ZeroAvia Hydrogen Flight Paves Way to '23 Service Entry
ZeroAvia flew a Piper Malibu technology demonstrator for the first time yesterday with the company's new hydrogen propulsion system, including hydrogen fuel cells. The aircraft made an eight-minute flight from the company’s research and development base at the UK’s Cranfield Airport, reaching an altitude of 1,000 feet and a speed of 100 ktas. ZeroAvia aims to achieve a nearly 300-nm flight with the demonstrator by year-end.
During a press conference today, ZeroAvia founder and CEO Val Miftakhov said his team has had discussions with seven aircraft manufacturers about possible retrofit and new-build applications for the propulsion system. He said the company has signed letters of intent with 10 airlines that have expressed an interest in the program based on presentations to around 30 different prospective operators.
According to ZeroAvia, by the end of 2023 it will secure a supplemental type certificate to retrofit an as-yet-unspecified 10- to 20-seat aircraft with its hydrogen propulsion system with a range of around 500 nm. Miftakhov said aircraft such as the Cessna Caravan, Viking Twin Otter, and Dornier 228 are being considered as possible early adopters of hydrogen power.
By 2030, the company believes its technology could be powering a 50- to 100-seat aircraft in commercial service and that by 2040 a hydrogen-powered aircraft could be carrying 200 passengers on flights of up to 3,000 nm.
Noncompliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) is a serious threat to safety. Over the past two decades, this issue has been highlighted as a top safety concern by organizations such as NTSB, Flight Safety Foundation, and the NBAA Safety Committee. With all this focus on SOP noncompliance, it is important to differentiate unintentional errors and more risky intentional acts.
Unintentional noncompliance errors typically involve a slip, lapse, or some other mistake. The intent is to be compliant with the written SOP, but for some reason—workload, fatigue, or a distraction—the wrong word is spoken or action is taken. Examples of this may be a callout that is not spoken verbatim, as described in a procedure.
More concerning are those intentional SOP noncompliance acts that involve an omission or violation. This is where, based on the level of risk, an operator should really take notice. A common example of this risky behavior is the pilot who fails to go-around from an unstable approach—a violation of an SOP.
The SOP noncompliance outlier is an intentional act that involves significant risk because of gross negligence or a criminal act. Rare cases meeting this threshold might involve acts such as falsifying maintenance or weight and balance documents, drug or alcohol violations, or other unthinkable acts. These acts push the limits of any “just culture” algorithm and must not be tolerated.
Bell announced this week that its fleet of more than 260 in-service Model 505 Jet Ranger X light single turbine helicopters has accumulated more than 50,000 flight hours with customers in 55 countries. “This milestone represents the platform’s global growth and adoption as it enables operators to complete dynamic missions at an affordable cost,” said Bell light aircraft program director Eric Sinusas.
Bell pointed to Italy’s Elicompany, which accumulated 1,000 flight hours in the first 10 months it operated a Jet Ranger X, as an example of the model’s reliability. “We’ve experienced very low maintenance and essentially no time grounded,” said Elicompany co-owner Cristian Forghieri, adding his firm to date has now logged in excess of 1,100 hours on the aircraft. “We are really happy because when we plan it, the Bell 505 can do it.”
First delivered in 2017, the five-seat 505 is powered by a dual-channel Fadec Safran Arrius 2R engine and has a cruise speed of 125 knots and 1,500 pounds of available useful load.
Nav Canada Reveals Layoffs and New Initiatives
As a result of continued reduced air traffic stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic, Nav Canada disclosed that over the last few months it has reduced its workforce by 720 positions, or 14 percent of its total employment. These reductions in staffing result from layoffs and early retirements across all departments, including the executive management committee.
Nav Canada, the private nonprofit company that operates the country’s ATC system, has also cut management compensation, deferred retroactive wage increases, and offered a voluntary retirement program to minimize cash outflows. To further adapt to the new realities of air traffic numbers, the company is taking steps to “safely streamline operations” and will be launching level of service reviews for certain airports. Additionally, in a letter to the Canadian Business Aviation Association and other stakeholders, the agency published a list of 25 flight service stations and remote airport advisory service facilities it is considering closing or reducing their hours of operation. The company has already decided to close the flight information centers in Winnipeg and Halifax.
After Hill Helicopters unveiled the exterior design for its five-seat, HX50 turbine single last month, the UK-based manufacturer has now revealed the new helicopter's interior. It features “redesigned flight controls, a full glass instrument panel, large windows and skylights, comfortable leather seating, and opulent finishes,” according to the company.
“Traditional helicopters were designed to be utilitarian, with comfort as an afterthought. The HX50’s interior design is built around experience and comfort in the same manner as premium automobiles,” said Hill Helicopters CEO Jason Hill.
All five aircraft seats are identical—covered in two-tone Napa leather, they have drink holders, USB ports, and four-point harnesses. The rear seats are elevated, providing passengers with improved views over the front seats. Climate control and Bluetooth connectivity is provided throughout the cabin. Headset holders and jacks for Bose ANR headsets are integrated into the seat headrests.
On the flight deck, the collective moves forward and aft, which allows for the addition of a pilot armrest. The integrated pilot interface (IPI) is located immediately adjacent to the collective, providing dial and numerical keypads to operate navigation, autopilot, and communications. The cyclic is integrated with the instrument panel and dual controls are available for the copilot.
FAA Certifies AV-30-C Multi-mode Instrument
The uAvionix AV-30-C digital multi-mode instrument is now FAA approved for installation in certified aircraft. Mounting from behind the panel in a standard 3.125-inch instrument hole; the AV-30-C can replace an airplane’s vacuum system when two of the multi-mode instruments are installed. An approved model list STC covers installation of the AV-30-C in hundreds of aircraft models.
For added utility, the AV-30-C also integrates with uAvionix’s tailBeaconX ADS-B Out transponder, setting transponder codes and modes. Each AV-30-C retails for $1,995 and contains its own inertial and pressure sensors so it can be field configured as either an attitude indicator (AI) or heading indicator/directional gyro (DG) although not as a horizontal situation indicator. It can also be swapped between AI and DG modes with a press and hold of the rotary knob but only when not installed as a required instrument.
The pilot interface is not touchscreen control; the AV-30-C uses two buttons and a rotary knob for various selections. In its basic mode, it displays as an AI with primary attitude and slip or as a DG with airplane direction always displayed. The pilot can add supplemental textual and graphical overlays on portions of the instrument that are not used for the primary functions.
Firm Uses Web To Update Global 7500 Completions Clients
AP Completion Services has delivered its 11th Bombardier Global 7500 and has more completions projects on the type scheduled for the future. As a result of that work and because many of its Global 7500 customers are international, the Montreal-based company has created a web-based portal for them to provide up-to-date information on the progress of completions projects.
The portal includes photos, video walk-throughs, specifications, and project documentation. Besides providing clients regular briefings, the portal automatically alerts AP Completion staff when clients interact with the portal to provide near real-time responses.
“We have been working on the customer service portal for quite some time. We created a safe, efficient way to exchange information in a timely way with clients,” said AP Completion principal Andrew Broccoli. “The portal helps us keep them informed, and it helps us fulfill our commitment to deliver not only aircraft but the best possible experience. It makes clients feel as if they are right there in the factory with us.”
In all, AP Completion has outfitted more than 170 aircraft since its inception in 2009. With nearly a dozen Global 7500 projects completed, the company is earning a reputation as a specialist in Bombardier’s newest flagship business aircraft.
Raytheon Technologies is eliminating 15,000 positions across its commercial aerospace and corporate organizations, including at Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace, to strengthen the company as it navigates through the Covid-19 pandemic, Raytheon Technologies CEO Greg Hayes recently told investors. The tally is nearly double the original estimate the company had detailed in July and while Hayes said the company is looking to further ways to reduce costs of all its businesses, he was optimistic about the balance between commercial and defense during this time.
Plans of the cuts come about six months after Raytheon finalized its merger with United Technologies, a step that came just as Covid-19 had shuttered most airline activity globally. In its second-quarter report at the end of July, Raytheon had reported sales at Collins were down 35 percent year-over-year, commercial original equipment was down 53 percent, and commercial aftermarket was down 48 percent. But the military sector was up 10 percent. This resulted in a 98 percent drop in operating profit.
Pratt & Whitney posted similar numbers with adjusted sales down 30 percent in total; commercial original equipment was down 42 percent and commercial aftermarket was down 51 percent, while military was up 11 percent. Operating profit plunged 133 percent.
An Expert Take on Cybersecurity for Business Aviation
Aircraft systems in both the cockpit and cabin are vulnerable to cybersecurity threats, and the vital connectivity on which aircraft owners and operators depend needs to be kept secure from security risks that are constantly evolving. Please join us on October 21 for a webinar that will offer expert perspective and guidance from leading companies providing connectivity and the security capability to protect it. AIN senior editor Charles Alcock will moderate this discussion with Rob Hill, regional sales director of CCX Technologies, and Rich Pilock, director of fleet accounts at SmartSky Networks.
Photo of the Week
Everyone loves delivery day. StandardAero interior designer Kylie Fencil snapped this photo of a Dassault Falcon 2000 with a fresh coat of paint just before it was handed over to the customer at the company’s Springfield, Illinois facility. Thanks for sharing, Kylie!
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