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January 2020
AEROSPACE
CHINESE LUNAR
ROVER Q&A
DUBAI AIR SHOW
REPORT
OPERATION
MATTERHORN
REPATRIATION
aerosociety.com
January 2020
Volume 47 Number 1
Focus on aerospace and the environment
TURNING THE AIR GREEN
Royal Aeronautical Society
HYDROGEN DEMONSTRATOR | CORSIA AND AIRLINES
ELECTRIC RACER DESIGN CONTEST | THE E-SUPPLY CHAIN
CONSTRUCTION.
FLY
Whether it’s integrating cutting-edge
technology to reduce our environmental
impact, driving innovation to improve
society or ensuring we operate ethically
throughout our entire supply chain, Airbus
is committed to developing a sustainable
future for our business, our stakeholders
and the planet. That’s why we embrace
the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
It’s not only what we make; it’s what
we’re made of.
Sustainability. We make it fly.
airbus.com
Volume 47 Number 1
January 2020
EDITORIAL Contents
New year, new look Regulars
4 Radome 12 Transmission
Welcome to the January edition of AEROSPACE, which features a The latest aviation and Your letters, emails, tweets
aeronautical intelligence, and social media feedback.
cleaner, fresher look in its pages. As well as design updates the issue analysis and comment.
features new content to stimulate brains and generate discussion. In a 58 The Last Word
fresh column, ‘Pushing the Envelope’ (p 11), Rob Coppinger will look at 11 Pushing the Envelope Keith Hayward asks
exciting technologies just over the horizon that threaten to disrupt and Rob Coppinger looks at whether aviation is on the
the challenges facing the environmental naughty step
reshape aerospace and aviation – from big data, to biomimicry, from development of hypersonic and what steps can be taken
hypersonics to artificial intelligence (AI). Paradoxically, some of these ideas airliners to further reduce carbon
emissions.
may come from outside the industry itself – but could have the potential
to transform our sector. A new addition to our traditional list of new Features
members and Fellows is ‘Member Spotlight’ (p 55) profiling an individual
14 High time for hydrogen
from our worldwide and highly diverse membership and the reasons that Startup ZeroAvia plans to
inspired them into a career in (or to study aerospace). This issue also
kicks off 2020 with a special and highly topical focus on perhaps the
test a hydrogen-powered
Piper turboprop. 28
most important challenge facing aviation – the environment. The aviation
IONTREPID
industry has much to be proud of in reducing its carbon footprint – but
is it losing the wider PR war? Can aviation then meet the zero-carbon
challenge? Decarbonising an entire industry that relies so heavily on
18 Arabian Flights
Report on the 2019 Dubai
the wonder resource that are fossil fuels may seem like an impossible Air Show.
challenge – but it is worth remembering that aeronautics has been here
Thomas Cook
before. Powered heavier-than-air flight, flying faster than the sound barrier Electrifying ideas
and landing a human on the Moon were all considered impossible until Winners of the RAeS Light
Aircraft Design electric air
just over 110 years ago. Then, in the space of a one human lifetime, they race contest.
became (almost) routine. Where will today’s pioneers take us tomorrow? 34 Organising Operation
I hope you all enjoy the refresh and enhanced content. 20 Countdown to CORSIA Matterhorn
ICAO’s new global scheme to How the CAA briefly became
deliver carbon neutral growth the UK’s fifth largest airline
for airlines. when repatriating 150,000
Tim Robinson, Editor-in-Chief stranded Thomas Cook
tim.robinson@aerosociety.com passengers.
Eviation
26
CNSA
Editor-in-Chief Editorial Office 2020 AEROSPACE subscription
Tim Robinson Royal Aeronautical Society rates: Non-members, £180
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No.4 Hamilton Place
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Please send your order to:
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38
+44 (0)20 7670 4300
Deputy Editor
publications@aerosociety.com
Place, London W1J 7BQ, UK. Plugging into the e-supply
Bill Read +44 (0)20 7670 4354 chain
+44 (0)20 7670 4351 www.aerosociety.com aerosubs@aerosociety.com
How will the global Plane Speaking
bill.read@aerosociety.com AEROSPACE is published by the Royal Any member not requiring a print
Aeronautical Society (RAeS). version of this magazine should aerospace supply chain An interview with Dr Wu
Production Manager need to adapt for the electric Weiren, Chief Designer of
Chief Executive contact: membership@aerosociety.com
Wayne J Davis avaition revolution?
+44 (0)20 7670 4354 Sir Brian Burridge CBE FRAeS USA: Periodical postage paid at China’s Chang’e 4 lunar
wayne.davis@aerosociety.com Advertising Champlain New York and additional exploration mission.
+44 (0)20 7670 4346 offices.
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Champlain NY 12919-1518, USA. Afterburner
Publications Executive to represent the opinion of the RAeS. ISSN 2052-451X 42 Message from our President
Annabel Hallam Reproduction of material used in this
+44 (0)20 7670 4361 publication is not permitted without the 43 M
essage from our Chief Executive
annabel.hallam@aerosociety.com written consent of the Editor-in-Chief.
44 Book Reviews
Book Review Editor Printed by Buxton Press Limited,
Brian Riddle Palace Road, Buxton, Derbyshire 48 Library Additions
SK17 6AE, UK
brian.riddle@aerosociety.com 50 N
AL appeal for descendants of speakers in audio
Distributed by Royal Mail archive
52 Diary
Additional content is available to view online at: www.aerosociety.com/aerospaceinsight
54 Wilbur and Orville Wright Lecture
Including: Multirole humanitarin drones in Africa, Reports on 2019 Dubai Air Show, Review of
Moving to Mars exhibition, Winners of RAeS electric air race competition, Cranfield’s flying classroom, 55 C
orporate Partners
Online Interview with Airbus CTO, Grazia Vittadine, Interview with Dr Wu Weiran on Chang’e 4 lunar landing. 56 Elections and new member spotlight
@aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com JANUARY 2020 13
Blueprint
INTELLIGENCE / ANALYSIS / COMMENT
Aerodynamics
The testbed will also trial new aerodynamics technology
− including shape memory alloy smart vortex generators
on the wings. This unpowered technology reacts to the
outside temperature, deploying at lower altitudes and
retracting in the cruise. The ecoDemonstrator will also
test a new laser-based optical air data sensor system,
providing more accurate readings to pilots.
Cargo improvements
The aircraft is also set to test advances in freight
handling. A new greener non-Halon fire suppres-
sant agent is being trialled.
Additionally, the ecoDemonstrator will also trial
a new ‘CoolCube’ container for perishable goods
that could cut wastage by 10%.
W
AIR TRANSPORT
Boeing targets green goals
Boeing has revealed its latest ecoDemonstrator − a flying testbed to trial new sustainable
technologies for civil aviation. The ecoDemonstrator programme has been running since 2012,
with this year’s testbed based on a 777-200. Research partners on the 2019 ecoDemonstrator
include Collins Aerospace, DLR, Fraport, NASA, Honeywell, Universal Avionics and Embraer,
with the aircraft to trial a number of technologies based around themes such as the
Boeing
connected cabin, materials, aerodynamics and operational/flight deck efficiencies.
4 AEROSPACE
Connected cabin
The passenger cabin will see a number of greener
and efficency technologies investigated. These
include the Intelligent Cabin, Connected Flight deck efficiencies
Business Seat and Galley, LED lighting and OLED
displays, wireless cabin sensors and clean cabin The 2019 ecoDemonstrator is set to trial a
fresh lavatory. These are designed to save weight, number of flight deck and avionics technologies
improve the passenger experience and optimise based around operational and safety efficiencies.
operations. For example, tracking of food and These include runway traffic awareness,
drinks could speed up service time and eliminate automated weather re-routing via the EFB,
wastage. digital airline fleet tracker and trajectory-based
operations.
Recyclable materials
The ecoDemonstrator will also be trialling new
eco-friendly materials − including new 100%
recycled carpet tiles made at a carbon
neutral factory. As well as being recycled, by
fitting them as tiles they can be installed three
times more quickly than traditional carpets and
are more durable − lasting four times longer.
Other recycled material on board includes a
prototype recycled carbon fibre mat made from
waste composite material from Boeing
factories.
JANUARY 2020
5
Radome
AEROSPACE GENERAL AVIATION
70-year-old Beaver flies with RAeS names electric
electric engine racer design winners
The Royal Aeronautical a simulated race circuit
Society has announced and their performance
that a New Zealand assessed. IONTREPID,
team won this year’s designed by Cameron
Harbour Air
International Light Aircraft Garner of New Zealand,
Design Competition – to was the winning entry,
design a single-seat with a novel configuration
On 10 December, Canadian seaplane operator Harbour Air carried out what it described electric powered racer of a flying wing and pusher
as the first flight of a full electric commercial aircraft, when one of its de Havilland with a fixed undercarriage. propeller. Second place
Canada DHC-2 Beavers − a design which orginally flew in 1947 − was refitted with a The competition saw went to Sparrrowhawk
750hp MagniX electric propulsion system. The flight, from the airline's seaplane base teams from around the from the UK and third
in Vancouver, Canada, lasted four minutes. Harbour Air, which operates a fleet of 40 world design electric place went to AFormX
aircraft, including Beavers, Turbo Beavers and Twin Otters, plans to convert its entire racers, which were then team from Slovenia. (see
fleet to electric power. 'flown' virtually around Electricfying ideas − p 18)
DEFENCE AIR TRANSPORT
UK Strategic Defence South African Airways to undergo
Review in 2020 ‘radical’ restructuring
The newly re-elected UK and foreign policy since
Government has said the end of the Cold War.
that it intends to conduct The review would also lead
a new far-reaching to a “huge technological
South African Airways
Strategic Defence and upgrade of security forces
Security Review in 2020. to keep Britain safe and
Announced ahead of the strengthen NATO.” Exact
election and before the proposals are yet to be
NATO 70th Summit in revealed but reports
December, Prime Minister suggest a larger role for Loss-making South African flag carrier South African Airways (SAA) is to undergo an
Boris Johnson pledged military space along with extensive R4 billion ‘radical restructuring', according to the South African Government.
that the review would be a £5bn Galileo GNSS The Government says that it is now in discussions with lenders to provide funding to
the deepest overhaul of replacement. The last cover the carrier's losses and affect a 'business rescue' turnaround – after the airline
the UK's defence, security SDSR was held in 2015. was recently grounded by an eight-day strike in November.
NEWS IN BRIEF
to replace Boeing 757- Twin Otters to the Avmax to individual airframes. The
Russia's Irkut has rolled 200s on longer-distance On 27 November India Group. The new aircraft will ruling covers ‘all newly
out the fourth flight test routes. launched a Polar Satellite be used to fly personnel manufactured aircraft’,
MC-21-300 single-aisle Launch Vehicle (PSLV) working in Chad for the according to the FAA.
airliner at its facility in Romania is to acquire from the Satish Dhawan China National Petroleum
Siberia. Powered by P&W five surplus Portuguese Space Center carrying a Corporation International The Hong Kong Civil
PW1400G engines, it LM F-16s to add to the payload of 14 satellites. Chad (CNPCIC). Aviation Department
joins three previous MC- 12 it already operates. The rocket carried India’s (CAD) has reported a fall
21s in flight testing and The agreement, which Cartosat 3 optical imaging The US Federal Aviation in traffic from operators,
two airframes for ground has yet to be ratified by mapping satellite, 12 Adminstration (FAA) following the territory’s
static tests. the Romanian parliament, SuperDove CubeSats has said that it will now recent political unrest −
would have four F-16s and an experimental take control of individual with Cathay Pacific and
United Airlines has being delivered in 2020, technical demonstration certification 737 MAX Hong Kong Airlines both
ordered 50 Airbus long- followed by one more nanosatellite. aircraft − removing reducing flights by around
range A321XLs. Due to in 2021. All 17 fighters Boeing's authority to 6%. The reduction in
enter service in 2024, the would be upgraded to a Viking Air has delivered issue FAA-granted capacity would normally
new aircraft will be used new ‘M.6.X’ standard. two Viking Series 400 airworthiness certificates mean that airlines would
6 AEROSPACE
AIR TRANSPORT
Berlin Brandenburg
airport to open in 2020
Germany’s newest airport, the initial budget. Since
Berlin Brandenburg, then, the opening has
is now set to open in been previously been
ESA
October 2020 – some scheduled for 2014,
SPACE
eight years after it was then 2016, before being
originally scheduled
to open. The opening,
postponed again. Offical
construction of the airport
ESA receives 45% boost in funding
originally set for June − designed to replace The European Space Agency (ESA) has been awarded a big rise in its budget by
2012, was delayed three outdated Berlin member nations of €12.5bn over the next three years. The budget boost, agreed at
due to concerns over airports of Tempelhof, the last Ministerial Summit in November, was described as “the first significant boost
its safety systems and Tegel and Schönefeld in funding” for 25 years by ESA's Director General Jan Wörner. The funding increase
fire protection while the and improve long-haul unlocks proposed ESA space missions, such as the Mars Sample Return (above),
cost has ballooned to connections, began in Athena X-ray space telescope and Hera mission to a double asterioid. The funding boost
€7.3bn – three times 2006. by ESA nations also saw the UK increase its contribution by 23% to €1.65bn.
GENERAL AVIATION AEROSPACE
Silver Spitfire returns after epic Repair stations seek to
round-the-world flight block US MRO bill
On 5 December, after four US aircraft repair stations, ‘Safe Aircraft Maintenance
Silver Spitfire/Longest Flight
months, 91 stages and a represented by the Standards Act’, would
27,000mile journey, a 1943 Aeronautical Repair Station create extra burdens in data
Supermarine Spitfire MkIX Association (ARSA), have collecting and reporting,
touched down at its base in come out in opposition to hinder US competitiveness,
Goodwood Aerodrome, UK, a proposed Congressional as well as make it more
becoming the first ever Spitfire bill that aims to increase difficult for US airlines to
to fly around the world. The regulatory oversight of receive services at non-US
Silver Spitfire, flown by Steve foreign repair stations, but FAA-approved MRO
Brooks and Matt Jones from (including surprise shops. ARSA’s opposition
Boultbee Flight Academy, visited inspections) and harmonise has also received backing
30 countries, including the US, standards in the MRO from Airlines for America,
Canada, Russia, Japan, Pakistan, sector. The Association the Aerospace Industries
India, the UAE and Egypt. argues that the bill, the Association and GAMA.
lose their airport slots but successfully launched company itself is now Boeing airliners, are set 25 November when a
CAD has said that carriers the fifth Inmarsat Global under receivership with to be decided later this NH90 and Tiger attack
can keep them until March. Xpress communications tenders for a new owner year. helicopters collided at
satellite from Kourou, to go out in 2020. night during a special
Spain has announced French Guiana. A Chinese-built AVIC forces operation.
that it has chosen the The satellite will go Airbus is arguing that MA60 turboprop, operated
Pilatus PC-21 turboprop operational in early 2020 the WTO should reduce by Cameroon’s Camair- NASA’s Parker Solar
trainer to replace its fleet and provide broadband the scale of $7.5bn Co airline, came under Probe has returned the
of C-101 jet trainers. communication services in US tariffs awarded reported machine-gun fire first discoveries from its
The Spanish Air Force for Europe and the by $2bn, as its A380 on approach to Bafut’s close flybys of the Sun.
will acquire 24 PC-21s Middle East. superjumbo has ceased Bamenda airport on 1 Science investigators
in a €204m deal with production and no longer December. No one was have found new
first deliveries beginning Italy's Piaggio has represents lost sales to hurt in the incident, with information on the solar
by the end of 2020. delivered its first P180 Boeing. Meanwhile, EU the aircraft landing safely. wind, Sun’s magnetic
Avanti Evo turboprop countermeasures, which field and particle burst
On 27 November business aircraft to a could include tariffs on Thirteen French soldiers events previously
an Ariane 5 rocket Canadian customer. The US goods including were killed in Mali on undetectable from Earth.
JANUARY 2020 7
Radome
DEFENCE SPACE
NATO gets first Global Hawk- Countdown to US
based AGS commercial crew flights
As AEROSPACE set for 20 December.
goes to press, the two Meanwhile, SpaceX's
companies set to provide Crewed Dragon capsule
commercial crew flights is scheduled to undertake
for NASA astronauts an in-flight abort test in
to the International early January − using
Space Station (ISS) are its SuperDraco rockets
NATO
both counting down to to perform an abort 90
imminent tests of their seconds into launch.
On 20-21 November the first of five Northrop Grumman RQ-4D Alliance Ground hardware. Boeing's CST- Should both flight tests
Surveillance (AGS) UAVs was delivered from Palmdale, California, to its main operating 100 Starliner is now atop be successful, this will
base in Sigonella in Sicily, Italy. The AGS is a Global Hawk Block 40 variant that will be a United Launch Alliance see both companies ready
operated as a joint asset by 15 NATO allies to provide persistent ISR surveillance over Atlas 5 rocket ahead of an to perform crewed test
wide areas. Initial operational capability is expected in the first half of 2020. uncrewed orbital test flight flights in 2020.
AIR TRANSPORT AEROSPACE
Norwegian ends South Boeing rolls out MAX 10
American foray
Norwegian Air is to sell overcapacity and mounting
off its South American debts. In December, the
domestic spin-off as part airline also announced it
of a profitability push. would be cutting long-haul
Norwegian Air Argentina flights from Copenhagen
Boeing
will be acquired by local and Stockholm to the US,
airline Jetsmart Airlines blaming low demand and
and the three 737s used issues with the Royce- In a low-key ceremony for company employees on 22 November at its Renton, Seattle,
returned to Norwegian's Royce Trent engines on factory, Boeing rolled out the prototype of the largest variant of its 737 MAX family
core fleet. The long-haul, its Boeing 787s. The − the 230-seat MAX 10. Since its launch in 2017 as a rival to the bestselling Airbus
low-cost airline has faced carrier has also postponed A321neo, the MAX 10 has racked up over 500 orders. A first flight is expected later this
headwinds due to the 737 delivery of new aircraft, year. However, as AEROSPACE goes to press, the 737 MAX family remains grounded
MAX crisis, shake-ups Airbus A320neos and with no confirmed schedule for recertification and American Airlines removing it from its
in the executive team, A321LRs to save money. forward flight schedules until April.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Urkrainian-built Antonov understanding (MoU) with Launched from the Taiyuan making a precautionary
Boeing has rebooted An-124 cargo aircraft. VTB Leasing. space centre in Shanxi landing. The FAA is now
the Cora eVTOL project The SLON is similar province, the Gaofen will investigating.
with start-up Kitty Hawk. in configuration to the Australia has selected be used in land surveys,
The joint venture will now An-124 but features a the General Atomics urban planning, road Bombardier is to move
be rebranded under the heavier payload (180t vs MQ-9B SkyGuardian to network design, crop yield final assembly of its
name of Wisk, although 120t) and will have the be its new armed MALE estimation and disaster Global business jet family
the 12-rotor eVTOL ability to operate from UAV. The RAAF is set to relief. from Toronto Downsview
(currently under test in 3,000m runways. acquire between 12-16 Airport to Toronto Pearson
New Zealand) will still be air vehicles, with delivery On 4 December a Los Airport beginning in 2023.
known as Cora. Tajikistan carrier Somon in 2023. Angeles news helicopter The airframer will build
Air is to lease two from KABC was forced a new one-million sq ft
Wind-tunnel testing has Embraer E190-E2 China launched the to land after a suspected factory able to assemble
begun at Russia’s TsAGI regional jets. The airline, Gaofen 12 all-weather drone hit its tail over the up to 1,000 aircraft a year.
institute of the SLON which currently operates radar imaging satellite city at 1,100ft at night.
strategic airlifter − which six Boeing 737s, has aboard a Long March 4C No-one was injured in the A Dornier 228 turboprop
is designed to replace the signed a memorandum of rocket on 27 November. incident with the helicopter operated by African
8 AEROSPACE
AIR TRANSPORT AEROSPACE
100th A220 delivered to Air Baltic Study details public
acceptance of eVTOLs
Research by the Technical spectators were able to
University of Stuttgart into see the vehicle make an
public perceptions of urban unpiloted flight and sit in it
air mobility flights found a on the ground. Over 1,200
high level of personal and people were interviewed
societal acceptance of for the survey, which found
‘air taxis’ with noise levels that 67% believed the use
Airbus
‘better than expected’. of the Volocopter as an
The research centred air taxi to be ‘probable or
On 29 November, Airbus announced that it has produced the 100th A220 single-aisle around a public trial of very probable’. Meanwhile
airliner from the former Bombardier CSeries factory in Mirabel, Canada. The 100th A220 the Volocopter eVTOL 'enjoyment of usage’ and
– a -300 model is destined for Latvian-based Air Baltic – which now has 50 A220s on in September 2019, in ‘time savings’ were cited as
order. The first A220 (as the CSeries) was delivered to launch customer Swiss in June Stuttgart, Germany in the top reasons for using
2016. which an estimated 20,000 eVTOLs.
GENERAL AVIATION DEFENCE
Mooney restarts production CAE unveils virtual reality sim
US GA manufacturer aircraft − selling only eight
Mooney Corporation has of its newest model, the
restarted production on Acclaim Ultra in 2019. It
2 December, following has already contracted
a three-week shutdown its workforce from around
and sending its remaining 260 a year and half ago
60 employees home. to its present 60 today,
Currently owned by Founded 90 years ago,
Chinese investment the company says it is
company Soaring America now in final negotiations
CAE
Aircraft, the Kerrville, East with an unnamed group
Texas-based manufacturer of investors interested At the I/ITSEC simulation exhibition in Orlando, Canada’s CAE revealed a new virtual
is reported to have been in acquiring Mooney reality system, Sprint VR and accompanying TRAX Academy. The system, which
in financial difficulties, International and incorporates VR, ‘virtual instructors’ and mobile apps, is designed to accelerate students
following slow sales of its revitalising the enterprise. through military pilot training and save costs.
regional operator Busy
Bee Congo, crashed on
Weapon System (SOAC
WAS) will replace the Gulfstream Aerospace
ON THE MOVE
24 November shortly after current 747-200-derived has delivered the United Airlines President Bergsma becomes Head
take-off from Goma in National Airborne 400th example of its Scott Kirby is to succeed of Communications
Congo. Media reports say Operations Center G650/650ER business current CEO Oscar Munoz Commercial Aircraft;
that all 19 passengers and (NAOC)s. jet. The milestone jet, in May. Yves Barillé, Head
crew were killed, as well . which was launched five of Communications
as up to ten people on the SpaceX has said that years ago, went to an Les Matuson of Matuson Helicopters; and Dirk Erat,
ground. it will treat one of the unnamed US customer. Associates has been Head of Communications
next batch of Starlink appointed to oversee Defence & Space. Philipp
The US Air Force has satellites with a trial The US has approved the turnaround of South Encz has been appointed
begun searching for a coating designed to a $25m investment by African Airways. as Head of Creative Core.
replacement for its four make it less reflective South Korea's Hanwha
Boeing E-4B ‘Doomsday after astronomers have Systems into a Karem Airbus has named a Salvatore Sciacchitano is
Planes’ airborne command complained that the 120 Aircraft spin-off, Overair new Communications now President of ICAO
and control posts. The Starlink satellites launched that is developing the and Corporate Affairs Council, taking over from
Survivable Airborne so far are interfering with Butterfly eVTOL as a leadership team. Maggie Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu.
Operations Center ground-based astronomy. potential Uber air taxi.
JANUARY 2020 9
SITION
he climate change challenge by reducing emissions. Air
r sectors. How will we fly in the coming decades?
By the Numbers
of energy: fossil-derived liquid fuel. It has proved to be a reliable power
ut CO2 emissions, air transport has started a transition towards alternative
x today, it is expected that sustainable fuels will become a significant
Understanding the world of Aerospace through data
ro-
Sustainable aviation
fuels currently
215,000+
d using account for Flights on
other sustainable fuels
0.01% taken off since 2011.
Whilst
the of global jet fuel use. Figures updated daily on
the past www.enviro.aero/SAF
cement
uced 2% (~7 billion litres)
sa
way to of the total aviation fuel supply could be SAF by
uire new 2025 with the right policy support, reaching a
tipping point for SAF supply.
research,
ns for
European Environmental Agency (2019)
f electric
6 bn litres 5
Air Transport Action Group
in airline SAF technical pathways
forward purchase to SAF development
agreements so far. have been certified.
7. H
yF
l
uction facilities come on stream. IATA analysis.
ye
8. 10.
He R
r–
SkyNRG 3.5bn
X4
4. E l 3. Al 9. S
Z e ro Av i
ar
Difference e cbetween a low take-up of SAF ph ky
E
tA
(Netherlands) t 5. B y a
Neste from production facilities (lower number) e
e ro s p a c
la
r ic
El
Velocys and a high take-up, driven by policy and
x
Ae
EEL
ectr
(Singapore expansion)
a
ro s
(UK) airline decision-making. The top number
LanzaTech 2. de
o – Pi
– Am
2.7bn H
pac e
e
represents the full possible output of SAF
(Nth Asia / Europe)
av
production already in operation, under
pi
UPM
ill a
pi
s
construction or in advance planning and
r
e tre
n d Be ave
Fulcrum
l
(USA) 2.3bn
financing.
(USA) Red Rock
(USA) Without the correct policy measures, the
World Energy 1.8bn
r
1.6bn fuel output could be optimised go to other
(USA expansion)
forms of transport – the lowest dotted
line represents the least uptake of SAF
(output goes to road transport).
1bn
710 This analysis does not include SAF
capacity that has not yet been
announced, is in concept stage, nor the
120
475
impact of aggressive policy support
25 53
92
which could double the potential by
2025.
Worldwide electric aircraft projects
9
20
21
22
23
24
25
01
20
20
20
20
20
20
Name Seats Range Country
(miles)
1. Alice – Eviation 9 650 Israel
2. de Havilland Beaver – MagniX electric engine 7 100 US
3. Alpha Electro – Pipistrel 2 86 Slovenia
4. Electric EEL (hybrid) – Ampair 6 US 6.
Pr
5. eFlyer 2 and eFlyer 4 – Bye Aerospace 2/4 100 US 1 . A li
oj
ce
ec
6. Project Fresson (hybrid-electric B-N Islander) 19 UK
t Fre s s o n
–
7. HyFlyer – ZeroAvia (hydrogen powertrain) 6 250-300 UK
Ev
ia ti o n
8. Heart Aerospace ES-19 19 250 Sweden
9. Scylax E10 10 186 Germany
10. RX4E 4 186 China
10 AEROSPACEPushing the Envelope
Exploring advances on the leading edge of aerospace
Hypersonic airliners: cool
Robert Coppinger
idea – scorching challenge
S
cience’s fundamental limits would seem despite 60 years having passed since the SR-71’s
to be far off for endeavours like imaging first flight. Like the Blackbird, Boeing’s airliner is
exo-planets or quantum super-computers, a hot titanium structure. The latest in materials
but atmospheric flight could already be science would point to ceramic composites being
constrained by physics. better, but Boeing’s concept is built on what is
The amount of heat from atmospheric friction already proven. Its airliner would have a 5,000nm
at each Mach number above Mach 5, where mile range for the transpacific market with its fuel
hypersonics starts, is exponentiaWl; a hellscape absorbing the heat soaking through the fuselage;
far more challenging than the sound barrier. Space the Blackbird’s JP7 fuel also did that. Boeing
capsules protect themselves with materials that re- declined to say if a renewable version of JP7 was
entry’s heat burns away, and NASA’s Space Shuttle possible.
had ceramic tiles to defend against that tremendous
friction. The likes of Virgin Galactic talk about high- Europe’s Stratofly
speed point-to-point transport services and start-up
Hermeus has announced a Mach 5 airliner, but for Using fuel to manage the heating is an approach
airline like operations evaporating materials are of taken by the 30 months, four million euros
no use, though Shuttle tiles point towards what is European Union (EU) project, Stratofly, which ends
needed and the limits of the periodic table. in December 2020. Its fuel is hydrogen and it is
designed to flow around the vehicle, and through
The heat is on pipes in the leadsing edges, to absorb the 1,000
degrees Celsius. Boeing rejects hydrogen because
At Mach 5 and above, the lowest altitude an airliner it needs large pressurised tanks making the airliner
could fly at, due to the friction heat, is about 80,000 much larger and heavier.
feet. The Lockheed Martin SR-71 Blackbird flew up Reaction Engines’ Synergetic Air Breathing
to Mach 3 with a similar maximum altitude. Cruising Rocket Engine (SABRE) was included in an earlier
at Mach 3 for more than an hour, the Blackbird’s EU Mach 5 Brussels to Sydney airliner study but is
titanium structure was soaked in temperatures not part of Stratofly despite being able to accelerate
higher than 315.5 degrees Celsius. At Mach 5, a vehicle from zero to Mach 5 combusting its liquid
a leading edge can experience 1,000 degrees hydrogen with atmospheric oxygen; and neither
Celsius. is it favoured by some researchers who prefer the
There are few elements on the periodic table simpler design of a supersonic ramjet. A hydrogen
that can withstand such temperatures for long fuelled scramjet is preferred by other researchers
periods and repeatedly be cooled and heated for higher Mach numbers, while Boeing’s airliner ABOVE MACH
as they would be with daily services from Los would use turbo ramjets, similar to the SR-71 5, WHERE
Angeles to Beijing, for example. There are even engines, the Pratt & Whitney J58. HYPERSONICS
fewer elements that can be manufactured into STARTS, IS
the geometries needed for engine or structural Summary EXPONENTIAL;
parts.
A HELLSCAPE
Since the 1962 first flight of the SR-71 the periodic
table and the known laws of physics have hardly FAR MORE
Boeing’s hypersonic concept
changed; and with those facts the solutions to CHALLENGING
Boeing revealed its hypersonic airliner concept in fly beyond five times the speed of sound have THAN THE SOUND
2018 and this draws lessons from the Blackbird remained much the same. BARRIER.
JANUARY 2020 11Transmission
LETTERS AND ONLINE @aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com
i
Kazakhstan orders Boeing 737 MAXs
@Flashgrim [On FlyArystan
Boeing
order for 737 MAXs at Dubai
Air Show] Or are there big
discounts being offered by
Boeing?
@RuAviaPhotog Some
RAeS Silver Medal Japan and Tempest of my friends in Kazakhstan
winner are very doubtful about
@ScooterBuckman [On this order. And they name
US-UK dogfight in Japan ‘Europeans in Air Astana’
over Trump pressuring Tokyo as the first reason and Air At the 2019 Dubai Air Show Kazakhstan flag carrier Air Astana
to choose the US solution Astana commitment to signed a letter of intent for 30 Boeing 737 MAX 8s to be operated
rather than Tempest as its Airbus as the second reason. by its low-cost subsidiary FlyArystan.
next fighter to replace the
F-2] Laughable talk about
‘SPIN’! Clearly, both European Hypersonic transport Luftwaffe A400Ms
programmes (Tempest/ @BurkardDomke [On @JujubBird At least two. @McBaine146 [On
FCAS) would love Japan Hypersonics race speeds
to join them. So, we are to Luftwaffe refuses to accept
up(2)] So, how many two Airbus A400Ms due to
Mushfiqul Alam [On Dr believe they haven’t or aren’t airframes have demonstrated ‘high-g’ issues] Could they
Steve Hodge FRAeS winning also pressuring Japan? a capability of sustained @Chris_Cole Putting the just be looking for an excuse
the Society Silver Medal Nonetheless, Japan has flight at Mach 5 for, say, 200 hype in hypersonics... not to accept the rest of their
for his work in designing expressed considerable seconds?
interest in the past about order? Was it them or France
and developing a new flight who ordered the C-130J as
simulator] Congratulations joining such a US programme.
a stop gap?
Steve!
Andy Berryman Very many @Aviaponcho Is the
congratulations Steve. Mogadishu 727 low-level 360 degree approach Luftwaffe trustworthy? And
really operational? Funny it is
Ian Sloan Thoroughly well @flavio_fvi [On cockpit video
always happening at the end
deserved. Well done Steve! of a 727 doing a low-level
of the fiscal year?
YouTube
360° turn at 100ft] Guess they
wanted to check the surfing
Cranfield’s Flying conditions on the beach.
Classroom @loadmasterles So why
should they accept them?
Would the RAF?
Albert Tiong [On a flight in @pearcea1980 FYI it’s
Cranfield University’s flying Mogadishu...
classroom(1)] Something to @Julien_Marie Remember
think about? the NH90: While Finland
@ScottyBateman Maybe
was using a kind of wooden
Kenneth Yap Absolutely. so but I can cite instances Still from YouTube video of 727 pilot making a very low level turn.
floor to reinforce cabin
where large aircraft have
floor weaknesses (and was
Richard Amunugama been lost by ground fire. @FlightTestFact The PK @marclivolsi What the
the first nation to officially
I remember this course There is also an element of (probability of kill) of the hell? Somewhere in the last
operate it), Germany (which
as part of my degree increased perceived risk that ground is pretty close to 1.0. second, they might have
was not planning to operate
at Southampton. There may play a factor. As I say, I’m So ‘lesser of two evils’ is just actually intercepted the
it in its current missions
really is no substitute for not party to the current risk. plain dumb. normal glide path. Even the
– nor Ops nor homeland)
first-hand experience. Your Out over the water and away first time they got the ‘One
was claiming against floor
stomach and inner-ear from the town is key. Hundred’ call a long way out.
weaknesses. For the A400M,
remember better than your @StTim Jeez – Other than to avoid hostile
Germany currently use it just
hippocampus! unprofessional and ATC fire, there’s no good reason
for usual aerial logistics, but
@Lukafoto It’s a known should have reported. Go for whatever the hell they
not for ‘on theatre’ support.
Iain Roberts I still can technique for Mogadishu! Fly around and fly a stable were doing.
Of course, at the approach,
feel my stomach after the much higher and get shot at! approach!
there is a risk but come on...
phugoid oscillation demo.
12 AEROSPACETop Dubai ‘influencer’ Cranfield’s Flying Classroom From the RAeS photo archives
Kcore Analytics
Cranfield University
RAeS/NAL
AEROSPACE Editor-in-
Chief Tim Robinson was
Cranfield University’s new Saab 340 will replace its present
cited as having the fifth most
Jetsteam 31 National Flying Laboratory during 2020.
influencing Twitter account at
#DubaiAirshow #DAS19.
@gmcd3 [On A lesson @Satcom_guru A great
in the flying classroom(1)] flight test experience! An
Red Arrows under Remember flying on this accelerated stall would have
threat again? (or predecessor) on the been a bonus. Also, a swept-
aerosystems course as a wing airplane makes a dutch
@CyranodEcosse [On grad in 94/95, awesome trip. roll much, much worse.
Red Arrows under threat in
next UK Strategic Defence
Review?] It’s that time where RAeS President in Dubai Miss Constance Babington Smith (1912-2000) at the Royal
Aeronautical Society Garden Party held at Fairey’s Great West
everybody is crying Wolf
again. Aerodrome, Hayes, Middlesex, on 8 May 1938. Constance
Babington Smith was a trained milliner, she worked for the milliner
Aage Thaarup before WW2 and also Vogue magazine in London,
before venturing into journalism with The Aeroplane magazine.
@Mark_Bate_UK There During WW2 she served in the WAAF in the Central Interpretation
are questions as to the Unit (CIU) at RAF Medmenham, Buckinghamshire, reaching the
viability of them making rank of Flight Officer. In 1942 she made an uncredited appearance
the planned OSD given in the Air Ministry feature film Target for Tonight. Working on the
the inability to draw down interpretation of aerial reconnaissance photographs, Constance
the FAF of Tmk1 as was credited with the discovery of the V1 at Peenemünde,
envisaged without 736 Germany. In 1942, she was Mentioned in Dispatches for her
NAS disbandment and AFT work and in 1945 she was awarded the MBE. Constance was
portrayed in the 1965 film Operation Crossbow by Sylvia Syms.
for 100 Sqn reduced to
After VE-Day Constance was attached to USAAF Intelligence
circa 5,000hrs (gradually in Washington, DC, to continue her work on photographic
reducing) out to 2027. BAE interpretation, this time for the Pacific theatre and, in 1946, the US
announced at DSEI they awarded her the Legion of Merit. Her 1957 war memoir Evidence
have stopped making Hawk. in Camera was the first comprehensive narrative of British
Will be an interesting one to RAeS President Jonathan Cooper presents a Fellowship photographic reconnaissance in WW2.
Certificate to Adel Al Rehha FRAeS at the 2019 Dubai Air Show.
watch. A T-6 display would
be a bit dull, punt on
Iontrepid
RAeS electric air race
@AeralisJet is most likely I’d @JoseM-SGP But with
guess. Unless you want an @yvemor [On RAeS Electric Hornet’s LERX.
Italian or Czech jet... race aircraft design winners
announced(3)] Great article.
Nice aircraft. @DConstuff Any more
@timdavies_uk The usual details on the UK entry,
MoD ‘bury head in sand until Sparrowhawk R-1? Who is
the problem goes away’ @tngadd Mmmm. Lot of behind it?
policy, I see. wing for a racer. Iontrepid Garner GR02 electric racer
1. https://www.aerosociety.com/news/a-lesson-in-the-flying-classroom/
2. AEROSPACE, December 2019, p 24, Hypersonics weapons come of age
3. https://www.aerosociety.com/news/electrifying-ideas-winners-named-in-raes-electric-air-race-design-contest/
@aerosociety i linkedin.com/raes f facebook.com/raes www.aerosociety.com JANUARY 2020 13ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS
Zero Avia hydrogen demonstrator
Zero Avia
High time for
hydrogen
Could hydrogen-powered zero-carbon commuter flights be just around the
corner? TIM ROBINSON speaks to stealth start-up ZeroAvia – which this year
will test a six-seat Piper single-engined piston aircraft converted to use a
hydrogen powertrain in the skies of the UK.
H
ydrogen as a fuel has many advantages. Enter ZeroAvia
Energy-rich and easy to make, it
nevertheless has failed to take off for Founder and CEO of ZeroAvia, Val Miftakhov,
many reasons. The need for volume to comes from a highly interesting background, for
store means that liquid hydrogen requires someone looking to introduce a new logistics and
cryogenic tanks – adding substantially to an aircraft’s fuel infrastructure to the aviation industry – and
drag. Additionally, memories of the Hindenburg understanding the need for scale and ‘range anxiety’.
disaster and complex fuelling of rocket launches has A physicist by training, he previously pioneered electric Above, main picture.
ZeroAvia has replaced the
kept it away from adoption in mainstream aviation. charging stations for cars with a company called piston Lycoming TIO-540-
However, a new US start-up, ZeroAvia, plans to Electric MotorWerks which was sold off in 2017. A AE2A engine in a Piper
change that by using hydrogen as the fuel for a new private pilot himself in helicopters and fixed-wing Matrix with its electric-
hybrid powertrain system for small regional airliners. aircraft, he said the idea for ZeroAvia came from these hydrogen powerplant.
14 AEROSPACEtwo themes – “That’s when I started thinking about improvements are pretty minimal. You’re still utilising
what’s next, it was naturally a combination of these liquid fuels, so you have all the pollution and the cost
three: zero emission mobility, sustainable mobility and associated with that. So that pushed us pretty quickly
aviation”. says Miftakhov. However, he was keen that into the hydrogen fuel-cell-based battery.”
any start-up should be able to bring benefits quickly: Miftakov notes that, despite the excitement over
“I wanted to have impact as soon as possible on the electric battery-powered flight, “those who have
sustainability of the emissions trajectory in aviation. done their due diligence looking at the operating
That meant, to me at least, that we should focus parameters have decided that probably it will take
on the segments that already exist, like short-haul some time before they can meaningfully fly those
regional aviation, instead of starting yet another flying things.” Meanwhile, he argues there has been a ‘muted
drone company, for example.” market response’ to hybrid-electric flight: “over the last
He conducted market research on potential 12 months, the operators, aircraft manufacturers and
demand for zero-emission aircraft. “We went around some of the third-party aviation existing players, such
and talked to a number of operators, regional airlines as leasing agencies and such, have realised that the
mostly, and asked them what would be the type of actual benefits from the hybridisation are probably not
aircraft and type of mission profile that they would as big as originally expected.”
be willing to actually fly once we bring the product He explains: “In ground transportation,
to the market. That’s how we ended up focussing on hybridisation makes a lot of sense because of the
our 19-passenger, 500-mile mission profile in the standard sort of stop and go type usage profile. You
fixed-wing twin-engined aircraft.” ZeroAvia believes have a lot of acceleration and deceleration during a
that, with 50% of all trips worldwide being covered by typical trip. In aviation, in the typical regional aircraft
the 500mile range, this is the sweet spot for a new utilisation profile, you do not have an opportunity
disruptive regional aircraft. to save anything through something like this. You
However, despite ‘flightshaming’ and the growth of can’t really regenerate much on descent. You’re still
climate change awareness – the interest from airlines operating at certain power levels on the descent and
is not purely altruistic – it is the economics of electric it’s definitely not helpful during a climb and cruise. So
that also provide a powerful pull – with an estimated the impact is relatively minimal.”
50% reduction in operating costs compared to He believes that now the time is right for
a traditional turbine powerplant. Says Miftakhov: hydrogen to step in: “Once people see that there is an
“We think we can deliver this type of mission at a option like this hydrogen-powered option that could
significantly lower cost than a jet fuel-based mission deliver higher range, they actually get quite interested.”
in the small aircraft that flies today. That’s really one Explaining the approach of ZeroAvia, he says:
of the most exciting pieces in this whole equation for “We’ve positioned the company as a powertrain
me, that we can actually not only have zero emissions, company. We’re a company delivering initially a PT6
which is nice of course and personally motivating. turbine style and size powertrain to the market.
However, we can also have better economics.” We think we can do it in the next three years, in a
fixed-wing airframe that would be coming from one
The powertrain of the existing manufacturers.” Miftakhiv reveals that
the company is initially targeting platforms such as
With a growing number of electric and hybrid-electric the Viking Air Twin Otter, Dornier 228 and Cessna
propulsion projects (Eviation Alice, Project Fresson SkyCourier as potential conversions to its ZA600
Twin Islander and MagniX electric Beavers) why hydrogen powertrain.
did ZeroAvia settle on a hydrogen-based system? The system uses compressed hydrogen – which
Miftakhov explains that, having decided on the 19 then goes to a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel
The company has already
carried out test flights of passenger, 500mile target, “It was pretty clear that cell. This converts chemical energy from the hydrogen
its hydrogen-powered batteries will not get us there anytime soon. We did and ambient oxygen to power an electric motor
demonstrator in the US. not want to use turbine hybrids, because the efficiency providing rotational energy for the propeller. Miftakhov
admits that, for initial applications, the compressed
hydrogen fuel may need to be stored in ‘drop’ or wing
Zero Avia
tip tanks mounted externally on the airframe, saying:
“depending on the airframe, we might actually have
these tanks mounted outside of the airframe. For some
airframes, it might be possible to integrate altogether.
This is one of the factors for selecting which airframe
we will go with for the initial introduction.”
By using compressed hydrogen instead of liquid
hydrogen (as in rocket fuel and other cryogenic
hydrogen airliner projects) ZeroAvia aims to simplify
the certification process. “We decided to focus initially,
on compressed hydrogen because liquid hydrogen,
JANUARY 2020 15ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS
Zero Avia hydrogen demonstrator
which is more dense, has less volume and definitely demonstrations where we say, ‘Okay, we’ve got the
weighs less; the problem is the system becomes more aircraft technology figured out to get it to 300m
complex and harder to certify for commercial use. We range. Let’s now demonstrate that we can use that
think that we’ll be able to deliver 500 miles of range aircraft to fly actual commercial missions.’ Obviously,
with compressed gas and it’s much simpler to push it’s not going to be certified yet, so we cannot actually
through certification.” Says Miftakhov: “However, going put it in commercial operation. However, we can UK AEROSPACE
from there, for longer distances and a larger aircraft, go to the operators and say that we want to fly the IS DEFINITELY A
we would have to go liquid at some point.” same missions that you fly commercially today to
He notes that the hydrogen system incurs a weight demonstrate the refuelling times, to demonstrate the
KEY INDUSTRY
penalty relative to a kerosene-powered PT6 equivalent dispatchability, demonstrate the payloads, capacity, AND THERE
– with the hydrogen powertrain delivering one-third and all those things, ability to manage weather IS A HUGE
of the max fuel range. However, “With the technology situations, and all the other things that would be AMOUNT OF
improvements that we are expecting to have in the required for commercial operations.”
next three years, we’ll be able to deliver about half of Another selling point for a zero-emission 19-seat
ATTENTION TO
the liquid range of a fossil fuel. So that’s where the 500 electric regional airliner is also likely to be its noise ZERO EMISSION
miles become realistic on a three-year time horizon.” – or lack thereof, compared to turboprop aircraft. AVIATION,
Miftakhov explains: ‘you still have the prop noise. We
think that we can reduce the prop noise quite a bit
Zero Avia
and we will be doing a good amount of testing around
that.” He adds: “The fundamental reason why we can
reduce the noise from the propeller is that, with the
electric motors, it’s easier to deliver maximum power at
lower rotational speed. Just the power band is much
wider on the electric motors compared to internal
combustion engines, whether turbines or reciprocating
engines. We plan to utilise the benefit to reduce the
tip speeds and therefore reduce the noise output of
the aircraft while still providing thrust. We believe we
The aircraft may need external ‘drop tanks’ to accomodate can get to 10 to 15dB reduction of the noise outputs
the compressed hydrogen. of the typical sort of turboprop of that size, which is
going to be quite substantial improvements. Hopefully,
The demonstrator that will make the integration of this additional traffic
an easier proposition. “
However, this zero-emission powertrain is no
theoretical model – it has already taken to the air Why test in the UK?
using a converted Piper-M class single-engine
aircraft that the company is using as a technology Some might wonder, given the vast airspace of the US
demonstrator. The M-class piston aircraft was chosen with its test facilities such as those found in Mojave or
as it is highly efficient, requires at least 250/300kW Moses Lake, why ZeroAvia has decided to flight test
of power and has sufficient space for the components. its zero-carbon demonstrator in the UK.
“Using this test aircraft,” says ZeroAvia, is also cheaper The first reason, says Miftakhov, is the high
than going directly to the 19-seat aircraft. level of support for greener aviation initiatives from
Initial test flights have already taken place in Whitehall through funding tools like the Aerospace
Hollister, California and, in early 2020, the company Technology Institute (ATI). “It was pretty clear that UK
is set to transfer flight testing to the UK at Cranfield aerospace is definitely a key industry and there is a
ahead of long-range 250-300mile demonstration huge amount of attention to zero emission aviation,
flights in the Orkney lslands. The aircraft was to the point that they recently announced the Future
converted to a hydrogen powertrain at the end of of Flight programme that is specifically targeting zero
2018 and received a FAA experimental certification emission aviation. There is nothing like that in the US
in February 2019. In 2019 the company also received and probably will not be for a bit, under the current
a £2.7m grant from the UK’s Aerospace Technology administration anyway, on the federal level.”
Institute under the HyFlyer project. Miftakhov singles out the ATI for its approach
Initial flight testing is set to begin this month from in fostering innovation from a US start-up. “In my
Cranfield, with the 300-mile demonstration flights to experience, they were probably right up top there
Kirkwall Airport in the Orkney Islands taking place in terms of how organised and structured they are
around September. Although the aircraft will not be and how helpful they are in the submission process,
commercially certificated, ZeroAvia then plans to start giving you the feedback and really trying to make you
doing commercial demonstrations of the technology successful. This is very different from some of my
using the six-seater Piper M. Says Miftakhov: “We other experiences elsewhere. It was really, really good
expect to start doing what we call commercial spec to work with them”.
16 AEROSPACE“The second reason was the ecosystem
perspective” says Miftakhov, “with target partners and
potential joint venture partners as we go along. Rolls-
Royce is here. Airbus has a huge operation, GKN
Aerospace and other major players in aerospace are
here. Again, the government is quite supportive of
new technologies and wants to keep the place of UK
in the global aerospace industry, which is great.”
Finally, he notes that a UK flight test campaign
and base places ZeroAvia closer to its expected
market for short-haul zero-carbon regional flights –
Europe. “The third reason was that Europe in general,
we see as a pretty attractive market, probably more
attractive than the US market in some ways because
of a lot of these short-range routes. Again, generally Zero Avia
a better environment for zero-emission transportation
with more awareness of the impact that aviation has.”
will be a significant impact on our expected timeline,
Infrastructure which already includes sort of a buffer for new
technology and new risks that we would have to kind
Despite the lower operating costs and green of go through with the FAA, the CAA and EASA. If we
credentials, one challenge confronting hydrogen were just building perhaps a new version of a turbine
as aviation fuel is the logistics and infrastructure tech, the timeline would have been quicker than the
footprint needed to make this feasible for everyday three, four years we’re projecting now.”
operations. Miftakhov, with a background in electric ZeroAvia is aware that, despite offering a quieter,
charging stations for cars, is aware of the issue. zero-emission aircraft promising half the running
“It’s a very good question. One of the partners in costs – airlines are by nature conservative beasts
the demonstration project that was funded by when it comes to buying new aircraft. To therefore
Innovate UK, is the European Marine Energy Centre incentivise operators and accelerate the introduction
(EMEC) based in Orkney, which which has a lot of of this technology, Miftakhov says the company is
experience with renewable hydrogen, especially mulling a powertrain ‘zero-emission power by the
in producing it from renewable power. EMEC are hour’ leasing model. “The operators, when you’re
going to be responsible for figuring out the fuel looking to de-risk their operation and probably
infrastructure side of things for us in this project. asking them to buy into the technology outright, limit
So right now it is working with Cranfield Airport, for the initial ramp rate of how fast we can get those
instance, to understand the safety requirements, to things out there and in fact delay our impact, which
understand how to bring the fuel into the airport, how is something I care about quite a bit. So probably the
to refuel the aircraft at the airport and what kind of best way to do this is to accelerate the ramp up to
requirements are around that, with an eye towards offer a lower risk option to the operators where they
scaling it to other airports once the first one is figured pay on the ongoing basis and pay less than what
out.” they pay today for the turboprop operation. So you
Miftakhov reveals that he has already several can think about a fully-baked, wet lease of the power
large companies involved in fuels and hydrogen that plants.” Power by the hour will also provide additional
are quite interested in becoming involved but says, savings for ZeroAvia too, “We want to capture part of
“I want to provide enough certainty to the fuelling the savings that we’re generating and still deliver a
infrastructure players that they will invest in it – we significant part of the savings to the operator.”
need to show them that there is economic sense in
them doing so, because I don’t want to be building Summary
fuelling infrastructure.”
Could hydrogen then become the zero-emission
The future aviation fuel of the future? Many challenges still
remain but what is true is that ZeroAvia, alongside
Beyond the Piper M demonstrator, the company Project Fresson, E-FanX and Rolls-Royce’s
plans to start work on the powertrain for a 19-seat acquisition of Siemens eAircraft, has catapulted the
regional aircraft, scaling up the 260kW system to UK into a prime position in the fast-changing electric
a 800kW one with certification planned for 2022. ‘Third Revolution’ in aerospace. With quieter electric
ZeroAvia says that this timeline includes a ‘buffer’ to aircraft offering game-changing economics, smaller,
take into account extra scrutiny from the regulators long neglected regional and GA airports may now be
of this new propulsion architecture – especially in the at the forefront of a revolution in affordable, green
wake of the Boeing 737 MAX. “I don’t think there point-to-point travel.
JANUARY 2020 17You can also read
