We all know that the aviation space will be shaken up if and when we enter into an economic crisis. What is not yet known is when we will enter into one.
While an economic crisis and its subsequent effects on the aviation industry are still on the horizon. It is still important for us to pay attention to important developments in the industry. As we’ve said in this newsletter series, even in an economic crisis there will be individuals and businesses that will always find ways to prevail and prosper. Therefore, all will not be lost.
In this week’s On Aviation™ Digest, we share some stories and articles on some of the latest developments in the Aviation space.
What’s Next In Aviation
Barely a month goes by without another breathless dispatch from the aviation revolution. In January, a company named ZeroAvia said its 19-seater jet had completed a flight using green hydrogen—a fuel that emits no carbon and is made with clean energy. Six weeks later, the aerospace company Universal Hydrogen completed an even longer test flight with a 40-passenger plane.
We’ve also seen glowing reports from the world of electric aviation. Last September saw the world’s first all-electric passenger plane, Alice, take its maiden test flight. This March brought news that the Swiss makers of an electric seaplane that can purportedly fly almost 160 kilometers on a single charge had received their first orders. Two days later, United Airlines announced the route for the world’s first commercial electric air taxi.
Look past the headlines, and it’s clear the commercial rollout of these technologies is several years away. The CEO of the company making the electric seaplane expects it to be operational in 2029. The manufacturers of United’s electric air taxi “is developing a fully electric 19-seat aircraft capable of flying customers up to 250 miles before the end of the decade.” And while Alice’s manufacturer hopes to deliver its aircraft to customers by 2027, it warned that its “plan is subject to change.”
By Jens Martin Skibsted | Forbes
Emirates, Boeing And Rex Get Australian Aviation Awards Nod
Emirates, Rex and Boeing Aerostructures Australia are among the heavyweight businesses shortlisted at this year’s Australian Aviation Awards.
In total, more than 140 nominees have qualified as finalists across 25 categories, with individual categories also including businesses such as Qantas, Northrop Grumman and Leonardo.
Our second annual awards, run with help from principal partner UNSW Sydney, will culminate in a gala black-tie ceremony on Thursday, 31 August 2023, at The Star, Sydney.
Australian Aviation’s Adam Thorn said, “This year’s awards received a record number of entries, so all of our nominees should feel hugely proud to be shortlisted.
“The industry spent much of the last year grappling with the after-effects of COVID-19, including rising inflation and a talent shortage. It’s to their huge credit that those shortlisted have shown great initiative to navigate these difficult times and thrive.”
By Adam Thorn | Australian Aviation
Joby’s flying taxi is closer to reality after crucial FAA green light
Joby Aviation Inc. jumped 40% Wednesday after a crucial green light from U.S. regulators in its quest to build electrically powered air taxis.
The company, based in Santa Cruz, California, said in a statement that the go-ahead from the Federal Aviation Administration will let it test flying taxis coming off its production line; it previously could only demo a prototype made by hand. Joby showed off the first aircraft from its manufacturing facility at a media event.
“This is a huge moment,” Joby Chief Executive Officer JoeBen Bevirt said on Bloomberg TV from the factory in Marina, California.
By Ed Ludlow, Eari Nakano / Bloomberg News (Tns) | Albuquerque Journal
Will Aviation Infrastructure In India Keep Up With Projected Growth?
United Airlines (UAL.O) plans to make changes in flight operations to avoid weather-related disruptions ahead of the Fourth of July holiday travel, Chief Executive Officer Scott Kirby said on Saturday.
Recent flight disruptions have raised new concerns about whether airlines are ready to handle the summer travel boom during the first Fourth of July holiday in which U.S. air traffic is likely to exceed pre-COVID levels.
“While we work to control the things that are within our control, we must also do a better job of planning against the things that are outside our control so that we can be in a position to recover more quickly,” Kirby said in a note.
Last month, United canceled about 19% of its scheduled flights as thunderstorms and equipment failures at a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) facility in Washington caused significant delays for air travelers on the U.S. East Coast.
By Gaurav Joshi | Simple Flying
Note: The views and opinions expressed in the content shared in this digest are for informational purposes only, are solely those of the original content creators, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of On Aviation™ or its affiliates.
Thank you for reading this week’s On Aviation™ digest. What are your thoughts on these latest developments within the aviation industry? Or this is not much to worry about in the airlines it should recover soon? Please share your thoughts in the comments below. Remember to check out our On Aviation™ Podcast and continue the conversation on our Twitter and Instagram.
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