Hyundai and Uber Announce eVTOL Air-taxi Partnership

Hyundai Motor and Uber are working together to develop a new electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to be used for rideshare air-taxi service. The announcement yesterday on the eve of the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas makes the South Korean automotive group the eighth prospective eVTOL aircraft manufacturer selected by Uber to support its planned Uber Air rideshare service.

The company is displaying a scale model of a “personal air vehicle,” designated the S-A1, this week at CES. The all-electric aircraft, with a battery recharge time of between five and seven minutes, is projected to offer a range of 60 miles, speeds of up to 180 mph, and a cruising altitude of between 1,000 and 2,000 feet.

Hyundai has yet to announce a timeline for certifying the eVTOL and it is unclear when it expects to fly a full-scale prototype. Uber has said that it wants to start flight demonstrations this year with aircraft produced by its partners and be ready to start commercial air-taxi service in 2023.

The eVTOL, which features four sets of rotors for vertical lift and four propellers for cruise flight, will seat four passengers. It will initially have a pilot on board, but the plan is for the S-A1 eventually to be flown autonomously.

Falcon Deliveries Flat at Dassault; 6X Remains on Track

Dassault Aviation delivered 40 Falcon business jets last year, one fewer than it did in 2018, the French aircraft manufacturer announced today. “While we had guided for 45 Falcon deliveries in 2019, we had to face a difficult market,” it said.

Falcon net order intake was on par with deliveries, resulting in a 1:1 book-to-bill ratio. This was two fewer than the orders for 42 Falcons that the company logged in 2018, it said. Overall Falcon backlog at the end of last year stood at 53 units, unchanged from a year earlier, the company added.

Dassault Aviation will release its full-year results on February 27.

Meanwhile, the company continues to make progress on its Falcon 6X program. According to Dassault, the design is frozen, critical subassemblies already are being completed, engine testing is on track, and final assembly of the first Falcon 6X is “just around the corner.”

The first completed 6X wing subassembly is expected to be shipped by April to Dassault’s Bordeaux-Merignac facility, where it will be mated to the first fuselage section. Final assembly of the first 6X is set for “early 2020,” with first flight expected next year and planned entry into service in 2022.

Workers Begin Return To Damaged Textron Aviation Site

Some Textron Aviation employees who work in its damaged Plant 3 building in east Wichita have begun returning to work, including those assigned to its Cessna SkyCourier turboprop-twin program. “As previously communicated, Textron Aviation is implementing a phased-in return to work plan for employees impacted by the Plant 3 incident on Friday, December 27 to align with employee safety, building access, and manufacturing priorities,” the Wichita-based airframer said in a statement to AIN.

Nearly two weeks ago, an explosion at Plant 3 resulted in a partial collapse of a wall and part of the roof at the massive building, sending 11 workers to the hospital and injuring four others. Company officials later announced that the SkyCourier housed in Plant 3 was not affected. “Starting today, Monday, January 6, some employees reported to Plant 3 for their regularly scheduled shifts, including those working the Cessna SkyCourier development program,” the statement said.

Other Plant 3 employees might be temporarily reassigned to other areas of the company where help is required, or their offices might be moved to different locations at the Textron Aviation east campus, the former Beechcraft plant. Textron Aviation added that it “is working in collaboration and coordination with investigating entities, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.”

Jump Aero To Develop an EMS eVTOL

Jump Aero today announced plans to develop a new electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft specifically for emergency medical service first responders. The California-based startup is seeking input from prospective users, investors, and partners to determine specifications for the aircraft.

The all-electric aircraft is expected to fly at speeds of up to 200 mph and be able to land on a suburban street. The payload and dimensions of the eVTOL have yet to be determined, and no images of the envisioned design have yet been released.

Jump Aero was formed by CEO Carl Dietrich, who founded Terrafugia, which is developing a flying car called the Transition and the TF-2 eVTOL. He left the company in April 2019 after selling it to China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.

Dietrich told AIN that he expects the as-yet-unnamed aircraft to supplement the role of ground-based EMS vehicles, rather than replacing helicopters. “This will fill a new role for an aircraft [in EMS operations], providing quick response to advanced life support calls that are currently filled by ambulances and rescue trucks,” he explained.

SmartSky Ups Funding, Delays Network Launch to Mid-2020

Startup in-flight connectivity service provider SmartSky Networks has received an additional $25 million from funds managed by the Global Credit Opportunities team at BlackRock after completing a network deployment milestone. Global Credit Opportunities previously committed to a $75 million credit facility, with $50 million drawn initially and the final $25 million contingent on “substantial progress on the nationwide network rollout,” which SmartSky said it achieved in November.

SmartSky is now predicting commercial launch of its network over the continental U.S. in the second quarter, a six-month slip from the company’s most recent previous estimate. When announced in October 2014, the network was expected to be available for both business aviation and airline use in 2016.

The company is building a new-generation network that employs beamforming technology using both 4G LTE and emerging 5G spectrums. Its airborne connectivity network has been in development for eight years, with more than 1,000 hours of flight testing to date by aircraft owners, airlines, and fleet managers.

“Customers have a huge pent-up demand for a fully capable airborne network that provides a 10x-better experience in the sky while also opening significant possibilities for advancing aviation in maintenance, environmental, operational, financial, and other areas,” said SmartsSky president Ryan Stone.

Pat Sheedy Takes Helm of Milestone Aviation

GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) named Pat Sheedy to take the helm of its Ireland-based helicopter leasing business, Milestone Aviation Group, as CEO. He succeeds Greg Conlon, who recently was promoted to GECAS president and CEO.

Sheedy steps into his new role with 19 years of international financial services experience, the majority of which spent with GE’s Aviation Risk Management business with a focus on emerging markets. He most recently was chief risk officer and head of portfolio and underwriting, leading Milestone’s underwriting and portfolio management, as well as overall risk for GE Engine Leasing and the cargo business of GECAS. Before that, he was senior v-p and regional risk manager for GECAS in Dubai, covering the Middle East, Africa, and Russia.

“Pat will join the GECAS leadership team and will continue to be based in Shannon, working closely with the Milestone team across the globe,” Conlon said. “I know the entire Milestone team will continue to thrive under Pat’s leadership.”

Collins Providing HUD VR Trainer for FAA Research

The U.S. FAA selected Collins Aerospace’s head-up display (HUD) virtual-reality (VR) training device for use in research on pilot-HUD interface, pilot performance, and crew workload. Designed for flexible use, the HUD VR device incorporates the Collins Head-up Guidance System (HGS) and enhanced vision system (EVS) to provide an “out-of-the-window” view.

“The HUD VR system provides increased access to training, helping pilots get as much time as they need using a HUD on approaches and landing in difficult conditions,” said Nick Gibbs, v-p and general manager of simulation and training solutions for Collins Aerospace. “Our trainer can significantly reduce the length of time it takes for a pilot to become familiar with this technology, making them more productive once they enter the full-flight simulator or live flight."

Collins provides its HGS and EVS technologies for a variety of business, commercial, and military aircraft. Gulfstream’s G500 and G600, which are equipped with Collins HUDs and Kollsman’s EVS, were the first aircraft to receive FAA approval for EVS-to-land capability, which allows pilots to descend to the runway and land using EVS imagery on the HUD.

Textron Acquires Australian MRO, Expanding APAC Service

Nearly 11 months after expanding Premiair Aviation Maintenance’s authorized service, Textron Aviation has acquired the Australia-based MRO’s three locations in a bid to boost its service offerings in the Asia-Pacific region, the Wichita airframer announced late yesterday. “Throughout the past year, we substantially increased our regional footprint, capabilities and parts availability,” Textron Aviation senior v-p of global customer support Kriya Shortt said. “The Premiair team demonstrated their commitment to quality, relationships and customer care as an ASF, and now we are excited to welcome them to Textron Aviation.”

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Premiair operates facilities in Melbourne, Coolangatta on the Gold Coast, and Jandakot in Western Australia. From those facilities, Textron Aviation will be able to offer aircraft maintenance and support for its three brands—Beechcraft, Cessna, and Hawker—including avionics services and upgrades; scheduled and unscheduled maintenance; structural and component repair; and overhaul and refurbishment.

In the past year, Textron Aviation has added about $100 million in parts inventory and plans to expand its exchange and overhaul parts by about $30 million this year. It also expanded its parts warehouse in Singapore; added a new parts warehouse in Australia; and named PhilJets Aero Services in Manila as its authorized service facility in the Philippines.

Count on AIN for Full Coverage of Heli-Expo

As ever, you can count on AIN for full coverage of the 2020 Heli-Expo Convention. Our team will publish three of our award-winning daily HAI Convention News editions at the show on January 28, 29, and 30. We will also have comprehensive real-time reporting of all the top news at AINonline.com and in our daily e-newsletters. If you are an exhibiting company that wants to share news or propose pre-show interviews and briefings please contact show editor Kerry Lynch.