TIM ROBINSON FRAeS, STEPHEN BRIDGEWATER and CHARLOTTE BAILEY provide a look at some of the most exciting news and highlights from the first trade day of the Paris Air Show 2023.
With surprise thunderstorms over the weekend, visitors to Le Bourget on Monday morning were braced for freak weather and potential downpours. However, what started as a slow news day ended up with one of the most historic first days in Paris Air Show history. Let’s look at the headlines.
IndiGo places record order for airliners
Air show orders are BACK. (Tim Robinson/RAeS)
Coming towards the end of the day was a staggering order for 500 Airbus A320-family airlines from fast-growing Indian carrier, IndiGo, which is acquiring the aircraft to keep pace with the massive growth in the Indian market and is the: “biggest single purchase agreement in history of commercial aviation”. Incredibly, these 500 A320neo family aircraft (exact models and engine choice still to be decided) are all firm orders – a sign of the airline’s massive confidence in the Indian air travel market – which has already exceeded pre-Covid levels. These bring the airline’s total Airbus backlog to over 1,330 aircraft, with the carrier to double in size by the end of the decade. The value of the deal is ‘undisclosed’ according to Airbus, which has stopped publishing list prices. First deliveries will begin in 2030. What is remarkable, is that only two years ago, some predicted that Covid would irrevocably change and halt the growth of air travel. Monday’s IndiGo deal has proved that Covid is now well in the rear-view mirror.
One small hop for Volocopter, one giant leap for air taxis
Silence, please! (Stephen Bridgewater/RAeS)
In a first for Le Bourget, the flying display opened not to the roar of fast jets but something substantially quieter: the inaugural airborne appearance at Paris Air Show by Volocopter’s Volocity eVTOL, the only Urban Air Mobility entrant in this year’s flying programme. In a display that lasted five to six minutes, the demonstration – described by Volocopter as “the opportunity to test fly in a fully operational airport” – was claimed to be three times quieter than its hospitality chalet’s air conditioning.
Public perception is just one area to find favour if these comparatively small steps are to see the UAM sector truly ‘take off’. Batteries may also pose a problem, with Volocpter intending to swap out batteries after each flight and slow-charge them in a custom-designed 20ft ‘charging container’. The first commercial flight is slated for next year and the craft will have an estimated cruise speed of 90-120km/hr at a “sweet spot” of 150-200m in altitude.
Destinus unveils hydrogen-powered supersonic demonstrator
Paris to New York in 1.5hours? (Stephen Bridgewater/RAeS)
High-speed, hydrogen-powered aviation pioneer Destinus unveiled its third demonstrator, the Destinus 3, at Paris on Monday. The aircraft is set to be the world’s first hydrogen-powered supersonic unmanned vehicle, aiming to achieve a speed of Mach 1.3. The 10m long, 2-tonne prototype is equipped with the company’s proprietary hydrogen afterburner technology and Destinus has slated its first supersonic flight campaigns, propelled by liquid hydrogen, for 2024.
It is on a mission to launch the world’s first commercial hypersonic passenger plane entirely powered by hydrogen, the Destinus S, between 2030 and 2032. With a proposed cruising speed of Mach 5 and a capacity to accommodate 25 passengers, flying from Paris to New York would take just 1.5 hours. Looking ahead to the 2040s, Destinus plans to introduce the 300-400-seat Destinus L. This Mach 6 capable behemoth is expected to transport passengers to any global destination in a mere two or three hours using cryogenic hydrogen for propulsion and cooling.
The groundbreaking hydrogen afterburner technology was successfully flight-tested in May 2023 on the 4m-long Destinus 1 (Jungfrau) demonstrator. It, and the 10m-long Destinus 2 (Eiger), have already successfully conducted subsonic flights.
Riyadh Air makes a splash
Riyadh Air’s 787 Dreamliner is here at Le Bourget. (Tim Robinson/RAeS)
Briefing the press was CEO of new Saudi Arabian start-up airline, Riyadh Air, Tony Douglas who enthused over the opportunities and potential of this full-service carrier, the first launch in 20-30 years. Although the new airline is still two years away from starting operations, it is already turning heads with huge orders, big ambitions to reshape Saudi and Middle Eastern aviation, and a Boeing 787 Dreamliner appearing in the static line, fresh from the paint shop. Douglas explained that the striking purple livery was only the first of two, with the airline set to ‘tease and reveal’ a second livery later this year, and a cabin interior in 2024.
Interestingly the airline, which will start services in 2025 will dispense with the first class and instead will be a “full service carrier with a modern, fresh vibrant image, obsessive attention to detail and a genuine digital twist”, with the goal of connecting 100 cities in its first seven years. This outward looking Riyadh Air will be a key part of the Kingdom’s ambitious plan to diversify from oil, and transform itself into a global tourism, travel and cargo hub.
‘Revolutionary’ new tyre and lunar rover unveiled
Ease of access is the ‘driving force’ behind the lunar rover’s unconventional driving position, with astronauts standing throughout the journey. (Charlotte Bailey/RAeS)
Venturi Astrolab has unveiled a new lunar vehicle, intended to traverse the surface of the moon in 2026, complemented by a specialist tyre designed and developed by partner company Venturi Lab.
California-based Venturi Astrolab have been developing the FLEX rover since the early 2000s. Aiming to circumnavigate our inhospitable satellite “within the decade,” the vehicle will likely operate from the South Pole where it is anticipated to cover a couple of thousand miles a year. Development of the “full-scale, fully functional prototype” (including a working robotic arm) commenced in January 2022 and the vehicle has already conducted extensive manned testing near Death Valley, California.
Designed for a variety of customizable scenarios rather than a single mission, a number of notable design differences from previous lunar buggies include a horseshoe-shaped chassis, intended to facilitate the integration of a modular 3m3 cargo box system. With an overall weight of 750kg, the vehicle can hold up to 1500kg of cargo. Articulated suspension allows easier ingress for occupants, who pilot the craft standing up; enabling not just ease of access in a pressurised suit but optimising visibility.
The vehicle’s custom wheel, unveiled today, was described by Venturi Lab CEO Jaret Matthews as “the most resilient tyre” projected to see service on the moon. Produced with a NASA grant obtained via its Californian sister company, the uniquely deformable wheel increases contact length with the lunar surface and increases its load-carrying efficiency. Whereas previous tyres might last 60km, this ‘revolutionary’ new lanar tyre is anticipated to last upwards of 1,000km.
A deal announced in March 2023 will see the rover transported to the moon aboard Space X’s Starship where it will have an estimated service life of ten years, significantly more than any previous lunar vehicle. It will also aim to break the current lunar speed record of 17km/hr, aiming to reach at least 20km/hr.
Boeing predicts further narrowbody boom
Narrowbodies are coming back. (Stephen Bridgewater/RAeS)
Speaking at Paris today, Darren Hulst, Boeing’s VP Commercial Marketing discussed the company’s latest sales figures as well as market predictions for the coming months and years. Reiterating the sentiment expressed by many at the show today, Hulst was keen to emphasise that the airline industry is bouncing back well in the post-pandemic recovery period. “Today, global capacity and traffic are nearing 95% or pre-pandemic levels” he explained. “Furthermore, fleets are back to 97% of the number of aircraft that were active four years ago and flight capacity and traffic are not far behind. In many ways capacity is constraining recovery and not demand itself.”
Setting aside supply chain and certification woes the last year has been a successful one for the US manufacturer. “Since Farnborough, last July, Boeing has received orders and commitments for new more than 1,100 new jets – that’s just in the last 10 months” explained Hulst. Although those orders span all of the Boeing families of airliners it is especially driven by demand for 737s. “The single aisle market obviously recovered soonest” he continued, “and today there is 5% more single aisle capacity than there was in 2019. So this market segment has not only recovered, it’s back to growth. This is true in every single major region of the world, whether it’s Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe and even the emerging Africa and Middle Eastern markets.”
As of the start of June, Boeing had delivered almost 1,150 737MAX aircraft and Hulst claimed that “every single day there are about 4,500 daily departures by 737-8 and -9 aircraft. Our view going forward is that the single aisle market, particularly with low cost carriers, will grow by two and a half times by 2040 to reaching nearly 15,000 jets.”
Angry Squirrel takes on Little Bird
Light chopper – heavy hitter. (Tim Robinson/RAeS)
A familiar shape in a military scheme on the static line was Airbus’ H125 Squirrel light single, now being offered in a light gunship/multi-mission configuration to on rival scout helicopters such as the MD Cayuse Warrior, Boeing AH-6i Little Bird and Bell 407M. Built in the US, the MH-125M or AH-125M Ares gives mini-gunship capabilities and firepower with cannon, machine guns, rockets or missiles while not compromising interior cabin space.
Skydrive announces manufacturing partnership
Founder and CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa unveils the modified three-seat Skydrive eVTOL, a concept he describes as “perfect for the urban mission”. (Charlotte Bailey/RAeS)
Japanese eVTOL company Skydrive has announced a manufacturing partnership with automotive giant Suzuki to manufacture the newly-designated Skydrive craft, also announced to be produced as a three-seat variant.
Tokyo-headquartered Skydrive began five years ago with the intention of “enabling daily use of the sky” and completed the first demonstration flight of their initial test craft, the SD-01, in 2020. The latest iteration of the craft (the commercial model confirmed today as also being named Skydrive) follows a multicopter design: a concept key to the mission profile of the aircraft, according to Founder and CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa. Lighter and smaller than its cruise and lift counterparts, the Skydrive’s rounded rotors – balancing power consumption between front and rear rotors – also maximises efficiency, something key in the emerging landscape of battery technology.
Also announced was a basic agreement with automotive manufacturer to construct the eVTOL, with President Osamu Suzuki drawing parallels between the roles his company played a century ago in scaling up urban mobility; something he feels a “strong empathy” for in concluding “Let’s look forward to the next hundred years of mobility”. Production is anticipated to commence at a few hundred units a year for the first few years at an as-yet undisclosed Suzuki facility.
A three-seat variant (with 70% parts commonality to its predecessor) will now replace the previous two-seat, single-pilot craft, inspired by customer feedback and the cost-effective implications of additional passenger capacity. By 2029, it’s hoped the current range of 15km will be doubled as battery technology matures, and increased to 40km by 2031 (for “around the same cost as a ground taxi”). Japanese and American type certification is anticipated in 2026, ahead of which Skydrive will be flying an as-yet unspecified route at the 2025 World Expo, Osaka. Although the three-seat variant has yet to make its maiden flight, it’s hoped this production variant will take to the skies “in the near future”.
Cool your jets
Displaying the F-35A in the Paris flying display is Major Kirstin BEO Wolfe. (Stephen Bridgewater/RAeS)
Over on Raytheon Technology (RTX) the company announced that it had successfully conducted the first lab test of the Enhanced Power and Cooling System (EPACS) for the F-35. The new system will provide twice the cooling capacity for the Block 4 F-35s demanding thermal requirements – a particularly challenge due to the fighters densely packed structure and advanced avionics. By reducing the use of bleed air too, the EPACS will also improve engine performance and reliability.
Labour still the pinch point for supply chain woes, says Boeing
Supply chain issues are a high-level focus. (Tim Robinson/RAeS)
Briefing media ahead of the show, Boeing Commercial Airplanes chief Stan Deal revealed that the company is set to lift production rates from the 737 MAX from 31 to 38 “pretty soon” as it grapples with quality issues and the global supply chain crunch. Deal explained that there was no single ‘pinch point’ in the supply chain, but that a major challenge was in human resources, saying “COVID had a pretty significant impact on labour. This industry still depends on labour and skilled labour to get to its efficiency output”. To that end Boeing is boosting its training and onboarding efforts, measuring quality, as well as meeting regularly with C-suite execs from suppliers to give a holistic view of the challenges.
There was also talk from Deal on Boeing’s future airliner plans and the potential of the ultra-efficient Transonic Truss-Braced Wing – with the company now developing a flyable demonstrator for NASA – which says Deal “could unlock 20% efficiency right there”.
This, and the potential CFM RISE open-rotor engine could provide additional significant savings in fuel burn, but he cautioned that the only once engine and airframe were integrated would the true numbers be known. He also said that: “as we think about another aeroplane, we look at every engine alternative. We don’t narrow to one, we’ve got to be very open-minded. Most of our customers today say give us a choice”. On the RISE engine itself – “It’s got some promising opportunity with some technical risks that has to be collapsed. The good news, is that CFM collectively started early.”
Flying Whales reveal airship factory concept
A joint venture partnership called GAAMMA will engineer the infrastructure of Flying Whales’ final assembly facilities, the first of which is set to be constructed next decade. (Charlotte Bailey/RAeS)
French aeronautical start-up and designer of the transportation airship LCA6OT, Flying Whales, has elaborated on its plans to build its initial Final Assembly Line (FAL). Inspired heavily by biomimicry and in keeping with the company’s environmentally-conscious ethos, the buildings will – in the words of Head of Infrastructure Arthur Mamou-Mani – represent a “complete revolution of what a hangar should be”.
Designed as a complex to ultimately house two airships alongside ancillary buildings, the construction facility is approximately 240m long – the length “of two Eiffel Towers” – and 70m deep. Also inspired by Paris’ iconic landmark, the buildings will be modular in construction and able to be constructed in as little as 25 weeks.
Further drawing parallels with the lightness of the Eiffel Tower, the fabric-skinned hangars will utilize 50% less steel than their traditional counterparts, partly due to their unconventional curved forms. Combining traditional manufacturing techniques with undulating surfaces, the cutting-edge design aims to “bring together computer and algorithmic approaches to ancestral approaches” in what Mamou-Mani describes as “animated architecture”.
An ’eyelid’-like door, powered by two motors (and weighing a total of 142 tons) will take just five minutes to open, while the entire structure weighs in at just 1700 tons. Comparing the architecture with a silkworm cocoon, Mamou-Mani notes that this building is intended to “change [the aviation] industry from its very construction”: integrating innovation into the factory as well as the aircraft it produces.
The first Flying Whales FAL is expected to be built in the Nouvelle-Acquitaine region of France and although planning permission has not yet been secured, it’s hoped that the facility will be delivered during Spring 2035. Until then, a small-scale model 3D-printed in sugar remains sweetly optimistic.
Wisk – “There’s No Plan B”
Brain Yutko and the fully autonomous Wisk Gen 6. (Stephen Bridgewater/RAeS)
Wisk’s new Generation 6 eVTOL was formally unveiled at the Paris Air Show on Monday by company CEO Brian Yutko.
The relatively large “flying taxi” was discussed on yesterday’s blog but Yutko confirmed that it will follow the previous incarnations and be fully autonomous.
Many have predicted that cutting out onboard flight crew is a risky proposition, but Yutko remained adamant that the autonomy is the way forward. “This venture is absolutely committed to certifying the world’s first autonomous commercial aircraft. There is no backup plan. There is no Plan B,” he told the media. “If the aeroplane doesn’t work and if the autonomy doesn’t work, then we fail. I want to be super clear on that is, we do not have a Plan B for putting flight controls into the aeroplane. Neither do we have a plan B for trying to figure out how you would plug in a computer to fly it from onboard. We realise that that’s risky – and we realise it’s ambitious, but people should do ambitious things and we’re doing an ambitious thing.”
Quizzed by AEROSPACE about the whether such autonomy could be susceptible to outside influences from those with malevolent intent and whether cybersecurity was a concern, Yutko proffered that “cybersecurity is extremely important in all forms of manned flight today, even with pilots on board. But yes, it will be an extremely important subject in these aircraft and cybersecurity solutions will take many different forms both in terms of technological systems and operational security. We’ve been thinking about this throughout the design of the system, including how the software and mission management is architected and what commands can actually go to the aeroplane.”
flynas firms up 30 more A320neo Family aircraft
Another Saudi operator in the news. (flynas)
Saudi Arabia’s flynas has firmed up an order with Airbus for 30 new A320neo Family aircraft, taking the airline’s total order to 120 A320neo aircraft, including ten A321XRLs. The low-cost carrier is an all Airbus operator and was the first airline in Saudi Arabia to acquire the A320neo. It currently operates a fleet of 32 A320neos, 13 A320ceos and four A330-300s.
In other Airbus news, Air Mauritius confirmed an order for three A350s, bringing its fleet to a total of seven.
Lilium partners on eVTOL service in China
The Bao’an District of Shenzhen and Lilium signed an MoU at the show for the opening of a regional Lilium headquarters in the district. It is described as a first step in a partnership to establish a safe and sustainable eVTOL service in China with the Lilium Jet. The collaboration will initially focus on the Guangdong–Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, with a population of over 85 million people, with plans to grow across China and the broader Asia-Pacific region. Lilium also announced that Shenzhen-based Heli-Eastern intends to order 100 Lilium Jets and will partner with Lilium to identify potential sites and partners for vertiports and other ground infrastructure.
Honeywell to digitise the skies
Future flight deck? (Honeywell)
Honeywell has announced it will participate in new research and development projects under the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking partnership and its Digital European Sky programme. The projects will see the development of innovative solutions focused on advanced levels of automation in all types of airspaces to improve operational efficiency and sustainability through new or improved ways of working. Honeywell will lead two consortiums. Project OperA, which stands for Operate Anywhere, hopes to enable the safe accommodation of AAM in European Air Traffic Management (ATM) and U-space. Meanwhile, Project DARWIN (Digital Assistants for Reducing Workload & Increasing collaboration) will look at AI-based automation for cockpit and flight operations as a key enabler for first the extended minimum crew operations (eMCO) and then the single pilot operations (SPO) and a fully autonomous flight.
ZeroAvia forges path to hydrogen-electric regional jets
Hydrogen-electric is being scaled up. (ZeroAvia)
ZeroAvia announced today that it has identified clear applications for hydrogen-electric, zero-emission propulsion for regional jet aircraft. As part of the initial technical study conducted alongside Type Certificate holder MHIRJ over the last year, an initial entry-point for a CRJ 700 retrofit with ZeroAvia’s ZA 2000RJ powertrain – confirming maximum takeoff weight, centre of gravity and structural allowances – has been identified. The study also validates the retrofit approach for other in-service CRJ series aircraft, such as the CRJ 550 and 900.
The hydrogen-electric CRJ aircraft would be equipped with two ZeroAvia regional jet engines (derivatives of the ZA2000 engine class) to match the existing performance and ZeroAvia analysis suggests it could support up to 60 passengers with a range of up to 560 nautical miles, covering in excess of 80% of current flights.
There are more than 1,400 CRJ Series aircraft that could potentially be converted to fly with the ZA2000 engine.
Val Miftakhov, CEO, ZeroAvia, said: “At this early stage in our work together, to already see a viable pathway to clean propulsion with CRJ aircraft should be absolutely thrilling to everybody who wants us to keep flying. Before the end of the decade airlines could be flying zero-emission jets.”
Embraer begins A-29 Super Tucano MLU project
Embraer Super Tucano on static. (Stephen Bridgewater/RAeS)
On Monday, Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) announced that have begun studies for a midlife upgrade (MLU) for the A-29 Super Tucano aircraft. “The FAB will be able to count on the extensive list of updates implemented throughout the life of the aircraft, which have kept the platform technologically up to date without impacting the low operating cost,” said Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security. “During the studies, if FAB assesses the need for new functionality and capabilities that have not yet been developed, it is possible for Embraer to develop and implement on a demand basis.” It is thought that possible updates to the 60 FAB A-29s could include a fifth-generation avionics system with expansion capacity, navigation and communication systems, an expansion of available weapons’ systems, and surveillance and self-protection sensors. The updates also provide increased situational awareness with improvements in the human-machine interface.
ChatGPT for MRO?
“I don’t know where your airliner learned to communicate, but it’s speaking a most peculiar dialect…”
Over at McKinsey, the company was hosting an expert panel on “Creating Value in Aerospace & Defence by Using the Latest Developments in AI” with speakers from Boeing Digital Aviation Solutions, PhysicsX and Cohere. While much discussion around AI has been centred on robotic revolutions and the potential to turn on its creators, the panel explained some of the benefits that AI, ML and generative AI can bring to aerospace, thanks to the 1,000 decrease in the cost of computing since 2010. This can include using AI to optimise or run complex CFD processing and create 3D printed parts, solve airline disruption by building ‘digital twins’ of airspace and airport operations and even assist in those in MRO sector by parse, interpret and classify technical snags written in natural human language. Interestingly the panel all thought that most white-collar jobs in aerospace and defence would remain secure, with the introduction of AI, with these game-changing tools allowing humans to focus on higher level tasks, situational awareness and strategic thinking – leading to a revolution in productivity.
Modular UAV breaks cover
Short or long wing/VTOL or HTOL? (Tim Robinson/RAeS)
At Airbus, wholly owned French subsidiary SURVEY Copter had brought its latest UAV to Paris – the Capa-X light tactical UAV. This uniquely can be transformed from a VTOL lift-+ cruise configuration drone with electric lift motors and short wings, to a horizontal take-off and landing UAV with longer wings. Completing the modular approach is a multi-mission 10kg payload bay, which can either take a variety of sensors or carry small cargo.
There’s life in the old Twin Otter yet
Lighter Twin Otter breaks cover. (De Havilland Canada)
De Havilland Canada chose the opening day of the Paris Air Show to announce the launch of the DHC-6 Twin Otter Classic 300-G.
“For over 50 years, the DHC-6 Twin Otter has stood alone as the most reliable and versatile aircraft in its class,” said Brian Chafe, CEO of De Havilland Canada. “After extensive consultation with our customers, we are poised and proud to take this iconic aircraft to new heights with the new DHC-6 Twin Otter Classic 300-G”.
The lighter weight Classic 300-G will deliver increased payload range and decreased operating costs for customers and has an all-new cabin interior and a flight deck featuring the Garmin G1000 NXi fully integrated avionics suite.
The Classic 300-G is the fifth generation of the ‘Twotter’ and sales and letters of intent announced during the opening day of the show included ten for launch customer flybig. The Indian airline will use them to connect remote communities as part of India’s UDAN regional airport development programme, part of the Regional Connectivity Scheme for improving underserviced air routes and connecting Tier 2 and Tier 3 communities.
Lessor Jetcraft Commercial also signed a purchase agreement for ten of the new aircraft.
Xaba collaborates with Lockheed Martin on AI robotics
On Day 2 of the 2023 Paris Air Show Xaba announced the results of its collaboration with Lockheed Martin to evaluate the automation of crucial manufacturing operations using the global aerospace company’s industrial robots integrated with xCognition, Xaba’s AI-driven robotics and CNC machine controllers.
Current commercial industrial robotics systems have struggled to perform critical manufacturing operations such as drilling, laser welding, light machining, and precise assembly. The reason for this is the lack of robotics intelligence required to deliver accuracy, repeatability, and to work in path programming mode rather than point-to-point. Xaba claims this challenge was solved with the xCognition physics-informed deep artificial neural network model.
Xaba and Lockheed Martin identified a use case focused on a typical robotics work cell used in any aerospace factory to test how Xaba’s xCognition “synthetic brain” could empower a commercial robot with greater intelligence and understanding of its body and the task it is about to execute while ensuring required quality and tolerances are achieved.
Boeing and CAE team up improve aviation training
CAE 737MAX FFS. (CAE)
At the show, there was significant news in pilot training, when Boeing announced a partnership with training and simulation provider CAE to roll out its Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) curriculum throughout its global network of airline pilot training centres, beginning in India.
The company said “the shift to CBTA methodology in pilot training focuses on developing and evaluating skills, knowledge and behaviours essential for pilots to operate safely and efficiently in a commercial air environment.”
CBTA, which relies on objective measuring of digital data and proficiency, thus should enhance aviation safety standards around the world. Additionally, while mandated ICAO tests and checks will still remain, the CBTA will allow more flexibility in customising the syllabus to the learning abilities of the individual pilot – allowing fast learners to move on to company SOPs or provide extra time to those bits that they could be struggling to learn.
Aura Aero debuts electric aerobatic aircraft
Electric aerobatics? (Stephen Bridgewater/RAeS)
Toulouse-based light aircraft startup Aura Aero has debuted the all-electric variant of its aerobatic trainer currently under development, the Integral E.
Current variants of the Integral aircraft include the taildragger configuration R (which made its inaugural flight in 2020) and the tricycle-gear S, slated to take to the skies for the first time in the coming weeks. According to Wilfred Dufaud, General Manager and Chief Product Officer, the electric E variant is intended to “adopt the whole spirit of the S version” and further highlights the company’s commitment to sustainability. The all-electric proof-of-concept E is projected to fly before the end of the year, subject to satisfactory bench tests being completed, with a Safran powerplant replacing the traditional Lycoming engine.
After pursuing concurrent EASA and FAA type certification, the all-electric E will be available in both tricycle and taildragger variants. Endurance is predicted to be 60 minutes with two pilots on board and a battery recharge time of less than 30 minutes, and Aura Aero already have their first customer for the type on the order books.
CAPTION: All three variants of the Integral are constructed from a wood-carbon combination intended to deliver “lightness, resistance and repairability”.
Raytheon hybrid-electric demonstrator passes 1mW milestone
The 1MW electric motor has been tested at the University of Nottingham. (Tim Robinson/RAeS)
Raytheon Technologies has achieved a critical milestone in its hybrid-electric flight demonstrator programme, successfully completing a rated power test of the demonstrator’s 1 megawatt (MW) electric motor, developed by Collins Aerospace (Collins) at its facility in Solihull, UK and tested it at the University of Nottingham’s Institute for Aerospace Technology.
The motor will be combined with a highly efficient thermal engine, developed by Pratt & Whitney, as part of a hybrid-electric propulsion system that aims to demonstrate a 30% improvement in fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions compared to today’s most advanced regional turboprops.
Compared to Collins’ most advanced electric motor generators flying today, the 1mW motor will deliver four times the power and twice the voltage, with half the heat loss and half the weight.
Following on from the first low speed engine run at a Pratt & Whitney Canada facility in Longueuil, Quebec in December 2022, testing of the combined hybrid-electric propulsion system – including both thermal engine and 1MW motor – will continue through 2023. The propulsion system and batteries will be integrated on a Dash 8-100 experimental aircraft, with flight testing targeted to begin in 2024. The project is supported by the governments of Canada and Quebec.
Electric dreams
Greener skies. (Stephen Bridgewater/RAeS)
The opening day of the 2023 Paris Air Show saw a rare flying appearance by Jean-Baptiste Loiselet’s Innovavis Sol.Ex.2. This solar-powered motorglider uses photovoltaic cells infused between two thin glass fabric layers and flew a tour around the permitter of France in 2022 without emitting any carbon.
And finally…
The 2023 propeller harvest was looking like a bumper crop…
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Stay ahead of all the news!
Catch up with all the hot news (Stephen Bridgewater/RAeS)
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