Surf Air Mobility and Textron Aviation Enter Into Exclusive Relationship to Electrify the Cessna Grand Caravan

Collaboration accelerates the path to hybrid electric commercial air travel

Surf Air Mobility Inc., a company accelerating the adoption of electric regional air travel, today announced an exclusive relationship with Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. company, supporting Surf Air Mobility’s development of electrified Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft, beginning with a hybrid electric Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft, targeted to be available in 2024. Surf Air Mobility has agreed to purchase up to 150 Cessna Grand Caravan EX single-engine turboprops, with an initial fleet order of 100 aircraft and an option for 50 more. The aircraft will be upgraded to Surf Air Mobility’s proprietary hybrid electric powertrain technology as a 9-seat variant of the iconic single-engine turboprop.

Through this exclusive agreement, Surf Air Mobility plans to make electrified aircraft broadly available to new and existing operators, and bring the benefits of lower cost, lower emission air travel to customers sooner than the rest of the aviation manufacturing industry and at scale. Through an agreement to engage in joint marketing and sales efforts, Textron Aviation will use its expertise and deep customer relationships to help accelerate adoption of the electrified Cessna Grand Caravan for all types of Cessna Grand Caravan missions, including passenger and cargo applications.

“We know from our experience that people are looking for faster, affordable, and cleaner regional travel and we are building the ecosystem to accelerate the industry’s adoption of hybrid electric flight. We believe significantly reducing the emission from this category of aircraft will be the biggest step we can take toward de-carbonization in this decade,” said Sudhin Shahani, Co-founder, Chairman and CEO, Surf Air Mobility.

Mesa orders 100 Heart Aerospace All-Electric Aircraft

 Mesa Air Group, Inc. announces that it has made an investment in electric aircraft company, Heart Aerospace (“Heart”), a company that plans to be the first to produce the world’s first electric nineteen-seat ES-19 aircraft, alongside Breakthrough Energy Ventures and United Airlines Ventures. Subject to certain terms, Mesa also plans to add 100 ES-19 aircraft to its regional fleet, revolutionizing air service to small markets as one of the first network air carriers to help decarbonize air travel through the use of electric aircraft. This announcement expands on the efforts that Mesa has made in the emerging transition to electric-powered flight with airlines such as United Airlines – first with the announcement of an investment in Archer Aviation and its eVTOL aircraft, and now with the ES-19, a fully electric nineteen-seat regional aircraft.

“As we continue to explore opportunities in electric aviation, we are excited to expand our efforts to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels in the airline industry and are proud to work with Heart to launch the world’s first electric regional aircraft. Mesa intends to continue its expansion through the introduction of revolutionary technology that benefits our passengers and the environment. We are delighted to take this important step in the de-carbonization of air travel through our co-investment with Breakthrough Energy Ventures and United Airlines Ventures in Heart”, said Jonathan Ornstein, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “These technological innovations are good for the environment, will expand the national transportation system, and provide significant growth opportunities for Mesa. We look forward to reconnecting with communities and passengers we previously served.”

Electric aircraft set to take flight by 2026 says United Airlines.................United signs agreement to acquire 100 of Heart Aerospace's ES-19 aircraft

United signs the deal for 100 aircraft and United Express regional partner, Mesa Airlines, also signs an agreement to acquire 100 of the electric aircraft.

United Airlines Ventures (UAV) -  the airline's corporate venture capital fund, confirmed today it, along with Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) and Mesa Airlines, has invested in electric aircraft startup Heart Aerospace.

Heart Aerospace is developing the ES-19, a 19-seat electric aircraft that has the potential to fly customers up to 250 miles before the end of this decade. In addition to UAV's investment, United Airlines has conditionally agreed to purchase 100 ES-19 aircraft, once the aircraft meet United's safety, business and operating requirements. Mesa Airlines, United's key strategic partner in bringing electric aircraft into commercial service, has also agreed to add 100 ES-19 aircraft to its fleet, subject to similar requirements.

UAV is building a portfolio of companies that focus on innovative sustainability concepts and create the technologies and products necessary to build a carbon-neutral airline and reach United's net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goals. With this new agreement, United is deepening its bold commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 100% by 2050 without relying on traditional carbon offsets, as well as enabling the growth of Heart Aerospace and participating in the development of aircraft that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from flying.

"Breakthrough Energy Ventures is the leading voice of investors who are supporting clean-energy technology creation. We share their view that we have to build companies who have real potential to change how industries operate and, in our case, that means investing in companies like Heart Aerospace who are developing a viable electric airliner," said Michael Leskinen, United's Vice President Corp Development & Investor Relations, as well as UAV's President. "We recognize that customers want even more ownership of their own carbon emissions footprint. We're proud to partner with Mesa Air Group to bring electric aircraft to our customers earlier than any other US airliner.  Mesa's long serving CEO, Jonathan Ornstein has shown visionary leadership in the field of electric-powered flight."

UAV and BEV are among the first investors in Heart Aerospace, demonstrating confidence in Heart's design and creating potential for Heart to fast track the ES-19 introduction to market as early as 2026.

"Aviation is such a critical piece of our global economy. At the same time, it's a major source of carbon emissions and one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonize," said Carmichael Roberts, Breakthrough Energy Ventures. "We believe electric aircraft can be transformational in reducing the emissions of the industry, and enable low cost, quiet and clean regional travel on a broad scale. Heart's visionary team is developing an aircraft around its proprietary electric motor technology that will allow airlines to operate at a fraction of the cost of today and has the potential to change the way we fly."

By utilizing electric motors instead of jet engines, and batteries instead of jet fuel, Heart's ES-19 aircraft will have zero operational emissions. Seating 19 passengers, the ES-19 aircraft will also be larger than any of its all-electric competitors and will be designed to operate on the same types of batteries used in electric cars.  Once operational, the ES-19 could operate on more than 100 of United's regional routes out of most of its hubs. Some of these routes include Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Purdue University Airport (LAF) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Modesto City-County Airport (MOD).  

"Electric aircraft are happening now—the technology is already here," said Anders Forslund CEO of Heart Aerospace. "We couldn't be prouder to be partnering with United, Mesa and BEV on taking our ES-19 aircraft to market. I can't imagine a stronger coalition of partners to advance our mission to electrify short-haul air travel."

Once operational, Heart's ES-19 could give customers access to the convenience of flight without contributing to carbon emissions that cause climate change.

"We expect the short-haul regional air travel market to play a key role in the evolution of the electric aircraft.  As battery technology improves, larger-gauge aircraft should become viable but we're not going to wait to begin the journey," Leskinen said. "That's why we're looking forward to beginning our work with Heart, so that, together, we can scale the availability of electric airliners and use them for passenger flights within the next five years."

It's electric! ⚡️

Together with @Breakthrough and @MesaAirlines, we're working with @heartaerospace to decarbonize regional air travel. We plan to acquire the ES-19 electric aircraft, set to take flight in 2026. https://t.co/3HpnhLZ1lZ pic.twitter.com/TdxHEqlT51

— United Airlines (@united) July 13, 2021

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Searching the skies for zero emissions training aircraft...... Can you help the RAF?

Help the RAF introduce the first military certified zero-emissions aircraft

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch a new Market Exploration called Zero Emissions Air System, which aims to investigate net-zero options for the next generation of light flying training aircraft.

This Market Exploration is being run on behalf of the Royal Air Force (RAF) and seeks information on the development of relevant technologies and systems that are in development and maturing over the coming four years.

Can you help? Read the full Market Exploration now and submit your idea.

Replacing the current capability with a zero-emission aircraft

Defence currently utilises a propeller-driven, fossil-fuelled light training aircraft used across multiple military and civil airfields for pre-Service entry flying training, grading and assessment.

This includes Royal Air Force University Air Squadrons (UAS) and Air Experience Flights (AEFs) and Flying grading and streaming (Army and Royal Navy).

All three services require the ability to develop qualified flying instructors in key skills, including:

• Unusual attitude and spin recovery training

• The ability to operate under Instrument Meteorological Conditions (such as flight in cloud or without reference to an external horizon)

• Operating under Air Traffic Control in closely managed airspace; this includes the need to fly instrument approaches if required.

Help the RAF procure the first military certified zero-emission platform

Collins Aerospace advances zero-emission aviation with 500KW electric motor for Hybrid Air Vehicles' Airlander 10 aircraft

Collins Aerospace, a Raytheon Technologies business, announced this week, it has completed critical design review and started fabrication of a 500 kilowatt electric motor for the Airlander 10 aircraft under a partnership with Hybrid Air Vehicles and the University of Nottingham.

Flight qualification testing of the motor is expected to occur in 2023, followed by hybrid-electric operation of Airlander 10 by 2025 and all-electric, zero-emission operation by 2030. To achieve these improvements, the aircraft's four fuel-burning engines will be replaced by Collins' 500-kilowatt electric motors—beginning with the two forward engines in 2025 and the two rear engines in 2030.

Collins is designing and testing the motor at its Electronic Controls and Motor Systems Center of Excellence in Solihull, U.K., where it recently invested $18 million to expand the campus and add world-class power electronics and motor development capabilities.

"Airlander 10 has the potential to be the world's first zero-emission aircraft, while pioneering game-changing electric flight technologies in the process," said Marc Holme, senior director, Electronic Controls and Motor Systems for Collins Aerospace. "As the aerospace industry continues to look for ways to reduce its carbon footprint, electric propulsion offers a significant solution that will create a more sustainable future for our industry and our planet."

IAG Cargo has completed its first sustainable aviation fuel charter chain of 16 flights from Stuttgart to Atlanta last week.

A major step forward in green aviation took place recently as IAG Cargo, the cargo division of International Airlines Group completed its first sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) charter chain of 16 flights from Stuttgart to Atlanta last week. 

Working with their partner Kuehne+Nagel, IAG Cargo sourced 1.2million litres of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel from Neste. This collaboration marks the first time ever that passenger -freighter charter flights are operated with net-zero carbon emissions*.

The last of the British Airways Boeing 787-900 flights left Stuttgart on June 26 collecting on average 45 tonnes of automotive spares and other industrial goods destined for Atlanta via London Heathrow. The business has now completed more than 300 (328) automotive charters since it began its Charter service last year.

The SAF was provided by Neste, the world’s leading provider of sustainable aviation fuel. Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel is made from sustainably sourced, renewable waste and residue raw materials. In its neat form and over the life cycle, its use can reduce up to 80% of greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil jet fuel use**. The SAF, sourced by IAG, was blended with fossil jet fuel to comply with aviation fuel certification standards, shipped to the UK from Europe and then transported by underground pipelines into Heathrow. 

ZeroAvia expands its hydrogen-electric aviation programme with 19-Seat Dornier 228 aircraft

ZeroAvia is expanding its hydrogen-electric aviation programme with two 19-Seat Dornier 228 aircraft, one in the UK and one in the U.S. The aircraft have been provided by Aurigny in the UK and AMC Aviation in the U.S. and will allow ZeroAvia to enter the next phase in its quest towards clean hydrogen-electric aviation. Both aircraft were previously in service for regional flights in the US and UK, demonstrating the opportunity for carbon reduction on existing routes.

ZeroAvia's 19-seat R&D is part of HyFlyer II, the second ZeroAvia-led project backed by the UK Government to target the development of a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain. As part of HyFlyer I, ZeroAvia successfully demonstrated a 250kW powerplant in a 6-seat aircraft across three flight test campaigns, achieving all the project's technical goals, including fuel-cell only cruise flight. All the learnings of HyFlyer I will be fully utilized in the development of a 600kW 19-seater powerplant in HyFlyer II.

For the 19-seat aircraft, two 600KW units of the company's hydrogen-electric powertrain will replace the aircraft's twin engines, along with hydrogen fuel tanks eventually holding 100kg of compressed gaseous hydrogen to support the 500-mile range of the commercial offering in 2024. Additionally, ZeroAvia is progressing the software, hardware, mechanical integration, and fuel cell balance-of-plant to the certifiable state. The 6-ton aircraft will have a range of 500 nautical miles.

Singapore Airlines Group launching a voluntary carbon offset programme for all customers

The Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group has launched a voluntary carbon offset programme, which will enable customers across its passenger and cargo airlines to offset their own carbon emissions via dedicated microsites.

Singapore Airlines and Scoot customers will be able to offset carbon emissions from today on the respective airline microsites at any time before or after a flight. SIA and Scoot will also match the offsets that these customers purchase for the first six months from the launch of this programme.

SIA Cargo customers will be able to offset their emissions through a dedicated microsite, which will be available in late July 2021. Corporate customers will be able to participate in the programme from the fourth quarter of 2021.

The voluntary carbon offset programme will be further enhanced to allow SIA customers to use their KrisFlyer miles and HighFlyer points to offset their carbon emissions from the fourth quarter of 2021.

The offsets will be provided via the BlueHalo® digital solution, which has been developed by Australia-based Tasman Environmental Markets (TEM). This allows customers to immediately calculate and offset the emissions associated with their journey. 

Airbus opening zero-emission centres in Germany and France

The European aerospace giant, Airbus has decided to concentrate its efforts for metallic hydrogen tanks in a complementary setup by creating Zero-Emission Development Centres (ZEDC) at its sites in Bremen, Germany and in Nantes, France. 

The goal of the ZEDC is to achieve cost-competitive cryogenic tank manufacturing to support the successful future market launch of ZEROe and to accelerate the development of hydrogen-propulsion technologies. The design and integration of tank structures is crucial to the performance of a future hydrogen aircraft. 

The technology developments will cover the full product and industrial capabilities from elementary parts, assembly, systems integration and the cryogenic testing of the final liquid hydrogen (LH2) tank system. Both ZEDCs will be fully operational by 2023 to build LH2 tanks with a first flight test scheduled for 2025.

Airbus chose its site in Bremen because of its diverse setup and decades of LH2 experience within Defence and Space and ArianeGroup. The ZEDC in Bremen will initially focus on system installation as well as for the overall cryogenic testing of the tanks. Furthermore, this ZEDC will benefit from the wider hydrogen research ecosystem such as the Centre for Eco-Efficient Materials and Technologies (ECOMAT) and from further synergies from space and aerospace activities.

Flexjet offsets owners flights at 100% of CO2 emissions with verified carbon offset credits to achieve Carbon-Neutral flight operations

One of the leaders in fractional private jet travel, Flexjet has announced this week that it believes it has achieved carbon-neutral flight operations through its partnership with 4AIR, the first and only rating system focused on comprehensive sustainability in private aviation. 

Since January 2021, Flexjet has been purchasing credits to offset carbon emissions from all flights booked by its US-based Owners. With 4AIR’s expertise and assistance, Flexjet’s verified credits will fund carbon offset projects which it says will negate the impact of emissions generated by its aircraft at no additional expense to its owners.

“Flexjet has long been on the leading edge of applying innovation to its operations, and our partnership with 4AIR brings that same spirit to protecting the environment,” said Flexjet Chief Executive Officer Michael Silvestro. “In supporting carbon offset projects around the world, Flexjet can offer peace of mind that today’s efforts are having an immediate positive impact on the environment.”

Finnair wants up to 20 small electric aircraft.....

Finnair has signed a letter of interest with pioneering Swedish sustainable aviation company Heart Aerospace and could acquire up to 20 of its 19-seater ES-19 electric aircraft for use on shortest haul routes.

Photo Heart Aerospace

These aircraft are currently in development and could be a part of the toolbox of new technologies in helping Finnair meet its plans to be carbon neutral by 2045.

Two years ago, Finnair joined the Nordic Network for Electric Aviation (NEA), which has seen governments, airlines and companies collaborate on exciting new projects to help develop sustainable ways to travel. The NEA has four key goals: standardising electric air infrastructure in the Nordic countries; developing business models for regional point-to-point connectivity; developing aircraft technology for Nordic weather conditions and creating a platform for European and global collaborations.

“We have worked closely with the NEA but getting this commitment from Finnair is really important,” says Anders Forslund, CEO and Founder of Heart Aerospace. “The big challenge of building an electric aircraft isn’t just in the technology, but also building the momentum to create a project like this and building it all the way.”

“When developing a completely new type of aircraft, you need partners, such as airlines and airports, to ensure that the whole ecosystem develops in line with the aircraft. Needs throughout the value chain are considered at an early phase,” says Anne Larilahti, Head of Sustainability at Finnair. 

Finnair signs letter of interest with Swedish sustainable aviation company Heart Aerospace for up to 20 -19-seater ES-19 electric aircraft for use on shortest haul routes.

Finnair has signed a letter of interest with pioneering Swedish sustainable aviation company Heart Aerospace and could acquire up to 20 of its 19-seater ES-19 electric aircraft for use on shortest haul routes.

Photo Heart Aerospace

These aircraft are currently in development and could be a part of the toolbox of new technologies in helping Finnair meet its plans to be carbon neutral by 2045.

Two years ago, Finnair joined the Nordic Network for Electric Aviation (NEA), which has seen governments, airlines and companies collaborate on exciting new projects to help develop sustainable ways to travel. The NEA has four key goals: standardising electric air infrastructure in the Nordic countries; developing business models for regional point-to-point connectivity; developing aircraft technology for Nordic weather conditions and creating a platform for European and global collaborations.

“We have worked closely with the NEA but getting this commitment from Finnair is really important,” says Anders Forslund, CEO and Founder of Heart Aerospace. “The big challenge of building an electric aircraft isn’t just in the technology, but also building the momentum to create a project like this and building it all the way.”

“When developing a completely new type of aircraft, you need partners, such as airlines and airports, to ensure that the whole ecosystem develops in line with the aircraft. Needs throughout the value chain are considered at an early phase,” says Anne Larilahti, Head of Sustainability at Finnair. 

Alaska Airlines and SkyNRG sign partnership to advance sustainable aviation fuel made from municipal solid waste

Alaska Airlines and SkyNRG Americas today announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) committing to increased investment in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The MOU builds on a long history of Alaska leadership advancing SAF and partners the airline with the global SAF pioneers at SkyNRG Americas.

"This is a critical next step in our long-term plan to reduce carbon emissions and our impact on the planet," said Diana Birkett Rakow, Alaska Airlines' vice president of public affairs and sustainability. "We have been working for more than a decade to advance SAF technology and viability, and we're excited to partner with SkyNRG's experienced team to advance truly sustainable production of SAF, develop supply in the Pacific Northwest, and engage partners for a commercially viable and scalable future for sustainable fuels."

"We are thrilled to collaborate with Alaska Airlines for the production of sustainable fuels," said John Plaza, CEO of SkyNRG Americas. "Alaska Airlines is already one of the most fuel-efficient airlines in the U.S., and an ideal partner not only to support SAF demand but also to help drive necessary policy changes that will encourage the development of the SAF industry across the Pacific Northwest and the nation as a whole." 

United Airlines switching to sustainable aviation fuel........

 United becomes first U.S. airline to allow individual customers to purchase SAF

United Airlines continues to lead the industry towards a more sustainable future with the launch of the first-of-its-kind Eco-Skies Alliance SM  program. Working with the airline, more than a dozen leading global corporations will collectively contribute towards the purchase of approximately 3.4 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) this year. With its nearly 80% emissions reductions on a lifecycle basis compared to conventional jet fuel, this is enough SAF to eliminate approximately 31,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, or enough to fly passengers over 220 million miles.

As inaugural participants, the following companies are taking a lead within their respective industries, reducing their aviation-related impact on the environment at the source, and creating demand for more SAF production.

    Autodesk

    Boston Consulting Group

    CEVA Logistics

    Deloitte

    DHL Global Forwarding

    DSV Panalpina

    HP Inc.

    Nike

    Palantir

    Siemens

    Takeda Pharmaceuticals

"While we've partnered with companies for years to help them offset their flight emissions, we applaud those participating in the Eco-Skies Alliance for recognizing the need to go beyond carbon offsets and support SAF-powered flying, which will lead to more affordable supply and ultimately, lower emissions," said United CEO Scott Kirby. "This is just the beginning. Our goal is to add more companies to the Eco-Skies Alliance program, purchase more SAF and work across industries to find other innovative paths towards decarbonization."

Airbus making changes with the environmental impact of its Beluga fleet operations.

Airbus further reduces its Beluga fleet’s environmental impact 

 

Photo Airbus

European planemaker Airbus is taking further steps to enhance its 'green' credentials by operating a flight of a Beluga super-transporter using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from the aerospace company’s Broughton plant in the UK.

The north Wales line station, which uses the Beluga fleet to transport aircraft wings to Toulouse, Hamburg and Bremen, becomes the second Airbus European site to use SAF, after Hamburg introduced the fuel to its cargo activities at the end of 2019.

“This first flight by a Beluga transporter from Broughton, partially fuelled with SAF, marks an important milestone in Airbus’ ambition to decarbonise its industrial operations,” said Tony Derrien, Sustainable Aviation Fuels Project Manager, Airbus.

“Combined with our ongoing research into the potential for 100% SAF in commercial flights, reducing fossil-fuels in our own operations underlines Airbus’ commitment to lessening the impact of our manufacturing footprint and contributing towards a more sustainable future for the aviation sector more generally.”

Sustainable aviation fuels are currently certified by regulators for up to 50% use in commercial flights; the Beluga fleet operating from Broughton will initially be loaded with a 35% blend of non-fossil derived fuel, set to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 400 tonnes over the next three months.

Air Pollution, it affects us all.....................

Photo ACL

There is sadly, no doubt that air pollution is a growing problem, not just here in the UK, but also around the world.  It is an issue that affects so many of us either directly or indirectly.  It is causing harm to us,  to our health, our ecosystems, the natural world around us, no matter if you live in a rural or urban area. 

The aviation industry, whilst really slow to make a start in realising its responsibilities has been investigating a number of ways to make air travel more sustainable and environmentally sound.   

Air pollution occurs when clean air is polluted by particulate matter (PM). This is made up of solid or liquid particles from natural sources such as pollen and desert sand, or from man-made sources, such as dust, soot and smoke.

Man-made PM mainly comes from wood-burning stoves, solid-fuel stoves, and open fires in homes; industrial combustion and processes; and road transport.

Air pollution also comes from gases that have been released into the atmosphere from a wide range of sources, including:

Ammonia – from agricultural fertilisers, manure and human waste.

Nitrogen oxides – for example, from burning fossil fuels for road transport.

Sulphur dioxide – from industrial combustion, energy generation and domestic burning.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – these can be found in products such as solvents, detergents, and synthetic coatings in paint and soft furnishings. 

Rachel Brown

Rachel Brown from DIY Garden has written this excellent article on Air Pollution: How to Create an ‘Air Quality’ Garden

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British Airways looking to a future with zero emission aircraft.......

The UK's leading legacy carrier, British Airways is looking to the future of emission free aircraft with an investment in ZeroAvia – a leading innovator in decarbonising commercial aviation.  The carrier wants to accelerate the development of 50+ seater aircraft capable of running on zero emissions hydrogen-electric power.

 

• British Airways is investing in ZeroAvia to propel its journey towards a zero emissions future
• It comes just weeks after British Airways announced a partnership with ZeroAvia through parent company IAG’s Hangar 51 accelerator programme to explore how hydrogen-powered aircraft can play a leading role in the future of sustainable flying
• Investing in new technologies like zero emissions hydrogen-powered aircraft forms part of the airline’s longer-term plans to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050
• ZeroAvia recently completed the world’s first hydrogen-electric fuel cell powered flight of a commercial-grade aircraft as it aims to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable aviation

British Airways and a group of investors including Horizons Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Ecosystem Integrity Fund, Summa Equity, Shell Ventures, and SYSTEMIQ have invested a total of $24.3m USD, which will enable ZeroAvia to launch a new development programme to further demonstrate the credibility of its technology and accelerate the development of a larger hydrogen-electric engine, capable of flying further and using larger aircraft as soon as 2026.

ZeroAvia says it could achieve commercialisation for its hydrogen-electric power as early as 2024, with flights of up to 500-miles in up to 20-seater aircraft. With this new investment, ZeroAvia expects to have 50+ seat commercial aircraft in operation in five years’ time and it accelerates the company’s vision of powering a 100-seat single-aisle aircraft by 2030.

UK Consortium to Deliver World’s First Truly Green Passenger Carrying Airline Services Using Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology

Demonstrating that sustainable propulsion technology has a clear route to market, the Cranfield Aerospace Solutions-led consortium’s technology programme will accelerate the journey to zero-emissions, passenger-carrying service.

Cranfield Aerospace Solutions (CAeS) - the UK SME leading the Project Fresson consortium - announces it will exploit recent advances in hydrogen fuel cell technology to develop a commercially viable, retrofit powertrain solution for the nine-passenger Britten-Norman Islander aircraft.

Following a rigorous assessment of hydrogen technology innovators, CAeS is delighted to welcome Ricardo UK Ltd and Innovatus Technologies Ltd to the Fresson consortium. Ricardo UK Ltd brings expertise in fuel cell system development and Innovatus Technologies Ltd brings their innovative Scottish Hydrogen Fuel Tank (SHyFT) technology.

Steve Dyke, Managing Director Ricardo Automotive and Industrial EMEA Division said: “We are proud to join the Cranfield Aerospace Solutions consortium to play our part in helping to reduce the carbon footprint for commercial air passengers. We are already working on hydrogen and fuel cell technology, providing clean efficient solutions which reduce carbon and noxious emissions across a wide range of sectors. Our work for the Fresson consortium will enable us to consolidate and grow our hydrogen fuel cell and propulsion capability, so that Ricardo can achieve its ambition of becoming a world-leader in hydrogen and fuel cell services and solutions and help accelerate net zero transportation.”

Freedom Flight Prize Takes Off.....................

First Contenders, Technical Panel & Sponsors Announced for Carbon-Free Commercial Flight across the Atlantic

Sustainability experts Carbon Footprint's carbonfootprint.com challenge to the aviation industry for the first transatlantic carbon-free flight – the Freedom Flight Prize freedomflightprize.org - announces its first Contenders, Sponsors and a Technical Panel to judge the winning entry to decarbonise aviation and bring carbon-free flights to the general public.

The Freedom Flight Prize requires the winning team to complete a return trip from London to New York* in a 100+ seater passenger aircraft whilst releasing zero carbon emissions during the flight. The return trip must be completed within 24 hours of starting out. The prize fund is being supported by a growing number of sponsors and is expected to be in the £millions by the time it is won.

First contenders to be registered are ZeroAvia (based in the USA and UK), Okulu Aerospace (based in India) and The ePlane Company (based in India). The proposed solutions are focused on using hydrogen and electric based propulsion systems. Other organisations from across the World have expressed interest in the prize and are expected to be entering the competition over the coming months.