Tag: zero (Page 2 of 4)

Virgin Australia unveils cabin of the future and $110 million fleet-wide aircraft upgrade

July 8, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Saturday 8 July 2023: More than 3,000 Virgin Australia team members and their families will today celebrate the arrival of the airline’s first fuel-efficient Boeing 737-8 aircraft which touched down on Australian soil last week.

The celebrations, part of a Virgin Australia Family Day at the airline’s Brisbane Hangar, will be hosted by CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka and Boeing’s President of Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific, Maria Fernandez, who will welcome team members from across the Virgin Australia business, many who have flown in from interstate to have a first look at the new aircraft.

Fresh from the Boeing factory in Seattle and featuring that new plane smell, the Boeing 737-8 aircraft marks an exciting new milestone in the transformation of Virgin Australia with its fleet renewal program well underway as the airline continues to work towards its net zero emissions target by 2050. The aircraft is one of 33 fuel-efficient Boeing 737-8 and 737-10 aircraft Virgin Australia has on order, with more fuel-efficient aircraft set to be delivered in the coming months.

With the arrival of the Boeing 737-8, Virgin Australia has also revealed its highly anticipated new Business Class and Economy cabin interior as well as confirming plans to refresh the interior cabins on the airline’s remaining Boeing fleet, as part of an investment of approximately $110 million to improve the flying experience for customers.

Highlight features of the new Boeing 737-8 cabin interior include:

In-seat power for all Business Class and Economy seats.
Larger overhead lockers, with capacity to stow up to 50 per cent more carry-on baggage (individual guest carry-on luggage limits will not increase).
Wider Business Class seats which also feature leg rests with extendable footrests, storage compartments, tablet/device holders and water bottle holders.
A new Economy seat design, featuring a ribbed backing to elevate comfort and ergonomics.
A personal tablet/device holder for all Economy seats, making it easy to view Virgin Australia in-flight entertainment, movies and TV shows.

Click the link below to see the entire press release!

https://newsroom.virginaustralia.com/release/virgin-australia-unveils-cabin-future-and-110-million-fleet-wide-aircraft-upgrade

Air New Zealand Outlines Requirements for Low Emissions Turboprop Aircraft

December 20, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

By Jamie Freed – Reuters news…

(Reuters) – Air New Zealand Ltd said on Tuesday it had outlined requirements to suppliers as part of plans to replace its fleet of De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q300 turboprops with lower-emissions technology by around 2030.

“The ideal candidate aircraft will be a drop in replacement for the Q300 for seamless integration into the existing Air New Zealand turboprop network, which may include retrofit of the existing aircraft,” the airline said.

Click the link below to read the full story!

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/air-zealand-outlineshttps://finance.yahoo.com/news/air-zealand-outlines-requirements-low-221729362.html

Heart Aerospace Selects Garmin G3000 Flight Deck for First All-Electric Airliner

December 14, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

OLATHE, Kansas/Business Wire – Garmin^® International, Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NYSE: GRMN), has announced a long-term agreement with Heart Aerospace to provide the state-of-the-art Garmin G3000^®integrated flight deck for the ES-19 electric airliner. Heart Aerospace is working to develop the new ES-19, a 19-seat electric airliner that has the potential to provide the regional air transport market with a more sustainable and environmentally friendly aircraft option as early as 2026. Additionally, United Airlines has conditionally agreed to purchase 100 ES-19 aircraft once the aircraft meets United’s safety, business and operating requirements.

The modular Garmin G3000 integrated flight deck boasts lightweight and vibrant high-resolution flight displays that support navigation, communication and flight sensor solutions and integrates seamlessly into the ES-19 aircraft systems. Specifically tailored to meet the needs of electric aircraft, the G3000 system that will be featured in Heart Aerospace’s ES-19 delivers enhanced capabilities to optimize the aircraft’s electric drive train and battery management systems. The G3000 is architected to provide the ability to efficiently facilitate future system upgrades as the electric aircraft industry continues to evolve.

Heart Aerospace is an electric airplane company headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, developing the ES-19, a nineteen-passenger regional aircraft driven entirely by batteries and electric motors. The first ES-19 is scheduled to enter into service by 2026. The first-generation aircraft will have a maximum range of up to 250 miles using lithium-ion batteries. The ES-19 will have zero operational emissions and offer significantly lower operating costs compared to similar sized gas-turbine aircraft. The ES-19 aircraft will also be quieter than its turboprop counterparts, with less vibration and noise, making it ideal for the development of short-range regional air travel.

Eve and Sydney Seaplanes Partner to Bring UAM Services to Australia

December 6, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Melbourne, Florida, December 6, 2021 – Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions (Eve), an Embraer (NYSE: ERJ) company, and Sydney Seaplanes, a leader in the transition to sustainable aviation, today announced a partnership that will lay the foundation for new electric air taxi operations in Greater Sydney. With the partnership, Sydney Seaplanes has placed an order for 50 of Eve’s electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL), with progressive deliveries expected to commence from 2026.

The new partnership accelerates the progress towards 100% of greater Sydney’s local tourism and commuter flights coming from zero emission electric aviation.

Benefitting from a startup mindset and backed by Embraer’s more than 50-year history of aircraft manufacturing and certification expertise, Eve unveils a unique value proposition by positioning itself as an ecosystem partner by offering a suite of products and services with the highest levels of safety standards. Eve’s human-centered, eVTOL design combines disruptive innovation and a simple and intuitive design. In addition to the aircraft program, Eve is harnessing the expertise of both Embraer and Atech, a subsidiary of the Embraer Group, in providing globally recognized air traffic management software to create the solutions that will help safely scale the UAM industry going forward.

Embraer Eve and Wideroe Zero Work on Innovative Air Mobility Solutions for Scandinavia

November 10, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Glasgow, Scotland, November 10, 2021 – Embraer (NYSE: ERJ) incubator Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions, Inc. (Eve), an Embraer company, and Wideroe Zero signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This partnership aims to develop Urban Air Mobility (UAM) solutions, with a focus on deployment of eVtol operations in Scandinavia.

The relationship between the two organizations began in 2017, when Wideroe signed an order for up to 15 E190-E2. The largest regional airline in Scandinavia is also the launch customer of the new generation E-Jets E2 family, starting the E190-E2 operations in April 2018 in Bergen, Norway.

Now, with the creation of the Air Mobility Business Incubator, Wideroe Zero, the companies will use Eve’s zero-emission and low noise footprint eVTOL vehicle to develop a new concept of operation where passengers will experience the future of electric transportation and a new model of sustainable mobility, connecting people living in a sparsely populated region and challenging geography.

As part of this collaboration, Wideroe Zero will contribute to a market readiness exercise and a vehicle concept of operation study in Scandinavia, furthering Eve’s development of the UAM market in the region.

Embraer Presents Energia Family, Four New Aircraft Concepts Using Renewable Energy

November 9, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Embraer (NYSE: ERJ) has announced a family of concept aircraft that it is exploring to help the industry achieve its goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The details of the Energia family, the latest in the company’s Sustainability in Action initiative, were broadcast live via YouTube from Embraer’s manufacturing facility in São José dos Campos.

The company has partnered with an international consortium of engineering universities, aeronautical research institutes, and small and medium-sized enterprises to better understand energy harvesting, storage, thermal management and their applications for sustainable aircraft propulsionThe Energia Family is comprised of four concept aircraft of varying sizes that incorporate different propulsion technologies – electric, hydrogen fuel cell, dual fuel gas turbine, and hybrid-electric.

Energia Hybrid (E9-HE) – hybrid-electric propulsion • up to 90% CO2 emissions reduction • 9 seats • rear-mounted engines • technology readiness –2030

Energia Electric (E9-FE) – full electric propulsion • zero CO2 emissions • 9 seats • aft contra-rotating propeller • technology readiness – 2035

Energia H2 Fuel Cell (E19-H2FC) – hydrogen electric propulsion • zero CO2 emissions • 19 seats • rear-mounted electric engines • technology readiness – 2035

Energia H2 Gas Turbine (E50-H2GT) • hydrogen or SAF/JetA urbine propulsion • up to 100% CO2 emissions reduction • 35 to 50 seats • rear-mounted engines • technology readiness – 2040

Although the Energia airplanes are still on the drawing board, Embraer has already made advances in reducing emissions from its aircraft. It has tested drop-in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), mixes of sugarcane and camelina plant-derived fuel and fossil fuel, on its family of E-Jets. The company is targeting to have all Embraer aircraft SAF-compatible by 2030. Last August, Embraer flew its Electric Demonstrator, a single-engine EMB-203 Ipanema, 100% powered by electricity. A hydrogen fuel cell demonstrator is planned for 2025 and the company’s eVTOL, a fully electric, zero-emissions vertical takeoff and landing vehicle, is being developed to enter service in 2026.

Watch the video presentation below!

Virgin Atlantic Joins New Global Aviation Climate Taskforce

October 31, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Virgin Atlantic has joined global airline leaders including Air France-KLM and Delta Air Lines, with Boston Consulting Group, in the formation of the Aviation Climate Taskforce (ACT) – a new non-profit organization founded to accelerate breakthroughs in emerging technologies to decarbonize aviation.

As the aviation sector focuses on decarbonisation, a portfolio of solutions will be required to reach net zero by 2050 and to scale up sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) to meet a 10% SAF target by 2030. ACT will stimulate innovation in the next generation of technologies, principally focussed on critical medium-term solutions, such as synthetic fuel and direct air capture. Over time, the portfolio will expand to include more near-term solutions, such as emerging bio-based Sustainable Aviation Fuel pathways, and long-term solutions, such as hydrogen technologies. ACT’s mission will be supported by two pillars: an Innovation Network and a Collaboration Forum to help accelerate innovation and expedite adoption.

Earlier this month, Virgin Atlantic announced ambitious carbon targets as part of a renewed mission to achieve net zero by 2050. The targets include increased fleet efficiency and committing to the use of 10% Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) in 2030 and importantly, reinforce the airline’s commitment to embed sustainability through innovation, transparency and accountability to do more for the protection of the planet.

For more on Virgin Atlantic’s business for good activity including sustainability commitments, please visit https://corporate.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/sustainability.html

Eve’s Urban Air Mobility Simulation in Rio de Janeiro Starts in November

October 26, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Story from embraer.com

São José dos Campos – Brazil, October 26, 2021 – Embraer’s (NYSE: ERJ) Eve Air Mobility will begin an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) simulation on November 8th, connecting Barra da Tijuca to the Tom Jobim International Airport – RIOgaleão. The initiative, which will use a helicopter, will be carried out in cooperation with strategic partners and government entities.

The evaluation of the entire UAM ecosystem and the main concepts related to future operations will last a month, with six daily flights at a more affordable cost than a conventional helicopter service. The simulation applies prices close to those expected in the future for an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL), also known in the market as an Electric Vertical Aircraft (EVA).

Tickets went on sale today on Flapper, an independent platform for on-demand flights. The service is available on www.flyflapper.com.br or in the Flapper app. The aircraft will be operated on the route by Helisul Aviação, one of the largest helicopter operators in Latin America. Universal Aviation, a global airport services company, will run ground operations. The concessionaire, RIOgaleão, and the Mario Henrique Simonsen Business Center (CEMHS) complete the partnership as the points of origin and destination, related to the experience.

The UAM industry intends to democratize access to the new air transport system using disruptive innovations and more affordable prices. Eve’s aircraft, scheduled to reach the market in 2026, will be all-electric and designed with a focus on users, to provide efficient and comfortable transport with low noise levels and zero carbon emissions.

The simulation is part of a concept of operation (CONOPS), started in August 2021 in Rio de Janeiro, aiming to integrate Urban Air Mobility into Brazilian airspace. More than 50 specialists from 12 institutions are collaborating on the innovative initiative, mapping the operation and service processes to identify the needs of users, the community, and other stakeholders.

The simulation, which will be monitored by the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) and the Department of Airspace Control (DECEA), has the support of Skyports, focused on the design, construction, and operation of vertiports; EDP, one of the largest companies in the energy sector; Beacon, the platform from EmbraerX, designed to connect industry resources, the aftermarket supply chain and aviation professionals in a more agile way; and Atech, the company responsible for the development, implementation, and support of the Embraer Group’s air traffic flow control and management systems (civil and military).

Airbus Reveals the Next Generation of CityAirbus

September 21, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Toulouse, France 21 September 2021 – Airbus (OTC: EADSY) has announced plans for a new CityAirbus at the Company’s first #AirbusSummit on “Pioneering Sustainable Aerospace” as the emerging Urban Air Mobility (UAM) market begins firming up. Ushering in the next generation of CityAirbus, the fully electric vehicle is equipped with fixed wings, a V-shaped tail, and eight electrically powered propellers as part of its uniquely designed distributed propulsion system. It is designed to carry up to four passengers in a zero emissions flight in multiple applications.

CityAirbus is being developed to fly with a 80 km range and to reach a cruise speed of 120 km/h, making it perfectly suited for operations in major cities for a variety of missions.

Sound levels are a key factor for an urban mission; Airbus’ extensive expertise in noise-friendly designs is driving CityAirbus’ sound levels below 65 dB(A) during fly-over and below 70 dB(A) during landing. It is optimized for hover and cruise efficiency, while not requiring moving surfaces or tilting parts during transition. The CityAirbus NextGen meets the highest certification standards (EASA SC-VTOL Enhanced Category). Designed with simplicity in mind, CityAirbus NextGen will offer best-in-class economic performance in operations and support.

Airbus is benefitting from years of dedicated research, innovation, two electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) demonstrators, and development on sound technology across its portfolio of products, as well as decades of experience in certifying aircraft. The Vahana and CityAirbus demonstrators have jointly conducted 242 flight and ground tests and have flown around 1,000 km in total. Furthermore, Airbus has used extensive subscale flight testing and wind tunnel campaigns and has leveraged its computing and modelling power. CityAirbus NextGen is in a detailed design phase right now and the prototype’s first flight is planned for 2023.

Beyond the vehicle, Airbus is working with partners, cities, and city inhabitants in order to create the ecosystem that is essential to enabling this new operating environment to emerge in a true service to society.

Federal Government Green Hydrogen Innovation Officer Visits Rolls-Royce

July 13, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Rolls-Royce sees hydrogen as one of the key elements in a climate-neutral future. Its Power Systems division is already working hard on fuel cell technology, on a hydrogen engine, and on using renewably produced fuels that will soon be able to power existing internal combustion engines more cleanly. Building the hydrogen ecosystem quickly is a challenge – making interdisciplinary, cross-industry dialog a vital component. Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems Division hosted a visit by Dr. Stefan Kaufmann, Green Hydrogen Innovation Officer at Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education & Research, and explained its leading-edge research and development projects.

From Hydrogen to synthetic fuels

Together with industrial companies and universities, Rolls-Royce Power Systems is researching tomorrow’s propulsion and drive solutions in the MethQuest research project. Here, Rolls-Royce engineers are working on gas engine designs aimed at reducing methane emissions harmful to the climate, and on methanol and hydrogen combustion. The knowledge gained can be used in the development of new engines.

Fuel cell demonstrator soon to go into operation

One of these new drive-power technologies is the fuel cell in which hydrogen and oxygen react chemically to produce electricity which powers an electric motor with zero emissions. As early as this autumn/fall, Rolls-Royce will commission an emergency power supply system at its Friedrichshafen facility powered by fuel cells – thereby demonstrating how fuel cells can be used as part of stationary power supply infrastructure.

Rolls-Royce will then take the fuel cell to market in 2025 – initially for power generation applications, and later also as a marine propulsion system.

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