Hypersonics, Airline brand design, Vaeridion & more (The Allplane Newlsetter #118)
Picture: Vaeridion
Sustainable Aviation News
There’s a new episode of the Allplane podcast!
Ivor van Dartel is the founder of Vaeridion, one of the most promising startups in the electric aviation space. This is a topic we’ve covered in other occasions in the podcast, but it is always fascinating to learn from those that are directly involved in shaping this new era of aviation, even more so if, like is Ivor’s case, they manage to articulate their vision in a totally clear and concise way!
Electric Aviation
Lufthansa Aviation Training, which trains pilots for the German flag carrier, may soon go electric. The pilot school has signed a letter of intent to acquire the electric version of the Diamond DA40, an aircraft type it already uses in its conventional version. READ.
Rolls-Royce may be selling its electric propulsion business soon. Its new chief executive has voiced concerns about the strategic outlook of the group and is aiming to restructure parts of the business. READ.
Advanced Air Mobility
Chinese eVTOL developer Volant Aerotech conducted flight tests. Here is a VIDEO.
McKinsey has published a new report on the mobility landscape. It is always a good idea to check what McKinsey thinks about a certain topic. The consulting firm has been traditionally bullish on advanced air mobility (see for example, our podcast episode with Robin Riedel, of the firm’s San Francisco office). This report includes a section on advanced air mobility. READ.
Hydrogen Aviation
ZeroAvia has successfully tested a High Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane (HTPEM) system. This technology is necessary for the fuel cell to operate at higher temperatures, which is also a precondition for being able to scale the systems to larger aircraft and payloads. READ (quite technical)
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
Icelandair has signed an agreement with Icelandic company IdunnH2 to take in 45,000 tons of SAF from 2028 onward. This should allow for a 10% reduction of its international flights carbon footprint. READ.
Other sustainable aviation news
Southwest Airlines has purchased 400,000 carbon credits from lessor SMBC, which in turn is going to invest in ESG projects in Africa and other regions through a number of specialized partners. READ.
Amazing map of the aerospace startup scene of southern California, by Starburst (btw, Starburst’s founder, François Chopard was also a guest of the podcast!). CHECK THE MAP OUT.
Air France livery proposal, by La Livery
ANA has revealed the cabin product and other elements of the passenger experience for its new subsidiary AirJapan, which is expected to launch in early 2024. It is drawing many elements, such as uniforms style and welcome music, from traditional Japanese culture. READ.
Which airlines are adopting Starlink in order to offer high speed broadband inflight? CHECK IT OUT HERE.
The US Naval Institute appears to be bullish on ekranoplans (or ground effect vehicles, as they are technically known). Two US startups are working on such concepts, The Flying Ship and REGENT Craft. READ.
Finnair has presented a Moomin livery for its 100th anniversary. And if you spot it, you can win a trip to Japan! READ.
Northern Pacific Airways is finally taking off, although on a much shorter route than originally expected! READ.
More airlines added to the 2023 launches. READ.