Nordic seaplanes go electric & more (The Allplane Newsletter#167)
Electric Aviation
Nordic Seaplanes, the only regular seaplane operator in Europe, is becoming the launch customer for the Noemi all-electric seaplane being developed by Norwegian startup Elfly.
Rolls-Royce has ended up closing down its electric propulsion business after failing to find a buyer.
The range limitations of battery-powered aircraft are well-known, but what if you had a solar-powered aircraft with virtually unlimited range? Some adventurers and pioneers have tried that and here is an interesting piece explaining one project that goes in that direction.
Advanced Air Mobility
Interesting report about how Textron is quietly, but steadily, putting together its future eVTOL, the Nexus, by leveraging the areas of expertise of the different subsidiaries of the group.
China is living through its own eVTOL investment boom.
Regent got an order for 27 Seagliders from UrbanLink Air Mobility, which intends to deploy them on routes in Florida and Puerto Rico.
Hydrogen Aviation
A summary (h/t Paul Perera) of NASA’s Hydrogen-Fueled Hybrid Wing Body (HWB), a new aircraft concept that the space agency is working on with sustainability in mind.
ASL Aviation has joined the advisory group of Fokker Next Gen, which is aiming to develop a clean-sheet hydrogen-powered aircraft.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
Sustainability entrepreneur Louis Lammertyn is putting together the “Better to Baku” initiative.
What is this? A chartered flight which will allow COP29 to fly to Baku this November by reducing their carbon footprint by 80%. This will be achieved through the direct use of SAF and book and claim purchases.
The project aims to prove that people are ready to pay a bit more to advanced the use of SAF and lower emissions. Bookings are now open for the Better to Baku flight between Amsterdam-Schiphol (AMS) and Baku (GYD) and back, for prices for the return ticket of between €1,200 and 1,500. An interesting project that will certainly be talking about more as COP29 gets closer in time.
IATA will create a matchmaking platform for airlines and SAF producers.
Air France-KLM are increasing an existing agreement with French energy firm Total to procure SAF. The airline will now get 1.5 million tons over a period of 10 years, up from the 800k it agreed to purchase in 2022.
Worldfuel and DHL will bring SAF to Miami international airport (MIA).
Other sustainable aviation stories
British Airways has become the UK’s largest carbon remover after 33,000 carbon removal credits through CUR8, in a six-year $11 million deal.
Other interesting aviation stories
Jeffrey Goh, CEO of the Gulf Air Group, on AeroTime’s Executive Spotlight.
Passenger experience: A combined flight review SWISS + Edelweiss Air.
Air France joins United, airBaltic, Qatar Airways and Hawaiian and will offer free Starlink internet access onboard its fleet.
Southwest Airlines is trying to reinvent itself, but its main activist shareholder is unimpressed.
Air Astana has got Airbus to install extra fuel tanks with 3,121 liters of fuel on some of its A321LR, so that it can now fly nonstop Alamty to London on the narrow body aircraft, instead of having to make a technical stopover at Aktau.
Turkish Airlines is going to fly to Santiago de Chile and Delta, to Sicily.
Interesting thoughts by Richard Aboulafia on the role sovereign wealth funds can (or can not) play in aircraft development programs.