🎙️ Latest Podcast Episode

There is a new episode of the podcast!

This time the guest is Daniel Rosen Jacobson, co-founder and co-CEO of Elysian Aircraft, one of the most ambitious projects in the field of electric aviation, since this startup aims to build a battery-powered airliner for up to 90 passengers.

Listen to this episode here.

🌍 Attending the 3rd IATA World Sustainability Symposium

I had the chance to attend the World Sustainability Symposium, organized by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in Hong Kong.

Besides meeting many friends, partners and colleagues there, it was a great opportunity to get the latest takes on aviation sustainability targets and policies from none other than Willie Walsh and IATA's VP for Sustainability and Chief Economist, Marie Owens Thomsen.

Both were, as usual, very sharp about the policy side of things, accusing policymakers and the fuel supply industry of making airlines carry all the weight of carbon mitigation.

They both argued that the current framework had not stimulated the production of SAF in the quantities that are needed. What's more, energy suppliers have been benefiting by charging SAF premiums to airlines.

To be fair, most of the conference was around two main topics: SAF and carbon credits, but there was also an interesting panel with some clean-sheet aviation technology founders, such as Eric Lithun, founder and CEO of Elfly, who has already been in the podcast, and Bob Criner, of Australian hydrogen propulsion firm Stralis, whom I expect to have soon on the podcast too!

Xpansiv (a major platform for trading environmental commodities) is connecting its portfolio management system with Gold Standard's registry, making it much easier and faster to trade Voluntary Verified Emission Reductions credits and CORSIA Eligible Emissions Units Credits.

Cathay Pacific and Airbus (IATA WSS host airline) announced the allocation of US$70 million to accelerate SAF projects in the Asia-Pacific region.

Cathay Pacific used this conference to showcase its environmental commitment, as one of the leading airlines, if not THE leading airline in this field in its region. The Hong Kong carrier is also a participant in the oneworld-Breakthrough Energy Ventures fund that was announced a few days before the conference and which will also support SAF projects.

🛢️ Other SAF developments

EASA published its Europe SAF usage report for 2024, which in addition to disclosing the aggregate 0.6% take up rate, includes some very interesting takeaways about the state of SAF adoption in Europe. Btw, was also interesting to find out this "Azero" EU-supported website with info on this matter.

Honeywell claims to have developed a new process to make SAF out of biogenic material, such as agricultural and forestry waste, which is more efficient and scalable than other existing methods. Interesting!

A Honda Jet completed a 100% SAF test flight - really interesting to see aircraft in this category.

British e-fuels startup OXCCU has received some money from the UK's Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI).

🔋 Electric Aviation Updates

Dovetail, the electric aviation startup headed by David Doral (and also guest of the podcast!) has received €1.7 million in funding from Spanish bank CaixaBank.

AURA AERO, French electric and hybrid-electric aircraft developer, opened its US facility in Florida. The French startup, led by Jeremy Caussade, has ambitious plans for the US market, which is the largest by far for general aviation and training. To get a glimpse of the company's factory in Toulouse, France, check out this piece.

Textron is closing down its eAviation division, although this doesn't mean it is dropping the actual product lines and brands, such as Pipistrel, which will be integrated into other units of the aircraft maker.

Some interesting stats about electric aviation (would you be able to tell which airport in the world has handled the most electric flights to date?), h/t to electric mobility evangelist (and multiple times guest of our podcast, Morrell Westermann).

💧 Hydrogen Propulsion

ZeroAvia has shared a video showing the liquid hydrogen system it has fitted into its test Do228 aircraft. The hydrogen aviation startup has also simulated a London to Dublin flight (250 miles) on the ground.

🚁 Advanced Air Mobility Developments

BETA Technologies has had its IPO! (and it closed its first trading day 6% up!).

Not everyone is convinced about the BETA Technologies investment case, though.

The newly renamed Aridge (the eVTOL arm of Chinese car maker XPeng) recently announced it had closed deals for 600 of its car+eVTOL combinations (essentially a car-launched small, one-person eVTOL) with a number of companies in the Middle East. As the linked article points out, though, there is not much clarity about what is XPeng's certification pathway in this region or even what will be the final configuration and specifications of this vehicle.

Btw, Aridge has also shown this video of its A868 uncrewed aircraft (larger than the car-launched one!).

Chinese eVTOL developer TCab successfully completed its first manned test flight.

Odys Aviation just closed a $26 million Series A round. Note: 26 million may sound like a significant early funding round, but it is a drop in the bucket in the world of aircraft development and certification.

Archer has signed a deal with Korean Air for 100 eVTOLs. It is interesting how this happens weeks after Hyundai's own eVTOL project - Supernal - was paused.

Also in Asia, Archer has been selected to take part in the phase one of the "eVTOL Implementation Project" of the city of Tokyo.

Joby Aviation, true to its approach of making as much as possible in-house, has started manufacturing blades at its Dayton facility. Joby has also announced the first NYC commuter route of its recently acquired subsidiary BLADE, from Manhattan to Westchester.

AutoFlight announced a 50 aircraft order from Falcon Aviation Services of the UAE, these includes 15 cargo and 35 passenger aircraft.

Etihad Cargo is going to test autonomous cargo drones produced by Lodd, which is also based in Abu Dhabi.

Looks like Spanish eVTOL developer Crisalion got a reprieve and will have a few more weeks to find an investor that injects fresh capital into the venture. The startup faced a critical moment in early October as it was required to face some liquidity requirements. The company has also moved to a new facility in Getafe, near Madrid.

Amazing pictures of LTA Research airship (by some measures, the largest aircraft currently flying) over San Francisco’s Golden Gate bridge.

⚠️ Testing Updates

Accidents are kind of inevitable when testing new tech, and as many startups are moving further down the testing path, this is exactly what is happening.

The latest we have seen in the advanced air mobility space involve AIR, which had one of its prototypes crash in Florida, and Regent, which had a Seaglider mishap, also during testing.

🎯 Other aviation stories worth your attention

An Executive Spotlight interview with oneworld’s CEO Nathaniel Pieper

Actually, just a few days after doing this interview, Pieper became the American Airlines’ new CCO, what he says about oneworld is still worth a read, though!

An overview of the Titanium market, essential for aerospace, by South African metal markets expert and Project Blue co-founder Nils Backeberg.

Riyadh Air completed its first passenger-carrying flight, between Riyadh and London Heathrow (pretty much all the passengers were company insiders, but it’s a start!)

Air Asia completed its restructuring and is now ready to implement the merging of its airline subsidiaries under Air Asia X.

ANA is discontinuing is AirJapan brand, will fold its operations into its mainline business.

Roope Kekäläinen, founder of Lygg, explains in a LinkedIn post how this very unique Finnish regional airline builds its niche routes, which always involve some major customer as the driver.

Aviation Sustainability & Advanced Air Mobility update: From IATA's WSS to BETA's IPO & latest eVTOL moves