Revolution.Aero

CRISALION Mobility has signed pre-orders with Wilbur Air and Air Chateau marking its entries into the Australian and UAE markets respectively. The agreement with Wilbur Air, the airline subsidiary of Australian eVTOL infrastructure developer Skyportz®, is for a pre-order of 100 aircraft . The airline operate Crisalion’s Integrity aircraft across its network of vertiports set to be built across the country. Carlos Poveda Rey, founder and CEO of Crisalion Mobility, said: “Today’s announcement is a testament to our unwavering commitment to sustainable air travel and we’re delighted to partner with one of Australia’s foremost AAM pioneers.” Following recent pre-orders in the European market, the partnership signifies Crisalion’s first commercial agreement within the Australian market. Clem Newton-Brown OAM, CEO of Wilbur Air, said: “We are very excited about the prospect of having CRISALION Mobility’s eVTOLs operating out of our vertiports under the Wilbur Air brand. Many of our partners are looking for exactly the skill set that Crisalion Mobility offers.” The deal with Dubai-based operator Air Chateau is for 10 Integrity aircraft. Crisalion and Air Chateau will work together on a growth plan for electric air taxi services in major cities, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Crisalion's general manager Manuel Heredia Ortiz said: “This partnership opens not only the door to a strategic region for Crisalion but will also form part of Air Chateau’s approach to providing sustainable air travel services to its customers. We are truly proud to have been chosen as a partner by Air Chateau.” Air Chateau’s chairman, Dr. SAMIR MOHAMED YUSUF, added: “Through this partnership, we will not only enhance connectivity but also contribute to alleviating the burden on legacy ground infrastructure, complement existing transportation networks, reduce congestion and to build a sustainable future.” Read full: https://lnkd.in/e7iZMVvK

In this episode we welcome on Christian Grim and Jesper Vind from Bosch Campus in Germany. Christian is General Manager of Bosch General Aviation Technology GmbH and Jesper works on the business development management side. Located in in the German town of Holzkirchen near Munich, Bosch Campus includes about 25,000sqm of laboratory and office building space for its development engineers and partners. Bosch said the goal was to create a place where people and their work "take centre stage". The campus recently welcomed its first external partner Munich-based electric aircraft startup VÆRIDION which has plans to commence battery R&D at the site.   Read full: https://lnkd.in/ePDVCfKw

Jekta and Hong Kong-based operator Seaplane Asia Limited have signed an agreement for the purchase of 14 amphibious PHA-ZE 100 aircraft. Signed at the Farnborough Airshow but initially agreed at The Future Opportunities for Seaplanes and Amphibious Aviation conference held in Venice in March, when fulfilled the order will expand Seaplane Asia’s fleet of mainly Cessna aircraft. Seaplane Asia is developing and reviewing several new markets and will likely use Jekta’s aircraft for short-distance flights such as island hopping, transport from airports to waterfront locations, sightseeing flights and yacht transfers. George Alafinov, CEO Jekta Switzerland, told us he sees huge opportunity in operations linked to luxury hotels. “Five-star hotels recognise that their customer experience starts at the aircraft. Current aircraft are no longer suited to meet those needs. We are delighted to be partnering with Seaplane Asia in leading the way in sustainable amphibious aviation in a region that we believe has incredible potential for our type of offering.” Dennis Keller, CEO of Seaplane Asia said: “We have been closely following the early stages of several new platforms and aircraft developments, and are confident that the PHA-ZE 100 is among the more promising airframes that can serve our various needs while addressing sustainability through its electric and hydrogen options.” Read full: https://lnkd.in/dU7894-P

Jekta has selected ZeroAvia’s fuel cell technology to demonstrate the concept of a hydrogen-powered variant of its electric amphibious flying boat design. The firms also plan to line-fit ZeroAvia’s power generation system (PGS) as the Jekta’s aircraft variant comes to market. Powered by ZeroAvia’s fuel cell PGS, it is anticipated Jekta’s aircraft, aka the PHA-ZE 100, will achieve a range of up to 600km and increase the payload by as much as one tonne. Operating and maintenance costs can also be lowered with a hydrogen fuel system supporting a life of up to 20,000 hours. George Alafinov, CEO of JEKTA Switzerland said: “By working with ZeroAvia and defining a suitable fuel cell system, we can offer our potential operator clients the choice of two fuel sources. The hydrogen system delivers a viable alternative to electric battery power that promises a significant increase in the range of our PHA-ZE 100, which will suit operators serving longer regional routes.” Val Miftakhov, CEO at ZeroAvia said: “The JEKTA team shares our vision of introducing clean aircraft propulsion systems into commercial operations. We are noting a resurgence in the seaplane market, and we’re excited to work with an innovative company that is leading and shaping the future of amphibious aviation.” Read full: https://lnkd.in/eHMbhRWr

Boom Supersonic’s all-new flight deck was the pick among a number of milestones across the supersonic aircraft developer's Overture airliner and Symphony engine programmes. Announced today at the Farnborough International Airshow (FIA), Boom’s CEO Blake Scholl said the flight deck has been designed around pilots following extensive industry feedback. The company has also began hardware testing of its Symphony engine with the first full-scale engine core to be operational in 18 months, said Scholl. Boom also announced that Symphony will be assembled in San Antonio, Texas through an expanded agreement with StandardAero. “Following XB-1’s successful test flight, we’re accelerating,” said Scholl at the press conference. “Overture features an all-new flight deck, incorporating extensive pilot feedback, resulting in a flying experience that is both innovative and instantly familiar. Our Symphony engine has quickly progressed through design into hardware rig testing, and with a fully operational engine core on track for next year, our rapid development approach is pacing ahead of schedule.” Read full: https://lnkd.in/eYGTkN4M

Wing has rolled out its drone delivery service to Melbourne, Australia with the help of DoorDash. From this week about 250,000 residents in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs will be able to order small goods from the Eastland Shopping Centre via the DoorDash app. The network expansion makes Melbourne the largest metropolitan area in Australia where Wing drone delivery is available. The company has now been commercially operating in Australia for the past five years facilitating the delivery of packages under 1.5kg in weight. “This expansion marks significant growth into major metro cities, allowing for hundreds of thousands more people, and dozens of new merchants, to have access to drone delivery in Australia through DoorDash. 2024 is the year of drone delivery,” said Margaret Stewart Nagle, head of Policy, Regulatory and Community Affairs at Wing. Read full: https://lnkd.in/eFZMbtFH

Electric Power Systems, Inc. (EPS) has submitted its application for technical standard order (TSO) approval of its EPIC 1.0 battery system to the Federal Aviation Administration. Submitted under TSO-C179b, the application included over 2600 pages of plans, procedures, reports and other compliance data required by RTCA documents DO-311A, DO-178, DO-160, and DO-254. The submission also marks a significant milestone in the process to gain full TSO approval. “We are incredibly proud of this accomplishment,” said Nathan Millecam, president and CEO of EPS. “Our team has worked tirelessly to develop a product that not only meets but exceeds industry standards. This TSO submission is a testament to our dedication to innovation and our commitment to enhancing the aviation industry.” Read full: https://lnkd.in/eGf-sbNV

Saudia Group and Lilium have signed a binding sales agreement for 50 Lilium Jets, with options for the purchase of 50 more. The agreement marks the largest of its kind in the MENA region. It follows the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Saudia and Lilium signed in October 2022. Lilium also believe it is the largest reported firm order of eVTOL aircraft by an airline that plans to operate the aircraft. The agreement includes a schedule of deposit and pre-delivery payments, timeline of future deliveries, guarantees on aircraft performance and provisions on spare parts, maintenance and repairs. In addition, the companies also plan to sign a “Lilium Power-On” agreement for aircraft fleet maintenance and support services. Klaus Roewe, CEO of Lilium, said: “The Middle East is a priority for Lilium, and Saudi Arabia will be a very large and exciting market for electric, high-speed regional air mobility. Our partnership will combine Saudia Group’s significant market knowledge with our unique eVTOL technology to transform premium class air travel in the GCC region.” Read full: https://lnkd.in/emQa3nwv

Vertical Aerospace has unveiled the latest iteration of its full-scale VX4 prototype aircraft. The new prototype offers a 20% increase in the power to weight ratio, enabling the aircraft to reach speeds of up to 150mph – the certification aircraft’s intended cruise speed. The aircraft has been designed and built alongside global aerospace partners, including GKN Aerospace, Honeywell, Hanwha Group, Molicel, Leonardo and Syensqo. It features Vertical’s newly designed propellers and new proprietary battery technology, designed and manufactured at its Vertical Energy Centre near Bristol. Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical said: “This is a critical step on our road to certification and commercialisation and, while there is more to do, the support of our partners and our $6 billion order book shows the trust and confidence the industry has in our outstanding product. We are excited to start our robust, test flight programme at our Flight Test Centre as we continue our focus on achieving piloted flight.” Read full: https://lnkd.in/egH6x9uz

What percentage of manufacturing companies do you think have adopted artificial intelligence (AI) in some way to drive business value? According to the US Census Bureau, just 4%. The disconnect is there for all to see. Data companies are coming out with the technology, but on the flip side 96% of manufacturers and engineering leaders say: “I don’t know what AI is and it is too abstract to even start beginning to think about implementation.” For the past 15 years Anthony Mc Loughlin, CEO and founder of startup Better Futures, has been helping blue-chip manufacturers like Airbus, Daimler and Mercedes adopt advanced analytics and generative design – the foundations of what we all know today as AI. Again and again, Mc Loughlin has witnessed the disconnect between AI technology and its adoption due, in large part, to high complexity and costs of implementing the technology. Leveraging breakthroughs in LLMs (large language models) and generative pre-trained transformers (more commonly known as GPT), Mc Loughlin is building a bridge that enables small and medium enterprises to work out where AI could improve their operations and achieve first successes in a new simpler approach. Read full: https://lnkd.in/d5XVPhSA