Aviation International News reports Joby Aviation has launched a week of electric air taxi demonstration flights across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, marking the first Texas operations under the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP). The flights are part of Project Nexus, a regional initiative spanning Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana designed to encompass what officials describe as a “deliberate mix of dense urban airspace, a coastal energy corridor, and rural sovereign land.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)
Tag: Begins
NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Launches to Explore the Universe’s Biggest Mysteries
Ars Technica reports, “NASA’s $4.3 billion Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope” launched Sunday from Kennedy Space Center, beginning a mission to investigate dark energy, exoplanets, and other fundamental mysteries of the universe using its 300-megapixel Wide Field Instrument.
Full Story (Ars Technica)
NASA Begins Assembly of Nuclear-Powered Dragonfly Drone for 2028 Titan Mission
SPACE reports, “NASA is one step closer to sending a drone mission to another world. Technicians at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Maryland have begun building and testing the nuclear-powered Dragonfly rotorcraft, which will launch toward the huge Saturn moon Titan in 2028.”
Full Story (SPACE)
International Space Station Set to Receive New Commander
Spaceflight Now reports NASA astronaut Mike Fincke will take command of the orbiting outpost as Expedition 74 begins with the undocking of Soyuz MS-27 on Monday, Dec. 8. “After 25 years of continuous human presence, the International Space Station is heading into its final half decade of planned habitation.”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)
Beta Technologies’ CX300 Begins Test Flights in Norway
Flying Magazine reports, “Fresh off a multiweek European ‘Grand Tour’ comprising stops in Ireland, the U.K., France, Germany, Luxembourg, and Denmark, Beta Technologies’ all-electric CX300 is conducting its first test flights in Norway. The aircraft, tail number N214BT, was recently delivered to customer Bristow Group, whose pilots took it to the skies for the first time on Friday. The flight marks the start of a six-month series of evaluations within Norway’s international test arena for zero- and low-emission aviation.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Archer Aviation Performing Piloted Flights of its Midnight Electric Aircraft
Electrek reports, “All-electric aircraft developer Archer has entered a key development phase ahead of full-fledged flight certification and commercial operations. Last week, Archer completed a piloted flight in its flagship Midnight aircraft, demonstrating a conventional takeoff and landing instead of vertical (it can do both). Check out the entire flight video.”
Full Story (Electrek)
US Army Begins 3D Printing Swarms of Small Aerial Drones
Breaking Defense reports, “The US Army has begun 3D printing swarms of small aerial drones for soldiers to train against, in anticipation of a decision on how to proceed with an initiative to cheaply and quickly mass produce drones, according to two senior Army leaders.”
Full Story (Breaking Defense)
U.S. Air Force Begins Initial Operational Testing and Evaluation of MH-139 Grey Wolf
Flying Magazine reports, “The U.S. Air Force recently launched initial operational testing and evaluation (IOT&E) of the MH-139 Grey Wolf, the helicopter set to replace the service’s aging fleet of Bell UH-1N Hueys that perform nuclear security missions. During the week of January 27, three MH-139 flights operated by the 550th Helicopter Squadron at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, demonstrated its capabilities, the Air Force said.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Vertical Aerospace Begins Untethered Flight Tests
Aerotime reports, “British eVTOL developer Vertical Aerospace has conducted the first untethered flight of its VX4 prototype, kicking off Phase Two of its development program. Until now Vertical Aerospace had conducted piloted flight tests, but with the aircraft always tethered to the ground by a cable.”
Full Story (Aerotime)
Self-Flying Cessna Begins Testing for FAA Validation
Flying Magazine reports, “Self-flying aircraft may be closer to takeoff than you think. On Thursday, Boston-based Merlin Labs announced it began what it claims is the first test campaign of a certification-ready, takeoff-to-touchdown autonomous flight system. The company’s Merlin Pilot is designed to one day allow small aircraft to fly with no humans on board.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)