new zealand experimental aircraft

Merlin Labs Nabs Part 135 Air Operator Certification in New Zealand

The boston-based company says the approval puts it on a viable path to certification and commercial operations for merlin pilot, its flagship autonomous flight system..

Merlin flew an experimental aircraft equipped with its takeoff-to-touchdown autonomy system during FAA-contracted trials in July. [Courtesy: Merlin Labs]

Federal agencies are beginning to warm up to the idea of fully or partially automated flight.

Boston-based Merlin Labs—the maker of a platform-agnostic, takeoff-to-touchdown autonomy system for fixed-wing aircraft—on Wednesday announced it obtained Part 135 certification from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of New Zealand for future air freight operations in the country. The regulator’s Part 135 covers air operations for helicopters and small airplanes.

Certification of the Merlin’s flagship Merlin Pilot system follows U.S. military airworthiness approvals for fellow automated flight systems providers Xwing and Reliable Robotics, handed out by the U.S. Air Force.

“Achieving an organizational Part 135 certification gives us the opportunity to work with a forward-thinking regulator as well as leverage New Zealand as a sandbox for our current and future products,” said Matt George, founder and CEO of Merlin. “This milestone enables us to continue progressing our technical maturity, ultimately validating the safety and operational effectiveness of the Merlin Pilot for [CAA] Part 23 certification and beyond.”

Merlin’s Part 135 certificate will allow it to perform critical data collection flights on certain regional freight routes following CAA product certification of Merlin Pilot. The company achieved a state of involvement (SOI) 1 milestone for the system in May, putting it on “a viable path to certification and commercial operation,” it said.

According to Merlin, data collected on those freight routes will be essential for “future development decisions that will be implemented globally.” The findings will also support Merlin Pilot certification with both the CAA and FAA, it said.

The company’s Part 135 certification will further allow it to leverage its dedicated test facility in Kerikeri, New Zealand, opened in May, for current and future products once they’re certified.

Merlin said it has made notable progress on its organizational and product certification since its Project Specific Certification Plan (PSCP) was approved by the CAA—in partnership with the FAA—in 2021. At the time, it claimed to be the first company to reach an agreement with a regulator on an approach to certification for autonomous aircraft tech.

Since then, Merlin was contracted by the FAA to perform what it said was the first air cargo network trials flown by a non-human pilot, which it completed successfully in Alaska in July.

The company also has a relationship with the U.S. Air Force. Last week, the two agreed to conduct in-flight demonstrations of Merlin Pilot aboard a KC-135 Stratotanker, which is used by the military for aerial refueling. Those trials will begin next year. The exercise is a follow-up to a 2022 Air Force contract to test the system on a single-pilot Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules, which is normally commanded by two pilots.

Through innovation arm AFWERX, the Air Force is also collaborating with autonomous flight systems providers Xwing and Reliable Robotics . Both firms were approved to fly in unrestricted airspace in the past 30 days as the military and FAA begin to ramp up their pursuit of autonomy.

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Textron aviation opens expanded parts distribution center - may 3, ain, wisk moves forward with transport trial in new zealand; adds insitu integration.

By Kelsey Reichmann | April 1, 2021 Send Feedback

Wisk, a joint venture of Kitty Hawk and Boeing, signed an MoU with the government of New Zealand to begin passenger transport trials using its autonomous ‘Cora’ air taxi, once it is certified. (Wisk)

Wisk, the company developing the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft Cora , is moving forward with its “Transport Trial” to advance autonomous flight in New Zealand, according to a March 29 press release. Wisk will also be integrating Insitu Pacific Pty Ltd., an unmanned aerial systems (UAS) developer and Boeing subsidiary, into the program.

“New Zealand presents a unique opportunity and we are immensely proud to have been recognized by the New Zealand Government as the first airspace integration industry partner,” Anna Kominik, Asia Pacific Region Director for Wisk, said in a statement. “New Zealand’s focus on decarbonizing its economy as part of the electric transport evolution directly aligns with Wisk’s mission to deliver safe, everyday flight for everyone through effective, accessible and sustainable urban air mobility solutions.”

The Transport Trial is part of the New Zealand government’s Airspace Integration Trial Program (AITP) to test and demonstrate the integration of unmanned aircraft into airspace. Wisk will be performing flight testing, simulation work, and data analysis alongside multiple government agencies and New Zealand’s Airways Corporation, a representative from the company told Avionics International .

“Wisk has always seen the distinct advantages of New Zealand, including the country’s globally respected Civil Aviation Authority and flexibility for Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS),” Gary Gysin, CEO of Wisk, said in a statement. “These factors, combined with the advantages of testing and operating in a relatively un-congested airspace and the innovative culture of early adoption, makes New Zealand uniquely positioned as a leader for autonomous UAM integration trials.”

The first phase of the Transport Trial will focus on collecting and understanding data to support integrating these aircraft into the airspace system, according to the representative.

“The aim of the Transport Trial, which is part of the New Zealand government’s, broader Airspace Integration Trial Program (AITP), is to safely evaluate, test, and demonstrate the integration of unmanned aircraft into existing airspace,” the Wisk representative said. “The goal is to provide robust data that can be used by Governments, ANSP, and Civil Aviation Authorities to advance standards globally.”

Integrating Insitu into the Transport Trial will allow Wisk to use Boeing’s expertise and advanced technology to the project, according to the release. Wisk was born out of a partnership between Boeing and Kitty Hawk in 2019.

Cora, the eVTOL being developed by Wisk, is a two-passenger all-electric self-piloted aircraft . It has an experimental airworthiness certificate from the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), according to their website.

Cora has gone through many transformations over the years and has announced five different versions of the aircraft with a sixth coming soon. Wisk declined to specify which aircraft would be used in these tests but stressed that the Transport Trial is platform agnostic.

“We are not providing details on the specifics around this yet,” the representative said. “However, it is important to stress that the Transport Trial is platform agnostic as its goal is to advance autonomous passenger transport in New Zealand – and other jurisdictions – as well as inform/support other trials in the AITP, focused around cargo delivery, agricultural services, and hazard management and monitoring services. This is part of our recognition that the operating ecosystem is as important as a certified aircraft.”

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Almost a spaceplane —

A new zealand company has started flying a rocket-powered spaceplane, "once we get our certification, we're allowed to fly as frequently as we want.".

Eric Berger - Apr 5, 2023 5:30 pm UTC

A New Zealand-based space company, Dawn Aerospace, said Wednesday it had completed the first three test flights of a rocket-powered spaceplane.

This Mk-II Aurora vehicle measures 4.5 meters long and is powered by a combustion rocket engine fueled by kerosene and hydrogen peroxide. During its initial flights, the vehicle flew to an altitude of about 1,800 meters and reached a maximum speed of about 315 kilometers per hour, the company said.

The test campaign, which is taking place from the Glentanner Aerodrome in New Zealand, will eventually see this vehicle top out at about 20 kilometers. The lessons learned from this plane will be put into a second version of the Mk-II Aurora, which could take flight before the end of this year or early in 2024.

Exploring the upper atmosphere

In an interview, Dawn Aerospace chief executive Stefan Powell said this second vehicle would have a far lighter structure, a more powerful engine, and other features that would allow it to climb far higher. The goal is to fly the spaceplane to an altitude of 100 km, above the internationally recognized boundary of space.

"It's only going to be capable of carrying a few kilograms of payload," he said. "So you're not really launching anything. There's no second stage you can carry with five kilograms. But I do think that what's really unexplored is the suborbital market in this category."

What Powell means is that there is currently no capability to do regular, repeatable research in the atmosphere from about 30 km up to 100 km. With the Mk-II Aurora, the company seeks to be able to fly the vehicle twice a day, offering a platform for applications such as environmental research in the mesosphere and thermosphere.

"Above 30 km is too high for balloons and too low for satellites," he said. "Some researchers refer to it as the ignore-o-sphere. We know it has large implications on climate models and weather models. So there is theorized to be a lot of value in understanding this part of the atmosphere better. So we'll probably just start sticking some pretty basic data gathering payloads onboard just because they don't weigh very much."

The company's goal is to operate its fleet with aircraft-like efficiency—taking off and landing from a runway, using non-exotic fuels, and not requiring significant refurbishment between flights. Vertical launch companies, Powell said, start by building a rocket with a maximum amount of lift capability and work into reusability over time. Dawn seeks to start with a reusable vehicle and build up its capability.

To that end, the Mk-II Aurora vehicle is also a test bed for the larger Mk-III Aurora spaceplane, which aims to deliver an expendable second stage and payload to space. The goal is to eventually be able to launch satellites with a mass of about 250 kg into low-Earth orbit.

Rapid reusability

The Mk-II Aurora takes off under the power of its single rocket engine, which is intended to fire up to an altitude of about 30 or 40 km, after which the vehicle will coast up to about 100 km before reentering Earth's atmosphere. The company is still assessing its options for protecting the spaceplane during the heating of atmospheric reentry, but Powell said his engineering team believes they will be able to use high-temperature composite materials, which is consistent with the company's aim of flying often.

At present, Dawn Aerospace has about 110 employees, with the majority in New Zealand, but also a technical team in the Netherlands. Half of those work on the company's satellite propulsion business, which is profitable, Powell said. The other half work on the spaceplane. To date, the company has announced fundraising of $20 million. Cash flow from the space propulsion side of the business is helping to fund the Aurora vehicles.

"We are burning cash right now," Powell said. "But it's because we're looking to invest quite heavily into the spaceplane side of things. It's actually quite easy to sort of turn that knob down a little bit and just lean on the space propulsion side. So it's really like it's an elective investment."

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Aviation Milestone in New Zealand: Successful Integration of Uncrewed Aircraft into Controlled Airspace

December 5, 2023 by Miriam McNabb 2 Comments

Aviation Consortium Achieves Milestone in Uncrewed Aircraft Integration in Controlled Airspace in New Zealand

An aviation collaboration, led by Wisk Aero , has successfully concluded a groundbreaking trial in New Zealand, evaluating the integration of uncrewed aircraft into controlled airspace. The trial, conducted under the New Zealand Government’s Airspace Integration Trial Programme (AITP), involved a series of test flights to assess the operational aspects of uncrewed aircraft flying beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) alongside piloted aircraft.

The completion of the trial, held between November 17 and December 1, 2023, signifies a notable advancement in autonomous flight operations. Collaborators included Insitu Pacific , the approved Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) operator, the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (CAA) , Airways New Zealand as the air navigation service provider, and Tāwhaki , an indigenous aerospace venture providing the flight testing site. Airways International’s uncrewed traffic management (UTM) system, AirShare , played a crucial role in ensuring integration.

Andrew Duggan, Managing Director of Insitu Pacific, highlighted the collaborative effort, stating, “This series of flights, remotely-piloted by our Insitu Pacific operators, puts into action the significant planning and close collaboration we have undertaken to support Wisk.” The demonstration is seen as a step toward establishing a safe concept of operations for autonomous flight in non-segregated airspace.

Trials at the Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre included take-offs, landings, and navigation in both uncontrolled and controlled airspace. James Evans, Acting General Manager Air Traffic Services at Airways New Zealand, emphasized the commitment to sky safety, stating, “Our purpose as New Zealand’s air navigation service provider is to keep our skies safe, today and tomorrow.”

Catherine MacGowan, Wisk’s Vice President of APAC and Air Operations, underscored the achievement’s significance, stating, “The successful completion of this phase of testing demonstrates that it is possible to safely integrate autonomous aircraft into controlled airspace shared with piloted aircraft.” The data and learnings from the trials are expected to contribute to the future of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and the broader aviation industry.

The partnership’s efforts received acknowledgment from CAA’s Deputy Chief Executive, Aviation Safety, David Harrison, who affirmed the commitment to the safe integration of emerging technologies into the civil aviation system in New Zealand. Linda Falwasser, CEO of Tāwhaki, expressed pride in supporting innovation at the Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre and contributing to a sustainable future for aerospace transport.

The New Zealand Government’s AITP, initiated in 2019, is a four-year program aiming to ensure safety in airspace systems while advancing aviation and meeting community expectations. Wisk’s role in the program began in 2020 when it became the first industry partner to sign an MOU with the New Zealand government. The successful completion of this recent phase marks progress for the aviation sector, aligning with the program’s overarching priorities.

• Wisk Aero on the Drone Radio Show!
• Wisk eVTOL Air Taxi Takes Flight in LA
• Passenger eVTOL Wisk Aero, Japan Airlines Partner to Bring AAM to Japan
• Wisk Aero Signs Agreement to Bring Autonomous Air Taxi Program to Australia

Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry.  Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies. For drone industry consulting or writing,  Email Miriam .

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[…] Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry.  Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam. […]

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Boeing wins contract to develop experimental fuel-efficient airliner.

Conception of how the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator might look. Photo: Boeing / supplied

NASA said on Wednesday it awarded US$425 million (NZ$660m) to Boeing for the agency's "Sustainable Flight Demonstrator" project as the Biden administration works to cut aviation sector emissions.

Boeing will work with NASA to "build, test, and fly a full-scale demonstrator aircraft and validate technologies aimed at lowering emissions", the agency said.

Over seven years, NASA will invest US$425m, while Boeing and its partners will contribute the remainder of the agreement funding, estimated at about US$725m (NZ$1.1b).

The "Transonic Truss-Braced Wing" demonstrator single-aisle airplane aims to reduce fuel consumption and emissions by up to 30 percent. The concept involves an aircraft with extra-long, ultrathin wings stabilised by diagonal struts and higher-aspect ratios that could eventually accommodate advanced propulsion systems.

Boeing chief engineer Greg Hyslop said the program "represents an opportunity to design, build and fly a full-scale experimental plane, while solving novel technical problems".

Single-aisle aircraft account for nearly half of worldwide aviation emissions. NASA plans to complete testing by the late 2020s, so technologies demonstrated could impact industry decisions about next generation aircraft in the 2030s.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said the goal of the project is to "produce and test a full-scale demonstrator that will help lead to future commercial airliners that are more fuel efficient, with benefits to the environment, the commercial aviation industry, and to passengers worldwide."

Boeing chief executive Dave Calhoun in November said the planemaker's next all-new commercial jetliners were not likely until the middle of the 2030s - and that improving emissions is a key driver.

"If it doesn't have a sustainability wrapper all around it, if it can't meet the emissions tests, if it can't deliver significant performance advantages, then there won't be an airplane," Calhoun said. "There'll be a moment in time where we'll pull a rabbit out of the hat and introduce some new airplanes sometime in the middle of next decade."

The United States has set a goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from the US aviation sector by 2050. The White House is targeting 20 percent lower aviation emissions by 2030, as airlines facing pressure from environmental groups to lower their carbon footprint pledged to use more sustainable aviation fuel.

Copyright © 2023 , Radio New Zealand

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For those seeking the ultimate, authentic, full-gyroscopic WW-I rotary experience, New Zealand-based Classic Aero Machining (CAM) has been developing a brand-new-build Gnome Monosoupape engine for several years. It is a faithful rendition of the Gnome used in many French, English and German aircraft just prior to and during WW-I.

Besides the challenge of fully learning the nuances of this 100+-year-old design, CAM is dedicated to improving the Gnome while not detracting from its authenticity. A recent example is a prestart oil priming system (CAM found it had been taking 20 seconds for pressurized oil to reach the engine internals). Another is lengthening the lower portion of the cylinders for improved piston support. Also, the induction ports are now angled, promoting in-cylinder swirl for better fuel atomization and reduced plug fouling—a big help there. The in-cylinder motion is further aided by CAM’s fuel pump (the originals relied strictly on gravity). Purists may decry it, but CAM also has an electric starter for its rotary. It must be the first non-hand-propped rotary, but the engine runs cleaner and smoother than ever, and CAM has raised its power rating another 5 hp to a muscular 125 hp and nearly 600 pound-feet of torque while whirling at just 1120 rpm.

CAM emphasizes these engines are viable, reliable, real-world choices for WW-I replicas, and they’re in the rotary business for the long term. It certainly is the only new engine capable of delivering the true early bird rotary experience, which might be a little more performance-oriented than first imagined. CAM reports its rotary has a Sopwith Pup replica going 110 mph straight and level, plus 1000 fpm vertically. If you want to inspect a CAM rotary or need an airframe to match your new Gnome, KipAero in Dallas, Texas, works closely with CAM to build continuation WW-I Sopwiths .

CAM is part of the burgeoning replica and restoration scene in New Zealand and has a well-established business replicating various warbird parts, especially P-40 items.

Motorstar NA

Few homebuilts can take all the muscle a 621-cubic-inch M14P radial can dish out. But if you want a new $50,000+ version from builder Motorstar Romania, then Coy Aircraft Sales is also Motorstar NA and they can make it happen. Coy can also source a factory overhaul—now a fixed $21,500 if you have a core. That gets you the three-ring piston upgrade and Savarese ignition, along with overhauled air compressor, carburetor and oil pump, and test stand run-in—all work is done in Romania. The turnaround is 60 days and shipping is $3300.

A recent Motorstar development is trimming the M14P as a direct placement for the Nanchang CJ-6’s Huosai radial. This saves the owner much running around as such M14Ps come dressed with the correct fluid and pneumatic fittings.

Typically, when an M14P is overhauled, more often than not, it goes from the base 360 hp to the 400-hp M14PF upgrade as the price isn’t that much greater. Other sources for these robust Russian-designed radials are Jill Gemerzke’s M14P, Inc. in Kingman, Arizona, and Barrett Precision Engines, Inc. in Tulsa, Oklahoma, specializing in hot-rod versions with electronic ignition and Airflow Performance fuel injection.

Rotec Aerosport

Surprised to find radial engine fans in the 21st century are on the romantic side? No, and so radial maker Rotec’s comment that sales have been strong during the pandemic, with customers apparently in a hurry to get living after the initial COVID-19 shutdowns, also makes sense.

The naturally slow-turning and geared Rotecs provide the sound and long-prop appeal popular with builders looking for vintage appearance or simply seeking something a little different than the ubiquitous flat-engine norm. The engines remain unchanged for 2021.

Rotec offers two engines: the seven-cylinder R2800 good for 110 hp, and its big brother R3600 sporting nine of the same cylinders for a 150-hp rating. Both are un-supercharged. The smaller engine is most often paired with a fixed-pitch 76-inch-diameter prop, while the R3600, which was later to market but is proving the bestseller, can swing 90-inch blades.

Standard Rotec induction is a simple Bing carburetor. But Rotec’s own—and still quite simple—throttle-body fuel injection is optional. Its main attraction is staying on the job during aerobatics. And besides fitments for its radials, Rotec offers versions of its carburetor for everything from Volkswagen conversions to Rotax, Jabiru and even Lycomings. Rotec sells direct, so planning ahead for engine construction and freighting from Australia helps avoid frustration.

Verner Motor

By all accounts, Verner Motor is an up-and-coming small radial engine maker based in the Czech Republic. Its pocket-sized radials are torquey, long-prop friendly engines fitting well in the larger ultralight category plus smaller Experimental/Amateur-Built airframes. Hatz biplanes are a popular fitment, for example.

While Verner has multiple dealers in North America, Sam Watrous at ScaleBirds seems preeminent, likely due to the engine mounts, exhaust and other accessories he offers for Kitfoxes and the like. So it’s indicative of Verner’s increasing visibility that Watrous moved his booth at AirVenture from his traditional ultralight haunt to the more heavily traveled Experimental area in 2019.

For 2021 there are no changes to the five core engines. But Verner has discontinued its EFI and now offers the customer’s choice of a Marvel MA-4SPA or the Super G S&S carburetor with ThunderJet modifications. The Marvel-Schebler offers full mixture control; the S&S is a fixed-mixture aftermarket Harley-Davidson carburetor. Naturally, the S&S is less expensive than the Marvel-Schebler. That’s not a surprise. What might be is that the carburetors deliver more power than the fuel injection did, especially the Marvel-Schebler.

As expected, the Verner radials use the same two-valve, 3.62×4.02-inch cylinder but fit five, seven or nine of them as power needs rise. (Note the little 28-inch diameter three-banger shares its smaller cylinders—aluminum with steel liners—with a five-cylinder version as well.) All of the larger, more popular engines are relatively low-rpm, direct-drive designs using a carburetor and no supercharging. Designed to run on 93 octane U.S. or 95 octane European premium mogas, these Scarlett series engines have a 32-inch diameter and a TBO of 1000 hours. Experience shows some lead fouling on a steady diet of 100LL fuel. But this responds favorably to lead-scavenging additives or simply by running mogas. The TBO is expected to rise as experience is gained with higher-hour Verners. So far the company has sold about 150 engines worldwide. And while Watrous reports no issues, none have reached 1000 hours yet.

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Air New Zealand reveals four partners for low-emission aircraft trials

Air New Zealand (Air NZ) has selected four aircraft providers – Beta Technologies, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions (CAeS), Eviation, and VoltAero – for its Mission NextGen programme, which will see the carrier perform commercial demonstration flights of low-emission aircraft from 2026.

Following the initial phase of the programme, Air NZ will then select which aircraft will form the backbone of its new regional fleet, replacing ageing De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q300s on domestic routes from 2030.

Source: Air New Zealand

The companies involved in the project are drawn from across the globe, with their aircraft employing different propulsion solutions and operational models.

Vermont-based Beta Technologies will supply its five-passenger ALIA electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft; UK firm CAeS will provide three Britten-Norman BN2 Islanders converted to run on hydrogen fuel cells; Eviation of the USA its Alice all-electric aircraft; and France’s VoltAero its Cassio 330 hybrid-electric five-seater.

In each case, Air NZ has signed a “statement of intent to order”, which will see the carrier take three aircraft initially for the demonstration phase, with options for a further 20, subject to an evaluation process. 

Greg Foran, Air NZ chief executive, says: “Mission NextGen Aircraft is not about backing one innovator. It’s about working with a range of leaders in zero-emission aircraft technology to help move the whole ecosystem along.

”Our goal is to confirm our commitment with one or more of these partners in the next 12 months with the ambition of purchasing an aircraft for delivery from 2026.

“The learnings we will take from flying an aircraft with next generation propulsion technology from 2026 will then pave the way for our long-term partners to deliver an aircraft that can replace our Q300 turboprop domestic fleet.”

Air NZ announced the Mission NextGen accelerator programme in November, building on a set of specifications for a future aircraft released in December last year which drew responses from over 30 aircraft developers, the airline says.

In addition to the 23 50-seat Q300s, Air NZ’s domestic turboprop fleet also includes 29 68-seat ATR 72-600s, which will come up for replacement in the mid-2030s.

Jenny Kavanagh, chief strategy officer at CAeS, says the initiative is an example of the “collaboration that is needed” to drive aviation’s decarbonisation.

Selection of the converted Islander by Air NZ is also a “statement of credibility” for the programme, she adds.

“The size of the airline and the fact that it has been established for a long time as one of the sustainability leaders in the airline industry is a big boon for us.

“They are currently not flying anything smaller than a -8 but are really trying to embrace the opportunities that new technology brings.”

Jean Botti, chief executive of VoltAero, says he is “very proud” of its selection by the carrier.

“It’s the first big international big company to have signed up with VoltAero; we have lots of regional airline customers up to now but [Air NZ] is an international company.”

He confirms the demonstration flights will be conducted with the Cassio 330, targeted for certification in 2024.

VoltAero is developing two follow-on aircraft, the six-seat Cassio 480 and 10-12-seat Cassio 600, and Botti suggests the latter would likely be of greater interest for Air NZ in the longer term: “I think ultimately that for their needs that would be probably the most appropriate thing,” he says.

VoltAero’s parallel hybrid-electric powertrain could ultimately be scaled up for a 20-seat passenger aircraft, he adds, but is dependent on improvements to battery technology.

“Things have to happen in that domain and that’s why we are focussing on the best available technology today that will allow you to have an electric aircraft.”

CAeS is also planning successors to its converted Islander, progressively growing in power and range, and moving from the use of existing airframes into clean-sheet designs. The first of these – a 19-50-seat regional aircraft – would arrive in the early 2030s, followed by a 75-100-seater in around 2035.

But first, CAeS needs to complete the development of the seven-seat Islander. Bench and ground tests were due in 2022, but have now been pushed into 2023 due to supply chain constraints.

A first flight of the converted BN2 is due towards the “back end of next year”, says Kavanagh, as the company works towards its target of achieving supplemental type certification for the modification in 2025.

However, she sees no impact on the overall timeline from the delays, with work already under way on the production version of the propulsion system.

“We pretty much know now what we need to be doing for the production [version] it’s just a matter of getting a team on it.

“The flight of the demonstrator is a really exciting milestone and extremely important for testing those final things you can’t test on the bench or ground, but in terms of the design we are pretty much there.”

Botti, meanwhile, points to the more than 135 flight hours VoltAero has accumulated over the last two years with its 600kW powertrain aboard its Cassio 1 demonstrator – a converted Cessna 337 Skymaster. In all, over 175 flights have seen the aircraft travel in excess of 10,000km.

VoltAero’s architecture sees the Cassio aircraft use electric motors in the aft fuselage-mounted propulsion system for all-electric power during taxi, take-off, primary flight, and landing, while the thermal engine serves as a range extender – charging the batteries in flight – or as an emergency back-up.

Eviation chief executive Gregory Davis adds: “Regional flights make up a sizeable proportion of Air New Zealand’s routes. The Alice offers an effective way to decarbonise these journeys, revolutionising air travel and supporting the goals of the Mission NextGen programme.”

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New aircraft design from NASA and Boeing could benefit passengers in the 2030s

Greener commercial flight technology may be on the horizon.

NASA and Boeing will work together on the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project to build, test and fly an emission-reducing single-aisle aircraft this decade, according to an announcement from the agency on Wednesday.

"Since the beginning, NASA has been with you when you fly. NASA has dared to go farther, faster, higher. And in doing so, NASA has made aviation more sustainable and dependable. It is in our DNA," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson in a statement.

"It's our goal that NASA's partnership with Boeing to produce and test a full-scale demonstrator will help lead to future commercial airliners that are more fuel efficient, with benefits to the environment, the commercial aviation industry, and to passengers worldwide. If we are successful, we may see these technologies in planes that the public takes to the skies in the 2030s."

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The first test flight of this experimental aircraft is set to take place in 2028. The goal is for the technology to serve approximately 50 percent of the commercial market through short- to medium-haul single-aisle aircraft, Nelson said.

Airlines largely rely on single-aisle aircraft, which account for nearly half of aviation emissions worldwide, according to NASA. Developing new technology to reduce fuel use can support the Biden administration's goal of achieving net-zero aviation carbon emissions by 2050, as laid out in the US Aviation Climate Action Plan.

Boeing estimates that the demand for the new single-aisle aircraft will increase by 40,000 planes between 2035 and 2050.

The design that NASA and Boeing are working on could reduce fuel consumption and emissions by up to 30 percent compared with today's most efficient aircraft, according to the agency.

It's called the Transonic Truss-Braced Wing concept, which relies on elongated, thin wings stabilised by diagonal struts that connect the wings to the aircraft. The design's shape creates less drag, which means burning less fuel.

The Sustainable Flight Demonstrator will also incorporate other green aviation technologies.

"NASA is working toward an ambitious goal of developing game-changing technologies to reduce aviation energy use and emissions over the coming decades toward an aviation community goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050," said Bob Pearce, NASA associate administrator for the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, in a statement.

"The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing is the kind of transformative concept and investment we will need to meet those challenges and, critically, the technologies demonstrated in this project have a clear and viable path to informing the next generation of single-aisle aircraft, benefiting everyone that uses the air transportation system."

The benefits of increasing the aspect ratio of the wing have been known for a long time, but the challenge of structuring the design has required advancements in materials and construction to reach this point of development, Pearce said.

By partnering on the project, NASA and Boeing can take on more risks than the aviation industry can do on its own, he said.

"This is an experimental aircraft," he said. "This is not a commercial development of an aircraft that passengers are going to fly in today. And the reason we need to do this is because this is high-risk technology. We're trying to validate technology."

The partnership, supported by the Funded Space Act Agreement, will rely on technical expertise and facilities and US$425 million from NASA over seven years. Meanwhile, Boeing and its partners will contribute the remaining US$725 million and the technical plan.

"We're honoured to continue our partnership with NASA and to demonstrate technology that significantly improves aerodynamic efficiency resulting in substantially lower fuel burn and emissions," said Todd Citron, Boeing chief technology officer.

Air New Zealand to develop zero-emission demonstrator planes with partners

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DARPA unveils 6 new designs for uncrewed vertical-takeoff military aircraft, eyes 2026 test flights

The U.S. military could soon have new uncrewed aircraft that carry weapons and take off and land vertically. The vehicles could undergo test flights as early as 2026.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency ( DARPA ) has announced it is moving into a new testing phase for proposed experimental aircraft in which designs will be assessed for risk and analyzed for efficiency.

The Advanced Aircraft Infrastructure-less Launch And Recovery ( ANCILLARY ) program will field designs for new, uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) carrying weapons. Specifically, the project aims to deliver X-planes capable of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) like a helicopter that can operate from aircraft carriers.

"X-plane" is a classifier used by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) for experimental aircraft. Past X-planes include the Bell X-1 — the first crewed vehicle to break the sound barrier in conventional flight — and the X-15, which broke records in aerospace such as previously unachievable airspeeds and the successful use of novel propulsion techniques.

VTOL aircraft negate the need for a runway, meaning they can be launched more easily. DARPA also wants these X-planes to be capable of operating in adverse weather conditions without supporting ground crew or infrastructure, which would enable them to operate in a far wider range of battlefield environments.

DARPA hopes these aircraft could support the U.S. Navy ships to identify vessels beyond their line of sight but also said in a May 22  statement  that the U.S. Army, Air Force, Coast Guard and Special Operations Command had registered interest in the program.

The defense and aerospace contractors bidding for the project are AeroVironment, Griffon Aerospace, Karem Aircraft, Method Aeronautics, Northrop Grumman and the Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky.

VTOL can be achieved in a number of different ways. For example, Sikorsky's battery-powered design props itself on its tail while on the ground and takes off like a helicopter, with the propellers facing upward, then tilts forward to fly through the air horizontally like a plane. Karem Aircraft, meanwhile, has put forward a heavy-fuel-driven craft that uses a tilting rotor to fly straight up in the air and hover when the rotor is in the upward position, then propel the aircraft forward at high speeds when the rotor is in the forward position.

Related: DARPA developing small vertical-takeoff aircraft for military use

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DARPA aims to increase its use of UAS by a factor of three in the coming years. Given the small size and low weight of ANCILLARY X-planes, the Navy could store far more aboard ships than it can helicopters and launch them directly from the deck without needing specialized equipment — unlike planes and conventional UAS the Navy currently uses.

"Our performers are searching for innovative ways to increase payload weight and range/endurance of small, ship-launched UAS by means of novel configurations, propulsion, and controls while also removing the need for special infrastructure," said  Steve Komadina , DARPA program manager for ANCILLARY, in DARPA’s press release.

RELATED STORIES:

— NASA-funded pulsed plasma rocket concept aims to send astronauts to Mars in 2 months

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— DARPA's wild X-65 CRANE aircraft aims for 1st flight in summer 2025

ANCILLARY is currently in phase 1b, with testing set to run for 10 months from June 2024 to spring 2025. During this time, DARPA will assess the manufacturers' individual designs based on the safety of their systems and hover tests.

The project will then move onto phase 2, at which point participants will propose details for X-plane design and construction as well as test plans. Flight tests for designs deemed the most promising are due to commence at the start of 2026.

Komadina also said that going forward, ANCILLARY systems could be improved through sensor innovation, advances in artificial intelligence (AI) or more autonomous vehicle breakthroughs.

Originally published on LiveScience.com.

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Activity statistics

We collect data on aircraft flying activity. The most important use this data is put to, is calculating accident rates. They're a better measure of aviation risk than just the number of accidents.

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We need aircraft operators to provide a regular summary of aircraft flying activity. That activity is measured by flying hours and/or number of flights, and for freight and agricultural operations, by tonnes carried.

Apart from being used to calculate accident rates, it also provides early warning of developing safety risks due to increasing or declining activity, to compare different sectors, and to assess New Zealand’s safety performance relative to other countries.

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For more details see Part 12 (rule 12.151)

Certificated air operations – Parts 119/135, 115, 137

At the end of each quarter, report the hours flown, number of flights, and type of flight, separately for each aircraft on your operations specification. Include a nil return for aircraft that have not flown any hours in the quarter. For aircraft on Part 115 parachute operations, simply report the number of jumps.

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