Important Innovations

X -57 Maxwell Is Set For Test Flights                                                  Source:  NASA NASA's Chases Zero Emissions Aviation NASA is placing a big bet on the future of flying that will be electric. Specifically, planes powered by battery powered electric engines that emit zero carbon emissions and provide greener and much quieter flights.  NASA's first electric plane, the X-57 Maxwell, is very close to flying.  NASA says it will begin test flights very soon. The vehicle has an electric propulsion system that makes flying cleaner, quieter and more sustainable.  The X-57 is a key component of NASA's X-planes series, which also includes a super-quiet, supersonic electric passenger jet, the X-59 QueSST, which is next in line for test flights after X-57 Maxwell. These two planes are targeted for commercial passenger service.  Tech Specs The X-57 is an Italian Tecnam P2006T that was converted to an electric plane by replacing its petroleum-based fuel Rotax engines w

  Stratolaunch's Roc Carries a Hypersonic Vehicle to 23,000 Feet                                                  Source:  Stratolaunch Major Moves Toward Hypersonic Commercial Flying at Mach 6 The world's largest airplane, California-based Stratolaunch's Roc, with a wingspan longer than a football field, just aced a major test flight while carrying a hypersonic prototype plane.  The success is important on a number of levels.  It moves Stratolaunch, whose mission is to launch small, autonomous, rocket powered hypersonic vehicles from altitudes of 35,000 feet, closer to test flying its Talon A hypersonic vehicle.  And it moves the world closer to hypersonic flying at speeds of Mach 6 and more.  This will eventually include commercial passenger planes traveling at six times the speed of sound or 4,570 mph.  That would enable passengers to fly long distance air travel at warp speeds. Aviation Technologies Deployed Roc is a highly sophisticated payload release system specifica

  Falcon Solar Concept Under Development in Hungary                                             Source:  Lasky Design Global Quest For Sustainable, Zero-Emissions Solar Planes There is a global quest to develop solar-powered, zero-emissions, sustainable passenger planes.  One of the most promising and fascinating concepts of this decade is Falcon Solar being developed in Hungary.  The aircraft is shaped like a falcon to capture the bird's agile aerodynamics in flight.  The designer, Laszlo Nemeth of Lasky Design in Budapest, Hungary is inspired by the aerodynamic lessons to be learned from powerful birds of prey, like the falcon, in flight.  That belief in inspiration from Nature provided the genesis of Nemeth's remarkably innovative, solar-powered, electric passenger plane concept.  Nemeth believes that technology is sufficient to allow us to fly on solar power and that solar passenger planes "could be a reality before self-driving cars". New Sustainable Aviation Fal

  Falcon Solar Concept Under Development in Hungary                                                                                                                             Source:  Lasky Design Global Quest For Sustainable, Zero-Emissions Solar Planes There is a global quest to develop solar-powered, zero-emissions, sustainable passenger planes.  One of the most promising and fascinating concepts of this decade is Falcon Solar being developed in Hungary.  The aircraft is shaped like a falcon to capture the bird's agile aerodynamics in flight.  The designer, Laszlo Nemeth of Lasky Design in Budapest, Hungary is inspired by the aerodynamic lessons to be learned from powerful birds of prey, like the falcon, in flight.  That belief in inspiration from Nature provided the genesis of Nemeth's remarkably innovative, solar-powered, electric passenger plane concept.  Nemeth believes that technology is sufficient to allow us to fly on solar power and that solar passenger planes "

  Airbus-Aston Martin to Produce Another Series of Luxury Choppers                                                                      Source:  Aston Martin ACH 130 Aston Martin Helicopters The luxury carmaker favored by 007 secret agent James Bond - Aston Martin - has gone airborne with a sleek and very sophisticated helicopter, the ACH 130.  It just showed up in the US on its way to a buyer in Texas.  Another one has just been purchased by a buyer in South America.  Orders have also come in from Europe, Canada and Southeast Asia.  The ACH 130 is the result of a partnership between global aerospace and aviation leader Airbus' Airbus Corporate Helicopters and the legendary automaker Aston Martin.  It is a flying vehicle worthy of its own James Bond movie.  And it is now going into a second round of limited production as it is very popular with wealthy people who particularly want to pilot their own chopper. Tech Specs The chopper takes its inspiration from Aston Martin's DB11

Airbus-Aston Martin to Produce Another Series of Luxury Choppers                                                                      Source:  Aston Martin ACH 130 Aston Martin Helicopters The luxury carmaker favored by 007 secret agent James Bond - Aston Martin - has gone airborne with a sleek and very sophisticated helicopter, the ACH 130.  It just showed up in the US on its way to a buyer in Texas.  Another one has just been purchased by a buyer in South America.  Orders have also come in from Europe, Canada and Southeast Asia.  The ACH 130 is the result of a partnership between global aerospace and aviation leader Airbus' Airbus Corporate Helicopters and the legendary automaker Aston Martin.  It is a flying vehicle worthy of its own James Bond movie.  And it is now going into a second round of limited production as it is very popular with wealthy people who particularly want to pilot their own chopper. Tech Specs The chopper takes its inspiration from Aston Martin's DB11 fo

  BAE & Supernal Partner on eVTOL Flight Control System                                                  Source:  Supernal Developing the Technological Brains of Flying Taxis Aerospace and defense technology leader BAE Systems and eVTOL developer Supernal (owned by Hyundai) have formed a new partnership to develop a highly advanced flight control system for Supernal's flying taxis to fly autonomously. In essence, they are developing the technological brains to enable flying taxis to self-fly. The system will be a lightweight, cutting edge, fly-by-wire system usable for both eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles), advanced air mobility vehicles (AAMs) and large, regional, electric aircraft.  The architecture will directly control the electric vehicles during flight, takeoff and landing.  BAE says that it is harnessing its expertise in electrification and flight-critical systems to advance "sustainable aviation". Formidable Partnership of Flight Control

  BAE & Supernal Partner on eVTOL Flight Control System                                                  Source:  Supernal Developing the Technological Brains of Flying Taxis Aerospace and defense technology leader BAE Systems and eVTOL developer Supernal (owned by Hyundai) have formed a new partnership to develop a highly advanced flight control system for Supernal's flying taxis to fly autonomously. In essence, they are developing the technological brains to enable flying taxis to self-fly. The system will be a lightweight, cutting edge, fly-by-wire system usable for both eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles), advanced air mobility vehicles (AAMs) and large, regional, electric aircraft.  The architecture will directly control the electric vehicles during flight, takeoff and landing.  BAE says that it is harnessing its expertise in electrification and flight-critical systems to advance "sustainable aviation". Formidable Partnership of Flight Control

  Delta to Invest Up to $200 Million in eVTOL Maker Joby Aviation                                             Source:  Joby Aviation Flying Taxis Are Right on the Horizon Delta Airlines is making a big bet on the future of flying taxis.  It is partnering with leading, California-based eVTOL maker Joby Aviation to deliver "Home to Airport" flying taxi services.  Delta just made a $60 million investment in Joby for a 2% stake in the company. Delta has the option to invest $200 million in Joby if Joby reaches certain operational milestones. The partnership's goal is to push air taxis forward to become fully operational in the commercial marketplace.   Tech Specs Joby's 5-seat aircraft is an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle that's a cross between a helicopter and a drone. It's propelled by 6 tilt-rotors and battery powered electric motors.  It can hit speeds of 200 mph and has a range of 150 miles on a charge. The flying taxi prototype has flo

  Delta to Invest Up to $200 Million in eVTOL Maker Joby Aviation                                             Source:  Joby Aviation Flying Taxis Are Right on the Horizon Delta Airlines is making a big bet on the future of flying taxis.  It is partnering with leading, California-based eVTOL maker Joby Aviation to deliver "Home to Airport" flying taxi services.  Delta just made a $60 million investment in Joby for a 2% stake in the company. Delta has the option to invest $200 million in Joby if Joby reaches certain operational milestones. The partnership's goal is to push air taxis forward to become fully operational in the commercial marketplace.   Tech Specs Joby's 5-seat aircraft is an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle that's a cross between a helicopter and a drone. It's propelled by 6 tilt-rotors and battery powered electric motors.  It can hit speeds of 200 mph and has a range of 150 miles on a charge. The flying taxi prototype has flo

   Rome's Vertiport at Fiumicino International Airport                                                  Source:  Volocopter 1st Piloted eVTOL Flight in Italy German electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle startup Volocopter has just successfully completed its first crewed public test flight in Rome.  The flying taxi launched from a new vertiport at Rome's Fiumicino International Airport.  The test was designed to showcase both the Volocopter flying taxi and Rome's 1st vertiport. It also provided the public with a new perspective on how urban air mobility vehicles might effectively work to ferry passengers between the city of Rome and Fiumicino Airport.  The Airport is planning to go fully commercial and operational with the vertiport, which will be a first for Italy.  Volocopter expects to be fully operational in Rome, Singapore and elsewhere with flying taxi services in 2024.  What The Flight Achieved The Volocopter 2X did a figure 8 in the skies over Rome at