CHICAGO - Cars aren’t the only polluters. If we want to save the planet, every part of how we travel has to change, and that includes airplanes. Whether or not that method of clean travel will catch on though is another thing. But as CNBC reports, United Airlines thinks electric planes will be the next generation of air travel, but mainly for short, regional flights, Lawrence Hodge reports for Jalopnik. Continue reading original article.
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
31 October 2022 - "Initially we want to fly on routes that are 200 miles or less," Mike Leskinen, president of United Airlines Ventures, the carrier's in-house venture capital arm, said, during a video interview at CNBC's ESG Impact Virtual Conference earlier this month. As the technology improves, aircraft will have a range of 250 miles or 300 miles, Leskinen said.
Last month, United Airlines announced a $15 million investment in Brazil-based Eve Air Mobility. In addition, United has also signed a conditional purchase agreement for 200 four-seat electric aircraft plus 200 options, expecting the first deliveries as early as 2026. This continues United's investment in the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) market, also called "flying taxis" – or eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle).
Rather than relying on traditional combustion engines, eVTOL aircraft are designed to use electric motors, providing carbon-free flights and to be used as 'air taxis' in urban markets. Eve's design uses conventional fixed wings, rotors and pushers, giving it a practical and intuitive lift-plus-cruise design, which favors safety, efficiency, reliability and certifiability. With a range of 60 miles (100 km), its vehicle has the potential not only to offer a sustainable commute but also to reduce noise levels by 90 percent compared to current conventional aircraft. Eve is also creating a new air traffic management solution designed for the UAM industry to scale safely. This software is intended to perform at the same safety level as Embraer's existing air traffic management software and expected to be a strategic asset to helping the entire industry grow.
Related: United Airlines inks purchase agreement with eVTOL company Eve Air Mobility
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Jamie Whitney, Associate Editor
Intelligent Aerospace
