The aircraft—the company’s first full-scale demonstrator of its ES-30 aircraft under development—will serve as a testing platform and marks a “major milestone” for development of the regional airplane set to make its fully electric first flight in the second quarter of next year, the company said.

Heart X1 will initially be deployed for ground-based testing, including taxiing, turnaround procedures, and charging operations, the company said. 

• READ MORE: Electric Airplane Manufacturer Heart Aerospace Taps Honeywell for Flight Control System

The aircraft, which boasts a 32-meter (105-feet) wingspan, will produce less emissions and noise pollution and be cheaper to operate in comparison to conventionally fueled regional aircraft, according to the company.

“Our industry is approaching a 30-year innovation cycle, and we have less than 25 years to decarbonize aviation,” Anders Forslund, co-founder and CEO of Heart Aerospace, said in a statement. “It is a testament to the ingenuity and dedication of our team that we’re able to roll out a 30-seat aircraft demonstrator with a brand-new propulsion system, largely in-house, in less than two years. “

• READ MORE: Heart Aerospace Gets LOI for Electric Regional Airliner Fleet

Earlier this year, Heart Aerospace announced it had raised $107 million in a series B round, which was earmarked for ES-30 type certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency. It also received a $4.1 million grant from the FAA’s Fueling Aviation’s Sustainable Transition (FAST) program in August for development of the aircraft’s hybrid-election propulsion management system.

The post Heart Aerospace Unveils Full-Scale Demonstrator appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Heart Aerospace, maker of the 30-seat, hybrid-electric ES-30 regional airplane, this week raised $107 million in a series B round, bringing the company’s total funding raised to date to $145 million. The money will go toward type certification for the ES-30 under the European Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) CS-25 large aeroplanes category, expected in 2028.

Compared to conventionally fueled airplanes on short-haul routes, the design will lower emissions, noise pollution, and, most importantly, operating costs, Heart Aerospace claims.

“Billions of people around the world are looking to be connected to this amazing infrastructure over the next decade,” said Anders Forslund, co-founder and CEO of Heart Aerospace. “Meanwhile, the industry has committed to net-zero emissions by 2050. The only way forward is to decouple the tremendous growth in aviation from its emissions, and we believe ES-30 is the first stepping stone.”

In its fully electric, zero-emissions configuration, in which the batteries power four electric motors, the ES-30 has a range of about 124 sm (108 nm). But the aircraft can also be flown in reserve-hybrid configuration, using a pair of turbogenerators running on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This doubles the model’s range to 248 sm (215 nm). But it actually maxes out at about 497 sm (432 nm) with a slightly reduced load of 25 passengers.

Reserve-hybrid mode can also be used during cruise on longer flights, complementing the electrical power supplied by the batteries. As Heart’s battery technology matures, the ES-30’s range in all-electric mode is expected to increase, while battery maintenance and electricity costs go down.

At launch, the ES-30 will not produce emissions around airports or on routes up to 124 sm (108 nm). As battery technology improves, though, so too will zero-emissions range. Eventually, the company claims, it will cut emissions per seat in half compared to 50-seat turboprops on longer sectors, or by 90 percent if SAF is used.

In fact, Heart promises fuel costs, maintenance costs, and operating costs per seat comparable to a 50-seat turboprop, but with significant per-trip improvements. At the same time, the aircraft’s electric motors keep noise to a minimum during takeoff and landing.

“Moreover, because of the superior economics of electric aircraft over their fossil-fuel counterparts, the ES-30 will bring back service to communities that have lost connectivity and open many new markets,” said Forslund.

The ES-30 is the only clean-sheet, hybrid-electric airplane of its size possessing active type certification applications with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Heart expects to unveil a full-scale demonstrator this year. But first it will use this week’s cash injection to develop the aircraft’s hybrid-electric powertrain.

Sagitta Ventures, a Danish investor focused on early stage firms, is among the new investors in the series B, which included Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures, EQT Ventures, and Y Combinator. Customers and previous investors United Airlines Ventures and Air Canada also participated in the round, with the latter providing $5 million.

Further, Ted Persson, partner at EQT Ventures, will join Heart’s board of investors.

“As someone said, the Stone Age didn’t end because we ran out of stones, and the fossil fuel age won’t end because we [ran] out of fossil fuels,” said Persson. “Heart Aerospace is taking decarbonization to the skies, and we’re proud to be funding technology that will fundamentally change the aviation industry.”

Heart has approximately 250 firm orders for the ES-30 to go along with options and purchase rights for 120 aircraft, as well as letters of intent for 191 more. Thirty of those belong to Air Canada. The bulk, though, come from United and Mesa Airlines, a subsidiary which will help the airline introduce electric aircraft. A conditional agreement in 2021 calls for each to acquire 100 aircraft.

“United’s goal of net-zero emissions requires bold solutions, and that’s why we’ve invested in a broad portfolio of low-carbon technologies including hybrid-electric aircraft,” said Andrew Chang, managing director of United Airlines Ventures. “Once operational, we believe Heart’s ES-30 aircraft have the potential to reduce our carbon footprint, while serving regional markets across the country.”

Recently, Heart was also part of a massive order from JSX, the largest Part 135/Part 380 charter operator in the U.S. JSX committed to 50 firm ES-30 orders and 50 options, part of a spending spree for as many as 332 hybrid-electric models.

The manufacturer’s 2028 launch target mirrors the FAA’s timeline for initial advanced air mobility (AAM) air taxi services in the U.S. That year, several manufacturers are expected to fly their air taxis at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, and operations are projected to reach scale in major cities. United is also working with air taxi manufacturer Archer Aviation, so Heart’s ES-30 won’t be the only electric aircraft in its fleet.

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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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Heart Aerospace, a Swedish manufacturer of regional electric aircraft, on Monday announced it has tapped aerospace titan Honeywell to install its compact fly-by-wire flight control system on the company’s 30-passenger ES-30. 

The system is already in an advanced stage of development on multiple aircraft, including Vertical Aerospace’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Honeywell’s dedicated urban air mobility (UAM) business unit is also partnered with eVTOL makers Archer Aviation, Lilium, Hyundai’s Supernal, and other emerging aircraft manufacturers. Heart’s design, in contrast, takes off conventionally from a runway.

“We are thrilled to welcome Honeywell to the ES-30 program,” said Anders Forslund, co-founder and CEO of Heart. “With its long track record in flight controls, they are an ideal collaboration partner for Heart Aerospace as we strive to decarbonize air travel before the end of this decade.”

Added Vipul Gupta, president of electronic solutions at Honeywell Aerospace: “Honeywell’s flight controls provide the ideal solution for Heart’s mission to revitalize and electrify the regional transport market. Honeywell’s all-electric compact fly-by-wire is a ready-now solution based on decades of flight control experience in all aircraft types, and that reduces development time and risk for Heart.”

Heart’s ES-30 has a 30-passenger standard seating capacity and is driven by four electric motors powered by batteries. In its fully electric, zero-emissions configuration, it has a range of about 124 sm (108 nm), doubling to around 248 sm (215 nm) in hybrid-electric mode. The aircraft also has a maximum range of 497 sm (432 nm) with 25 passengers. Each configuration includes typical airline reserves.

The electric design features a Garmin G3000 integrated flight deck, battery systems from BAE Systems, and an electrical power distribution system made by Crane Aerospace & Electronics. It’ll be certificated under the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) CS-25 large aeroplanes category.

Heart is backed by a $35 million Series A funding round led by Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a consortium of billionaire backers including Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, Mark Zuckerberg, and other CEOs, venture capitalists, and politicians.

The round also included United Airlines Ventures, the airline’s investment arm, and Mesa Air Group, which together placed purchase orders for 200 ES-19 aircraft with the option for 100 more. The ES-19 was a 19-passenger that was replaced by the ES-30 in 2022, but Heart reconfirmed United and Mesa’s orders for the new design.

Air Canada and Saab—each of which invested $5 million into the company—are on board as minority shareholders, and the former also placed an order for 30 ES-30s. Heart said it now has 250 firm ES-30 orders with options and purchase rights awarded for 120 more. 

The aircraft is expected to enter service in 2028, around the time the FAA seeks to host advanced air mobility (AAM) demonstrations in the skies over Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympic Games. Archer, whose aircraft uses Honeywell flight control actuation technology, is expected to feature.

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Established Portuguese regional carrier and wet-lease contractor Sevenair signed a letter of intent with the Swedish OEM at the Portugal Air Summit last week to reserve three of the ES-30s, with an option to buy three more.

With its capacity for up to 30 passengers and projected range of 200 km, the aircraft is considered ideal to test within Portugal’s existing route structure. Also, the country is pushing towards adoption of sustainable and renewable energy sources across most sectors already, with much of the country’s electricity generation supported by renewables like wind, hydro, and solar.

Sustainable Leadership

Sevenair already operates a trunk service within Portugal, with seven routes that will be well within the ES-30’s proposed range. Heart has now accepted a total of 230 orders and with 100 options for the ES-30, which it expects to begin delivering in 2028 and operational by the end of the decade.

• READ MORE: Will a Larger Airframe Help Heart’s Electric Airplane Become a Reality?

“With the ES-30, we have designed an airplane that can start cutting emissions from regional air travel before the end of this decade and it is progressive airlines such as Sevenair that make it a reality. We couldn’t be happier to have them as a partner, ” said Anders Forslund, CEO of Heart Aerospace, in a press release.

Sevenair chief commercial officer Alexandre Alves elaborated on the plans to expand in a sustainable way in a statement to FLYING. “For Sevenair this commitment with Heart shows our will of being an active part of those who are willing to take the necessary steps to change the industry,” Alves said. “We not only signed this LOI, but we have been invited to be members of the advisory board—and with our experience as regional operators help the technical development and implementation of the project.”

“Heart Aerospace presented itself to us as a start-up company that combined a strong financial backup with an experienced team and strong industry partners,” said Carlos Amaro, chief executive officer of Sevenair. “As members of the Airline Advisory Board we are proud to assist this amazing group in the development of an aircraft that will completely disrupt regional flights.”

“We don’t hide that we would very much like to be the first airline to operate an electric aircraft as we think our operation and our country are perfect as case study,” added Alves in his statement.

• READ MORE: Heart Aerospace Picks Garmin G3000 for Its Electric Regional Airliner

The post Heart Aerospace Gets LOI for Electric Regional Airliner Fleet appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Heart announced Thursday it will abandon previous plans to develop its ES-19 in favor of a larger, battery-powered electric regional aircraft design called the ES-30, which incorporates a non-electric power source for reserve range— two turbogenerators that burn sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

“The 19-seat version was an interesting experiment, but 19-seat planes have absolutely zero relevance in the airline industry,” said aviation industry analyst Richard Aboulafia, a managing director at AeroDynamic Advisory, a boutique aerospace and defense management consultancy. 

Heart CEO Anders Forslund put it somewhat bluntly in a press release: “The ES-30 is an electric airplane that the industry can actually use.”

Today we agreed to purchase 30 ES-30 electric-hybrid aircraft from @heartaerospace, a step toward our goal of net zero emissions by 2050. These regional aircraft will seat up to 30 passengers & fly quietly with zero emissions when on battery power.

More: https://t.co/1JeRJyHXwZ pic.twitter.com/JR1J5MqKcf

— Air Canada (@AirCanada) September 15, 2022

It also doesn’t hurt Heart’s prospects that Air Canada and Saab have signed on to the ES-30. Thursday’s announcement included the news that Canada’s flagship carrier has provisionally agreed to buy 30 ES-30s. Saab, well-known for its background in military aviation and automobile production, was founded in Sweden and has roots stretching back to the early days of powered flight. Each company has agreed to invest $5 million to develop ES-30. 

Aboulafia said the two familiar brands represent a “solid endorsement,” but “It’s hard to tell what’s for advertising these days and what’s a real investment for the future.”

• READ MORE: Heart Aerospace Picks Garmin G3000 for Its Electric Regional Airliner

Heart and other aircraft developers are a part of the worldwide push throughout the aviation industry to find environmentally friendlier propulsion systems. 

Globally, civil aviation produces about 2.1 percent of all human-induced CO2 emissions, according to the Air Transport Action Group. Government and airline initiatives aimed at reaching net-zero emissions are helping to drive development of electric and hybrid electric platforms. 

RELEASE: Saab Partners with Swedish Electric Aircraft Company Heart Aerospacehttps://t.co/cSpSZwkJym

— Saab (@Saab) September 15, 2022

‘It’s Hard To Know’

Under electric power, the ES-30 is expected to offer a range of 200 km (108 nm), and with the SAF-burning reserve, an extended range of 400 km (216 nm) with 30 passengers, Heart said. With 25 passengers, range expectations increase to up to 800 km (432 nm).

“The reserve-hybrid system is installed to secure reserve energy requirements without cannibalizing battery range,” Heart said. “It can also be used during cruise on longer flights to complement the electrical power provided by the batteries.”

Aboulafia said he has “always been more comfortable with hybrids than I have with batteries. You have to carry an awful lot of battery by weight in order to go anywhere, with anything on board. Hybrid always offers a better way forward.”

But a big question surrounding the ES-30’s propulsion system “is whether all of this onboard equipment pays its way in terms of real estate.” As Aboulafia put it, “Without detailed technical assessments, it’s hard to know.”

Orders for Heart’s previously planned electric airliner—ES-19—including those from United Airlines and Mesa Air Group, have been reconfirmed for the ES-30, Heart said. Those orders amounted to 200 aircraft purchases with options for an additional 100. Also, Heart said “many” potential customers who had signed letters of intent (LOIs) for the ES-19 have updated those LOIs to reflect the ES-30.

“In total, Heart Aerospace has LOIs for 96 ES-30s,” the company said. 

Heart’s surprise redesign brings to mind Boom Aerospace’s unveiling in July of a new design for its Overture supersonic passenger jet.

Heart’s redesign “appears to have some actual science behind it, whereas Boom’s appears to just be a playful session of freehand drawing,” Aboulafia quipped. The announcement had a “complete lack of explanation for why Boom was moving to a four-jet configuration without any reference to engines whatsoever.”

• READ MORE: Boom Unveils Redesign of Its Supersonic Airliner 

Last year, Heart said the smaller ES-19 was expected to make its first flight in 2024, and enter service in 2026, pending certification. 

Now, as Heart moves forward with its larger design, the company said it expects the ES-30 to enter service in 2028.

The post Will a Larger Airframe Help Heart’s Electric Airplane Become a Reality? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The 19-passenger ES-19 — designed for a maximum range of 400 km (250 statute miles)—is scheduled to enter service in 2026. Its powertrain includes lithium-ion batteries driving four electric motors turning six-blade propellers. The Heart aircraft is part of the aviation industry’s movement toward reaching zero carbon emissions. 

Garmin debuted its G3000 in 2009 with a 5.7-inch diagonal touchscreen controller, a flight management system, and integration with several weather, terrain, and traffic systems. The display projected for the ES-19 also includes audio and visual feedback and animation to guide pilot inputs and make flying easier. 

Although the G3000 is an off-the-shelf avionics suite originally intended for traditional aircraft, Garmin said any modifications that might be required for an electric-powered airplane would be relatively minimal. 

“One of the interesting things with the ES-19 is it’s a high-wing, 19-seat airplane so there’s a lot of things we don’t have to customize, that we’re very familiar with,” said Alex Bennett, Garmin’s director of aviation OEM and defense sales.

“The cooling systems for those types of drive trains become important—so we have to relay that information,” Bennett told FLYING. Overall, he said, “it’s a great fit and a great starting point for them, so they can focus on other parts of their certification.”

ES-19 Has Backing From United Airlines

Earlier this year, United Airlines and Mesa Airlines ordered 200 ES-19s with an option to buy 100 more. Both airlines have made large investments in the OEM as well. 

“It’s an honor to have our G3000 integrated flight deck chosen for the ES-19 and to work alongside the Heart Aerospace and United Airlines teams in their commitment to long-term sustainability by reducing aviation’s carbon emissions,” said Garmin vice president of Aviation and marketing Carl Wolf in a press release. The ES-19 has “the potential to enable more universal access to air travel and a broader network of short-haul flights.”

A typical flight for the airplane would be San Francisco (KSFO) to Modesto City-County Airport (KMOD), which is about 120 km (about 65 nm), Heart says on its website.

The company says it plans to finalize the airplane’s design by 2023 and conduct its first flight in 2024. Type certification is expected in the last half of 2026.  

Heart was founded in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 2018 as a spin-off from a research program funded by the Swedish government. Last year, it was awarded a 2.5-million euro grant from the European Investment Council.

Joby’s eVTOL To Include the G3000

This isn’t Garmin’s first foray into avionics for electric flight. 

In February, California-based electric, vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) manufacturer Joby Aviation announced it had chosen the G3000 for Joby’s six-motor, four passenger, hovering air taxi.

In July, Joby’s demonstrator eVTOL achieved an important milestone, successfully flying 154.6 sm on a single battery charge. The aircraft is expected to win FAA type certification in 2023. 

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