Aerospace America

Aerospace America Staff Reporter Paul Brinkmann asks The Big Question in “Will Advanced Air Mobility Really Change the Way We Travel?”  Brinkmann writes, “It’s been nearly 10 years since Uber announced its Elevate initiative for ‘on-demand urban air transportation,’ in which anyone would be able to hail a small electric air taxi with the push of a button, much like ordering a car in the Uber app.” Full Story

In the issue’s Flight Path: “ASCEND 2026: Building a Space Week in Washington, D.C.,” AIAA CEO Clay Mowry notes that “the space industry has reached an inflection point,” and that “we are witnessing unprecedented growth in commercial space activity, accelerated national security priorities, international realignment in civil space programs, and a new generation of professionals entering the field. We need a technology-focused forum that matches the complexity and ambition of our moment. That’s exactly what we’re creating with ASCEND 2026.”  Full Story

In Engineering Notebook, “Test Time for Hydrogen Fuel Cells,” Keith Button notes now that Airbus has chosen the design for its future ZEROe airliner, the next major milestone is a planned 2027 ground test of the engine components. Button speaks to engineers and program executives about the work ahead and the revised target for beginning passenger flights. Full Story

Also, see if you can solve the AeroPuzzler, “‘Nothin’ but blue skies,’ but why?”

Q: True or false and why: On a sunny day, the blue sky overhead results from the same principle of molecular absorption that exoplanet researchers rely on to determine the atmospheric composition of planets too dim to be imaged even by the James Webb Space Telescope.

Send a response of up to 250 words to [email protected]. By responding, you are committing that the thoughts and words are your own and were not created with the aid of artificial intelligence. DEADLINE: noon Eastern Sept. 5. Full Story

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