Helicopter manufacturer Leonardo will support Vertical Aerospace in developing the fuselage for its VX4 eVTOL. Under a newly inked agreement, the Italian group will initially help to build six VX4s to be used for type certification test flights, but it could be extended to cover planned annual production of up to 2,000 of the four-passenger aircraft.
At its Grottalglie site in Italy, Leonardo’s aerostructure division will design, test, manufacture, and supply the carbon fiber fuselage for the all-electric VX4. The companies said they will work together to optimize lightweight composite structures, modular design, systems integration, and structural testing for the co-development of the fuselage.
UK-based startup Vertical Aerospace has placed a strong emphasis on including established aerospace companies in its program. Its partners already include Rolls-Royce, which is developing the VX4’s electric propulsion system; avionics group Honeywell; aerostructures manufacturer GKN; and Solvay.
Vertical is expanding its engineering and management team as it prepares for first flight of the VX4 prototype later this year. The aircraft, which is expected to complete type certification in 2024, will have a range of more than 100 miles and fly at speeds of up to 200 mph.
Want more? You can find a longer version of this article at FutureFlight.aero, a news and information resource developed by AIN to provide objective coverage and analysis of cutting-edge aviation technology.
AINsight: FAA Aeromedical Letters, Part 1
Pilots receive medical-related letters from the FAA quite frequently. These typically come from the FAA Aerospace Medicine Certification division in Oklahoma City or the federal air surgeon office in Washington, D.C. Occasionally, they can come from regional flight surgeon offices. I will address approval letters in this blog; a future submission will cover disapprovals.
Reasons for the letters include simply acknowledging the report of a new medical condition or after review of documentation that might have been sent to the FAA. Pilots should keep all FAA letters in a place where they can be found—do not lose them.
The simplest letter to receive would be an “eligibility” or “clearance” letter, which is usually brief, to the point, and easy to understand. It is sent when the FAA has evaluated a new medical condition that was simply reported on the most recent FAA examination form transmitted by the AME or perhaps after review of some additional information that the AME requested the pilot to obtain before performing the medical examination.
These kinds of letters are actually very good to receive. The FAA is acknowledging that the medical condition has been reviewed, that the pilot remains medically qualified, and usually such letters do not ask for additional documentation for that condition in the future.
The first week in February showed private jet activity maintaining a year-over-year upswing as aviation continues to recover from the effects of the global pandemic. According to global flight analyst WingX, business jet flights are trending upwards, showing a 35 percent increase in activity from last year, 18 percent from 2020, and 13 percent from 2019.
In North America, flight activity during the first week of the month increased by 27 percent year-over-year. While January showed an increase of 10 percent in the U.S. versus the same period in pre-pandemic 2019, February has started out at a slower pace, with activity trending just 1.3 percent over the level in February 2019.
“The first week of February saw some slowdown compared to January 2022, but U.S. operators are gearing up for Super Bowl LVI coming this weekend,” said WingX managing director Richard Koe.
Europe saw nearly 10,000 business jet operations, an increase of 11 percent and 10 percent, respectively, versus the first weeks of February in 2020 and 2019, and 54 percent over 2021’s heavily-restricted levels. “In Europe, the huge increase in charter flights to Alpine airports demonstrates the rebound in leisure demand as international restrictions get lifted,” said Koe.
The Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA) is moving ahead with its efforts to acquire Bridgeport Sikorsky Memorial Airport (KBDR) as it looks to restore commercial airline service to the southeastern part of the state. Established in 2011, the CAA currently operates Bradley International Airport—the state’s lone commercial gateway—and five general aviation airports: Danielson, Groton-New London, Hartford-Brainard, Waterbury-Oxford, and Windham.
KBDR, which is currently owned by the city of Bridgeport and home to two FBOs, has seen no airline service over the past two decades and its passenger terminal has since been demolished.
Following a recent $7 million investment by the State Bond Commission that will primarily cover the pavement rehabilitation on 4,759-foot Runway 11/29, Bridgeport and the CAA announced ongoing discussions in November regarding an expanded partnership to develop and run the airport, which currently operates at an annual budget deficit. The airport has been trying to lure commercial operators back over the past several years, but it would take additional millions in infrastructure, including a new airline terminal, to make KBDR enticing once again.
While the CAA would apply its airport management experience and could, in theory, provide the necessary level of infrastructure funding, the matter is still being debated by Bridgeport officials. The CAA has reportedly offered $10 million for KBDR.
Honeywell’s new HTS7500 turboshaft engine has been selected to power the coaxial/compound rotor Lockheed Martin Sikorsky-Boeing Defiant X, one of two finalists in the U.S. Army's Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) competition. “This engine builds upon the battle-proven architecture of the T55 [that powers the Boeing H-47 Chinook], but the HTS7500 takes engine performance, reliability, and efficiency to a whole new level,” said Honeywell Aerospace president of engines and power systems Dave Marinick.
"The engine is structurally similar, which is great for maintainers in the field because they can use current tools and training,” he added. “However, when it comes to performance, the HTS7500 is 42 percent more powerful than the T55-GA-714A and has the lowest total weight compared to other engines in its horsepower class."
Honeywell said the new engine controls use a digital thread road map that enables a secure flow of engine data and improves operating capabilities, reduces life-cycle costs, and ensures engine health status.
FLRAA was initiated by the U.S. Army in 2019 to develop a new utility helicopter to replace the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks starting in 2030. Defiant X is competing against the Bell V-280 Valor tiltrotor for the program. Bell is partnering with engine-maker Rolls-Royce, which is providing its AE1107 turboshaft for the V-280.
With a focus on grassroots advocacy at the state, local, and federal levels, the Alliance for Aviation Across America is continuing to expand that reach into rural corners with the addition of Betsy Huber, president of the National Grange, to its board of directors. Founded in 1867, the Grange is a family and community organization with roots in agriculture, bringing in a broader perspective to the Alliance.
“Although you don't really think of farmers and air travel, aviation is very important for farmers as well as rural residents,” Huber told AIN, noting that the industry plays a key role for rural areas in transporting goods, moving people, and overseeing crops. Huber pointed to a range of issues where the organization could collaborate from sustainability to air ambulance medical billing. But in general, she said, “I’m hoping just to keep an awareness of rural issues for the Alliance and I’m hoping to learn a lot.”
For the Alliance, collaborating with the Grange enables it to bring its advocacy even deeper into the local levels.
Ed Bolen, president and CEO of NBAA and president of the Alliance board of directors, noted the organization was created in 2007 with the understanding that general aviation serves a broad constituency. “Bringing in Betsy is another example of how important we are to the broad-based industries in the U.S.”
An updated Turbo Skylane T182T is returning to Cessna’s piston product lineup after a nine-year hiatus. Textron Aviation is taking orders for the $653,000 turbocharged piston single with deliveries expected to begin in early 2023.
The refreshed Turbo Skylane will feature upgrades including Garmin G1000 NXi avionics, a three-blade McCauley heated propeller, and an in-cabin oxygen system. Powered by the Lycoming TIO-540 engine, the airplane’s powerplant includes a Hartzell Engine Technologies turbocharger that produces 235 horsepower at up to 20,000 feet. It has seating for four and an estimated range of 971 miles.
Introduced in 2001, the Wichita-based OEM paused production of the airplane in 2013 while the company focused on a number of other product developments. Production of the Turbo Skylane will occur at the company’s Independence, Kansas plant.
“The Turbo Skylane represents our commitment to offering new and innovative solutions to our piston owners and operators, and we’re pleased to bring expanded capabilities to this segment of the market,” said Textron Aviation president and CEO Ron Draper.
Seven Wichita-area aircraft suppliers will share in $771,975 in grants from the federal Aviation Manufacturing Jobs Protection (AMJP) program, the offices of Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) and Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) announced today. The funding will help the suppliers retain 39 jobs.
Created by legislation introduced by Moran and Estes, the AMJP awards program has provided grants to Kansas-based aircraft OEMs and suppliers since September 2021. Including the latest grants, the program has awarded more than $111 million to 52 Kansas companies to help retain 4,786 employees. Most of those companies are in the Wichita area, including Bombardier Learjet and Spirit AeroSystems.
The grants are intended to cover up to half of the manufacturers’ compensation costs for certain categories of employees for up to six months. The latest group of companies to receive AMJP awards includes Absolute Dimensions, Clearwater Engineering, CMJ Manufacturing, Etezazi Industries, Maxima Precision, R&R Holdings, and Raptor Manufacturing.
“The aviation manufacturing industry in Kansas plays a critical role in providing our state with high-paying jobs and supporting commercial and general aviation across the country,” said Moran. “Congressman Estes and I created the Aviation Manufacturing Jobs Protection Program to support this important industry and its skilled workforce during the pandemic.”
Photo of the Week
Somewhere over the rainbow. Randall Holliday, who flies a Daher TBM 940, snapped this picture while descending into the Miami area on the TARPN1 arrival on December 15. There was just enough moisture in the air to create a rainbow circle, he noted. Thanks for sharing this colorful photo, Randall!
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