WASHINGTON - Last November, a small, white, oblong helicopter with four passenger seats and six whirring electric engines took off from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport. Several people, including Mayor Eric Adams, watched as the air taxi known as an eVTOL — an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft — flew silently, undetected by nearby pedestrians along the East River, Edward Russell writes for The Washington Post. Continue reading original article.
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
27 March 2024 - Russell's piece for the Times covers myriad trends in the changing air travel landscape, including the use of eVTOLs for short jaunts to airports and beyond. He also expands on hydrogen as a reemerging aviation fuel, and the planned return of supersonic travel to the skies.
"Many airlines and aviation companies are experimenting with new technologies not only to manage relentless economic pressure to be an affordable choice for transportation but also to be more environmentally friendly," writes Russell. "Besides the move to electric engines, airlines are investigating options for fuel such as hydrogen and repurposed fuels and the reemergence of supersonic flight. Investors have spent an estimated $22.2 billion, according to a report published by the McKinsey Center for Future Mobility. Most companies aim to fly their new offerings in noticeable numbers by the end of this decade — or relegate them to the trash heap of history while they pursue other options."
Related: Airbus debuts its CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL
Related: NASA and Lockheed Martin unveil X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft
Related: Turbotech and Safran test first hydrogen turboprop for light aircraft
Jamie Whitney, Senior Editor
Military + Aerospace Electronics
