Embraer today unveiled “Energia” concepts for a family of nine- to 50-seat aircraft with a mix of hybrid, hydrogen, dual fuel gas turbine, and electric propulsion systems. The Energia aircraft could enter service between 2030 and 2040.
The hybrid-electric Energia Hybrid—designated for now as the E9-HE—would have nine passenger seats and be ready to enter service in 2030 with a range of up to 500 nm. Its propulsion system would consist of one piston engine and a pair of electric motors that are used for takeoff and climb.
Embraer said it could have the all-electric E9-FE model certified by 2035. With aft-mounted contrarotating propellers, this nine-passenger airplane would have a range of just 200 nm.
Hydrogen is also a major component of Embraer’s prospective Energia line, starting with the 19-seat E19-H2FC model that will use hydrogen fuel cells to power a pair of rear-mounted electric motors. With a 200-nm range, it is projected to be ready to start commercial operations from 2035.
By 2040, Embraer aims to introduce the E50-H2GT, which would entail either hydrogen or sustainable aviation fuel/jet-A directly powering a gas turbine powerplant. This airplane would seat between 35 and 50 passengers, with a projected range of 350 to 500 nm.
Business aviation groups praised U.S. House passage of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, saying it provides important support for airports and other key priorities, including workforce and advanced air mobility initiatives. The 228-206 House vote on Friday night clears the bill to head to the White House for President Biden’s signature. The Senate passed the legislation, which includes $550 billion in new spending, in August.
National Air Transportation Association president and CEO Timothy Obitts said the legislation is “an investment in our nation’s aviation infrastructure that comes at a critical time for general aviation airports and the communities they serve.”
The legislation provides $25 billion in new airport and aviation infrastructure funding over the next five years, including $500 million a year for general aviation airports. It further authorizes the Department of Transportation to establish a program for public service announcements that foster interest in transportation careers.
NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen added, “Business aviation’s success depends on our next generation of professionals, and we must look to all communities for future leaders.” The measure authorizes $5 million a year through fiscal 2026 for the workforce initiative.
In addition, the bill provides for a Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation program that authorizes $100 million annually for grants to help cities conduct “smart city technologies” demonstrations that include supporting advanced air mobility initiatives.
Satellite communication giants Viasat and Inmarsat would become one company under a definitive agreement announced today that would see the former acquire the latter in a $7.3 billion transaction. Pending regulatory approvals, the merger is expected to be completed in the latter half of 2022.
The combined company intends to integrate their spectrum, satellite, and terrestrial assets into a global high-capacity hybrid space and terrestrial network capable of delivering services in the commercial and government sectors. “This advanced architecture will create a framework incorporating the most favorable characteristics of multi-band, multi-orbit satellites, and terrestrial air-to-ground systems that can deliver higher speeds, more bandwidth, and greater density of bandwidth,” they said.
Specifically, the combined company will be able to offer spectrum licensed across the Ka-, L- and S-bands and a fleet of 19 satellites in service with an additional 10 satellites under construction and planned for launch within the next three years. Its global Ka-band footprint would include planned polar coverage and support bandwidth-intensive applications, augmented by L-band assets.
"Inmarsat's dual-band global mobile network, unique L-band resources, skills, and capabilities…are powerful complements to Viasat's business. Together, we can advance broadband communications and create new hybrid space and terrestrial networks that drive greater performance, coverage, speed, reliability, and value for customers,” said Viasat executive chairman Mark Dankberg.
Bombardier’s decision to proceed with an in-person Safety Standdown last week in Wichita was helped in large part by NBAA’s move to host BACE a month ago, the Montreal-based airframer’s executive v-p of services and support and corporate strategy, Jean-Christophe Gallagher, told AIN. “Clearly with NBAA actually doing their show in Las Vegas, it kind of set the tone for the industry coming back together [post-pandemic],” Gallagher said.
“So we saw this as an opportunity to piggyback on NBAA’s move and come in with an in-person Safety Standown,” he added. “We knew that we would have fewer numbers in person—we’ve had years here [in Wichita] where we had more than 500 people—but yeah, it was time to come back together. I think we were ready for that.”
This year’s event—the 25th edition of the standdown—attracted 200 in-person attendees and another 1,100 participants from 20 countries who attended the presentations via webcast, an option Bombardier began offering in 2010. That 200 number was largely on purpose, Gallagher added, an effort by Bombardier to maintain some sort of social distancing given that the effects of the pandemic have yet to be fully muted.
“It was important for Bombardier to continue to show leadership on this topic and bring the whole industry together,” Gallagher said. “Everybody coming together to talk about the most important topic in all of aviation: safety.”
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With the continuing rise in private leisure aviation, Universal Aviation anticipates strong traffic to the Dominican Republic for the holiday season. As a result, the Houston, Texas-based trip support provider has expanded its footprint there through its partnership with local ground handler Aviam.
Universal has established three new ground handling offices in the country—at Puerto Plata (MDPP), Samaná (MCY), and Santo Domingo (MDJB)—joining its existing locations at La Romana (MDJB) and Punta Cana (MDCP). The latest additions give the company 23 offices throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.
Currently, the island is experiencing more private flights than it did before the pandemic and shows no signs of a let-up, according to Danilo Rosario Jiménez, Universal’s in-country director. “Before the pandemic, the Dominican Republic was gaining popularity for private aviation,” said Jiménez, adding that instead of curtailing that growth, Covid has only accelerated it. “Tourism is booming and the Dominican Republic has become one of the most sought-after private aviation leisure destinations in the world.”
He noted that the government of the Dominican Republic has “done an excellent job in creating a safe environment for tourism in spite of Covid,” and based upon the company’s current travel requests, Universal anticipates a highly active vacation season for the country, as well as for the region in general.
A chartered Beechcraft King Air 90 carrying 26-year-old Latin Grammy winner Marília Mendonça crashed Friday afternoon in Minas Gerais, Brazil, after it struck high-tension powerlines 2.6 miles from the intended destination—Caratinga Airport (SNCT)—and pancaked into a waterfall. The Brazilian singer, her producer, her uncle, and both pilots died in the accident.
Registered as PT-ONJ, the King Air had been chartered from PEC Taxi Aereo of Goiânia, Goiás, where the 500-mile flight originated. All paperwork appeared to be in order, with the aircraft carrying a green “air taxi operation permitted” banner in registration databases—part of civil aviation authorities’ campaign against illegal charters.
Although directly in line with the runway, the powerline hit by the turboprop twin lacks orange marker balls. Preliminary reports highlighted two notams warning of a single unrelated antenna constructed within the airport’s primary protection zone.
SNCT, which has a 3,543-foot runway, allows only visual operations since there are no published approach procedures. The airport requires either a steeper approach or circling from the west due to terrain. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, according to weather reports.
The King Air carried neither data nor voice recorders, according to the Rio de Janeiro SERIPA office that is responsible for the investigation.
The Air Elite FBO Network, sponsored by World Fuel Services, is leveraging its years of experience in business aviation and customer service with the implementation of an in-house staff training program. Developed over the past two years, the Air Elite Service Culture Training Program is based on the industry-standard Ritz-Carlton customer service course. It is intended to ensure consistently elevated service across the Air Elite network, which consists of 85 locations worldwide.
Customer service has always been one of the group’s main pillars, and the new two-day course covers all FBO customer touchpoints, from line staff to customer service representatives. Participants are surveyed at the conclusion of the course to gauge its effects on their service philosophy. Thus far, 29 network locations have completed the program, which has earned positive responses.
“The training ensures that our members recognize opportunities to create memorable moments and deliver elite service,” said Larry Wade, president of Golden Isles Aviation, an FBO in St. Simons/Sea Island, Georgia. “Pilots and flight departments can be certain they will experience a high quality, safe, and consistent level of service.”
The remaining members of the network are slated to complete the program by the first half of 2022, and Air Elite will provide options for new employees going forward. Newly accepted FBOs will undergo the training soon after joining the network.
Gogo Business Aviation has announced that Duncan Aviation is providing engineering and certification of the first article STC for the Colorado-based wireless provider’s 5G system. Duncan will use the experience and data gained from certifying the first article to modify all of its full-equipment Avance L5 STCs to include Gogo 5G, covering more than 30 aircraft models. The amended STCs will eventually apply to a range of midsize to large-cabin jets from Bombardier, Dassault Falcon, Gulfstream, and Textron Aviation (Cessna Citation). Gogo and Duncan are also evaluating other aircraft models.
Gogo noted that operators that currently have Avance L5 installed will be able to upgrade to the 5G network. Duncan’s STCs have been used for more than 265 installations of Avance L5. Once all the STCs are amended, Duncan will complete the installations at its Lincoln, Nebraska; Battle Creek, Michigan; and Provo, Utah, full-service facilities, as well as at some of its satellite locations.
“The STC portfolio we're partnering with Duncan Aviation on for Gogo 5G is extensive and will ensure that we can provide a significantly enhanced in-flight connectivity experience for passengers,” said Gogo president Sergio Aguirre.
Aviation Safety Question of the Week
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AIN Webinar: Proactive Decision-making with Datalink
AIN Webinar: Proactive Decision-making with Datalink
Learn how to get the most out of your datalink—including PBCS monitoring, propulsion reporting, APU run-time data—and how next-gen notifications can drive proactive decisions and unmatched situational awareness, even when the aircraft is flying. Join us on November 30 at 1:30 p.m. ET for a webinar moderated by AIN editor-in-chief Matt Thurber that delves into these datalink topics with Adam Sheppard, and Sarah Weinhardt at Honeywell Aerospace’s offering management office, and Britton Wanick, v-p of marketing and partnerships at SmartSky Networks. Sponsored by Honeywell Aerospace.
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