20210524 Monday Report - img1.wsimg.com

ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY ADVISORS, LLC

MONDAY REPORT

VOL 1 WEEK 16MAY 24, 2021

ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY ADVISORS, LLCCOPYRIGHT 2021 © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

20210524 ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY ADVISORSMonday Report Vol 1 Week 16

Telephone. +1. 615.648.7566 Responses to: [email protected]

Hello Team,We are here to envision the future of advanced airmobility and to help build a plan for that future.

Editor’s note. This coming weekend we will honor our fallen service men andwomen as we observe Memorial Day, a day of remembrance.

Have a great holiday; see you at Indy!

Friday Report May 21, 2021

This Past week:● The Advisors website

ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY ASSOCIATIONNews by Mat Garretson, Exe. Director, https://airmobilityassociation.org

● Continued to work on the website. The redesigned website should beready within 2 weeks.

AIR MOBILITY ADVISORS https://advancedairmobilityadvisors.com

Monday Report 20210524.

Commentary

Bill Minkoff,Lots of information in the Aviation section largely due to a Vertical Lift Society forum held thispast week. Many yet unproven start-ups are nonetheless receiving financial backing fromtechnocrats with IoT billions and production promises from Tier 1 suppliers. Yet again, batteriesseem to be the stumbling block to progress for some, particularly Eviation who is building asecond prototype after their first nine-seat aircraft perished in a battery fire. See Batteries section

What if the special ops guys swooped in riding eVTOL aircraft that were quiet, stealthy andcapable of mission superiority? It’s not ready yet, but we know someone who is entirely capableof building such a platform. How soon will it happen? That depends on how serious the goodguys are.We’re not quite ready for electric attack, so….In the meantime, see what the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), has taken a specialinterest in the successor to a long line of failed attempts by the Air Force to acquire a light attackplatform. In this issue’s Armed Forces Section.

1

mailto:[email protected]

https://airmobilityassociation.org

https://advancedairmobilityadvisors.com

https://aviationweek.com/awin/company/16483



Supersonic eJets? What else could have scared Aerion enough for them to cease developmentof their AD2 Supersonic business jet. In this issues Aviation Section.

John Botti, CEO and co-founder of VoltAero has declared, “When other types of fuel, such ashydrogen, become more commonplace, we are confident that the existing design will be able tosupport it.Is hydrogen a valid answer? The Hindenburg had 16 hydrogen cells, and we know how thatturned out. See the article in the Aviation Section.

The key to unlocking eVTOL? Battery density.

BATTERIES, and Stray ElectronsSpeaking of stray voltage….Eviation's Electric Alice Aircraft Catches Fire During Ground Tests

by Charles Alcock - January 24, 2020, 6:00 AM

Eviation's Alice electric aircraft caught fire during ground testing on January 22 in Presco�, Arizona. (Photo:David McIntosh)A fire broke out during ground testing of Eviation’s all-electric Alice aircraft on January22 at Prescott Regional Airport in Arizona. The company said that the fire is believed tohave been caused by a fault with a ground-based battery system. It has yet to confirmhow extensively the prototype aircraft might have been damaged in the incident.The Prescott Fire Department was on standby for the planned test and quicklyextinguished the fire, which caused no injuries. Eviation has begun an investigation into

2


https://www.ainonline.com/charles-alcock



the full cause of the fire and has not said how the incident might affect plans to beginflight testing the aircraft.

Israel-based Eviation is aiming to complete type certification for the fixed-wing Alicebefore the end of 2022 under the FAA’s Part 23 rules. The first prototype arrived inPrescott in late 2019, having been shipped from Vannes, France, where it wasassembled at facilities owned by composite fuselage supplier Carboman Group.

Two more prototypes are due to be delivered to the U.S. this year. Eviation pushed backplans to begin flight testing in late 2019 into 2020. The company has been doingdevelopment work in partnership with the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’sPrescott campus, but intends to conduct Alice’s flight testing at Moses Lake inWashington.

Alice is being designed to carry nine passengers on flights of up to around 650 milesand at speeds of up to almost 280 mph. The aircraft is powered by three electric motorsprovided

3




by Magnix, which is part of the Singapore-based Clermont Group that is now themajority shareholder in Eviation.

It has a 900-kWh battery pack powering electric motors that drive three variable-pitchpropellers—one installed in the tail of the aircraft, and one on each side of the wing. Thecombined power of the three electric motors is 260 kW. Full charge time for the batteriesis projected at 70 minutes, or 30 minutes to provide enough power for a 60-minuteflight.

Eviation said the $4 million aircraft will offer direct operating costs of just $200 per flighthour. U.S. operator Cape Air placed the launch order for Alice in a June 2019 deal foran undisclosed number of aircraft. The company claims to have total "orders" for 150aircraft with more than one customer but has not disclosed the names of any otherprospective operators.For additional details about Alice see the article in this week’s Aviation Sectiontitled The Week In Technology by Graham Warwick

4


https://aviationweek.com/author/graham-warwick



More battery news from New Atlas World's first supercapacitor-hybridelectric motorcycle will get a chance to prove itself

Figure 1https://youtu.be/NKaOGLZLU9k

https://newatlas.com/motorcycles/nawa-racer-supercapacitor-hybrid-motorcycle/Audacious French company Nawa showed off a concept bike in 2019, claiming itssupercapacitor-hybrid battery pack could massively boost power and urban range for electricmotorcycles. Now, it seems we'll get a chance to see if the numbers stack up.

To See the Concept go to this YouTube:

https://youtu.be/NKaOGLQLU9k

Let’s get technical.Think regenerative power is possible on aircraft?. Read this IEEE abstract.

5


https://newatlas.com/motorcycles/nawa-racer-supercapacitor-hybrid-motorcycle/

https://newatlas.com/motorcycles/nawa-racer-supercapacitor-ultracapacitor-hubless-electric-motorcycle/?itm_source=newatlas&itm_medium=article-body

https://youtu.be/NKaOGLQLU9k



The More Electric Aircraft (MEA) emphasizes the utilization of electrical power as opposed tohydraulic, pneumatic, and mechanical power for optimizing aircraft performance and life cyclecost. The main sources of regenerative energy in the more electric aircraft power distributionsystem are the aircraft actuation systems: ailerons, rudder, flaps, spoilers, horizontal stabilizersand others. Instead of dissipating the energy as heat, the regenerative electric energy from themotor drives can be stored in energy storage elements such as flywheels, ultra-capacitors andbatteries. Using the Simcaps toolbox, an aileron model with the electro-mechanical actuator(EMA) is developed in Matlab/Simulink. This regenerative power system consisting of asynchronous generator, three-phase-to dc boost rectifier, EMA including an input filter, ESE anda bidirectional dc-dc converter interfacing with ESE is presented. A single-phase half-bridgebidirectional dc-dc converter is used in this configuration. Two power management controlstrategies are applied in this simulation study, load-leveling and load-following procedures. Inboth strategies, ESE compensates for the difference between the electric drive requirements andthe power provided by power distribution bus. Considering some important factors, such asweight, size and durability of the ESE, the load-following control strategy appears to be the mostsuitable for a regenerative power system in the more electric aircraft.Editor’s note: After this first rather basic paragraph, the IEEE gets a bit technical.

Consumer Acceptance

The decision to switch to electric inevitable,eVs are here! How far can aircraft be? Much closer than most think!

Aerion Ceasing Operations Of AS2 JetBill Carey Guy Norris May 21, 2021

6


https://aviationweek.com/author/bill-carey

https://aviationweek.com/author/guy-norris



Aerion AS2 supersonic jet. Credit: Aerion Corp.Supersonic aircraft developer Aerion Corp. on May 21 confirmed that it is ceasing operations ofits AS2 business jet program after years of development, citing difficulty in raising the capitalneeded to complete production. Employees were told of the development the same day.

The $120 million, planned Mach 1.4 AS2, scheduled for initial production in 2023 and first flightin 2024, counts Boeing and Spirit Aerosystems as investors and has been in development byReno, Nevada-based Aerion for a decade. The company had plans to invest $300 million to builda final assembly facility in Melbourne, Florida, and in March landed a commitment from NetJetsfor up to 20 AS2s.

In 2015, Flexjet confirmed a firm order for 20 AS2s, valued at $2.4 billion. “The AS2 supersonic business jet program meets all market, technical, regulatory andsustainability requirements and the market for a new supersonic segment of general aviation hasbeen validated with $11.2 billion in sales backlog for the AS2,” the company said in a statementprovided to The Weekly of Business Aviation. “However, in the current financial environment, it has proven hugely challenging to close on thescheduled and necessary large new capital requirements to finalize the transition of the AS2 intoproduction,” the statement added. “Given these conditions, the Aerion Corp. is now taking theappropriate steps in consideration of this ongoing financial environment.”

7




In March, Aerion released an image of a planned AS3 follow-on airliner concept designed forentry into service around the end of the decade. It would cruise at higher Mach speeds closer tothe hypersonic region, the company said. The AS2 was designed to fly at supersonic speeds over water and tailored for high subsonic, ortransonic flight around Mach 0.96 over land, where in most countries no sonic boom is allowed.The original design morphed from a twinjet to a trijet in 2014. Brian Barents, former executive chairman at Aerion, said May21 that hearing the news was“obviously disappointing.” The project has made a lot of progress, said Barents, who retiredfrom Aerion in 2018.

Rare Earth

Everybody is searching and building mills to refine rare earth (think Lithium)

Australia supports Iluka’s proposed Eneabba rareearths refinery

8


https://go.pardot.com/e/375012/s-ilukas-rare-earths-refinery-/6jzqrb/3586620825?h=32u4Ji1eHNS6L2bcUj49TOEwmerIe-08T0fL6hh4iLs

https://go.pardot.com/e/375012/s-ilukas-rare-earths-refinery-/6jzqrb/3586620825?h=32u4Ji1eHNS6L2bcUj49TOEwmerIe-08T0fL6hh4iLs



Australia supports the development of the Iluka’s proposed rare earths refinery at

Eneabba to reduce dependence on China.

Aviation

This from Flight Global

Lilium puts $2.5 million price tag on initial jetsGerman electric aviation start-up Lilium is aiming to sell its seven-seat Lilium Jet for an initialunit cost of $2.5 million, according to documents filed as part of its US stock marketlisting.Lilium is merging with a US-listed ‘blank cheque’ company called Qell Corporation as itseeks additional financial resources to bring the jet to market.

The cost estimate is contained in a registration document filed on 5 May with the US Securitiesand Exchange Commission as part of that process.“At launch we expect jet unit costs ofapproximately $2.5 million, which we anticipate will decrease as we scale up our manufacturingoperations,” the document says.

It forecasts that a single jet will generate a profit of $10 million over its eight-year lifetime, basedon annual revenue of $5 million and 25% margin.However, in order to achieve that return, eachvertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft needs to cover “approximately 1,500 miles per day,or approximately 20 to 25 flights, with on average 4.5 out of 6 passenger seats filled, generatingapproximately $15,000 of revenue per day.”

While the company’s initial focus is on a seven-seater – accommodating six passengers and onepilot – a larger version is already under consideration.

9




To read the article go to:https://www.flightglobal.com/aerospace/lilium-puts-25-million-price-tag-on-initial-jets/143724.article

Bill “Shoes” Johnson sends this from AIRFRAMER

Pegasus scales up flight testing for verticalbusiness jet modelsThursday, 13 May 2021Pegasus expects to fly a full-scale unmanned hover model of its proposedvertical take-off business jet by the end of the year. Its cool-air fan technologyshould make it suitable for all manner of take-off sites.

Pegasus Universal Aerospace launches the Vertical Business Jet (VBJ).

The Pegasus Vertical Business Jet (VBJ), being developed in South Africa, is entering its nextphase with two quarter-scale models to be ready for testing and engineering by May 2021 and afull-scale unmanned hover model by the end of the year.

This follows the successful hover demonstration of a 1/8-scale model in July last year and theregistration of patent rights in South Africa, Europe, and the US.

10


https://www.flightglobal.com/aerospace/lilium-puts-25-million-price-tag-on-initial-jets/143724.article

https://www.flightglobal.com/aerospace/lilium-puts-25-million-price-tag-on-initial-jets/143724.article



For more go to: https://www.airframer.com/news_story.html?report=21229

IPO Edge Hosts Air Mobility III with Joby Aviation’s senior leadershipMobility is being redefined. Joby Aviation, which is going public through a merger withReinvent Technology Partners (NYSE: RTP), has aggressive plans to put 1,000 electric, verticaltake-off and landing passenger aircraft (eVTOLs) in service by 2026. And the best part: you’llbe able to order one from your smartphone. Toyota Motor Corporation, Uber Technologies, Inc.and the U.S. Air Force are all on board.

To see the YouTube go to:https://icrinc.zoom.us/rec/play/uAETCLROMHLc5_j4SZb6LRt4hZHvzM6B6wckbOInzFJ0MJ3J-cidD5WLLmhHR1xNY5VvJDL01cPwvhld.Nm7bIF7ZswATes2s?continueMode=true&_x_zm_rtaid=Dv7oK8sQS9enysGEpd21Zw.1621294049858.a3175650405219b0c942da756e0d351c&_x_zm_rhtaid=324

●

LuxaviationTo Help Lilium Build Regional EVTOL AirlinesGraham Warwick May 20, 2021

11


https://www.airframer.com/news_story.html?report=21229

https://icrinc.zoom.us/rec/play/uAETCLROMHLc5_j4SZb6LRt4hZHvzM6B6wckbOInzFJ0MJ3J-cidD5WLLmhHR1xNY5VvJDL01cPwvhld.Nm7bIF7ZswATes2s?continueMode=true&_x_zm_rtaid=Dv7oK8sQS9enysGEpd21Zw.1621294049858.a3175650405219b0c942da756e0d351c&_x_zm_rhtaid=324




https://aviationweek.com/forum/business-aviation/luxaviation-help-lilium-build-regional-evtol-airlines




Luxaviation will bring business aircraft and helicopter operating experience to Lilium’seVTOL networks. Credit: LiliumLuxembourg-based business aircraft operator Luxaviation Group is to support Lilium in buildingout the electric regional air mobility startup’s airline operations in Europe.

In addition to manufacturing its Lilium Jet seven-seat electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing(eVTOL) air taxi, Lilium intends to operate the aircraft on branded regional networks. TheGerman startup has already announced plans to launch operations in 2024 on its first networks inGermany and Florida.

These regional airline networks will be run by Lilium itself or by local air operator certificate(AOC) holders in certain jurisdictions, the company said in a May 5 filing with the U.S.Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

“Both in Europe and the U.S., Lilium intends to collaborate with local AOC holders for itseVTOL operations, and we are in discussions with several major players in both geographies,”the company said in the SEC filing.

With hundreds of aircraft under management and 10 AOCs across Europe, Luxaviation isexpected to become responsible for parts of the airline operations being developed by Lilium, thestartup said. This includes securing the necessary approvals, managing pilots and helpingdevelop the customer experience.

12




“This marks a key milestone as we prepare for launch,” said Remo Gerber, Lilium chiefoperating officer. The startup has announced plans to set up its first networks in Germanythrough partnerships with Cologne/Bonn, Dusseldorf, Munich and Nuremberg airports.

“As an early believer in advanced air mobility, we look forward to bringing our experience andcredentials to the partnership with Lilium and building out a service that will truly feel like a firstof its kind,” Christophe Lapierre, Luxaviation Group head of strategy, said in a statement.

The Lilium Jet will be flown by an onboard pilot holding a commercial pilot license. Thecompany is working with Lufthansa Aviation Training to develop a Lilium Jet type-ratingtraining course for qualified commercial pilots. Lilium is also partnered with airport operatorFerrovial on vertiport infrastructure.

Lindbergh Eyes Hybrid Electric Ocean CrossingBill Carey May 19, 2021

VerdeGo powertrain on Jaunt eVTOL aircraft. Credit: VerdeGo AeroErik Lindbergh hopes to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his grandfather’s historic firstsolo transatlantic flight in 2027, this time by crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a hybrid electricaircraft.

“We have to do stuff like that” to advance humanity, Lindbergh told NBAA President and CEOEd Bolen during an EBACE Connect opening keynote conversation May 18. “I think in six yearswe can do something extraordinary.”

13



https://aviationweek.com/author/bill-carey



An aviator himself, Lindbergh retraced his famed grandfather Charles Lindbergh’s 1927 soloflight from New York to Paris in 2002 to raise funds for the XPrize Foundation. He currentlyserves on the XPrize board of trustees and as chairman of the Chicago-based Charles and AnneMorrow Lindbergh Foundation. The XPrize and Lindbergh foundations have teamed on theForeverFlight initiative to advance zero-carbon fuels for aviation.

“We need to look at everywhere we can gain efficiency and aviation is really good at doing that,”Lindbergh said. “Utilizing new fuels—sustainable aviation fuel, biofuels and potentiallyhydrogen and other alternative fuels like ammonia fuels—can be possible. We absolutely need toinvest in those technologies so we can use them in the existing fleets we have.”

In 2017, Lindbergh co-founded VerdeGo Aero, developer of hybrid-electric powertraintechnology for aircraft. VerdeGo Aero and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraftdeveloper Jaunt Air Mobility signed an MOU in December 2020 to fit the Jaunt Journey air taxiwith VerdeGo’s hybrid-electric diesel generator system.

Lindbergh, who spoke with Bolen at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, also serves on the board ofVeriJet, a Florida company that has launched a short-haul, point-to-point charter service usingthe Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet.

“Aviation has never lived up to the promise of short- to middle-distance charter andtransportation like it’s going to in the next few years,” said Lindbergh. “It’s really going tochange with the advent of electric, vertical takeoff capability. We are going to see small aircraftwith multi-mission roles that are really going to fill that gap between the charter operators whoare flying from New York to Seattle, for example, and then [are] able to fly you to Mercer Islandin a small urban air mobility vehicle. That’s a huge change and it’s coming very, very quickly.

Volocopter Launches Larger, Longer-range eVTOL Aircraft

14




Volocopter plans to bring a larger, longer-range eVTOL aircraft into operation by 2026 to servemarkets beyond those addressed by its VoloCity model, the company announced yesterdayduring an EBACE Connect media conference. The all-electric four-seat VoloConnect will have arange of up to 60 miles and a cruise speed of 110 mph, rising to a top speed of around 155 mph.

15




Unveiling the new lift-and-push concept, the German company said its engineering team, led bychief engineer Sebastian Mores, has been working on the design for more than two years and hasfiled several patents for the technology used. The aircraft features a wing connected to aV-shaped tail by a pair of parallel beams supporting six sets of electric motors and rotors. To therear of the fuselage, there is a pair of ducted fans to support cruise flight.

Like the two-seat VoloCity, Volocopter intends to certify the VoloConnect under EASA’s newSpecial Conditions-VTOL rules. The VoloCity is limited to a range of just 22 miles and a speedof 60 mph. The company is also developing an autonomous freight-carrying version called theVoloDrone, which will have the same performance in terms of range and payload. All threemodels will feature batteries that can be quickly swapped between flights, but the company hasyet to demonstrate this capability.

VoloConnect uses a hybrid lift and push design to transport up to four passengers electrically onroutes of 100 km at a speed of 180 km/h, with a top speed of ~250 km/h. The compact aircraftlayout, necessary for urban missions, is naturally stable and highly efficient during forward flightwhile maintaining a low stall speed. Volocopter's Munich-based team of experts, led by ChiefEngineer Sebastian Mores, have been working on the aircraft for over two years and filed severalpatents for its technology. They are already flying multiple scaled prototypes of VoloConnect andare quickly progressing towards testing full scale prototypes.

VoloConnect target vehicle specifications include:

SEATS 4

LIFTING ELECTRICAL MOTORS AND ROTORS 6

NUMBER OF PROPULSION FANS 2

LANDING GEAR Retractable

MAX CRUISE SPEED (DESIGN CRUISE SPEED) 250 km/h (180 km/h)

FLIGHT RANGE 100 km (today's battery technology)

CERTIFICATION BASIS SC VTOL enhanced (10-9)

The Week In Technology, May 17-21, 2021 Eviation Advances Alice Toward Flight.Graham Warwick May 17, 2021

16





Eviation’s 11-seat Alice is powered by MagniX electric propulsion units.Credit: EviationMagniX has delivered the first propulsion unit to sister company Eviation to power the Alice11-seat all-electric aircraft, moving the prototype toward a first flight scheduled for later thisyear.

Eviation is building a second prototype of the nine-passenger Alice after the first aircraft wasdamaged in a ground battery fire in January 2020. The Alice is powered by three MagniXelectric propulsion units.

When first unveiled in 2017, the Alice was planned to fly in 2019 and enter service in 2023. TheIsraeli startup is now aiming for market entry in 2024 and has updated its specifications for theaircraft.

The aircraft now described on Eviation’s website is pressurized, with a 220-kt. cruise, 32,000-ft.service ceiling and 440-nm range with 45-min. instrument flight rules reserves. Originally, theinitial version was to be unpressurized with a 240-kt. cruise, 10,000 ft. ceiling and 740-nm range.

Takeoff gross weight has increased to 14,700 lb., up from 14,000 lb., and wingspan has grown to59.1 ft., up from 53.1 ft. But battery weight remains unchanged at 8,200 lb. with 820 kWh ofenergy capacity, down from 900 kWh originally, using lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxidecells.

17




Both Eviation and MagniX are owned by billionaire Richard Chandler’s Singapore-basedClermont Group. The Alice prototype will fly from a new U.S. assembly and delivery facilitybeing established by Eviation in Arlington, Washington, close to MagniX’s headquarters inEverett.

Aergility Developing 2nd-Gen Cargo eVTOL

Startup Aergility is working with an unidentified strategic partner to develop an electricvertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) unmanned cargo aircraft using its “managed autorotation”technology to increase range and payload.

After completing flight tests of a subscale model of its Atlis cargo UAV, the Dunnellon,Florida-based startup has designed a second-generation hybrid-electric aircraft with increasedefficiency.

A refined design for the Atlis cargo eVTOL includes a narrow-chord wing and V-tailempennage. Credit: Aergility“Along the way we engaged with a strategic partner who is funding the development of ourfull-scale second-generation aircraft,” says founder and CEO Jim Vander May.

The Atlis has six rotors that are electrically powered for vertical takeoff and landing butautorotate to provide lift in forward flight, when propulsion is provided by a gasoline enginedriving a propeller.

18




In Aergility’s managed autorotation approach, the flight control system increases rpm on certainrotors to increase lift to maneuver the aircraft while reducing rpm on the other rotors toregeneratively extract energy to recharge the batteries in flight.

“The new configuration uses six rotors instead of eight and has a relatively small-chord wing aswell as a tail,” Vander May says. “Neither the wing nor tail have control surfaces, as flightcontrol is still accomplished with the rotor rpm differential.”

But, at higher cruise speeds the narrow-chord wing shares the lift load with the rotors. “Theresult is that the rotors can now operate at or near autorotation at a more favorable angle ofattack, reducing the overall drag and power required,” he says.

The second-generation Atlis has a gross weight of 1,200 lb. and useful load of up to 500 lb.Range with a 440-lb. payload is 200 mi., increasing to 600 mi. with a 320-lb. payload and morefuel. Cruise speed is 100 mph. “We hope to have a full-size aircraft in flight test in about a year,”Vander May says.

Lift Prepares for eVTOL Flight Experience

Lift Aircraft has completed its first six production Hexa single-person multicopters, including anaircraft delivered to the U.S. Air Force for flight testing. The startup has also selected the firstlocation for its flight experience business, where customers will pay to fly the Hexa.

The Hexa is a single-seat electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft with 18 rotors, eachpowered by an independent battery pack. The aircraft is piloted, albeit semi-autonomous, withquadruplex-redundant flight control computers as well as a ballistic recovery parachute andfloats for a water landing.

19





In April, Li� demonstrated the Hexa single-person eVTOL to the U.S. Joint Chiefs ofStaff in Austin. Credit: U.S. Air ForceAustin, Texas-based Li� is currently producing one aircra� a month. The companyplans to reach two a month by midyear and four a month in 2022, CEO Matt Chasen toldthe Vertical Flight Society s̓ virtual Forum 77 on May 12. The airframe productionpartner is an unannounced Tier 1 aerospace supplier, he said.

Under a contract from the Air Force s̓ Agility Prime program, Li� has delivered anaircra� to Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport in Ohio, close to the Air ForceResearch Laboratory, for an 18-month flight-test program. The Hexa was grantedmilitary flight release in March, Chasen said.

The Hexa is being designed to comply with FAA Part 103 rules, which do not requiretype certification but places strict limitations on operations. Li� s̓ business model is toown and operate aircra� to provide a recreational flight experience to customers.

The first location is to be at Lake Travis, outside Austin, with operations planned tobegin by late 2021 or early 2022. Customers will receive about an hour of training in avirtual reality simulator, then be allowed to fly the Hexa over an unpopulated area.

20






The aircra� will take off autonomously—staying less than 40 �. above the ground ascustomers maneuver within a box of airspace—then return and land autonomously.Over the first five years of operations, Li� plans to open locations in 25 cities withscenic, uncongested areas, Chasen said.

Over the following five years, Li� plans to open multiple locations where the Hexa canprovide point-to-point flights while still operating under Part 103 rules. “We will certifya future version and in 10 years or so open up routes over congested areas in controlledairspace,” he said.

Chasen said Li� is also looking at the public-use market for first-responder missions,such as law enforcement, firefighting, air ambulance and search and rescue, whereaircra� are operated by state agencies and do not require FAA certification.

CAE Joins Jaunt Journey eVTOL Team

As it seeks strategic investors to set up operations in Canada, Jaunt Air Mobility hasadded to the list of suppliers working on the startups̓ Journey electricvertical-takeoff-and-landing air taxi.

Canadian simulation company CAE has been selected to lead development of theJaunt Aircra� Systems Integration Lab, an engineering simulator that will be used forcockpit design and system development.

21









With an established aerospace workforce, Quebec is a likely location for Jaunt s̓ plannedCanadian operation. Credit: Jaunt Air MobilityJaunt plans to fly a preproduction version of the Journey in 2023, aiming for Part 29transport-category rotorcra� certification in 2026 and entry into service in early 2027.

Separately, Crane Aerospace & Electronics will collaborate with existing Jaunt supplierpartner BAE Systems to develop the electric power management system for theJourney.

Crane will contribute expertise in high-voltage power conversion, distribution andcontrol to studies to explore the power needs of the Journey and determine theoptimum design of the power electronics system.

Currently funded by private investors, Jaunt has announced plans to locate its designand manufacturing operations in Canada. Selection of the site will be tied to findingstrategic investors for the Journey.

●

XTI’s EVTOL Secures Fleet Commitment From U.S.Operator

22



https://aviationweek.com/aerospace/urban-unmanned-aviation/xtis-evtol-secures-fleet-commitment-us-operator



Graham Warwick May 13, 2021

XTI is offering the TriFan 600 for air taxi and emergency medical markets as well asbusiness aviation.Credit: XTI AircraftAn unnamed “major U.S. operator” has signed a purchase order with XTI Aircraft for 40 TriFan600 hybrid-electric six-seat aircraft.

The startup did not identify the operator or its market sector, but the order, plus an option foranother 40 aircraft, is “committed and in hand,” XTI CEO Bob LaBelle said.

The “name brand” operator’s firm order for 40 aircraft is included in the 202 reservations,secured by deposits, not held by XTI for the $6.5 million TriFan 600, LaBelle told the VerticalFlight Society’s virtual Forum 77 on May 12. The company is aiming for certification from theU.S. FAA by early 2025.

The TriFan 600 has three electric-powered fans, two on the wing that tilt between vertical andforward flight and one in the rear fuselage that is used only to vertical takeoff and landing andwhich is stopped and enclosed by doors in cruise flight.

Electric power is generated by the GE Aviation Catalyst turbine engine driving a 1-megawattelectrical generator plus a 250-kW battery that is used only for takeoff and landing. LaBelle saidbattery capacity is sufficient to enable two takeoffs and landings before recharging.

Weighing 5,800 lb. for vertical takeoff and landing, the TriFan 600 has a range of 650 nmcruising at 300 kt and 29,000 ft. The aircraft can also takeoff and land conventionally at 7,000 lb.

23







gross weight, giving a range of 1,200 nm. In air taxi configuration, with nine seats, range is 280nm, he said.

XTI is finalizing design of the TriFan 600, aiming for a first flight in 20 months. Followingcertification, expected in late 2024 or early 2025, the startup plans to start work on a larger12-15-seat model, based interest expressed by several airlines around the world, LaBelle said.

Armed Forces

The Weekly Debrief: Armed Overwatch Seeks To Avoid LightAttack Fate from AWIN Steve Trimble

Credit: Paramount GroupU.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has now officially confirmed the five bidders,which Aerospace DAILY named on May 10, that will compete for the Armed Overwatchcontract for 75 aircraft next year.

As SOCOM stages the virtual Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (vSOFIC) thisweek, however, the true test of the program’s viability may not come in the acquisition process,but in the backroom deliberations of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), which hastaken a special interest in the successor to a long line of failed attempts by the Air Force toacquire a light attack platform.

The five teams selected to participate in the Armed Overwatch competition are:

24


https://aviationweek.com/author/steve-trimble





● Leidos/Paramount Group USA Bronco II● MAG Aerospace MC-208 Guardian● Textron Aviation Defense AT-6E Wolverine● L3Harris/AirTractor AT-802U Sky Warden ● Siera Nevada/PZL Mielec MC-145B Wily Coyote

A May 14 pre-solicitation noticed published by SOCOM lays out the accelerated one-yearprocess leading up to a scheduled contract award in April 2022.

That Other Transaction Authority (OTA) procedures include a three-phase evauation process.

Phase 1, the submission of white papers, and Phase 2, offeror deep dives, already have beencompleted. SOCOM is now in Phase 3 of the Armed Overwatch competition: OTA Agreementawards to the five bidders, which are splitting a combined $19.9 million pool of money.

The funding will allow the contractors to perform a competitive flight demonstration at EglinAFB, Florida, test facilities, starting this summer.

The AT-6E and AT-802U are no strangers to competitive flight demonstrations, havingparticipated in the Air Force’s Light Attack Experiments in 2018 and 2019. The MC-208 andMC-145B are no strangers to the SOCOM inventory, as they are already members of the AirForce Special Operations Command’s fleet of light reconnaissance and airlift aircraft.

The Bronco II is the newcomer to the U.S. acquisition process. The twin-boomed aircraft, afeature shared with its OV-10 namesake, is derived from the Advanced High PerformanceReconnaissance Light Aircraft (AHRLAC), which was unveiled by South Africa’s ParamountGroup. Only two prototypes have been built.

SOCOM’s requirements depart from the Air Force’s vision for a light attack fleet. These aircraftare meant to be used primarily for observing enemy movement and coordinating air strikes byother aircraft. If an opportunity arises that requires the Armed Overwatch aircraft to strike atarget, it is expected to release small precision munitions from level flight.

That emphasis on the “overwatch” part of the mission may be critical for the program’s survival.The Light Attack Experiments never persuaded influential detractors, especially on the SASC,that a Sierra Nevada A-29 or Textron AT-6E posed an existential risk to the Air Force’s fleet ofFairchild Republic A-10s.

Although jet-powered and carrying heavier armament, the A-10’s proponents feared the rise of asmaller, cheaper class of aircraft in the conventional Air Force inventory that could performmany of the same missions, except those requiring a 30mm cannon onboard to destroy tanks.

25










But it is still not clear that the A-10’s supporters are comfortable with the Armed Overwatchprogram. Last year, the Pentagon asked for $100 million for Armed Overwatch, including $20million to stage the flight demonstration and $80 million to order the first five aircraft. Theproposal sailed through other committees, but not the SASC. Instead, the Senate panel directedSOCOM to pause the program for several months to allow Rand Corp. to complete anindependent review of SOCOM’s fixed-wing aviation fleet.

The results of that Rand review have been shared with Congress, but not yet released to thepublic. For Armed Overwatch to avoid the fate of the Air Force’s light attack acquisition saga,the SASC will have to be convinced that an observation-heavy fleet of semi-obscure aircraftposes no threat to the future of the A-10.

Upcoming Events

This is a partial list of upcoming events. We are still seeing a lot of in personshowcases canceled such as the Paris Airshow.

May 29—Armchair Airshow 2021, Biggin Hill, London,UK, https://www.aerobility.com/armchairairshow

June 5-6—Chennault International Airshow, Chennault International Airport, LakeCharles, LA, https://chennaultairshow.com/show

26


https://www.aerobility.com/armchairairshow

https://chennaultairshow.com/show



[In-Person and Virtual Event] June 7—SpeedNews Aerospace Raw Materials &Manufacturers Supply Chain Conference, Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills,CA, https://rmc.speednews.com/en/home.html

[Virtual Event] June 9-10—Aviation Week s̓ MROBEER, https://mrobeer.aviationweek.com/en/home.html

June 15-16—WATS 2021: The 23rd World Aviation Training Summit, Rosen ShingleCreek Resort, Orlando, FL, https://www.wats-event.com

[Virtual Event] June 16-17—International Conference on Mechanical and AerospaceEngineering (ICMAE), http://iastem.org/Conference2021/USA/10/ICMAE

June 22-25—Aircra� Electronics Association International Convention & Trade Show,Hilton Anatole, Dallas, TX, https://aea.net/convention/2021/default.asp

June 23-25—Aviation Week s̓ Routes Americas 2021, Omni Orlando Resort, Orlando,FL, https://www.routesonline.com/events/214/routes-americas-2021

End note: Make sure you like us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

27


https://rmc.speednews.com/en/home.html

https://mrobeer.aviationweek.com/en/home.html

https://www.wats-event.com

http://iastem.org/Conference2021/USA/10/ICMAE


https://aea.net/convention/2021/default.asp

https://www.routesonline.com/events/214/routes-americas-2021

20210524 Monday Report - img1.wsimg.com

Documents