Business aircraft activity in North America was down 12% in February compared to a year ago, while European activity fell 31%, according to Argus data. Compared to January, activity in North America was down 4.4%, while activity in Europe was down 2.6% compared to the previous month, Argus said.
Hybrid-electric pioneer Ampaire plans to conduct the UK’s first electric regional flight following a successful bid for funding support under the government’s £125 million ($174 million) Future Flight Challenge.
Deliveries of Western-built, turbine-powered helicopters are projected to total 6,376 units valued at $30.4 billion over the next 10 years, resulting in a compound annual growth rate of 1.4% for the in-service fleet, according to Aviation Week Network’s Helicopter Fleet & MRO Forecast.
A design tool enabling power trains for electric aircraft to be modeled and optimized early in design has been released by startup LaunchPoint Electric Propulsion Systems.
Against a background of U.S. government opposition to using small drones produced in China, Texas-based Windhover Labs has unveiled a domestically developed flight computer designed to make it easier to develop and certify drones in the U.S.
The past year has been “pretty brutal” for the aviation industry, with the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting supply chains and aircraft deliveries, but “we’re going to come out of it just fine,” says Richard Aboulafia, Teal Group vice president of analysis.
Offshore helicopter operator CHC Group’s Brazil-based operation is to be the first to introduce a helicopter-dedicated derivative of a Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS) on its Leonardo AW139 used for offshore oil and gas support.
U.S.-based OneSky and Australian company Nova Systems completed trials in March of a proposed system for managing low-altitude drone traffic in Singapore.
“Where’s my flying car?” may be the popular lament of disappointed futurists, but “Where’s the market?” is the more important question for startups trying to make roadable aircraft a reality. AeroMobil is targeting the exclusive clientele of supercar enthusiasts with its first product, the two-seat AeroMobil 4.0. But now the Slovakian startup is eyeing ride-hailing as a route to expanding the market.
To electrify future large commercial aircraft will require new wiring systems that can distribute tens of megawatts of power at thousands of volts safely and reliably at high altitudes.
U.S. business aviation traffic is up 11% so far in March compared to a year ago, following a 5% decline in January and February, according to WingX Advance data.
Sustainability of operations will be a key concern of the business aviation sector in a post-Brexit, post-COVID-19 world, according to speakers and attendees at the British Business and General Aviation Association’s annual conference.
Glenn Hogben was appointed CEO of The Air Charter Association, based in London, in January. Hogben joined The ACA in 2008 and was elected to the nonexecutive board in 2017.
Startup Reliable Robotics has remotely piloted a Cessna 208B Caravan from a ground station 50 mi. away, a key step toward certifying an autonomy retrofit for the aircraft that will enable unmanned regional cargo operations.
Norwegian domestic airline Widerøe has partnered with Rolls-Royce and Italy’s Tecnam to become the potential launch operator of the P-Volt electric-powered passenger aircraft.
The European Business Aviation Association is urgently asking European national authorities to eliminate administrative flight barriers caused by Brexit for flights from the UK to the European Union, saying it is “unacceptable.”
U.S. airlines are set to receive another $14 billion in payroll support after House lawmakers approved the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package on March 10.
