This week in aviation: Joby's Osaka debut, Otto's 300-plane order & China Eastern’s Barcelona cabin
Electric Aviation: Power Surge Across the Industry
Electra.aero spreads its wings on two continents
Big news from Electra.aero: the hybrid-electric aircraft developer is expanding its footprint with new facilities in both Virginia and Switzerland. What’s been going on? The company revealed its workforce has doubled in 2025. Impressive.
Read more about Electra's expansion
Investment in the German sustainable aviation industry
Piper Deutschland is investing in MD Aircraft, a German startup developing an all-electric regional aircraft.
For those wondering about the connection: yes, Piper Deutschland is linked to the famous US-based, Brunei-owned aircraft maker, but it is actually an independent business operating as its distribution and post-sale service arm for Europe.
Deutsche Aircraft builds strategic alliances
The German aircraft maker is expanding its network with new partnerships.
With just a few days of difference, the company has signed strategic deals with both Vaeridion (focusing on battery testing and industrial processes) and engineering firm Akkodis, which strengthens this way its position in the aviation space.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel: From Lab to Tarmac
EU invests big in Clean Aviation projects
Earlier in September, the EU's Clean Aviation Undertaking announced which sustainable aviation projects will receive fresh funding.
If you're like me and get dizzy trying to track all the different EU public programs and initiatives in green tech, Clean Aviation has helpfully posted a summary on their site. The headline figure is €945 million to be allocated across 12 projects, though it's worth noting this figure includes private funding. The actual public contribution is €378 million.
Explore the Clean Aviation projects
Synhelion fuel powers Zurich airport bus
It's a small but symbolic moment: Zurich Airport has used Synhelion e-fuel to fill the tank of one of its buses for the first time. The airport has long backed this Swiss startup, which was also one of the very early guests on the podcast!
Synhelion operates a plant in Jülich, Germany, where it produces limited quantities of sustainable aviation fuel using its solar-to-fuel technology.
British SAF startup OXCCU raises £20.75 million
OXCCU, a UK-based e-SAF startup, has closed a £20.75 million ($28 million) Series B funding round with some serious industry heavyweights. The investor list includes IAG (parent company of British Airways), Safran Corporate Ventures, Polish oil company Orlen, and Aramco Ventures, part of the Saudi Arabia's national oil company.
Advanced Air Mobility news
Joby's big week in Japan and the UAE
It's been quite an eventful week for Joby!
The eVTOL developer finally held its much-anticipated live flight demonstration at the Osaka Expo. (When I visited back in May, they weren't even present at the Advanced Air Mobility Pavilion yet!). aThe wait was worth it for those lucky enough to witness it in person.
Want to know more about the Expo itself?
I've put together a two-part series with my general impressions and some practical informations about the Expo, its best pavilions, and even some tips about where to stay and eat in Osaka!
But Joby wasn't done yet. The company also announced plans to expand its UAE operations to include Ras Al Khaimah, the emirate about an hour's drive north of Dubai (this project is done in cooperation with Skyports, an eVTOL infrastructure company which was also featured in one episode of the podcast).
While less famous than Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah is trying to develop its tourism industry.
BETA Technologies eyes going public
It looks like BETA Technologies is preparing for an IPO, as indicated by this SEC filing.
Spanish eVTOL maker Crisalion faces uncertainty
The reality check continues for the eVTOL industry.
On September 30, Spanish developer Crisalion reached a judicial deadline to refinance, though it remains unclear whether the company secured fresh capital in time or not and what comes next.
In the last few weeks, several media outlets reported that the company was facing a liquidity crisis and that it was falling behind in salary payments. The era of exuberance for the eVTOL industry is certainly over!
REGENT's Seagliders eye Scottish waters
When it comes to these ground-effect vehicles we had, until now, seen the spotlight being placed in the US and Asia, but it looks like the US startup is evaluating this option together with the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership.
Not for nothing REGENT takes pride in its technology being able to withstand larger waves than any other vehicle of this sort that has been designed to date!
Hydrogen: The Long Game
Beyond Aero makes powertrain progress
French startup Beyond Aero has announced major advances in developing the hydrogen fuel cell powertrain for its future sustainable executive aircraft. The company successfully tested its full-scale hydrogen-electric propulsion system—a significant milestone on the long road to hydrogen-powered flight.
Other aviation stories worth your attention
Otto Aerospace lands massive 300-aircraft order
Otto Aerospace (the company recently changed its name from Otto Aviation) received a 300-strong order from Flexjet for its Phantom 3500 aircraft. This is massive!
Btw, Scott Drennan, Otto’s COO was on the podcast just days before this deal was announced sharing lots of insights about this revolutionary laminar flow aircraft.
Airlines get creative with special liveries
Want to see a beautiful A350 cabin interior? Check out the one China Eastern Airlines has come up with to mark the start of its services to Barcelona. I managed to get onboard and take some pics:
See the special Barcelona-themed cabin
Lufthansa is also getting a special beautiful livery for its 100th anniversary
Lufthansa's centenary livery revealed
Network expansion: New bases and routes
New base announcements: Wizz Air is planting its flag in Yerevan, Armenia. The low cost airline was already serving the airport, but will now base two A321neos there.
And Norwegian returns “en force” to Billund, Denmark. The Scandinavian carrier continues its network rebuild with impressive determination.
Norwegian's Billund base announcement
Executive Spotlight: Building a leasing powerhouse
Don't miss this inspiring story of entrepreneurship! I interviewed Ali Ben Lmadani, founder and CEO of ABL Aviation, to speak about how he's building an emerging aircraft leasing powerhouse.
Did you know that Portugal has now its own spaceport?
Check out my story about the new spaceport that is being set up in the Azores, in the middle of the Atlantic, a convenient location because rocket launches don’t interfere with any air or sea traffic.
