Plans to debut electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) air taxi services at the Olympic and Paralympic Games have been scrapped after the certification for the engine failed to come through. German urban air mobility (UAM) pioneer, Volocopter, lobbied for authorisation ahead of the games but the setback highlights the critical safety requirements when pioneering new modes of transportation.
Dirke Hoke, CEO, Volocopter said the change in plans was due to “an American supplier who was not capable of providing what he had promised,” adding, “we are a little disappointed but in any case we had said that we would not make any compromises with security.”
Although the main test demonstrations will no longer go ahead, a successful crewed test flight took place at the Aerodrome of Saint-Cyr-l’École which Volocopter reported was the first bespoke commercial vertiport for eVTOL integrated within Volocopter’s approved flights routes in Paris. Commenting on the test, Hoke said:
“Everyone at Volocopter is incredibly proud of how far the company has come and what it means to fly today at Saint-Cyr-l’École. City launches take time to establish a foothold on the ground, and through open communication and dedication, Volocopter has become an embodiment of trust, from our partners, Europe’s leading aviation authorities, and Paris which has become one of the most advanced IAM networks in the world […] We still aspire to fly at the Austerlitz vertiport later this year. Beyond that, we concentrate on the Type Certification of the VoloCity and will start the test phase of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Germany together with our partner ADAC Luftrettung in 2025.”
Adding a new mobility layer to a city is a complex process where safety must remain paramount. For insights from the CEO & Head of UAM at Airbus, Balkiz Sarihan, into what this process entails, watch this short conversation. To hear more on the topic in person, Billy Nolen, Chief Regulatory Affairs Officer at Archer will be answering the question, ‘is the industry ready for the developments in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM)?’ at Aerospace Tech Week Americas. Book your ticket for free to find out the answer.
At Aerospace Tech Week, Marouan Chida, Head of ATM Transformation, EUROCONTROL joined to discuss the changing air traffic management (ATM) landscape, looking at key challenges and opportunities. Summarising the responsibility of ATM, Chida explained:
“ATM is delivering a service, its about letting everybody fly at the best possible trajectory.”
Reflecting on the main drivers of change in the ever-evolving landscape, Chida noted a few developments that have forced ATM systems to look critically at itself and modernise. Firstly, it has been a bottleneck for growth. Secondly, its crucial role to play as the industry prioritises sustainability. Thirdly, the changing requirements of “new entrants” that have joined the game. To continue delivering an effective service, ATM systems will have to take advantage of all the latest tech so as not to downgrade the potential of new aircraft.
Thinking about what the ATM landscape will look like a decade from now, Chida discussed the Digital European Sky and SESAR’s role in innovating and accelerating its delivery. In particular, Chida highlighted the need for scalable systems to support aviation’s exponential growth and the importance of cooperation as new players like air taxis and drones join conventional aircraft.
For all this as well as Chida’s observations on the challenges involved with integrating emerging technologies into existing frameworks, watch the full interview now.
Questions asked include:
How have we seen the air traffic management landscape develop in recent years and what do you think have been the main drivers of these changes?
What role is technology playing in the landscape’s evolution?
How do you tackle integrating emerging technologies into existing frameworks?
What will the landscape look like in the next 10 years?
In November, Aerospace Tech Week Americas will gather in Atlanta to be inspired by 100 speakers, 60 vendors and over 30 start-ups over 2 incredible days. The conference covers everything Avionics, Connectivity, MRO IT, Flight Operation IT and Testing. Book your ticket for free now.
“We have an analogue airspace in a digital age designed nearer a time Yuri Gagarin reached for the stars. The moment for change is now.”
The UK airspace infrastructure, originally developed in the 1950s, has become outdated as the industry’s challenges, technological needs, and goals have evolved significantly. Combatting this, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has launched its plan for modernising UK airspace by 2040.
The ‘Airspace Modernisation Strategy, Part 3: Deployment Plan’ sets out a vision for how airspace will change over the coming seven years and serves as a benchmark for measuring the industry’s progress and alignment with the UK CAA’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy. Released in January 2023, the strategy laid out “a vision for the future of UK airspace to deliver quicker, quieter and cleaner journeys.”
With tech evolving rapidly, the industry scaling up, emerging players like drones and vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft joining, and sustainability targets looming, the UK CAA is laying the foundations for an extensive overhaul of the UK’s aviation infrastructure. Addressing this ongoing transformation, Aviation Minister Mike Kane said:
“The world of aviation is undergoing a technological revolution and it’s crucial our airspace evolves alongside this. The Civil Aviation Authority’s plan to modernise our airspace will help ease delays, support efforts to decarbonise and reduce noise. Through continued collaboration with industry, this plan will ensure these innovations are safely and effectively integrated into our skies.”
Rob Bishton, Chief Executive of the UK Civil Aviation Authority, added:
“Overhauling our airspace is a long-term and complex endeavour, requiring concerted efforts and collaboration from the aerospace industry. It is key to enabling new and innovative technologies to thrive in UK aerospace. […] It not only outlines our strategic priorities, but also is a blueprint for industry to engage and contribute towards the vision of a modernised airspace for the UK.”
Described as a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to modernise UK airspace, the plan must pave a way for a more efficient, sustainable, and technologically advanced future.
At Aerospace Tech Week, Franc Sanmartí, Director of Sustainability & Aeropolitical Affairs, Vueling Airlines joined to share his insights on the industry’s progress towards the net-zero by 2050 target. This five-minute conversation looked at key targets within the airline, the vital role of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and other emission-cutting initiatives, and Sanmartí’s perspective on the Single European Skies agreement.
Emphasising the importance of SAF, Sanmartí noted that when reducing emissions, 60-70 per cent will come from SAF, compared to 20 per cent from new aircraft technology, 10 per cent from operational efficiency, and the rest from innovations like carbon capture. This highlights that although SAF is critical for the industry’s decarbonisation journey, other efficiency-based tech innovation also has its part to play.
Touching on the Single European Sky agreement, Sanmartí explained that effective digitalisation and innovation can achieve the same emission reduction that the agreement initially proposed. To unlock this, collaboration within the industry and across the value chain will be crucial.
Watch the full interview below for more.
Questions asked include:
Do you think the industry is where it needs to be to hit the net-zero by 2050 targets?
What balance are you striking between investment in SAF and investment in sustainability focused technologies?
Are you satisfied with the Single European Sky agreement’s ability to drive meaningful progress with regards to sustainability?
Farnborough International Airshow has seen some major announcements this week, with several large orders despite ongoing supply chain issues. By the end of day two, Forbes reported a total of 187 orders between Airbus and Boeing, with Boeing in the lead at 118 orders compared to Airbus’ 69.
US-based Boeing has enjoyed a number of deals, with Qatar Airways ordering 20 more 777-9 planes bringing its total order to nearly 100 aircraft, a deal which Reuters identified as nearly $4 billion. Boeing also secured an order from Macquarie Airfinance for 20 737 MAX-8 planes, estimated to be worth around $1 billion.
Airbus’ key orders included 20 Airbus A350-900 twin-aisle planes and 11 single-aisle A321neo aircraft for Japan Airlines, worth over $3 billion, in addition to six A320neo family aircraft for Berniq Airways, and seven Airbus A330-900s for Virgin Atlantic estimated at $800 million. Speaking on the order, Shai Weiss, CEO, Virgin Atlantic said:
“Our special partnership with Airbus began with the arrival of ‘Lady in Red’ in 1993, with our most recent arrival, ‘Ruby Rebel’, arriving to mark our 40th birthday this year. Virgin Atlantic has flown more than 60 Airbus tails in the last three decades. While not first to the party, they’ve been our main dance partner, making our customers smile ever since.”
Despite these orders, the persistent supply chain challenges remain front of mind for many, with flydubai’s CEO Ghaith al-Ghaith criticising Boeing on Monday:
“So in March, we were told your 12 aircraft is now going to be eight. So now in July, just last week, we were told, out of the eight, we’ve already received four and we’re not going to receive anything more. From our point of view, this is where there is frustration, and we felt like we had to say something.”
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