydrogen has the potential to curtail in-flight emissions (the ones that actually appear on company ESG reports) and, if the technology evolves as expected, open new business opportunities for operators. However, the industry will need to solidify the pipeline and limit hydrogen manufacturing costs and emissions before it becomes a viable alternative.

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At the Paris Air Show, company chairman Patrick Daher addressed the need for such investment—to give the mission the support it requires to achieve the lofty and critical goals of decarbonization. 

“People are very excited, very much on top of the situation—while we’ve been through the Paris Air Show and we have seen that all of us—all of us meaning all exhibitors, whether French, American, or any other countries, we have invested a lot of money in decarbonization,” Daher said.

• We Fly: Daher TBM 960

Daher noted that collectively the industry is on the eve of “the fourth evolution” of aviation. The first one was just being able to fly, “something that was thought impossible at the beginning of the 19th century,” followed by the ability to fly safely. The third evolution brought flying to everyone, in “democratization.” “Now the fourth evolution is we have to change the aviation system in order to come to decarbonization. If we do not do that, then that will be the end of aviation in the future.”

Strategic Investment

Daher celebrates its 160th anniversary this year, and it kicked off that commemoration with the “Take off  2027” plan announced at the beginning of 2023. A significant part of the plan centers around the company’s decarbonization efforts across its four verticals—aircraft development, aerospace manufacturing, manufacturing services, and logistics. The programmed investment represents four times the spend of the previous strategic plan.

• We Fly: Daher Kodiak 900

The company has created three innovation centers within its structure to help it contribute to the goals of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 as outlined in the Paris Agreement on climate change. An initial “significant step” will take place by 2035, utilizing these centers along with efforts by its partners, suppliers, and customers. “Competitive solutions” for the marketplace will launch in three to 10 years in areas such as hybridization, new-generation materials, production processes (robotization and cobotization—human/robot collaboration), and digital transformation.

Solutions for the 90 Percent

Daher CEO Didier Kayat revealed in the press conference at Paris that 90 percent of the group’s carbon footprint comes from utilization of its products by its customers.

“Ninety percent of the carbon impact of Daher is due to the products of our clients,” said Kayat. “So if we don’t help our clients decarbonize, we will not achieve our decarbonization plans.”

In order to reduce those impacts, Daher is pursuing the use of lighter structures and new production processes to both increase output and reduce emissions. Also it will pursue more ecologically responsible logistics, using cleaner modes of transportation, for example, and implementing use of biofuels, such as sustainable aviation fuel, which it has already started at its aircraft division headquarters in Tarbes, France.

Daher will also work on its own footprint through initiatives such as the launch of its first hybrid-electric aircraft by 2027—based on lessons learned from the EcoPulse joint project with Safran and Airbus, and driven into its TBM and Kodiak series of aircraft. 

“Though all my engineers say I’m crazy to say that publicly…we will launch a hybrid aircraft in 2027,” said Kayat. “We don’t know yet what aircraft it’s going to be,” but the company is learning a lot from the EcoPulse project so that “at the end of this year we can have the road map to see what our product is going to be.”

• READ MORE: Quest to Daher

‘Imagineering by Daher’

To achieve the critical goals—and propel the group toward a successful future as a global aerospace manufacturing and logistics company—Daher has developed the three centers of “open innovation” within its structure under the umbrella of “Imagineering by Daher.” While it has long promoted the spirit of entrepreneurship within the company, the current movement doubles down on preserving the startup mentality of its teams. Five key imperatives to that “imagineering” are “#explore, #connect, #test, #scale, and #communicate.”

The three centers include:

• Log’in: a Toulouse-based innovation acceleration platform for tomorrow’s logistics industry
• Shap’in: a center of excellence in Nantes dedicated to new-generation composite aerostructures
• Fly’in: a forward-looking development center in Tarbes for tomorrow’s general aviation industry.

Three examples of decarbonization projects within Daher take place in logistics and in its aircraft products. First, Daher is implementing the use of a digital twin (JUMEL) to model and optimize logistics warehouses—a project led by the Log’in TechCenter to promote and facilitate innovative, eco-responsible industrial logistics.

A second example is in the digitizing of data collection from its TBM series turboprops and using analysis of the data to drive more responsible flying. To this end, Daher launched version 6 of its Me & My TBM app earlier this year.

Third is the use of thermal plastics in its aircraft and other aerospace products. “We are working a lot on the new composites that [are] called thermal plastics,” said Kayat. “It’s reusable, so it has a double virtue—it makes planes lighter [by up to] 20 percent.”

“Since Daher’s creation 160 years ago, the company always has supported key industrial developments with its customers,” said Kayat in his closing statement. “We continue to write this story by going further: It is as pioneers that we will be the first to offer a hybrid aircraft to the market.”

The post ‘Imagineering’ by Daher Launches Within Increased Sustainability R&D Spend appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The aircraft concepts are part of Embraer’s Energia sustainability initiative launched last year, and include new propulsion technology on smaller aircraft.

“Guided by the company’s 50 year technical expertise, external inputs from airlines, and joint studies with engine OEMs, these two approaches to net-zero offer a technically realistic and economically feasible pathway to net-zero,” the company said in a statement.

• READ MORE: Embraer Introduces Line of ‘Green’ Airplanes

Last year, Embraer began studying four aircraft concepts that featured new technology and used renewable energy. Since that time, the company has evaluated different architectures and propulsion systems, according to Arjan Meijer, president and CEO for Embraer Commercial Aviation.

“I believe we have set bold but realistic goals for these concepts to come to market,” Meijer said.

Energia Hybrid E19-HE, E30-HE

Among the concepts Embraer is exploring is the Energia Hybrid E19-HE and E30-HE, the 19-seat and 30-seat variants.

According to the company, the aircraft features parallel hybrid-electric propulsion, up to 90 percent CO2 emissions reduction when using sustainable aviation fuel, 19 and 30 seat variants, and rear-mounted engines. The aircraft would reach technology readiness in the early 2030s, Embraer said.

The aircraft range is 500 nm, and carbon emissions would be slashed 90 percent with SAF, and by 30 percent with jet-A1, Embraer said. The parallel hybrid-electric propulsion comes with an additional environmental benefit: 60 percent lower external noise.

Energia Hydrogen Fuel Cell

Embraer’s Energia H2 Fuel Cell E19-H2FC and E30-H2FC variants feature hydrogen electric propulsion, zero CO2 emissions, 70 percent lower external noise, and rear-mounted electric engines. The aircraft range is at least 200 nm.

“As new propulsion technologies will be first applied on smaller aircraft, Embraer is in a unique position,”  said Luis Carlos Affonso, senior vice president of engineering, technology and corporate strategy at Embraer, in a statement. “The 19- and 30-seaters are sensible starting points for focused studies since they are likely to present earlier technical and economical readiness. While the challenges of net-zero are significant, in less than 25 years our commercial aircraft have already reduced fuel burn and CO2 emissions by almost 50 percent on a seat/mile basis, using only conventional fuels and propulsion—I’m convinced net-zero is a goal we can reach.”

The post Embraer Unveils Plans for Hybrid Electric, Hydrogen Electric Aircraft appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

It was started as a collaborative effort by young aviation professionals and aerospace companies to foster a more holistic and sustainable approach to aviation. 

Some of the main focuses of STARS include:

• Voluntary carbon offsetting 
• Emission monitoring and reporting
• Waste and water usage risk assessment 
• Sustainability 

While lowering emissions is top of mind, STARS plans to go above and beyond that and extend the concept to include social topics such as workplace diversity, gender equality, and inclusion.

“It’s very ambitious what these young people have done,” EBAA secretary-general Athar Husain Khan said in a statement. 

The pilot STARS program in Europe has already amassed interest. Participants are working toward developing and introducing industry-wide sustainability standards. 

The STARS is linked to the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) and the International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling (IS-BAH). These two global aviation code standards of best practice are produced by the International Business Aviation Council (BAC).

“We look forward to having the STARS sustainable and social practices connected to the premier industry standards for operations and ground handling as these actions align with the ICAO Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” IBAC Director General Kurt Edwards said in a statement. “This program will certainly contribute to a better future for business aviation and the communities we serve.”

The program’s schedule includes completion of the current pilot program by July, a progress audit in September and final feedback in October. Some organizations may achieve full STARS status by 2025.

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