Renovation of Europe’s air traffic management (ATM) is progressing at a steady speed but with shifted priorities, as the backers of the Single European Sky Research (SESAR) project manage their budgets amid the pandemic.
Prismatic’s PHASA-35 high-altitude pseudo-satellite has been fitted with a sensor payload and been taken through simulated cold soak testing to prepare it for stratospheric flight.
The startup describes the flight from Camarillo to Hayward in California as “the longest flight to date for any commercially relevant aircraft employing electric propulsion.”
The company is making key technology choices early and still has massive challenges ahead: technological, regulatory and in convincing industry partners to participate.
An intermediate engine between the current LEAP turbofan and one that would enter service in 2035 with slashed greenhouse gas emissions is not in the cards, according to Safran CEO Philippe Petitcolin.
Universal Hydrogen has selected MagniX to provide the electric propulsion system for its planned conversion of the de Havilland Canada Dash 8-300 regional turboprop to hydrogen fuel-cell power.
The French government has reiterated its desire to see a hydrogen-fueled Airbus flying in service by 2035, firmly reacting to those claiming the move is too risky.
France will focus on investing in hydrogen technology as part of a broader post-COVID-19 economic relaunch plan with the government planning to have a hydrogen-powered aircraft ready for 2035.
