e-flight-journal

EHang Holdings Limited today announced to partner with an Italian architecture firm Giancarlo Zema Design Group (GZDG) to extend its air mobility solutions in the EU.

GZDG has designed and will build an eco-sustainable vertiport in Italy. The vertiport will use green design and construction materials, and can generate energy to recharge the EH216 eVTOL.

Inspired by the native African tree Baobab, GZDG came up with the natural Baobab design: a 30-meter-high tower, with a steel and laminated wood structure, a waiting room, a café, a 200-square-meter panoramic restaurant and connecting lift. The take off-and-landing platform will be set on the roof terrace. The vertiport is built with non-slip photovoltaic panels that can generate over 300 KW of electric power per day. The platform will have fully independent plug-and-play charging infrastructures that can be used to recharge EHang’s eVTOL.

With the Baobab vertiport, EHang and GZDG aim to enter the emerging global eco-tourism sector, with multiple projects being planned in Europe and Southeast Asia.

The Giancarlo Zema Design Group is an innovative architecture practice in Rome, specialized in smart eco-sustainable projects, semi submerged architectural structures, floating habitats, yacht and interior design. Founded in 2001 by the architect Giancarlo Zema as a dynamic and flexible organization, it covers the entire design process, from concept to the executive details. For more information, please visit www.giancarlozema.com.

Today Rolls-Royce annouced that they and the Italian airframer Tecnam are joining forces with Widerøe – the largest regional airline in Scandinavia, to deliver an all-electric passenger aircraft for the commuter market, ready for revenue service in 2026.

The project expands on the successful research programme between Rolls-Royce and Widerøe on sustainable aviation and the existing partnership between Rolls-Royce and Tecnam on powering the all-electric P-Volt aircraft.

Norway has been a spearhead force in electric aviation. Stein Nilsen, Chief Executive, Widerøe said: “Norway’s extensive network of short take-off and landing airports is ideal for zero emissions technologies. This aircraft shows how quickly new technology can and will be developed, and that we are on track with our ambition of flying with zero emissions around 2025.”

The programme will look to cover all elements of developing and delivering an all-electric passenger aircraft that could be used in the Norwegian market from 2026. Due to its topography, Norway makes extensive use of aviation for regional connectivity and has an ambition for all domestic flights to be zero emissions by 2040. Rolls-Royce will bring its expertise in propulsion and power systems, Tecnam will provide aircraft design, manufacturing and certification capabilities. Widerøe’s mission will be to ensure that all competence and requirements of an airline operator are in place for entry into service in 2026.

Rolls-Royce’s full press release: https://www.rolls-royce.com/media/press-releases/2021/11-03-2021-rr-and-tecnam-join-forces

Today Rolls Royce electrical announced that they will supply the propulsion and lift system for Vertical Aerospace’s VX-4X eVTOL.

Rolls-Royce will design the system architecture of the whole electrical propulsion system, the electric power system that includes their latest 100kW-class lift and push electrical propulsion units, the power distribution and the monitoring system that will support operations.

More info at Rolls Royce here & at Vertical Aerospace here and more in the next e-flight-journal magazine

Joby Aviation has spent more than a decade developing piloted, all-electric, vertical takeoff and landing passenger aircraft, with over 1,000 test flights conducted to date. Intends to operate clean, quiet and affordable air taxi service starting in 2024. First company to agree certification basis for an eVTOL aircraft with FAA. First company to be granted airworthiness approval for an eVTOL aircraft by U.S. Air Force. Joby has strategic partnership with Toyota for production and recently acquired Uber ElevateTransaction values combined company at $6.6 billion post-money equity value, and is expected to provide approximately $1.6 billion in gross proceeds

Full press release: https://www.jobyaviation.com/news/joby-aviation-to-list-on-nyse-through-merger-with-reinvent-technology-partners/

firt flying video of Joby eVTOL:

CEO and Founder, JoeBen Bevirt introduced the company vision. Note the takeoff noise at the end of the video:

The new issue of the e-flight Journal is out with some very interesting stories:

3 • Editorial:

Is the hype in market capital good for
electric aviation? an Analyse from Xin Guo
(click to read more )

8 • eNews around the world
14 • Joby Acquired Uber Elevate
16 • 3. e-flight forum China, online
21 • Tecnam P-Volt Electric Commuter
23 • VoltAero’s Cassio electric commuter
26 • Hydrogen Aviation on the Horizon
30 • PIPISTREL:
30 • Alpha Electro
36 • Velis Electro
38 • Interview with Tine Tomažič
42 • RX1E-A
48 • Spark Solo, a touring motor-glider?
54 • Power generator for e-VTOLS
56 • 2. e-flight garden talk: D3
60 • World Overview: eVTOLs

For Info AERO 2021 postpones and first AERO ASIA announced for autumn 2021 https://www.aero-expo.com/aero-en/press/press-releases.php?obj_id=393&sMode=detail
https://www.aero-expo.com/aero-de/news/AERO-ASIA-2021.php

Today the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC, ARJ21 & C919 jet manufacturer)’s Beijing Research Center unveiled the fuel cell-powered eVTOL prototype. Official press release not yet published. Will update when new information come out. A 50% sub-scale model has flown for a while.

The above is the 50% sub-scale model

Lilium’s founder and CEO Daniel Wiegand recently had an interview with a German newspaper „Frankfurter Allgemeine“. Daniel revealed quite some interesting information in this interview such as their product development plan and fund raising situation and IPO plan. The link is in German but you can use google translate to read it:

https://zeitung.faz.net/faz/unternehmen/2021-01-05/5c6d3053508b808dcce6e4f024fd7fc6/?GEPC=s3

The startup from South Burlington, Vermont, USA
(www.beta.team) presented this prototype earlier this month. The aircraft looks a bit like a cross bread between a conventional helicopter, a fixed wing aircraft and some other existing lift and cruise designs.

They did fly their first eVTOL Prototype in 2018 based on a modified Fixed Wing Aircraft.

More info at https://www.wired.com/story/new-air-taxi-design-cues-far-flying-bird/ and at the e-flight-forum.com -China 2020- with Presenters from the leading companies and authorities world wide like Pipistrel, Volocopter, Joby and Rolls Royce.

www.e-flight-forum.com

The 4th International e-flight-forum China is ramping up as life streamed bilingual online Forum from december 08-10 three half days from 8:30-13:00 CET. more info at www.e-flight-forum.com.