Flying Magazine reports, “After wrapping up its first test and deployment campaign with the U.S. Air Force in January, electric aircraft manufacturer Beta Technologies on Monday said it completed two more real-time demonstrations, dispatching its Alia aircraft with only a few minutes’ notice. The company believes these were the first such deployments for an electric aircraft with major commands of the Air Force.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Tag: aeronautical engineering
Heart Aerospace Unveils Redesigned Hybrid Propulsion System
Aviation Week Network reports, “Heart Aerospace has announced a redesigned hybrid propulsion system built around off-the-shelf turboprops and electric motors, as well as a series of related design changes to its planned 30-seat ES-30 regional aircraft. The redesigned propulsion system, referred to by the company as an ‘independent hybrid propulsion system,’ features a turboprop engine on the outboard of the wing beside an electric motor system placed inboard.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
Opinion: After the ISS, America Must Continue to Lead in LEO, Cislunar to Maintain Supremacy
Space News reports, “As the International Space Station (ISS) nears the end of its service life and the United States commercial space industry continues to push past old technological boundaries, America needs new orbital destinations to remain the world’s leader in space. Low-Earth orbit, or LEO, is of tremendous strategic significance. It is not only where a fast-growing number of satellites operate, but it is also where humans have lived and worked continuously on the ISS since 2000.”
Full Story (Space News)
Textron eAviation’s Nexus eVTOL Aircraft Could Take Flight in 2025
Aviation International News reports, “The Nexus eVTOL aircraft is coming together at Textron eAviation’s Wichita headquarters as the company prepares to begin flight testing its hybrid-electric Nuuva V300 cargo drone. Having certified the world’s first all-electric trainer airplane, the Velis Electro, the Textron Inc. business unit is working to solidify its foothold in the electric aviation industry, building on the company’s decades of experience in aircraft development and manufacturing.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)
Founder of Urban-Air Port Highlights Benefits of ‘Vertical Airfield’
Aviation Week reports, “For the vision of urban air mobility to be realized, vertiports will have to maximize efficiency and passenger throughput while keeping costs as low as possible for vehicle operators and vertical managers–and by extension, passengers … London-based infrastructure startup Urban-Air Port believes use of its patented Vertical Airfield concept could help unlock new gains in efficiency for the advanced air mobility industry.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
Sierra Space Prepares Dream Chaser for Pre-launch Trek to KSC
Spaceflight Now reports, “Sierra Space is getting one step closer to finally seeing its Dream Chaser spaceplane reach the launch pad. The spacecraft completed its environmental testing at NASA’s Armstrong Test Facility last week … Sierra Space is now preparing to load up Dream Chaser and Shooting Star for shipment down to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Once it arrives, teams will finish adding the thermal protection tiles and perform additional checkouts, like acoustic testing.”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)
Opinion: Finding and Retaining Talent in the Aerospace Industry
Aviation Week writes, “Are you searching for new entry-level talent and thinking, ‘Where did everyone go?’ The talent is there—you just need to know where to look and to make investments in relationships with institutions and organizations that ensure a long-term pipeline.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
Finish Line for Dream Chaser Now in Sight
Ars Techica reports, “There is still some work to do to prepare Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane for its first mission, but the company says the winged resupply craft for the ISS will soon ship to its launch site in Florida. The Dream Chaser will take off on top of a ULA Vulcan rocket to head for the space station. A spokesperson for Sierra Space told Ars the spaceplane’s launch is scheduled for the third or fourth quarter of this year.”
Full Story (Ars Technica)
Beta Alia-250 Completes First Crewed eVTOL Transition Flight
Flying Magazine reports, “Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturer Beta Technologies this week achieved a milestone few eVTOL companies have reached. The company on Tuesday said it completed a crewed, full transition flight of its Alia-250 (A250) eVTOL.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Beta Performs Piloted eVTOL Aircraft Transition Flight
Aviation International News reports, “Beta Technologies has achieved the first piloted transition flights with a prototype of its Alia 250 eVTOL aircraft prototype, the Vermont-based aircraft developer announced today. A successful transition flight marks a significant milestone in the development of any eVTOL aircraft, demonstrating the core capabilities of vertical lift and horizontal cruise in combination.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)