Pratt & Whitney's research into its Hydrogen, Steam Injected, Inter-cooled Turbine Engine (HySIITE) architecture is demonstrating not only the viability of the technology but up to a 35% improvement in energy efficiency and a 99.3% reduction in nitrogen oxides, company executives said. These results give promise of the feasibility of bringing liquid-hydrogen power to the commercial aviation market through this technology, the executives added. 

Airbus is pausing plans to bring its CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL aircraft to market. Announcing growth in sales of conventional helicopters during 2024, the European aerospace group on January 27 said it is deferring plans for a commercial launch following a rethink of both the business case and technology requirements.

Boom Supersonic successfully broke the sound barrier for the first time on January 28 with its XB-1 flight demonstrator, a precursor to the Overture supersonic commercial airliner, making it the first civil aircraft to go supersonic above the continental U.S. The XB-1 took off at 8 a.m. local time from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California—in the same airspace where Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier in 1947.

Some employees of eVTOL aircraft developer Lilium have been recalled to work as the prospective new owners of the group’s German assets prepare to complete a takeover intended to rescue it from bankruptcy. With the transfer of ownership for these assets now expected to be complete by January 30, the group of new investors formerly operating as MUC Mobile Uplift Corporation has been renamed Lilium Aerospace.

Hunch Mobility, a joint venture between helicopter operator Blade Air Mobility and investment firm Hunch Ventures, intends to operate regional air services in India using Electra’s hybrid-electric EL9 aircraft. The two companies formalized their partnership by signing a memorandum of understanding on January 22 at the Urban Air Mobility Expo 2025 event held near New Delhi.

Vertical Aerospace has closed its latest round of fundraising, generating more than the $75 million target set when shareholders approved a new public offering backed by its main creditor, Mudrick Capital. Late on January 24, the UK eVTOL aircraft developer announced the round raised $90 million, before deducting underwriting costs and other expenses of around $6 million.

South Korean start-up Airbility has raised ₩2.5 billion ($1.7 million) in a pre-series A funding round to kickstart its plans to develop a family of hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft. The company confirmed the new backing last week, reporting that it has now raised $2.6 million.

Beta Technologies’ electric aircraft charging network is poised to expand into the western U.S. under a new partnership with the State of Utah and 47G, Utah’s aerospace and defense association. The partnership aims to lay the groundwork for an advanced air mobility ecosystem in Utah ahead of the 2034 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. 

For those dreaming of a return for supersonic commercial airline flights, all eyes were gazing into the skies above the Mojave desert this week as Boom put its marker down by breaking the sound barrier with its XB-1 technology demonstrator. Broadcasting live on YouTube, chief test pilot Tristan "Gepetto" Brandenburg clocked speeds over Mach 1 three times during the flight. You'll find the money-shots starting at the 01:01:26 mark in this video.