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# Sustainable Skies

Electric Aviation News

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://sustainableskies.org/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [1comet Microlift Sailplane](https://sustainableskies.org/1comet-microlift-sailplane/) - 1comet is a recent member of the ultralight sailplane community, and one with outstanding performance in the refined arena of microlift. Its makers proclaim its mission: "1comet AG was founded on the belief that pure flight is one of the most beautiful forms of freedom ever created." Since microlift combines a craft's ability to circle tightly
- [Beta Flies at Oshkosh, Farnborough](https://sustainableskies.org/beta-flies-at-oshkosh-farnborough/) - A Hit on Two Continrnts Beta Technologies' Alia CX-300 displayed its form and function at AirVenture 2026 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and at the Farnborough International Air Show in England. The static and aerial exhibitions marked Beta's ongoing devolopment of its aircraft, charging technology and network, and partnerships throughout America and Europe, and in much of
- [The Blanik Urfin: Electric and Self-Launching](https://sustainableskies.org/the-blanik-urfin-electric-and-self-launching/) - The Blanik Urfin is a 120-kilogram (264.5 pounds) categopry self-launchig sailplane, its 22 kilowatt (29.4 horsepower motor and five-blade 1,26 meter (4.13 feet)-diameter propeller, capable of lofting it to soaring altitude at 4.5 meters per second (787 feet per minute). The little Urfin (named after a playful Czech folk character) was shown at this year's
- [Where in the World is Beta Alia N314BT?](https://sustainableskies.org/where-in-the-world-is-beta-alia-n314bt/) - Beta Alia N314BT is now part of Bristow's fleet at Stavanger Airport in Denmark. Bristow is self-described as, "the world’s leading provider of helicopter transportation to energy customers, search and rescue (SAR) and aircraft support solutions to government and civil organizations." The company serves clients in Africa, the Americas, Australia, and throughout Europe. In this
- [China Follows New Battery Paths](https://sustainableskies.org/china-follows-new-battery-paths/) - #post_contentThe entry examines the top three EV battery makers. in China.
- [Joby Bay Area Demo Starts a Tour](https://sustainableskies.org/joby-bay-area-demo-starts-a-tour/) - A Bay Area Feat Joby Aviation flew its "FAA conforming" JAS4-1 N547JX in the Bay Area and beyond this week, the first of many demonstration flights it will perform nationwide as part of its Electric Skies Tour. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60aQbLIG5c8 "Conforming," according to Flying magazine, "Means that the model aligns with Joby’s agency-approved airworthiness criteria and test
- [XPRIZE Wildfire Finalists](https://sustainableskies.org/xprize-wildfire-finalists/) - The XPrize Foundation had a significant announcement last week, the five finalists in the Wildfire Detection and Suppression Challange. The Foundation describes the wildfire competition this way: "Competitors in the Autonomous Wildfire Response Track are developing fully autonomous solutions to detect and suppress a high-risk fire in 10 minutes or less over a large, environmentally
- [Donut Lab Goes for All the Marbles](https://sustainableskies.org/donut-lab-goes-for-all-the-marbles/) - We're Back We'll get to Donut Lab and its controversial announcements in the next segment, but first: Following several weeks of medical treatment for a gangrenous toe, angioplasty to open blood vessels in the leg, and doses of antibiotics, the threat to your editor's foot seems diminished, and things seem to be tending slowly toward
- [Whisper Aero Unveils a Leaf Blower at CES](https://sustainableskies.org/whisper-aero-unveils-a-leaf-blower-at-ces/) - Whisper Aero has a unique way of showing its cards at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The Crossville, Tennessee-based company has developed an ultra-quiet electric propulsor that could power aircraft of varying sizes. While nine Red Bull cyclists recently towed an ultralight sailplane skyward, two Whisper units could launch an ultralight flying
- [Red Bull Does Give You Wings](https://sustainableskies.org/red-bull-does-give-you-wings/) - Red Bull, worldwide distributor of energy drinks, is good at putting on a show. From their dramatic Hangar 7 museum, art gallery and five culinary outlets in Salzburg, Austria to their extravagant displays of derring-do, Red Bull lives large. Their largesse is doled out in an incredible museum, gourmet feasts, and stunning acts of aerial
- [XPrize for Drones Spotting and Fighting Fires](https://sustainableskies.org/xprize-for-drones-spotting-and-fighting-fires/) - A Firefighting Competition Like No Other Xprize has given us budget space travel, hyper-economical cars, and attempts to replicate the medical functions of Star Trek's Tricorder. Now, the XPrize folks have turned their attentions to spotting and controlling wildfires by drones. This fits well with the Sustainable Aviation Foundation (underwriting this blog) and its concerns
- [Pulitzer Trophy Race 2025 Results](https://sustainableskies.org/pulitzer-trophy-race-2025-results/) - For the first time in 100 years, the Pulitzer Trophy was awarded to a flight team, and for the first time to a team flying an electric aircraft.
- [YASA's Second Output Record This Year](https://sustainableskies.org/yasas-second-output-record-this-year/) - Mercedes-Benz, with its YASA (Yokeless and Segmented Armature) motor, has achieved a second world record this year for power density. Pulling 1,000 horsepower from a 12 kilogram (xx pound) motor seems a bit incredible, but Mercedes has dynomometer tests to prove it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGgYUfnud_w This efffort will be in production cars within a year, according to
- [Piper Germany and the MDA1 Electric Commuter](https://sustainableskies.org/piper-germany-and-the-mda1-electric-commuter/) - Flieger magazine reports, "Piper Deutschland AG has announced a strategic investment in MD Aircraft GmbH . The goal of the collaboration is to advance the development and production of the all-electric regional aircraft MDA1 eViator." https://md-aircraft.com/media/videos/2025/10/16/mda1_v04_r01-1-web.mp4 (Note: based on later reporting, the power bays may be incorporated into the lower part of the fuselage. The blog will attempt to
- [Welcome to Sustainable Skies](https://sustainableskies.org/welcome-to-sustainable-skies/) - Sustainable Skies is your source for news on the world of electric aviation. Sustainable Skies is an online publication dedicated to surveying the forefront of the electric aircraft movement and its many exciting technology sectors. Our mission is to objectively cover a broad array of developments from academia, government, amateur and commercial programs in support
- [1Comet Debuts at Electrifly-in 2025](https://sustainableskies.org/1comet-debuts-at-electrifly-in-2025/) - 1Comet, a high-performance, laminar-flow ultralight sailplane, debuted at Electrifly-in 2025 in Bern, Switzerland. Though looking somewhat like the Ruppert Archeopteryz, there are significant differences. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgxumUq_NuM Both 1Comet and Archaeopteryx come in foot-launch and electric-powered versions. Both fall into the microlight category and are capable of flying in microlift conditions. 1Comet, though, has a broader weight
- [An Aerial Pulitzer Prize](https://sustainableskies.org/an-aerial-pulitzer-prize/) - Win a Pulitzer Without Writing a Word There hasn't been a Pulitzer Air Race or Prize (Trophy) for 100 years, the last competition taking place in 1925. The revived Pulitzer Trophy Races will differ considerably from the original events. Those races were all flown with military aircraft flown by experienced military pilots. Differing greatly in
- [Jean-Baptiste's Disruptive Electrifly-in Win](https://sustainableskies.org/jean-baptistes-disruptive-electrifly-in-win/) - Jean-Baptiste Loiselet is a disruptive force seemingly immune to conventional thinking. Funding what he calls a "hybrid" aircraft from his life savings, he has flown his solar sailplane around France, set a world altitude record for electric microlight aircraft, demonstrated its airworthiness at the 2024 Paris Air Show, and recently won his third Electrifly-in award
- [H55 Does a Grand Tour of America](https://sustainableskies.org/h55-does-a-grand-tour-of-america/) - H55, the Swiss electric light aircraft spin-off of the Solar Impulse Foundation under Andre' Borschberg's leadership, has toured America from sunny Florida to sunny California and back to New York's Hamptons. H55's Tour of America While Beta's Alia is making the Grand Tour of Europe, the H55-powered Bristel B25 Energic has made its own Grand
- [Joby's Autonomous Cessna and Its Competition](https://sustainableskies.org/jobys-autonomous-cessna-and-its-competition/) - Joby Aviation is testing an autonomous Cessna Caravan with the United States Air Force, part of "a successful demonstration and validation of its SuperpilotTM autonomous flight technology." The 208 Caravan logged more than 7,000 miles and 40 flight hours over the Pacific Ocean and Hawaii. A similar Cessna 208 Caravan has been flying similar missions for
- [Solarstratos' New Altitude Record](https://sustainableskies.org/solarstratos-new-altitude-record/) - Raphael Domjan's SolarStratos set a new world altitude record for solar-powered aircraft, 9,521 meters, or 31,237 feet, on August 12, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pQG2tbMaYM That CBS News and other press outlets saw fit to cover the event is a significant change in coverage from just having the normal technical details explained in the aviation press. The network
- [Getting Battery Materials Without China or Child Labor](https://sustainableskies.org/getting-battery-materials-without-china-or-child-labor/) - Imagine finding essential battery materials in a common mineral and reducing atmospheric CO2 as a side benefit. Imagine finding a source of these necessary materials without the need to negotiate with China or enrich those who employ child labor for their wealth. Good News Network (not as Pollyanish as it may sound) featured a picture
- [Pivotal Helix Becomes Fire Department Volunteer](https://sustainableskies.org/pivotal-helix-becomes-fire-department-volunteer/) - The Pivotal Helix eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) Aircraft “Gains Warm Response from California Fire Agencies in Multi-Agency Demonstration Series.” That's the headline for a Pivotal press release on its recent demonstration for three southern California fire departments. Seeming to be almost a response to Dr. Brien Seeley's recent front-page opinion section editorial
- [Toyota - Solid State or Aluminum?](https://sustainableskies.org/toyota-solid-state-or-aluminum/) - Toyota has been coy with the idea of battery-powered cars, avoiding discussion of their presence in the world for several years, and now springing dual surprises in solid-state and aluminum cells. For several years, Toyota had been promoting a hydrogen fuel system, even developing a hydrogen-based trucking program from its San Diego docks. and at
- [ZeroAvia Does Paris and the UK](https://sustainableskies.org/zeroavia-does-paris-and-the-uk/) - ZeroAvia recently presented at the Paris Air Show and is working intensively on certifying its motors and systems in the United Kingdom. Their two motors are now joined by several components, including a liquid hydrogen fuel management system. This system comprises a "lightweight metallic tank design and associated systems for filling, storing, and distributing the
- [Dr. Seeley Makes the Chronicle](https://sustainableskies.org/dr-seeley-makes-the-chronicle/) - Dr. Seeley Hits the Front Page Dr. Brien Seeley's editorial on the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle's opinion section July 14, is a well-reasoned appeal to try a radical new approach to fighting wildfires. It impressed an editorial board enough to make it their featured Op-ed leading their Sunday coverage. It's the product
- [Regent Viceroy Seaglider: Foiling Above the Waves](https://sustainableskies.org/regent-viceroy-seaglider-foiling-above-the-waves/) - The Regent Viceroy Seaglider completed its first lift-off on its hydrofoil lifting surfaces, gliding as its name suggests above the (placid) waves of Kingston, Rhode Island. Of course, that lift is helped by the 65-foot wing, making this a commercially feasible WIG (Wing In Ground Effect) machine. We have reported on earlier versions of the
- [Skyfly Axe: Vertically Capable](https://sustainableskies.org/skyfly-axe-vertically-capable/) - The Skyfly Axe is vertically capable, a new phrase (to your editor) for an aircraft capable of ascending vertically from its starting point and flying about on its own. We first reported on this machine when it was still under development three years ago and it has kept the outward appearance it had then. The
- [Beta CX300 at the Paris Air Show](https://sustainableskies.org/beta-cx300-at-the-paris-air-show/) - Beta CEO Kyle Clark piloted The Beta CX300 from Ireland to France for the 2025 Paris Air Show. A self-imposed demand, Clark insists on flying the aircraft or having it flown to air shows at which the aircraft is to be displayed - proof of the pudding. "We arrived at Paris Le Bourget Airport for
- [Blue Spirit Rolls Out Its Prototype](https://sustainableskies.org/blue-spirit-rolls-out-its-prototype/) - Blue Spirit Aero rolled out its hydrogen-powered Dragonfly prototype and completed the world's first H2 refueling of a light aircraft from an airport station
- [VoltAero Unveils Production Cassio 330 at Paris Air Show](https://sustainableskies.org/voltaero-unveils-production-cassio-330-at-paris-air-show/) - VoltAero has unveiled its production Cassio 330 hybrid electric aircraft at the Paris Air Show 2025, revealing a new look and revised, simplified technology. Aerotime explains the craft is a result of VoltAero working with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) airworthiness certification agency. The original twin-boom configuration has been replaced with a T-tail,
- [Beta Does New York, and Ireland Too](https://sustainableskies.org/beta-does-new-york-and-ireland-too/) - BETA Technologies flies first Advanced Air Mobility flight into John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.
- [Pyka, a Potential Fire Supression Vehicle](https://sustainableskies.org/pyka-a-potential-fire-supression-vehicle/) - Pyka is an innovative company that's been flying autonomously for over seven years. Currently used in agricultural crop spraying and dusting operations, it seems to this editor that it could be a superb fire suppression vehicle. Pyka's youthful and exuberant crew would certainly be up to the task. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vsz-TXMIn9w Pyka's latest product is a four-motor
- [CATL Gets Salty with Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/catl-gets-salty-with-batteries/) - CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited) in China is promoting a different battery technology that promises lower costs and a greater life span than lithium cells. This is another way to soften the demand for lithium, which often seems in short supply. We reported on another approach, recycling used EV battery packs, last month. This
- [Whisper Aero - Ultralight to Heavy](https://sustainableskies.org/whisper-aero-ultralight-to-heavy/) - Whisper Aero, Mark Moore's startup in Crossville, Tennessee, fields devices to move air, ranging from leaf blowers to fairly large airplanes. The company recently showed a lineup of three aircraft, starting with a dual-motor powered flying wing hang glider to a nine-passenger silent medium-range carrier. Each benefits from the quiet propulsion system developed by Moore
- [A Good Friend, Richard Steeves, Passes](https://sustainableskies.org/a-good-friend-richard-steeves-passes/) - Richard Steeves, a good and dear friend has passed, known for his achievements in medicine and among his friends for leading a long-term aviation club and even constructing a Coot Amphibian and electric ultralight airplane. Many will know him from his leadership of the Coot Builder's Club, a group of enthusiasts who build and fly
- [Sustainability at AeroExpo2025: Klaus Ohlmann's Stemme Hybrid](https://sustainableskies.org/sustainability-at-aeroexpo2025-klaus-ohlmanns-stemme-hybrid/) - Klaus Ohlmann is legendary in his accomplishments. Having surmounted Mount Everest in a sailplane, traversed the Alps and the Andes in sailplanes and battery- and solar-powered craft, and contributed to wave soaring studies, he is ready to set a new type of record - one with a Stemme hybrid power system. In its sadly last
- [Sustainability at AeroExpo2025: Alphafrog](https://sustainableskies.org/sustainability-at-aeroexp-2025-alphafrog/) - This year's AeroExpo was particularly supportive of sustainability, with green balloons over "green" displays, a series of seminars on electric, hydrogen, and other clean skies aspirants, and flight demonstrations showing how far the industry and the Friedrichshafen exhibit have come. Alphafrog's Illustrious Ancestor Alphafrog is a reintroduced and wildly updated ultralight from the 1970s, the Alphafrog is a reintroduced and updated ultralight from the 1970s.
- [FireSat: Spotting Wildfires Early and Responding Quickly](https://sustainableskies.org/firesat-spotting-wildfires-early-and-responding-quickly/) - FireSat may be part of a solution to our world's growing wildfire problem. Recent events, such as the conflagrations ravaging Los Angeles, resulted in widespread damage and enormous loss of lives and property. Spotting fires early on would allow quicker response, and with the appropriate gear, swift quelling of the flames before they became a
- [Turning Over an Old Leaf: Reusing Lithium Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/turning-over-an-old-leaf-reusing-lithium-batteries/) - Turning over an old Leaf (of the species Nissan) and reusing its batteries may be a partial answer to the shortage of lithium. The energetic metal is hard to get and often in short supply. In several entries to come, we’ll try to find some answers to questions about sourcing battery materials, how safe we
- [Beta Barnstorms America](https://sustainableskies.org/beta-barnstorms-america/) - Chris Stoner of eVTOL Insights reported that a Beta (Technologies) aircraft [completed] a "stunning" 3,064 nautical mile flight across America on March 4, the Beta Barnstorm. Its headline-provoking journey gave many their first glimpse of a "mature" electric aviation product - one that could have great consequences in many areas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JilT7XtRRcE The Beta Alia CX300's
- [A Survey For Green Aviation Lovers](https://sustainableskies.org/a-survey-for-green-aviation-lovers/) - Jean-Baptiste Loiselet has a survey for those interested in green aviation to participate in. He's been riding the electric skies for three years without going anywhere near an electric plug. He wants to know if others would like this kind of free flight. Imagine flying for three hours at a time, quietly in an environmentally
- [Pipistel NUUVA V300 Lifts Off](https://sustainableskies.org/pipistel-nuuva-v300-lifts-off/) - Pipistrel's LinkedIn page features a happy headline and the culmination of a long development process. Using Textron Systems technology, the craft can be monitored during flight. According to Pipistrel, "This first aircraft was controlled using a Honeywell fly-by-wire flight control system with triple-redundancy built-in." Able to make relatively large cargo deliveries, the NUUVA V300 can
- [Beta from Norway to New Zealand](https://sustainableskies.org/beta-from-norway-to-new-zealand/) - Beta Technologies, Kyle Clark's electric flight dream, is making inroads promoting clean aviation. It's impressive enough an effort the Today Show called. Beta is not only capturing the attention of mainstream media in the U.S., but overseas with projects in Norway and New Zealand. https://youtu.be/PIrNKSsbmyw The two countries are at extreme ends of the earth,
- [RX4E Certified](https://sustainableskies.org/rx4e-certified/) - The Rhyxeon RX4E has become the first passenger-carrying electric aircraft to be certified in China. After a five-year development program, the four-seat airplane will join flight lines across the country, and perhaps in other nations. Slated for use in less-developed countries, the craft could provide transport in Asia, Africa, and other areas lacking extensive road
- [Donuts with Incredible Power and Torque](https://sustainableskies.org/donuts-with-incredible-power-and-torque/) - Out of Stealth Mode Donut Lab, according to Green Car Reports, is a Finnish firm and outgrowth of Verge Motorcycles. The Lab came out of "stealth mode" with a surprise announcement at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Here, CEO and co-founder of the lab, Marko Lehtimaki discusses the significance of his company's
- [ElFly Looks to the Future](https://sustainableskies.org/elfly-looks-to-the-future/) - Elfly, the recently-formed Norwegian aircraft company, looks to a future of responsible, emission-free flight with its nine-to-thirteen passenger amphibians. Three partners, Eric Lithun (Chief Executive Officer), Tomas Brødreskift (Chief Technology Officer), and Eirik Sandal (Chief Financial Officer), are dedicated to making electric flight along the seaside an everyday occurrence. Lithun was interviewed about the new
- [zepp.solutions has an Aeronautical Solution](https://sustainableskies.org/zepp-solutions-has-an-aeronautical-solution/) - Working With the NLR zepp.solutions is a multi-faceted Dutch firm intent on finding ways to apply hydrogen propulsion systems to sea, land, and aeronautical applications. Their ultimate product will be the conversion of an eighty-passenger fossil-fuel powered commuter liner into a zero-emission vehicle that loses a few paying passenger to the goal of flying in
- [Stellantis,  Zeta and Lyten’s Lithium Sulfur Battery](https://sustainableskies.org/stellantis-zeta-and-lytens-lithium-sulfur-battery/) - Stellantis, Zeta Energy, and Lyten are both working independently and collaborating to develop Lithium-sulfur batteries in a move to reduce prices and increase output and cycle life. Electrive’s lead paragraph heralds the advantages. “The automotive group Stellantis is entering into a partnership with the Texan battery specialist Zeta Energy to develop lithium-sulfur (LiS) batteries that
- [December 17, 1903](https://sustainableskies.org/december-17-1903/) - December 17, 1903, is a day to be remembered for all who fly. That was the day 121 years ago that two bicycle mechanics from Dayton, Ohio made history with the first powered, controlled flight of an airplane. The controlled part is most important. Others had leaped off hills in early versions of hang gliders,
- [Stralis - Audacious Australian Startup](https://sustainableskies.org/stralis-audacious-australian-startup/) - Stralis is an Australian startup with great ambition and some pretty audacious ideas. Bob Criner, the firm's Co-founder and CEO (with Stuart Johnstone who is also Chief Technical Officer or CTO), gives a quick overview of those ambitions and the unique solutions he and his team are developing. https://youtu.be/E89NAOPOllI Solutions include hydrogen-powered aircraft powered by
- [Kasaero Flies a Hydrogen Amphibian](https://sustainableskies.org/kasaero-flies-a-hydrogen-amphibian/) - Kaesaero, a company specializing in unique aircraft, flew an ultralight hydrogen amphibian on September 23. Often considered as too heavy and bulky for light aircraft, hydrogen has been seen recently on commercial commuter craft, but rarely on puddle-jumpers available at your local airport. The outing by a Dornier DS-2C, described by Dornier as, “a two-seat
- [Avoiding Propeller Strikes on Electric Aircraft](https://sustainableskies.org/avoiding-propeller-strikes-on-electric-aircraft/) - At last year’s Electric Aircraft Symposium, Ron Gremban, developer of the Prius plug-in hybrid, shared several questions about promoting safety in electric aircraft. One aspect that provoked deep thought was that of safety for those working around an electric airplane, whose propeller could start quietly and possibly strike an unaware bystander. During the Green Flight
- [Restarting the Blog with Bad News - and Some Hope](https://sustainableskies.org/restarting-blog-bad-news-some-hope/) - Your editor is back in action (in slow motion) having experienced two holes in his stomach, patched neatly by modern medicine and skilled practitioners. All is reasonably well and getting better. Certainly better than two well-publicized battery fires. The Bad News Coming out of the recent fog, your editor received an email from Karl Kaeser
- [Beta Technologies Goes eVTOL and eCTOL](https://sustainableskies.org/beta-technologies-goes-evtol-and-ectol/) - Beta Technologies Alia comes in two variants, eVTOL and eCTOL, both of which have demonstrated their abilities in their full flight ranges and flown 40,000 miles,
- [Electra Aero Announces Nine-Seat uSTOL](https://sustainableskies.org/electra-aero-announces-nine-seat-ustol/) - Moving from a technology demonstrator to a nine-seat uSTOL (ultra Short Take Off and Landing) prototype, Electra Aero is showing significant progress in flight.
- [The Villiger Traveler - A Stunning Resemblance](https://sustainableskies.org/the-villiger-traveler-a-stunning-resemblance/) - The Villiger Traveler is a Swiss aircraft that looks remarkably like the SmartFlyer SF-1 featured in our last posting.
- [Swiss Smartflyer - An Advanced Design](https://sustainableskies.org/swiss-smartflyer-an-advanced-design/) - The Swiss Smartflyer SF-1 is an advanced design. showing links to the second-place finisher in the 2011 Green Flight Challenge.
- [Dragonflies and CoFlow Technology](https://sustainableskies.org/dragonflies-and-coflow-technology/) - # Zha is expanding his research into eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) aircraft, Martian exploration, and sailing ships using CoFlow technology.
- [APUS Rolls Out Its i-2](https://sustainableskies.org/apus-rolls-out-its-i-2/) - A Grand Roll-Out APUS, the thirteen-year-old German aircraft firm specializing in design, maintenance, and repair, rolled out its i-2, a hydrogen-powered, twin electric motor craft filled with innovative ideas. 300 invited guests attended the sunny ceremony, presided over by Brandenburg's Minister of Economic Affairs Prof. Dr. Jörg Steinbach, together with APUS CEO Phillip Scheffel. Scheffel
- [APUS Offers Two Hydrogen-powered Aircraft](https://sustainableskies.org/apus-offers-two-hydrogen-powered-aircraft/) - Designs to Fly “Without Harm for the Climate” APUS (Latin for swift bird) has announced two aircraft, the i-2 and i-5, that will offer either zero emission or very low emission flight. The designs represent some highly innovative thinking and excellent performance. APUS states its mission as, “Flying without any Harm for Climate!” To that
- [GoAero Prize – Saving the World?](https://sustainableskies.org/goaero-prize-saving-the-world/) - The GoAero Prize is a $2,000,000 chance to save the world – literally, and will go to those creating an automated flight vehicle meeting formidable challenges.
- [Heart Aerospace and Its ES-30 – Heartier](https://sustainableskies.org/heart-aerospace-and-its-es-30-heartier/) - Heart Aerospace has rolled out its ES-30, a larger, more capacious version of the original ES-19. As the two designations suggest, the earlier ES-19 was to hold 19 passengers while the ES-30 will haul 30. The expanded size and capability are understandable. The crew required to carry 19 can fly 30 just as easily, with
- [Two Electric Approaches to Coastal Waterways](https://sustainableskies.org/two-electric-approaches-to-coastal-waterways/) - Two electric approaches to providing seaside flight come from cold and warm climates and from elevations close to sea level to topping Norwegian fjords.
- [Windracers Race to Fires](https://sustainableskies.org/windracers-race-to-fires/) - Windracers, a British firm specializing in autonomous flight and swarm technology, is using drones to seek out and extinguish nascent wildfires.
- [Solar Altitude Record and Tour de France](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-altitude-record-and-tour-de-france/) - Une Homme of Accomplishment Jean Baptiste Loiselet is an accomplished person, setting a recent ultralight solar altitude record in his own ultralight sailplane. That is only one of his many exploits. He has been part of a small crew on the remote Kerguelen Islands, between the southern tip of Africa and Australia, and north of
- [Cerebral: A Brainier Kind of Battery](https://sustainableskies.org/cerebral-a-brainier-kind-of-battery/) - Cerebral, the brainchild of Dr. Lynden Archer—Dean of the School of Engineering at Cornell , is as the name implies, a smart approach to battery development.
- [MagniX Powers a Dash 7](https://sustainableskies.org/magnix-powers-a-dash-7/) - MagniX Motors in Everett, Washington looks forward to powering a short-field performance champion, the DeHavilland Dash 7. The Dash 7 is a pretty astonishing short field aircraft, emulating the bush planes of the far north, home to its Canadian maker. Measuring its take-off and landing capabilities, this video shows what four Pratt & Whitney PT-6
- [Whisper Aero Supercomputes and Grows](https://sustainableskies.org/whisper-aero-supercomputes-and-grows/) - Whisper Aero of Crossville, Tennessee supercomputes its way to grand new designs.
- [Buddhists Using Drones to Clean Everest](https://sustainableskies.org/buddhists-using-drones-to-clean-everest/) - DJI (Da Jiang Innovations) is working with Buddhist nation Nepal to supply heavy lift drones that will clear the estimated 140 tons of garbage on Mt. Everest.
- [Yelling Fire on a Crowded Planet](https://sustainableskies.org/yelling-fire-on-a-crowded-planet/) - The earth is on fire. That’s not some Sierra Club hyperbole, but a factual assessment of where we are as a planet.
- [H3X Four Years Later](https://sustainableskies.org/h3x-four-years-later/) - After Only Four Years It’s hard to believe that H3X is only four years old, has only 18 employees (so far) and is already creating multi-megawatt motors. A little over a decade ago, by contrast, a 50 kilowatt aircraft motor was about the largest available, with 100 kilowatts a high-end luxury. By 2011, the Pipistrel
- [Autoflight and CATL's New Relationship](https://sustainableskies.org/autoflight-and-catls-new-relationship/) - AutoFlight and battery developer CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., announced “an exclusive strategic investment and cooperation agreement, a relationship valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars.” Uniting these two technological leaders, the agreement provides developmental cash to AutoFlight and a platform for CATL to expand their electric aviation market. A Trip Across the Yangtze
- [The New, Improved Hexa 2](https://sustainableskies.org/the-new-improved-hexa-2/) - Started in 2017, Matt Chasen’s Lift Aircraft has been promoting an 18-rotor, single-seat Hexa – now replaced by the new, improved Hexa 2. Featuring more power, better batteries, improved structure and more refined electronics, the 2 seems like a reflection of the improvements generally available to electric aircraft. According to the company, “HEXA was the
- [Electra Aero Goldfinch on Grass](https://sustainableskies.org/electra-aero-goldfinch-on-grass/) - Anyone astonished at the brilliant short-field performance of the Electra Aero Goldfinch from a paved runway a few weeks ago will be equally surprised at its agility from a grass runway. This eSTOL (electric Short Take Off and Landing) airplane seems to perform well even from unimproved runways. In its own press release, the company
- [MDA 1: a VW Camper for the Skies](https://sustainableskies.org/mda-1-a-vw-camper-for-the-skies/) - Partners MD Aircraft GmbH, Kasaero GmbH, and Rolls Royce Electrical are crafting a 10-seat electrically-powered MDA 1 airliner. Intended for the short-haul and regional market, the airplane will provide comfort, economy and safety. In an interview arranged by Karl Kaeser, CEO of Kasaero, your editor spoke with MD’s CEO, Gregor Müller. Co-CEO Tim Markwald was
- [Joby Plus Hydrogen: 523 Miles](https://sustainableskies.org/joby-plus-hydrogen-523-miles/) - Combine the Joby S4 pre-production prototype with H2 Fly’s expertise in providing clean energy, and watch world records fall. 2021 155-Mile Battery Flight Justin Paines, Joby's Chief Test Pilot, guided the eVTOL through eleven circuits of a pre-designated route and managed 154.6 miles (248.8 km) in just 77 minutes. JoeBen Bevirt, Joby's founder, noted his
- [Volocopter Faces 2024 Paris Olympics Hurdles](https://sustainableskies.org/volocopter-faces-2024-paris-olympics-hurdles/) - Despite much fanfare and promises of Parisian skies filled with visions of electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) machines carrying passengers to Olympics events across the City of Light, Volocopter may be left in the dark. A Double Blow eVTOL Insights reported a double blow to Volocopter’s plans late last year. “On Friday (November
- [ZeroAvia: 100 CRJ700 Motors to American](https://sustainableskies.org/zeroavia-100-crj700-motors-to-american/) - Your Jet May Become a Prop Plane Bombardier’s (Commuter Regional Jet) CRJ700 has been in service for over 21 years, and may be about to receive a power system that will make it one of the cleanest alternatives in air travel. According to electric-flight.eu, “American Airlines plans to convert most of its CRJ700 fleet to
- [Take These Batteries with Grains of Sodium](https://sustainableskies.org/take-these-batteries-with-grains-of-sodium/) - “The goal of the Laboratory for Energy Storage and Conversion (LESC), at the University of California San Diego Nanoengineering Department, is to design and develop new functional nano-materials and nano-structures for advanced energy storage and conversion applications.” Their focus on sodium (salt) batteries seems to promise much. UC San Diego is carrying out that mission
- [Next-Generation Battery Progress](https://sustainableskies.org/next-generation-battery-progress/) - Do we have “revolutionary” battery progress, or are the next-generation batteries we see proliferating more evolutionary? Progress has not been particularly speedy: your editor first saw Dr. Yi Chu at a 2009 electric aviation symposium, when he discussed the idea of achieving a “10X” battery within a few years. Following his tenure at Stanford University,
- [Oregon’s Jump into Emergency Services](https://sustainableskies.org/oregons-jump-into-emergency-services/) - Jump to the Rescue The State of Oregon might be ready to Jump into serving remote areas with a startling type of drop-in emergency vehicle. Jump Aero’s Pulse eight-motor biplane configuration could whisk emergency medical technicians on a flight to patients who could otherwise wait for a half-hour or more before help could arrive. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErBQIbKR_rE
- [Wright ASCENDS](https://sustainableskies.org/wright-ascends/) - “The ASCEND program sets a benchmark of the fully integrated all-electric powertrain system at a power density of ≥ 12 kW/kg with an efficiency at ≥ 93%. Currently, these targets, among others, are beyond the capability of state-of-the-art technologies and will require creative thinking and innovation in the electric motor and power electronics space.” As
- [Helios to the Stratosphere](https://sustainableskies.org/helios-to-the-stratosphere/) - Miguel Iturmendi has been exploring the stratosphere and beyond in the Perlan 2 sailplane and his Helios Horizon electrically-launched craft. He flew in the Perlan 2 sailplane in 2018 to over 65,000 feet, and more recently took part in a demonstration flight in that aircraft. His ongoing efforts with the Horizon are increasing altitude records
- [Lilium and Whisper: Quiet Flyers](https://sustainableskies.org/lilium-and-whisper-quiet-flyers/) - Two radical-looking electric aircraft, both quiet flyers, contrast in flight modes – eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing), and eCTOL (electric Conventional Take Off and Landing). Germany’s Lilium and America’s Whisper Jet show their unique ways. Lilium Founded in 2015, Lilium, like most of its competitors, is less than a decade old, but already
- [Two Firms, Two Milestones](https://sustainableskies.org/two-firms-two-milestones/) - Two firms, one making both conventional take off and landing (CTOL) and eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) aircraft, and one making a CTOL capable of root-top operation, had major milestones in the last month. Beta Technologies Beta Technologies, founded in 2017 by Kyle Clark, developed its first craft. Ava underwent test flights and
- [DARPA ANCILLARY Fields eVTOLs](https://sustainableskies.org/darpa-ancillary-fields-evtols/) - DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) has announced a competition for ANCILLARY (AdvaNced airCraft Infrastructure-Less Launch And RecoverY eVTOLs), or electric Vertical Take Off and Landing vehicles. (That’s about as tortured an acronym as we could cram into a lead paragraph.) The goal, to develop a Class 3 unmanned VTOL aircraft capable of flying
- [Carbon Fiber and the Grand Unified Airplane](https://sustainableskies.org/carbon-fiber-grand-unified-airplane-structural-battery/) - Your editor has long held the belief that we are on the threshold of creating a Grand Unified Airplane, a craft that would draw all its energy from solar cells, the flexing of its wings, the air passing over its form, and the very act of flight itself. It seems to become less of a
- [Airbus Cryoprop: H2 and Helium On Board](https://sustainableskies.org/airbus-cryoprop-h2-and-helium-on-board/) - Cryoprop, Airbus' cryogenic hydrogen system cooled by an ingenuous helium feed could make Airbus' planned two megawatt electric motor produce greater power. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dNfcWZwz94 Cooled by liquid hydrogen supplied to the fuel cell, gaseous helium will cryo-cool electrical cables, power electronics and motor. Airbus has been working to power aircraft with hydrogen for several years, and
- [Hold Your Hydrogen - GTL Does](https://sustainableskies.org/hold-your-hydrogen-gtl-does/) - GTL. Gloyer-Taylor Laboratories Inc, is a specialist composite manufacturer and it validates LH2 composite dewar tanks for use in aviation. Recently, they shared that, “In-depth results from the successful validation testing of its small, subscale composite vacuum jacketed dewar tank with liquid hydrogen (LH2).” Think of a dewar as a large thermos bottle and you
- [DLR’s EXACT Future Dreams](https://sustainableskies.org/dlrs-exact-future-dreams/) - DLR, the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt) predicts practical ways to achieve dreams of carbon neutral flight. EXACT (Exploration of Electric Aircraft Concepts and Technologies Projects is not an exact depiction of aircraft on the drawing board, but a conceptual program for creating the craft and infrastructure of future flight. The
- [Two eVTOLs You Can Buy and Fly Now](https://sustainableskies.org/two-evtols-you-can-buy-and-fly-now/) - Two eVTOLs (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) aircraft are available for purchase right now, presenting owners with potential thrills 20 minutes at a time. One delivers wind between the toes (if you’re wearing sandals) and the other keeps you dry and even allows water landings. In airplane economics, they offer “affordable” flying. Though different
- [Vaeridion: Multi Motors with One Propeller](https://sustainableskies.org/vaeridion-multi-motors-with-one-propeller/) - Emulating Otto Lilienthal Vaeridion, a German startup, plans on building a long-winged regional airliner for nine passengers that purportedly transports them on very low levels of energy. Their design philosophy, summed up on the first page of their web site, echoes the idea propounded by Otto Lilienthal, “The key to flying lies in wing design,
- [A Six Pipistrel Formation](https://sustainableskies.org/a-six-pipistrel-formation/) - Ready to Set Records Again You may remember these guys from the conclusion to a successful, electrically-powered flight in a Pipistrel Velis from their base in Switzerland to the North Sea in 2020. They set several world records in that attempt, and showed how a resourceful team could overcome the lack of an electrical charging
- [Toyota’s Solid State Battery Returns](https://sustainableskies.org/toyotas-solid-state-battery-returns/) - Toyota has had an on-again off-again relationship with solid-state batteries for over a decade. Making plans to introduce such an energy storage device seems to be a priority right now, but still one in a “near-future” way and behind Chinese competitors. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZBFn1Az0vY This video explains the advantages and disadvantages of solid-state batteries, but be cautious
- [Even More Solid-State Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/even-more-solid-state-batteries/) - We have a few more solid- or semi-solid-state batteries to share in this round of encouraging battery news. We start with an overview by Dave Borlace that includes a few batteries discussed in last week’s entry, and some interesting takes on three more makers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suNUPGC2pwM WeLion/NIO and Must See TV Setting a 650 mile record
- [Worldwide Battery Developments](https://sustainableskies.org/worldwide-battery-developments/) - Worldwide, batteries are getting a great deal of backing, but probably not at the level of China’s push to rule over world electric vehicle markets. Recently, China awarded BYD $3.7 billion to enable it to pursue dominance of the world EV market. According to Bloomberg.com, “Virtually all of China’s listed companies received direct handouts in
- [China's Solid State, Long Life Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/chinas-solid-state-long-life-batteries/) - China seems to be leading the way in battery development, China seems to be leading the way in battery development, with recent announcements of increased energy density solid-state batteries, and batteries that can last for close to a million miles of service. The two companies are reporting batteries already in service or close to being released to the public. Tailan New Energy Doubles Down Reporting China seems to be leading the way in battery development, with recent announcements of increased energy density solid-state batteries, and batteries that can last for close to a million miles of service. The two companies are reporting batteries already in service or close to being released to the public. Tailan New Energy Doubles Down Reporting China seems to be leading the way in battery development, with recent announcements of increased energy density solid-state batteries, and batteries that can last for close to a million miles of service. The two companies are reporting batteries already in service or close to being released to the public. Tailan New Energy Doubles Down Reporting
- [What’s Eviation's Alice Up To Lately?](https://sustainableskies.org/whats-eviations-alice-up-to-lately/) - Eviation puts its intentions front and center on its web site. “OUR VISION: To launch a new era of more sustainable, scalable, and affordable transportation.” They follow this up with, “OUR MISSION: To build beautiful electric airplanes using advanced technology and impeccable design, imagined and built by a committed and expert workforce.” And Alice did
- [Voltaero’s Cassio Progress](https://sustainableskies.org/voltaeros-cassio-progress/) - A year ago, VoltAero, a French company grown out of Airbus’ early efforts at creating electric aircraft, was test flying a modified Cessna 337 Skymaster. They have made progress from the three motor craft to a range of single-propeller machines with much higher performance - the Cassio. Their pre-prototype mockup has been making the air
- [Ampaire Acquired Two Firms – Expands Possibilities](https://sustainableskies.org/ampaire-acquired-two-firms-expands-possibilities/) - Anpaire, a leader in hybrid aviation, announced it has just acquired two firms. Magpie Aviation, a somewhat audacious startup that has created a remarkable way of towing battery-powered electric airplanes hitherto unattainable distances. Ampaire also acquired Talyn Air, a startup offering an eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) solution to extending range. Both firms
- [AutoFlight Celebrates Two Milestones](https://sustainableskies.org/autoflight-celebrates-two-milestones/) - AutoFlight, the Chinese firm founded by Tian Yu (Yuneec), celebrated two milestones, although maybe not “firsts” as described in the company’s press releases. Both, however, are impressive and worthy of note. First Intercity Flight AutoFlight claims to have flown the first inter-city electric air-taxi demonstration flight between the southern Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai.
- [A 1k\Wkg Aluminum-Air Flow Battery](https://sustainableskies.org/a-1kwkg-aluminum-air-flow-battery/) - A one kilowatt per kilogram battery would be a literally fulfilled wish in any aircraft designer’s list of desirable advances. Tesla's drive around with 260 Watts per kilogram in their floors, and Amprius recently announced 500 Watt per kilogram cells. A battery able to store one kilowatt of energy in one kilogram (2.2 pounds) would
- [Universal Hydrogen End-to-End](https://sustainableskies.org/universal-hydrogen-end-to-end/) - In an “end-to-end” demonstration of its proprietary liquid hydrogen module, Universal Hydrogen Co. has successfully run a megawatt-class fuel cell powertrain. “End-to-End,” in this case means “[the] demonstration of a hydrogen molecule moving from our filler/dispenser into our storage module and then into our powertrain is the first time that all the pieces of our
- [Three Personal Flyers You Can Buy](https://sustainableskies.org/three-personal-flyers-you-can-buy/) - ...Or Invest In We exhibit here three personal flyers you can buy today or within a year or so. Perhaps that wait might be prolonged in some instances because a few of the makers are also looking for investors. Recent instances of troubles getting a certain stainless steel electric pickup to market come to mind,
- [Helios Horizon Aims for New Highs](https://sustainableskies.org/helios-horizon-aims-for-new-highs/) - Altitude records are tricky. Aiming for new heights requires careful definition of one’s launch points, means of elevating oneself, and apparently adherence to a tightly defined set of rules. Helios Horizon set some new altitude records last year, and hopes to reach even higher soon. Its eventual goal is to fly “into earth’s stratosphere”– in
- [Climate Impulse - Not at All Impulsive](https://sustainableskies.org/climate-impulse-not-at-all-impulsive/) - Born of the heritage of the Solar Impulse Foundation and taking it further, Climate Impulse wants to showcase concrete technologies that can revolutionize the aviation industry, and the mobility sector in general. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqkg6Ecv6G8 Two Well-Travelled Partners We are all familiar with the exploits of Bertrand Piccard, which include the first circumnavigations of the globe in
- [A Different Kind of Blown Wing](https://sustainableskies.org/a-different-kind-of-blown-wing/) - 32 Motors across a long Wing Cosmic Aerospace has announced a different kind of “blown wing,” hiding 32 specially developed electric turbines across the inner span of a high-aspect-ratio wing. Cosmic will attempt to achieve jet-like speeds at half the cost of fossil-fuel or sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) powered jet. Electric-flight.eu notes the American-Belgian firm
- [GoAero Prize Highlights Rescue Missions](https://sustainableskies.org/goaero-prize-highlights-rescue-missions/) - The GoAero Prize has a simple-sounding, but incredibly complex goal: Design and build a safe, portable, robust, autonomy-enabled Emergency Response Flyer. The Vision The Prize’s vision defines the heroes who look past danger, who step in to be, “The difference between triumph… and tragedy, and especially, those who “Use Their Minds to Create technology that
- [ZeroAvia Cryo-Compresses Hydrogen](https://sustainableskies.org/zeroavia-cryo-compresses-hydrogen/) - ZeroAvia, already deploying hydrogen as a main part of its flight program, is exploring the use of cryo-compressor technology to deliver more energy dense H2 for longer flights. If we think of gasoline or Diesel fuel as “Cream of Energy Soups,” we might understand their preeminence as energy carriers. A U. S. gallon (3.8 liters)
- [An Unplanned Hiatus](https://sustainableskies.org/an-unplanned-hiatus/) - Apopologies for missing a few weeks of electric aviation reporting. Your editor's Internet service provider and some home-grown electric difficulties colluded to prevent our outreach. All should return to normal shortly once we get some formatting issues resolved. Thanks for your patience.
- [Wright Electric Passes Partial Discharge Tests](https://sustainableskies.org/wright-electric-passes-partial-discharge-tests/) - Wright Electric, testing its 1.2 megawatt motor, has passed partial discharge tests, a significant achievement in high-altitude safety. The company explained the results and their importance in a press release. ”Wright Electric Announces Successful Partial Discharge Testing on our Motor" “We are pleased to share a significant achievement in our ongoing pursuit of decarbonizing the
- [Zeva Aero's Zero Test Flight in Full Size](https://sustainableskies.org/zeva-aeros-zero-test-flight-in-full-size/) - While waiting for Eviation Alice’s first test flight, we got a glimpse of another type of electric aviation in Pacific Northwest skies. Zeva Aero’s Zero single “seat” flying saucer lifted off in someone’s sunny back yard for a series of hops. The overlay of soft music keeps us from knowing how noisy this thing is,
- [E9X: 90 Passengers, 480 Battery Miles](https://sustainableskies.org/e9x-90-passengers-480-battery-miles/) - What can carry 90 passenger 480 miles on battery power alone? Such a query flies in the face of others’ efforts to hybridize medium-range flight, but may be answered by Delft-based Elysian Aircraft. Their eight-motored, battery-powered E9X uses a backup turbogenerator only for reserves, putting a level of trust in the 365 Watt-hour per kilogram
- [JSX To Buy a Fleet of Electric Airliners](https://sustainableskies.org/jsx-to-buy-a-fleet-of-electric-airliners/) - JSX, an American semi-private airline, may very well shake up the travel world with plans to buy up to 330 electric and hybrid aircraft. JSX (Jet Suite Executive) dispatches with some niceties of larger airlines, but also avoids long lines, TSA (Transport Safety Administration) baggage checks and shoe removal, and lengthy waits for mobs of
- [Airbus and Perlan Check out Hydrogen](https://sustainableskies.org/airbus-and-perlan-check-out-hydrogen/) - Airbus, through its partnership with the Perlan Project, is investigating how to clean vapor trails from the high-flown paths traversed by airliners. Through its pair of Blue Condor jet-powered sailplanes, Airbus and Perlan are working toward a contrail-measuring mission in 2024. Hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, has been a rarity in the
- [Electra EL-2 Goldfinch First Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/electra-el-2-goldfinch-first-flight/) - Electra.aero plans on lofting nine people into the sky in a little regional airliner. As a first step, the firm just flew its EL-2 Goldfinch demonstrator from the Manassas, Virginia Regional Airport (KHEF). As Flying magazine pointed out, the bright yellow aircraft, “pays homage to its namesake’s golden hue.” Although it’s designed as a “blown
- [Wright Electric Goes Agricultural](https://sustainableskies.org/wright-electric-goes-agricultural/) - Following its announcement of a range of battery packs last month, Wright Electric shares information about its one-megawatt motor powering an Embraer agricultural airplane. Teaming with Axter Aerospace, a Spanish firm with a history of providing backup electric power for otherwise conventionally powered aircraft; Wright helps make crop dusting a safer enterprise. This eight-year-old video
- [Aura Aero, Big, Small, and Electric](https://sustainableskies.org/aura-aero-big-small-and-electric/) - Aura Aero, a French firm in the Occitanie region, maker of big and small electric aircraft, espouses eco-responsibility goals striving to contribute to the objective of reducing emissions by 55 percent in 2035 and reaching carbon neutrality in 2050. They aim to do this through reducing and eliminating carbon, choosing materials for their environmental consequences Aura Aero, a French firm in the Occitanie region, maker of big and small electric aircraft, espouses eco-responsibility goals striving to contribute to the objective of reducing emissions by 55 percent in 2035 and reaching carbon neutrality in 2050.
- [Amprius Batteries Fly High and Down Under](https://sustainableskies.org/amprius-batteries-fly-high-and-down-under/) - Flying high and down under, Amprius, the San Francisco Bay area-based battery developer and maker, announced 450-Watt-hour per kilogram cells, and seemingly immediately secured orders from three major clients. One client of the three is a British specialist in HAPS (High Altitude Pseudo Satellite) aircraft. A probably unrelated sale went to an Australian light plane
- [An Electric 50th Anniversary to Commemorate](https://sustainableskies.org/an-electric-50th-anniversary-to-commemorate/) - On this electric 50th anniversary of a notable achievement in the aircraft world, Dr. Reinhard Lernbeiss, a fellow in the Royal Aeronautical Society is a pilot on Boeing 777s and Airbus A330s, 350s, and 320s. He recently alerted us on LinkedIn that on October 21, 1973, Heino Brditschka was the first to fly a heavier-than-air
- [The Cellsius AC4 Hydrogen Project](https://sustainableskies.org/the-cellsius-ac-4-hydrogen-project/) - The Cellsius AC4 Lightwing is a capable microlight aircraft popular in Europe. As part of a project to clean up aviation, it will fly on hydrogen, and for good distances if students at ETH Zurich* are successful in their project. Students are modifying a Lightwing to run on pressurized H2, and crafting motor, fuel system,
- [Jaunt Journey – Maybe the Most Unique eVTOL](https://sustainableskies.org/jaunt-journey-maybe-the-most-unique-evtol/) - The Jaunt Journey may be the most unique eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) machine coming to market, and it relies on old and several things new
- [The Wright Battery Program](https://sustainableskies.org/the-wright-battery-program/) - Jeff Engler of Wright Electric wants it all. He wants lightweight, high-power electric motors and inverters to control them. He wants lightweight generators and now lightweight, high energy density batteries to store that electricity. He wants to meet the goal that, “By 2040, Wright will eliminate carbon emissions from all flights under 800 miles.” A
- [Solar Airship One – a Grand Voyage Awaits](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-airship-one-a-grand-voyage-awaits/) - Having circumnavigated the world by balloon and solar-powered aircraft, Bertrand Piccard is ready to make a third around-the-world flight - this time in Solar Airship One, powered by the sun and hydrogen fuel cells. Able to make the 40,000 kilometer (24,855 mile) trip in one gigantic hop, the 151 meters (495.4 feet) long craft will
- [Beta’s Alia Makes a Highly-charged Trip](https://sustainableskies.org/betas-alia-makes-a-highly-charged-trip/) - Beta Technologies has taken an all or nothing approach from its beginning, designing charging stations and flight crew centers to complement its aerial vehicles. Last month, Beta got a chance to show at least part of its cross-country ambitions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yraISXJgW8k A Six-State Outing From May 23 to May 24, Betas Alia 250 eVTOL (electric Vertical
- [Ever Greater Range for Elektra Solar](https://sustainableskies.org/ever-greater-range-for-elektra-solar/) - A Second Win Having just come in a close second in a race against an electric car, Elektra Solar's Trainer attained a Personal Best in range for a flight between Munich, Germany and Bern, Switzerland, a distance of 313 kilometers (194.5 miles). Calin Gologan noted the route from its home field in München Oberpfaffenhofen to
- [H2Fly Achieves HEAVEN’s Goal](https://sustainableskies.org/h2fly-achieves-heavens-goal/) - H2Fly has an historic aircraft in its fleet, the HY4, as part of the HEAVEN program to, “Demonstrate the use of liquid, cryogenic hydrogen in aircraft.” Originally the G4, the craft won the NASA Green Flight Challenge in 2011, posting a passenger mile per gallon efficiency of 403.5 – equivalent to driving your loaded Prius
- [1,000 Kilometers With an Electric Microlight](https://sustainableskies.org/1000-kilometers-with-an-electric-microlight/) - Your editor is publishing this multi-country adventure from Daniel Ramsier recounting of his 1,000 kilometer trip in an electric microlight, with some of his outstanding photographs. It’s a truly epic outing that shows ingenuity, great engineering, and a resolute spirit combined to show how much can be accomplished with a very small material involvement. The
- [A Race Between an Elektra Solar Trainer and a Lucid Air Sedan](https://sustainableskies.org/a-race-between-an-elektra-solar-trainer-and-a-lucid-air-sedan/) - A race last week between an Elektra Solar Trainer and a Lucid Air sedan shows the great strides made in electrification for both cars and airplanes. Electrive.com reports, “A special race went down this week in Germany, setting an electric car against an ultra-light electric aircraft in the ‘E-Flight Challenge 2023.’” This was a relatively
- [Cardboard Carriers in Peace and War](https://sustainableskies.org/cardboard-carriers-in-peace-and-war/) - Recent news items herald the incredible return on investment the Ukrainian army is getting from its use of small cardboard aircraft. These literally boxy bombers are doing in Russian aircraft and possibly tanks with surprising capability. They may have had an initial inspiration in 2017. Everfly, Otherlab, and Star Simpson At the 2017 Sustainable Aviation
- [ZeroAvia Turbo Charges a Fuel Cell](https://sustainableskies.org/zeroavia-turbo-charges-a-fuel-cell/) - Turbo chargers were an early method of increasing power at altitude and that ZeroAvia is crafting for modern electric, fuel-cell powered aircraft. Mechanical Turbochargers During WWII, your editor’s father was a crew chief and occasional flight engineer on C-47’s, B-17’s, and B-24’s. The bombers had turbo-charged engines to increase power as noted below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzcP1IYHJmc (This
- [Silicon and Sugar Make Better Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/silicon-and-sugar-make-better-batteries/) - Two groups of researchers in South Korea and America have added silicon and sugar as ways of gaining more energy from two different types of batteries. The 10X Battery at Last? Researchers at Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH) in South Korea have developed a “layering-charged, polymer-based stable high-capacity anode material.” POSTECH professors Soojin
- [Green Hydrogen from Scrap Metal and Water?](https://sustainableskies.org/green-hydrogen-from-scrap-metal-and-water/) - Can we make green hydrogen (or other energy sources) from scrap we otherwise throw away? One of the frequently announced “breakthroughs” recurrently finding its way to our attention is that scrap food or farm waste has found its way to becoming aviation fuel, for instance. United and Alaska Airlines have flown aircraft powered by biofuels
- [ZeroAvia to Supply Surcar with Hydrogen Floatplanes](https://sustainableskies.org/zeroavia-to-supply-surcar-with-hydrogen-floatplanes/) - An Island-Hopping Customer Surcar Airlines is an enterprise based in the Canary Islands which hopes to serve its island routes with ZeroAvia-motored, hydrogen-fueled DeHavilland Twin Otters. But not right away. Starting with conventionally-powered turbine twins, Surcar is working on a process, “Based on starting something totally new and that touches so many sectors at the
- [Dreaming of Big Electric Airplanes: CATL and COMAC](https://sustainableskies.org/dreaming-of-big-electric-airplanes-catl-and-comac/) - CATL and COMAC are dreaming of big electric airplanes. The first company has made some recent battery breakthroughs, and the second has recently brought China's biggest jet airliner to market. CATL. Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd., is a behemoth. According to TheInformation.com, “The company spent $124 million to acquire a lithium mine in China’s Jiangxi province,
- [Wisk Wows at Oshkosh](https://sustainableskies.org/wisk-wows-at-oshkosh/) - A Wisk Cora flew autonomously several times along the length of the 8,002-foot main runway, a first at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s 2023 AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The July 25 event was, “The first-ever public demonstration of a fully autonomous eVTOL fixed-wing airtaxi,” according to the company. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udosoilMVxI Under development and appearing in different configurations
- [Pie in the Swiss Sky](https://sustainableskies.org/pie-in-the-swiss-sky/) - Pie Aeronefs is a small firm in Switzerland, specializing in battery-powered aviation, and close to flying its single-seat air racer, the UR-1 Devil. We reported on this machine in 2021 at an early stage in its development, and now it’s going to be available as a kitplane. Adding to a bumper crop, their UG-2 Bullfinch
- [Joby Gets Certified, Stock Jumps](https://sustainableskies.org/joby-gets-certified-stock-jumps/) - “Joby Aviation has received a Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Certificate for the first aircraft built at its pilot production line in Marina, California, allowing Joby to begin flight testing of its first production prototype” according to Dan Carney’s reporting in Design News. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEyuOtI3Xbg Having visited the Woodpecker Ridge development site and written about Joby
- [Electric Aircraft Sales Tell the Tale](https://sustainableskies.org/electric-aircraft-sales-tell-the-tale/) - Electric aircraft sales told the tale at this year’s Paris Air Show. European and American firms sold, or received letters of intent for, hundreds of craft, especially of interest in the electric, hydrogen, and hybrid categories we’ll discuss here. We will have subsequent entries on other craft of interest at the show and the commercial
- [Whisper Jet Unveiled](https://sustainableskies.org/whisper-jet-unveiled/) - Mark Moore had a long career at NASA, followed by his leadership of Uber Elevate, the car-sharing service’s attempt to emulate their terrestrial cab competition in a more skyward realm. Moore left all that behind to form his own company, Whisper Aero, which recently unveiled its Whisper Jet electric ducted fan propulsor. “Whisper” is more
- [Electra Rolls Out a Full-size Demonstrator](https://sustainableskies.org/electra-rolls-out-a-full-size-demonstrator/) - Starting small, Electra Aero has rolled out a two-seat demonstrator of its multi-motor, blown-lift technology. Bright yellow, the EL-2 “Goldfinch” celebrates “the beloved, nimble American Goldfinch bird indigenous to North America,” according to the company. Its full-scale production aircraft will carry nine. John S. Langford, Founder and CEO of Electra.aero explains, “In the three years Starting small, Electra Aero has rolled out a two-seat demonstrator of its multi-motor, blown-lift technology.
- [Miguel Iturmendi Hits New Heights](https://sustainableskies.org/miguel-iturmendi-hits-new-heights/) - The Perlan Project has special words for one of their pilots. “It's a big day for electric aviation and soaring. This morning after months of preparation, Perlan Pilot Miguel Iturmendi made 2 world altitude record claims for electric aviation under 500kg -- max. Altitude and highest altitude in level flight, 16,000 feet in a motor
- [VoltAero in Three Flavors](https://sustainableskies.org/voltaero-in-three-flavors/) - Jean Botti has had a remarkable career on two continents, culminating in his leadership of French company VoltAero, which offers its latest hybrid aircraft in three flavors. It’s all based on a modular design which shares a three-lifting-surface aerodynamic platform. As the company notes, “First to enter service will be the Cassio 330, with five
- [ZeroAvia and Natilus Partner on Blended Wing Cargo Plane](https://sustainableskies.org/zeroavia-and-natilus-partner-on-blended-wing-cargo-plane/) - ZeroAvia, maker of hydrogen-Electric powerplants for zero-emission aviation, has been selected to partner with Natilus, “a leading innovator in designing and developing new autonomous blended-wing-body (BWB) cargo aircraft.” Kona, smallest of the pack, will carry a 3.8-ton (7,600-pound), while Natilus’ web site shows three additional BWBs, jumping to 60, 100, and 130 tons cargo-carrying capacity
- [eHang Near Chinese Certification](https://sustainableskies.org/ehang-near-chinese-certification/) - Last September, eHang announced their EH216 is close to certification by the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) and revealed some astounding numbers. The EH216 (two seats, 16 rotors) has over 30,000 safe flights to its credit. An even stronger sign that eHang is headed toward commercial operations – its safety video. You don’t need
- [Light Electric Aircraft at Aero Expo](https://sustainableskies.org/light-electric-aircraft-at-aero-expo/) - Three companies presented electric versions of their light electric aircraft at Friedrichshafen, Germany this year. From a WWII replica to a high- and low-wing pair of Part 103-compliant craft, to a very modern trainer, the three represent increasing sophistication in light aircraft. Elektra Trainer Dr. Birgit Weissenbach shared that as the only approved electric aircraft
- [ZeroAvia Has New Airplane, New Motor](https://sustainableskies.org/zeroavia-has-new-airplane-new-motor/) - ZeroAvia has taken delivery of a 76-seat Bombardier* Q400 airplane from Alaska Airlines. The craft could become a test bed for ZeroAvia’s modular HyperCore motors and hydrogen fuel systems. The Q400 will carry four times the number of passengers of the company’s current Dornier 228 twin-engine test aircraft – already having made five successful test
- [Dornier DS-2C – a Hydrogen Hydroavian](https://sustainableskies.org/dornier-ds-2c-a-hydrogen-hydroavian/) - What happens when a major aircraft company buys an interesting seaplane and repowers it with hydrogen? Dornier, a long-time German producer of often brilliant aircraft, acquired the rights to a two-seat amphibian, the Flywhale FW650, as of January 1, 2022. Originally powered with a Rotax engine, the craft will be repowered with an electric motor
- [Three Silicon 500 Kilowatt-hour-per-Kilogram Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/three-silicon-500-kilowatt-hour-per-kilogram-batteries/) - Suddenly, three battery makers have announced silicon-based 500 kilowatt-hour batteries, a major leap forward for possible use in electric aircraft. The three use varied techniques to achieve this significant energy increase. Amprius We covered Amprius’ new battery on March 28, noting its successful record-breaking flights in AALTO’s Zephyr HAPS (High Altitude Pseudo Satellite) aircraft. This
- [Diamond’s eDA40 and its Electric Ambitions](https://sustainableskies.org/diamonds-eda40-and-its-electric-ambitions/) - Austria’s Diamond Aircraft launched its eDA40 last year, headed toward becoming “The first EASA/FAA (European Aviation Safety Agency/Federal Aviation Agency) Part 23 certified electric airplane with DC fast charging. Electric Power Systems’ DC fast charging system is capable of turning around a depleted aircraft in under 20 minutes.” Austria’s Diamond Aircraft has been developing environmentally
- [Black-silicon Cell Efficiency above 130 Percent](https://sustainableskies.org/black-silicon-cell-efficiency-above-130-percent/) - Aalto University in Espoo, Finland has announced a seemingly impossible breakthrough – black-silicon solar cells that exceed 100-percent efficiency. This breaks the Shockley-Queisser limit, previously thought to be an unbreakable barrier to any solar cell generating more than 33.7-percent efficiency for a single p-n junction photovoltaic cell. The 1,000 Watts of sunlight falling on a
- [A Documentary about an Historic Electric Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/a-documentary-about-an-historic-electric-flight/) - Saturday, April 22, from 2:00 PDT to 3:00 PDT, you will be able to view the world premier of a film by Remy Oktay about his cross-country flight in a Pipistrel in 2022. This would involve a flyover at his alma mater's homecoming football game, giving his classmates an opportunity to see an electric airplane in action for the first time.Saturday, April 22, from 2:00 PDT to 3:00 PDT, you will be able to view the world premier of a documentary by Remy Oktay about his historic electric flight in a Pipistrel in 2022. This would involve a flyover at his alma mater's homecoming football game, giving his classmates an opportunity to see an electric
- [Electric Pterodactyl is a Blast from the Past](https://sustainableskies.org/electric-pterodactyl-is-a-blast-from-the-past/) - Cory O’Neill recently test flew a special conversion of a classic ultralight, the Electric Pterodactyl Ascender. Rising from the desert near Pahrump, Nevada, the light canard was propelled by an open-source power paraglider motor and battery pack – all neatly bundled in a back-pack-size unit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqJNwhvaS_Y A True Cross-Country Trip An early flying wing version Cory O’Neill recently test flew a special conversion of a classic ultralight, the Electric Pterodactyl Ascender. Rising from the desert near Pahrump, Nevada, the light canard was propelled by an open-source power paraglider motor and battery pack – all neatly bundled in a back-pack-size unit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqJNwhvaS_Y A True Cross-Country Trip An early flying wing version Cory O’Neill recently test flew a special conversion of a classic ultralight, the Electric Pterodactyl Ascender. Rising from the desert near Pahrump, Nevada, the light canard was propelled by an open-source power paraglider motor and battery pack – all neatly bundled in a back-pack-size unit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqJNwhvaS_Y A True Cross-Country Trip An early flying wing version #
- [Cavorite X5’s Test Flights](https://sustainableskies.org/cavorite-x5s-test-flights/) - The Cavorite X5, now in developmental test flights, that came from the inspiration of H. G. Wells. Cavorite was the mysterious metal in Wells' First Men in the Moon, discovered by Dr. Cavor. He explains it to his friends, who are attempting to reach the earthly satellite: "Well, so soon as it reached a temperature
- [Heart Aerospace, BAE Collaborate on Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/heart-aerospace-bae-collaborate-on-batteries/) - Heart Aerospace, a Swedish startup, has teamed with BAE Systems, a veteran British aerospace supplier, to help with powering its 30-seat, battery-powered airliner. The four-motor craft will include a very large battery pack under the passenger compartment. The need for safety should be obvious. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFgdz-9VtBY Adding eleven seats to its original 19-seat platform, Heart also
- [China Flies RX4HE, a Hydrogen-Powered Four Seater](https://sustainableskies.org/china-flies-rx4he-a-hydrogen-powered-four-seater/) - China has flown its first hydrogen-powered four-seat aircraft, the Liaoning Ruixiang RX4HE
- [Amprius Announces 500 Watt-Hour per Kilogram Cell](https://sustainableskies.org/amprius-announces-500-watt-hour-per-kilogram-cell/) - Amprius has announced a 500 Watt-hour per kilogram cell, essentially doubling the energy density available up to now. Remember, though, that cell-levels of energy drop as the cells are incorporated into modules and packs, carrying the burdens of containment packaging, bus bars, and battery management systems (BMS) that lower total output. Pack levels will be
- [Nudging, Then Doubling an Electric Distance Record](https://sustainableskies.org/nudging-then-doubling-an-electric-distance-record/) - Suddenly, we’re seeing new electric aircraft nudging, then doubling an electric distance record. First, Autoflight in China and then Beta in America achieve higher ranges than that previously achieved by Joby. Jules Verne Saw It Coming In two late 19th-century novels, Robur the Conqueror and Master of the World, Jules Verne chronicled the fictional adventurers
- [Monash Makes Motors – and Fuel from Thin Air](https://sustainableskies.org/monash-makes-motors-and-fuel-from-thin-air/) - Monash University announced a new type of electric aircraft motor and the promise of a fuel that could power everything from your smart watch to your airplane in the future. Both rely on unique ways of seeing the physical world around us. The Kite Magnetic Motor Charles Alcock, writing for FutureFlight.com, discusses Kite Magnetics’ 120
- [Biggest yet from Universal Hydrogen](https://sustainableskies.org/biggest-yet-from-universal-hydrogen/) - Universal Hydrogen flew the largest hydrogen-powered aircraft yet at Grant County Airport in Moses Lake, Washington. The DeHavilland Dash 8 was powered on its right side by a MagniX motor and fueled by H2 from a pair of containers in the rear of the fuselage. It made a 15 minute flight to 3,500 feet and
- [Alauda AirspeederMK4  and  AMSL Speed Toward Records](https://sustainableskies.org/alauda-airspeedermk4-and-amsl-speed-toward-records/) - Alauda and AMSL - two companies down under – are pressing ahead on divergent missions, but both powering “flying cars” with hydrogen. Both craft will achieve higher speeds and cover longer ranges than most other electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) craft. Alauda Airspeeder MK4 Alauda’s brief history of creating Airspeeders hits its latest
- [NUNCATS' Electric Zenith Flies](https://sustainableskies.org/nuncats-electric-zenith-flies/) - NUNCATS: No Unnecessary Novelty Community Air Transport Services. A Mission NUNCATS, as your editor mused, is not a hip religious order, but a determined husband and wife team intent on doing good in the world with electric aeronautics. They proclaim their mission as, “To provide a dependable lifeline for the world’s remote communities, to offer
- [Enovix BrakeFlow™ Stops Thermal Runaway](https://sustainableskies.org/enovix-brakeflow-stops-thermal-runaway/) - Enovix battery architecture including its exclusive BrakeFlow™ system enables 100-percent silicon in their silicon/lithium electrodes and prevents battery fires. Battery fires, particularly on or in an airplane, are potential disasters. One such incident occurred recently on United Air Lines flight 2664 planned from San Diego International Airport to Newark New Jersey’s Liberty International Airport. Things
- [Universal Hydrogen Certified, Ready to Fly](https://sustainableskies.org/universal-hydrogen-certified-ready-to-fly/) - On February 7, 2023, Universal Hydrogen received a Special Airworthiness Certificate in the Experimental category from the Federal Aviation Administration. This will allow their DeHavilland Dash 8-300 to begin test flights. Universal boasts their craft will be the largest hydrogen fuel cell-powered aircraft ever to fly. Up to now, it’s been performing taxi tests and
- [Elektra Trainer Certified](https://sustainableskies.org/elektra-trainer-certified/) - Calin Gologan has been in the electric and solar-powered airplane business for a long time. Displaying and flying his Elektra One at Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 2011, he was early to the game. Now, with the his Elektra Trainer certified, relatively inexpensive flight training is imminent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIDDjDF891k Birgit Weissenbach announced the June 29 maiden flight, subsequent
- [AeroDelft and ETH Cellsius’ Future Flies in Clean Skies](https://sustainableskies.org/aerodelft-and-eth-cellsius-future-flies-in-clean-skies/) - Two groups of students, AeroDelft in The Netherlands and ETH Cellsius in Switzerland, are making great progress on some extremely advanced aeronautical projects. Each school’s ultimate goal seems to be flying with liquid hydrogen, and each has a slightly different approach to that goal. AeroDelft: Starting Small AeroDelft, the student-led project at Delft University of
- [Carbon and Oxygen and Dirt Cheap Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/carbon-and-oxygen-and-dirt-cheap-batteries/) - Carbon and oxygen comprise a big part of the universe, and are essential to life on earth. They may also be the answer for long-term energy storage in a promising battery development from Noon Energy. “100 hours of storage at one-tenth the cost of lithium-ion batteries for long-duration storage.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaBcu9b6uqE It started on Mars According
- [ZeroAvia Flies Dornier 228 on Left-Wing Hydrogen](https://sustainableskies.org/zeroavia-flies-dornier-228-on-left-wing-hydrogen/) - Stephen Bridgewater made a quick announcement on ZeroAvia's Twitter feed Thursday January 19 about a Dornier 228 that flew with a hydrogen-powered motor on its left wing. ZeroAvia continues making the largest-yet H2 flights. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp8MoFaaKy8 ZeroAvia's 19-seat Do228 flew today (from Kemble) at 13.35 UK time. It's the largest hydrogen-electric powered aircraft yet to fly
- [Aircore: a Different Approach to Axial Flux](https://sustainableskies.org/aircore-a-different-approach-to-axial-flux/) - Aircore Mobility’s press release from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas headlines, “Sustainable, air core, axial flux, liquid cooled e-mobility motor achieves superior power density and efficiency to extend vehicle range for applications that drive, fly or sail” The company promotes its efficiency, high current density, and economy of manufacturing as prime factors
- [Aloha from Iolani and E-Hawk](https://sustainableskies.org/aloha-from-iolani-and-e-hawk/) - Take a skillful design by an ultralight aircraft expert, add a small but dedicated group of high school students, a versatile advisor, and you end up with an electric aircraft that incorporates cutting edge innovation with a traditional airframe. Iolani High School’s E-Hawk has been flying over Hawaii for the last few months, a reminder
- [Delft's Maeve 01 Dreams Big](https://sustainableskies.org/delfts-maeve-01-dreams-big/) - The Maeve 01 is the latest big dream from The Netherlands' Delft Technical University - which seems to be a resource-rich aeronautical community producing myriad flying machines. The airplane comes with a novel recharging system, the Maeve ReCharge network – all to provide “Aviation for a generation that wants to travel, not pollute.” The eight
- [Pyka: All Red and Green and Unpiloted](https://sustainableskies.org/pyka-all-red-and-green-and-unpiloted/) - Appearing in a festive nighttime garb of red and green lights, Pyka’s aerial sprayer has been authorized by Costa Rica’s General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) to fly unpiloted aerial spraying missions at night. https://twitter.com/i/status/1587894893921173504 The fully autonomous, all electric craft is now approved to spray large banana plantations – both day and night. Since
- [Air New Zealand Plans for Zero Emissions](https://sustainableskies.org/air-new-zealand-plans-for-zero-emissions/) - Air New Zealand has a five-part plan for reducing and even eliminating aviation emissions with some well-defined approaches and goals. The airline hopes to achieve net zero by 2050, with demonstrable steps toward that starting now. Five Key Elements ANZ will rely on five key elements in its quest for zero-emission flight. They are already
- [Electric Air Racing News](https://sustainableskies.org/electric-air-racing-news/) - Electric Air Racing is a modern take on an age-old idea. Ever since people tamed horses, the idea of comparing their speeds became important. Boats, cars, and aircraft followed the same path. As with horses, the idea that “racing improves the breed” held sway. Now, one Australian company and a major aeronautical organization hope to
- [Keeping Battery Fires at Bay](https://sustainableskies.org/keeping-battery-fires-at-bay-2/) - Keeping battery fires at bay is a constant irritant, if not downright hazard, in the electric vehicle world. Battery fires are particularly scary in aircraft, where help may be 35,000 feet below. Three different solutions have been introduced by industry and scholars, though, and may reduce, or even prevent such unfortunate occurrences. That the three
- [H3 Dynamics and Its Hydrogen-Electric Nacelle](https://sustainableskies.org/h3-dynamics-and-its-hydrogen-electric-nacelle/) - H3 Dynamics (formerly HES - Horizon Energy Systems) has flown a small example of its hydrogen-electric nacelle that could power many craft now in the concept phase.
- [Jekta's Amphibious Commuter Liner](https://sustainableskies.org/jektas-amphibious-commuter-liner/) - Jekta's amphibious commuter liner made its debut at the Abu Dhabi Air Expo 2022. The 10-motor amphibious, 19-passsenger craft could become a familiar sight at coastal landings around the world based on initial interest. Deena Kamel, reporting for The National News, revealed PHA-ZE 100, short for Passenger Hydro Aircraft Zero Emissions, is now in its
- [Delta and Joby: United and Archer and Eve](https://sustainableskies.org/delta-and-joby-united-and-archer-and-eve/) - Delta and United Airlines are teaming with eVTOL makers Joby, Archer, and Eve - elevating ways to get to and from their airports. The newly-formed alliances will make airline travel a little less tedious and eliminate the often long and sometimes frustrating drives between flights. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdDtxqK_Q-M Delta and Joby Delta Air Lines will invest $60
- [Remy Oktay, A Pipistrel Alpha Electro and a Fleet of Ford F-150s Set a Record](https://sustainableskies.org/remy-oktay-a-pipistrel-alpha-electro-and-a-fleet-of-ford-f-150s-set-a-record/) - Last week, we reported on the planned flight from Hartford, Connecticut and back in a Pipistrel Alpha Electro. Lafayette College student Remy Oktay devise a clever way to recharge the airplane along the way, enlisting a small fleet of Ford F-150 Lightning pickups to charge the small craft. Remy managed to fly over the school's
- [Using Ford F-150 Lightnings to Charge a Pipistrel Alpha Electro](https://sustainableskies.org/using-ford-f-150-lightnings-to-charge-a-pipistrel-alpha-electro/) - Using Ford F-150 Lightning pickups to charge a Pipistrel Alpha Electro will enable spectators at the Lafayette College-Lehigh football game to see an electric airplane flyover. Remy Oktay wants to perform at his school’s football game, and needs to fly the craft from Hartford, Connecticut to the game in Easton, Pennsylvania. Bringing Your Own Charging
- [Evolito and ElectroFlight](https://sustainableskies.org/evolito-and-electroflight/) - A Profusion of Names Evolito is the new name for YASA motors that fly. YASA (Yokeless and Segmented Armature) motors are a product of Oxford University research, and have become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz. Mercedes is now creating and marketing a line of electric vehicles using the YASA motors. But what of aeronautical applications?
- [Following the Money to Green Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/following-the-money-to-green-flight/) - The path to green flight is paved with money. In our transactional world, good ideas are sometimes rewarded with filthy lucre, even if those ideas are intended to clean up a besmirched world. Several examples of clean aviation attracting solid investments follow, along with some stumbling on unexpected obstacles. Jetson ONE For a flying machine
- [A Short Holding Pattern](https://sustainableskies.org/a-short-holding-pattern/) - To All: Your editor thought he'd be back in command in just a few days following a recent minor surgery. Things do not always go as planned, but the blog will be back in two days. We're working on the economics of electric flight from many manufacturers, and delving into SPACs, short-selling, and other financial
- [Hydrogen Capsules for Swappable Energy](https://sustainableskies.org/hydrogen-capsules-for-swappable-energy/) - Hydrogen capsules, quickly swappable and motor pods easily switched on a long wing share a common theme. H2-Mobile, a French web site, shared three stories that share forms of encapsulation, one pointing back to a story your editor wrote about a decade ago. An HUV (Hydrogen Utility Vehicle) from NamX A French-Moroccan company, NamX showed
- [SABERS – Solid State Batteries Designed for Aircraft](https://sustainableskies.org/sabers-solid-state-batteries-designed-for-aircraft/) - SABERS (Solid-state Architecture Batteries for Enhanced Rechargeability and Safety) is NASA’s approach to making batteries lighter, safer, hold more energy, and (we hope) be ready soon for flight. In fact, SABERS batteries are intended specifically to meet the challenges of aircraft applications. NASA TV reports, “Instead of housing each battery cell inside its own steel
- [Electra Flies Dawn One, Solar Powered Climate Observatory](https://sustainableskies.org/electra-flies-dawn-one-solar-powered-climate-observatory/) - Dawn One is a solar-powered climate observatory, one of many to come and an outgrowth of a long career for John Langford, Electra Aero’s CEO, and collaborator with Professor James G. Anderson of Harvard University. A seeming callback to John Langford’s human-powered aircraft from his MIT days, Dawn One is a 90-foot span unmanned aircraft
- [Kittyhawk to Close Doors, Open Another](https://sustainableskies.org/kittyhawk-to-close-doors-open-another/) - While Eviation’s Alice is drawing adulation for its initial test flight, Kittyhawk, a one-time front-runner and pioneer is quietly closing down. A vision of Larry Page, Sebastian Thrun, and Ilan Kroo, Kittyhawk brought us several approaches to personal green flight, with a heavy emphasis on intuitive control and automated flight. One of its many approaches
- [Eviation's Alice Flies](https://sustainableskies.org/eviations-alice-flies/) - Eviation’s Alice flew today, a long-awaited event that might mark a new direction for regional aviation. Alice has undergone extensive redesign and a restructuring of its business management team in the last year, but the new airplane finally took to the air. It’s taken long enough that even a late-show host took pot-shots at it
- [Electrifly-In Bern 2022 – The Year of the Hybrid](https://sustainableskies.org/electrifly-in-bern-2022-the-year-of-the-hybrid/) - Electrifly-In Bern 2022 is a new location after five years at Grenchen, Switzerland. The Electrifly-In moved about 25 miles down the road to Bern’s bigger airport. Started by the designers of the SmartFlyer, an innovative hybrid touring craft, the event was originally called the SmartFlyer Challenge. Organizers have the serious intent of saving aviation from
- [Hydrogen from Thin Air?](https://sustainableskies.org/hydrogen-from-thin-air/) - Extracting “green” hydrogen from thin air may be a saving grace in attempts to produce clean energy. Normally, water splitting to produce oxygen and hydrogen requires large amounts of preferably pure water, a rare substance in much of the world. Science News headlines its article, “To overcome the water shortage problem in the case of
- [Smartflyer Moves, Along with Former Namesake Fly-in](https://sustainableskies.org/smartflyer-moves-along-with-former-namesake-fly-in/) - Smartflyer is a four-passenger, proof-of-concept light aircraft that can fly on pure electric power, as a hybrid with an av-gas powered generator, or as a hydrogen-fuel-cell-driven airplane. It’s been under development for several years, but is moving production to Stelzach – just nearby. Likewise, the Smartflyer Challenge, an electric aircraft fly-in, is moving from Smartflyer’s
- [MagniX Ready for New Markets](https://sustainableskies.org/magnix-ready-for-new-markets/) - MagniX, the motor company powering Eviation’s Alice and Harbour Air’s Beaver, is expanding into new markets. Already flying in a DeHavilland Beaver in Canada and being readied for flight on Eviation’s Alice in Arlington, Washington, the company’s motors have many potential airframes to grace. Besides Harbour Air and Eviation, English firm Faradair has chosen MagniX
- [Sonex and Gabriel DeVault Partner on Electric Kitplane](https://sustainableskies.org/sonex-and-gabriel-devault-partner-on-electric-kitplane/) - Sonex and Gabriel DeVault have partnered to create an electric kitplane, marketing components for a different type of powerplant. Sonex has been in the kitplane business since 1998 (having built from a decade’s-old earlier company) and Gabriel DeVault has been working with the electrification of aircraft for a decade. Combining their expertise, we have a
- [Influit Going Commercial](https://sustainableskies.org/influit-going-commercial/) - Influit Energy, a spinoff from Illinois Institute of Technology, is going commercial in a big way. They claim to have developed a “rechargeable electrofuel – a non-flammable, fast-refueling liquid flow battery that already carries 23 percent more energy than lithium batteries, at half the cost.” Reporting by Loz Blain in New Atlas.com notes the company
- [Piper Archer Trainers to Go Electric](https://sustainableskies.org/piper-archer-trainers-to-go-electric/) - CAE, a Canadian high-tech company, H55, Safran, and Piper Aircraft have announced a joint venture to make the popular Piper Archer® trainer electric. CAE, a Canadian high-tech company, H55, Safran, and Piper Aircraft have announced a joint venture to make the popular Piper Archer® trainer electric. With 28,000 Archers in service, a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) would replace the current Lycoming IO-360 or Continental CD-155 Diesel engines with a Safran electric motor. The Players CAE CAE, started 75 CAE, a Canadian high-tech company, H55, Safran, and Piper Aircraft have announced a joint venture to make the popular Piper Archer® trainer electric. With 28,000 Archers in service, a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) would replace the current Lycoming IO-360 or Continental CD-155 Diesel engines with a Safran electric motor. The Players CAE CAE, started 75 CAE, a Canadian high-tech company, H55, Safran, and Piper Aircraft have announced a joint venture to make the popular Piper Archer® trainer electric. With 28,000 Archers in service, a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) would replace the current Lycoming IO-360 or Continental CD-155 Diesel engines with a Safran electric motor. The Players CAE CAE, started 75
- [Skylift in the UK: Zipline in the USA](https://sustainableskies.org/skylift-in-the-uk-zipline-in-the-usa/) - Skylift Skylift is an all-British drone system supplier being used by the National Health Service (NHS) to deliver prescription medications in the UK in partnership with Apian. Jessica Reed, reporting in Aviation Today, explains one of Skylift’s unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities demonstrated its ability to fly medical supplies
- [Klaus Ohlmann, Jonas Lay and eGenius go 2003 kilometers](https://sustainableskies.org/klaus-ohlmann-jonas-lay-and-egenius-go-2003-kilometers/) - Klaus Ohlmann and Jonas Lay in the one-and-only eGenius just completed a 2,003 kilometer (1,244 mile) trip from Germany to the Atlantic Ocean on the southern tip of France and return. The numbers are spectacular. The flight averaged 190.36 kilometers per hour (118.28 mph) and its hybrid power system consumed a mere 81 liters of
- [Perlan,  Egrett,  and Airbus at Oshkosh](https://sustainableskies.org/perlan-egrett-and-airbus-at-oshkosh/) - Most Interesting Formation Flight at Oshkosh? Perlan 2, its Grob Egrett tow plane, and sponsor Airbus gave AirVenture 2022 attendees a glimpse of future records and promising technology. Few people outside the Perlan Project have witnessed these two-planes flying in close formation, linked by a tow rope. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HU3-0FyaZM Initial attempts to get Perlan to an
- [Two Electric Ways to Oshkosh](https://sustainableskies.org/two-electric-ways-to-oshkosh/) - Two very different electric aircraft found their ways to AirVenture 2022 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin last week. By eGull from West Virginia 72-year-old Jean Preckel of Bruceton Mills, West Virginia flew her home-built Beierle eGull from her home town to the Experimental Aircraft Association gathering accompanied in a chase car driven by Mark Beierle himself. She
- [H3X HPDM-3000 – a Three Megawatt-Motor?](https://sustainableskies.org/h3x-hpdm-3000-a-three-megawatt-motor/) - H3X is shaking things up with its announcement of its HPDM-3000, a three megawatt motor. Thirteen years ago, your editor gave his first presentation at an electric aircraft symposium, held that year in the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos, California. Dr. Brien Seeley, founder and then head of the CAFE (Comparative Aircraft Flight Efficiency) H3X is shaking things up with its announcement of its HPDM-3000, a three megawatt motor.
- [Cranfield: Hub of Electric Aviation](https://sustainableskies.org/cranfield-hub-of-electric-aviation/) - Cranfield, England and its local university are hubs for electric aircraft development. Dr. Guy Gratton is test flying The Light Aircraft Company’s eKub on 48-Volt battery power, ZeroAvia is crafting a Dornier 228 to run on hydrogen, and now Cranfied Aerospace Solutions (CAeS) is readying a Britten-Norman Islander for H2-powered flight in 2023. The Islander
- [Flying Machines in Your Two Car Garage](https://sustainableskies.org/flying-machines-in-your-two-car-garage/) - A flying machine in your two-car garage was the promise heralded by Popular Science and Popular Mechanics magazines during the 1950s and 1960. It was the era of Bob Cummings piloting his Aerocar on his popular TV show, and KISN radio watching over traffic with one in Portland, Oregon. Expectations were high and often disappointed.
- [Elektra Solar Trainer Unveiled ](https://sustainableskies.org/elektra-solar-trainer-unveiled/) - Elektra Solar introduced its Trainer, a new two-seat craft, at this year’s Aero Expo. Elektra Solar introduced its Trainer, a new two-seat craft, at this year’s Aero Expo. As reported here last year, the airplane features side-by-side seating to facilitate training, doubtless enhanced by the low noise level – 50 dB, according to the company. Based on German ultralight standard LTF-UL 2020. Compared to a “moderate rainfall noise,” the
- [Drexel’s Accidental Sulfur Battery Discovery](https://sustainableskies.org/drexels-accidental-sulfur-battery-discovery/) - Chained to Supplies? A sulfur battery uses an abundant, energy-dense material not subject to the limitations of many supply chains like those for lithium, cobalt, and nickel – all necessary for batteries as they are now constructed. William Lockett, writing for freethink.com, highlights the potential magnitude of a discovery by Drexel University researchers. “Every now
- [Lift + Cruise Transitions for eVTOLs](https://sustainableskies.org/lift-cruise-transitions-for-evtols/) - A New Mission Some formerly rotor-only eVTOLs are transitioning to a new configuration – one with wings for greater range and speed. Vertical takeoffs and landings are OK for short-range Urban Air Mobility (UAM), but not necessarily good for longer range flight. Hovering flight requires thrust equal to the weight of the vehicle, and climbing
- [ZeroAvia Finds Widespread Interest, Challenges](https://sustainableskies.org/zeroavia-finds-widespread-interest-challenges/) - ZeroAvia is finding its way into the development of hydrogen-fueled aviation, and finding along its way great interest and challenges. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv4fOTh6f2U ZeroAvia, now in Hollister, California, Cranfield, England, and Everett, Washington finds widespread interest in serving multiple clients, since its projects fit a wide dynamic range of exciting possibilities. The three locations enable adhering to
- [Electra.Aero Acquires Airflow](https://sustainableskies.org/electra-aero-acquires-airflow/) - Too Similar Not to Have Joined Forces The PRNewswire.com press release lauds the acquisition of Airflow.aero by Electra.aero: “Hybrid-Electric Blown-Lift eSTOL Plane Developer Electra Acquires Airflow to Create a Leader in Advanced Air Mobility.” The two companies have been developing similar multi-motor, blown-lift aircraft for the past few years. Electra’s has eight motors distributed across
- [Lifetime Batteries?](https://sustainableskies.org/lifetime-batteries/) - What if your new electric car came with a steel-clad warranty on its lifetime batteries? Your editor’s father would have asked, “Whose lifetime?” but researchers at Dalhousie University suggest that might become a reality. lIn a paper in the Journal of The Electrochemical Society, “Li[Ni0.5Mn0.3Co0.2]O2 as a Superior Alternative to LiFePO4 for Long-Lived Low Voltage
- [Three Light Electric Motorgliders](https://sustainableskies.org/three-light-electric-motorgliders/) - Light electric motorgliders work well in the real world. They’re light, compact, and easily transported to a flying site or back home. Their small battery packs can be charged at home (under safe conditions) and provide enough duration to get the small machines to altitude, where they can explore thermals and ridge lift. Because they
- [Piaggio’s Electric or Hydrogen Concept – Not Yet](https://sustainableskies.org/piaggios-electric-or-hydrogen-concept-not-yet/) - Clearing the Fumes Charles Alcock reports for FutureFlight.com, and shares that, “Piaggio Aerospace is laying plans for a possible hydrogen-electric business aircraft featuring a completely new airframe.” Piaggio is probably better know for the Vespa scooters that dot Italian boulevards, Those have even gone electric, a saving grace for pedestrians along the strada who won’t have
- [Electric seagliders Skimming Coastal Waters](https://sustainableskies.org/electric-seagliders-skimming-coastal-waters/) - REGENT seaglider Skimming the Waves WIGs are Wings in Ground Effect, a type of flight that keeps one just above the sea’s surface. Simplified, when a wing is at an altitude less than its span, it operates in a ground effects cushion that adds lift. According to backers of REGENT’s seaglider, such a craft can
- [Group 14 Gets a Push from Porsche](https://sustainableskies.org/group-14-gets-a-push-from-porsche/) - We covered Washington Governor Jay Inslee’s visit to the Group 14 Technologies battery plant in Woodinville last year. Now the Group is getting attention from Porsche, among other funders. The startup company announced raising $400 million from investors including the Teutonic automaker. According to Reuters, part of those funds will be used to build a
- [Big Money for Battery Research](https://sustainableskies.org/big-money-for-battery-research/) - With war in Ukraine threatening European and even American oil supplies, many nations are scrambling to develop and deploy cleaner sources of energy. That’s where the U. S. Department of Energy may have a large part in backing big money for battery research. $3.1 billion in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA),
- [British Craft eKub](https://sustainableskies.org/british-craft-ekub/) - A Proper British Aeroplane eKub is the latest offering from The Light Aircraft Company (TLAC), a British company that specializes in modern adaptations of classic-themed flying machines. At nearby Cranfield University, Dr Guy Gratton, Associate Professor of Aviation and the Environment, teaches and acts as test pilot on the eKub. Gratton is also an AssociateA Proper British Aeroplane eKub is the latest offering from The Light Aircraft Company (TLAC), a British company that specializes in modern adaptations of classic-themed flying machines. At nearby Cranfield University, Dr Guy Gratton, Associate Professor of Aviation and the Environment, teaches and acts as test pilot on the eKub. Gratton is also an Associate
- [Antares, FES, and  AdvanTec Create E-ROP Hybrid](https://sustainableskies.org/antares-fes-and-advantec-create-e-rop-hybrid/) - E-ROP is a multi-party program using an Antares self-launching sailplane. FES and Adventec have crafted a hybrid version of the Antares 20e with a front electric sustainer (FES) motor in place of its tall mast-mounted motor. An incremental program, E-ROP begins by replacing the retractable unit with an FES motor on the nose. This reduces
- [Cementing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)](https://sustainableskies.org/cementing-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf/) - Cement, a prime component in concrete, is a major source of the greenhouse gas CO2, according to the Princeton Student Climate Initiative (PSCI). The group reports, “Cement is made by firing limestone, clay, and other materials in a kiln. CO2 is emitted from the energy used to fire the material, and the chemical reaction produced
- [Sky Taxis, Eviation Featured on TV News](https://sustainableskies.org/sky-taxis-eviation-featured-on-tv-news/) - 60 Minutes and The Today Show have recently featured sky taxis and future electric airliners on their broadcasts. This is big news in that such transport is getting recognition in popular media, and even somewhat of a fair hearing. Even though references to the Jetsons are common in such reports, both these excursions seemed to
- [Multicopters Growing Wings](https://sustainableskies.org/multicopters-growing-wings/) - eHang and Volocopter are growing wings on their eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) craft. It’s a demonstrable fact that fixed wing aircraft usually have great range and endurance than rotary wing aircraft. What if we combine the best of multicopter utility and fixed wing range? Electric multicopters are usually short-range vehicles that have
- [A Hybrid Structural Battery](https://sustainableskies.org/a-hybrid-structural-battery/) - Is it possible to combine the best features of batteries and supercapacitors to get both enduring energy storage and bursts of power? Batteries, to varying degrees can store energy and release it over time. Supercapacitors can provide instant, but short-lived power. Even more challenging, can can we form a hybrid structural battery, combining form with function? 
- [An Italian Hybrid Seagull](https://sustainableskies.org/an-italian-hybrid-seagull/) - An Italian trimaran light seaplane has many interesting features. From its hybrid power system to its unique patented folding wings, the Novotech Seagull showcases innovation. Professor Leonardo Lecce has taught aeronautical structures and aerospace construction and maintenance practices at the Federico II University in Naples. Why the choice to limit the craft to marine operations
- [Solid State Batteries with a Liquid Chaser](https://sustainableskies.org/solid-state-batteries-with-a-liquid-chaser/) - solid-state batteries containing a little liquid electrolyte are safer than conventional lithium-ion cells.
- [Textron Acquires Pipistrel: A Good Thing?](https://sustainableskies.org/textron-acquires-pipistrel-a-good-thing/) - Textron acquires Pipistrel - just another merger?
- [Remembering Jack Norris](https://sustainableskies.org/remembering-jack-norris/) - Jack Norris, an aviation and space pioneer, died on December 21, 2021. Holder of more than 50 aerospace patents, many conceived during his time with NASA, he was a constantly inventive presence in the aviation world. The Experimental Aircraft Association shares a short autobiographical sketch with an incredible number of highlights. As a youth, Jack
- [Single-Seat eVTOL Commuters](https://sustainableskies.org/single-seat-evtol-commuters/) - Single-seat ultralight aircraft are a popular part of personal aviation and a small part of the growing electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) market. We look at two contenders here, and compare them to a newly-certificated single-seat fixed-wing solar-assisted airplane. KARI’s QTP-UAV KARI – the Korean Aerospace Research Institute – has developed the QTP-UAV,
- [Gogoro Goes Solid State](https://sustainableskies.org/gogoro-goes-solid-state/) - Gogoro, a Taiwan-based scooter and battery system, has added solid state chemistry to its swappable batteries. This increases the stored energy in each 9 kilogram (19.8 pound) pack from 1.7 kilowatt-hours of the current liquid electrolyte to 2.5 kWhr. These packs are light enough for a small woman to handle, as shown in Gogoro’s promotional
- [Wright Electric’s 8-Year Plan](https://sustainableskies.org/wright-electrics-8-year-plan/) - Jeffrey Engler has headed up Wright Electric for the last decade, working to provide efficient motors, inverters and overall power systems for airliners. Now, his firm is working to develop those airliners. From a startup in 2016, looking for a single-engine light aircraft to convert to hybrid power, Jeffrey has grown Wright to a recognized
- [Pratt & Whitney HySIITE Hydrogen and Steam Engine](https://sustainableskies.org/pratt-whitney-hysiite-hydrogen-and-steam-engine/) - A (Partially) Steam Engine in the Sky? Pratt & Whitney announces that it, “Has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) to develop novel, high-efficiency hydrogen-fueled propulsion technology for commercial aviation, as part of DoE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).” Their press release continues, “The Hydrogen Steam Injected, Inter‐Cooled Turbine Engine (HySIITE) project
- [Airbus and CFM: Flying on Hydrogen Power by 2035](https://sustainableskies.org/airbus-and-cfm-flying-on-hydrogen-power-by-2035/) - Airbus and engine maker CFM International have signed a partnership agreement on a hydrogen demonstration program that could see commercial flights by 2035. CFM is a 50/50 joint company between GE and Safran Aircraft Engines. The team announced its intentions in an hour-long introduction on February 22, with members from the companies explaining the goals
- [The AOS-H2 Hydrogen-powered Motor Glider](https://sustainableskies.org/the-aos-h2-hydrogen-powered-motor-glider/) - A university in Poland has conceived, built and tested - but not flown, the AOS-H2, a hydrogen-powered motor glider. In 2013, the blog covered the test flights of a battery-powered electric two-seat motorglider designed at the Warsaw (Poland) University of Technology. Now, a similar design, the AOS-H2 has been crafted to fly on power generated
- [Amprius Ships 450 Watt-hour per Kilogram Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/amprius-ships-450-watt-hour-per-kilogram-batteries/) - Your editor’s first outing at an electric aircraft symposium was in 2009. At that meeting, Dr. Yi Cui, Stanford professor and battery expert, talked about silicon and its energy density being so much greater than that for graphite. He predicted huge advances for battery chemistry – and now he’s delivering. His firm, Amprius, is shipping
- [Electron’s 2024 Round the World Plans](https://sustainableskies.org/electrons-2024-round-the-world-plans/) - Teofilo Leite has been refining a beautiful twin-motor glider for the last decade. Apparently he’s moving on to a five-seat, four-motor, dual-propeller beauty that is set to take on the world. The Electron 5 looks a great deal like a larger Electron 2, which has been flying in various configurations for the last decade. https://flyelectron.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/VID_20190605_180051.mp4
- [Koenigsegg’sTorque-Dense Electric Motor and Hybrid Drive Train](https://sustainableskies.org/koenigseggstorque-dense-electric-motor-and-hybrid-drive-train/) - Koenigsegg (Cone-igs-egg), a Swedish car maker that enjoys shocking with its sticker prices, is going hybrid with a new, torque-dense electric motor and hybrid drive train. The Swedish car maker is known for its ultra-exclusive, ultra-high-performance vehicles, which have even undone the Stig, anonymous race driver on the BBC Series Top Gear. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vyau3VUVVtI David Koenigsegg’s
- [A Belated Addition to the Fred To Video](https://sustainableskies.org/a-belated-addition-to-the-fred-to-video/) - Fred To (pronounced "toe"), the first to create and fly a solar-powered aircraft, was the subject of a blog entry in 2018. Fred just informed your editor that the second part of the Solar One video was missing. Herewith, we will rectify that grievous error. It's worth a second look at the older blog entry,
- [Autoflight Lifts Off and Transitions](https://sustainableskies.org/autoflight-lifts-off-and-transitions/) - Autoflight Lifts Off and Transitions
- [Electra Attracts Customers, Investors and Landing Sites](https://sustainableskies.org/electra-attracts-customers-investors-and-landing-sites/) - Electra Aero has found worldwide interest in its electric ultra-short take-off and landing airplane, an eight-motor craft capable of taking off and landing across most jet-size runways. Producing such an aircraft takes great design, appropriately-designed landing sites, a well-integrated infrastructure, and financial backing for the total package. Electra Aero for the Design Powered by a
- [ZeroAvia Comes to the Pacific Northwest](https://sustainableskies.org/zeroavia-comes-to-the-pacific-northwest/) - In the Everett (Washington) Herald Janice Podsada reports, “ZeroAvia, which currently has offices in London and in Hollister, California, plans to invest $5.5 million to ready an Everett site for a team of 20 design and software engineers.” This will be a new entry in Snohomish County, a location already supporting over 500 aerospace companies. Everett,
- [Stanford’s Ultra-thin Solar Cell](https://sustainableskies.org/stanfords-ultra-thin-solar-cell/) - We’ve noted here recently that early (and even current) examples of solar-powered aircraft suffered from the low efficiency of the panels that collected sunlight to power them. The panels add weight, and so far, nobody’s flying with more than 29-percent efficiency. What if a different approach, using ultra-thin solar cells covered the entire aircraft? That’s
- [Nanotech Energy – A “Solution” to the Lithium Battery?](https://sustainableskies.org/nanotech-energy-a-solution-to-the-lithium-battery/) - Hot Pockets Introduced at this year’s CES (formerly the Consumer Electronics Show), Nanotech Energy’s Graphene-Organolyte™ Advanced Li-ion Battery (winner of a CES 2022 Innovation Award) merits a look. At least partly intended to stop battery fires, always hot news despite their relative rarity (compared to the 170,000+ petrol car fires every year), Nanotech explains its
- [Copper for Solar Cells](https://sustainableskies.org/copper-for-solar-cells/) - Solar cells are older than we perhaps knew, and their efficiency was low in their early development. They were also remarkably expensive. Today, though, materials like perovskite are making new, less-expensive and reasonably efficient cells possible. Swapping copper for the more expensive silver conductors may help make these cells even more rewarding. In a further
- [Hydrogen harvested from Dirty and Clean Sources](https://sustainableskies.org/hydrogen-harvested-from-dirty-and-clean-sources/) - Scientists working in England and Belgium have come up with low-cost ways of extracting hydrogen from either very dirty water or from the air around us. If these breakthrough technologies pan out, they could set us on a different path to energy independence. Hydrogen is the futurist’s dream fuel, non-polluting and emitting only water vapor. 
- [Doubling Down with Ascendance](https://sustainableskies.org/doubling-down-with-ascendance/) - Ascendance Flight Technologies, a French firm developing an electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, has doubled down on its original, smaller airplane. Originally a four-seat, hybrid-powered machine with three lift fans, Atea has retained the name, but grown considerably. Holey Wings Atea now has eight lift fans and two horizontal propellers arranged in Ascendance Flight Technologies, a French firm developing an electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, has doubled down on its original, smaller airplane. Ascendance Flight Technologies, a French firm developing an electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, has doubled down on its original, smaller airplane. Originally a four-seat, hybrid-powered machine with three lift fans, Atea has retained the name, but grown considerably. Holey Wings Atea now has eight lift fans and two horizontal propellers arranged in
- [Zeva Zero – the Return of the Puffin?](https://sustainableskies.org/zeva-zero-the-return-of-the-puffin/) - Dreams of flight often include the dreamer wearing a silk scarf, if not a cape. We would love to emulate our super heroes with all their startling dexterity. A group in the Puget Sound area is making part of that dream come true. Starting with radio-controlled models a few years ago Zeva Aero has
- [The EleFanT in the Room](https://sustainableskies.org/the-elefant-in-the-room/) - Electric Ducted Fans (EDF) may soon show some promise in full-size flight. Several projects are under way, including EleFanT, an interesting development in Germany by GKN and KTH (the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology). First, though, we’ll look at two stateside projects. David Ullman’s IDEAL EDFs fans are nothing new in the model aviation world,
- [Thomas Senkel and Electric Vertical Mobility](https://sustainableskies.org/thomas-senkel-electric-vertical-mobility/) - Thomas Senkel was an early part of Volocopter, initially called e-Volo. His first efforts resulted in a spider-like creation perched on an exercise ball. It flew, seemed stable, and despite the placement of whirling propeller blades encircling Thomas during his test flights, proved not a hazardous as it looked. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L75ESD9PBOw Explanatory material accompanying the video
- [Embraer’s Energia Family](https://sustainableskies.org/embraers-energia-family/) - Coming up with a new airplane is a daunting task – but Embraer announced four new designs this week. Ranging from nine to fifty passengers, Embraer's Energia family are all electric or clean fuel redefinitions of regional air travel. Luis Carlos Alfonso, Senior VP of Engineering, Technology Development and Corporate Strategy presented them in front
- [ZeroAvia, Mitsubishi, and Alaska Airlines Power Up](https://sustainableskies.org/zeroavia-mitsubishi-alaska-airlines-power-up/) - A Different Type of Kitplane Green Aeronautics are moving beyond small beginnings into grander realms through ZeroAvia, Mitsubishi, and Alaska Airlines. Gabriel DeVault has flown two different electric airplanes of his own, a converted EarthStar Thundergull and a Sonex eXenos (which seems to be his daily commuter between Hollister, California and his home in Watsonville).
- [Electron: an Electric Kit LSA with Promise](https://sustainableskies.org/electron-an-electric-kit-lsa-with-promise/) - Since we recently promoted a survey on interest in a kit-built Light Sport Aircraft that would be powered electrically, it’s interesting to see such a craft nearing first flight in Australia. Electron looks a great deal like Zara Rutherford’s record attempt Shark, a Slovakian European ultralight. Even with fixed gear rather than the retractables on
- [Recycling Lithium Batteries – Cheaper, Better, Greener?](https://sustainableskies.org/recycling-cheaper-better-lithium-batteries/) - We would all love less expensive batteries that are safe, reliable, and possibly even better performing than what we have now. What if recycling our throw-aways gave us “new” batteries with refined materials that improve their performance? A current paper from the Royal Society for Chemistry may hold a key to producing such cheaper, better
- [The TeTra Mk. 5](https://sustainableskies.org/tetra-mk-5/) - The TeTra Mk. 5 is obviously not the first of its kind. A little history shows its origins in the Boeing GoFly completion – in which the team won a $100,000 “Disruptor” prize from Pratt & Whitney, the long-time engine makers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVcHAC15iQw As stunning, and confusing, the appearance of their GoFly entry was, it did
- [Air Race E: the Vertical Class](https://sustainableskies.org/air-race-e-vertical-class/) - “The electric VTOL class is an entirely different category of aircraft altogether. Often referred as “flying cars”, this type or aircraft is at the forefront of electric technology in aerospace. Brace yourself for The World’s First Vertical Motorsport! This race format and its rules will be somewhat different than the airplane classes and will be
- [Group 14: The Next Battery Innovation?](https://sustainableskies.org/group-14-next-battery-innovation/) - Tina Casey, writing in Clean Technica, reflects on the coming changes in the “gasmobile” to EV ratio. “Somewhere in the outer reaches of talk radio, a ghost stalks the halls, mumbling of light bulbs and plastic bags and electric cars that won’t start in cold weather. Meanwhile, most automakers are not waiting around for the
- [Following the Sky Taxi Money: eVTOLs](https://sustainableskies.org/sky-taxi-money-evtols/) - As though by magic, money from Wall Street, venture capitalists and other investors show a growing interest and cash flow in sky taxis. It started on August 11 with JoeBen Bevirt of JOBY ringing the bell that starts trading on the stock market floor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD1XYj6g3Fs As one web site points out, it’s up to the
- [Craft Aero's 16 Motors and Diamond Wings](https://sustainableskies.org/craft-aeros-16-motors-diamond-wings/) - Craft Aero, yet another newcomer in the electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) market, brings a novel 16 motor, diamond wing design to regional aviation. Laurie Foti writing for Tech Crunch, thinks, “Air taxis may still be pie in the sky,” but acknowledges Craft Aerospace for aiming to move the air travel industry forward,
- [Graphene  Sodium-Ion Batteries with 10X Energy](https://sustainableskies.org/graphene-sodium-ion-batteries-10x-energy/) - Graphene, applied in a sodium-ion battery may herald inexpensive alternatives to lithium-ion cells. Scientists are exploring ways of making batteries not only more energy-dense, but also less costly. Sodium, a primary ingredient in table salt, is one possibility. It’s also abundant without too much effort required to find it. On the other hand, easily-obtainable lithium
- [EmbraerX and Pyka Team Up](https://sustainableskies.org/embraerx-pyka-team-up/) - Accelerating Innovation Embraer, a major Brazilian airframe developer, and Pyka, an Oakland, California-based autonomous agricultural aircraft builder, are teaming up. They hope, “To accelerate the future of autonomous aerial agriculture operations.” Beyond that, Pyka is expanding into regional air transport which could open 5,000 U. S. airports to usually unserved areas. Pyka has flown autonomous
- [Antares Upgrades to RED.3 Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/antares-upgrades-to-red-3-batteries/) - An airplane that's a seasoned veteran gets even better with the new SAFT RED.3 batteries. At the Grenchen, Switzerland Electrifly-in Lange Antares spread their wings over 21 meters of display space each. Klaus Ohlmann flew the latest E model from the manufacturer and a hybrid e-Rop from AdvanTec GmbH was on static display. These airplanes
- [Eviation's Alice Meets a Governor and a Mayor](https://sustainableskies.org/eviations-alice-meets-governor-mayor/) - Eviation’s Alice and MagniX’s motors got a visit from the Governor of Washington State and the Mayor of Arlington where the nine-seat airliner is being prepared for its first flight. Electric aircraft, so far, don’t command that big a portion of the daily press, so it’s heartening to see TV cameras and news reporters turn
- [Would an Electric LSA Kit Appeal to You?](https://sustainableskies.org/would-an-electric-lsa-kit-appeal-to-you/) - Is there a need and desire for an electric light sport aircraft (LSA) kit that is inexpensive to own, operate, and maintain? Electric flight already offers that possibility, and if kits were available to further lower costs, we could see a new way to achieve low-cost flight. The LSA designation qualifies a builder to take
- [First Flight of Rolls-Royce's ACCEL Project](https://sustainableskies.org/first-flight-rolls-royces-accel-project/) - Rolls-Royce has made a first test flight of its ACCEL Program’s “Spirit of Innovation,” their 400 kilowatt (500+ horsepower) electric record-seeking craft. Powered by a stack of three YASA (Yokeless And Segmented Armature) motors, the Spirit flows from Jon Sharp’s NXT design, usually powered by a 540-cubic-inch internal-combustion engine. The video includes a short nod
- [A Pair of Dutch Electric Dragonfly's](https://sustainableskies.org/dutch-electric-dragonfly/) - Dragonfly is a great name for the tandem-wing, two-seat aircraft, with the forward wing mounted low and the rear wing higher and behind the cockpit. Students at InHolland University of Applied Sciences now have two of these anisoptera-like craft they are converting to electric power. Considering there are only two such airplanes registered in The
- [Storedot: Silicon and Tin for a Fast Charge](https://sustainableskies.org/storedot-silicon-tin-fast-charge/) - Storedot is an Israeli battery company with an appealing sales pitch – their batteries can be fully charged in minutes rather than hours. To make that happen, they are combining silicon, long considered a necessity for high energy density, and a more humble material – tin. Beside the unique material blend, Storedot is working on
- [Really Cool Battery News from NREL – Really](https://sustainableskies.org/really-cool-battery-news-from-nrel-really/) - Plaid Fire Car fires are scary. Airplane fires are even more so, since you can’t just pull over and hop out. Scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and NASA, and in England and France may have come up with a way to stop electric car fires. Owners of petrol-powered autos will have to
- [Wright's 2 MegaWatt Motor](https://sustainableskies.org/wrights-2-mw-motor/) - Jeffrey Engler of Wright Electric has huge ambitions, including producing a 186-seat electric airliner and now testing a two megawatt “aviation-grade motor for transport-category zero-emissions aircraft.” If Engler’s vision becomes reality, “By 2040, Wright will eliminate carbon emissions from all flights under 800 miles.” Leap-frogging most other developer’s plans to make 10-, 19-, or even
- [Aerolite 103 – As Simple As Aerial EVs Get](https://sustainableskies.org/aerolite-103-as-simple-as-aerial-evs-get/) - Shown and flown at this year’s Sun ‘n Fun and AirVenture, the Aerolite 103 is a well-tested, best-selling ultralight that in FAA Part 103 form is a true ultralight. As an electric aircraft, it’s heavier and faster than accepted ultralight standards but no less a competent flyer registered in the Experimental category. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIaD71KOAdU Designed in
- [Xpeng X1 and X2 Fly in China](https://sustainableskies.org/xpeng-x1-x2-fly-china/) - A new player in the electric aviation market, Xpeng has introduced a series of electric aircraft, and is currently test flying them. A relative newcomer to the electric vehicle scene, Xpeng is making inroads with a sport utility vehicle (SUV), its P7 sedan, and its aerial projects. “Xpeng or Xiaopeng Motors, also known as XMotors.ai,
- [Sion Power’s EV Battery](https://sustainableskies.org/sion-powers-ev-battery/) - Sion Power’s EV Battery 400 Watt-hours per kilogram is a long-awaited minimum expectation for what it will take to get electric aviation off the ground. Sion Power® of Tucson, Arizona will introduce its Licerion® 17 Amp-hour pouch cells at the Battery Show North America in September – claiming to fulfill that expectation. The large-format pouch
- [Ampaire Flies in the UK](https://sustainableskies.org/ampaire-flies-in-the-uk/) - Having completed a series of successful island-hopping flights in Hawaii, and in Scotland, Ampaire is now in Exeter, England taking part in a government-backed program, “Aimed at moving the UK towards green aviation.” Test Pilot Eliot Seguin has moved from his Mojave, California base to take part in the endeavor, joined by fellow test pilot
- [Stable Nickel-rich Cathodes in Lithium Metal Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/stable-ni-rich-anodes-lithium-metal-batteries/) - A battery with 560 Watt-hours per kilogram, a stable long life, and no fires. What’s not to like? Researchers at Helmholtz Institute Ulm (HIU), founded by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in cooperation with the University of Ulm, have come up with a dual anion, nickel-rich cathode, lithium-metal battery that, although in early stages
- [Pie Aeronefs UR-1: V-tailed, Battery-winged Racer](https://sustainableskies.org/pie-aeronefs-ur-1-v-tailed-battery-winged-racer/) - Pie Aeronefs, a small team of dedicated builders in Switzerland is putting the finishing touches on the UR-1, a V-tailed, battery-winged electric racer expected to fly in next Air Race E series. “Marc Umbricht's vision is to create a 4-seater general aviation electric aircraft that shall equal or surpass the performances of standard piston engine
- [Embraer Electrifies Agricultural Aviation](https://sustainableskies.org/embraer-electrifies-agricultural-aviation/) - Embraer, a Brazilian aircraft maker with ties to Boeing, has been tilling the clean aviation field for several years. Their current agricultural craft, the EMB 203, has flown on ethanol for some years – a kind of farm-to-aircraft symbiotic relationship. Going to the next step toward clean, green aviation, Embraer has since devised an electrical
- [MIT Makes Hydrogen from Scrap Aluminum and Water](https://sustainableskies.org/mit-makes-hydrogen-aluminum-water/) - Three Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers may be on the track of producing hydrogen from a reaction between aluminum (the scrappier the better) and water. Their “simple way” of generating H2 from aluminum and water can take place anywhere, according to the researchers. Since groups like ZeroAvia and Pipistrel with the DLR (German Space
- [ZeroAvia Tests 600 kW Motor, Receives Honors](https://sustainableskies.org/zeroavia-tests-600-mw-motor-receives-honors/) - Val Miftakhov, founder and CEO of ZeroAvia, introduces tests of the company’s 600 kilowatt powertrain, mounted high atop their new mobile test bed. In recent months, the company has achieved some solid recognition. “In July, 2021, ZeroAvia has successfully tested high-power operation of its flight-intent ZA-600 (600kW) powertrain. The testing has been done on the
- [A Pulitzer Written in the Sky](https://sustainableskies.org/pulitzer-electric-air-race/) - Itching to test your electric airplane’s cross-country capabilities? A new Pulitzer Electric Air Race of over 1,000 nautical miles (1,150.78 statute miles to be exact) between Nebraska and North Carolina will show who has the fastest electric flying machine. Jim Moore, reporting for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), shows the connection between the
- [Skydweller Seeks Ultra-Persistence](https://sustainableskies.org/skydweller-seeks-ultra-persistence/) - Skydweller Aero, an adaptation of Solar Impulse technologies, is working with the U. S. Navy to provide ultra-persistent flight capabilities. It’s using Solar Impulse Two, for which Skydweller purchased the assets and intellectual property rights. Being flown in Spain at this time, the aircraft’s 2,900 square feet of solar cells provide two kilowatts of power,
- [Joby Quietly Achieves its Range, Heads to Washington, D. C.](https://sustainableskies.org/joby-quietly-achieves-its-range-heads-washington-d-c/) - Joby Aero Inc. has displayed its ultra-quiet operation, flown a promised distance and become an investment favorite in the last few months. Now it’s headed to Washington, D. C. to consolidate relations with law- and opinion makers. Quietude As a follow-up to its recent demonstration of quietude on Public Broadcasting’s “Great Electric Airplane Race,” Joby
- [The Layered Look in 1000x Solar Cells](https://sustainableskies.org/layered-look-solar-cells/) - We hear a lot about 10X batteries, but 1000X solar cells? Layering up may be stylish and even practical in the fashion world, and in solar cells may be a chance to unite otherwise dissimilar materials with otherwise limited light-to-electric conversion capabilities. That strategy produced solar cells with 1000x that. That’s what researchers at Martin
- [Nine Engines and Two Wings – the DEP Antonov](https://sustainableskies.org/nine-engines-two-wings-dep-antonov/) - Sporting no less than nine powerplants, eight of which are electric, a cold-war biplane stunned the crowd at a Russian air show. Part of the 15th International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS 2021 held on July 20-25, a Siberian adaptation of a Russian classic drew widespread attention. Your editor has had the privilege of enjoying
- [Look!  Up in the Sky!  At Oshkosh](https://sustainableskies.org/look-up-sky-oshkosh/) - Two different machines, with vastly different purposes and unique looks, are flying electrically above Wittman Field for the worlds’ biggest airshow. The Experimental Aircraft Association’s gathering, having skipped a year because of the pandemic, is back with nearly twice the number of attendees. It’s a crowd ready to be rocked. Volocopter Helena Treeck, head of
- [(Mostly) Borne on the Wind Across Australia](https://sustainableskies.org/mostly-borne-on-the-wind-across-australia/) - Wind surfing across southern Australia, a German team showed ingenuity and skill in a 3,000 mile journey that, as their web site boasts, used “no electricity mains, no gasoline,” and produced “zero CO2.” TG Daily and Gizmag announced the successful crossing of Australia (Albany to Sydney) by a wind-powered car. Although the car carried a
- [VoltAero Demonstrates Quiet Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/voltaero-demonstrates-quiet-flight/) - At least two Cessna 337s are flying on modified power systems – one with Ampaire in various locations around the world and one in France. VoltAero's French Cessna push-pull twin has been turned into a tri-motor, with twin motors sprouting from the front of the craft’s tail booms. Like its American counterpart, VoltAero’s machine is
- [Joseph Oldham Beams an American Record](https://sustainableskies.org/joseph-oldham-beams-an-american-record/) - A new "record" for an electric aircraft flight probably won't make the books, but was a great sales opportunity for the off-grid charging system that accompanied it. 21 electric airplane records exist in the list of Federation Aeronautique Internationale-recognized achievements. At least one was set in 2012 by Jean-Luc Soullier in his Colomban MC-30 Luciole
- [Take Heart!  United We Fly!](https://sustainableskies.org/take-heart-united-we-fly/) - Heart Aerospace, on the airport at Gothenburg Airport in southern Sweden, wants to bring inexpensive, four-motor electric flight to the masses. With $35 million (29.4 million euros) in recently acquired backing, the small team at Heart is working toward making a 19-passenger, four-motor airliner a reality. Their ES-19 is a single-aisle design with eight-rows of
- [Going Big and Bigger with Hydrogen](https://sustainableskies.org/going-big-and-bigger-with-hydrogen/) - Two companies promoting hydrogen power for aircraft are upsizing their aspirations, with aircraft hauling four to up to 40 passengers. Both have ambitious timelines. ZeroAvia, operating in Hollister, California and Cirencester, England has been flying a Piper Malibu demonstrator, but anticipates flying a 10 to 20 passenger Dornier by 2024. It would expand that to
- [Phinergy Aluminum/Air Batteries from India](https://sustainableskies.org/phinergy-aluminum-air-batteries-from-india/) - Phinergy, an aluminum/air battery maker from Israel, is now partnering with Indian Oil Corporation. Phinergy’s technology just received an award from the World Economic Forum as one of the 100 most promising Technology Pioneers for 2021. Phinergy was chosen for, “Its innovative energy solutions which turn metals, such as aluminum and zinc, into a clean,
- [Eviation Moves Alice’s Tail – to Washington](https://sustainableskies.org/eviation-moves-alice-to-washington/) - Israel’s Eviation has moved its manufacturing resources to Arlington, Washington, north of Seattle. There, they are making an all-new version of Alice, changing its configuration from “V”-tailed to “T”-tailed and its power from tri-motor to bi-motor. The revised craft will be powered by two Magni650 power units, a package that includes a 640 kilowatt (850
- [Valuable Materials and Fuels from Trash](https://sustainableskies.org/valuable-materials-and-fuels-from-trash/) - The Earth we inhabit struggles in an ever-tightening race between being overcome with its own trash and cleaning up after itself. Two stunning approaches to turning trash and waste into valuable materials and fuels could help us win that race. Graphene Dreams in a Flash Bigthink.com leads with the news that, “Graphene typically costs $200,000
- [Aussies Complete Electric Aircraft World Endurance Record](https://sustainableskies.org/aussies-complete-electric-aircraft-world-endurance-record/) - A three-pilot crew accompanied by a five-person, multi-vehicle support crew have set a world endurance record for electric flight. The team traversed 1,350 kilometers (839 miles) over not-always-hospitable terrain and through not-always-welcoming weather. Participants in the record attempt held up admirably, with few problems other than seemingly constant cross-wind landings and often uncooperative weather. Their
- [Archer Debuts - Meet Its Maker](https://sustainableskies.org/archer-debuts-meet-its-maker/) - Immersive Introduction Amidst stage smoke and Hollywood-style dazzling lights, Archer Aviation “flew” its Maker into public view two weeks ago. On an immersive cinema platform in a hangar in Hawthorne, California, Maker emerged amid all the pounding two drummers could produce. It seemed to hover above the varied scenery over which it appeared and the
- [Aussies Attempt Electric Aircraft World Endurance Record](https://sustainableskies.org/aussies-attempt-electric-aircraft-world-endurance-record/) - An Australian flying school and a flight planning software enterprise are in the middle of a series of flights that attempt to break an electric aircraft world endurance record. The cleverly-named Eyre to There Aviation announces that, “In partnership with platinum sponsor AvPlan EFB will aim to break a world endurance record for an electric
- [Sunseeker Duo has a New Radio and Big Plans](https://sustainableskies.org/sunseeker-duo-has-new-radio-big-plans/) - Touring on Sunbeams Eric and Irena Raymond have an enviable life, traveling on sunbeams across Europe in their Sunseeker Duo, and if plans go well later this year, into northern Africa and beyond. “Last summer, we flew down the west coast of Italy, landing on the islands of Elba and Corsica.” Crossing the Mediterranean would
- [Pipistrel Velis Electro Celebrates a Year of Certification](https://sustainableskies.org/pipistrel-velis-electro-celebrates-year-certification/) - A Year of Recognition Pipistrel celebrates the one-year anniversary of type certification for its Velis Electro. In a press release, Taja Boscarol, Co-owner, Head of PR, and Co-director of Pipistrel d.o.o. (equivalent to a limited liability corporation in America), notes the Velis Electro remains the only type-certified electrically powered airplane in the world. Recipient of
- [Two Similar eSTOLs](https://sustainableskies.org/two-similar-estols/) - Two different but very similar electric Short Take Off and Landing (eSTOL) aircraft from two different companies are making progress toward realization. Both are products of teams originally committed to electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) designs, so the shift to different configurations is of interest. eVTOLs are limited in range by the need
- [Icarus Cup 2021, Cross-Channel Race 2022](https://sustainableskies.org/icarus-cup-2021-cross-channel-race-2022/) - The British Human Powered Flying Club has huge ambitions for 2022, with its race across the English Channel and a 50,000-Pound ($70,800) grand prize. This year, though, “We are pleased to announce that we have chosen Lasham Airfield as the venue for the 2021 Icarus Cup, taking place on 24th July – 1stAugust!” Great to
- [Oxis Battery Lost, Other Batteries Found?](https://sustainableskies.org/oxis-battery-lost-battery-found/) - Announcing pending bankruptcy last week, Oxis Energy surprised those of us who did not see the impending problem. One major supporter of Oxis is George Bye, because his eFlyer line of aircraft were all slated to fly on their power. Contacted through company Vice President Diane Simard, Bye issued the following statement: “Bye Aerospace’s eFlyer
- [Spark Solo Gets ZeroAvia Sponsorship](https://sustainableskies.org/spark-solo-gets-zeroavia-sponsorship/) - Mike Friend, retired Technology Director for Boeing Aircraft, and Gabriel DeVault, head of drivetrain development for ZeroAvia, are putting a Zero motorcycle motor into Mike’s Spark Solo. There are perhaps dozens of Zero motors flying today, and the 42-pound unit has evolved to powering even two-seat motorgliders like Gabriel’s Sonex Xenos. An Ambitious Project Mike
- [The Media Are Finally Catching On](https://sustainableskies.org/the-media-are-finally-catching-on/) - The media are catching on. CBS News this morning and Public Broadcasting next week are presenting reports on electric aircraft. Your editor became aware of CBS’s report this morning at 3:00 a. m., being awakened after falling asleep earlier mid-joke during Stephen Colbert’s show. It was a pleasant way to face the day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fmh3NJVyjU CBS
- [Two Cutting Edge Batteries – How Soon?](https://sustainableskies.org/two-batteries-china-harvard/) - Hope reigns eternal for those tracking battery developments. But for once, or even twice, there may be a glimmer of hope with two cutting edge batteries. Researchers at Zhejiang University in China and Harvard University in America report promising numbers for very approaches, as divergent as their geographical locations. Ultrafast All-climate Aluminum-graphene Battery with Quarter-million
- [Air Race E: Three Classes, 18 Teams](https://sustainableskies.org/air-race-e-three-classes-18-teams/) - Air Race E is gathering momentum, now comprising two airplane classes and one eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing aircraft) class. Seven teams are officially entered and 11 “registered and confidential.” Teams hail from the United States, Great Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Malaysia, Ukraine, and the Czech Republic. This worldwide
- [From Ganged Motors to Wright's Two MegaWatts](https://sustainableskies.org/wrights-two-megawatts/) - Twelve years ago, your editor gave his first talk at an electric aircraft symposium. Dr. Brien Seeley asked that he include all motors up to 100 kilowatts in his talk – at that time a rarity. Designers often had to “gang” small motors to drive a single propeller to obtain the necessary power. Now, Wright
- [That’s the eSpirit!](https://sustainableskies.org/thats-the-espirit/) - We reported in the blog four years ago that Embry Riddle Aeronautical University not only displayed their eSpirit of St. Louis at AirVenture that year, but ran the motor for the crowd. The crowd included Federal Aviation Administrator Michael Huerta, who sat in the cockpit during the runup. The eSpirit of St. Louis A product
- [RavenSR: Hydrogen from Waste](https://sustainableskies.org/ravensr-hydrogen-waste/) - Green hydrogen is getting a lot of press lately, at least partly because of the possibilities it allows in transportation design. Raven SR, headquartered in Pinedale, Wyoming, has as its mission, “Providing revolutionary, clean technology to convert waste into renewable fuels and energy.” Clean Technica took notice of the company’s interesting location, deep in “an
- [ZeroAvia's Malibu in Off-Airport Incident](https://sustainableskies.org/zeroavia-off-field-landing-incident/) - We share this press release from ZeroAvia to allay any rumors or misinterpretations as to what happened May 1 on a test flight of ZeroAvia's Piper Malibu. The aircraft was damaged in an off-airport landing, but everyone on board managed to exit the craft safely and carried out safety protocols. The incident will doubtless be
- [Harbor Air’s eBeaver, MagniX’s Motor, H55’s Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/ebeaver-magnix-motor-h55-batteries/) - In our last blog entry, we discussed a three-partner enterprise with an American airframe propelled by a French motor powered by British batteries. In this round, we have a Canadian airframe powered by an Australian/American motor driven by Swiss batteries. These international collaborations may pay off in big ways. Datelined Vancouver, B.C., Everett, WA, and
- [Bye, Oxis, Safran Create Electric Business Liner](https://sustainableskies.org/bye-oxis-safran-create-electric-business-liner/) - Bye Aerospace, Oxis Energy and the Safran Group have introduced an, “Eight-seat all-electric twin turbo-prop class airplane, the eFlyer 800™.” It’s a fascinating combination of new airframe, new batteries, and new motors. An American airplane powered by English batteries and propelled by French motors will be an international accomplishment, to say the least. The Airplane
- [BETA and Blade Cut Deal for 20 Alia’s](https://sustainableskies.org/beta-blade-cut-deal-20-alias/) - Business as Unusual BETA Technologies made a big move from its highly complex Ava to a simpler Alia, and managed to snag an initial order for up to 150 of its new craft from United Parcel Service (UPS). This was followed by the signing of a binding agreement with Blade for another 20 craft for
- [Elektra Trainer – Flight Training for the New Age](https://sustainableskies.org/elektra-trainer-flight-training-new-age/) - A Decade of Development A modified version of Elektra One, flying since 2011 and certified in the German ultralight class, Calin Gologan’s Elektra Trainer could provide affordable flight training with lower operating costs. Calin displayed Elektra One at the 2012 AirVenture show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, flying daily on the power of its solar-charged batteries. The
- [Pipistrel's Triple Alliance Will Fly High in China](https://sustainableskies.org/pipistrels-triple-alliance-sf-express-amazilia/) - Pipistrel's triple alliance with SF Express, a Chinese package delivery enterprise, and Amazilia, a software/hardware firm in Germany, will help fulfill high-flying ambitions. Pipistrel, a well-established company with its roots in Slovenia, already has affiliates in Italy, China, and the USA. Now, its partnership with SF Express and Amazilia has obvious links to the need
- [Two Wood Aircraft Leading to the Future](https://sustainableskies.org/two-wood-aircraft-leading-to-future/) - Two French manufacturers are reverting to bois et toile (wood and fabric) for ultra-modern aircraft. Both of their aircraft will be electrically powered, and both will use non-traditional approaches to construction. In the meantime, both have fairly traditional demonstration models. The French have done wonders with wooden aircraft from the very beginning of aviation. Santos
- [The Great Human Powered Aircraft Race -2022](https://sustainableskies.org/great-powered-air-race-cross-english-channel/) - A New Crew of Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines Fred To, former head of the British Human Powered Flying Club, has shared a major announcement. "The Great Human Powered Aircraft Race will take place in June 2022 and is now open for entries. Teams will attempt to cross the Channel from England to France
- [Electrifly-in: Grenchen 2021](https://sustainableskies.org/electriflyin-grenchen-2021/) - Electrifly-in, formerly the Smartflyer Challenge, is on for September 11 and 12, 2021, in Grenchen, Switzerland. The event, even held in 2020 despite the pandemic, is a compact showing of the latest in electrical aircraft and technology. Watch as this 2019 video as a Φnix (the Greek letter phi + nix –a clever bilingual pun)
- [Massless Batteries for Aircraft?](https://sustainableskies.org/massless-batteries-aircraft/) - What if the weight of the batteries in an electric airplane could virtually disappear? Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden have come up with an improved structural battery that exceeds the results of earlier research. So-called “massless batteries,” although not as energy dense as cylindrical or pouch lithium-ion batteries, could be worthy
- [Landing in the Baobab Trees with eHang](https://sustainableskies.org/landing-baobab-trees-ehang/) - eHang, expanding its horizons with its two-passenger EH216 autonomous aerial vehicles (AAVs), has announced a partnership with Italian architecture firm Giancarlo Zema Design Group (GZDG). GZDG’s eco-sustainable, Baobab tree-mimicking vertiport will act as a landing zone for eHang’s electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) craft. Basing its design on the Baobab tree, native to
- [Scylax and Tecnam Field Electric Regional Commuters](https://sustainableskies.org/scylax-tecnam-field-regional-commuters/) - Two electric regional commuters are nearing reality. A Scylax design from Calin Gologan reflects its “clean sheet” origins: the other, derived from an existing Tecnam design, honors its Italian craftsmanship heritage. Calin Gologan, Rosario De Luca and the Scylax E Series Calin, designing and building solar-powered aircraft since 2011 , and Rosario De Luca, Co
- [Hypoint’s Radical Radial Fuel Cell Solution](https://sustainableskies.org/hypoints-radical-radial-fuel-cell-solution/) - Hypoint proclaims, “We make zero emission air transport possible.” They do this by, “Building a next generation hydrogen fuel cell system that can deliver “Both high specific power: “2,000 Watts/kilogram and high energy density “1,500 Watt-hours/kilogram Exactly what aircraft designers are looking for.” These numbers exceed what the best batteries can manage at this time,
- [Two Hydrogen-Powered Aerial Vehicles](https://sustainableskies.org/two-hydrogen-powered-aerial-vehicles/) - Two very different hydrogen-powered aerial vehicles have come to our attention, each with a different mission, but both with endurance and range as primary functions. Both use a fairly straightforward fuel cell/motor arrangement to power their flights. Vicor/DMI Fuel Cell Drones Doosan Mobility Innovation (DMI) is a major drone manufacturer, and their largest products push
- [Defeating Dendrites - Going with the Flow](https://sustainableskies.org/defeating-dendrites-going-with-the-flow/) - One thing stalling battery development, dendrites, may have met their match if University of California at Davis researchers have their way. Jiandi Wan’s research group allowed ions to flow through a microfluidic channel near a battery’s cathode to prevent dendrite growth. According the group’s paper, this, “…can potentially expand the safety and lifespans of these
- [Two Ways to Haul 19 on H2](https://sustainableskies.org/pipistrel-delft-tu-h2-19-seat-aircraft/) - Pipistel and Delft Technical University have introduced hydrogen (H2) powered, 19-seat airliners for the intermediate-range market. Both are unique configurations with unique propulsion concepts. Both attempt to lower drag through the use of their propulsive systems. Pipistrel Miniliner Pipistrel announced their Miniliner concept as a response to a “significant market potential” for a “zero-emission airplane
- [Joby Aviation's eVTOL Makes a Quiet Debut](https://sustainableskies.org/joby-makes-quiet-debut/) - Joby Aviation's recent debut of a very quiet eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) aircraft has caused a stir in the aviation and financial worlds. Silent operation, or as near silent as possible, is essential to the future success of the sky taxi ideal. Toward that end, JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby
- [eCSTOL: Longer Range Commutes on Less Power](https://sustainableskies.org/ecstol-longer-range-commutes-less-power/) - Competition is growing in the electric Vertical Take Off and Landing market, with 407 potential builders listed in eVTOL News. Vertical flight takes power, though, and with available batteries limiting range, most such vehicles can make only short hops. Alternatives that allow speedier, longer flights, in the form of electric Conventional Short Take Off and
- [A Solar Airport Profits from Vegetables](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-airport-profits-vegetables/) - We've covered several airports that have found ways to make themselves environmentally friendly, including recycling the vast amounts of waste left by passengers, and installing solar panels to help run the site. Recently honored by the United Nations. "Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) has been selected for the Champion of Earth Prize - 2018, the
- [Longer Aerial Commutes to Affordability](https://sustainableskies.org/longer-aerial-commutes-affordability/) - Exurbs and Extended Range Urban Air Mobility (UAM) may be only a small part of electric aerial transport in the next decade. Longer-range vehicles may enable longer aerial commutes to affordable country homes. Cities are becoming too expensive for most families, and examples abound of commuters traveling over 100 miles to and from work. Two
- [Landing Zones for All Those eVTOLs (and eCSTOLs)](https://sustainableskies.org/landing-zones-evtols-and-ecstols/) - Siting and Building Considerations at the 2019 SAS As we see an inrush of capital to finance new electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) machines and now electric Conventional Short Take Off and Landing (eCSTOL) machines, we are on the cusp of seeing newly envisioned landing zones for these machines. With the departure of Uber
- [Hydrogen as a Goop? Fraunhofer's Powerpaste](https://sustainableskies.org/hydrogen-powerpaste-goop/) - Not Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop What if a different approach to storing hydrogen as a fuel gave benefits that are easily disbelieved? Would this new fuel find approval and widespread adoption? Ask the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials (IFAM) in Dresden, Germany. The Institute has come up with something called Powerpaste, claimed to
- [Airflow Moves toward Full Scale eCSTOL, AI](https://sustainableskies.org/airflow-moves-toward-full-scale-ecstol-ai/) - Airflow, a recent entry into the electric conventional short takeoff and landing (eCSTOL) market, is pushing forward into fielding a full-scale demonstrator. They are also testing the limits of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in nailing their landings. Airflow’s mission is spelled out in big ideas and bold fonts. “Freight without the wait. The first electric Short
- [Work Begins on Production eFlyer 2](https://sustainableskies.org/work-begins-eflyer-2/) - For the last year or so, Bye Aerospace has grown a burgeoning order book, with over 700 aircraft on call, but only one or two real-world examples flying. That’s changing now, with a new motor from Safran and Composites Universal Group (CUG) assembling an actual production eFlyer 2 fuselage. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxMabD6t2i4 Parts of the video may
- [Happy Velis Electro News from Pipistrel](https://sustainableskies.org/happy-news-pipistrel/) - Taja Boscarol, Public Relations Manager for Pipistel Vertical Solutions, and Michael Coates, Master Distributor for USA, Australia & New Zealand, shared a lot of happy news this week about their Velis Electro. Electric Outsells Gasoline Powered Michael puts his news in enthusiastic, all-caps context. “The US has a new president, Europe is under siege from
- [Michael Friend's Spark Solo](https://sustainableskies.org/michael-friends-spark-solo/) - "The Quest for a Truly Practical Electric Touring Motor-Glider" Mike Friend is not your typical retired aircraft executive. As Technical Director for Boeing, he oversaw “the first manned fixed wing aircraft powered by a hydrogen fuel cell/lithium ion battery powerplant that first flew back in 2008.” He’s been associated with green energy projects since then,
- [Stemme Goes Electric with its New Elfin](https://sustainableskies.org/stemme-goes-electric-new-company/) - Reiner Stemme designed his namesake sailplane 30 years ago and the overall design and his new Elfin retains the original pop-out nose cone, folding propeller configuration. The 50:1 glide ratio means this 20-meter (75-foot) span motorglider offers less than 40 pounds of drag at its maximum takeoff weight 0f 1984 pounds. That is a significant
- [Archer Aviation Gets Fiat Chrysler Backing](https://sustainableskies.org/archer-aviation-gets-fiat-chrysler-backing/) - Another eVTOL? Among the many battery- and solar-powered entries at this year’s (virtual) Consumer Electronics Show, Archer Aviation has entered the electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (EVTOL) market with Fiat Chrysler backing. It’s being discreet about it, however, and reveals little detail. The company willingly shares its mission statement, though. “To fix traffic and create
- [To the Contrary, Propeller-Wise](https://sustainableskies.org/to-contrary-propeller-wise/) - Sacramento, California based CR Flight is dedicated to building highly-efficient motor/propeller combinations based on contra-rotation - propellers turning contrary to one another. Not to be confused with counter-rotation - two propellers driven by two different engines and turning in opposite directions - contra-rotating propellers are driven in tandem by the same engine. In the case
- [Joby "Unicorn" Gains Private, Military Backing](https://sustainableskies.org/joby-unicorn-gains-private-military-backing/) - Joby Aviation is one of few “unicorns” in the electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) market, a billion-dollar enterprise. With funding coming from Toyota, several venture capital investors, Uber and the U. S. Army, Joby seems poised to demonstrate Urban Air Mobility (UAM) in a serious way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2AHt4axFN8 In 2011 JoeBen Bevirt, founder of
- [ZeroAvia Gains Backing at High Levels](https://sustainableskies.org/zeroavia-gains-backing-high-levels/) - “Cannot be more proud and humbled to be a part of this stellar team!” That’s power system developer Gabriel DeVault’s response to ZeroAvia’s Chief Financial Officer Katya Akulinicheva’s enthusiastic endorsement of Bloomberg LP’s news. She listed the investors taking an active interest in ZeroAvia, including Ecosystem Integrity Fund, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, the Amazon Climate Pledge
- [Sunseeker Duo Plays Among the Alps](https://sustainableskies.org/beautiful-winter-solar-flight/) - Eric and Irena Raymond took a lovely Sunseeker Duo flight over the Italian alps near their home in Voghera and edited it all into a video. They designed and built their own solar-powered airplane - Eric's third. He flew Sunseeker 1 across the US in 1990 in 21 hops. A big press conference scheduled for
- [Something to Lighten the Post-Holiday Letdown](https://sustainableskies.org/something-lighten-post-holiday-letdown/) - Even following Boxing Day, we have a few items to re-gift to our faithful readers, and close out the season with four very light examples of electric aviation. A-I-R ATOS Felix Ruhle has been improving and refining a basic wing design for over a decade, growing a line of aircraft that range from simple hang-gliders
- [Airbus Goes Modular with Hydrogen Pods](https://sustainableskies.org/airbus-goes-modular-hydrogen-pods/) - Airbus announced its Zero E program in late September, showing three possible candidates for hybrid hydrogen power. Zero E, for zero emissions, is a tall order even for one of the world’s two largest aircraft companies. Now, the company makes yet another announcement – for a novel modular “pod” configuration – “a stand-alone propeller propulsion
- [MAHEPA and HY4 Go High](https://sustainableskies.org/mahepa-hy4-go-high/) - MAHEPA (Modular Aproach to Hybrid-Electric Propulsion Architecture) is a European Union project to build emission-free aircraft. A public flight of Pipistrel’s HY4 hydrogen-powered, four-seat aircraft was the latest demonstration of the group’s progress. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtQvDUN2ukE Challenging Objectives Overall, MAHEPA hopes to accomplish five objectives: Advancing the fuel-driven serial hybrid-electric Powertrain which uses a lightweight internal combustion
- [Quantumscape Batteries - an Emerging Answer](https://sustainableskies.org/quantumscape-batteries/) - Hiding in plain site next to the San Jose, California International Airport, Quantumscape has been quietly developing a solid-state battery now emerging and trending toward mass production. With backing from Volkswagen, Bill Gates and a founding member of Tesla, the battery company would make big splash if it used a liquid electrolyte. It doesn’t. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukdGw_hs2rM
- [A 5-10X Battery from Silver Oxide and Zinc](https://sustainableskies.org/5-10x-battery-silver-oxide-zinc/) - University of California at San Diego researchers headlined a report with fairly astonishing news:“A flexible screen-printed rechargeable battery with up to 10 times more power than state of the art.” Combining their science with the manufacturing expertise of a hearing-aid battery maker, they have come up with a silver oxide and zinc battery that can
- [Is There a Graphene Battery in Our (Near) Future?](https://sustainableskies.org/graphene-battery-our-near-future/) - Graphene is fascinating stuff, with tons of promise. Whether it can produce usable results for energy storage is still an open question. But Samsung and a startup called Real Graphene may have at least a start in that realm. GAC, a Chinese auto firm, seems to be promising batteries before the end of what is
- [Russian Efly 1A Begins Flight Tests](https://sustainableskies.org/russian-efly-1a-begins-flight-tests/) - Designing and building an airplane is a major undertaking, often taking a decade or more to complete. Aleksey Sychev has completed two airplanes and at least two motors out of three planned. Think about that – our Russian friend has built his own airplanes, motors, controllers, and battery packs. The Russian engineer and teacher has
- [Tecnam Goes Electric in Parallel and with Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/tecnam-rolls-royce-battery-hybrid/) - Tecnam, an Italian aircraft producer noteworthy for supplying the base aircraft for NASA’s X-57 Maxwell distributed electric test vehicle, has two of its own electric craft under development. One will be a parallel-hybrid single-engine/motor four-seater with perhaps the smallest motor Rolls-Royce can supply. The other will employ a battery-only system to power an 11-seat commuter
- [Beam Me Up: Flying on Sunshine™](https://sustainableskies.org/beam-me-up-flying-on-sunshine/) - We recently reported on two electrically-powered cross-country flights for which the big issue was lack of battery-charging facilities at airports along the way. Both “teams” had their chargers carried by an accompanying airplane or automobile. Now, with a public demonstration a Beam Global charger at Reedley Municipal Airport in Fresno County, California, we see a
- [Erik, Eric, Dr. Anderson, Verdego and Hybrid Power](https://sustainableskies.org/erik-eric-dr-anderson-verdego-hybrid-power/) - In a recent AVWeb Vodcast, Paul Bertorelli interviewed Embry Riddle’s Dr. Pat Anderson on the topic, “Why Electric Airplane Designers Are Turning to Hybrid Drives.” Battery energy-carrying capability has not fulfilled its promise yet, according to Anderson. The difference in energy density between fossil fuels and batteries is still too great to fulfill missions involving more
- [H3X - A Motor with High Power Density](https://sustainableskies.org/h3x-motor-high-power-density/) - H3X, a motor company started by three University of Madison, Wisconsin graduates, promotes its integrated motor/inverter power plant as “the next step in the evolution of electric propulsion technology.” With Their HPDM-250’s 13-kilowatt-per-kilogram continuous power ability, it meets ARPA-E’s (Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy’s) criteria for powering large, 737-type aircraft. Electronics Weekly reports, “ARPA-E has determined
- [What’s the HAPS?](https://sustainableskies.org/whats-the-haps/) - What do a Japanese investment bank, a software network, balloons and a gigantic stratospheric flying wing called HAPS have in common? Let’s look at the players and then piece together this puzzle. Softbank According to Wikipedia, “SoftBank Group Corp.[11][12] is a Japanese multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. SoftBank owns stakes in many technology, energy, and financial companies. It
- [DLR's Novel Configurations](https://sustainableskies.org/dlrs-novel-configurations/) - Researchers from the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) conducting research into the potential of new types of design have crafted novel configurations for future flight. The DRL and BDLI (German Aerospace Industries Association or Bundesverband der Deutschen Luft- und Raumfahrtindustrie) have published a white paper: “Zero Emission Aviation – Emissionsfreies
- [Peter Sripol’s Mk. IV is Paramotor Powered](https://sustainableskies.org/peter-sripols-mk-iv-paramotor-powered/) - Peter Sripol creates interesting ultralight aircraft, among other, sometimes scary projects. His latest is pulled along by a paramotor motor. Because of the small aircraft’s low and slow performance, the low-power (and very low noise) motor seems more than sufficient to the task. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp7JcmwKQcU His fourth design, the Mk IV has no ailerons, much like
- [DLR’s Future Visions](https://sustainableskies.org/dlrs-future-visions/) - One Size Does Not Fit All DLR (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt or German Aerospace Center) and the German Aerospace Industries Association (Bundesverband der Deutschen Luft- und Raumfahrtindustrie; BDLI) present future visions of electric aircraft. These range from a four-seat hydrogen-powered repurposed Pipistrel that nine years ago won the NASA Green Flight Challenge to
- [Ampaire's Second Electric Eel Sets Record](https://sustainableskies.org/ampaires-second-electric-eel-sets-record/) - There are now two Ampaire electric EELs* flying, courtesy of Ampaire Aviation. The second test vehicle recently set a world record, staying in the air for two hours and 32 minutes, covering 341 miles at an average speed of “around 135 mph.” A six-seat Cessna 337 “Skymaster,” the “push-pull” twin has been modified by Ampaire
- [Wright Electric, ARPA-E, and Life’s Report Card](https://sustainableskies.org/wright-electric-arpa-e-lifes-report-card/) - If, as the infamous cartoon in the New Yorker proclaimed, “Money is life’s report card,” Jeff Engler’s Wright Electric got a least a B+ for its current semester. While not as flush with cash as firms like Joby Aviation, eHang, or Volocopter, Wright received significant recognition for its initiative in designing high-efficiency electric motors with
- [NAWA’s Straight Line Electrode to More Power](https://sustainableskies.org/nawas-straight-line-more-power/) - Most battery breakthroughs are five years in the future, following the basic rules of scientific journals and Popular Science magazine. The usual refrains are, “Further research is required,” and “Researchers expect commercial development within the next decade.” Rather than wait for the future, NAWA Technologies claims the world’s fastest electrode today and production now. NAWA’a
- [MissionGO Drones Make Medical Deliveries](https://sustainableskies.org/missiongo-drones-make-medical-deliveries/) - The Nevada desert near Las Vegas formed a dramatic backdrop for the delivery of a kidney and corneas to a simulated emergency surgery site this last week. MissionGO’s rotary-wing drone delivered the kidney on one flight and the corneas on another – just to clarify. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIPvrIFrE4A&feature=emb_logo This cooperative effort among Mission GO’s technology and the
- [ZEROe on the Rise at Airbus](https://sustainableskies.org/zeroe-h2-rise-airbus/) - ZEROe Airbus, taking a new direction, announced that they are, “Exploring game-changing concept aircraft – known as ZEROe – powered by hydrogen, a disruptive zero-emission technology with the potential to reduce aircraft emissions by up to 50%.” Two seem to be evolutionary, employing a different fuel and powertrain within fairly conventional airframes. The third, a
- [A Dash of Hydrogen](https://sustainableskies.org/dash-hydrogen/) - Getting the Parts Free, Charged for Refills What if future flight had a simple “return the old fuel container and get a new one” business model? Paul Eremenko, founder of California startup Universal Hydrogen, wants to try it out in a Dash 8 airliner equipped with two 2-megawatt motors supplied by MagniX. Poor analogy perhaps,
- [ZeroAvia First Out of the Gate with Hydrogen Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/zeroavia-first-out-gate-h2/) - An Historic Hydrogen Outing While Airbus and MagniX promote the near- and not-so-near virtues of hydrogen-powered flight, ZeroAvia has demonstrated such flight with the largest H2-powered aircraft so far. Their Cranfield, England-based Piper Malibu flew on H2 power for the first time September 24 on an eight-minute circuit. The blue Malibu reached 1,000 feet and
- [End the Year on a Volocopter Note](https://sustainableskies.org/end-year-volocopter-note/) - Volocopter has an exciting way to end 2020, leaving the old year with a ticket for your future flight in a VoloCity VC 2-1 aircraft (the “Aircraft”). Fine print, spelled out in the eight-page General Terms & Conditions for the Volocopter World Premiere Ticket Program, might cause the hesitant to pause. The more adventurous among
- [E2 Glide – Electrifying Sailplane Competitions](https://sustainableskies.org/e2-glide-electrifying-sailplane-competitions/) - Uwe Beger, competition director for a new form of sailplane contenst, wrote this in response to our entry on the Pipistrel Velis’ multiple records flying from Switzerland to the North Sea. “From August 29th to September 5th 2020 fifteen pilots from 6 different nations flew a cross country flying contest (E2 Glide), where the usage
- [Electrifly-In, Grenchen 2020](https://sustainableskies.org/electriflyin-grenchen-2020/) - Grenchen, Switzerland’s airfield hosted the fourth electric fly-in on that site over the weekend of September 11 and 12. No fewer than 16 different electric craft flew in or were on hand to greet the lucky visitors. Even celebrities were there, including Solar Impulse pilot Bertrand Piccard and Olympic champion, astrophysicist and pilot Dominique Gisin.
- [Look What Fred To Started!](https://sustainableskies.org/look-what-fred-to-started/) - forty years ago today, Fred To's Solar One flew the length of the runway at Lasham Airfield in Hampshire, England, solely on the energy derived from the weak winter illumination and stored in a small set of ni-cad batteries.. With his partner David Williams, he had built the wooden, model-aircraft-like structure in a farm building,
- [Eather One – When Friction is a Good Thing](https://sustainableskies.org/eather-one-when-friction-good-thing/) - Tribolectrics Your editor has long promoted the idea of the Grand Unified Airplane, a vehicle which would essentially power itself from sunlight, piezoelectrics, structural batteries, and even the friction of the air over its surfaces. He wrote about the concept in the May, 2013 Kitplanes, and has noted an increasing number of articles in scientific
- [Aviation Milestone: Successful Electric World Record Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/aviation-milestone-successful-electric-world-record-flight/) - The Elektro-Weltrekordflug (electric world record flight) team had great success in its flight from Schänis, Switzerland to Norderney, on Germany’s North Sea. Setting five of its intended seven world records and then flying back to Switzerland, the team and its Pipistrel Velis showed that electric flight can be a reality for light aircraft. All we
- [Flying the Atlantic Electrically - The Freedom Flight Prize](https://sustainableskies.org/flying-atlantic-electrically-100-years-lindbergh/) - It almost stops your editor in his tracks when he reflects that 93 years ago, Charles Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic in his Spirit of St. Louis. Even more astounding, competitors may win the Freedom Flight Prize by the 100th anniversary of that flight by making a cross-Atlantic and return flight in a 100-passenger, all-electric airliner.
- [DOE Promotes Carbon Neutrality Aeronautically](https://sustainableskies.org/doe-promotes-carbon-neutrality-aeronautically/) - Both GreenCarCongress.com and CleanTechnica share information about the Department of Energy’s funding of 17 projects in two Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) categories. Prepare for the inevitable rush of acronyms. All the projects seem to be reserved for applications on single-aisle short- and intermediate-range airliners, with emphasis on economy of operation, carbon neutrality and
- [On to the North Sea, Electrically](https://sustainableskies.org/swiss-team-world-record-electric-aircraft/) - Elektroweltrekordflug A team in Switzerland attempted an elektroweltrekordflug, an electric world record flight, hoping to set seven world records in one 700-kilometer trip. Flying a new, certified Pipistrel Velis, the team of Marco Buholzer and co-pilot Morell Westermann hoped to find their way into the Guinness Book of World Records for the following: • Lowest
- [Pipistrel’s Nuuva’s – Electric Cargo Haulers](https://sustainableskies.org/pipistrels-nuuvas-electric-cargo-haulers/) - Like the TV commercial of the obviously wealthy couple requesting an architect design a kitchen around their choice of designer faucet, Pipistrel may have designed a cargo aircraft around the ubiquitous EUR-pallet. Its extraordinary Nuuva V300 can hold three of these 1,200 mm × 800 mm × 144 mm (47.2 in × 31.5 in × 5.7 in) platforms laden with items destined for distant places.
- [Amazon PrimeAir FAA Approved](https://sustainableskies.org/amazon-primeair-faa-approved/) - St. Paul gave us the idea that there are several heavens, a layered set of spiritual levels increasingly sublime with altitude. That’s why there’s a “seventh heaven” of love, tranquility and bliss. Then there are earthly regulations to consider. The FAA’s approval meets with Amazon’s approval. “We're excited about Prime Air — a future delivery
- [SolarStratos Announces First Solar Free Fall](https://sustainableskies.org/solarstratos-announces-first-solar-free-fall/) - If you happen to be in Payerne, Switzerland tomorrow morning around 7:00 a. m. Tuesday morning, August 25, you might want to visit the local airport. There, the SolarStratos team will stage a demonstration flight with a free fall parachute jump by the project’s founder. Miquel Iturmendi will pilot Raphael Domjan to an unspecified height,
- [Oxis Batteries to Fly in Two Airplanes](https://sustainableskies.org/oxis-batteries-fly-two-airplanes/) - While we wait yet another five years for commercial development of each newly announced but promising battery chemistry, one company has its cells ready to fly in Bye Aerospace’s eFlyer 2 and in Texas Aircraft’s Colt S-LSA. Oxis Energy has managed to leapfrog lithium-ion makers with its lithium-sulfur battery packs packing 400 Watt-hours per kilogram.
- [Electrifly-In: A Big Show in a Small Space](https://sustainableskies.org/electrifly-big-show-small-space/) - For those of us who find trudging over miles of airfield, such as Oshkosh’s AirVenture, or even local fly-ins spread along a runway tiring, Grenchen, Switzerland’s Electrifly-In may be welcome relief. The event, previously called the Smartflyer Challenge, is planned for September 12 and 13 and should draw electric aircraft from all over Europe. https://vimeo.com/7253324
- [HyPoint and Hydrogen Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/hypoint-hydrogen-flight/) - Their web site proclaims, “HyPoint, Inc. is developing the next generation hydrogen fuel cell system with zero CO2 emissions and game-changing energy performance for the air transportation and urban air mobility market.” Pointing out a “fundamental barrier at a chemistry level” for lithium-ion batteries, the fuel cell maker launches some seemingly outrageous claims. HyPoint states, “Our
- [Two New Electric Sailplanes](https://sustainableskies.org/two-new-electric-sailplanes/) - Two electric sailplanes come from different ends of the soaring spectrum and each shows its own unique character. Their differences are as noteworthy as their geographic separation. Birdy Birdy is a single-seat, electrically powered motor glider that fits the European Union 120 kilogram class. The 264-pound empty weight puts it 10 pounds above America’s FAA
- [Regenerative Gas Turbines for Hybrid Aircraft](https://sustainableskies.org/regenerative-gas-turbines-hybrid-aircraft/) - Beth Stanton shared an email she received from Alex Kovnat, EAA #452346, telling of Turbotech S. A. S., “A startup company” making very efficient gas turbines. Turbotech “has patented a regenerative, high-temperature heat exchanger that increases the efficiency of low power turbines by a factor of 2–3. They achieved this by recycling what would normally
- [Switzerland to the North Sea - Flying Electrically](https://sustainableskies.org/switzerland-north-sea-flying-electrically/) - We’re still early in attempts to set world records with electric airplanes. Jean-Luc Soullier, a friend of the blog, held many of them a decade ago, flying a little Colomban MC-30, an ultralight designed by one of Concorde’s engineers. At the other end of the size scale, Solar Impulse set many records on its globe-girdling
- [SolarStratos Returns to Service](https://sustainableskies.org/solarstratos-returns-service/) - SolarStratos, a mission envisioned by Raphaël Domjan and an airplane designed by Calin Gologan, returns to the skies after suffering a literal break in its program in 2018. During a series of tests that put increasingly heavy loads on the wings, its left wing broke with what was called a “technical damage.” This type of
- [Electric Aviation Group Goes Big](https://sustainableskies.org/electric-aviation-group-goes-big/) - Emulating bird flight has been a big part of man’s desire to fly through the years. The latest in ornithological look-alikes comes from the Electric Aviation Group in the United Kingdom. Their creation seem to be an outgrowth of last year’s somewhat controversial Bird of Prey concept displayed by Airbus at several prominent airshows. Designed
- [Honeywell’s New UAM Business Unit](https://sustainableskies.org/honeywells-new-uam-business-unit/) - Honeywell, long involved in avionics and other aviation-related instrumentation and equipment, has created an entire, new business unit devoted to unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and urban air mobility (UAM). If any indication is necessary to show that urban air is not a passing fad, it’s the investments being made by major entities – from Toyota
- [Wisk Tests Cora in US, New Zealand](https://sustainableskies.org/wisk-tests-cora-us-new-zealand/) - Recently renamed Wisk (formerly KittyHawk) has resumed flight testing of its Cora eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) machines following a cautionary corona virus shutdown. It’s already got a fleet, with several prototypes in the U. S. and at least four in New Zealand. New Zealand seems to have a lock on flight testing
- [Rising Above It: How the Automotive Industry is Elevating Urban Air Transport](https://sustainableskies.org/rising-above-it-how-automotive-industry-elevating-urban-air-transport/) - Introducing Giles Kirkland Editor's Note: Today's guest writer, Giles Kirkland, "... is a passionate car expert and dedicated automotive writer. He always researches on the newest car technologies and willingly tries them out, then sharing his thoughts and expertise with other automotive and technology enthusiasts across the globe. You can find Giles and his ideas
- [Pipistrel Velis: Part of an Electric Heritage](https://sustainableskies.org/pipistrel-velis-part-electric-heritage/) - The Pipistrel Velis is the culmination of 13 years of electric aircraft development and the first to gain certification by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on June 10. Pipistrel has been in the electric airplane business since 2007 when it announced the Taurus Electro motorglider, which entered service in 2011. That aircraft went
- [Eric Raymond Shares a Vision](https://sustainableskies.org/eric-raymond-shares-vision/) - Eric Raymond is a real pioneer in electric aviation. Decades before Solar Impulse made its epic flights Eric navigated his solar-powered Sunseeker I across the United States in 21 hops, traveling from Desert Center, California to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. He flew over the Matterhorn on his way from Germany to Italy in Sunseeker II.
- [Terrafugia in Transition](https://sustainableskies.org/terrafugia-transition/) - Terrafugia, a company started by a group of inspired college friends, has made it a mission to bring a flying car to the marketplace. Quite literally – it’s in their mission statement: “Terrafugia’s mission is to create the ultimate mobility solution – flying cars.” Even though the term is somewhat decried in current parlance –
- [Hydrogen Malibu's on Two Continents](https://sustainableskies.org/hydrogen-malibus-on-two-continents/) - Tuesday, June 23, ZeroAvia flew a hydrogen-powered Piper Malibu from Cranfield Airport in England., eight time zones from ZeroAvia’s home base in Hollister, California. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUONPo95xYk Flown by Andrew Dixon, that and a subsequent flight gained extra publicity for “a James Bond stunt pilot*” helming the first electric aircraft capable of carrying passengers from a United
- [John Langford’s New Direction](https://sustainableskies.org/john-langfords-new-direction/) - John Langford has been a leading exponent of new directions in aeronautical technology. From his work as project manager with MIT’s human-powered Daedalus project to his executive leadership with Aurora Technologies, he has crafted electric, autonomous, and downright astonishing vehicles. The following video is long, but insightful and exciting. We see Langford in several early
- [Beta Alia: Electric with Tern-like Grace](https://sustainableskies.org/beta-alia-begin-testing/) - A new aircraft’s first takeoff is usually performed under its own power, but the recent trip by Beta Technologies' just-revealed Alia eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) aircraft was externally powered. A 30-minute lift across Lake Champlain from Alia’s birthplace in Burlington, Vermont to its test site in Plattsburgh, New York was uneventful, but
- [Cuberg Batteries - Some Real Numbers](https://sustainableskies.org/cuberg-shares-real-numbers/) - Cuberg, a startup battery company based in Emeryville, California, is pretty specific about its cell-level battery performance – 369 Watt-hours per kilogram at a discharge rate of C/20. This was verified in testing at the Idaho National Laboratory, with Cuberg cells demonstrating a specific power of 2,000 Watts per kilogram. Cells lasted through “around” 370
- [Airflow: Coming to a Rooftop Near You?](https://sustainableskies.org/airflow-estol-rooftop-airport/) - “1 pilot, 500 pounds of cargo,” reads Airflow’s headline for its electric STOL (Short Take Off and Landing) aircraft. Reaching for the “middle-mile” cargo delivery market, Airflow’s new design promises to be four times faster than trucks, operate at one-third the cost of helicopters or eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) vehicles, and require
- [A Seven-Minute Quantum Leap](https://sustainableskies.org/seven-minute-quantum-leap/) - Quantum Systems GmbH, located on the Dornierstraße (aptly named after a pioneering German aviation firm) near Munich, makes small eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) vehicles with large missions. Quantum’s Tron and Trinity drones offer two platforms for deliveries of small packages, performance of surveillance and mapping, and providing tactical observation. Last week, the
- [Bye Announces Progress, Purchases, Personnel](https://sustainableskies.org/bye-announces-progress-purchases-personnel/) - Ms. Diane Simard, Executive Vice President and board member at Bye Aerospace, has brought several major pieces of news regarding the company's progress, client purchases and new personnel to your editor’s attention. There are even plaudits for the firm and its founder. Progress Bye Aerospace explains an important facet of new aircraft development, especially for
- [Making Greener-Than-Green Hydrogen](https://sustainableskies.org/making-greener-than-green-hydrogen/) - What if we could make “clean” hydrogen from plain water, with none of the problems associated with coal, oil or gas extraction and the waste byproducts produced in extracting brown or blue H2? Several approaches such as artificial leaves have been developed, but a totally different new approach seems incredibly promising. A promising approach may
- [Largest Electric Airplane Takes Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/largest-electric-airplane-takes-flight/) - Yesterday, a Cessna C208 Caravan lifted off from the AeroTEC Flight Test Center at the Grant County International Airport (MWH) in Moses Lake, Washington, being pulled aloft by a magniX 500 electric motor. The 750-horsepower (560 kW) magni500 propulsion system is the largest to fly so far, and seemed to pull the ten-passenger craft easily, lifting
- [Hydrogen from Dirty and Clean Sources](https://sustainableskies.org/hydrogen-dirty-clean-sources/) - Hydrogen, the first element created from the Big Bang, is the lightest in the periodic table, has the atomic number 1, and is “the most abundant chemical substance in the universe.” (Wikipedia). Until starting this blog entry, though, your editor was unaware that this colorless gas came in brown, blue, and green variants - referring
- [GoFly Prize Will Have a Sequel](https://sustainableskies.org/gofly-competition-will-have-sequel/) - A well-produced video looking like a Christopher Nolan trailer for an upcoming Batman film -- Silverwing’s preview of its coming attraction wraps us in a cocoon-like cockpit with a heads-up display to envy. Silverwing’s S1 was one of 20 machines to show up at Moffett Field in Mountain View, California for the GoFly Prize flyoff.
- [Pyka: Electric, Autonomous, and Capable](https://sustainableskies.org/pyka-electric-autonomous-capable/) - "The Autonomous Airplane of the Future" Conceived in Oakland and Palo Alto, California but flying in New Zealand, Pyka’s fixed-wing electric aircraft represents a new approach in its design and application. Its makers say, “We're building the autonomous electric airplanes of the future,” and its complement of innovative on-board electronics certainly seems to bear that
- [Pipistrel’s Plans Evolve in Exciting Ways](https://sustainableskies.org/pipistrels-plans-evolve-exciting-ways/) - In its 30th year, Pipistrel is making many changes, from a crisp new logo to new emphases and technologies. Its 801, intended for Uber’s Urban Air Mobility program, will segue into a cargo version and return later after the firm gains experience with deliveries. Meanwhile, Pipistrel will concentrate on developing a 19-seat, 300-mile range regional
- [VoltAero Has  Ambitious Plans](https://sustainableskies.org/voltaero-has-ambitious-plans/) - VoltAero is a small French company that might succeed in electric flight where bigger firms have failed. Its hybrid-electric system marks an innovative path to quiet flight. Airbus ventured into electric aviation with a four-motor conversion of the Colomban cri-Cri in 2010 and a clean-sheet craft, the E-Fan, a sleek, essentially ducted fan two-seater in
- [Making and Recycling LIBs Cleaner, Safer](https://sustainableskies.org/making-and-recycling-libs-cleaner-safer/) - What if we could make the process of making LIBs (Lithium Ion Batteries) a lot safer, their use less hazardous, and their recycling a low-risk enterprise? Virginia Tech researchers think they have positive answers to all three questions. By substituting water for organic solvents normally used in making LIB electrodes, researchers at Virginia Tech (Virginia
- [Drones Meeting the Corona Virus Challenge](https://sustainableskies.org/drones-meeting-corona-virus-challenge/) - "Ramadan Mubarak, Dean! "As a kid who grew up in the '80s, I thought by 2020 we'd have flying cars and a clean planet, and yet here we are grappling with a global pandemic and much uncertainty in these very strange times." This greeting from Hani Almadhoun, Director of Philanthropy for the the United Nations
- [Pipistrel: Generosity Amid Chaos](https://sustainableskies.org/pipistrel-generosity-amid-chaos/) - Taja Boscarol, co-founder and Public Relations Manager of Pipistrel hopes, "You are healthy in these challenging times," and makes a great invitation to the world's involuntarily shut-in pilots. Pipistrel has decided to provide an open access to all online training materials during the current period of world-wide enforced isolation as a testament and dedication to
- [JabirWatt: PAI and DEP with David Ullman](https://sustainableskies.org/pai-dep-david-ullman/) - Electric aircraft, especially in their early state of development, will require aerodynamically capable forms or extremely light structures, or both. That may account for the early adoption of sailplanes as test beds. These are graceful and high performance units, but not all that practical for hauling loads or for daily commuting. Other first attempts adapted
- [A Short Break for the Blog](https://sustainableskies.org/a-short-break-for-the-blog/) - This is physically painful to write, but explains a need to reduce output for a few days or weeks. A blood flow problem in my left hand keeps me awake at night and interferes with concentration during waking hours. I need to slow down on blog output until a course of action can alleviate the
- [APUS Introduces Two Zero Emission Craft](https://sustainableskies.org/apus-two-zero-emission-aircraft/) - We’ve written several times about structural batteries in this blog, from Dr. Emile Greenhalgh’s early research at Imperial College to more recent efforts along the same line. Interestingly, the basic idea remains very much the same over a decade. Energy storage would take place in a monocoque-type structure that could use carbon fiber, fiberglass, and
- [Wright Electric Reveals Big Plans](https://sustainableskies.org/wright-electric-reveals-big-plans/) - While most anticipated new electric aircraft don’t seem to exceed 50 seats, Wright Electric has begun a more ambitious program for its 186-seat electric airliner, Wright 1. In a January 30 press meeting at the Refinery Hotel in lower Manhattan, Wright announced plans to move forward with their design and testing program for a substantial
- [Eviation's Alice Involved in Fire](https://sustainableskies.org/eviations-alice-involved-in-fire/) - Time magazine lauded Eviation’s Alice last year, ranking it as one of the 100 Best Inventions of 2019. Alex Fitzpatrick compared its green goodness to the GHG-loaded nature of commercial aviation. “Flying is dirty work—the aviation industry emits nearly a quarter of total transportation-­related greenhouse-­gas emissions in the U.S., according to the EPA. One way
- [UAM Realization May be Closer than We Think](https://sustainableskies.org/uam-realization-may-be-closer-than-we-think/) - We are on the verge of big happenings in the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) world. Large amounts of money are flowing into the coffers of those companies which dared to pioneer in the area. Large firms are partnering with these aerial startups. And the Federal Aeronautics Administration is paying attention while actively pursuing certification for
- [Hydrogen Instead of Batteries?](https://sustainableskies.org/hydrogen-instead-batteries/) - As battery makers worldwide strive to develop safe, high-energy-density cells, Breezer Aircraft, a German small-aircraft manufacturer, unveils plans to power one of its ultralights with a hydrogen fuel cell. Breezer’s B400-6, receiving 600kilogram certification by the DAeC (German Aero Club), is light enough to enable a small fuel-cell-motor combination to power it. Usually powered by the ubiquitous
- [Pigeon Feathers!](https://sustainableskies.org/pigeon-feathers/) - We lag behind nature in many areas, and constantly need to remind ourselves of our relative ignorance of her many secrets. Feathers are a case in point, and Stanford University researchers found that, unable to duplicate the nature of these lightest of airborne structures, they needed to use the real thing in their latest drone.
- [Supercaps for Supercars - and Sky Taxis?](https://sustainableskies.org/supercaps-supercars-sky-taxis/) - Your editor has asked for years if batteries in electrically-powered aircraft could be augmented by supercapacitors, devices able to unleash significant amounts of power quickly. The usual answer is that the added weight of supercaps that could add power on demand would be about that of added batteries to equal the performance. We wrote about
- [eHang Flies for Real at Kitty Hawk](https://sustainableskies.org/ehang-flies-kitty-hawk/) - eHang has been busy over the past year, with demonstration flights worldwide, and last week in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina - the birthplace of aviation. Not a Long Commute In March, 2019, EHang founder, Mr. Hu Huazhi commuted via EHang AAV (Autonomous Aerial Vehicle) in Guangzhou, China. As you can clearly see, it's not a
- [CES 2020: eVTOLs Vie for Attention](https://sustainableskies.org/ces-2020-evtols-vie-attention/) - Two electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) craft captured spectators’ attention at the 2020 CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mick Akers of the Review-Journal reported on Bell’s Nexus 4EX, an updated prototype or the concept machine they showed last year, and the New Hyundai SA-1, unveiled as part of its partnership
- [Bye Aerospace Expands Its Horizons](https://sustainableskies.org/bye-aerospace-expands-its-horizons/) - Bye Aerospace has been making inroads into both battery development and flight training with partners on an international scale. Alliance with Oxis Energy As reported in July, Bye Aerospace and OXIS Energy announced a collaborative program to achieve a 50-to 100-percent increase in flight time from a single charge compared to existing batteries. On its
- [Aquifer: Flow Batteries and Rim-driven Motors](https://sustainableskies.org/flow-batteries-rim-driven-propellers/) - In a highly unusual approach, two NASA researchers have combined a flow battery system with a rim-driven propeller drive system. Presenting at the Sustainable Aviation Symposium 2019 at UC Berkeley,Robert McSwain and Jason Lechniak detailed their AQUIFER Project, currently underway in the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base. On Day Two
- [HopFlyt Hops into the Next Decade](https://sustainableskies.org/hopflyt-hops-into-next-decade/) - With 2020 lurching into life in some turbulence, HopFlyt promises a smooth, above-the-fray experience. A look back at an innovative aircraft designer, the new variant applies electric power and new structural techniques unknown when Willard Custer had his inspiration. HopFlyt is a modern interpretation of that vision, with distributed electric propulsion, 3D-printed components, and simplified
- [HopFlyt Channels the Custer Channel Wing](https://sustainableskies.org/hopflyt-channels-custer-channel-wing/) - HopFlyt is an enthusiastic young organization devoted to renewing the Custer Channel Wing, a lost remnant of attempts to create extremely short takeoff and landing (STOL) airplanes starting over 70 years ago. Their web site explains their primary goal, which includes adding electrically-powered vertical takeoffs and landings to the channel wing’s repertoire. “HopFlyt is an
- [Greeting the New Year with Hope](https://sustainableskies.org/greeting-new-year-hope/) - Two Videos to Ponder We’re not there yet, in the land of flying cars and even motorcycles. But we do have some pretty good images of where we are and where we might be headed. CNBC produced some pretty thoughtful and well-researched pieces on a major problem plaguing all of us who live within bumper
- [Joby and Uber Elevate Form Partnership](https://sustainableskies.org/joby-and-uber-elevate-form-partnership/) - In a new partnership agreement, Uber Elevate recently added Joby Aviation to its stable of aircraft companies which are to supply craft for its Urban Air Mobility program. Joby builds electric motors, 12 of which line the wing of NASA’s X-57 Maxwell, with two larger motors for forward thrust when the small units are shut
- [SAS 2019: IBM Battery Research with Dr. Jangwoo Kim](https://sustainableskies.org/sas-2019-ibm-battery-research-dr-jangwoo-kim/) - Dr. Jangwoo Kim has a resume’ that puts a great many qualifications together that spell “battery designer.” He has a B.S. degree in chemical engineering from Yonsei University, one of three “Sky Universities” regarded as South Korea’s most prestigious. At Cornell University, he received M. S. and Ph.D degrees in chemical engineering, and then worked
- [A Joyous Boxing Day Electrified](https://sustainableskies.org/a-joyous-boxing-day-electrified/) - Boxing Day is a holiday unique to the British Empire, a day-after Christmas gift-giving celebration in which the well-off gave gifts to their servants. Yahoo Entertainment explains, "While there is some dispute over what the name actually means, it’s commonly believed that Boxing Day refers to the habit of aristocratic employees gifting their servants or
- [ACCELL: A (Mostly) British Coalition Going for 300 MPH](https://sustainableskies.org/accell-a-mostly-british-coalition-going-for-300-mph/) - Rolls-Royce is perhaps the epitome of Britishness, going back to 1904, when Henry Royce, founder of a successful mechanical/electrical business, met Charles Rolls, a successful car dealer in London. Together, the founded the company which came to be known as Rolls-Royce. By 1906, their Silver Ghost was known as “the best car in the world.”
- [Help Promote Electric Aviation](https://sustainableskies.org/promote-electric-aviation/) - Beth Stanton, an aerobatic pilot and superb writer (you can read her articles in Sport Aviation), shares the following action item. Readers are invited to comment to the FAA by December 31. Your comments could have a big effect promoting electric flight, especially in flight training. "Progress on affordable electric training is happening! "Joseph
- [Amprius, Airbus, Silicon and Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/airbus-amprius-silicon-batteries/) - Batteries are a tough study. We see many different roads being traveled in attempts to reach the Nirvana of the lightest, most powerful energy storage cell ever. We see continuing shortfalls because of the much chemistries that seem never to work out as hoped. Several recent articles, though, showed links that forced your editor into
- [Electric Beaver Flies in Vancouver, B. C.](https://sustainableskies.org/electric-beaver-flies-vancouver-b-c/) - Residents of Vancouver, B. C. were not awakened by the overhead passage of a DeHavilland Beaver Tuesday morning. The electrically-powered floatplane lifted off at around 8:30 a. m. and zipped by quietly, its Magnix motor humming and only its four-bladed propeller disturbing the air. The full-flight video below has the airplane "taxiing" for the first
- [Austrians, Swiss, Chinese Launch Three New Electric Aircraft](https://sustainableskies.org/austrians-swiss-chinese-launch-three-new-electric-aircraft/) - Three companies with divergent backgrounds launched three new electric aircraft in the last few months. 1973, and Its Descendants are Still Electric As noted in the blurb for its historic YouTube video for its first electric flight 46 years ago, “HB Flugtechnik is the pioneer in electric flight. The world’s first electric powered flight took
- [Stimulating Simulations – Air Racing on Screen](https://sustainableskies.org/stimulating-simulations-air-racing-screen/) - Tony Bishop reports on The Royal Aeronautical Society’s International Light Aircraft Design Competition, which provided stimulating simulations for on-screen air racing. The 2019 RAeS competition was to design an electric air-racer, inspired by Air Race E’s new competition starting up in 2020. With a single pilot and short duration, this is an excellent proving ground
- [First Lindbergh E-flight Rally](https://sustainableskies.org/first-lindbergh-e-flight-rally/) - The Lindbergh E-flight Rally coinciding with Friedrichshafen’s annual Aero Expo will explore the growing capabilities of these amazing machines. The Lindbergh Foundation invites owners of electric aircraft to gather two days before the opening of Aero Expo 2020 to fly over the scenic marvels of Germany, alighting on Expo opening day “around 11 a.m., just
- [Breakthrough Batteries Two Years Away?](https://sustainableskies.org/breakthrough-batteries-two-years-away/) - Breakthrough Batteries: Powering the Era of Clean Electrification A paper by Charlie Bloch, James Newcomb, Samhita Shiledar, and Madeline Tyson of the Rocky Mountain Institute describing the near future of battery development predicts and accelerated pace of “the global energy transition” and the growing role of energy storage in “addressing the climate crisis.” Will these
- [Air Race E Leaps Forward with Eight Teams](https://sustainableskies.org/air-race-e-leaps-forward-with-eight-teams/) - The public got a glimpse of Air Race E at this year’s Dubai Air Show. Jeff Zaltman, CEO of Air Race E and Sandra Bour-Schaeffer, head of XO Airbus Demonstrators, pulled the wraps on Team Condor's converted Cassutt racer - one of eight teams entering the fray. Race E is an update of the
- [Project 804 Turns Turboprop into Hybrid](https://sustainableskies.org/project-804-dash-8-hybrid/) - Uniting Technologies United Technologies, an aerospace leader, expands its role as United Technologies Advanced Projects (UTAP), uniting Pratt & Whitney, Collins Aerospace, United Technologies Research Center “and certain as-yet-unannounced external institutions.” The organization’s Project 804. A hybrid-electric “X-plane” intended to reduce aircraft noise, improve fuel consumption, reduce carbon dioxide emissions and cut airline operating and
- [Hydrogen-powered Drone Makes Ocean Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/hydrogen-powered-drone-makes-ocean-flight/) - A one-hour, 43-minute flight between a hospital on the Caribbean island of St. Croix and a testing facility on the neighboring island of St. Thomas probably set a record for hydrogen-powered multi-rotor, over-water drone flight. The flight delivered live bacteria samples from a hospital on the Caribbean island of St. Croix to a testing facility
- [SAS 2019: Larry Cooke and NovaSolix](https://sustainableskies.org/sas-2019-larry-cooke-novasolix/) - Laurence H. (Larry) Cooke, Chief Technology Officer for NovaSolix, a California-based solar panel manufacturer, discussed a way to make what are essentially radio waves into efficient, inexpensive solar power. His biography includes this indicator of a productive life. “Larry “Cooke has written one book, multiple papers and have over 100 granted US patents. Cooke is
- [Volocopter and John Deere Partner on VoloDrone](https://sustainableskies.org/volocopter-john-deere-partner-volodrone/) - We usually think of farming as a back-to-the-earth, humble enterprise, eschewing urban sophistication for rural simplicity. Volocopter, the height of such urbanity, and John Deere, its green and yellow tractors shearing suburban lawns and its giant combines harvesting wheat fields worldwide, are blurring those lines with the VoloDrone, an agricultural implement like no other. The
- [Go With the CoFlow Jet](https://sustainableskies.org/coflow-jet/) - Ge-Cheng Zha, Professor in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department of the University of Miami (Florida) explores new realms of augmenting lift on wing surfaces. He recently presented one aspect of this study, which he calls the CoFlow Jet. Most conventional airfoils generate increasing amounts of lift with an increasing angle of attack, but that
- [Dante AeroNautical Distributes Power](https://sustainableskies.org/dante-aeronautical-distributes-power/) - In a dramatic rendering, Dante AeroNautical shows its DAX-19, a regional airliner that will distribute power along its wings, much like NASA’s X-57 Maxwell. Dante describes the craft as representing, “The regional electric air travel of the future.” (In Dante's web site, the triangle in place of the conventional “a” is the alchemical symbol for
- [Toni Roth’s C42 Hybrid Range Extender](https://sustainableskies.org/toni-roths-c42-hybrid-range-extender/) - The Comco Ikarus C42 is a popular ultralight aircraft in Europe, now being tested with a unique hybrid power system. Anton (Toni) Roth was an early adapter, putting small electric motors on a variety of ultralight aircraft over the past several years. These have been the lightest of machines powered by Eck/Geiger motors, controllers and
- [SAS 2019: Dr. Sangita Gupta and ASX](https://sustainableskies.org/sas-2019-dr-sangita-gupta-asx/) - Two years ago, the Airspace X (ASX) MOBi promised to achieve passenger costs equal to an Uber Black ride. More importantly, the company promised that it might take back our lives, eliminating the frustration and wasted time lost in traffic gridlock. We caught up with ASX at this year’s Sustainable Aviation Symposium, held at UC
- [Cambridge's Artificial Leaf Makes Syngas](https://sustainableskies.org/cambridges-artificial-leaf-makes-syngas/) - Cambridge University researchers have developed a new “artificial leaf” that uses sunlight, carbon dioxide and water to directly generate “syngas,” without releasing additional CO2 into the atmosphere. As the Cambridge team reported, ‘Syngas is currently made from a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and is used to produce a range of commodities, such as
- [Solar Flight Calendar: Just in Time for the Holidays](https://sustainableskies.org/just-time-holidays/) - A Glorious Calendar Eric and Irina Raymond, besides being skilled solar-powered airplane builders, designers, and pilots are also professional photographers. Their 2020 Solar Flight calendar highlights all those skills and provides historical background for their work. Besides that – it’s gorgeous. With a baker’s dozen stunning color photos, and historical black-and-white archival images on the
- [Volocopter’s Short Flight Over the Bay](https://sustainableskies.org/volocopters-short-flight-bay/) - Volocopter air taxi flies over Singapore’s Marina Bay Volocopter flew the latest version of its two-seat sky taxi, the 2X, on a two-minute, 1.5-kilometer excursion around and over Singapore’s Marina Bay on October 22. This short flight, surrounded by massive, futuristic skyscrapers, highlighted the controllability of the small machine and its ability to use minimal
- [Lilium Goes Institutional and Aspirational](https://sustainableskies.org/lilium-goes-institutional-aspirational/) - Lilium has done its marketing homework. They seem to be using a lot of marketing skills to move a potentially revolutionary product most of us have no chance of ever owning. Selling Lilium’s Benefits What makes us want things? What floats our boats? What makes us stop in our tracks and look in a store
- [The 2019 Personal Aircraft Design Academy (PADA) Trophy](https://sustainableskies.org/2019-personal-aircraft-design-academy-pada-trophy/) - Honoring John Langford If one stays with a line of work long enough, one will accomplish mighty things. That’s certainly true for John Langford, Chief Executive Officer for Aurora Flight Sciences. His decades-long career, start his decades-long career, starting at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and culminating his company partnering with Boeing, has explored almost every
- [Solid State Lithium Sulfur and Lithium Selenium Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/solid-state-lithium-sulfur-and-lithium-selenium-batteries/) - In battery making, recipes for electrolytes play an important part of the whole. In a new formula whipped up by Zhengzhou University, Tsinghua University and Stanford University, Lithium (Li), Lanthanum (La), Zirconium (Zr), Tantalum (Ta), and Oxygen (O) form a ceramic tube as the battery’s electrolyte. This tube is centered in new solid state Lithium
- [The Villiger Traveler Updated](https://sustainableskies.org/villiger-traveler-updated/) - Urs Villiger flew his Traveler TR230 four-seat touring craft about 10 years ago. He started revising the Cessna-like vehicle two years ago, turning it into a more aerodynamic and economical machine. His changes turned the Traveler into a hybrid aircraft and relocated the propeller to the vertical stabilizer. Reflecting professor Dipl.-Ing. Rudolf Voit-Nitschmann’s configurations he
- [SAS 2019 – Gabriel DeVault’s Clean Commute and Electric Adventures](https://sustainableskies.org/sas-2019-gabriel-devaults-clean-commute-electric-adventures/) - An electric ultralight developer brought some hopeful notes to the Sustainable Aviation Symposium audience at the University of California Berkeley. Gabriel DeVault is the powertrain development specialist for ZeroAvia, bringing hydrogen power to regional air commuting. He does a lot of commuting in his own electric aircraft, showing that one doesn’t need huge investments in
- [Forgive the Lapse - We'll Regain Traction Tomorrow](https://sustainableskies.org/forgive-the-lapse-well-regain-traction-tomorrow/) - Following a trip to the best Sustainable Aviation Symposium ever in Berkeley, California, and a tour of the W.A.A.A.M. (Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum) in Hood River, Oregon over the weekend to see their World War II training gliders, you editor is about to get back to reporting on what he's seen and heard.
- [Heaviside – Kittyhawk’s Latest](https://sustainableskies.org/heaviside-kittyhawks-latest/) - Kittyhawk, a bay area firm possessed of wildly creative talent, has crafted the Flyer in 2017, the Cora in 2018, and just announced the Heaviside, a cross-country cruiser named for a physics and electronics genius. Its predecessors go back further, to the JobyMonarch, a single-seat, eight-motor design that made it to the construction stage. That
- [Charging Carbon Dioxide Batteries and Clearing the Air](https://sustainableskies.org/charging-carbon-dioxide-batteries-clearing-air/) - We would love to find ways to reduce carbon dioxide as a threat to our climate with an ever-decreasing timeline for accomplishing that task. University of Illinois at Chicago and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have made inroads into creating a carbon dioxide battery that uses CO2 as an energy storage component. Amin Salehi-Khojin, associate
- [Scylax E10: Electric Flight Over the North Sea](https://sustainableskies.org/scylax-e0-electric-flight-north-sea/) - A joint venture between the East Frisian FLN airline (FLN FRISIA-Luftverkehr GmbH Norddeich) and Munich aircraft manufacturer Scylax GmbH has helped expand the success of two “clean-sheet” designs, the E6 and E10. Both are promised to China Blue Airlines, and their first-time sale to a German-based airline will help ensure economies of scale for production. Short Runs
- [Technion Splits the Process and Splits Hydrogen Efficiently](https://sustainableskies.org/technion-splits-process-splits-hydrogen-efficiently/) - Technion is an interdisciplinary technology institution based in Haifa, Israel. Two years ago, it began promoting its unique approach to splitting water to extract hydrogen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=khtOUZQPjEA One of the researchers on the project won a three-minute thesis contest with her quick and eloquent explanation of photoelectric chemical water splitting, key to the research team’s approach.
- [A Boxy (Motor) Glider That Delivers](https://sustainableskies.org/boxy-motor-glider-delivers/) - Chip Yates used the same UQM motor on his record-breaking Pikes Peak and Bonneville Salt Flats motorcycle and his modified Long-Eze aircraft (Long-ESA for Electric Speed and Altitude). He planned an ekectric trans-Atlantic flight using an audacious concept for mid-air recharging. A bit quiet for the last several years, Chip has come up with a
- [Volocopter Hovers Over Stuttgart](https://sustainableskies.org/volocopter-hovers-stuttgart/) - Stuttgart sees first urban flight of Volocopter in Europe Volocopter has demonstrated an unmanned flight over Stuttgart, Germany on September 14, part of a two-day event titled, "Vision Smart City - Experience future mobility today." A major promotion of Mercedes-Benz’s history, products, and plans for future mobility, Partner Volocopter highlighted the drive toward “climate
- [Solid Power Batteries – Headed for Production?](https://sustainableskies.org/solid-power-batteries-headed-production/) - So often, promising developments in batteries, solar cells, and electric vehicles seem stuck in the “five years from now” limbo. Perhaps there may be hope that a current, real-time development is before us. MSNBC reports Solid Power has a pilot production line for its solid-state batteries up and running – as of three days ago.
- [Electric Flight for the Masses](https://sustainableskies.org/bringing-electric-flight-masses/) - Paracas, Peru lies on the South American country’s Pacific coast, halfway between Ecuador and Colombia to the north and Chile to the south. There, Alex Ferrer has built a Super Goat ultralight glider and powered it with a Chinese motor, controller and batteries for electric flight. Since he displays in-flight data on his videos, one
- [Tehachapi Soars with New ideas – Day 2](https://sustainableskies.org/tehachapi-soars-new-ideas-day-2/) - The annual Experimental Soaring Association Western Workshop spills over the Labor Day weekend, starting with a welcome barbecue/potluck Friday evening and an official kickoff on Saturday. Sunday features more technical presentations and this year – an organization business meeting and a closing talk about moon shots. Pelicans, Albatross and Perpetual Flight Phillip Barnes, an accomplished
- [Tehachapi Soars with New ideas](https://sustainableskies.org/tehachapi-soars-with-new-ideas/) - Every year, Labor Day weekend brings sailplane enthusiasts to Jeff Byard’s hangar on Mountain Valley Airport above Tehachapi, California. It’s a friendly get-together that always has challenges and surprises for the participants. History on the Field This year, attendees were treated to an opening talk by Jeff Byard titled “Soaring, Something for Everybody.” It lived
- [The Prieto Battery Receives Affirmation](https://sustainableskies.org/prieto-battery-receives-affirmation/) - Dr. Amy Prieto created her namesake battery a decade ago, and has been seeking funding and other support for its development ever since. It gained such funding from Stanley Ventures in 2016. Prieto Battery, as reported by GreenCarCongress.com then, is, “A company commercializing a 3D Lithium-ion battery technology (earlier post), announced a strategic investment from Stanley
- [The I.D.E.A.L. Becomes Real with JabirWatt](https://sustainableskies.org/i-d-e-a-l-becomes-real/) - Dr. David Ullman taught mechanical engineering and project management for over three decades, and his books on the mechanical design process are consistently sought after. His current project, JabirWatt, is hangared at his home in Independence, Oregon, and combines the internal combustion propulsion of its Jabiru engine with the lift-enhancing addition of four electric ducted
- [Clean Hydrogen from Dirty Sources](https://sustainableskies.org/clean-hydrogen-dirty-sources/) - Proton Technologies of Calgary, Canada has a startling approach to obtaining clean hydrogen – extraction from some of the dirtiest sources on earth. Considering the company plans to pull hydrogen from fairly filthy tar sands, their Hygenic Earth Energy almost seems like a misnomer. Tar sands oil extraction has been enormously controversial, with issues including
- [ZeroAvia Counts on Hydrogen](https://sustainableskies.org/zeroavia-counts-on-hydrogen/) - Tucked away in the quiet little airport at Hollister, California, ZeroAvia has stealthily been developing a hydrogen-powered Piper Malibu, and flying it for the last six months. It sounds like a regular aircraft taking off and passing overhead, even with its two 130 kilowatt (174.26 horsepower) electric motors. ZeroAvia claims 275 kW (369 hp) for
- [Berkeley Achieves New Highs in Thermophotovoltaic Efficiency](https://sustainableskies.org/berkeley-achieves-new-highs-solar-efficiency/) - Researchers at University of California at Berkeley announced a record in thermophotovoltaic efficiency, now at 29 percent, but with a few tweaks, soon to be at 50 percent. This is great news for small drones, which could stay up for days, but possibly not a be-all, end-all for larger, more conventional electric aircraft. Let’s examine
- [HET: Quadrupling the Flux, Quintupling the Torque](https://sustainableskies.org/quadrupling-flux-quintupling-torque/) - Linear Laboratories operates (if you take their video at near face value) out of a barn in Texas and partners with Abtery in Sweden. The partnership is significant, since Abtery is working on a Swedish regional airliner Elise (“Elektrisk Lufttransport i Sverige” or Electric Aviation in Sweden). The project is funded by the Swedish innovation
- [Pragma Triples Kilometers on Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Bikes](https://sustainableskies.org/pragma-triples-kilometer-hydrogen-fuel-cell-bikes/) - Six years ago, we ran a story on hydrogen fuel-cell powered bikes that could travel limited distances, and used canisters of fresh hydrogen to quickly replenish the bike’s energy. Pragma Industries has introduced a much-improved version of that bike, with range up to 150 kilometers (93 miles). A pedelec (the motor kicks in when the
- [Loganair to Pioneer Island-Hopping Electric Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/loganair-pioneer-island-hopping-electric-flight/) - An Eccentric Problem It seems quaint and charming, typically British as we used to understand them from vintage films. The idea of taking a 1.7 mile flight from Westray in the Orkney Islands to Papa Westray within visual range may seem a bit eccentric. The landing on the beach at low tide seems even more
- [Atea Looks Like a Cessna Overhead](https://sustainableskies.org/ascendabce-flight-technologies-atea-looks-like-cessna-overhead/) - French company Ascendance Flight Technologies offers a four-seat design that combines hybrid propulsion with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities, and then scoots around on conventional wings. Etea's technology seems a lot like that of Pipistrel’s 801 or several other eVTOLs. Some Historical Perspective The design team at Ascendance comes from Airbus, and claims to have
- [A L.E.A.P. Forward for Electro.Aero](https://sustainableskies.org/al-e-a-p-forward/) - Heady Ambitions Joshua Portlock, Co-founder, Director and Chief Technology Officer for Electro.Aero in Perth, Australia, has a heady set of ambitions. He and Rob Belaga presented a simple electric vertical takeoff and landing machine, FlyKart, at two different symposia in northern California two years ago, and presented a refined version for the Boeing GoFly competition
- [Electric Colt Introduced at Oshkosh](https://sustainableskies.org/electric-colt-introduced-oshkosh/) - Texas Aircraft hails from its development and production facility at South Texas Regional Airport in Hondo, Texas. Designed in Brazil, their Colt Light Sport Aircraft is built by American veterans. Constrained by LSA design criteria, the craft is the high-wing representation of what we have come to expect from the Pipistrel Alpha Trainer, the Vashon
- [OXIS Energy, Bye Aerospace Develop Lithium-Sulfur Cells](https://sustainableskies.org/oxis-energy-bye-aerospace-collaborate-lithium-sulfur-cells/) - Diane Simard, Senior Vice President and a member of the Board of Directors for Bye Aerospace, sends your editor occasional news from that company. The latest involves a collaboration with OXIS Energy in England to develop new Lithium-Sulfur battery cell technology that shows great, and (even better) near-term promise. Ready to start in September, the
- [Tecnalia Aerotaxi Levels with Reasonable Goals](https://sustainableskies.org/tecnalia-aerotaxi-levels-reasonable-goals/) - Tecnalia, a Spanish technology and engineering firm, presented its Aerotaxi at the Paris Air Show this year. The company demonstrates a way to make automated flight a little less perturbing to the anxious public, keeping the platform on the straight and level during all phases of flight. It does this with four gimbaled sets of
- [EJ-1, A Circle of Power](https://sustainableskies.org/circle-of-power/) - Consider encircircling yourself with a ring of tiny electric motors turning a collection of well-coordinated thrusters. Electric Jet Aircraft of Anderson, Indiana showed off their vehicle, claimed to be the world’s first wearable electric jetpack – the EJ-1, at Oshkosh, Wisconsin during this week’s AirVenture air show. A 16-motor, battery-powered rig that weighs around 100
- [Link & Fly – Speeding up the Turnaround](https://sustainableskies.org/link-fly-speeding-up-the-turnaround/) - Link & Fly could speed up airport ground operations and make more flights per day possible. AKKA Technologies, a French consulting and design firm, links two of its areas of expertise, railways and aircraft, in an airborne equivalent of linking an available flight vehicle to a railroad passenger “car.” First shown at this year’s Paris
- [Airbus Mimics Bird of Prey](https://sustainableskies.org/airbus-mimics-bird-prey-technology/) - This Will Probably Never Be Built Airbus displayed a large model of its “Bird of Prey” concept at this week’s Royal International Air Tatoo air show at Royal Air Force Fairford. The model is meant to inspire expanded investigation of the benefits possible with biomimicry, the intelligent plagiarism of nature’s best ideas. Airbus extols this
- [Open PPG Rev. 4](https://sustainableskies.org/open-ppg-rev-4/) - An Open Source Project Powered paragliders (ppg) have been a relatively inexpensive and fairly reliable method of getting off the ground for several decades. The OpenPPG organization enables one to be part of a group effort to improve a simple, light framework and power systems as part of a group effort. The group’s web site
- [Crossover Preparing for Market Re-Entry](https://sustainableskies.org/crossover-preparing-re-entry/) - Teofilo Leite introduced his Crossover, a touring motorglider powered by two Emrax motors, several years ago. This video from six years ago shows how it was configured then. Crossover has gone through several changes in its mode of propulsion since then and has become the svelte form that expresses a need to fly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88Exy9dvNSk In
- [Total Operating Costs - Batteries Included](https://sustainableskies.org/total-operating-costs-batteries-included/) - Gilles Rosenberger, co-founder of Faraday Aerospace with Michael Friend, former Technology Director for Boeing, commented on a recent entry on H55’s Energic two-seat trainer. He expanded on the idea of total operating costs for electric aircraft, including the battery replacement. He congratulated the H55 team and added a point about which your editor will attempt
- [Contrails and Climate Change](https://sustainableskies.org/contrails-and-climate-change/) - Contrails are the trails of condensed water vapor that follow an airplane at a high enough and cold enough altitude. They became a visible presence in World War II and were part of newsreels of allied bombers hitting Germany and dog fights over the English countryside. There was more than just an aesthetic side to
- [Volt Aero Cassio Hybrid – From France](https://sustainableskies.org/another-cessna-337-hybrid-conversion-france/) - You may have noticed an ongoing divide in electric aircraft philosophies, that of designing from a blank sheet, or that of converting an existing airplane from fossil fuel to electric power. French company VoltAero has chosen the second path with its Cassio. A conversion of a Cessna 337 Skymaster, it shares similarities to Ampaire’s 337
- [What Has One Engine, Six Motors and Seven Propellers?](https://sustainableskies.org/what-has-one-engine-six-motors-seven-propellers/) - EcoPulse™, a collaboration by Airbus, Daher, and Safran is a fixed-wing distributed hybrid propulsion aircraft whose power system emulates many of the Urban Air Mobility vehicles that use an electric Vertical Take Off and Landing configuration. Safran, notable for its gas turbines, will supply the propulsion system (excluding batteries). The system consists of a turbogenerator
- [Borschberg, H55 Introduce BRM Energic](https://sustainableskies.org/borschberg-h55-introduce-brm-energic/) - Leadership is about empowering people to make them owner of their world, and constantly challenging them to make them extend their known territory." Andre’ Borschberg Andre’ Borschberg’s current challenge, shared with Bertrand Piccard, involves their Solar Impulse Foundation, whose goal is to foster 1,000 solutions “that protect the environment in a profitable way.” “Profitable” helps
- [A Huge Battery with an Airplane Painted On It](https://sustainableskies.org/huge-battery-airplane-painted/) - Eviation, an Israeli company developing Alice, a high-speed, intermediate-distance commuter airplane, brought its prototype to the Paris Air Show this week. Eviation co-founder and CEO Omer Bar-Yohay gave journalists a 27-minute overview of the aircraft, the philosophy behind it, and projections on its immediate future. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eta7I5OCaIk "It's basically a huge battery with some plane painted
- [Pipistrel Electrics in America and France](https://sustainableskies.org/pipistrel-electrics-america-france/) - Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Pipistrel rolled out its new 801 at the UBER Elevate Summit in Washington, D. C. last week and is flying its Alpha Electro Trainer at the Paris Air Show all this week. Launching the 801 at UBER Elevate Dr. Tine Tomažič, Pipistrel’s Director of Research & Development, was a keynote speaker
- [Recycling and Reusing Carbon in Jet Fuel](https://sustainableskies.org/recycling-reusing-carbon-jet-fuel/) - ETH Zurich (the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), is recycling and reusing CO2 to make jet fuel as part of a carbon-neutral process. This is not a new idea, with others’ approaches to this detailed in earlier blog entries here, here, and here. Centered on a solar collector/reactor on the roof of ETH’s Machine Laboratory
- [Silent Air Taxi Competes for Commuters](https://sustainableskies.org/silent-air-taxi-competes-commuters/) - A quandary is a state of perplexity or doubt, and people caught in one often devolve into depression or unhappiness. Our quandary today comes from the announcement of the Silent Air Taxi, a fixed-wing, hybrid-powered, box-wing aircraft. The quandary comes from whether it’s better to transport one’s self to a nearby small airport and hop
- [Vogi 1 eVTOL Transforms Passively](https://sustainableskies.org/vogi-1-evtol-transforms-passively/) - Canadian startup, the Coriolis g Corporation, defies the rules of classification with its Vogi 1 “passively coupled VTOL tiltrotor,” which the company describes as “a tilting quadrotor passively coupled to a winged airframe via a swivel mechanism”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wdutXQaO54 “View the only Continuously Variable Transition VTOL/FW (fixed wing) Aircraft in action.” The Vogi 1 has demonstrated
- [Alaka’i Skai Levitates on Hydrogen](https://sustainableskies.org/alakai-skai-levitates-hydrogen/) - Alaka’I is Hawaiian for “the value of leadership” according to an island management consulting firm. The word and the company have found a home in Boston, Massachusetts, where they look over the Alaka'i Skai, a hydrogen-powered sky taxi that will offer “point-to-any-point transportation that [is] safe, simple, zero-emissions, affordable and comfortable.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhMP5237dGA Alala’i, founded by
- [Ampaire Flies Hybrid Test Bed](https://sustainableskies.org/ampaire-flies-hybrid-test-bed/) - Ampaire, a tech startup based in California, announces, “Our mission is to be the world's most trusted developer of practical, compelling electric aircraft from short-haul cargo to supersonic passenger transport.” They also claim to have demonstrated the “highest-capacity electric aircraft ever flown” last Thursday, June 5th at Camarillo, California. The company hopes to “have regular
- [Bigger, Better, and Electric – Flight Design F2e](https://sustainableskies.org/bigger-better-electric-flight-design-f2e/) - Electric Flight.eu reports on the new Flight Design F2e, a two-seater and first of an expanding range of aircraft that might even include hydrogen-powered craft. The smaller Flight Design CT has been flying for over 18 years, and over 2,000 have been sold, but typical of the small aircraft industry, Flight Design has been assimilated
- [Another Kind of Skyport for Volocopter](https://sustainableskies.org/another-skyport-volocopter-volo-port/) - Following last year’s Uber Elevate Summit, one came away with the idea that future landing areas for Urban Air Mobility vehicles would be multi-story and expansive, with connections readily available to other forms of commuting. Volocopter, working with Skyports , has Volo-Ports coming, with the first one due to open by the end of this year.
- [Clean Jet Fuel from the Air?](https://sustainableskies.org/clean-jet-fuel-from-air/) - What if we could suck carbon from the air, make clean jet fuel out of it, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using this fuel in our airliners? That’s a dream pursued by many researchers, and recently Rotterdam the Hague Airport announced a study to sort out the plausibility of such a plan. First, though,
- [A 2/3-Scale XTI TriFan 600 Hovers Successfully](https://sustainableskies.org/2-3-scale-xti-trifan-600-hovers-successfully/) - XTI’s TriFan 600 recently flew as a TriFan 665, for the 65-percent test concept vehicle. There are good reasons for a first flight on this reduced scale, including being able to use smaller motors and batteries, less material, and possibly simplified systems. https://youtu.be/7Tk-GI7A8DY On May 8, 2019, XTI Aircraft announced that they had successfully completed the first
- [EHang 216 Flies a Small Crowd in Vienna](https://sustainableskies.org/ehang-flies-small-crowd-vienna/) - Well, 17 passengers, anyway. Remember that EHang flew its entire board of directors and executive team on demonstration outings in February 2018. In a more recent flight, EHang CEO HU Huazhi “commuted” via an EHang 216 (2 passengers, 16 motors and propellers). https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=0&v=6tIBFaxGYoc In April this year, EHang flew apparently happy participants at Vienna’s Generali
- [BlackBird Air, Bye Aerospace Add to eFlyer Sales](https://sustainableskies.org/blackbird-bye-aerospace-add-eflyer-sales/) - BlackBird Air, Inc., an on-demand flight service operating out of San Carlos, California, has announced it intends to buy 100 eFlyer 4s and 10 eFlyer 2s from Bye Aerospace. These will augment the firm’s existing fleet of Cirrus SR22s and Pilatus PC12s in providing service to its customers. As the San Francisco Chronicle explains, BlackBird
- [Phosphorene Nanoribbons may Enhance Batteries, Solar Cells](https://sustainableskies.org/phosphorene-nanoribbons-may-enhance-batteries-solar-cells/) - A great deal is made of how many great scientific discoveries are made by accident for everything from penicillin to Post-its®. With no fewer than ten authors for the Nature letter “Production of phosphorene nanoribbons,” their discovery hardly seems “accidental.” The letter, authored by Mitchell C. Watts, Loren Picco, Freddie S. Russell-Pavier, Patrick L. Cullen, Thomas S. Miller, Szymon P.
- [Lilium Elevates Five-Passenger Uber-Ready Vehicle](https://sustainableskies.org/lilium-elevates-five-passenger-uber-ready-vehicle/) - Uber Elevate, headed toward its third annual meeting in Washington, D. C., has established guidelines for what it wants to see flying in its service. Lilium, a German electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing maker, has flown a vehicle that seems to meet those guidelines. The web site, A New Domain.net, notes, “The authors of the
- [Zipline Drones Use Modularity, Simplicity to Deliver Healthcare](https://sustainableskies.org/zipline-deliver-blood-supplies-modular-drones/) - Fortune magazine headlined its article about Zipline drones with this teaser: “The Trick to Achieving Universal Health Care? Drones.” The article quotes Zipline International CEO Keller Rinaudo concerning the logistics of today’s health care systems, which “really only serve the ‘golden billion’ people on the planet.” Fortune adds, “Millions more die from lack of care.”
- [Straight out of Compton/Woodley](https://sustainableskies.org/straight-out-of-compton-woodley/) - We don’t normally republish complete press releases, but this example from Taja Boscarol at Pipistrel, the Slovenian electric aircraft company, seems worthy of a full reading. Los Angeles County Promoting Green Aviation Compton/Woodley Airport Acquires Pipistrel Alpha Electro Aircraft & Charging Station Los Angeles County Public Works, in partnership with Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum welcomed the
- [Eviation Alice to Paris Air Show, U. S. Certification](https://sustainableskies.org/eviation-alice-paris-air-show-u-s-certification/) - Eviation is an Israeli aircraft company which believes in giving its customers a choice. About to be shown at the Paris Air Show in July, Eviation's Alice will be offered with either Siemens motors or MagniX units. Air show visitors will see the craft with three Magnix 250 motors producing 375-horsepower each. Roei Ganzarski, MagniX
- [Cuberg Battery Flies 70 Percent Longer](https://sustainableskies.org/cuberg-battery-flies-70-percent-longer/) - Cuberg’s recent test between their battery and a conventional lithium-ion battery resulted in the Cuberg battery keeping a drone flying 70-percent longer. Given that the test is for two packs of equal weight, the result is an impressive one. https://vimeo.com/323925269 Cuberg’s co-founder and CEO has prepared for this success since his undergraduate days as a
- [Sustainable Aviation Symposium 2019](https://sustainableskies.org/sustainable-aviation-symposium-2019/) - The 2019 Sustainable Aviation Symposium is moving to a new date and location – and a new inclusiveness. The University of California, Berkeley Institute for Transportation Studies (ITS) will host the 2019 Sustainable Aviation Symposium (SAS) on October 7-8 of 2019. SAS 2019 is focused on safe, quiet, electric aviation solutions to the most pressing
- [First Drone Delivery of a Kidney](https://sustainableskies.org/first-drone-delivery-kidney/) - Meredith Cohn of the Baltimore Sun reported, “The first-ever organ delivered by drone was transplanted into a patient with kidney failure at the University of Maryland Medical Center, capping more than three years of work to show unmanned aircraft can safely transport life-saving organs and tissue.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QbQsBt5kHg Note one doctor in the video, making a homage
- [Honda’s Fluoride Battery](https://sustainableskies.org/hondas-fluoride-battery/) - Can the stuff that protects your teeth find happiness storing electrical energy? Researchers are brushing up on their chemistry to produce a fluoride battery – almost the total opposite of a lithium battery. Three years ago, The Journal of Fluorine Chemistry quibbled, “Only a handful of publications exist on the topic of fluoride ion batteries
- [Equator P2 Flies Out of Ground Effect](https://sustainableskies.org/equator-p2-flies-out-ground-effect/) - Following a decade of development, Tomas Broedreskift’s Equator P2 Excursion prototype made its first flights out of ground effect, a significant step in flight testing. It flew in ground effect just above the runway on March 29, 2018. This helped verify the center of gravity and enabled further tests under audit by the Norwegian Civil
- [Bye eFlyer Sales Near 300](https://sustainableskies.org/bye-eflyer-sales-near-300/) - Diane Simard, Director and Senior Vice President at Bye Aerospace, keeps your editor updated on happenings at the maker of what were SunFlyers, and which are now eFlyers. The rebranding makes sense. In their press release for the eFlight Expo in Friedrichshafen, Germany on April 11, the company included this explanation. “George E. Bye, Founder
- [Kryptonite – As in MARVEL Comics?](https://sustainableskies.org/krytonite-marvel-comics/) - Ed Warnock, CEO of the Perlan Project, passed this on from Michael Coates, head of Pipistrel USA. Despite its celebrated author and totally credible source, the following press release is open to scrutiny and will no doubt receive some rabid criticism. "Pipistrel ALPHA Electro completes 24 hour flight on a single charge! "The Pipistrel ALPHA
- [Go Fly’s Phase II Winners](https://sustainableskies.org/gofly-announces-phase-2-winners/) - One complaint frequently heard is that aviation doesn’t necessarily encourage participation by women, despite historical examples from Harriet Quimby to Jeanna Yeager. GoFly is a competition thought up by Gwen Lighter, a lawyer with degrees from Brown (summa cum laude) and Harvard (cum laude) Universities. It has a $2 million prize package backed by Boeing
- [AutoflightX Returns Tian Yu to Forefront](https://sustainableskies.org/autoflightx-returns-tian-yu-to-forefront/) - A Long Developmental Background Tian Yu headed Yuneec, a pioneering firm in electric flight. In 2009 his company had several motors and one- and two-seat aircraft flying. They even received certification from the FAA for the two-seat E430 and shipped it to Oshkosh, where it made its public flying debut at that year’s AirVenture. At
- [Faster, Cleaner AND Less Pricey?](https://sustainableskies.org/evtol-aircraft-faster-cleaner-less-pricey/) - University of Michigan Research Sprinkled with Optimism (or Not) Can electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) machines provide the swift crossing of urban distances at a price that will attract the non-flying public? Can they do so while keeping pollution in check? A University of Michigan study, funded in part by Ford Motors, concluded that
- [UMass Lowell Puts Hydrogen in a Canister](https://sustainableskies.org/umass-lowell-puts-hydrogen-canister/) - One problem with recharging electric vehicles is finding a charging station on the road. Electric vehicle makers provide GPS clues on their moving map displays, and electric pilots will doubtless have markers for fields with appropriate facilities for our future E-flyers. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell may have done an end run
- [Harbour Air and MagniX Partner for First All-Electric Airline](https://sustainableskies.org/harbour-air-electric-conversion/) - A seaplane fleet is preparing to convert its fleet to all-electric operation, which will make it the first commercial electric airline. Harbour Air, a seaplane operator based in Vancouver, B. C. is partnering with MagniX, an Australian electric motor manufacturer with offices in Seattle, Washington. You may see Harbour’s DeHavilland Beavers, Otters and Twin Otters
- [First Commercial Drone Medical Delivery](https://sustainableskies.org/first-commercial-drone-medical-delivery/) - Medicine, STAT! Matternet is a U. S.-based company promoting its mission to, “Make access to goods as frictionless and universal as access to information. Our products enable organizations around the world to build and operate drone logistics networks for transporting goods on demand, through the air, at a fraction of the time, cost and energy
- [Tiny Pieces Form Morphing Wing](https://sustainableskies.org/morphing-wing-identical-components/) - MIT and NASA have constructed several aircraft wings using tiny, identical pieces bolted together in a highly flexible, deform-able structure. At that, the wing is light, strong, and capable of “morphing” in ways that enable slower landing speeds, faster rates of climb, and high maneuverability. A Lot like Fractals This type of assembly is much
- [Superionic Batteries – Are We There Yet?](https://sustainableskies.org/superionic-batteries/) - Tohoku University, near the northern Japanese city of Sendai, finds, in a recent paper, “…The development of complex hydride solid electrolytes that exhibit high ionic conductivity at room temperature will be a revolutionary breakthrough for all-solid-state batteries employing a lithium metal anode.” Researchers at the University lists the potential energy density for a battery using
- [Structural Battery Doubles Flight Time](https://sustainableskies.org/structural-battery-wing-flies-2x/) - Structural batteries, structures which are also their own energy storage devices, are being looked at with increasing frequency. Your editor has long been a proponent of integrating aircraft structures and the means of generating, storing and releasing energy – something he calls “the Grand Unified Airplane.” Joe Faust, a hang glider pioneer and designer of
- [Mary Grady, A Great Aviation Journalist](https://sustainableskies.org/mary-grady-a-great-aviation-journalist/) - I met Mary Grady at the 2011 Sun 'n Fun Flyin in Lakeland, Florida. After that, she and I swapped tips and leads for articles. Her work at AVweb and for Belvoir Publications was professional and polished - always. I'm using AVweb's tribute to her, especially since it shows her many facets. She will be
- [Silicone Wrinkles Can Be Beautiful](https://sustainableskies.org/silicone-wrinkles-can-beautiful/) - Hanqing Jiang, a professor in ASU’s School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, has come up with a clever and inexpensive way to fight dendrites in lithium batteries. Since these spiky little outbreaks can lead to battery fires, his team’s findings might lead to safer batteries. The approach involves silicone. Many of us put
- [Mixing It Up With MXene](https://sustainableskies.org/mixing-mxene/) - Over the years reporting on battery developments, we’ve seen paper batteries, spray-on batteries, structural batteries and many types of material mixes. Drexel University has tossed all the above intone big hopper and come up with MXene, a potentially dynamic way of making batteries, supercapacitors, antennas, and structural elements that can be conductors, semiconductors, and insulators,
- [Goodyear Aero Wheel Sparks Controversy](https://sustainableskies.org/goodyear-aero-wheel/) - Goodyear Creates a Flying Tire Displayed this week at the Geneva Auto Show, Goodyear’s new AERO wheel is not just rolling stock, but a possible aeronautical device that could propel a “flying car” skyward. Not only could it roll along the freeway, it could navigate the vehicle and choose whether to be in highway or
- [Metro Hop Leaps From Tall Buildings](https://sustainableskies.org/metro-hop-leaps-from-tall-buildings/) - Metro Hop™ is an electric, conventional fixed wing, all-weather aircraft designed to operate within the urban air mobility environment, according to their web site. Different Design Philosophies Metro Hop is a unique view from the leaders of the CAFE Foundation, which is often allied with the Vertical Flight Society. Metro Hop’s fixed-wing approach seems to
- [Is Ionic Propulsion Plausible?](https://sustainableskies.org/is-ionic-propulsion-plausible/) - Ethan Krauss responds to MIT's Ionic Flyer Coverage There seems to be great interest in ionic propulsion. After we published “MIT’s Ionic Flyer – Solid State All the Way,” our editorial offices (otherwise known as your editor’s kitchen) received a comment from Ethan Krauss, who corrected the historical record. He explains, "MIT was NOT "the
- [Purdue Flow Battery: Safer, Less Expensive](https://sustainableskies.org/purdue-flow-battery-safer-less-expensive/) - Promising enough to catch NBC’s attention, new flow battery technology from Purdue University promises quick refueling and up to 3,000 miles range in the electric car of the future. If volumetric and gravimetric factors can be brought into line, this could be a useful energy storage medium for future aircraft. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=25&v=yNZkbt928oA John Cushman, Purdue University distinguished professor
- [Astigan HALE Flies British Skies](https://sustainableskies.org/astigan-hale-flies-british-skies/) - Ordnance Survey Established in 2014 by Ordnance Survey and private investors to develop and commercialize the UK’s first commercial sub-orbital Earth Observation High-Altitude Pseudo Satellites (HAPS), Astigan is both the aircraft company and product of that partnership with OS. Ordnance Survey produces maps for private, government and business users, including pre-printed print maps and custom
- [Polyplus and SK Team on Glass-Encapsulated Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/polyplus-sk-glass-encapsulated-batteries/) - Polyplus, a Berkeley, California-based battery developer, has teamed with SK, Korea’s” first and largest energy and chemical company,“ to produce and test prototype cells to demonstrate increased volumetric and gravimetric energy density and cycle life relative to existing Li-ion cells.” Just reported, "The PolyPlus lithium-water battery has achieved the highest recorded energy density of 1,300 Watt-hours/kilogram,
- [Fraport And Volocopter Implement Infrastructure](https://sustainableskies.org/fraport-volocopter-implement-infrastructure/) - Helena Treeck, Senior Global PR Manager at Volocopter GmbH, announced that Volocopter and Fraport AG (the managing directorate for Frankfurt Airport) are, “Developing concepts for ground infrastructure and operations required for air taxi services at airports.” A Promising Concept As most of us know from inconvenient experience, getting to and from the airport and fighting
- [Big Events and Numbers for Bye Aerospace](https://sustainableskies.org/big-events-numbers-bye-aerospace/) - Bye Aerospace has four big current projects, with the Sunflyer 2 at the top of the development and sales curve. Teaming with Siemens, Bye Aerospace is now flying Sunflyer 2 with one of their 57 pound SP70D motors producing a 90 kilowatt peak rating (120 HP), and continuous power up to 70kW (94 HP). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0TKoq-b3nA
- [Calin Gologan, Scylax and China](https://sustainableskies.org/calin-gologan-scylax-and-china/) - Everything in the world seems to require massive or distributed investment even for simple projects. Low-budget movies have multiple production companies and different car companies share the same engine or drive train. Calin Gologan and PC Aero have expanded their offerings over the last decade, and have also expanded their partnerships. Now, to make his
- [Two Different Carbon Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/carbon-two-different-batteries/) - With lithium-ion batteries seeming to have topped out in their capabilities, battery researchers are looking at new ways of storing energy. Zap&Go in England and Graphenano in Spain are exploiting a more common element to good effect, crafting carbon batteries that charge quickly and last thousands of charge-discharge cycles. Both attack their goals in very
- [Fish and Fuel from Sunlight, Sand, and Salt Water](https://sustainableskies.org/fish-and-fuel-from-sunlight-sand-and-salt-water/) - Ethiad Airways made the first commercial flight on fuel made from plants grown in saltwater by Khalifa University. Burning jet fuel made from halophyte plants grown in salt water and fertilized by the shrimp and fish living in the salt water enabled a flight from Abu Dhabi to Amsterdam on January 16. It was the
- [Making Structural Batteries More Sinewy](https://sustainableskies.org/making-structural-batteries-more-sinewy/) - Multitudes of researchers have exercised their mental muscles trying to make man-made products mimic naturally-occurring structures. According to University of Michigan researchers, the cartilage in your knees might provide the inspiration for a “structural battery” prototype that would be durable and easy to shape. This blog has long promoted the idea of structural batteries, energy
- [Pipistrel, Honeywell Sign MOU](https://sustainableskies.org/pipistrel-honeywell-sign-mou/) - The fun part of writing this blog is receiving news of hopeful aspirations and plans for a thriving future. Taja Boscarol, one of the founders of Pipistrel, shared such news this week. “It is my greatest pleasure and honor to announce that Pipistrel and Honeywell signed an MOU(Memo of Understanding) regarding collaboration on aircraft technologies
- [Sunseeker Duo – The Uniquely Big Picture](https://sustainableskies.org/sunseeker-duo-the-uniquely-big-picture/) - Unique People Eric Raymond was the first person to fly across the United States on solar power in 1990 in Sunseeker 1. He was the first to fly on the sun's rays over the Matterhorn in 2009 in Sunseeker 2. He and his wife Irena built the Sunseeker Duo and routinely fly it around northern
- [Beta Technologies Testing Actual Prototype](https://sustainableskies.org/beta-technologies-testing-prototype/) - Kyle Clark heads Beta Technologies, an aircraft company flying under the radar until recently. Beta’s prototype, based on an RDD LX7, uses eight electric motors driving one fixed-pitch propeller each. These are mounted on rotating tubular arms that allow vertical takeoffs and landings with the propellers in horizontal orientation and a claimed 170 mph cruise
- [Sailplane-Like Boeing Cruises on SUGAR](https://sustainableskies.org/sailplane-like-boeing-cruises-on-sugar/) - Boeing has sustained a decade-long program to develop aircraft that reduce the use of fossil fuels or eliminate it altogether. SUGAR (Subsonic Ultra Green Aircraft Research) program designers have resorted to configurations that were a part of early high-performance sailplanes, those craft that soar on the energy of the very air around them. Sailplane designers
- [Bell Nexus Debuts at CES 2019](https://sustainableskies.org/bell-nexus-debuts-at-ces-2019/) - This year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) had over 4,500 exhibitors, and one major aircraft company showing off its Bell Nexus sky taxi and its Autonomous Pod Transport (APT). Fast Company reported that three major trends emerged: the thousands of devices that link to “virtual assistants” such as Alexa (28,000 apps), the introduction of a slew
- [Derek Piggott MBE: 1922 – 2019](https://sustainableskies.org/derek-piggott-mbe-1922-2019/) - Fred To, who crafted the first solar-powered aircraft to carry a pilot, alerted your editor to the passing of Derek Piggott MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire). Derek was a master sailplane flight instructor, movie stunt pilot, the first human to successfully take off and fly an aircraft on muscle power alone, and
- [N Is For Noise, D is for Deliveries*](https://sustainableskies.org/n-is-for-noise-d-is-for-deliveries/) - A July, 2017 article in New Scientist reported that a small test group found “the noise of drones more annoying than that of ground vehicles.” This has implications for enterprises such as Amazon and Google that hope to perform home deliveries of various goods, including food. Almost as a refrain, the Wall Street Journal reported in December,
- [Rolls-Royce ACCEL Program Goes For the Gold](https://sustainableskies.org/rolls-royce-accel-yasa-electro-flight/) - Rolls-Royce's ACCEL program and a consortium of partners want to create the world’s fastest electric airplane. The concept has a recent series of predecessors, and a fascinating tie to an American speed champion. About five years ago, something called the TEACO (The Electric Aircraft Company) Bat, a formula 1-type raceplane powered by an electric motor,
- [Norway and the Netherlands Electrifying Aviation](https://sustainableskies.org/norway-netherlands-electrifying-aviation/) - Two European states that will benefit from the electrification of short-range airline flights are becoming strong proponents of new technology. Norwegian Would The Guardian headlined its article on greener airlines this way: “Norway aims for all short-haul flights to be 100% electric by 2040.” A subheadline explained, “It already has more electric cars than any
- [One on the Ramp, One on the Computer, and one Bent Tube Propulsor](https://sustainableskies.org/one-on-the-ramp-one-on-the-computer-and-one-bent-tube-propulsor/) - With over 125 electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft in various stages of design and even flight test, we thought we would check in on three interesting prospects. The Lift Hexa Lift Aircraft of Austin, Texas promotes its 18-rotor single seater as, “THE WORLDS FIRST PERSONAL FLYING EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE.” Looking a great deal like a
- [Things are Looking up in Dubai](https://sustainableskies.org/dgworld-prepares-two-drones-small-sky-taxi-sizes/) - Clean Technica recently examined whether the United Arab Emirates, and especially Dubai could become a world leader in clean mobility. It lists factors such as one of the heaviest concentrations of concentration of EV charging facilities in the world, and the sizable discounts the state gives on EV ownership. The state’s relationship with electric car
- [Simulations May Stimulate Better Hybrids](https://sustainableskies.org/simulations-may-stimulate-better-hybrids/) - Phillip Ansell, assistant professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering in the College of Engineering at the University of Illinois explains the benefits and downsides of fossil fuels. “Jet fuel and aviation gasoline are easy to store on an airplane. They are compact and lightweight when compared to the amount of energy they provide. Unfortunately,
- [Amprius' Silicon Nanowire Batteries Fly – For 25 Days](https://sustainableskies.org/amprius-nanowire-silicon-anode-battery-flies-25-days/) - Sunnyvale, California-based Amprius kept a low profile for several years, despite its founder, Yi Cui, being a leading light in battery development. Their December 4th press release, though, finds the company to be in a more open mood, their advanced lithium-ion cells with 100-percent silicon anodes having flown Airbus’ Zephyr High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS)
- [Ironing Out Cheap Molecules for Solar Panels](https://sustainableskies.org/ironing-out-cheap-molecules-for-solar-panels/) - Making a Designer Iron Molecule To make more affordable solar cells, researchers at Sweden's Lund University are not just trying to be cheap, they are avoiding tightening markets in expensive noble metals like ruthenium, osmium and iridium. A more common metal such as iron, constituting six percent of the earth's crust, might just be the
- [EMBATT and the FAB Four](https://sustainableskies.org/embatt-and-the-fab-four/) - No, it's not the discovery of an unknown Richard Lester film*, but the impending prototype manufacturing collaboration for a battery that promises 450 Watt-hours per liter. Four heavy-hitters in German industry plan on making (fabricating) the flat-panel EMBATT battery into a reality – with all speed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=11&v=l_glx79wJyE thyssenkrupp System Engineering GmbH, IAV GmbH, Daimler AG,
- [Volocopters to Fly Doctors](https://sustainableskies.org/volocopter-fly-doctors-adac-rescue/) - Helena Treeck of Volocopter alerted your editor of an exciting development for the multicopter manufacturer. ADAC Luftrettung (ADAC Air Rescue) wants to use volocopter’s capabilities to take doctors or other qualified medical personnel to points of need – and rapidly. ADAC’s slogan, “Against time and for life,” sums their mission, and Volocopters seem apt choices
- [David Ullman Receives Patent on IDEAL Airplane](https://sustainableskies.org/david-ullman-patents-distributed-electric-flight-system/) - David Ullman a Professor Emeritus at Oregon State University, has used his expertise in mechanical engineering to design his IDEAL airplane. That stands for Integrated Distributed Electric-Augmented Lift, and like all good projects with good acronyms, almost explains itself. Recently, the U. S Patent office thought the IDEAL is worthy of being patented. It might
- [MIT's Ionic Flyer - Solid State All the Way](https://sustainableskies.org/mits-ionic-flyer-solid-state-all-the-way/) - This week, a kerfuffle tsunami has swept through the aeronautical press, with the announcement by Steven Barret of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) that he has flown an ion-powered airplane that "doesn't depend on fossil fuels or batteries."* (A minor point - the airplane does have a battery that gets its output voltage ramped
- [Aurora's Odysseus - Large Enough for Its Mythic Name](https://sustainableskies.org/auroras-odysseus-large-enough-for-its-mythic-name/) - Named for a mythical hero like its evolutionary predecessors, Aurora Flight Science's Odysseus is a huge, but ephemeral thing. A wingspan larger than the largest 747’s and a weight no greater than a Smart Car’s (around 1,500 pounds) means this airplane will be slow and frail. A carbon fiber tube structure covered by lightweight Tedlar™ resembles
- [Rice Defeats Dendrites](https://sustainableskies.org/rice-defeats-dendrites/) - Dr. James Tour of Rice University makes news regularly with different ways of making better batteries. His latest, a thin-film coating of carbon nanotubes, will enable lithium metal batteries to potentially achieve their full potential. According to the Tour Laboratory, that potential is worth considering. “Lithium metal charges much faster and holds about 10 times
- [Fred To Receives a Well-Deserved Award](https://sustainableskies.org/fred-to-receives-a-well-deserved-award/) - Fred To (pronounced Toe) lives in England and was one of a small group who built and flew the world's first solar-powered airplane in December 1978. They flew just a few months before Larry Mauro lofted his solar-riser in April 1979. Both airplanes were limited by the technology of the day, lithium-ion batteries still over
- [The Diamond/Siemens Hybrid Test Bed](https://sustainableskies.org/diamond-siemens-hybrid-aircraft-test-flight-october-31/) - One should follow Dr. Frank Anton’s Twitter account – or at least check it occasionally. Dr. Anton is head of Siemen’s Electric Aviation Division and posts new developments regularly. Siemens is supplying motors to Diamond Aircraft’s prototype hybrid, a tidy tri-motor if you count the engine/generator in the nose of the formerly single-engine airplane. Partnered
- [Richard Glassock, Jeff Zaltman and Air Race E](https://sustainableskies.org/richard-glassock-jeff-zaltman-air-race-e/) - Richard Glassock and Beacons of Excellence Richard Glassock is an Australian scholar and designer currently living in Nottingham, England, working as a Professor at the University of Nottingnam. One if the founding lights in the Outback Joe competions, in which teams launched autonomuous aircraft into remote parts of Australia to find the eponymous character and
- [The C4V Battery – Solid-State in Production?](https://sustainableskies.org/c4v-battery-solid-state-production/) - Jeffrey Engler of Wright Electric posted an item about Charge CCCV, LLC (C4V) which “demonstrated a prototype of its new Solid State Battery (SSB) at the NY BEST 2018 Fall Conference in New York. The Company’s SSB solution delivers higher performance, higher density, lower cost batteries that promise to require significantly less charging time than
- [Al Bowers and the Bell-Shaped Curve](https://sustainableskies.org/al-bowers-bell-shaped-curve/) - Al Bowers has promoted a different kind of lift distribution curve for wings in his talks at the Experimental Soaring Association’s Western workshop, held every Labor Day weekend at Mountain Valley Airport in Tehachapi, California. Most aerodynamics textbooks model the elliptical lift distribution as an ideal to be achieved in wing design. R. J. Mitchell,
- [Terrafugia’s TF-2](https://sustainableskies.org/terrafugia-tf-2/) - Terrafugia, unabashedly calling its vehicles “flying cars” in many of its public pronouncements, has floated a concept that is a serious departure from their two previous designs. The TF-2 will be the equivalent of a shuttle bus, but with an aerial means of making a longer haul than mere in-town hops. Started by MIT graduates,
- [Solar Impulse Crosses Mediterranean, Joins Continents](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-impulse-crosses-mediterranean-joins-continents/) - Waking up in the middle of the David Letterman show this morning, your editor stumbled into the computer room to check on the Solar Impulse trip to Morocco. From the live Google Earth map shown on their web site, and the inset live video of Bertrand Piccard, all was well, and the giant solar-powered craft
- [The 17X Aluminum-Air Battery?](https://sustainableskies.org/the-17x-aluminum-air-battery/) - Jaephil Cho has a surprise for us – an aluminum-air battery that is potentially (no pun intended) more energetic than gasoline. Director of the Research Center for Innovative Battery Technologies and Professor in the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Cho and his students have released
- [Eraole in Flight – Further and Higher](https://sustainableskies.org/eraole-flight-higher/) - Eraole is a unique machine in a sea of unique craft. Powered by a combination of sunlight, Total biofuel, and hydrogen, Raphael Dinelli’s tandem-winged biplane has been under development for many years. With it, Raphael hopes to cross the Atlantic in 2019, Duplicating Charles Lindbergh’s 1927 flight at about half the Spirit of the Spirit
- [Ammonia + Light = Hydrogen](https://sustainableskies.org/ammonia-light-hydrogen-plasmonics/) - Hydrogen continues on its course of always being five to ten years away as a cheap, viable storage mechanism for energy. The ideal of driving a car that emits only water vapor (or flying an airplane that zooms about on a few pounds of H2) seems like an ever-distant dream. Tina Casey, writing for Gas2.com
- [Volocopters to Hover Over Singapore](https://sustainableskies.org/volocopters-to-hover-over-singapore/) - Helena Treeck from Volocopter sent the following message this morning: “Bruchsal/Paris/Singapore, October 2018 – Volocopter, the pioneer in urban air mobility, announced today during Autonomy – the Summit of Urban Mobility in Paris, that they will perform a next set of inner urban flight tests in Singapore. The series of test that are scheduled to
- [Promising 3D Printed Microlattice Battery](https://sustainableskies.org/promising-3d-printed-microlattice-battery/) - The three biggest words in battery structures are “Area, Area, Area.” The more anode and cathode area a battery can expose to the electrolyte that carries ions and electrons between the positive and negative ends of the battery, the better. Most battery configurations, according to researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and Missouri University of Science
- [UAVOS Flies ApusDuo HAPS](https://sustainableskies.org/uavos-flies-apusduo-haps/) - UAVOS, located in the midst of surrounding Google properties in Mountain View, California, sells a wide variety of goods and services related to the unpiloted aircraft world. One of their biggest creations so far, the ApusDuo High Altitude Psuedo Satellite (HAPS) ran through a full series of tests. The 10-meter span prototype vehicle will test
- [Communicating Between Ducted Fans and the Wing](https://sustainableskies.org/communicating-ducted-fans-wing/) - Aircraft quite often seem to get designed as an assembly of separate components, wings an entity unto themselves, engines or motors something attached to the fuselage or wings, and not always seen as a set of matched components until final assembly. Quite often, different components are compromised from their optimal shape or structure because of
- [A Triple-Redundant Powerplant](https://sustainableskies.org/triple-redundant-powerplant/) - Your editor saw this Tweet from Frank Anton, head of Siemens eAircraft: FrankAnton @Frank_E_Anton Oct 9 Hybrid-electric with multiple redundancy: three independent drive units in one engine block. Should a module fail, flight can continue with two remaining components. Scalewings engine exists as concept, development work expected to take three years. This caused your editor to go
- [DHL Parcelcopter Delivers the (Medical) Goods](https://sustainableskies.org/dhl-parcelcopter-delivers-medical-goods/) - Vertical Daily News this morning reports on the DHL Parcelcopter 4.0 as it delivers medicines to an island in Lake Victoria on the northern tip of Tanzania. The Parcelcopter is a fourth generation design from Wingcopter, a German drone manufacturer. It’s found delivering packages autonomously in German mountain demonstrations and now in differently rugged terrain,
- [Biofuels from Many Sources](https://sustainableskies.org/biofuels-many-sources/) - We’ve looked at an array of different biofuel sources ranging from used cooking oil and algae to farm and municipal waste. This is essential as the percentage of airline emissions becomes a bigger part of our overall greenhouse gas situation. The Guardian reports, “A 2017 estimate said air travel accounted for 2.5% of all carbon
- [Zunum Picks Safran Helicopter Engine for ZA10](https://sustainableskies.org/zunum-picks-safran-helicopter-engine-za10/) - Ashish Kumar, CEO of Zunum Aero, announced that his firm will partner with Safran Helicopter Engines to use that firm’s Ardiden 3Z engine as the powerplant for Zunum’s 10-passenger regional airliner. He lists the advantages this installation will provide. “Our ZA10 aircraft, under development for entry in the early 2020s, will be powered by dual
- [Oxis Energy Hits a Lithium-Sulfur Battery High](https://sustainableskies.org/oxis-hits-a-lithium-sulfur-battery-high-of-425-whkg/) - That near-mythical 10X (of current lithium cells' energy density) battery hangs out there on the distant horizon, promising automobiles that can exceed 1,000 miles range, or light aircraft that can carry four at Cessna-like distances. Right now, we have two-place trainers good for an hour’s laps around the circuit, and the hope for improvements soon.
- [HES Element One Could Fly Four 5,000 Kilometers](https://sustainableskies.org/hes-element-one-hydrogen-airplane/) - Horizon Energy Systems (HES), originally based in Singapore, has pursued lightweight hydrogen propulsion systems for the last 12 years, primarily for amall drones. Going larger, the company announced plans today for Element One, “the world’s first regional hydrogen-electric passenger aircraft.” A four-passenger, 14-motored (!) monoplane, Element One will carry the lucky foursome 500 to 5,000
- [Lithium-Oxygen Battery Breakthrough](https://sustainableskies.org/lithium-oxygen-battery-breakthrough/) - The University of Waterloo (Ontario, Canada – not far from Niagara Falls) News, reported, “Chemists make breakthrough on the road to creating a rechargeable lithium-oxygen battery.” Dr. Linda Nazar, Canada Research Chair in Solid State Energy Materials, led a team that “Resolved two of the most challenging issues surrounding lithium-oxygen batteries, and in the process
- [SmartFlyer is Looking Smart](https://sustainableskies.org/smartflyer-looking-smart/) - Only a design concept just a few years ago, the SmartFlyer hybrid aircraft is swiftly approaching full-fledged reality. CEO Rolf Stuber started the project and has been joined by Daniel Wenger, who shares design honors with him; and eleven others with a dazzling array of skills and degrees. Every member of the team has built,
- [Sustainable Aviation Symposium – Free on YouTube!](https://sustainableskies.org/sustainable-aviation-symposium-free-on-youtube/) - The 2018 Sustainable Aviation Symposium was a master class in aircraft design, electric and hybrid power, and the strategies that will make green flight a reality in our near and distant futures. The considerable knowledge imparted in that gathering is now available for your education and enlightenment on YouTube. Better than (Most) Cat Videos Go
- [Jetstream Cargo Gliders – Colorado to China in Three Days](https://sustainableskies.org/jetstream-gliding-colorado-china-three-days/) - Just as Richard Starke was explaining to Experimental Soaring Association attendees at this year’s Western Workshop how his proposed stratospheric cargo glider program would work, some multi-tasker checking his tablet shouted, “Perlan’s reached 76,000 feet!” Richard’s concept of launching cargo gliders that would ride the jet stream between continents was suddenly validated before an audience
- [Wireless Charging for Drones](https://sustainableskies.org/wireless-charging-drones/) - In its introduction, Global Energy Transmission Corporation (GET) promises virtually indefinite flight for multi-rotor aircraft. “GET re-invents [the] commercial drone industry providing [a] technical solution to power drones in 24x7 mode around dedicated area[s]. An electrically powered drone can recharge and fly indefinitely via efficient safe high power in-flight rapid recharging in a GET power
- [BioLEC - First There was Light, Then There Was Energy](https://sustainableskies.org/first-there-was-light-then-there-was-energy/) - Feature image credit: Victor Tangermann Futurism ponders, “Sugar, Light, And A New Type of Chemistry — What It May Take To Wean Us Off Fossil Fuels” in an article by Dan Robitzki. The topic brings a new term into your editor’s vocabulary – BioLEC – Bioinspired Light Escalated Chemistry. The goal of such chemistry is
- [The Second SmartFlyer Challenge 2018](https://sustainableskies.org/the-second-smartflyer-challenge-2018/) - Grenchen Airport in Switzerland held the second SmartFlyer Challenge on September 1st and 2nd, with a good showing for the European - and especially the Czech electric aircraft industry. Although smaller in numbers of airplanes than last year’s premier event, the Challenge featured a series of top-drawer presentations by industry leaders, and the viewing of
- [Print ‘Em and Stick ‘Em Solar Cells](https://sustainableskies.org/print-em-stick-em-solar-cells/) - University of Newcastle (UON) researchers may have achieved a breakthrough in creating solar cells on flexible plastic made in a roll-to-roll process with an unbelievably low price and equally incredible sensitivity. They seem to have succeeded where an American firm failed half a decade ago. Printed solar cells were first attempted about a decade ago,
- [Elektra Solar Launches HALE with Autonomous Control](https://sustainableskies.org/elektra-solar-two-flies-autonomously/) - Dr. Birgit Weißenbach of Elektra Solar GmbH and PC-Aero announced “The world’s strongest multifunctional solar-electric HALE aerial vehicle – the Elektra Two Solar: [with] "Take-off, flight and tough-down" successfully completed with [its] own autopilot system We usually think of HALE (High Altitude Long Endurance) aircraft as being huge, sun-eclipsing things like AeroVironment’s flying wings or
- [Solar-Only Quadrotor in Singapore](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-quadrotor-singapore/) - In their latest adventure in derring-do, a team from the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Engineering has developed and flown Asia's first fully solar-powered quadcopter drone. A large framework holds the solar cells, which are the sole means of powering the craft’s four motors. Developers have flown the big square above 10 meters
- [Solid-State Progress at the University of Michigan](https://sustainableskies.org/solid-state-progress-university-michigan/) - Battery breakthrough: Doubling performance with lithium metal that doesn’t catch fire Longer-lasting drop-in replacements for lithium ion could be on the horizon These two headlines top a report by Angela Wegrecki from the University of Michigan’s News Service, and despite their hopeful vibes, may even elicit yawns. We see similar claims regularly, accompanied by promises
- [“StratoAirNet” Prototype Completes 1st Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/stratoairnet-prototype-completes-1st-flight/) - George E. Bye. CEO and founder of Bye Aerospace, is on a roll these days, selling a large number of SunFlyer 2 training aircraft, delivering Silent Falcon solar electric unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), partnering in the TriFan 600 project with XTI Aircraft, and overseeing the first flight of the StratoAirNet prototype. A letter from Diane
- [Liquid Batteries for Aircraft?](https://sustainableskies.org/liquid-batteries-aircraft/) - NASA is investigating “the integration of nanoelectrofuel (NEF) flow batteries with rim-driven electric motors to produce a safe, clean and quiet propulsion system for aircraft,” according to Aviation Week. That is the promise of an early-stage rechargeable liquid battery technology under investigation by NASA. The agency is researching the integration of NEF flow batteries with
- [VerdeGo's Integrated Distributed Power System](https://sustainableskies.org/lindberghs-verdego-integrated-distributed-power-system/) - Erik Lindbergh, grandson of the famed trans-Atlantic flight pioneer, has been paying his dues in aviation for decades, working to involve young people in career-building roles, and advocating for “green” aviation. His latest roles have found him mentoring a group of Embry Riddle students in developing an electric HK-36 (shown last year at AirVenture), and
- [Pipistrel leads MAHEPA - European hybrid research](https://sustainableskies.org/pipistrel-leads-mahepa-european-hybrid-research/) - Aviation Week’s Graham Warwick reports, “Europe plans to develop and test modular hybrid-electric propulsion technology using light aircraft as testbeds, but it is also studying whether the system can be scaled up to power 19- and 70-seat commercial aircraft. The MAHEPA Program intends to bring cleaner skies to Europe. Pipistrel, the Slovenian winner of NASA’s
- [Zephyr Breaks Its Own Record – Again](https://sustainableskies.org/zephyr-breaks-its-own-record-again/) - The Royal Aeronautical Society, official record keeper for such things, announced in an August 8 press release, “Taking off from Arizona, US on 11 July, Airbus Defense’s solar-powered UAV (unpiloted aerial vehicle), the British-built Zephyr S, has smashed the existing endurance record for unrefueled, unmanned flight by staying aloft for 25 days, 23 hours and
- [Lowered Resistance, Greater Spontaneity with Solid-State Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/lowered-resistance-greater-spontaneity/) - Paradoxically, almost every battery breakthrough seems to have an accompanying problem, and battery developers end up sometimes ditching the positive because of an overriding negative. Solid-state batteries promise some gains without compromise, though. Conventional lithium-ion batteries have possibly reached the limit of their capacity, some scientists fear, and still remain prone to issues like thermal
- [Coots and e-Gulls at Oshkosh](https://sustainableskies.org/coots-e-gulls-oshkosh/) - Lead image shows Mark Beierle in the Soaring Gull of his design with which he accompanied Richard Steeves to Oshkosh. As many readers know, Richard Steeves, a physician and teacher at the University of Wisconsin – Madison is also a builder and long-time advocate for an amphibious aircraft called the Coot. He publishes the Coot
- [Flow Batteries Aging Well](https://sustainableskies.org/flow-batteries-aging-well/) - As previously noted in the blog, the Tissandier Brothers flew their Siemens-powered electric airship in 1883 using a flow battery of their own design for energy storage. This technology gets a lot of attention for grid-based energy storage, but might have use in more mobile applications. Nano Flow Cell Technologies in Switzerland, for instance, used
- [Funneling Light and Energy with New Materials](https://sustainableskies.org/funneling-light-and-energy-with-new-materials/) - Dr. Adolfo De Sanctis, a Research Fellow in the Quantum Systems and Nanomaterials group at the University of Exeter (UK), earned his Ph. D. in physics with a dissertation on "Manipulating light in two-dimensional layered materials" (Nature Communications, May 2017). The video below gives a short-hand view of his work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apI-hYy4EWc Other, less scholarly outlets
- [Icarus Cup Achieves New Records](https://sustainableskies.org/british-human-powered-flying-club-sets-new-records/) - Doing more with much less, British pilots at this year's Icarus Cup follow in Paul MacCready’s aerial path, staging a highly successful weeklong demonstration of human-powered flight. Airplanes that fly on about a quarter-kilowatt for as long as the human battery can operate the pedals are not new, and significant records have been achieved over
- [Riding the Sunshine Highway](https://sustainableskies.org/riding-the-sunshine-highway/) - Sunday, July 22 found your editor at Bend, Oregon’s High Desert Museum for the finish of the 2018 American Solar Challenge. The race started in Omaha, Nebraska on July 14 and followed parts of the Oregon National Historic Trail and the Lewis and Clark Trail. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWZwm--Xwss Omaha, NE (Starting line) – July 14 Grand Island,
- [John Goodenough's Counterintuitive Battery](https://sustainableskies.org/john-goodenoughs-counterintuitive-battery/) - A Long and Productive Life On his 96th birthday today, John Goodenough and his research team’s latest findings are the subject of much speculation. He, fellow scientist Maria Braga, and his research team have created a battery claimed to be three times as energy dense as existing lithium-ion contemporaries, but exhibiting the counterintuitive property of
- [Rolls-Royce Rolls a Few New Approaches](https://sustainableskies.org/rolls-royce-rolls-new-approaches/) - Rolls-Royce, famous for building engines such as the WWII Merlin that powered Spitfires, Mustangs, Mosquitos and Lancaster bombers, is engaged on three (or four) fronts currently, bringing hybrid electric transport to the skies. Hybrid Electric VTOL for Commuting Rolls is jumping into this crowded market segment with its concept for an electric VTOL (Vertical Takeoff
- [Peter Sripol Groundloops – But Check Out Those Motors!](https://sustainableskies.org/peter-sripol-groundloops-check-motors/) - Peter Sripol is a high-energy model-airplane tester who put a twin-motor electric biplane together out of Home Depot/Lowes parts and flew it successfully. That was a back of the envelope design that flew nonetheless. Peter did something a little more professional for his second go-round, crafting some professional-looking drawings. Don’t look for any drawings for
- [Equator P2 Makes First Runway Hops](https://sustainableskies.org/equator-p2-makes-first-runway-hops/) - The Culmination of Eight Years’ Effort Tomas Brødreskift, his father and a dedicated team of volunteers have been working on a nearly no-budget, eight-year project to build a cutting-edge technology hybrid amphibian aircraft. This past week, Equator P2’s wheels left the runway, twice on each of two days. The team plans a full flight around the
- [Just for Openers – BlackFly](https://sustainableskies.org/just-for-openers-blackfly/) - A Seven-Year Stealth Project Opener doesn’t sound like the name of an airplane company, and BlackFly doesn’t sound like a very charming name for an airplane. Maybe that’s how the developers of an eight-motor personal flying machine got away with it for so long. Beth Stanton, who writes wonderful articles about futuristic projects for the
- [SolarStratos Damaged During Testing](https://sustainableskies.org/solarstratos-damaged-during-testing/) - A terse announcement from the SolarStratos project last week caused some dismay in your editor, but also gave hope that a brave project would go forward. “Payerne, July 6, 2018 - the solar stratospheric SolarStratos aircraft damaged this morning during a resistance test on Earth, in the base of the team at Payerne. No risk:”
- [From the CRADLE to the Breakthrough  Battery](https://sustainableskies.org/cradle-breakthrough-battery/) - Hyundai, the Korean carmaker turning increasingly to electric vehicles, has teamed with Ionic Materials, a Massachusetts-based battery developer to work on an innovative solid-state battery. Ionic’s solid polymer electrolyte technology promised to improve battery safety and performance. Liquid electrolytes are often blamed for disastrous battery fires, so the search for a solid-state alternative is one
- [NASA Freely Shares X57 Lessons](https://sustainableskies.org/x57-lessons-shared-freely/) - NASA and several partner firms have been working on the X-57 Maxwell electric propulsion demonstrator for the past several years. It hasn’t been as easy as it looked at first. Encouragingly, NASA is sharing some of the hard lessons it has learned in the process, much like Elon Musk sharing many of his patents with
- [Three June Races Electrified](https://sustainableskies.org/three-june-races-electrified/) - Every June, three races provide insight into how much electric power has become a regular part of motorsports: The Isle of Man TT Zero motorcycle race, the 24 Hours of LeMans, and the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. This year, there were disappointments as well as triumphs, but progress nonetheless. Isle of Man TT Zero
- [Safe BVLOS Operations](https://sustainableskies.org/safe-bvlos-operations/) - Out of Sight, but Not Out of Mind Simulyze, Inc. devises data-based application, analysis, and management programs for “Large streams of data from various sources in relation to BVLOS, and visualizes all aspects of multiple flight operations in a single, customized graphical interface,” their Mission Insight application. BVLOS – Beyond Visual Line of Sight –
- [Tripling Down on Cathode Capacity](https://sustainableskies.org/tripling-down-on-cathode-capacity/) - intercalation (countable and uncountable, plural intercalations) (chemistry) The reversible insertion of a molecule between two others. Wiktionary Enyuan Hu, a chemist at Brookhaven National Laboratory explains the importance, and limitations, of intercalation in battery chemistry. "The materials normally used in lithium-ion batteries are based on intercalation chemistry. This type of chemical reaction is very efficient; however, it only transfers a
- [GoFly Announces First Round Prize Winners](https://sustainableskies.org/gofly-announces-first-round-prize-winners/) - Boeing just announced the ten winners of Phase I in its GoFly competition, in which entrants design, build and fly a “personal flying device.” As Boeing explains, contest rules are designed to enable entrants “To foster the development of safe, quiet, ultra-compact, near-VTOL personal flying devices capable of flying twenty miles while carrying a single
- [RMIT’s Proton Battery – Going with the Flow](https://sustainableskies.org/rmits-proton-battery-going-flow/) - Fuel Cell, Flow Battery Professor John Andrews of RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, has announced a “proton battery” that combines features of fuel cells and flow batteries. The first rechargeable battery of its type, it is, as reported in Green Car Congress, “Environmentally friendly, and has the potential, with further development, to store more energy than
- [Two New and Unique Energy Storage Solutions](https://sustainableskies.org/two-new-energy-storage-solutions/) - Lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries of various brands provide energy for Teslas, Leafs, and Bolts, but continue to disappoint by stalled energy density, power density, and safety concerns. Two relative newcomers to the field might have answers to these concerns. Unlike many other newcomers, production might be less than five years away. Enovix Corp. Ken Rentmeester,
- [Kitty Hawk Flyer Shows Improvements, Limits Continue](https://sustainableskies.org/kitty-hawk-flyer-shows-improvements-limits-continue/) - Kitty Hawk Flyer, the Larry Page-backed “sky taxi,” seems like a great summer escape machine. One can learn to fly it in about an hour, but it will remain low and slow enough to give the thrill of flight without inordinate dangers. That’s the marketing pitch from Kitty Hawk, and it’s not a bad one.
- [UAVOS Triplicates Tandem Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/uavos-triplicates-tandem-flight/) - Aeroelastic deformation, the reshaping of wings, tails, and even fuselages on aircraft subjected to the forces surrounding passage through the air, can be destructive, twisting and shaking aircraft surfaces. UAVOS, a company specializing in flight controls for drones of all sizes, has created a tandem-wing, tri-tailed High-Altitude Psuedo Satellite (HAPS) called ApusDuo. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroelasticity Wikipedia gives
- [Sun Flyer 2 to be Powered by Siemens Motor](https://sustainableskies.org/sun-flyer-2-to-be-powered-by-siemens-motor/) - George Bye has been enjoying a year filled with great expectations (and accomplishments). With 121 deposits on the Bye Aerospace Sun Flyer 2 from seven countries, the training aircraft needs only two things to make dreams come true for a large number of people – a motor and FAA certification. Siemens Steps In In a
- [Sustainable Skies in San Francisco – the Sequel](https://sustainableskies.org/sustainable-skies-in-san-francisco-the-sequel/) - Getting personal once more, this entry highlights my adventures at the 2018 Sustainable Aviation Symposium as reported in the first person. The Sustainable Aviation Symposium for 2018 began its Saturday session with J. Philip Barnes, the Senior Technical Fellow at Pelican Aero Group, who expanded an idea he has been developing for several years –
- [Following More Money](https://sustainableskies.org/following-more-money/) - With Uber backing several potential urban flyers, other investors are moving to invest in longer-range craft with smaller, but more exclusive markets. Zunum and JetSuite Sign a Sweet Deal With funding from Boeing’s Horizon X and Jet Blue Technology Ventures, and Washington State’s Clean Energy Fund, Zunum Aero’s initial batch of hybrid electric aircraft will fly
- [Sustainable Skies in San Francisco](https://sustainableskies.org/sustainable-aviation-symposium-2018-san-francisco/) - I’m writing this in the first person, rather than the usual third-person voice that allows me to remain objective about things on which I report. In this case, I have been the recipient of much joy over the last ten years from being an observer of the ongoing progress in electric aviation. Dr. Brien Seeley,
- [Referencing Uber’s Elevated Challenge](https://sustainableskies.org/uber-elevate-provides-references-for-new-designs/) - We can tell things are heating up in the electric aircraft marketplace. Established aircraft companies are investing (Boeing and Airbus for starters), growing numbers are planning for electrified and autonomous future flight (Uber Elevate Summit), and an absolute plethora of new designs are tumbling forth from an aeronautical cornucopia. Their video of an Uber sky
- [MagniX, an Australian High-Power and Torque-Dense Motor](https://sustainableskies.org/magnix-australian-high-power-torque-dense-motor/) - A new motor from Australia, the MagniX Magni5, promises 300 kilowatts (402 horsepower) from a 53-kilogram (116.6-pound) package, or about five kW per kilogram. This is competitive with other power-dense permanent magnet motors. The Magni5 claims an absolutely flat torque curve (more a line, really) from zero to 2,500 rpm, producing 1,000 Newton-meters (737.5 foot-pounds)
- [Pipistrel’s Tine Tomazic Tours West Coast for eVTOL](https://sustainableskies.org/pipistrels-tine-tomazic-makes-west-coast-tour/) - Visiting Los Angeles for UBER’s second Annual Elevate Summit on May 8, Tine Tomazic and Igor Perkon presented Pipistrel’s new electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) concept. As described in their press release, Pipistrel’s new design “utilizes dedicated propulsion systems for both cruising and vertical lift and embraces an aircraft styled family approach of eVTOL
- [Flynano Flies Electrically, Close to a Calm Lake](https://sustainableskies.org/flynano-flies-electrically-close-calm-lake/) - Flynano is a Finnish aircraft design and manufacturing team, working since 2011 to achieve a first electrified flight of their appropriately named craft. First, the 70 kilogram empty weight is notable. It includes battery weight, but only for 1.7 kilowatt-hour power source that allows a 15-minute dash across the surface of a fairly calm lake.
- [The Coming Golden Age of Electric Air Races?](https://sustainableskies.org/coming-golden-age-electric-air-races/) - An Electric Great Air Race 100 years ago, a great air race – “The Great Air Race” – in fact, was held with competitors flying from Great Britain to the Northern Territories of Australia. Crews had 30 days to make the trip, and considering the reliability of engines at that time and the primitive nature
- [Magnax Motor Claim Impressive Power-to-Weight Ratios](https://sustainableskies.org/magnax-motor-claim-impressive-power-to-weight-ratios/) - Echoing, in this editor’s mind, the collaboration between Oxford University and YASA motors, a recently announced motor from Belgium’s Ghent University and Magnax, makers of what they term an “axial flux machine.” Similar to YASA’s products, the motors are yokeless, which the makers claim promotes lower weight and the shortest possible flux path. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTuCshX5bc0 Beyond
- [Lange Research Shows Six-Motor, Fuel-Cell Driven E2 at Aero Expo](https://sustainableskies.org/lange-research-shows-six-motor-fuel-cell-driven-e2-at-aero-expo/) - Lange Aviation explained the large glider-like machine on display at the 2018 Aero Expo this way: “During this year’s AERO in Friedrichshafen, a mock-up of the Antares E2 was displayed publicly for the first time by our sister company, Lange Research Aircraft GmbH. The Antares E2 is an aircraft with an extreme endurance and very
- [Alpha Electro Achieves FAA Certification](https://sustainableskies.org/alpha-electro-achieves-faa-certification/) - A Big Day in Fresno Following certification for Pipistrel’s Alpha Electro trainer in Australia, China, and Canada, the FAA presented this highly-valued acknowledgment that the aircraft meets current airworthiness standards. After waiting for the agency to remove the restrictive word “reciprocating” from its Light Sport Aircraft regulations, electric aircraft designers have permission to field aircraft
- [Two Siemens-Powered Electric Aircraft Debut](https://sustainableskies.org/two-siemens-powered-electric-aircraft-debut/) - A U. S. Debut in Chicago Mary Grady, writing in AVweb, reports that “Siemens brought its prototype electric aircraft to the U.S. this week for the first time, showcasing the airplane at the company’s Innovation Day in Chicago. ‘Electric propulsion is one of the transformative technologies that will help the industry meet the goals of
- [Battery Options for Range and Longevity](https://sustainableskies.org/battery-options-for-range-and-longevity/) - Two varying approaches to battery development may hold clues to future directions for energy storage. At the same time, their announcements, promising as they seem, reinforce our cautious attitudes toward how battery performance numbers are presented. PNNL Attacks the Electrolyte Issue According to Green Optimistic, “Researchers from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have developed
- [Project ATOS Wing Explores Ultralight Electric Soaring](https://sustainableskies.org/project-atos-wing-explores-ultralight-electric-soaring/) - Its translucent wing shimmering on the wall above Hall A7 at Friedrichshafen’s 2018 Aero Expo, A-I-R’s ATOS Wing commanded the attention of show goers. A-I-R (Aeronautic Innovation Rühle & Co GmbH) produces a line of ultralight hang gliders and electrically-powered craft based on a common wing design modified for different weight and performance requirements. Note
- [Comco Ikarus Flies on Electric Power](https://sustainableskies.org/comco-ikarus-flies-electric-power/) - Relatively unknown to American pilots, Germany's largest ultralight aircraft manufacturer, Comco Ikarus in Mengen, was able to announce the first flight of its successful two- seater C42 / CS as an electric version just before the start of AERO, the annual aircraft exposition in Friedrichshafen. Comco’s C42 CS forms the basis for the electric version.
- [Sunflyer Takes to the Air](https://sustainableskies.org/sunflyer-takes-air/) - Following assorted powerplant and taxi texts, the prototype Sun Flyer 2 prototype took to the air over Centennial Airport (KAPA) south of Denver, Colorado. Further tests will expand speed, altitude, and endurance capabilities, according to Bye Aerospace. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnYXG-cyQJI George Bye, Founder and CEO of Bye Aerospace, enthused, “We are excited about the future and the
- [Pipistrel Alpha Electros Come to California](https://sustainableskies.org/pipistrel-alpha-electros-come-to-california/) - News from Joseph Oldham, founder of the Sustainable Aviation Project, and Michael Coates, United States master distributor for Pipistrel Aircraft, heralds the largest delivery of electric training aircraft to date. Four Pipistrel Alpha Electro Trainers showed up at Fresno, California’s Chandler Airport, all part of the Sustainable Aviation Project. Described as “a public-private collaboration to
- [Slept in?  2018 SAS Early Bird Registration Extended!](https://sustainableskies.org/slept-2018-sas-early-bird-registration-extended/) - For those wishing you’d acted sooner, early bird registration for the 2018 Sustainable Aviation Symposium has been extended until April 6. You can still sign up for an opportunity to hear and see the best in cutting-edge presentations by experts in aerodynamics, electric power systems, and future flight controls at the urban and national levels. We’ve
- [Swiss Movements - aEro 1 and aEro 2](https://sustainableskies.org/swiss-movements/) - Electric Flying Inspires Bigger Plans Dufour Aerospace, based in Visp, Switzerland, and within sight of the Matterhorn, has been flying aEro 1, a Silence Twister-based electric aerobatic craft, for the last two years. Read the pilot report on the surprising performance and the quiet flight experience in the aEro 1 to get some idea of
- [From Anime to Low-Powered Electric Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/from-anime-low-powered-electric-flight/) - A team in Japan has flown a low-power electric canard motorglider, and is now building a more conventional, lightweight electric aircraft. Members of Aircraft Olympos Ltd. on the large island of Hokaido have been instrumental in building and flying everything from a jet inspired by one of Hayoa Miyazaki’s anime productions (Nausicaa (Dove) Of The
- [Forget the Airborne Pizza!  Chip Yates Sends 700 Pounds!](https://sustainableskies.org/forget-pizza-comes-700-pounds/) - Recent news shows aerial drone delivery of small packages from an Amazon Warehouse or pizza from the nearest Dominos, but such packages are lightweight trifles compared to the 700 pounds Chip Yates promises to drop from the sky. Such loads are necessary in conflict and disaster areas, where material heavy enough to hold off an
- [Electric Triplanes, Personal Sky Taxis, and Urban Mobility beyond Belief](https://sustainableskies.org/electric-triplanes-personal-sky-taxis-urban-mobility-beyond-belief/) - The Third Annual Sustainable Aviation Symposium again promises to be the premier gateway to innovation, mind-expanding discussions, and a glimpse into the future that this gathering will help make possible. Reserve your spot today to be on the leading edge of that future. VTOLs, ESTOLs and the Future of Sky Transit, May 11 and 12
- [Zee?  Kitty Hawk? Cora?](https://sustainableskies.org/zee-kittyhawk-cora/) - Different Names, Different Configurations Zee, One of two aircraft companies funded by Google founder and CEO Larry Page, has been a highly mysterious business. Its web pages mostly gave discrete job descriptions for those willing to sign up for a mostly undefined mission. Occasional glimpses of patent drawings, spy shots of a multi-rotor craft in
- [Get a Spine!  Flexible, High-Density Energy Storage](https://sustainableskies.org/get-spine-flexible-high-density-energy-storage/) - The Vertebrate Battery “Prof. Yuan Yang of the engineering school at Columbia University (New York) modeled, designed, built, and fully evaluated a configuration that emulates the spine of vertebrates, while providing 85% of the energy density of a prismatic Li-ion cell with equivalent volume.” According to Power Electronics.com. Professor Yang’s 14-member team, working in the
- [Starling Jet Comes in Three Sizes](https://sustainableskies.org/starling-jet-comes-in-three-sizes/) - The Starling Jet now joins electric or hybrid flying commuter craft from sources all over the world. A Middle-East backed, London-based project, the Starling Jet is swoopy and high-winged, and comes in three sizes with different missions. The Commuter Craft Trifecta Time, a most precious commodity, is the major selling point for most of these
- [Schleicher's Sustainable Flight for Two](https://sustainableskies.org/schleichers-sustainable-flight-for-two/) - Alexander Schleicher Segelflugzeugbau (sailplane maker) has been crafting high-performance soaring craft since its inception in 1927. Their latest creation, a two-seat, 20-meter (65.6 feet) span motorsegler, the ASG32 El, includes a 25 kilowatt synchronous motor driving a Schleicher-designed 1.55 meter (5 feet) retractable propeller. The motor is a “home help” device, a sustainer motor
- [MAGiCALL Motor/Controller Vies for Simplicity, Lightness](https://sustainableskies.org/magicall-motorcontroller-vies-simplicity-lightness/) - MAGiCALL, a California-based firm whose slogan, “Innovative Magnetics to Power Your Products,” covers everything from aircraft to medical applications, has introduced a combined MAGiDRIVE™ integrated motor and controller line of products. These are of particular interest for electric aircraft designers, since the company has been picked to supply motors to the Airbus A3 Vahana project.
- [Ehang Flies One and Two Passengers in Surprising Flight Demonstrations](https://sustainableskies.org/ehang-flies-one-two-passengers-surprising-flight-demonstrations/) - An Executive Perk Unlike Any Other Chinese firm Ehang staged a demonstration of great confidence in its 184 (one passenger, eight motors/rotors, and four arms) autonomous flight vehicle. The CEO and all executive members of the firm, and Guangzhou government officials got rides, with many giving thumbs-up signs during their trips. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr1V-r2YxME Hu Huazhi, Founder
- [Venture Capitalists Jump on JoeBen’s Bandwagon](https://sustainableskies.org/venture-capitalists-jump-joebens-bandwagon/) - People waste billions of hours sitting on roads worldwide each year. We envision a future where commuting by eVTOL (electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) is a safer, faster, and cost-competitive alternative to ground transportation. We have spent the last ten years developing the technologies that have made our full-scale technical demonstrator possible and are now ready
- [Vahana Flies!  Another Competitor in the Sky Taxi Airspace](https://sustainableskies.org/vahana-flies-another-competitor-in-the-sky-taxi-airspace/) - Zach Lovering, Project Executive for Airbus subsidiary A3 reports, “Today marks a historic day for Airbus, A³, and the Vahana team. We can now announce our successful first flight. At 8:52AM on January 31, 2018 in Pendleton, Oregon, our full-scale aircraft, dubbed Alpha One, reached a height of 5 meters (16 feet) before descending safely.
- [Battery Startup Cuberg Receives Funding from Boeing](https://sustainableskies.org/battery-startup-cuberg-receives-funding-from-boeing/) - Cuberg, a battery startup “Founded based on graduate research work in the materials science department at Stanford,” includes individuals who worked with Yi Cui at the school. They promote their safe electrolyte as a key element in their new battery. “Our highly stable proprietary electrolyte enables the use of high-voltage cathodes and lithium metal anodes
- [Solid Carbon Fuel Cell May Mean “Clean Coal”](https://sustainableskies.org/solid-carbon-fuel-cell-may-mean-clean-coal/) - For transportation, two types of fuel cells come to mind: PEMs or SOFCs. A third variety, DCFCs, may have a place in transport systems, and may have advantages in using “dirty” fuels. PEM (Polymer Electrolyte Membrane – or Proton Exchange Membrane) cells use a solid polymer as an electrolyte and porous carbon electrodes containing a
- [Heathrow London to Charing Cross in 12 Minutes](https://sustainableskies.org/heathrow-london-to-charing-cross-in-12-minutes/) - Autonomous Flight designs and manufactures autonomous passenger drones (APD), and is based in both the United Kingdom and the United States. Founded by Martin Warner, the company joins a growing number of entrepreneurial groups combining drone hardware and “software-based technologies” to provide rapid point-to-point transportation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=57&v=pXWhd9rBq_Q Warner envisions a wide range of drone-based, battery-powered air
- [When You Wake Up Hungry – Fly to the Bakery!](https://sustainableskies.org/when-you-wake-up-hungry-fly-to-the-bakery/) - Electric-Flight.eu reports on three Germans who made a bathtub fly – and used it to fetch pastries. As the website reports, "The Real Life Guys" are two Darmstadt students and one DB train attendant who shook up the media last week . They connected a bathtub with an aluminum scaffolding and six 9.6 [kilowatt] motors
- [AirSpaceX is NOT an Elon Musk Company](https://sustainableskies.org/airspacex-not-elon-musk-company/) - Airspace Experience Technologies, LLC (AirSpaceX) is a subsidiary of Detroit Aircraft Corporation (DAC), and as far as this editor knows, not related to Elon Musk’s SpaceX. A little closer to earth, the planned low-altitude perambulations of its two creations reflect the growing interest in “sky taxis.” A Holding Company Brought Down by the Great Depression
- [George Bye is a Busy Electrical Entrepreneur](https://sustainableskies.org/george-bye-busy-electrical-entrepreneur/) - George Bye, with his namesake company, Bye Aerospace, is involved in projects ranging from solar-powered drones to 345 mph VTOL cross-country cruisers. Following the Money People are betting on the plausible success of George’s SunFlyer 2, built by subsidiary Aero Electric Aircraft Corp. (AEAC), and he’s received deposits on 105 of the two-seat training craft.
- [CES 2018 – Intel Inside and Then Some](https://sustainableskies.org/ces-2018-intel-inside/) - Brian Krzanich, Intel’s CEO, took a ride in the Volocopter 2X, becoming the first human passenger on an autonomous flight of the vehicle. The ride took place in a large enclosed space somewhere in Munich, Germany, on December 3, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFEYDzWJB00 An Historical Sidebar It looks a little like Hanna Reitsch’s helicopter flight under the
- [Book Your Perth Alpha Electro Flights for the Early Morning](https://sustainableskies.org/book-perth-alpha-electro-flights-early-morning/) - Two Things That May Not Seem Related at First Recent news that Penrith, Australia was the hottest place on earth was underlined by videos of melting highways. Penrith, a suburb of Sydney, reached 47.3° C (117° F), enough to turn asphalt into a sticky mess and force drivers onto less gummy shoulders. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHlc_8BqlXc Although over
- [Cleaning Up Methane for Cheap Hydrogen and Products](https://sustainableskies.org/cleaning-methane-cheap-hydrogen-products/) - Natural gas promoters explain that it burns much cleaner than other fossil fuels such as coal or gasoline. What if we can turn it into a zero-pollution fuel, and get a few bonus products from it? One big dream, capturing greenhouse gases and turning them into useful, non-polluting fuels or even materials, still drives researchers
- [Earth, Air, Water and Jet Fire](https://sustainableskies.org/earth-air-water-jet-fire/) - "I have always loved the desert. One sits down on a desert sand dune, sees nothing, hears nothing. Yet through the silence something throbs, and gleams." Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince The SOLAR-JET project (Solar chemical reactor demonstration and Optimization for Long-term Availability of Renewable JET fuel. or SOLAR-JET) pulls carbon dioxide from the air,
- [China Updates, Increases Range for RX1E-A](https://sustainableskies.org/china-updates-increases-range-for-rx1e-a/) - China Global Television Network, or CGTN, reports on an updated version of an electric airplane that first took flight in 2015. The original RX1E could fly for 45 minutes on its battery pack, limiting its utility. The RX1E-A’s six lithium battery packs can keep the new machine in the air for up to two hours
- [Too Late for Boxing Day*, Ehang Delivers the Goods](https://sustainableskies.org/late-boxing-day-ehang-delivers-goods/) - Broadcast live on December 24, this demonstration of the eHang 184 is, interestingly, an English-language presentation, with a lot of English names floating about. Someone named Mike shows off the Ehang 184 in this Christmas-related special. His friend Miranda snugs herself into the compact passenger compartment, tries on the safety harnesses, and deplanes before committing
- [Ballard and Insitu Team on Fuel Cell-Driven Drone](https://sustainableskies.org/ballard-insitu-team-fuel-cell-driven-drone/) - Another pair of heavy-duty partners, Ballard Power Systems of Canada, normally powering city buses; and Boeing, through its subsidiary Insitu, team to create and fly viable fuel cell systems for drones. Insitu’s ScanEagle is already a world-beater for range and endurance, but it uses an internal-combustion engine (ICE), that although frugal, is not entirely green.
- [Airbus, Williams Team to Expand Zephyr Program](https://sustainableskies.org/airbus-williams-team-after-more-records/) - What’s the HAPS, Guys? Airbus and Williams Advanced Engineering, two heavy hitters with the world’s largest commercial airliner and the world’s fastest formula electric cars, are collaborating on making a light, slow airplane stay up indefinitely. Their memorandum of understanding (MOU) seeks to integrate Williams’ demonstrated abilities with “ultra-lightweight materials, battery technologies and electrical cell
- [Toyota, BMW Fahrting Around with Clean Energy](https://sustainableskies.org/toyota-bmw-fahrting-around-clean-energy/) - Fahrt is German for drive, to clear things up immediately. Both Toyota and BMW are experimenting with the cruder form of the word, though, to bring about greener, cleaner driving. Both have bio-energy plans that use animal and even human waste to generate methane – a greenhouse gas that when burnt, combats air pollution. Variations
- [Three-in-One Device Stores Energy, Makes Hydrogen](https://sustainableskies.org/three-one-device-stores-energy-makes-hydrogen/) - UCLA researchers Richard Kaner and Maher El-Kady, “Have designed a device that can use solar energy to inexpensively and efficiently create and store energy, which could be used to power electronic devices, and to create hydrogen fuel for eco-friendly cars.” Kaner and El-Kady have devised many low-budget approaches to capturing and exploiting energy, such as
- [Verdego Aero – Another Variant on VTOL Travel](https://sustainableskies.org/verdego-aero-another-variant-vtol-travel/) - A Controversy for Starters Skeptics abound concerning the current spate of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) machines. The latest entry in the competition comes from the trio of Erik Lindbergh, Eric Bartsch, and Pat Anderson of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Their Verdego eight-rotor machine looks a bit like the Airbus A3 Vahana, but has pusher, rather
- [Pipistrel Electrifies China](https://sustainableskies.org/pipistrel-electrifies-china/) - Taja Boscarol, Public Relations Manager for Slovenian aircraft company Pipistrel, announced the formal establishment of the fourth company of the Pipistrel Group at the Chamber of Commerce in Jurong City (Jiansu Province), China. The new company, PIPISTREL ASIA-PACIFIC, General Aviation Technology Co. Ltd. was founded by Ivo Boscarol (51-percent owner) and Danny Wu Hao (49-percent).
- [Rolls-Royce, Airbus and Siemens Team Up on Hybrid Airliner](https://sustainableskies.org/rolls-royce-airbus-and-siemens-team-up-on-hybrid-airliner/) - As many of your editor’s friends know, he is often lured to trolling the tabloids, looking for juicy bits about the royal family or Hollywood royalty. Recently, while perusing the Daily Mail* for news of the upcoming Harry/Meaghan nuptials, he came across the big-headline news that three European power players – Rolls-Royce, Airbus, and Siemens,
- [Two Battery Fires in Self-Launching Sailplanes](https://sustainableskies.org/two-battery-fires-self-launching-sailplanes/) - Klaus Burhard publishes a wonderful news and blog site promoting ultralight sailplanes. His German site has been the source for many blog entries by yours truly, and the latest items from Klaus are of concern to anyone involved with electric aircraft. He has reported in the last week on a disturbing incident with a UK-based
- [Mike Friend Talks Hybrids in Beijing](https://sustainableskies.org/mike-friend-talks-hybrids-beijing/) - Mike Friend spent 36 years with Boeing, rising to positions as Chief Engineer and Technology Director. His technical and linguistics abilities helped make him a world traveler, creating the first fuel-cell powered airplane in Spain, for instance, in 2002 through 2008, when the demonstrator craft first flew. That was the first of many hybrid designs
- [Solar Impulse Foundation Seeks 1,000 Solutions](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-impulse-foundation-solutions/) - Andre’ Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard, founders and pilots of Solar Impulse, have founded an important outgrowth of their globe-spanning mission – The World Alliance for Efficient Solutions. With almost 500 members and seeking 1,000 with responsible and profitable solutions the two are working to gain investors in literally saving the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zZLlABcsbY Bertrand Piccard sees
- [Ampaire and its Zero Emission Airplane](https://sustainableskies.org/ampaire-zero-emission-airplane/) - Ampaire, a California-based startup, has a simple, two-fold set of goals. Its TailWind™ aircraft will solve the problems of high operating costs for short-haul airlines and reduce emissions by 99 percent. They must make a compelling argument since they won one of ten awards at the recent the 2017 Hello Tomorrow Global Summit Deep Tech
- [Faradair BEHA, an Electric Triplane for the Future](https://sustainableskies.org/faradair-beha-electric-triplane-future/) - Triplanes were popular in World War One because they allowed great maneuverability for dog-fighting, a supreme survival necessity. Their success in designs by Fokker and Sopwith, among others, gave them a certain panache. Now, a Bristol, England-based company hopes to revive the triplane as a commuter aircraft ready to fly from regional airports. Faradair®, named
- [Fisker’s Plans for Cars and Patents for Solid-State Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/fiskers-plans-patents-solid-state-batteries/) - Is there a Fisker battery in the future of electric vehicles? The latest proclamations from Henrik Fisker indicate he is ready to launch a lovely four-seat car for CES 2018, and that it will have LG Chem batteries capable of powering the vehicle for 400 miles. Charging the batteries for nine minutes will add 125
- [e-Genius Gets Around Quickly, Inspires Others](https://sustainableskies.org/e-genius-goes-quickly-inspires-others/) - Birds of the Same Tail Feather Configuration Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Rudolf Voit-Nitschmann (emeritus) had a lot to do with designing the 1996 Icare II solar-powered sailplane and the 2011 e-Genius. Icare II set several world records in its 20 years, most under the guidance of pilot Klaus Ohlmann. e-Genius won the award for being the quietest
- [Doing More with Less – BLI on a Big Scale](https://sustainableskies.org/less-big-scale-bli/) - Hybrid and electric cars sell because they lower operating costs for the owner. Designers and manufacturers sort out ways to increase efficiency, including streamlining, using low-rolling-resistance tires, and making structures lighter. An added technology, boundary layer ingestion (BLI) may add to aircraft efficiency. NASA and industry leaders are working on equivalent solutions for aircraft, and
- [Three Solar-Powered Cars Show a Possible Tech Path for Airplanes](https://sustainableskies.org/three-solar-powered-cars-show-possible-tech-path-airplanes/) - In the next decade, your new car may not only be electric or hybrid, but solar powered. A speaker from an Italian auto firm told a symposium your editor attended five years ago that solar roofs on cars could provide up to 30 free kilometers for an electric car each day. That 18 miles would
- [109.5 minutes of Mad Creativity - Ending with an Electric Biplane](https://sustainableskies.org/109-5-minutes-electric-biplane/) - Peter Sripol is part of FliteTest, a group that sells electric model aircraft and components and produces some wild and wooly YouTube videos of their exploits. The group’s products are mostly budget items, with simple aircraft quickly constructed the norm. One example, the Simple Solar radio-controlled plane, can be built for under $60, and flies
- [UAVs Push Endurance Limits](https://sustainableskies.org/auvs-push-endurance-limits/) - Three unpiloted aerial vehicles of wildly different configurations recently set endurance marks, each a “personal best,” with some achieving world records. The varying designs show what can be achieved by careful aerodynamic design and efficient powerplants. Aerovel Flexrotor Sets VTOL Endurance Mark Not just a fair weather UAV, Aerovel’s unmanned Flexrotor, named for the sea nymph
- [Hoversurf and OTSAW Patrol the Skies of Dubai](https://sustainableskies.org/hoversurf-patrol-skies-dubai/) - Hoversurf’s recent announcement of its use by Dubai police to patrol the streets and skies of the capital city brings forth several questions. With Dubai and other Emirates readily encouraging new modes of transport, including sky taxis and possibly Hyperloop trains, the country seems set to lead a transportation revolution in the 21st century. Already,
- [Better Battery Materials – Asphalt?](https://sustainableskies.org/better-battery-materials-asphalt/) - Asphalt, Graphene, and a Lithium Coating Mike Williams, reporting for Rice University in Houston, Texas, writes, “A touch of asphalt may be the secret to high-capacity lithium metal batteries that charge 10 to 20 times faster than commercial lithium-ion batteries, according to Rice University scientists.” We’ve written about James Tour and his laboratory before. He
- [David Ullman: Flying on Multiple Tiny Motors](https://sustainableskies.org/david-ullman-flying-multiple-tiny-motors/) - David Ullman, a professor emeritus at Oregon State University, predicted electric flight’s future in articles in 2009* and 2010**. His predictions have come (mostly) true and David is working to fulfill the rest. His background in mechanical and aeronautical engineering provides credibility for his prognostications, and he’s taking practical steps to take electric aviation to
- [Jeff Engler’s Wright Aero Leaps Into Green Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/jeff-englers-wright-aero-leaps-green-flight/) - Partnering with easyJet, a UK-based budget airline, to build an electric airliner capable of carrying 150 passengers on sub-two-hour flights, Wright Aero will substitute electrons for liquid fuel on one-fifth of EasyJet’s trips. Finding a ready collaborator in easyJet’s Carolyn McCall, Engler has a partner who is already making inroads into making jet flight cleaner.
- [Boeing Announces Zunum Progress, Acquisition of Aurora Flight Sciences](https://sustainableskies.org/boeing-announces-zunum-progress-acquisition-aurora-flight-sciences/) - Boeing made two announcements this week that show the maker of large aircraft willing to investigate niche markets at smaller scales and with more personal service for flyers. Both involve electric power and the potential for automated flight. Zunum To Fly by 2020, In Service by 2022 Zunum Aero, the Boeing- and Jet Blue-backed regional
- [GoFly and Win Big Prizes](https://sustainableskies.org/gofly-win-big-prizes/) - “Have You Ever Dreamed of Flying?” Boeing asks, and answers its own question: “We’re making that dream a reality.” Well, actually, the person entering HeroX and Boeing’s GoFly competition will make their own dream a reality, and possibly win substantial sums in the process. Abundance Insider, an Internet outreach from Peter Diamandis, himself well-acquainted with
- [A Range Extender You Can Ride Home](https://sustainableskies.org/range-extender-can-ride-home/) - Range extenders make any airplane to which they are attached a hybrid aircraft, with an engine-driven generator charging batteries or driving one or more electric motors that provide thrust. Speaking today at the 7th EASN International Conference on Innovation in European Aeronautics Research, Richard Glassock, a Fellow at the Institute of Aerospace Technology at the
- [The Lightest Material Encapsulated in the Sheerest](https://sustainableskies.org/lightest-material-encapsulated-in-sheerest/) - Scientists may have come up with a process to wrap hydrogen-trapping magnesium with an atom-thick layer of graphene, setting up a scenario to store hydrogen in a weight-saving way. Hydrogen seems to be a perfect fuel, but like all perfect things, an unattainable one. Its lightness and smallness make it hard to contain, and pressurization
- [Volocopter Starts Autonomous Air Service Trials in Dubai](https://sustainableskies.org/volocopter-starts-autonomous-air-service-trials-dubai/) - In June, Dubai’s Road and Transit Authority (RTA) announced its plans to test fly Volocopter’s 200 over the country by the last quarter of this year. The government and Volocopter have succeeded in meeting that timeline, with demonstrations this week of Volocopter’s quiet ability to fly autonomously (although without passengers so far). Aerial transit will
- [Zeppelins, Blimps and Plimps](https://sustainableskies.org/zeppelins-blimps-plimps/) - How about exploring a softer, gentler form of flight? Certainly, gas-filled envelopes provide a large way to transport goods and people, but for a variety of reasons, have fallen out of favor in recent years. Several entrepreneurs are trying to revive an old idea. Hanging Over Our Heads One threat hanging over our heads is
- [SmartFlyer Challenge: Electric Airplanes Fill Swiss Skies](https://sustainableskies.org/smartflyer-challenge-electric-airplanes-fill-swiss-skies/) - There are few times one will see more than one electric airplane at the same place – outside of perhaps, Friedrichshafen’s e-Flight Expo every year. But to see them flying at the same field on the same day is an even grander delight. That happened September 9 and 10 at Grenchen, Switzerland. Grenchen hosted the
- [Pipistrel Opens World’s First True Airplane Charging Station](https://sustainableskies.org/pipistrel-opens-worlds-first-true-airplane-charging-station/) - On August 30. Pipistrel inaugurated the first electric charging station to fully warrant the name, charging one of their own Alpha Electro trainers. The project was co-financed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport and the European Union from the European Social Fund. Led by Pipistrel, the LECAD Laboratory, and the Academy of Fine
- [Sun Flyer’s Two and Four Seat Electric Aircraft](https://sustainableskies.org/sun-flyers-two-and-four-seat-electric-aircraft/) - George Bye has spent the last decade developing a viable two-seat training aircraft that would be electrically powered. His efforts included a Cessna 172 that took wing on battery power, and have evolved to the current product, a sleek two-seater that has 105 deposits to buy worldwide. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ4sRKowS3I At AirVenture 2017, George displayed the Sun
- [A123/Solid Power Partnership - A Safe Bet?](https://sustainableskies.org/a123solid-power-partnership-a-safe-bet/) - A123 Systems has worked with buffering chemistries to reduce the volatility of lithium batteries for the last decade. Solid Power Inc. has taken a set of interesting new technologies to make batteries more energy dense and safer. The two companies are combining efforts to make a more powerful, less-volatile battery, according to recent press releases.
- [Equator P2 Makes First Taxi Test](https://sustainableskies.org/equator-p2-makes-first-taxi-test/) - Designing and building your own airplane is a chore most people will never accomplish. It’s harder than it looks. All the people your editor knows who have accomplished this, even “just” the building part, talk about the 90-percent rule: 90-percent done – 90-percent to go. Getting the Nose Gear to Steer Tomas Brodreskift of Equator
- [Cheaper Hydrogen and Fuel Cells](https://sustainableskies.org/cheaper-hydrogen-fuel-cells/) - Hydrogen would be a wonderful fuel if it were easy to get and easy to use. It makes up 90 percent of all atoms in the universe, equal to about 75 percent of all the mass. Hydrogen has been expensive to obtain because quite often its extraction from other matter entails using expensive catalysts such
- [Smart Fabrics Generate Energy Several Ways](https://sustainableskies.org/smart-fabrics-generate-energy-several-ways/) - We see a great deal about wearable energy-generating fabrics, garments that will help keep the wearer warm, or cool, or visible because of built-in piezo-electric generators in the makeup of the fabric. Several researchers are taking this to the next level, creating new warps and woofs of materials that will create energy from a greater
- [Elytron Changes Names, Forms, Becomes Converticopter](https://sustainableskies.org/elytron-changes-names-forms-becomes-converticopter/) - Oliver Garrow has been pursuing the dream of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) flight for a decade, starting long before it became the currently fashionable ideal for “flying car” enthusiasts. He sold a little over 1,000 simulation packages to enthusiasts, who could “fly” variants of the Verticopter™ ranging from three to 65 feet in span.
- [Electric Propulsion for Big Birds](https://sustainableskies.org/electric-propulsion-for-big-birds/) - Graham Warwick reports in the August 25 Aviation Week that NASA is investigating the creation of megawatt-scale electric propulsion systems for airliners. These would be much more powerful than those in cars or even semi-trucks, and far lighter than equivalent units in ships. NASA’s research involves partnering with the University of Illinois, Ohio State University, General
- [Recharging Technique Makes Zinc-Air Batteries a Viable Alternative](https://sustainableskies.org/recharging-technique-makes-zinc-air-batteries-a-viable-alternative/) - Lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries face several problems: they are not making great leaps forward that we hope for, they occasionally burst into flame, and they weigh too much to be all that practical in a pure-electric airplane. Researchers peer over the alternatives, magnesium, manganese, aluminum, and now, after several false starts in recent years, zinc.
- [Oregon Helps Build and Will Test Fly Vahana](https://sustainableskies.org/oregon-helps-build-will-test-fly-vahana/) - Oregon is a big player in drones and electric aviation, your editor just learned. Attending the first ever Drone Summit in Bend, Oregon recently, we found that Oregon has three of the seven unpiloted aerial vehicle test ranges in the United State. It has Boeing-backed Insitu, maker of the Scan Eagle long-range, long-endurance drone now
- [Capturing Carbon and Making Airplanes from It](https://sustainableskies.org/capturing-carbon-making-airplanes/) - Climate scientists have tracked the growing percentage of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air, and noted a correlation between that rise and global warming. Scientists from Michael Mann to Benjamin Santer have measured the changes in CO2 levels against climate change, with 97 out of 100 climate scientists accepting that human activities and rises in
- [Two More eVTOLs Look Skyward - But Mostly in CGI](https://sustainableskies.org/two-evtols-look-skyward-mostly-cgi/) - Neva Aerospace, DeLorean
- [MGM Compro Enjoys Good News in Europe and at Oshkosh](https://sustainableskies.org/mgm-compro-good-news-in-europe-and-at-oshkosh/) - MGM Compro is a Czech company that seems to have a motor on half of every light electric airplane flying today. Their motors have powered Airbus’s electric Cri-Cri (four 15-kilowatt units), the firm’s e-Fan, Ruppert Composite’s Archaeopteryx, e-Volo’s Volocopter, and any number of motorgliders and light sport aircraft buzzing quietly over Europe, and soon, America.
- [Rechargeable Alkaline Batteries Seem Inherently Safe](https://sustainableskies.org/rechargeable-alkaline-batteries-inherently-safe/) - Ionic Materials, A Woburn, Massachusetts-based company, claims to have crafted a battery with an alkaline solid-state electrolyte that successfully resists punctures, cuts and other injuries. It doesn’t burst into flames like many lithium-based batteries. In demonstrations, the battery survives 9mm and 25-caliber bullets. https://vimeo.com/215524186 A more personal attack takes place with a screwdriver and paper
- [Instant Hydrogen?](https://sustainableskies.org/instant-hydrogen-just-add-water/) - Researchers at the U. S. Army’s Research Laboratory at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, announced what they call a “groundbreaking discovery - an aluminum nanomaterial they designed produces high amounts of energy when it comes in contact with water, or with any liquid containing water.” Reportedly “during routine materials experimentation,” the team observed a bubbling
- [eSpirit of St. Louis Runs at Oshkosh](https://sustainableskies.org/espirit-of-st-louis-runs-at-oshkosh/) - One of the biggest thrills this year at Oshkosh was getting to see Eagle Flight Research Center’s DA-36 run its YASA electric motor. Eagle Flight, an outgrowth of Erik Lindbergh’s Powering Imagination program he’s been pursuing for the last several years, aims to create quiet electric aircraft that will carry sight-seers over National Parks and
- [2017 Green Speed Cup – Airplanes More Frugal Than Priuses](https://sustainableskies.org/2017-green-speed-cup-airplanes-better-priuses/) - The Green Speed Cup, held every year except for 2016 since 2011, is measure of an airplane’s efficiency, using a formula from the competition’s web site. “The scoring will be very simple. The aircraft that flew with the best ratio of fuel-consumption per distance and speed will win the competition. The scoring of each competitor will
- [Dallas Finds Seoul Brothers in Battery Development](https://sustainableskies.org/dallas-seoul-brothers-battery/) - A “novel” manganese and sodium-ion-based material might be a contender for the more universal lithium-ion batteries that power our mobile devices and make us mobile in electric vehicles. Developed by the University of Texas at Dallas in collaboration with Seoul National University, the new material is said to offer “a potentially lower-cost, more ecofriendly option
- [What We’re Looking Forward to at AirVenture 2017](https://sustainableskies.org/looking-forward-airventure-2017/) - We’re looking forward to seeing progress in electric aircraft, and this year may be an opportunity to see real breakthroughs. Two from Pipistrel Besides its regular lineup of high-quality aircraft, Pipistel will have two Alpha Electro trainers on display in their display area. This is the first time these aircraft will be seen in America,
- [Zunum Designs Electric Power Trains with a Software Approach](https://sustainableskies.org/zunum-designs-power-trains-software-approach/) - Zunum is a startup electric airliner firm, helmed by former leaders in aerospace, electronics and software companies. It’s no surprise, then, to see their design and manufacturing efforts following a path that blends those disciplines. Aviation Week reports Zunum just received an $800,000 matching grant from Washington State’s Clean Energy Fund, “its size proportionate to
- [Geely Looks Skyward, Buys Terrafugia](https://sustainableskies.org/geely-looks-skyward-buys-terrafugia/) - Geely is a huge enterprise, and while not the largest maker of electric cars in China, sold 766,000 gas and electric vehicles in 2016, growing 50 percent over the previous year. Its profits grew 126 percent last year, primarily due to sports utility vehicle (SUV) sales. As EV Obsession reports: “The 351,861 electric car sales registered
- [SA Symposium 2017 – An April Festival of Electric Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/april-festival-electric-flight/) - April 21 and 22, 2017, set your GPS for N 37° 31' 20.84'' W 122° 15' 38.31'' – the Hotel Pullman San Francisco Bay. The refined and beautiful setting and four-star accommodations make a grand accompaniment to the story we will share. The story of the 2017 Sustainable Aviation Symposium includes the latest in aerodynamics,
- [Two Multi-Rotors Half a World Apart](https://sustainableskies.org/two-multi-rotors-half-world-apart/) - New Atlas (formerly Gizmag) alerted your editor to this web site, which in turn features over a score of YouTube videos on this fascinating project in Sweden. Axel Borg has created, as promised by the web site, an Amazing DIY Project, flying around a hilly woodland on the power of 76 electric motors. Undaunted by
- [ONERA’s AMPERE Flies on Distributed Electric Thrust](https://sustainableskies.org/oneras-ampere-flies-distributed-electric-thrust/) - ONERA’s mission statement for its AMPERE (Avion à Motorisation réPartie Électrique de Recherche Expérimentale) electric aircraft is fairly straightforward. “AMPERE is a demonstrator of a regional airplane with electric propulsion distributed, allowing to transport from 4 to 6 people over 500 [kilometers – 310 miles] in 2 hours. The objective of the AMPERE project is
- [EViation Electric Aircraft: Demanding Disruption](https://sustainableskies.org/11993-2/) - Aviation Week reports from the Paris Air Show on a “disruptive” entry in electric aviation. Eviation, founded by Omer Bar Yohai, is primed to deliver a change in transportation as we know it. Yohai says, “The dominant solutions available today are deeply flawed and demand disruption.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=42&v=emi_CKAlfVA The company’s promotional video only hints at the
- [Phinergy: The 100X Battery?](https://sustainableskies.org/phinergy-the-100x-battery/) - Phinergy is an Israeli startup that promises high energy density energy storage systems, coupling zero emissions with light weight and great range in vehicle use. The company’s technology is similar to that of another Israeli firm, Alydro, reported here last year, and to the use of aluminum beverage can pull tabs, water and vinegar by
- [Airspace X MOBI Wants toTake Back Our Lives](https://sustainableskies.org/airspace-x-mobi-might-take-back-our-lives/) - Airspace X decries the thought that “Traffic is taking over our lives.” It lists three concerns: the 42 hours urban commuters sit in traffic per year; the 1.9 billion gallons of fuel wasted due to road congestion; and the $1,400 wasted per driver per year due to traffic. Its solution, an electrically-powered four-seat commuter vehicle
- [Full-Spectrum Solar-Generated Hydrogen](https://sustainableskies.org/full-spectrum-solar-generated-hydrogen/) - Osaka University researchers have created a new material based on gold and black phosphorus to produce clean hydrogen fuel using the full spectrum of sunlight. Most solar apparatus used in “water splitting” rely on materials such as titanium dioxide. These are limited to obtaining energy from the ultraviolet (UV) part of the solar spectrum, however.
- [Volocopter, Dubai Sign Autonomous Air Taxi Agreement](https://sustainableskies.org/volocopter-dubai-sign-autonomous-air-taxi-agreement/) - Dubai, already having penned a similar agreement with China’s eHang, will start test runs of autonomous air taxis in 2017 with the Volocopter. Volocopter's Eventful Year Volocopter has had an eventful year, introducing its latest model, the 2X, at this year’s Friedrichshafen Aero E-Flight Expo and opening its new corporate headquarters. Now, it looks forward
- [Look Up and Say Cheese!  Autonomous Mapping from the Elektra One Solar](https://sustainableskies.org/look-up-and-say-cheese-autonomous-mapping-from-the-elektra-one-solar/) - Had the residents of Landshut, a 13th-century city in Lower Bavaria, chanced to look up at the right time over the last few weeks, they might have glimpsed a bright yellow shape looking back at them. Calin Gologan’s latest Elektra One Solar carries a suite of cameras that can transmit 2D movies in 4K resolution
- [Batteries Following Roads Less Taken](https://sustainableskies.org/batteries-following-roads-less-taken/) - When you come to a fork in the road, take it. Yogi Berra Technology and new products continue to enhance the development and realization of electric and solar aircraft. Two approaches to batteries, both of which explore roads less taken, have some promise for aircraft use. Shine Some Light on It What if your battery
- [Long Hours of Droning On](https://sustainableskies.org/long-hours-of-droning-on/) - Several different organizations are trying different ways to keep unmanned aerial vehicles, UAVs, up longer. We’ll look at three recent efforts in long-endurance missions, each with a unique technological approach. Wirth Research – Hydrogen Fuel Cell Wirth Research is now constructing a new tilt rotor, Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL), hydrogen fuel cell powered,
- [Traveler Hybrid - An Electrifying Transformation](https://sustainableskies.org/traveler-hybrid-a-electrifying-transformation/) - Urs Villiger, with the assistance of, “A network of aviation specialists…under the leadership of Calin Gologan CFD Consultants,” crafted a sleek four-seater, the Traveler TR230. That airplane, originally flown with an internal combustion engine, has apparently been recrafted as a hybrid craft. Gologan, along with Dr. Volker Kassera, did the majority of the aircraft’s design.
- [P3 – Different Consulting for a Different Industry](https://sustainableskies.org/p3-different-consulting-different-industry/) - P3 is a new and different type of consulting service for a new and different kind of industry – electric aviation. Consulting businesses usually manage to help others manage fairly conventional and well-traveled projects, limiting their practice to advising on how to meet budget and project timelines. These are valuable insights that can help technical
- [Surefly – A Pickup and a Pick-Me-Up](https://sustainableskies.org/surefly-pickup-pick/) - We’re experiencing a myriad of multi-rotors lately, mostly in the vertical lift on demand, sky-taxi category. Workhorse, a company specializing in electric vehicles, has introduced the Surefly, an eight-rotor, hybrid-powered two-seater with actual pilots in mind. Workhorse will reveal the aircraft at the Paris Airshow on July 19, possibly filling in the blanks for the
- [Another Combined Motor-Controller System](https://sustainableskies.org/another-combined-motor-controller-system/) - Compact Dynamics, a German electronics firm associated with MAHEPA, the green aviation consortium, has developed two types of electric motor-controller combinations adaptable to aeronautical use. Their Dynax® Transversal flow machines and Dynadyn® Radial flux drives integrate power electronics with the motor. Their Dynax MGi25-48, one of two lower-power motor-controller combination, is rated at 25 kilowatts
- [MAHEPA, Modularizing the Approach to Clean Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/mahepa-modularizing-approach-clean-flight/) - Pipistrel, itself flying pure electric and hybrid aircraft, has announced its participation in MAHEPA, a Modular Approach to Hybrid-Electric Propulsion Architecture. MAHEPA aims to,” reduce the gap between research and the production of low-emission propulsion technologies that would enable the achievement of environmental objectives in the field of aviation by 2050.” Mahepa’s first meeting, held
- [Efficient and Cheap Catalyst for Water Splitting](https://sustainableskies.org/efficient-cheap-catalyst-water-splitting/) - University of Houston physicists think they may have overcome the last hurdle to generating abundant hydrogen, a fuel that is as elusive as it is clean. Their new catalyst, “composed of easily available, low-cost materials and operating far more efficiently than previous catalysts,” could solve at least one of the problems associated with generating and
- [Toyota Hopes to Light Olympic Flame with Flying Car](https://sustainableskies.org/toyota-hopes-light-olympic-flame-flying-car/) - Cartivator, a startup with seemingly boundless energy and endless ideas, hopes to use its Skydrive single-person “flying car” to light the Olympic flame in 2020. The compact vehicle, claimed to be the smallest flying car in the world, is a tricycle which can traverse roads efficiently. When confronted by hazards or traffic jams, it can
- [EMBATT – an Embedded Battery that combines Structure and Energy](https://sustainableskies.org/embatt-embedded-battery-combines-structure-energy/) - Imagine a battery that reduces the overall number of structural parts in an electrical vehicle and the volume taken up by the battery. That’s the concept behind EMBATT (chassis embedded battery), which functions as structural energy storage. It can cut the volume occupied by a battery in half, with serendipitous outcomes for lightness and structural
- [A Swan among the Ultralights](https://sustainableskies.org/a-swan-among-the-ultralights/) - At this year’s Aero Friedrichshafen, Modern Wings showed off their Swan Ultralight, a nicely packaged machine that can fly on either fossil fuels or electricity. Of course, we’ll feature the electric version here. The Swan E115-22 is an electrically-powered airplane of 115 kilograms (253 pounds) empty weight powered by a 22-horsepower motor. That empty weight
- [Not a Goldschmied Fuselage, but Still Wonderfully Low Drag](https://sustainableskies.org/not-goldschmied-fuselage-still-wonderfully-low-drag/) - Following your editor’s blog entry on the Prandtl wing and erroneously named Goldschmied fuselage, he received this correction from Dr. Brien Seeley, President of the Sustainable Aviation Foundation and one of the creators of the body in question. “However, it is, I think, important to note: We did not fabricate a Goldschmied body and it
- [SolarStratos Makes First Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/solarstratos-makes-first-flight/) - SolarStratos, a feather-light 450 kilogram (990 pound), solar-powered airplane, lifted off for the first time on May 5 in Payerne, Switzerland. Considering its 24.9 meter (81.69 feet) wingspan, the airplane shows designer Calin Gologan’s ability to squeeze performance from every gram of structure. It flies nicely, too, with test pilot Damian Hischier enthusing, “The plane
- [Qinetix Motor at E-Flight Expo](https://sustainableskies.org/qinetix-motor-e-flight-expo/) - QinetiX GmbH in Germany manufactures a motor and controller combined in one case to lower weight and simplify installation. Their QPD-40, shown at the Aero Friedrichshafen E-Flight Expo and on their web page, seems to exemplify those goals. Its 12 kilogram (26.4 pound) weight and 40 kilowatt (53.6 hp.) output gives it a power-to-weight ratio
- [Lilium Flies a Quick Demonstration](https://sustainableskies.org/lilium-flies-quick-demonstration/) - Lilium, a 36-motor electric VTOL aircraft, made initial test flights near Munich, Germany.
- [An Image of the Future at the 2017 Sustainable Aviation Symposium](https://sustainableskies.org/an-image-of-the-future-at-the-2017-sustainable-aviation-symposium/) - The Seeleys and SA board members did themselves proud for this year's Sustainable Aviation Symposium. Your editor visited the grand ballroom in the San Francisco Bay Pullman Hotel the night before the meeting was to take place. All the tables, chairs and stage were in place, but the room was otherwise bare. Early next morning,
- [Uber Elevate Summit Announces Sky Taxis by 2020](https://sustainableskies.org/uber-announces-air-taxis-2020/) - A scad of news about electric aircraft hit the internet and newsstands last week. Even USA Today reported on the Uber Elevate Summit in Dallas, Texas – held with many of the participants in the 2017 Sustainable Aviation Symposium a few days before. Big news came from Uber’s announcement that it intends to offer electric
- [Larry Page and his Water-Skimming "Flying Car"](https://sustainableskies.org/larry-page-water-skimming-flying-car/) - What’s the definition of a “flying car?” Does it need four wheels and quick-deploying wings to meet the definition? Engineers at Kitty Hawk, a Larry Page-funded company, showed some major sales points for what looks to be an easy-to-fly, somewhat whimsical electrically-driven octorotor. The Verge reports that, “Kitty Hawk promises people will be able to
- [French Electric Helicopter Has Very Public Outing](https://sustainableskies.org/volta-french-electric-helicopter-public-outing/) - The Volta is a French electric helicopter, and has been setting endurance records with almost every flight, it seems. From its first hovering on February 17, 2016, and a first “official” three-minute flight on October 19, Volta has risen to new heights and set new “bests” for itself. Volta is based on Microcopter MC1, a one-of-a-kind
- [Five Representative Exhibitors at the E-Flight Expo](https://sustainableskies.org/five-representative-exhibitors-e-flight-expo/) - Aero, an annual event at Friedrichshafen, Germany, highlights the beginning of the European air show season. E-Flight Expo has been a regular part of this for the last several years, and displays the latest in electric flight technology. Certainly the most forward-looking part of the show, the Expo grows every year. Several exhibitors helped further
- [Zunum Electric Airliners Get Nod from Boeing, Jet Blue](https://sustainableskies.org/zunum-electric-airliners-get-nod-from-boeing-jet-blue/) - Zunum aero, a startup in Kirkland, Washington, aims to fill the skies with small, quiet electric and hybrid airliners. These range from a ten-passenger mini-liner to a 50-passenger craft similar to regional jets and feeder airliners. Zunum is a Mayan word for hummingbird, and like those little speedsters, Zunum aircraft would make short hops efficiently
- [Siemens-Powered Extra 330LE Makes a Great Tow Plane](https://sustainableskies.org/siemens-powered-extra-330le-makes-great-tow-plane/) - Already proving its ability to climb at a great rate on its own, the Siemens-powered Extra 330LE towed an LS-8 sailplane to 600 meters (1.968 feet) in a mere 76 seconds. This alone could be a gift to soaring. Sitting at the controls of a sailplane being towed aloft behind a conventionally-powered tow plane proves
- [Equator P2 Runs Forwards, Backwards and Heads Toward Friedrichshafen](https://sustainableskies.org/equator-p2-runs-forwards-backwards-heads-toward-friedrichshafen/) - Tomas Broedreskift, on his Equator Facebook page, reports, “Successful motor test with propeller mounted today with #engiro! Celebrating the milestone with some German (beer glass emoticon) this evening! (noise maker emoticons) Amazing to see the thing come alive at last.” As the video shows, the Equator P2’s motor can be made to run in reverse,
- [Airbus E-Fans 2.0 and 4.0 Dropped in Favor of E-Fan X](https://sustainableskies.org/airbus-e-fans-2-0-and-4-0-dropped-in-favor-of-e-fan-x/) - Much like waiting for the single-person ram-jet helicopter to show up in your garage, you’ll be left hanging for a two- or four-seat Airbus e-Fan to grace your hangar. Although not sharing the news in its “Innovation” or press release sections on its web site, Airbus has announced that it’s dropping plans to produce an E-Fan
- [Exciting News from Eric Raymond and Dr. Van Helsing](https://sustainableskies.org/exciting-news-from-eric-raymond-and-dr-van-helsing/) - We are excited to share this press release from Eric Raymond at Solar Flight. Being in on things at the beginning of an extraordinary new technology is something that we strive for in this blog. We were alerted to this by Dr. Abraham Van Helsing from the Transcendental Aerodynamics Department of the University of Transylvania.
- [Solar Impulse Pilot Andre’ Borschberg to Speak at SAS 2017](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-impulse-pilot-andre-borschberg-speak-sas-2017/) - One of two pilots who guided Solar Impulse around the world will speak at the 2017 Sustainable Aviation Symposium. Andre’ Borschberg, having accomplished along with Bertrand Piccard an extraordinary voyage, uses his reputation and celebrity to educate the world that the “Future is Clean,” a watchword for the team’s ongoing efforts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wa9neSLMb7o Last November, for
- [Paris to London Using No Fossil Fuels](https://sustainableskies.org/paris-london-using-no-fossil-fuels/) - Jeff Engler fired up a start-up, Wright Electric, about a year ago. Last week, he presented at the Y Combinator Winter 2017 Demo Day – a semi-annual event where venture capitalists can meet the latest in venturesome mendicants. Tech Crunch describes the firm’s goals, which include electric flights between London and Paris on no fossil
- [Smartflyerchallenge – Europe’s First Fly-In for Electric Powered Aircraft](https://sustainableskies.org/smartflyerchallenge-europes-first-fly-in-for-electric-powered-aircraft/) - Air meets have been an important part of aviation history, bringing pilots, planes nad the public together in a symbiotic gathering. This was true in aviation’s genesis; things gaining a tremendous impetus with air meets throughout Europe and America following Wilbur Wright’s 1908 public demonstrations near Le Mans, France. René Maier, ex-Colonel of the Swiss
- [Making Hydrogen at Ambient Temperature with Biomass](https://sustainableskies.org/making-hydrogen-ambient-temperature-biomass/) - Hydrogen would be a nearly perfect fuel if it didn’t take more energy to extract it than you can get out of it. Scientists have been working for years to isolate it in an economical fashion. The most common element in the universe, hydrogen makes up 10 percent of the weight of living things here
- [Equator P2 Assembled, Ready to Go](https://sustainableskies.org/equator-p2-assembled/) - Exciting new pictures from Tomas Brodreskift show that his nearly decade-long project has reached a happy completion. The Equator P2, born in the mind of a talented industrial designer, seemed like a nice dream when your editor first saw it in renderings. As one would expect from an accomplished product designer, the aircraft looked wonderful,
- [CubeSats, Airplanes Made of Batteries?](https://sustainableskies.org/cubesats-airplanes-made-batteries/) - Dr. Luke Roberson, Dr. Ryan Karkkainen, and Dr. Xiangyang Zhou are now collaborating on “Creating a structural battery material [that] could revolutionize the way NASA operates small payloads.” Batteries now take up 20 to 35 percent of the volume in some CubeSats, 10 centimeters (3.97 inches) ×10 cm. × 11.35 cm (4.47 inches) cubes, as
- [ George Bye – Electric Aerospace in Small, Medium and Large](https://sustainableskies.org/george-bye-electric-aerospace-small-medium-large/) - George Bye has been crafting and testing electric aircraft for the last decade and now has four craft of varying size demonstrating the reach of his vision. Bill Moore interviewed George for EVWorld.com recently. We’ll review the airplanes with which George is involved, starting small and working up to a spectacular cross-country cruiser. Silent Falcon
- [TAG – You’re Down!](https://sustainableskies.org/tag-youre-down/) - Nailing the landing is a big test for gymnasts, birds, and in the near future – for electric commuter aircraft. Landing in an impossibly short distance seemed like a mission only for helicopters until recently. Fixed-wing machines seem at a disadvantage here, rotary-wing craft having the edge in being able to set down almost anywhere,
- [Otherlab’s Cardboard Drone – “A Pizza Box… Shaped into a Wing”](https://sustainableskies.org/otherlabs-cardboard-drone-pizza-box-shaped-wing/) - A disposable drone that will make a one-way trip to a disaster area won’t add to the suffering if it dissolves within a few weeks of delivering its life-saving cargo. That’s the promise of the “Aerial Platform Supporting Autonomous Resupply Actions” (APSARA), currently being developed by Otherlab, a San Francisco-based group specializing in next-generation creations.
- [Pop.Up – Airbus Pops Up with Another VTOL Commuter](https://sustainableskies.org/pop-up-airbus-pops-another-vtol-commuter/) - What will Pop.Up next? We’re floating away, being carried skyward by PAL-V’s, JetPack’s 12-rotor machine, e-volo’s 16-rotor design, and even Hoversurf’s four-rotor flying donor-cycle. At least a half-dozen other varieties of VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) commuter machines are coming at us with bewildering speed. If nothing else, the competing visions of future aerial transport
- [Jetpacks to VTOL Multi-Rotors](https://sustainableskies.org/jetpacks-vtol-multi-rotors/) - You see a lot of articles petulantly demanding, “Dude, where’s my jetpack?” or “Where’s my flying car?” It’s a bit like wanting a Formula 1 racer in which to commute, and fraught with similar problems. An F1 race car, for instance, demands incredible driving skills – that’s why most F1 drivers are incredibly well compensated.
- [Metamaterial Knows No Bounds](https://sustainableskies.org/metamaterial-knows-no-bounds/) - Jonathan Berger has come up with a foam structure that will make it more than the ephemeral filling in composite construction sandwiches. Isomax™ foam could be the entire structure because of its unique geometry. He claims it to be the world’s first material to achieve structural performance predicted by theoretical bounds. His letter in the
- [Hoversurf – The Russians are coming with Flying Bikes](https://sustainableskies.org/hoversurf-scorpion/) - Hoversurf, a Russian flying motorcycle, has been getting a lot of press lately. “Looks like a hell of a ride,” trumpets TheNextWeb. Mashable headlines, “The first manned hoverbike could finally fulfill your 'Star Wars' dreams,” but points out, “Those dangerous-looking propellers spinning right next to the pilot's legs.” New Atlas (formerly Gizmag) says it is,
- [Safe Rechargeable Solid State Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/safe-rechargeable-solid-state-batteries/) - If the man responsible for co-invention of the lithium-ion battery says he has found ways to make it better while eliminating its less desirable characteristics – we will listen. 94-year-old John Goodenough, professor in the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, says as much. He and researchers including Maria Helena
- [Will You Be Able to Print the Solar Cells for Your Wings?](https://sustainableskies.org/will-able-print-solar-cells-wings/) - That may sound like a silly question, but thin-film solar cells are pushing the boundaries of lightness and efficiency that will make them viable candidates for use on aircraft. Looking back at earlier achievements demonstrates the great things that can be done with limited resources. Eric Raymond, for instance, made a solar-powered flight across the
- [PAL-V Goes on Sale in America](https://sustainableskies.org/pal-v-goes-sale-america/) - Pal-V is a “flying car” that looks more like a flying motorcycle. Its three wheels would make it so in many countries. It flies as a gyrocopter, maintaining a sporty approach to its transition from ground to air. One reader has suggested dropping the term, “flying car,” even though it has captured reporters’ (and America’s)
- [Hotter Jet Engines Could Lead to Greener Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/hotter-jet-engines-lead-greener-flight/) - Nano twins are not something Robin Williams’ Mork would make friends with. They are destructive pairings inside alloys, and getting rid of them will apparently lead to cleaner jet flight. Ohio State University researchers devised a technique they call “Phase Transformation Strengthening” which leads to stronger alloys and less deformation of the final products. This
- [Will Dubai Beat Everyone to Jetson World?](https://sustainableskies.org/will-dubai-beat-everyone-to-jetson-world/) - What do you give the country that has everything? Perhaps the world’s first aerial taxi service. An Excess of Riches Dubai is a fabulously rich country, with an air conditioned beach, the world’s largest shopping mall and an indoor ski center complete with a good base and a layer of powder. Disappointingly, it’s only the third
- [Dale Kramer’s VLazair – Swinging a Different Way](https://sustainableskies.org/dale-kramers-vlazair-swinging-different-way/) - Dale Kramer’s Lazair was one of the most popular ultralights in the 1980s, selling over 1,200 units. He re-engineered it a decade ago and flew the electrically-powered version in both land and amphibious versions. Appearances at AirVenture saw him making daily flights over the area. Your editor was privileged to visit Dale’s home, once owned
- [NASA’s Mark Moore Joins Uber](https://sustainableskies.org/nasas-mark-moore-joins-uber/) - You must really be somebody when Fortune Magazine notices you’re taking a new job. Mark Moore is indeed somebody, and remarkably self-confident in leaving a 30-year NASA career to sign on to a startup – even if it is run by Uber. He will be Director of Aviation for the on-demand ride company, tackling the
- [Record for Siemens, Extra Electric Time-to-Climb](https://sustainableskies.org/siemens-extra-set-electric-time-climb-record/) - Time-to-Climb is a tough record to beat, requiring an airplane with an excess of power, a skilled pilot, and just the right weather. Your editor was supremely lucky a few years ago to meet Bruce Bohannon, holder of 25 records, including altitude and TTC marks to 20,000, 30,000 and 40,000 feet. He managed these records in
- [Intel Drones Back Lady Gaga](https://sustainableskies.org/intel-drones-back-lady-gaga/) - Seeing Lady Gaga perform with 300 Intel Drones at this week’s Super Bowl was the highlight of the evening for this editor, who doesn’t share the national passion for watching men in Spandex crunch helmets together. The Lady does have a way of attracting attention, and this year, Intel helped contribute to the half-time excitement.
- [Mike Friend’s Hybrid Electric Solution](https://sustainableskies.org/mike-friends-hybrid-electric-solution/) - Electric airplanes currently can give 15 or 20 minutes of intense aerobatics, or about an hour of more sedate cruising. What if you had a lovely little airplane that invited flinging it about the sky, but you still wanted to visit distant places? In 2005, Mike Friend owned a Silence Twister, a Spitfire-like single-seater registered
- [Your Flying Car is on Its Way - How Soon?](https://sustainableskies.org/your-flying-car-is-on-its-way-how-soon/) - Uber is projecting real-world approaches to personal transport in urban environments. Their work with Airbus affiliate A3 could help unlock gridlock for all of us. Gridlock wastes millions of hours of otherwise productive time, a key measure of “the good life.” With eVolo having demonstrated that 16 rotors can carry the weight of two people,
- [Twisting, Turning and Nailing the Landing](https://sustainableskies.org/twisting-turning-nailing-landing/) - We like to think that our mastery of aerobatics is second to none, but aircraft only achieve a small part of the birds’ ability to hover, swoop, and perch on a target at zero forward airspeed. Researchers in Switzerland and England, though, are making progress toward deeper emulation of nature’s masters of flight. Our Fine
- [500 Miles on 10-Percent Plastic Waste](https://sustainableskies.org/500-miles-10-percent-plastic-waste/) - Plastic threatens to choke the world’s oceans, five gyres or “garbage patches” of plastic debris twirling around in toxic profusion. These plastic bits and pieces, slowly photodegrading into smaller and smaller pieces, also choke the fish and birds that feed on or in the water. It’s a huge problem that invites grand visions for solutions
- [How Cheaply Can One Fly?](https://sustainableskies.org/cheaply-can-one-fly/) - How low(cost) can you go and still fly? That question forms one of the pursuits of the Minimalist Airplane Study Group, hosted by William Rich on Yahoo Groups. He may have found an answer that leads to several intriguing alternative uses for the type of electric powerplant described below. Use of model aircraft components leads
- [Hybrid Aircraft - Several Empowering Possibilities](https://sustainableskies.org/several-empowering-possibilities-hybrid-aircraft/) - While we wait (with increasing patience or impatience depending on our personalities) for the next round of battery developments to make pure electric airplanes a reality, hybrid possibilities abound. The definition of “hybrid” might not be as coherent as those used for automobiles. Some “hybrids in this entry allow extended letdowns following a primary engine
- [If Santa Lived in a Soho Loft and Built Drones](https://sustainableskies.org/santa-lived-soho-loft-built-drones/) - There is much happening in electric aviation, including this flying Santa Claus, dangling from what is claimed to be the world's largest homemade drone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=At3xcj-pTjg And in this interesting behind-the-scenes video we find that Casey Neitstat either has arms of steel, or a clever harness maker who probably outfits touring companies for Peter Pan stage
- [Flying (Quietly) Like a REAL Bird!](https://sustainableskies.org/flying-quietly-real-bird/) - Not Just an Academic Exercise Justin Jaworski, Lehigh University assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, writes, “From antiquity to Harry Potter, owls continue to captivate and mystify us. Perhaps owls’ most mysterious feat is their ability to fly silently, which enables them to
- [EC04 Design Wins 2016 Berblinger Prize](https://sustainableskies.org/ec04-design-wins-2016-berblinger-prize/) - A Big Win for Stuttgart Team Dipl-Ing Ingmar Geiß, Deputy Project Leader for e-Genius at the Institute of Aircraft Design at the University of Stuttgart, shared this pleasant news: “I am happy to tell you that our hybrid-electric “ECO4” has won the Berblinger Prize 2016. ECO4 combines an optimized electric airframe with a modern combustion
- [A 24-Volt Airplane Motor?](https://sustainableskies.org/24-volt-airplane-motor/) - One of the big surprises in last month’s webinar hosted by the EAA and presented by Brian Carpenter of Rainbow Aviation Services/Adventure Aviation was the 24-Volt motor being developed for the EMG-6 ultralight motorglider. High and Low Voltages Many, if not most of the electric motors flying on existing craft are higher voltage units. For
- [Renewable Biomethane – an Economic Alternative?](https://sustainableskies.org/renewable-biomethane-economic-alternative/) - Compressed natural gas (CNG) has several things going for it. It is cheaper than gasoline or diesel fuel, has lower emissions, and for a conventional piston-engined airplane, is the equivalent of over 130 octane, far more powerful than 100-octane low lead (100LL) and cleaner burning. CNG Fuels in England CNG filling stations are growing across
- [SolarStratos Unveils a High-flying Motorglider](https://sustainableskies.org/solarstratos-unveils-a-high-flying-motorglider/) - Raphael Domjan is an adventurer in every sense of the word. He’s sailed around the world on solar power, and attempted to paddle his way across the Northwest Passage in a solar-powered kayak. And now, he’s revealed an airplane that could carry him to the stratosphere on solar power. SolarStratos is a 24.9-meter (81.7 feet)
- [EAS IX: Calin Gologan Talks SolarStratos ](https://sustainableskies.org/eas-ix-calin-gologan-talks-solarstratos/) - Calin Gologan, founder and CEO of PC-Aero GmbH, has many electric and solar-assisted aircraft flying right now, and is responsible for the design the Aero Electric Aircraft Company’s SunFlyer training airplane, 20 of which have been ordered by Spartan Aeronautical University. The initial Elektro One has flourished in a number of variants, including the SunFlyer,
- [A New Twist on Retractable Motors](https://sustainableskies.org/11453-2/) - GP Sailplanes in Poland recently partnered with MGM Compro of the Czech Republic to add electric power to its line of small, sleek sailplanes. Concentrating initially on the 13.5 meter racing class (44.29 feet), GP’s craft provide high performance with light weight and compact dimensions. A Long Reach on the Antares Putting a retractable motor
- [5X Lithium Sulfur Battery with a Gut Feeling](https://sustainableskies.org/5x-lithium-sulfur-battery-gut-feeling/) - Bio-mimicry presents itself in aerodynamics, from the emulation of soaring bird’s wing shapes on sailplane’s surfaces to owl-feather-like trailing edges on wind turbines. We don’t often think of biological equivalents in energy storage (your editor didn’t until now, at least). But researchers at Cambridge University in England and the Beijing Institute of Technology in China
- [Gleaning the Forests for Jet Fuel](https://sustainableskies.org/gleaning-forests-jet-fuel/) - Three congresspeople flew on wood-waste fumes this week, aboard an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800 on its way from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEATAC) to Washington, DC. It was the first commercial flight to “to be powered by a blend of renewable jet fuel made from forest residuals.” Waste Products Replace Fossil Fuels Alaska, Boeing, and SEATAC
- [Pipistrel, Sino GA Sign Memorandum of Agreement](https://sustainableskies.org/pipistrel-sino-ga-sign-memorandum-agreement/) - China has over one billion, four hundred million people. Slovenia has a little over two million. This population disparity has not kept Pipistrel d.o.o. Ajdovscina and Chinese company Sino GA Group Co. from signing a Memorandum of Understanding for a long-term joint-venture in the field of light and general aviation in the regions of China,
- [First motor Test Run for Equator P2](https://sustainableskies.org/first-motor-test-run-equator-p2/) - The Equator P2 is a hybrid amphibious two-seater that looks like the future. Under development for a decade, this amateur-built machine looks highly professional, surpassing in form and function many of its factory-built peers. It had its first motor run-up recently, a much-anticipated event that met all expectations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3pEUxtQAuI Looking Like the Future, Built in
- [A First Electric Helicopter with a Humanitarian Mission](https://sustainableskies.org/first-electric-helicopter-humanitarian-mission/) - Brammo, one of the first American electric motorcycle makers, established itself as an early competitor in racing, and after less than a decade in the new arena, sold the motorcycle racing enterprise to Polaris Industries Inc. “Following that announcement, Brammo confirms its exclusive agreement to supply its electric powertrains to Polaris for inclusion in motorcycles
- [Larry Page’s Flying Car(s)?](https://sustainableskies.org/larry-pages-flying-cars/) - A3 backed by Airbus, EHang 184 from China, and Zee from Larry Page (head of Google) - Silicon Valley seems an unlikely source of aeronautical breakthroughs, but several entrepreneurial outings from Airbus, Chinese startups, and Zee.Aero, led by a secretive Larry Page, have interest growing. A pair of recent flights by Zee’s craft in Hollister,
- [Making Silicon Anodes in Large Batches](https://sustainableskies.org/making-silicon-anodes-large-batches/) - A Long-term Collaboration Dr. Jaephil Cho is a well-known battery researcher and inter-continental associate of Dr. Yi Cui of Stanford University. The pair has collaborated on many ways to improve battery performance and longevity, and both have appeared at various electric aircraft symposia. They have even inspired others in related research. Dr. Cho and his
- [Getting Blood from Outback Joe – the 2016 Outback Challenge](https://sustainableskies.org/getting-blood-outback-joe-2016-outback-challenge/) - Outback Joe goes through a lot of trauma in his overstuffed life. This literal straw man gets tossed into some remote part of the Australian outback every year and waits for some kind of rescue. This usually comes by air, drones searching for him and taking him medicine, food, water, or some other necessity. That's
- [Brian Carpenter's EMG-6 Webinar](https://sustainableskies.org/brian-carpenters-emg-6-webinar/) - Brian Carpenter, designer of the EMG-6 motorglider which he’s shown over the last several years at AirVenture, will stage a webinar to discuss “the design and development concepts of this new electric motorglider.” His talk will have special “Emphasis on the integration of the electric propulsion concepts that he believes will change the face of
- [HY4 Makes First Public Flight – Your Editor Rides EAA’s Ford Trimotor](https://sustainableskies.org/hy4-makes-first-public-flight-editor-rides-eaas-ford-trimotor/) - A day after Pipistrel, the DLR and associates flew the first public demonstration of their four-seat hydrogen-powered HY4, your editor and a friend took a brief hop around the Aurora State Airport in Oregon in EAA’s Ford Trimotor, the first certified airliner in America. The two events, roughly equal in duration, if not in historicity,
- [Buckeyes, Venturi VBB-3 Set Records on the Salt Flats](https://sustainableskies.org/buckeyes-venturi-vbb-3-set-records-salt-flats/) - Take a venturesome electric car developer like Venturi, a Monaco-based firm, and put them together with an enthusiastic group of Ohio State University engineering students. Exciting things happen. The Buckeyes have tried their hands at racing in many venues. Their first outing in the 2013 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Zero gained them a third
- [Acentiss Electric Dual-Rotor Aviation Motor](https://sustainableskies.org/acentiss-electric-dual-rotor-aviation-motor/) - Acentiss is a German engineering and consulting firm specializing in medicine, aerodynamics, and recently, the creation of two small electric motors for light aircraft. Located almost symbolically between Robert Koch Strasse (Nobel Prize in Medicine) Max Plank Strasse (Nobel in Physics), and EinsteinStrasse (Nobel in Physics) in Ottobrunn, the company not only provides design services
- [Solar Ship Sells Four Inflatable Solar Airships](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-ship-sells-four-inflatable-solar-airships/) - People in remote areas of Africa may find relief coming quickly to disaster zones with Manaf Freighters’ purchase of four Solar Ship aircraft. Solar Ship’s Uniquely Hybrid Form Solar Ship, located in Toronto, Canada, builds solar-powered triangular, blimp-like flying machines that could serve as lifelines to the world’s most remote places. Solar Ships range from
- [Gamera: First Solar-Powered Helicopter](https://sustainableskies.org/gamera-first-solar-powered-helicopter/) - Solar Gamera, an extension of the human-powered helicopter that achieved the longest HPH duration flight in 2013, just made the first solar-powered helicopter flight. In 2014, a group of undergraduate students at the University of Maryland turned Team Gamera into Solar Gamera, “to test the feasibility of applying solar power in achieving human helicopter flight.” Ph.D.
- [e-Genius Flies with a Range Extender](https://sustainableskies.org/egenius-flies-range-extender/) - Stuttgart to Barcelona Dipl-Ing* Ingmar Geiß, Deputy Project Manager for e-Genius with the Institute of aeronautical engineering at Stuttgart University shared the news that e-Genius flew with its range extender for the first time on September 15. He notes that while the battery-powered airplane can manage trips up to 300 kilometers (186 miles), the hybrid
- [Airbus and Local Motors Team up For Cargo Drone Competition](https://sustainableskies.org/airbus-local-motors-team-cargo-drone-competition/) - Richard Glassock, a long-time contributor to the blog and now a Research Fellow in Hybrid Propulsion Systems for Aircraft at the Institute for Aerospace Technology, the University of Nottingham, England, shared this news about an Airbus-sponsored contest for cargo drone designs. Local Motors, well known for its 3D-printed automobiles, and Airbus Group, well known for
- [Dr. Joseph Kallo, DLR See a Hydrogen Future](https://sustainableskies.org/dr-joseph-kallo-dlr-see-hydrogen-future/) - Speaking at the first annual Sustainable Aviation Symposium at the Sofitel San Francisco Bay on May 6, 2016. Dr. Joseph Kallo focused on hydrogen as a more than potential fuel for future flight. He stressed that H2 fuel development was further along than one would think, and shared several examples to promote that thought. A
- [Airbus’s Aerial Commuter of the Future?](https://sustainableskies.org/airbuss-commuter-of-the-future/) - Airbus and its partner Local Motors have just finished a successful design challenge for delivery drones that can carry things like emergency medical supplies to selected destinations. Recent announcements and the release of a patent drawing show Airbus is doing serious work toward delivering humans to their selected destinations in a scaled-up version of such
- [Even with Batteries, Paul MacCready Was Right](https://sustainableskies.org/even-batteries-paul-maccready-right/) - Dr. Paul MacCready repeatedly urged us to do more with less, getting big results from modest use of materials. That philosophy may be upheld yet once again by researchers from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) Institute of Soft Matter and Functional Materials. As reported here many times, people like Dr. Yi Cui at Stanford University, researchers
- [What Would You Give the Pope?](https://sustainableskies.org/what-would-you-give-the-pope/) - Mark Zuckerberg, founder and head of Facebook, met with Pope Francis yesterday. The Pope, a known follower of high-technology innovations, has declared the Internet a “gift from God,” and emphasized the importance of building a connected society that is “healthy and open to sharing.” As Digital Trends.com reports, Zuckerberg is the latest representative from Silicon Valley
- [An “Ideal” Battery That Looks Like a Sandwich](https://sustainableskies.org/ideal-battery-looks-like-sandwich/) - Sandwich structures are common in aircraft, combining high stiffness, light weight, and structural strength. Could such a structure be useful in enhancing energy storage? Pennsylvania State University researchers think they’ve answered that question in a positive way. Sandwich-like Structures as Energy Storage Materials The blog has examined the possibilities inherent in incorporating batteries and supercapacitors into
- [Is It Hot in Here – Or Is It Just Dr. Santer?](https://sustainableskies.org/hot-just-dr-santer/) - Dr. Benjamin Santer is a renowned climate scientist, leading the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) when it won the Nobel Peace Prize (along with former Vice President Al Gore) “"for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed
- [Solar Impulse 2 Batteries - Better than We Thought](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-impulse-2-batteries-better-thought/) - What happened to Solar Impulse 2’s batteries on those long five days and nights over the Pacific? It took months of enforced downtime in Hawaii to have new batteries made, sent from Korea, installed, tested, and flown again. Could the plane have completed the flight on the original batteries? Kokam, manufacturer of the airplane’s cells,
- [2X Battery Going Commercial?](https://sustainableskies.org/solid-energy-2x-battery-going-commercial/) - We would love to see a 5X or even 10X battery in our future, but that will happen, quite possibly, at the speed of an eight-percent increase per year, as demonstrated for the last several decades of battery development. That would mean waiting for about 10 years for battery energy densities to double. What if
- [Frogworks Unleashes Delta – the World’s Lightest Electric Paraglider Trike](https://sustainableskies.org/frogworks-unleashes-delta-worlds-lightest-electric-paraglider-trike/) - Students at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have a history of creating ultra-lightweight flying machines that are also green – floating around on electric power. Their earlier effort, Snowstorm, a 24-rotor, single-person lifting device, so far has hovered only indoors. Eight engineering students, working within the school’s “Frogworks” program, have escaped into the great
- [Battery 500 Consortium – A Budget Program with Potentially Big Payback](https://sustainableskies.org/battery-500-consortium-budget-program-potentially-big-payback/) - The federal government is creating yet another round of incentives to “spark” development of “significantly smaller, lighter and less expensive batteries.” A consortium of researchers led by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) will receive up to $10 million a year over five years to perk up battery performance, with the goal of creating a 500
- [Solar Impulse Word of the Day – Penultimate](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-impulse-word-of-the-day-penultimate/) - Headlines all over the world are sharing the word of the day – penultimate, meaning the next to the last* – in this case the next to last flight for Solar Impulse 2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7N2zT_jw2g The Guardian newspaper explained, “After setting off from Seville on Monday morning, the plane passed through Algerian, Tunisian, Italian and Greek
- [Solar Impulse Makes a Final Landing](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-impulse-makes-a-final-landing/) - Bertrand Piccard closed out the over-year-long endurance test of man and machine, landing in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, where the 17-leg journey began over a year ago. Landing at night in the glow of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center, the largest mosque in the UAE, and greeted by fellow pilot Andre’ Borschberg,
- [Want to See a Big Tesla Fly?](https://sustainableskies.org/want-to-see-a-big-tesla-fly/) - Teslarati, the forum for Tesla fans, includes a fascinating concept for an electric/jet airliner, as proposed by Peter Egan, a web-site member from Artarmon, New South Wales, Australia. His proposal could be applied to smaller jet airliners in anything up to the Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 class. He uses a Bombardier CJR1000 100-passenger regional
- [Graphene Supercapacitor Shows Promise and Longevity](https://sustainableskies.org/graphene-supercapacitor-shows-promise-and-longevity/) - A forever battery would be nice, wouldn’t it? Something low cost that could be recharged in seconds, time after time, indefinitely, and be about as environmentally sensitive as Greenpeace and the Sierra Club combined – there’s the ideal battery. That might seem like a miracle, and it relies on that miracle material – graphene –
- [Nissan’s SOFC Vehicle – Just in Time for the Olympics](https://sustainableskies.org/nissans-sofc-vehicle-just-in-time-for-the-olympics/) - Two major types of fuel cells vie for vehicle designers' attention: PEM, or proton exchange membrane types, and solid oxide fuels cells (SOFCs). PEMs (also known as polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells) require an expensive catalyst such as platinum, and hydrogen as fuel. Hydrogen itself is costly to produce and runs up the operating cost
- [Madagascar Medicine Meets the Green Flight Challenge](https://sustainableskies.org/madagascar-medicine-meets-the-green-flight-challenge/) - In the Small World category, the team leader of the 2011 Green Flight Challenge winning team is designing the next generation of a drone that can carry blood and stool samples from remote and otherwise inaccessible parts of Madagascar to a central laboratory where the samples can be analyzed. Jack Langelaan, Professor of Aerospace Engineering
- [Don’t Smoke ‘Em Even if You’ve Got ‘Em](https://sustainableskies.org/dont-smoke-em-even-if-youve-got-em/) - Biofuels would be wonderful if they didn’t starve people while feeding trucks, cars and airplanes. Living with such a constraint, though, might prove to be productive, profitable, and environmentally sound. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXkkb7caObc The Guardian describes efforts in America’s tobacco country to grow a crop that will be less destructive of human lungs and hearts if it
- [NASA Tests Pipistrel Systems To Aid Electric X-plane Program](https://sustainableskies.org/nasa-tests-pipistrel-systems-to-aid-electric-x-plane-program/) - Taja Boscarol of Pipistrel in Slovenia relays the information that NASA has tested Pipistrel’s electric propulsion system as part of its electric flight research for the X-57 program. It would seem reasonable to start by checking out Pipistrel’s well-tested motor package, one of the few that comes with fully-matched controller, batteries, and ancillary gear. NASA
- [Photosynthesis Directly Makes Fuel](https://sustainableskies.org/photosynthesis-directly-makes-fuel/) - That’s what photosynthesis does in leaves – creates fuel in the form of plant sugars that flow into the plant to which the leaf is attached. One of the main quibbles about trying to convert solar energy to usable fuel is the usual multi-step process involved. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have
- [Dynamic Flight Testing for Volocopter](https://sustainableskies.org/dynamic-flight-testing-for-volocopter/) - Kathrin Mohr sent this interesting update on the Volocopter VC200 demonstrating its dynamic flight properties. Testing took place a “special flight test area in Bavaria,” with the goal being to find out how the two-seat vehicle handles at higher altitudes and speeds. The first manned flight took place in Bruchsal near Karlsruhe this year at
- [Eric Raymond: Skyping from the Sky](https://sustainableskies.org/eric-raymond-skyping-from-the-sky/) - Eric Raymond and his wife Irena fly their Sunseeker Duo from the Aeroporto Voghera Rivanazzano near their home in Voghera, Italy. The Provincia di Pavia provides wonderful architectural and scenic backdrops for their flights, something captured briefly in a video they filmed last year for Skype and Microsoft. To Eric’s surprise, the commercial was finally
- [Kreisel Brothers - Austrian Entrepreneurs](https://sustainableskies.org/kreisel-brothers/) - We keep hoping for the long-awaited 10X, or even 5X battery that would make electric aviation “pop” in a significant way. The Kreisel brothers in Austria are not developing new batteries or chemistries, but through careful design and manufacturing techniques, manage to reduce weight in their battery packages – one example being the two “ultra-lightweight
- [A Quiet Air Force Spreading Commerce and Knowledge](https://sustainableskies.org/a-quiet-air-force-spreading-commerce-and-knowledge/) - Two years ago, Mark Zuckerberg, the head of Facebook, promised a far-reaching goal for his firm. ”Today, we're sharing some details of the work Facebook's Connectivity Lab is doing to build drones, satellites and lasers to deliver the internet to everyone. ”Our goal with Internet.org is to make affordable access to basic internet services available to every
- [Honda Doesn’t Like Its Motors Rare (Earth)](https://sustainableskies.org/honda-doesnt-like-its-motors-rare-earth/) - Dr. Brien Seeley alerted your editor to this breakthrough from Honda Motors and Daido Steel. Martyn Williams, writing for CIO.com, asserted that Honda’s announcement of its new electric motor, “…Is a big deal, not just in terms of technology but of geopolitics, too.” The motor is the world’s first for hybrid cars “that doesn’t use
- [Alta Devices – From UAVs to Hanergy Solar Powered Cars](https://sustainableskies.org/alta-devices-from-uavs-to-hanergy-solar-powered-cars/) - Alta Devices has been trading places with the National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL) in holding world record efficiencies for single- and dual-junction solar cells at one sun (not concentrated). Their gallium-arsenide technology includes a layer of indium gallium phosphide (InGaPh), which the firm says utilizes photons more efficiently. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3Sr5bbMivc According to Alta Devices, “Alta has
- [Siemens 260 kW Motor First Flight, and a Siemens at the 2016 SAS](https://sustainableskies.org/siemens-260-kw-motor-first-flight-and-a-report-on-the-2016-sas/) - Siemens Motors announced the first public flight of their SP260D motor in an Extra 330LE aerobatic aircraft – although the motor had made its maiden, but not so public, flight on June 24. Putting out 260 kilowatts (348.5 horsepower) in near silence according to Siemens, the motor will certainly be capable of putting the Extra
- [Boeing Adds Solar Winglets to Its Solar High-Flyer](https://sustainableskies.org/boeing-adds-solar-winglets-to-its-solar-high-flyer/) - Despite having a wing, horizontal tail, and fuselage top full of solar cells, Solar Impulse 2 needs long days and short nights to make it through the dark periods between recharging. Even Eric and Irena Raymond’s SunSeeker Duo, a more practical machine, performs only day-long flights so far. Part of this is the nature of
- [Clearing up the Origin of One Airplane](https://sustainableskies.org/clearing-up-the-origin-of-the-elektra-one-airplane/) - The following press release was distributed by Dr. Birgit Weißenbach, wife of Calin Gologan and press representative for PC-Aero GmbH: “Many press releases and articles were published in the whole world relating the Aircraft flown by Luminati Aerospace LLC in NY named Substrata V0 and the Solar Electric airplane from PC-Aero/Elektra UAS named Elektra One
- [Pikes Peak 2016 - A Record-Setting Year](https://sustainableskies.org/pikes-peak-2016-a-record-setting-year/) - Electric vehicles did not win the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb outright this year, but their overall showing was an indicator of how much progress designers have made in the last five years. Everyone’s a Winner! In 2011, Chip Yates rode his UQM-powered motorcycle to a record 12:50.094 time. Part of the 12.42-mile course
- [Solar Impulse 2 Gets a Jet Escort](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-impulse-2-gets-a-jet-escort/) - Following a fairly non-eventful crossing of the Atlantic, Bertrand Piccard was greeted by a welcoming formation of Casa C-101 Aviojets, Spain’s Patrulla Águila flight demonstration team. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ExvAfoWwuo After three days and nights in the air, Piccard landed in the Spanish sunrise, also finalizing efforts to establish the International Committee of Clean Technology (ICCT), whose goal
- [Kokam Introduces Bullet-Proof Battery](https://sustainableskies.org/kokam-introduces-bullet-proof-battery/) - Lithium battery puncture tests have provided many time-wasting moments on YouTube, presenting pyrotechnic displays in many versions. Most are explosive and fiery examples of what is referred to euphemistically as “rapid deconstruction.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUFxlf4fXjo What if a battery could take a bullet and still offer superior energy, power and reliability? Kokam answered this question for the
- [Le Mans 2016: Hybrids Rule But the Human Spirit Prevails](https://sustainableskies.org/le-mans-2016-hybrids-rule-but-the-human-spirit-prevails/) - After over 300 trips around the 13.629 kilometer (8.47 mile) circuit, Porsche edged out Toyota for the overall win in the last three minutes of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. A breakdown left the leading #5 TS050 hybrid stranded on the track with the Porsche #2 919 hybrid speeding past for the overall win.
- [A New Entry in Electric Para-Gliding](https://sustainableskies.org/a-new-entry-in-electric-para-gliding/) - EV World announced a new electric para-motor, complete with a new motor, composite mounts, and a series of battery pack setups. Made in France, a complete setup with parasail, motor, controller, batteries and controls costs 14,210 euros ($16,057). This may seem pricey, but consider that a paramotor can be carried in a pickup or SUV,
- [Follow the Battery Money](https://sustainableskies.org/follow-the-battery-money/) - With Tesla’s $5.5 billion “gigafactory” already producing cells for its line of cars and its “Powerwall” home energy storage systems, it now seems like a tenuous, toe-dipping approach with Volkswagen announcing its own battery plans. VW may invest up to $15.5 billion according to Tech News, the outlet projecting the highest number. Others with less
- [Elektra One Solar or Luminati VO-Substrata?](https://sustainableskies.org/elektra-one-solar-or-luminati-vo-substrata/) - Your editor saw a news item from Sun 'n Fun about a new solar-powered airplane and recognized the design as one from Calin Gologan’s PC-Aero, an aircraft design and consulting firm in Germany. General Aviation News credited the airplane’s design and construction to Luminati Aerospace in New York state. The story did not mention Gologan’s involvement, though, a
- [Solar Impulse’s Great Photo Op - and Special Birthday Guest](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-impulses-great-photo-op-and-special-birthday-guest/) - Saturday night, if you were lucky enough to be wandering the streets of New York City, you would have seen a string of lights slowly crossing the sky above the Statue of Liberty, a stirring sight – especially for those following the over-year-long flight of Solar Impulse 2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW4jzOKWOJI Andre’ Borschberg had flown the giant
- [2016 Isle of Man TT Zero: Five Starters, Five Finishers](https://sustainableskies.org/2016-isle-of-man-tt-zero-five-starters-five-finishers/) - Electric motorcycles are a recent addition to a historic race on a tiny island neatly centered in the Irish Sea between Scotland, Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom and Wales. Its 75,000 inhabitants cluster in villages that look like movie sets of rustic, pre-war England. Manx cats come from the island, tailless little creatures with long
- [Sustainable Aviation Symposium 2016: Would You Believe Eric Darcy Deliberately Blows Up Batteries?](https://sustainableskies.org/sustainable-aviation-symposium-2016-would-you-believe-eric-darcy-deliberately-blows-up-batteries/) - Eric Darcy is NASA’s go-to guy for battery safety. He is Battery Group Lead for Projects & Integration at NASA-Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and consults frequently with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado. His talk at the First Sustainable Aviation Symposium was titled, “Passively Thermal Runaway Propagation Resistant Battery Module That Achieves > 190
- [Daniel Nocera Returns to the Artificial Leaf](https://sustainableskies.org/daniel-nocera-returns-to-the-artificial-leaf/) - Many scientists are turning to mimicking nature to probe its secrets, but Daniel Nocera, the Patterson Rockwood Professor of Energy at Harvard University, has gone far beyond his natural model. Reported in 2012, Nocera came up with the idea of an “artificial leaf,” a silicon sheet with a layer of cobalt-based catalyst that releases oxygen
- [Bosch Builds e-Kart with Monster Torque](https://sustainableskies.org/bosch-builds-e-kart-with-monster-torque/) - Robert Bosch GmbH has developed an “e-kart” producing 20 kilowatts from two motor-generators, and 300 Newton-meters (221 foot-pounds) of torque, a number Bosch refers to as “sporting.” It would be nice to know how much this cart weighs, but Autoweek relates, “The only thing Bosch isn't saying for now is just how long the e-kart
- [Vin Fiz and Solar Impulse](https://sustainableskies.org/vin-fiz-and-solar-impulse/) - Calbraith Perry Rodgers, the first person to fly across the United States, was deaf from an early childhood disease. Even though he came from a long line of naval heroes, this handicap kept him from joining the Navy, but didn’t slow his quest for adventure. He was one of the first to sign up for
- [Autonomous Drones Air-Drop Medical Supplies](https://sustainableskies.org/autonomous-drones-air-drop-medical-supplies/) - Zipline, a San Francisco-based startup, has partnered with the government of Rwanda to air-drop medical supplies to remote villages, truly a potential life-saver for many without immediate access to medicine or blood for transfusions. Several firms in America have promised delivery of consumer items using drones, with Flirtey’s quadrotor drone delivering “a package that included
- [Sun Flyer Rollout](https://sustainableskies.org/sun-flyer-rollout/) - Yesterday, George Bye’s Aero Electric Aircraft Company (AEAC) rolled out its Sun Flyer, an electric two-seat training aircraft with photo-voltaic cells on the wing and tail to extend its range, and over two or three days, recharge its batteries. With orders for 65 Sun Flyers already on the books, interest is high in this airplane.
- [Toyota Explores the Magnesium Alternative](https://sustainableskies.org/toyota-explores-the-magnesium-alternative/) - We’d all love an electric car (or an airplane) that goes more than 100 miles flashing a “Low Battery” indicator. Researchers at the Toyota Research Institute of North America (TRINA) are working on a divergent approach to achieving greater range and smaller battery sizes by using magnesium as an active ingredient. In a bit of
- [Silicon, Sulfur and 3D graphene Makes High-Performance Battery](https://sustainableskies.org/silicon-sulfur-and-3d-graphene-makes-high-performance-battery/) - Lithium-sulfur batteries display winning qualities, such as low production cost, environmental friendliness, and high energy density. Researchers usually give up, or look elsewhere, when the materials’ poor cycle life and loss of active materials on both anode and cathode show up. Researchers at Beihang University in Beijing report developing “a new Li-sulfur battery using honeycomb-like
- [Siemens Unveils a Little Something Extra](https://sustainableskies.org/siemens-unveils-a-little-something-extra/) - Extra 330Ls have a long nose, usually cowling a Lycoming IO-540 or -580. The 330 EL, though, houses 14 battery packs of 18.6 kilowatt-hours each (according to InfoAvion, an Argentinian publication), all to allow the Siemens D-SP260 to flex its 300 horsepower muscle and demonstrate what 1,000 Newton-meters (737 foot-pounds) of torque can do for
- [NASA Rethinks X Planes](https://sustainableskies.org/nasa-rethinks-x-planes/) - In your editor’s childhood and youth, X Planes were all premised on speed, Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier in 1947 in the Bell X-1 when your editor was five years old (do the math). Movies that filled screens in those days featured test pilots as steely-jawed, fearless protagonists beating back the awesome forces in
- [Hungary Scores an Electric First](https://sustainableskies.org/hungary-scores-an-electric-first/) - Thanks to Richard Glassock, we have news of the first electric airplane to fly in Hungary. The Magnus eFusion made its maiden flight at the Matkópuszta airfield in Kecskemet, Hungary on April 11. A two-seat, side-by-side, low-wing monoplane, eFusion is an all-composite craft with fixed tricycle gear. Its 410 kilogram empty weight includes batteries and
- [Solar Impulse Makes it to Mountain View](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-impulse-makes-it-to-mountain-view/) - At 11:44 PDT, April 22, Solar Impulse 2, expertly piloted by Bertrand Piccard through tricky winds above Moffett Airfield, made its second landing in the United State, almost three years after Solar Impulse 1 had left on its flight eastward* and just in time to close out Earth Day. HB-SIA (Solar Impulse 1) made its
- [SULSA Guides the Royal Navy](https://sustainableskies.org/sulsa-guides-the-royal-navy/) - We reported on the reputedly first 3D-printed airplane, a laser-sintered plastic craft with a structure we compared to that of the WWII Wellington bomber, almost five years ago. Since then, the aircraft has been dubbed SULSA (Southampton University Laser Sintered Airplane) and taken its place with the Royal Navy. Jim Scanlan, lead academic on the
- [It Flies Hands Free!  Could It Be Intel Inside?](https://sustainableskies.org/it-flies-hands-free-could-it-be-intel-inside/) - e-volo’s Volocopter VC200 made its first “manned” flight on March 30, 2016, with managing director Alexander Zosel maintaining control for a few minutes, and then letting the 18-rotor vehicle find its own way. He held both hands out the side door for several seconds to show the Volocopter was flying itself – and quite stably
- [Bouncing Light Around Between Electrons and Holes](https://sustainableskies.org/bouncing-light-around-between-electrons-and-holes/) - Bob Elliott of the comedy team Bob and Ray died February 3, reminding your editor of one of the many routines Elliott and Ray Goulding performed on live radio. It involved an inventor who had perfected a solar panel that could run the lights in your house all day, but couldn't keep them going at night when
- [Doubling Down on Ions](https://sustainableskies.org/doubling-down-on-ions/) - Dual-ion intercalation alloying process probably won’t roll musically off the tongue, but the process has made a test cell that has greater specific density and energy density than the batteries in Teslas. Or the Chinese BYD electric sedan, according to its makers. It’s “environmentally friendly” and low cost, to add to its sales appeal. Yongbin
- [Roof Top Hydrogen-Generating Solar Cells for Vehicles](https://sustainableskies.org/roof-top-hydrogen-generating-solar-cells-for-vehicles/) - Students at the University of Leuven, the Netherlands, have won the first Energy Award, sponsored by Febeliec – the association of industrial energy consumers, a Belgian trade association. Their miniature solar panel produces hydrogen gas when exposed to sunlight, not unlike “artificial leaves” of other researchers. The bioscience engineers crafted a small square panel that
- [Quart in a Pint Pot](https://sustainableskies.org/quart-in-a-pint-pot/) - Lilium is still in its incubator stage, but drawing a lot of interest for its radical two-seat, high-speed aerial vehicle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htaeARwse1w EIT Climate-KIC, one of the funding organizations helping underwrite this startup, includes some startling claims in Lilium’s description. “Lilium is designing the world’s fastest and highest-range electric aircraft that is commercially available. “The two-seated
- [Making Like a Canary in the Canaries](https://sustainableskies.org/making-like-a-canary-in-the-canaries/) - Thomas Senkel has gained fame for flying an unlikely-looking multiple rotor helicopter with a Pilates exercise ball landing gear and helping drive through that design to a far more refined Volocopter VC200, which we reported has just become the first certified electric helicopter in Germany https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_CukSzts_Y Knowing how to get the most out of very
- [Yi Cui and team Devise a 10X Anode](https://sustainableskies.org/yi-cui-and-team-devise-a-10x-anode/) - Batteries are complex things to design and make, with materials scientists and chemists facing unlimited numbers of options for materials choices, formulations and proportions, and manufacturing techniques that will make hoped-for performance attainable on a commercial level. Yi Cui and a distinguished array of undergraduate and graduate students at Stanford University have written 320 academic
- [Volocopter VC200 Certified in Germany](https://sustainableskies.org/volocopter-vc200-certified-in-germany/) - With China certifying its RX1E two-seat electric trainer recently, Germany beats the rest of the world to electric rotary-wing certification with its provisional certificate for the VC200 Volocopter as an ultralight aircraft – certificate number VVZ, registration D-MYVC. This will allow the German Ultralight Flight Association (DULV) to continue testing the vehicle, a program in
- [EnergyOr Ups the Ante for Endurance](https://sustainableskies.org/energyor-ups-the-ante-for-endurance/) - Staying airborne for more than an hour or two might seem like a huge leap for battery-powered electric aircraft. Inspired designers like Eric Raymond have been able to use solar cells to extend their flights to near-perpetual states. A large craft like Solar Impulse 2 remains in flight for up to five successive days and
- [Fuel Cells for Drones: Going for Endurance](https://sustainableskies.org/fuel-cells-for-drones-going-for-endurance/) - Several fuel cell developments show there are lots of options for burning hydrogen, if we can only make and distribute it in great enough quantities. Most noteworthy, fuel cells could provide increased endurance and range compared to batteries. Professor Gyeong Man Choi and his Ph.D. student Jun Joong Kim, working at the Pohang University of
- [Lugosi Enterprises Pioneers Late-Night Drone Deliveries](https://sustainableskies.org/lugosi-enterprises-pioneers-late-night-drone-deliveries/) - Even while Jeff Bezos at Amazon and competitors like UPS and FedEx strive to deliver packages to your front door, a Transylvanian experiment in extreme biomicry promises to make delivery in the dark of night the new standard. While other drone makers use fixed- or rotary-wing configurations, Lugosi Enterprises relies on a radical, human-powered ornithopter with
- [Your Battery is on Fire – and That’s a Good Thing](https://sustainableskies.org/your-battery-is-on-fire-and-thats-a-good-thing/) - Mary Grady’s report at AvWeb alerted your editor to this exciting development. Imagine a battery capable of seven times the energy output of any lithium battery now in existence, made of non-toxic, easily recycled materials. One aspect of this new energy source might give you pause, however. You have to set fire to the battery
- [A Flight to Counter Plastic Pollution](https://sustainableskies.org/a-flight-to-counter-plastic-pollution/) - Jeremy Rowsell, an Australian pilot and concerned environmentalist, has seen plastic littering beaches around the world, and knows of the micro-plastic particles ingested by fish and sea birds. His hope four years ago was to fly a Cessna from Australia to London and back – powered by fuel made from that waste plastic. That event
- [Needed: a Four-Seat Light Airplane for Electrifying Research Project](https://sustainableskies.org/needed-a-four-seat-light-airplane-for-electrifying-research-project/) - We’d all love to have a hybrid electric airplane – inexpensive to fly with great range and guilt-free airport hamburgers. Jeffrey Engler, who heads an innovative project devoted to green aviation, explains: "Our plan is to convert a Piper Cherokee, Cessna 172, or similar light four-seater to electric hybrid power. The airplane should be airworthy with a serviceable
- [Thin Film Solar Film Hits New Highs](https://sustainableskies.org/thin-film-solar-film-hits-new-highs/) - Imagine covering your electric airplane with a light-collecting, energetic coating that generates enough juice to extend the battery-only range of your electric airplane. That possibility comes to mind from seeing recent articles about Heliatek’s organic solar cells, which demonstrated a solar-collecting efficiency of 13.2 percent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_g_7d3qgOg That’s only about one-third of what the best silicon
- [China’s First Certified Electric Airplane Ready for Mass Production](https://sustainableskies.org/chinas-first-certified-electric-airplane-ready-for-mass-production/) - China has seen Yuneec’s early entry into the electric aircraft field. The parent company is now making drones and camera gear in China, but its Greenwing International subsidiary in Cable, California appears to be defunct, according to Bill Lofton’s EV Hangar. Yuneec’s E430 two-seater and e-Spyder ultralight, all flown at the big AirVenture shows, will
- [One step to Liquid Hydrocarbon Fuels from Thin Air](https://sustainableskies.org/one-step-to-liquid-hydrocarbon-fuels-from-thin-air/) - University of Texas at Arlington chemists and engineers have converted carbon dioxide and water directly into useable liquid hydrocarbon fuels – in one step. The “simple and inexpensive new sustainable fuels technology” used concentrated sunlight, high pressure and heat to remove CO2 from the air and even revert oxygen back into the system. Researchers demonstrated
- [A Large Quadplane Version of the Pilatus Porter](https://sustainableskies.org/a-large-quadplane-version-of-the-pilatus-porter/) - Richard Glassock, a long-time contributor to the blog, is from Australia, and has lived and worked in Hungary for the last few years. He’s known to blog readers for his work in autonomous aircraft, very large sailplanes, and hybrid propulsion design. He shares news this week about “some excellent work by an Australian researcher I
- [Aurora Flight Sciences Win DARPA Award for Advanced VTOL](https://sustainableskies.org/aurora-flight-sciences-win-darpa-award-for-advanced-vtol/) - Electric Aircraft Symposia attendees will be familiar with presentations by Dr. John S. Langford, Chairman and CEO of Aurora Flight Sciences, an aeronautical firm continuously redefining the leading edge of aerial technology. He has shared the firm’s achievements in autonomous flight, with the company’s Centaur, a twin-engine light twin going from takeoff to landing at
- [The Sustainable Aviation Symposium – A Wealth of Knowledge](https://sustainableskies.org/the-sustainable-aviation-symposium-a-wealth-of-knowledge/) - Coming May 6th and 7th, the first-ever Sustainable Aviation Symposium will take place at the Sofitel San Francisco Bay Hotel. This year’s presenters include an international array of accomplished talent in aerodynamics, power, and energy storage, with a few surprises on tap. Keynote speakers include: NASA Chief Scientist Dennis Bushnell PADA Trophy winner and Pipistrel Designer
- [Tomas Brødreskift to Appear at SA Symposium](https://sustainableskies.org/tomas-brodreskift-to-appear-at-sas/) - With the upcoming Sustainable Aviation Symposium (May 6-7, 2016) already packed with stellar presenters, we are excited to have Tomas Brødreskift join the faculty. An industrial designer whose skills in product and process design, project management, ergonomics, and visual and CAD design have led and enabled him to bring his amphibious Equator P2 Xcursion to
- [Pipistrel Rolls Out Hypstair Hybrid for Run-up](https://sustainableskies.org/pipistrel-rolls-out-hypstair-hybrid-for-run-up/) - Pipistrel took the wraps off its latest iteration of what was originally called the Panthera, the hybrid variant of which has been renamed the HYPSTAIR, a pun that fails to diminish the significance of the achievement. Pipistrel clams the most powerful aerial hybrid electric power train, powering it up on February 9 and making a mighty,
- [Little Green Beads to Power Your UAV or Ultralight](https://sustainableskies.org/little-green-beads-to-power-your-uav-or-ultralight/) - January 19 marked the first flight by a Raptor UAS drone using pelletized hydrogen to power a fuel cell that generates electricity and makes the propeller turn. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmwRGEOhS5w Energy Pellets Cella Energy, a Scottish-based enterprise, is now producing small quantities of their little green beads (just in time for Mardi Gras), filled with solid-state hydrogen. Claimed
- [Fuel Cells for Taxiing](https://sustainableskies.org/fuel-cells-for-taxiing/) - What seemed like an easy transition a few years ago has been delayed by one developer. “Safran and Honeywell have delayed by two years the planned entry into service of their electric green taxiing system (EGTS), a device designed to enable an airplane to taxi with its engines shut down. Aviation International News (AIN) quoted
- [Deformable Flexible and Conductive – A Great Solid Electrolyte](https://sustainableskies.org/deformable-flexible-and-conductive-a-great-solid-electrolyte/) - Reporting on a new material that doesn’t seem real, a joint research team from Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) and Seoul National University in Korea says it has developed a “highly-conductive, highly deformable, and dry-air-stable glass electrolyte for solid-state lithium-ion batteries. If those characteristics seem mutually exclusive, the electrical performance helps dispel
- [Caging Silicon Anodes with Graphene](https://sustainableskies.org/caging-silicon-anodes-with-graphene/) - Dr. Yi Cui of Stanford University has expanded the idea of “battery” to include conductive ink on paper, fruit-like clusters of energy-storing capsules, and now, nano-sized graphene cages in which the energy can romp like a hamster in a plastic ball. He will be on hand at this year’s Sustainable Aviation Symposium on May 6,
- [Irena Raymond on Flying the Sunseeker Duo](https://sustainableskies.org/irena-raymond-flying-sunseeker-duo/) - A few days after posting the entry on the Raymond’s first cross country flight in their new solar-powered Sunseeker Duo, your editor received followups from Irena and Eric. First, Irena shares her impressions of what sounds like a beautiful flight. “Our XC flight with Duo was a great experience. “First of all, because I don't
- [The Raymonds Make the First Two-Passenger Solar-Powered Cross Country Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/raymonds-make-first-two-passenger-solar-powered-cross-country-flight/) - Eric Raymond shared this story of a short cross-country flight between his home field of Voghera, Italy and the town of Pavullo, about 100 air miles away. It’s significant in being the first cross-country solar-powered flight for two, Eric’s wife Irena sharing flying duties. The “normal” nature of the trip and the practicality of the
- [Electric Jet Hybrids - Big and Small](https://sustainableskies.org/electric-jet-hybrids-big-and-small/) - NASA’s Glenn Research Center reviews the prevalence of fossil fuels in keeping us flying for over a century. “Since the beginning, commercial planes have been powered by carbon-based fuels such as gasoline or kerosene. While these provide the energy to lift large commercial jets into the world’s airspace, electric power is now seen as a
- [Superoxides May Be New Super Materials for Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/superoxides-may-be-new-super-materials-for-batteries/) - A significantly large and geographically diverse group of researchers has invested a large amount of time and intellectual capital investigating superoxides, an innovative way to keep lithium-air batteries refreshed and ready for more. Groups at Argonne National Laboratory, the University of Illinois at Chicago, Hanyang University in Seoul, South Korea; the University of Utah and
- [20 Horsepower from a Coke Can](https://sustainableskies.org/20-horsepower-from-a-coke-can/) - DHX Electric Machines, Inc. has partnered with Deltawing Technologies, Inc. and signed an agreement granting DeltaWing worldwide rights to make, use and sell DHX electric motors and components specifically designed for automotive applications, according to greencarcongress.com. Deltawing is an outgrowth of Panoz Racing, a team often associated with Garage 56 at LeMans, a non-standard entrant
- [From DARPA Ugly to Svelte and Streamlined](https://sustainableskies.org/from-darpa-ugly-to-svelte-and-streamlined/) - Seeing Google cars navigating our streets and highways, with their arrays of spinning sensors and antennas bristling from their roofs gives us the impression that the technology involved is complex and expensive. Until recently, they were, with Wired reporting that early Google cars had multiple $80,000 LIDAR systems, and entrants in DARPA (Defense Advanced Research
- [Beethoven's Fifth With a Guinness Chaser](https://sustainableskies.org/beethovens-fifth-with-a-guinness-chaser/) - Intel recently earned a Guinness World Record for lofting 100 drones at one time. To make it hard, they did it at night and to an orchestral accompaniment. Musical purists (your editor) might become vexed with the liberal reinterpretation of Beethoven's score (the original symphony didn't have a piano or a harp), and the added
- [Rumpled Cathodes Benefit Lithium Sulfur Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/rumpled-cathodes-benefit-lithium-sulfur-batteries/) - We like to think of things inside batteries as neatly organized, but Pennsylvania State University researchers may have come up with a less tidy way of making cathodes. Researchers synthesized “highly crumpled” nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) sheets with “ultrahigh pore volume” and large surface area (1,158 square meters– 12,465 square feet or about one-third the area
- [From Ultralight Sailplanes to a Miniatur-Wunderland](https://sustainableskies.org/10730-2/) - Your editor has several friends who lay claim to the appellation, “ferroequinologist,” (student of the iron horse), meaning they fancy miniature trains and the layouts that support them. One friend helped construct a layout that takes up most of a good-sized building in Portland, Oregon – but even he would be dumbfounded by the massive
- [Controversial at CES 2016](https://sustainableskies.org/controversial-at-ces-2016/) - Making a lot of column inches of traditional newsprint and reigning as clickbait on the Internet, the Ehang 184 is an eye-catching Autonomous Aerial Vehicle (AAV) causing a bit of controversy in the media. Unveiled at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2016), it drew concentric circles of photographers who normally save their enthusiasm for
- [2015 PADA Awards Dinner and Presentation](https://sustainableskies.org/2015-pada-awards-dinner-presentation/) - The CAFE Foundation's announcement should capture our attention. "The 2015 Personal Aircraft Design Academy will feature two excellent presentations: Burt Rutan on the SkiGull and Nick Borer on the LEAPTECH project. This will be followed by the ceremony to award the esteemed PADA Trophy to a surprise recipient. A reservations-only $20 hors d'oeuvre pre-reception at 6:15
- [SeaTac, Boeing, Alaska Airlines Partner on Biofuel](https://sustainableskies.org/seatac-boeing-alaska-airlines-partner-on-biofuel/) - Aviation accounts for about two-to-three percent of the total CO2 emitted through burning fossil fuels, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). That’s even with military jets flashing their afterburners and trailing un-enhanced high-altitude contrails. Whether these emissions add to global warming or global cooling seems to be still open to debate. Regardless, almost
- [Pollutants into Clean Energy: Batteries into Solar Cells](https://sustainableskies.org/pollutants-into-clean-energy-batteries-into-solar-cells/) - Editor's Note: We will tackle some larger contexts for the blog, including not only the aeronautical uses of clean energy but the social, environmental and even economic implications of sustainable aviation. This item appeals because it demonstrates the possibility of transforming materials otherwise hard to live with into products that enhance life and even give some
- [Why It Might Be a Good Idea to Register Drones](https://sustainableskies.org/why-it-might-be-a-good-idea-to-register-drones/) - At some point in the not-too-distant future, all those Christmas-gift quadrotors and Star Wars replica drones will be joined by medium-size burger bombers and two-hour-guaranteed delivery aerial vehicles for fast food restaurants and on-line retailers sending their wares to a landing zone near your front door, or perhaps the roof of your apartment. This probably
- [The Personal Aircraft Design Academy - IMPORTANT UPDATE!](https://sustainableskies.org/personal-aircraft-design-academy/) - Brien A.Seeley M.D., PADA Program Chair and President of the CAFE Foundation, sends the following invitation. The highlight of Oshkosh AirVenture for me each year is the Personal Aircraft Design Academy (PADA), whose casual, delicious, catered buffet 'networking' dinner is followed by its colloquium for leading aircraft designers, enthusiasts and aero engineers. Several of the renowned
- [Flying More Economical, Less Polluting Than Driving?](https://sustainableskies.org/flying-more-economical-less-polluting-than-driving/) - Ilan Kroo, in a 2014 Electric Aircraft Symposium presentation, showed that a “narrow-body” airliner (for example, the Boeing 737-800) is able to fly one passenger coast-to-coast on 29 gallons of fuel, at about 81 passenger miles per gallon. Driving responsibly, a carpool of four or five in a Prius could show greater operational economy, but
- [An American HPA Takes Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/an-american-hpa-takes-flight/) - Alec Proudfoot made a 233-meter (764-feet), 37-second flight in his DaSH PA (Dead Simple Human-Powered Airplane) on December 4 at Half Moon Bay Airport west of San Francisco. The 33.3 meter (108.27 feet) wingspan (it can be extended to 40 meters, or 131.23 feet) aircraft did well until a weak flange on the vertical tail
- [EAS IX: Short Circuiting Batteries on Purpose](https://sustainableskies.org/eas-ix-short-circuiting-batteries-on-purpose/) - Recent news from the world of insurance claims adjustors brings us back to ways inspired battery designers might reduce or eliminate certain types of claims, and make electric flight safer. Even when international agreements don’t make progress along those lines. Insurance Claims and international Agreements With recent news of Federal Aviation Administration interest in lithium-ion
- [Cambridge’s “Ultimate” Battery?  Wait 10 Years and See](https://sustainableskies.org/cambridges-ultimate-battery-wait-10-years-and-see/) - Cambridge University researchers claim to have successfully demonstrated how several of the problems impeding the practical development of the so-called “ultimate” battery, in this case a lithium-oxygen unit, could be overcome. They make some pretty impressive claims, saying they’ve developed a working laboratory demonstrator with “very high” energy density – comparable to that of gasoline
- [Britain Puts an Electric Nose on a New Zealand Carbon Fiber Falco](https://sustainableskies.org/britain-puts-an-electric-nose-on-a-new-zealand-carbon-fiber-falco/) - Richard Glassock, an Australian now working in Hungary, has been a presenter at an Electric Aircraft Symposium and received worldwide interest for his eight-passenger, open cockpit sailplane design a few years ago. He writes today to share news about a twin electric motor conversion for a Falco, the great, high-speed craft by Italian Stelio Frati.
- [Researchers Strike Battery Fools Gold on Two Continents](https://sustainableskies.org/researchers-strike-battery-fools-gold-on-two-continents/) - Better, Cheaper, Faster. That was the mantra when your editor worked in the semiconductor manufacturing world. Designs, processes and materials were all recalibrated constantly to enable the march toward those three goals. And to some extent, constant repetition helped us achieve the ideal of Moore’s Law, the dictum that computer chips would double the number of
- [Second Sunseeker Duo Calendar Here](https://sustainableskies.org/second-sunseeker-duo-calendar-here/) - Eric Raymond, designer and builder of three solar-powered aircraft, along with his wife Irena, take some pretty astonishing pictures. They work from a unique aerial platform, the Sunseeker Duo they completed and now fly together. Their travels and adventures are large-screen worthy, and they share them with their 2016 Calendar. Eric explains. Dear Solar Flight
- [Hybrid Quadrotor Can Stay Aloft 2.5 Hours](https://sustainableskies.org/hybrid-quadrotor-can-stay-aloft-2-5-hours/) - Richard Glassock did his graduate work on small hybrid gas-electric systems, and keeps your editor current on that part of the aeronautical power spectrum. He recently shared one promising example of such technology in the drone market. Where current quadrotors are limited in size, power, and flight duration, the Quaternium Hybrix 20 is larger, heavier,
- [Solar Impulse Down, But Not Out](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-impulse-down-but-not-out/) - Following its cliff-hangar five-day flight from Nagoya, Japan to Kalaeloa Airport, Hawaii, Solar Impulse is undergoing an extended period of tender loving care, dedicated rebuilding of its battery packs and insightful reflection on how to avoid future issues. Landing July 3, 2015, Pilot André Borschberg broke the world records for distance along a course (6,825.4 kilometers – 4,231.5
- [ORNL and Solid Power Sign Lithium-Sulfur Agreement](https://sustainableskies.org/ornl-and-solid-power-sign-lithium-sulfur-agreement/) - Solid-state batteries are becoming the next big thing in energy storage, with the promise of low volatility, high energy density and lower-cost manufacturing. With academia, industry and government collaborating on the next wave of development, we may see progress in this realm. Recently, the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Solid Power Inc.
- [The Proof is in the Piloting](https://sustainableskies.org/the-proof-is-in-the-piloting/) - Helicopter flying has been compared to patting your stomach while rubbing your head, something few manage well, if at all. Imagine trying to not only keep the rudder pedals, cyclic and collective under control but also fiddling with 18 throttles. Even a conventional helicopter is a handful with one engine or motor. Maintaining level flight
- [A Snowstorm in Singapore](https://sustainableskies.org/a-snowstorm-in-singapore/) - Having worked on a three-week project in Singapore 10 years ago, your editor became accustomed to the daily temperatures approaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and evenings at a temperate 80 degrees (which some locals described as a “cold snap”). It makes one wonder where the name “Snowstorm” came from when students at the National University of
- [Hybrid Happening Follow-up, Followed by Not-So-Wild Speculation](https://sustainableskies.org/hybrid-happening-follow-up-followed-by-not-so-wild-speculation/) - Richard Glassock, the blog’s unofficial hybrid power reporter, sent the link to this video about the NASA GL-10 Greased Lightning test vehicle – which combines hybrid power with vertical take-off and landing abilities. It’s a more detailed look at the power system and flight characteristics of this aircraft. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wm1nfKk4WHg The Graupner model airplane people obviously
- [Green Aviation at COP21](https://sustainableskies.org/green-aviation-at-cop21/) - COP21, the Congress of Parties 21 – the 21st gathering of nations and organizations working toward an agreement on reducing greenhouse gases, has concluded with what many conclude to be a historic turn from fossil fuels to cleaner, greener means of powering the world’s economy. At a gala “SolutionsCOP21 – Celebrate the Champions Night” at
- [A Solar-Algae Hybrid for an Atlantic Crossing](https://sustainableskies.org/a-solar-algae-hybrid-for-an-atlantic-crossing/) - Henri Mignet was never quite able to master an airplane with three-axis controls, and built at least seven flawed attempts at simplified controlled flight. His seminal try, the HM-8 Pou de Ciel (literally, Louse of the Sky, or more familiarly, Flying Flea) became first a matter of celebration for amateur aviators and then a cause
- [Smarter Battery Controls Itself](https://sustainableskies.org/smarter-battery-controls-itself/) - Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA in Stuttgart is part of a consortium dedicated to simplifying and integrating components to enhance electric car efficiency. 3Ccar, a European collaborative project, gets its funding from the ECSEL, the Electronic Components and Systems for European Leadership Joint Undertaking. 3Ccar’s goal is to develop “Integrated Components for ComplexityControl in
- [Potassium Graphite Batteries?](https://sustainableskies.org/potassium-graphite-batteries/) - The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance - it is the illusion of knowledge. Daniel J. Boorstin Oregon State University researchers in Corvallis, Oregon have worked around an intellectual roadblock they say has kept potassium from serious consideration as a battery material for over eight decades. This could be good news, since potassium is
- [Turbocharged Fuel Cells](https://sustainableskies.org/turbocharged-fuel-cells/) - The Engineer, a British publication, reports on a turbocharger for fuel cells. Because a fuel cell is a cross between a combustion engine and an electric motor, the concept of pushing extra air through the fuel cell to increase power is similar to that of turbocharging a regular two- or four-stroke engine. The publication says
- [Traversing Australia on Sunshine](https://sustainableskies.org/traversing-australia-on-sunshine/) - Australia supplies 3,000 kilometers (1,860 miles) of smooth road and abundant sunshine every year for the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge that bisects the country north to south. Growing in numbers annually, this year’s five-day race drew 47 teams from 25 countries, with two teams from the Netherlands, one from the University of Michigan in the United
- [More Powerful, Longer Lasting Perovskites](https://sustainableskies.org/more-powerful-longer-lasting-perovskites/) - Perovskites, calcium titanium oxide minerals composed of calcium titanate, with the chemical formula CaTiO, are found in relative abundance throughout the world and have characteristics that make them a plausible candidate for use in solar cells. Initially showing good efficiency at small scales, perovskite solar cells were potentially less expensive to produce than conventional silicon-based units, and could be more efficient,
- [Biggest, Fastest 3D Printed Airplane So Far](https://sustainableskies.org/biggest-fastest-3d-printed-airplane-so-far/) - Unveiled at the Dubai Air Show this week, the collaborative effort between Stratasys and Aurora Flight Sciences is the largest and fastest 3D-printed aircraft so far. With a 9-foot wingspan and weighing 30 pounds, the unmanned aerial vehicle is also the first jet aircraft to be made through additive manufacturing. 80 percent by weight was
- [EAS IX: Neil Johnson of Navitas on Battery Safety](https://sustainableskies.org/eas-ix-neil-johnson-of-navitas-on-battery-safety/) - Neil Johnson of the Navitas Systems Advanced Solutions Group gave the gathering at the ninth annual Electric Aircraft Symposium an overview on battery reserve limits and gauging, and the methods necessary to address the different failure modes for lithium batteries, all of which could be problematic for electric aircraft. Navitas includes some legacy technology adapted from 123
- [First Seeo, Now Sakti3](https://sustainableskies.org/first-seeo-now-sakti3/) - Bosch’s acquisition of Seeo Inc. is followed within seven weeks by news that an innovator in another area has acquired a battery developer. Electric-vehiclenews.com announced that “Dyson, the U.K. company famous for its bagless vacuum cleaners, has acquired Michigan-based solid-state battery startup Sakti3 for $90 million and announced plans to build an important $1 billion battery factory
- [The HY4 Will Be Part of a Bigger Plan](https://sustainableskies.org/the-hy4-will-be-part-of-a-bigger-plan/) - As part of a planned network of hydrogen-fueled Air Taxis, DLR’s HY4 four-seat airplane will initially land at one of 60 fields in Germany outfitted to supply its unique needs. These fields will have hydrogen storage and fueling systems for ground transportation, making for a large web of clean transportation by air and land. With
- [G4 to HY4 - Swapping Batteries for Fuel Cells](https://sustainableskies.org/g4-to-hy4-swapping-batteries-for-fuel-cells/) - The University of Stuttgart and Pipistrel started down similar paths around 2007, with the Stuttgarters attempting a hydrogen-powered two-seat aircraft, the Hydrogenius; and Pipistrel developing a self-launching craft with either two-stroke power or an equivalent electric motor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0JhS_HuMvg The two groups came to rely on one another, with hydrogenius using the forward fuselage and wings
- [EAS IX: David Calley's Innovative Design and Use of Electric Motors](https://sustainableskies.org/eas-ix-david-calleys-innovative-design-and-use-of-electric-motors/) - David Calley is member of the CAFE Foundation Advisory Board, with a great deal of technical expertise to offer. His small wind turbine sold over 150,000 units. His patented design for the TrailerTail® increases fuel economy on semi-trucks and trailers by 5.4 percent at 65 miles per hour, according to SAE tests. Last year at
- [EAS IX: Tyler MacCready on Swarm Science](https://sustainableskies.org/eas-ix-tyler-maccready-on-swarm-science/) - One of your editor’s favorite books is An Exaltation of Larks, James Lipton’s compilation of venereal terms (not what you think) for plurals of animals. Squires who aspired to become knights had to learn over 100 such terms, according to Sir Walter Scott. Terms of venery (references to animal flesh) include a school of fish,
- [Diamond’s Hybrid-Electric Tiltrotor](https://sustainableskies.org/diamonds-hybrid-electric-tiltrotor/) - Diamond Aircraft of Austria gave Flying magazine news of its hybrid-electric tiltrotor project – something not announced on Diamond’s own web site. According to Flying, Diamond will partner with an unnamed “major industrial partner.” The airplane could become certified within seven years, enabling customers to own a six-passenger vertical takeoff and landing vehicle with ostensibly
- [Another e-Gull takes flight](https://sustainableskies.org/another-e-gull-takes-flight/) - Richard Steeves is an oncologist in Madison, Wisconsin, on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, and has hosted your editor’s visits to AirVenture in 2013 and 2014. He recently took delivery of the e-Gull he helped finish at Mark Beierle’s airport workshop near Santa Margarita, California. The airplane
- [A Twin-Motored Ultralight Flying Wing - It's the New Millennium](https://sustainableskies.org/a-twin-motored-ultralight-flying-wing-its-the-new-millennium/) - Richard Glassock, an Australian now living and working in Hungary, sent the links to YouTube videos of a Millennium hang glider, neatly electrified and flown at this year’s Santa Cruz Salt Flats Race. Richard has been a speaker at the Electric Aircraft Symposium with a talk on his efforts with small hybrid electric power systems
- [Snow White – an Electric Flying Wing or a Lifting Body?](https://sustainableskies.org/snow-white-an-electric-flying-wing-or-a-lifting-body/) - Klaus Burkhard publishes a wonderful web site and blog on ultralight sailplanes, with special attention to the Banjo sailplane, one of which he owns and flies. His interest in other craft is broad, though, and he recently shared news of a flying wing sailplane that can be electrically powered. Its designer and builder, Dr. Andre’s
- [Perlan 2 Flies](https://sustainableskies.org/perlan-2-flies/) - Perlan 2, the pressurized sailplane destined to attempt flights to the edge of space, made its first test hop Wednesday, September 23 at Redmond, Oregon. It was towed to 5,000 feet above Redmond Municipal Airport, stayed aloft for about a half-hour, and alighted perfectly under the expert guidance of James (“Jim”) Payne, Chief Pilot for
- [Chip Yates in a New Role](https://sustainableskies.org/chip-yates-in-a-new-role/) - We are used to seeing Chip Yates breaking records – speed records, mostly – but there is a side to Chip that comes as a surprise to most, and his new position as Vice President of Marketing for Norsk Titanium AS (NTi) might come as a shock beyond surprise. Chip continues with his other
- [EAS IX: Pete Lynn’s Tethered wing aircraft](https://sustainableskies.org/eas-ix-pete-lynns-tethered-wing-aircraft/) - Pete Lynn delivered a talk at the 2015 Electric Aircraft Symposium on tethered wing aircraft that could provide long-range transport for large-scale cargo (Pete envisions shipping containers) and VTOL operation – electric flying trucks. He works at Otherlab, a wildly inventive operation at the historic Schoenstein Organ Factory, identified as San Francisco Landmark #99 and located in
- [EAS IX:  Materials Design for Battery Breakthroughs](https://sustainableskies.org/eas-ix-materials-design-for-battery-breakthroughs/) - Dr. Yi Cui’s presentation title ended with, “from Fundamental Science to Commercialization,” an indication of the long, tough road that new developments are forced to take. Considering that Sony introduced the Lithium battery as a commercial entity in 1991 (and that following at least an 18-year slog from laboratory to mass production), mostly incremental changes
- [Bosch Doubles Down on Solid-State Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/bosch-doubles-down-on-solid-state-batteries/) - Bosch, the German electronics giant, is making a strong showing at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA), and showing off its solid-state Li-ion battery technology. It recently acquired Seeo, Inc., an American startup that has been developing such a battery for several years, and will add Seeo’s research to its own expertise and exclusive patents. Encouragingly,
- [The Third Electric Airplane to Fly in Oregon](https://sustainableskies.org/the-third-electric-airplane-to-fly-in-oregon/) - Martin Koxxy, a mechanical designer for a micro-electronics firm in Beaverton, Oregon, has crafted his e-Gull, a design by Mark Beierle, over the last two years. The airplane reflects Martin’s care and skills, with simplicity and attention to detail that makes it an airworthy jewel. The paint lines on the fuselage roll neatly into the
- [The Second Electric Airplane to Fly in Oregon](https://sustainableskies.org/the-second-electric-airplane-to-fly-in-oregon/) - Ken Dawe and Vim Toutenhoofd own a pair of Aeriane Swifts (“Manufactured and Improved by Aeriane since 1993”) powered flying wings they hangar at a small airport outside Newberg, Oregon. Vim’s has a single-cylinder, two-stroke engine for self-launching and Ken’s has the Eck-Geiger HPD-10, 10-kilowatt motor, controller and battery system, as part of the Icaro
- [Farm and Municipal Waste to Bio Jet Fuel](https://sustainableskies.org/farm-and-municipal-waste-to-bio-jet-fuel/) - United Airlines has united with two partners, AltAir Fuels and Fulcrum BioEnergy, to fly on sustainable alternative fuels. Think of each flight being cleaner, using what formerly were unusable, land-fill-bound waste products, and certain to make United more sustainable, and flights less costly. Earlier efforts at producing biofuels relied on converting food, such as corn,
- [54 Rotors, Nine Autopilots, and One Human Pilot](https://sustainableskies.org/54-rotors-nine-autopilots-and-one-human-pilot/) - A man identified only as JetTurbine101 on his YouTube channel has been test flying a 54-propeller multi-rotor craft for the last year. We see it evolving from back-yard flying to more open-air, higher moments in the videos below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qlfAMjcPtI His August 29, 2015 video includes the most detailed description of the Swarm man-carrying device so
- [EAS IX: Aurora Flight Science Set Records without Pilots](https://sustainableskies.org/eas-ix-aurora-flight-science-set-records-without-pilots/) - John Langford, CEO of Aurora Flight Sciences, has been demonstrating autonomous aircraft for years – a fact he has shared with Electric Aircraft Symposium audiences several times. This year he gave a brief history of Aurora, starting with the Sunlight Eagle, an adaptation of the Michelob Light Eagle, a human-powered aircraft that preceded the most
- [Solar Sails for Ultralights?](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-sails-for-ultralights/) - Ultralights have done many spectacular things, including topping Mt. Everest and crossing the English Channel. Gerard Thevenot flew the Channel under a La Mouette wing powered by an Eck/Geiger motor driven by three fuel cells in 2009 – six years before the recent flights with faster electric craft. For that matter, Paul MacCready and his
- [A Lighter, Zippier Tire for Electric Airplanes?](https://sustainableskies.org/a-lighter-zippier-tire-for-electric-airplanes/) - Tires are not usually the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of airplane design. On most aircraft, the landing gear is an awkward necessity, something to help one get airborne and settle on after committing aviation. Our future electric aircraft might have power-driven wheels to shorten takeoff and landing distances, making them less
- [Buckeye Electric Racing Teams Push Several Envelopes](https://sustainableskies.org/buckeye-electric-racing-teams-push-several-envelopes/) - Despite weather conditions that made hoped-for speeds impossible, the Ohio State University Venturi Buckeye Bullet team set a so-far unofficial one-mile record of 240.320 mile per hour (386.757 kilometers per hour) in their Venturi VBB-3 streamliner. The aptly named Bullet suffered damage from the rough track because of recent rains on the 12-mile stretch. Normally,
- [Another Artificial Leaf – But Significantly Different](https://sustainableskies.org/another-artificial-leaf-but-significantly-different/) - We’ve seen several videos like this, a setup resembling a stomach distress remedy fizzing away and giving off bubbles of hydrogen and oxygen. Dr. Daniel Nocera first created the idea of an artificial leaf, and several others have followed his lead and refined the process, which mimics nature’s leaves in converting sunlight to energy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mul7rLCZbC0 The U.
- [Solid State Electrolyte – a Safer, More Powerful Alternative](https://sustainableskies.org/solid-state-electrolyte-a-safer-more-powerful-alternative/) - Making batteries smaller, lighter, and more powerful is an ongoing trend, supposedly climbing at eight percent per year in terms of energy density (energy stored per unit of weight). Even this blog is guilty of sometimes unrequited enthusiasm for some new developments that appear to be an “answer” for aircraft use. Getting a battery that
- [Carbon Fiber, Batteries and Clean Air from CO2](https://sustainableskies.org/carbon-fiber-batteries-and-clean-air-from-co2/) - Creators of a one-step process called STEP (Solar Thermal Electrochemical Photo) claim a world of benefits, including pulling carbon dioxide from the air and turning it into useful things, such as fuels, cement, and cheap carbon fiber. The process can also purify and desalinate water, according to many of the 300 peer-reviewed papers by Dr.
- [2015 British Human Powered Flying Club Rally](https://sustainableskies.org/2015-british-human-powered-flying-club-rally/) - Human-powered flight is about as green as it gets, although the pilot/powerplant does emit CO2 and some methane during the exercise. A human pilot can put out only about 0.25 to 0.5 horsepower for reasonable periods, with the record holders like Brian Allen flying The 70-lb Gossamer Albatross in its 26-mile cross-channel flight in 2
- [Keeping Battery Fires at Bay](https://sustainableskies.org/keeping-battery-fires-at-bay/) - Fires on or in aircraft are anathema, leaving a pilot and passengers with few options. Even a laptop starting to smoke in the cabin will cause an emergency descent and a diversion to the nearest airport. As designers incorporate larger lithium batteries into new aircraft (and they are essential to motor-driven planes), the need to
- [Sunseeker Duo, Dynamic Duo Do the Alps](https://sustainableskies.org/sunseeker-duo-dynamic-duo-do-the-alps/) - Irena Raymond shared the following about her and huband Eric’s flight across the Alps from northern Italy to Switzerland and return – a four-day tour of the mountainous country, and validation of the Sunseeker Duo’s performance. The latest of a series of accomplishments, the trip’s mission was to “stop and show the airplane at different
- [EAS IX: Chip Erwin Follows Up and Follows the Rules](https://sustainableskies.org/eas-ix-chip-erwin-follows-follows-rules/) - Chip Erwin is one of many who are trying to find less expensive ways for people to experience personal aviation. His company, Aeromarine LSA, fields a range of small aircraft, but he has taken a turn toward the lighter end of the market with his latest offerings. We wrote last month about his dinner presentation
- [The Man Who Made This Blog Possible](https://sustainableskies.org/man-made-blog-possible/) - Your editor received this sad announcement yesterday from Andy Kecskes, editor of the Sailplane Builder newsletter, forwarded from Murry Rozansky, President of the Experimental Soaring Association. "Bruce Carmichael passed peacefully with his family by his side on Tues. I am glad that our and the other soaring organizations honored his contributions before this sad event.
- [Aluminum Yolks and Titanium Shells](https://sustainableskies.org/aluminum-yolks-titanium-shells/) - A new "yolk-and-shell" nanoparticle could boost the capacity and power of lithium-ion batteries. MIT’s press release gives a graphic overview of what damages electrodes and shortens battery life. “One big problem faced by electrodes in rechargeable batteries, as they go through repeated cycles of charging and discharging, is that they must expand and shrink during
- [Five Student Teams Show Five Possible Ways to Electric Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/five-student-teams-show-five-possible-ways-electric-flight/) - What will future airplanes look like? Exciting, sleek and beautiful, if the five winners of a recent NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) challenge are any indicator. Graduates and undergraduates were asked to design a four-seat, electrically-powered craft that “could carry at least 400 pounds of extra cargo, fly at least 575 miles during a single
- [ 81.5-Hour Solar Flight – Best in Class](https://sustainableskies.org/81-hour-solar-flight-best-class/) - Following Andre’ Borschberg’s record-breaking endurance and distance flight in Solar Impulse last month, the accomplishment of a group of Swiss students and their planned trans-Atlantic, solar-powered autonomous flight are equally worthy of consideration. With a much smaller budget than Solar Impulse, the students are planning a 5,000 kilometer (3,100 mile) flight from Bell Island, Canada
- [Facebook Unveils a Very Big, Very Light Electric Flying Wing](https://sustainableskies.org/facebook-unveils-big-light-electric-flying-wing/) - Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is intent on providing at least basic Internet services to everyone in the world, even if means creating his own air force to accomplish that lofty goal. March 27, 2014, he shared his overall plan, including a large fleet of airplanes that would loiter in the stratosphere, beaming high-speed Internet connections
- [RX1E, Sun Flyer Both Score More than a Score (of Orders)](https://sustainableskies.org/rx1e-sunflyer-score-score-orders/) - China Daily reports, “The world's first electric passenger aircraft to gain an airworthiness certificate has been produced by China.” Whether the “first” certification statement is true will probably become a matter of debate, with Pipistrel’s Alpha Electro being certified in France and seeking more general approvals from other countries including America. Pipistrel has been selling
- [13th Annual Personal Aircraft Design Academy Meeting Honors Popov](https://sustainableskies.org/13th-annual-personal-aircraft-design-academy-meeting-honors-popov/) - At the Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture, a week of grand aviation events comes to a close with the annual Personal Aircraft Design Academy meeting. Each year, an individual or group who has contributed significantly to the progress of personal aviation receives a trophy in recognition of that contribution. Your editor could not be there this
- [SmartFlyer – an Electric Four-Seater?](https://sustainableskies.org/smartflyer-electric-four-seater/) - The people behind the Smartflyer, a Swiss design concept now under development ask, “Why does the Smartflyer look like this? With a tail-mounted electric motor, it’s a bit reminiscent of e-Genius, and also a bit like a strutless Rutan Skigull. In fact, the basic configuration has been used on many significant aircraft over the last
- [Solid State H2 Storage on Mini-UAV](https://sustainableskies.org/solid-state-h2-storage-mini-uav/) - A handful of little white pellets holds enough hydrogen to fill a good-sized balloon. At least, that’s the claim of executives at Cella Energy, a spinoff of Oxford University researchers. The blog has covered their work twice, once with their claim that their hydrogen pellets could replace gasoline for the equivalent of $1.50 a gallon,
- [Cella Packages Hydrogen in Usable Ways](https://sustainableskies.org/cella-packages-hydrogen-in-usable-ways/) - Cella Energy, a UK-based energy company, announced big plans for hydrogen storage in early 2011, and is now beginning to deliver on its earlier promise. Hydrogen, as desirable as it is for use in transportation, presents many hurdles in its use. Creating an infrastructure for its distribution has been a major impediment so far, but
- [Albatross, Dragonflies, and Hummingbirds](https://sustainableskies.org/albatross-dragonflies-and-hummingbirds/) - Your editor took a trip to Tehachapi, once home of the infamous California Women’s’ Correctional Institution, mentioned in no less than three 1940’s films noirs. (It’s now a gray-bar hotel for bad boys, not bad girls.) Lesser offenses were in mind, though, since Labor Day weekend has been the time for 31 meetings of the
- [An Electric Autogyro](https://sustainableskies.org/electric-autogyro/) - Combine a FIAT 500e with an autogyro and you get the Cavalon, a two-seat, side-by-side, relatively quiet electric flying machine. Both use the same Bosch motor and inverter. Auto Gyro The Aircraft Company, Cavalon’s maker, says the 80 kilowatt motor drives a three-blade propeller at up to 2,300 rpm and provides performance similar to that
- [EAS IX: Chip Erwin Gets Personal with Electric Flying](https://sustainableskies.org/eas-ix-chip-erwin-gets-personal-electric-flying/) - Light Sport Aircraft (LSA), alas, haven’t lived up to their early hype, 100 manufacturers selling only 235 units in the United States last year. That bothers Chip Erwin, who would like a Personal Sport Aircraft (PSA) option. He’s working through his company, Aeromarine LSA, to do something about that. Chip explains that high prices for
- [Belite – Going Electric?](https://sustainableskies.org/belite-going-electric/) - Even to the casual observer, interest in electric flight is growing. Major news outlets followed Solar Impulse, especially as it began its journey from Japan to Hawaii. The fluster of cross-English-Channel attempts combined daring and rivalries – great for a public appetite voracious for sensation. With big companies investing significant sums in the new technology,
- [EAS IX: Dr. Seeley’s Magnum Opus](https://sustainableskies.org/eas-ix-dr-seeleys-magnum-opus/) - Your editor first met Dr. Brien Seeley, founder and President of the CAFE Foundation, at the Western Workshop for the Experimental Soaring Association in 2007. Dr. Seeley spoke about the CAFE Foundation and its many areas of research, including its first two Electric Aircraft Symposiums. Seven years later these events and this blog are among
- [Solar Impulse Stays in Hawaii until Next Year](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-impulse-stays-hawaii-next-year/) - A sign on the climb from Salem, Oregon to the Redmond/Bend area indicates that no gas or services exist for the next 52 miles. It’s worth heeding, since the route goes over mountain passes, and in winter can require tire chains and sometimes long passages behind a snow plow. Range anxiety happens even for those
- [Solar Impulse - Tougher than it Looked](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-impulse-tougher-looked/) - The record-breaking flight from Nagoya, Japan to Kalaeloa, Hawaii by Andre’ Borschberg in Solar Impulse had more difficulties than were immediately apparent to even the most involved observer. During the first climb out of Nagoya, some of the cells mounted behind each motor experienced overheating, now attributed to over-insulation. High-density foam packed around the cells
- [Germany to Two Places in Austria – On Solar Wings](https://sustainableskies.org/germany-two-places-austria-solar-wings/) - e-Genius spent July 4 crossing the Alps both ways from Germany to Italy, a first for a two-seat, battery-powered airplane. Although the Elektra One Solar from PC-Aero GmbH is lighter and seats only one, its flights starting two weeks before and ending two days before e-Genius’s journey are equally proud accomplishments. The outgoing flight started
- [Airbus e-Fan Prepared Well for Today’s Cross-Channel Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/airbus-e-fan-prepared-well-todays-cross-channel-flight/) - 106 years after Louis Bleriot took off into a foggy morning and pointed the nose of his Model XI toward the Dover coast, Airbus celebrates the event with an anniversary flight of their e-Fan prototype, now sporting a bigger, more powerful battery pack, lightened airframe and lighter electrical components. Their press release carefully avoids mentioning
- [Electric Cri-Cri Crosses English Channel](https://sustainableskies.org/electric-cri-cri-crosses-english-channel/) - Michael Coates, the U. S. General Distributor for Pipistrel Aircraft, sent the following missive from Ivo Boscarol, General Manager and Founder of the Slovenian company, now in its 26th year. “Dear All, “It is my pleasure to inform you that our friend Hugues Duval after reading the information that Pipistrel was blocked in flying across
- [e-Genius Crosses the Alps on Battery Power – Twice!](https://sustainableskies.org/e-genius-crosses-alps-battery-power-twice/) - It makes your editor’s morning to receive such wonderful emails. Dipl. Ing. Ingmar Geiß, Deputy Project Manager for Overall Aircraft Systems on e-Genius wrote the following: “We had a great Saturday – we flew from Stuttgart over the Alps to Italy, recharged the batteries and flew back on the same day! For us, this shows
- [MSCs Could be AOK](https://sustainableskies.org/mscs-aok/) - Of late, your editor has noticed several press releases concerning scientific findings that don’t read in a scientific way. You know that objective kind of writing: the use of words and phrases such as “tend to,” “suggesting,” or “of potential interest,” and the ever-popular, “further study is required.” An announcement from the Center for Integrated
- [Green Speed Cup Final: a Mix of Well-Flown Aircraft](https://sustainableskies.org/green-speed-cup-final-mix-well-flown-aircraft/) - Day three of the Green Speed Cup in Strausberg, Germany brought few surprises other than how fuel efficient all of the aircraft turned out to be, especially considering they are all powered by gasoline engines. Normally, this would demonstrate that even a light machine uses large amounts of fuel, but this contest demonstrated the benefits
- [The 2015 Green Speed Cup](https://sustainableskies.org/2015-green-speed-cup/) - Robert Adam writes to let the CAFE Foundation know that the 2015 Green Speed Cup is underway, just now finishing its second of three days of competition. Think of a Green Flight Challenge with a need for green speed balanced against a need for economical use of energy. Taking place out of Strausberg Airport in
- [Solar Impulse Breaks More Records, Attracts More Eyes](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-impulse-breaks-records-attracts-eyes/) - At 79 hours into the flight Flight Director Michi Anger let viewers on Solar Impulse’s web site know that the “U-turns” the airplane performed were to get the maximum amount of solar energy in the plane – “That’s why it looks as if we’re facing the wrong direction.” “André got a good amount of rest during the
- [Samsung Almost Doubles Li-Ion Battery Capacity – in the Near Future](https://sustainableskies.org/samsung-almost-doubles-li-ion-battery-capacity-near-future/) - Several sources report on Samsung’s announcement that they have developed a new technology that enables them to coat silicon battery cathodes with high crystal graphene, virtually doubling the capacity of lithium-ion batteries. Of course, Samsung relates this immediately to their popular smartphones and tablets, but the significance of this is not lost on electric vehicle
- [South America’s First Manned Electric Aircraft](https://sustainableskies.org/south-americas-first-manned-electric-aircraft/) - Brazil and Paraguay join the few nations which have sent an electric aircraft into flight with the introduction of the Sora-e, an attractive two-seat light sport aircraft. The 8 meter (26.25 feet) wingspan plane incorporates a Slovenian motor, Korean batteries and an American propeller, giving it a truly international flavor. The two countries share a
- [Solar Impulse Passes Midway Islands](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-impulse-passes-midway-islands/) - With the sun soon to rise in the Pacific, Solar Impulse 2 continues scooting at over 60 mph toward Honolulu as the third night comes to an end. Significantly, Andre’ Borschberg and the 747-size plane have made it past the Midway Islands, once a stop-over for Pan-Am Boeing 314 “China Clippers.” Even with their 3,500-mile
- [A Second Night on Solar Impulse](https://sustainableskies.org/second-night-solar-impulse/) - Pixar’s current film, Inside Out, depicts the emotions of an 11-year-old girl having her life disrupted by family circumstances. Different voice actors depict Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust, and Sadness, emotions struggling for control within Headquarters (get it?). Imagine your editor’s surprise to find that Solar Impulse’s Headquarters reports on its audience’s emotional state as part
- [Three Races Going Electric – or at Least Hybrid](https://sustainableskies.org/three-races-going-electric-least-hybrid/) - Three major automobile and motorcycle races are adapting electric or hybrid power, and seeing winners in all categories. The three take place in the month of June every year, making the month a showtime for innovation and a demonstration of incredible driving skills. Isle of Man Perhaps the most dangerous of all events, the Isle
- [Solar Impulse Pulls a Fast One](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-impulse-pulls-fast-one/) - Confusion surrounded the takeoff of Solar Impulse 2 from Nagoya, Japan in Sunday’s early hours, with some news reports showing that the airplane had departed, but the project’s web site silent. That was cleared up over nine hours into the flight, with revelations that Andre’ Borschberg and the control center in Monaco had spent hours resolving
- [Cambridge Crude Reborn in Simplified Battery](https://sustainableskies.org/cambridge-crude-reborn-simplified-battery/) - We first saw the appellation, “24M” four years ago in our report on research done at MIT to produce an ionic liquid called “Cambridge Crude,” usable in flow batteries. Dr. Yet-Ming Chiang headed up that work in collaboration with Professors Angela Belcher and Paula Hammond at MIT and Glenn Amatucci at Rutgers, among others. They
- [Hungarian Flying Trike Makes Debut](https://sustainableskies.org/hungarian-flying-trike-makes-debut/) - This six-rotored, six-motored flying “Y” may make you ask “why, indeed,” but its makers are enthusiastic about its prospects. Even though its second test flight lasted only a minute and a half, its rider looked as happy as though he’d just ridden the mechanical bull at Gilley’s. Certainly the riding posture is similar, and the Flike
- [Supercapacitors? It’s a Wrap](https://sustainableskies.org/supercapacitors-wrap/) - Recent entries in Electricvehiclesresearch.com alerted your editor to a novel combination of batteries and supercapacitors to gain power and energy – usually mutually exclusive in energy storage devices. The Paper Battery Company (an intriguing name) makes an extremely thin supercapacitor that can be literally wrapped around a battery or structure to make a hybrid energy
- [Euro/Israeli hybrid Powers Neat Italian ULM](https://sustainableskies.org/euroisraeli-hybrid-powers-neat-italian-ulm/) - Great minds tend in the same directions. Newton and Leibniz both came up with the calculus at roughly the same time, both goaded to develop a way to determine the orbit of Halley’s Comet. So it’s no surprise that two different groups would come up with similar solutions to developing a backup hybrid system for
- [Kaner and El-Kady Explore New Areas of Energy Storage](https://sustainableskies.org/kaner-el-kady-explore-new-areas-energy-storage/) - Now here’s a mission statement. “Engineering three-dimensional hybrid supercapacitors and microsupercapacitors for high-performance integrated energy storage.” Conventional wisdom says that super and ultracapacitors don’t have the energy storage of batteries, and even given their outstanding ability to deliver power at high levels pretty much instantly, will never be able to run an electric vehicle for
- [High-capacity, Soft Batteries From Trees](https://sustainableskies.org/trees-source-high-capacity-soft-batteries/) - This is not pulp fiction, but pulp fact, trees being converted into squishy new nerf-like batteries. Researchers at Sweden’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stanford University have made elastic, high-capacity batteries from wood pulp. The foam-like battery material can withstand shock and stress, according to the schools. Max Hamedi, a researcher at KTH and
- [Airbus Has an Electric Project on the Side](https://sustainableskies.org/airbus-electric-project-side/) - Employees at the Airbus Filton, Bristol facilities in England help advance aerospace activities with a dedicated lifecycle approach to their endeavors. This includes design, supply chain, manufacturing, aircraft operation and end of life phases which are subject to definition, analysis, and ongoing improvement. Filton designs all wings, fuel systems and landing gears for Airbus commercial
- [An Electric Motor Lets You Down Easy](https://sustainableskies.org/electric-motor-lets-easy/) - Having your engine fail in the middle of a flight is an unnerving experience, to say the least. For buyers or owners of small two and four-passenger aircraft, a new installation might help mitigate the disaster. Miguel Ángel Suárez of Axter Aerospace, a Spanish firm dealing in the application of electronics to private flight, highlights
- [EAS IX: Low Aspect Ratio Airplanes – Against the Grain](https://sustainableskies.org/eas-ix-low-aspect-ratio-airplanes-grain/) - Barnaby Wainfan is a technical fellow with Northrop-Grumman, but possibly best known for the FMX-4, well known as the “Facetmobile.” His talk on “Low Aspect Ratio Electric Airplanes gave attendees at the ninth annual Electric Aircraft Symposium a great deal of counter-intuitive insights into how a successful airplane can look and work. The FMX-4, he
- [Designer Carbon: High Surface Area and Porosity](https://sustainableskies.org/designer-carbon-high-surface-area-porosity/) - Stanford researchers, working with scientists at Korea’s Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) and China’s National Laboratory of Microstructures (Nanjing), School of Electronic Science and Engineering, at Nanjing University, have squeezed carbon as flat (if not flatter than) as graphene and poked lots of well-sized holes in it to make designer battery and supercapacitor
- [There’s an Airplane in There Somewhere](https://sustainableskies.org/theres-airplane-somewhere/) - Looking like an igloo condominium, Solar Impulse’s inflatable hangar was hastily shipped to Nagoya Airport in Japan to protect the large, but vulnerable, machine from weather damage. Before the temporary hangar could be installed, though, high winds caused part of the structure holding a cover over the right wing to hit the aileron and cause
- [Diamond Hybrid Drive – One Engine, Two Motors](https://sustainableskies.org/diamond-hybrid-drive-one-engine-two-motors/) - Diamond aircraft seem to have been the go-to choice for electrification, with Boeing and Airbus fielding different versions powered by an array of powerplants. In 2008,Boeing’s fuel cell-powered craft, a DA-36 Dimona motorglider, “was modified by [Boeing Research and Technology Europe] (BR&TE) to include a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell/lithium-ion battery hybrid system to
- [EAS IX: Additive Manufacturing Parts Flying on Airbuses](https://sustainableskies.org/eas-ix-additive-manufacturing-parts-flying-airbuses/) - Scott Sevcik, Aerospace and Defense Business Development Manager for Stratasys, gave EAS IX participants a look into the most advanced aircraft manufacturing techniques currently available, and what might be possible in the near future. Traditional manufacturing techniques have relied on subtractive techniques, starting with an aluminum billet, for instance, and sawing, filing and sanding away
- [Solar Impulse: Bad News, Good News](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-impulse-bad-news-good-news/) - The Solar Impulse team had bad news today. “Unfortunately the current weather window to reach Hawaii has closed. The cold front is too dangerous to cross, so we have decided to land in Nagoya Airfield, also known as Komaki Airport, and wait for better weather conditions in order to continue.” The good news came with the safe landing following
- [HOMER and PEACE Offer Possibly Quieter Flight: Part Two](https://sustainableskies.org/homer-peace-offer-possibly-quieter-flight-part-two/) - Quieter, smoother, more fuel efficient – it sounds like the CAFE Foundation’s goals for its Sky Taxis. ACHEON, a Euro-consortium of high-powered academic institutions, is working to bring together the Coanda effect with modern plasma technology to create a much-improved aerial travel experience. Having explored a few of the many aircraft that have attempted to
- [Singapore Firm, Boeing Team Up on Hydrogen](https://sustainableskies.org/singapore-firm-boeing-team-hydrogen/) - EV World reports that a Singapore-based company, Horizon Energy Systems, has test flown the world’s first hydrogen powered quadracopter, a small UAV that is claimed to fly for hours, instead of the minutes a lithium battery pack would provide. The report asks that tantalizing question for all who suffer from range anxiety, especially while in
- [HOMER and PEACE Offer Quieter, Smoother Flight: Part One](https://sustainableskies.org/homer-peace-offer-quieter-smoother-flight-part-one/) - A European-based consortium of academic and industrial groups take a very old idea, add a plasma system that seems to be nearly science fiction, whip them together and create quiet, efficient, vector-controlled flight. That’s the promise, although it seems a bit much to take in all at once. But the folks at the ACHEON (Aerial
- [ “Junkyard Wars” Rig Sprays Quantum Dots Precisely](https://sustainableskies.org/9953/) - Reported widely late last year as a “Junkyard Wars” contraption, University of Toronto researcher Illan Kramer’s spray rig for coating just about anything with a thin film of colloidal quantum dots (QCDs) offers the potential for making Kramer’s hopes come true. “My dream is that one day you’ll have two technicians with Ghostbusters backpacks come
- [EAS IX: Airbus Looks to a Light Electric Future](https://sustainableskies.org/eas-ix-airbus-looks-light-electric-future/) - Ken McKenzie, listed as Deputy Chairman of Airbus US, has served as Vice President for Airbus Customer Services and as Chief Operating Officer for Airbus Americas, Inc. This high-powered individual comes across as a relaxed, congenial soul, though, and led attendees at the ninth annual Electric Aircraft Symposium through an overview of developments in light
- [HZB Makes H2 With Fool's Gold](https://sustainableskies.org/hzb-makes-h2-fools-gold/) - Hydrogen, two atoms of which are in every molecule of water, is wildly abundant, but elusive to extract for our transportation needs. Common means of pulling the H2 from the H2O used fossil fuels, and thus negate the good intentions for its use. Several people have tried cleaner means of “splitting water,” including Daniel Nocera
- [Salting the Battery](https://sustainableskies.org/salting-battery/) - Ideally, battery materials should be abundant, cheap, and safe. NaCl (salt) seems to manage three out of three of these, but can it manage the energy and power density of less abundant and more expensive materials such as lithium? Faradion, an English enterprise specializing in “advanced energy storage solutions,” thinks that the salt of the
- [EAS IX: JoeBen Pulls off a Hat Trick](https://sustainableskies.org/9921/) - JoeBen Bevirt, founder and head of Joby Aviation and Joby Motors , is obviously a workaholic, and not only gave a talk at EAS IX, but had an example of his Lotus unpiloted aerial vehicle at the AUVSI (Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International) conference in Atlanta, Georgia on the same weekend. Two weeks before that, his
- [Two Ultralights Promoting Electric Power](https://sustainableskies.org/two-ultralights-promoting-electric-power/) - Several electric aircraft graced the flight lines and display tents at Oshkosh this year, while several that had flown in previous years stayed home. It shows a growing market segment – one apt to continue growing as batteries and components improve. The ultralight area showed the greatest number of new developments, with two aircraft showing
- [Getting Sideways in SI2](https://sustainableskies.org/9917/) - Any pilot who’s had to land an airplane at its crosswind limit knows that each airplane has a point where its controls cannot overcome the sideways force, and one cannot perform the final level, straight-down-the-runway touchdown. Usually, pilots do a go-around or find a more wind-oriented runway. Solar Impulse’s explanation under the video tells why
- [EAS IX: Phil Barnes Double Header](https://sustainableskies.org/eas-ix-phil-barnes-double-header/) - Phil Barnes, aviation consultant, opened each days’ sessions at this year’s Electric Aircraft Symposium: on Friday with a talk on dynamic soaring as taught by the birds, and on Saturday on regenerative power to keep a dynamic soaring aircraft in perpetual flight without any outside energy source other than the sun. Phil has 31-years of
- [Goshawk Goes Electric ](https://sustainableskies.org/goshawk-goes-electric/) - The GosHawk was conceived as an electric aircraft and technology has FINALLY caught up with it, according to designer Greg Cole. Its sailplane-like proportions allow it to fly with the smallest of power inputs, and real soaring is possible with the electric propulsion system completely shut down, Greg says. This author finds it suits its
- [EAS IX: Mike Ricci Explains PWB, Safety](https://sustainableskies.org/eas-ix-mike-ricci-explains-pwb-safety/) - Dreamliner battery nightmares have troubled the dreams of electric flight for the past two years. Michael Ricci, Vice President of Engineering with LaunchPoint Technologies, gave attendees at this year’s Electric Aircraft Symposium a crash course (pun intended) in the many types of failure modes electric aircraft face. Luckily, he also provided ways to mitigate and
- [Good News and a Bright Future from EAS IX](https://sustainableskies.org/good-news-bright-future-eas-ix/) - Sitting next to your editor for the first day of CAFE’s ninth annual Electric Aircraft Symposium, Paul Bertorelli from AVweb, took copious notes, made sound recordings, and during coffee and lunch breaks and in after-hours sessions, interviewed the accomplished faculty at the Symposium. His thorough and far-reaching reports appear in his last several days’ postings
- [e-Genius Extends Its Range](https://sustainableskies.org/e-genius-extends-range/) - Shown at the E-Flight Expo at Friedrichshafen’s Aero 2015, Stuttgart University’s e-Genius had an aerodynamic-looking pod next to one wing, containing an ENGIRO range extender consisting of a Wankel-type engine and a generator. The unit could, as its name implies, help e-Genius go for new records to add to its already significant collection. Bill Lofton
- [Milking Magnesium for All It’s Worth   ](https://sustainableskies.org/milking-magnesium-worth/) - Magnesium carries two positive charges for every one which lithium carries. This simple fact was inspiration for Jordi Cabana, a University of Illinois at Chicago assistant professor of chemistry in developing a magnesium-based battery. Using magnesium in place of lithium led to this thought: "Because magnesium is an ion that carries two positive charges, every
- [Put Three Things Together – 3D, Aerogel, Graphene – and It’s Got to be Good](https://sustainableskies.org/put-three-things-together-3d-aerogel-graphene-got-good/) - If there were a pantheon of technological hipness, right now three front-runners for induction would be 3D printing, aerogel and graphene. They all rank high on the disruptive technology scale, have enormous amounts of good press, and excite the imagination with their potential. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory researchers have gone beyond combining chocolate and peanut
- [Carplane Makes a Comeback](https://sustainableskies.org/carplane-makes-comeback/) - The German firm Carplane made an entry into the media a few years ago, especially when it compared its bi-modal flying car with a Burt Rutan design. That started a brief kerfuffle of edgy comparisons between the two groups, but no necessary winner. Now, having shown at least a finished and apparently drivable vehicle at
- [Solar Impulse Readied for Pacific Test](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-impulse-readied-pacific-test/) - With Andre’ Borschberg recuperating in Switzerland, Bertrand Piccard flew Solar Impulse 2 on the last leg of its China stay, making a 17 hour, 22 minute, 1,344 kilometer (725.7 nautical mile) flight between Chongquing and Nanjing. The plane is being readied for its biggest leap so far, from Nanjing to Hawaii, a five-day mission that
- [MIT Solar Findings Mirror Those of 13 Year Old's Tree Research](https://sustainableskies.org/mit-solar-findings-mirror-those-of-13-year-olds-tree-research/) - A recent report from MIT, replete with computer algorithms and graduate level insights, made your editor dip back into a story about a young naturalist who saw a model in nature that could lead to more efficient solar arrays. Both produced works of genius and give us hope for some real breakthroughs in solar power
- [The Ypselon – Beauty Two Years in the Future](https://sustainableskies.org/ypselon-beauty-two-years-future/) - Dan Johnson, reporting on his web site, said that on seeing this lovely display item at the E-Flight Expo at Aero 2015, he “was tempted to pass by as merely a concept that might go nowhere.” His talk with the designer, airline pilot David De Ridder, convinced him that this project has funding and substance
- [WattsUp Becomes Alpha Electro – Training Market Warms Up](https://sustainableskies.org/wattsup-becomes-alpha-electro-training-market-warms/) - With today’s AVWeb report from Mary Grady at Aero in Friedrichshafen, Germany, the wraps are off the commercial reality that Pipistrel is ready to market its Alpha Electro, a new airplane for the training market. The production version of the former WattsUp, the airplane’s primary mission is to provide training in the pattern for aspiring
- [Doubling Down on Sulfur](https://sustainableskies.org/doubling-sulfur/) - Lithium-sulfur batteries have been off-stage hopefuls, waiting for their chance to strut their stuff – and that time may have arrived, at least in trial performances. Researchers at the Department of WCU Energy Engineering, Hanyang University in South Korea and the Department of Chemistry at the University of Rome, Italy have “demonstrated a highly reliable
- [BASF NiMH Battery Rebirth?](https://sustainableskies.org/basf-nimh-battery-rebirth/) - BASF, according to Wikipedia, “is the largest chemical producer in the world and is headquartered in Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF originally stood for Badische Anilin- und Soda-Fabrik (English: Baden Aniline and Soda Factory). Today, the four letters are a registered trademark….” With ongoing research into increasing energy storage capabilities of nickel metal hydride (NIMH) batteries to rival or exceed that of lithium batteries, BASF could make breakthroughs in building
- [Corn Stalks and Cobs Into Clean Hydrogen](https://sustainableskies.org/corn-stalks-cobs-clean-hydrogen/) - Hydrogen has several demerits in coming to the energy market. A primary issue for H2 critics – that hydrogen requires more energy to produce than it gives back – may have been answered by Dr. Percival Zhang of Virginia Tech’s Department of Biological Systems Engineering, which is in both the College of Agriculture and Life
- [The Facebook Air Force Faces Off with Google’s](https://sustainableskies.org/facebook-air-force-faces-googles/) - On Monday, while waiting for Bertrand Piccard to land Solar Impulse 2 in Chongqing, China, Andre’ Borschberg tweeted, “Congratulations to Yael Maguire's team on their first test flight with #Aquila, taking Mark's vision to a new level.” “Mark” refers to Mark Zuckerberg, Founder and CEO of Facebook, and Aquila refers to a 737-size, solar-powered drone
- [Solar Impulse Wins Over Junior High Students, English Tabloid](https://sustainableskies.org/solar-impulse-wins-junior-high-student-english-tabloid/) - Solar Impulse 2’s 20-hour flight from Mandalay, Myanmar to Chongqing, China included the slowest ground speeds in the massive solar airplane’s history. The Solar Impulse web site reported at 17:35 UTC on “Bertrand Piccard has finally landed Si2 in Chongqing, China, under the applauses of the solar teams and solar impulse fans around the world. The
- [University of Transylvania's Electrifying Flight Experiments](https://sustainableskies.org/april-1/) - As reported here last year at this time, University of Transylvania researchers led by Dr. James Whale, Director of the Tuber Genetics Energetics Laboratory, announced a major breakthrough in GMO potato batteries, ending with research in potato chip batteries, which despite their extreme energy (think of how many calories one takes on from only a 12-ounce bag
- [Making the Siemens Motor Light and Powerful](https://sustainableskies.org/making-siemens-motor-light-powerful/) - Siemen’s recently-announced 260 kilowatt (348.5 horsepower) motor has brought several comments, one from a skeptical blog reader who asked some interesting questions. “VO” or “Volker” comments on Siemen’s claims for the motor, and throws in speculation as to the company’s veracity. (Note to readers who submit comments: please don’t attribute conclusions not intended by the
- [All-Electron Battery – Stanford Strikes Again](https://sustainableskies.org/electron-battery-stanford-strikes/) - With recent news of a solid-state battery coming for the labs of Yi Cui, a second solid-state solution seems to follow from another Stanford Laboratory. The All-Electron Battery, funded at least partly by an ARPA-E grant that underwrote the program from 2010 to 2012, has fostered a startup, QuantumScape. Starting from the stated need for

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- [George Bye](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/george-bye/)
- [Charles B. Johnson](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/charles-b-johnson/)
- [Green Flight Project](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/green-flight-project/)
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- [Dr. Henry Daniell](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-henry-daniell/)
- [Biofuel](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/biofuel/)
- [tobacco](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/tobacco/)
- [orange peels](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/orange-peels/)
- [waste into fuel](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/waste-into-fuel/)
- [ethanol](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/ethanol/)
- [California Institute of Technology](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/california-institute-of-technology/)
- [Dr. Harry Atwater](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-harry-atwater/)
- [Michael Kelzenberg](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/michael-kelzenberg/)
- [silicon solar cells](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/silicon-solar-cells/)
- [Paul MacCready](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/paul-maccready/)
- [2010 Electric Aircraft Symposium](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/2010-electric-aircraft-symposium/)
- [theme dinners](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/theme-dinners/)
- [Sonoma County](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sonoma-county/)
- [DoubleTree Sonoma Wine Country](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/doubletree-sonoma-wine-country/)
- [Imperial College London](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/imperial-college-london/)
- [Dr. Emile Greenhalgh](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-emile-greenhalgh/)
- [carbon-fiber based energy storage](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/carbon-fiber-based-energy-storage/)
- [EQ2](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/eq2/)
- [Biofuels](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/biofuels/)
- [sustainability](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sustainability/)
- [bio-SPK](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/bio-spk/)
- [Jatropha](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/jatropha/)
- [halophytes](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/halophytes/)
- [Camelina](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/camelina/)
- [Pierre-Jean Beney](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/pierre-jean-beney/)
- [Trikebuggy](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/trikebuggy/)
- [Hacker Motor](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/hacker-motor/)
- [Powered Paraglider](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/powered-paraglider/)
- [MLB Co.](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/mlb-co/)
- [Dr. Steve Morris](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-steve-morris/)
- [Brian Porter](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/brian-porter/)
- [Swift](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/swift/)
- [ElectraFlyer](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/electraflyer/)
- [Manfred Ruhmer](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/manfred-ruhmer/)
- [Icaro 2000](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/icaro-2000/)
- [Geiger/Eck electric motor](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/geigereck-electric-motor/)
- [HP10 motor](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/hp10-motor/)
- [LiF2PO4 batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/lif2po4-batteries/)
- [Li-Po batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/li-po-batteries/)
- [Electric Aircraft Symposium](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/electric-aircraft-symposium/)
- [Rohnert Park California](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/rohnert-park-california/)
- [bio-fuels](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/bio-fuels/)
- [Batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/batteries/)
- [autonomous flight controls](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/autonomous-flight-controls/)
- [drag reduction](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/drag-reduction/)
- [vertical takeoff](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/vertical-takeoff/)
- [solar panels](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/solar-panels/)
- [sailplane technology](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sailplane-technology/)
- [propeller noise reduction](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/propeller-noise-reduction/)
- [Cycle World](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/cycle-world/)
- [Brammo Enertia](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/brammo-enertia/)
- [Craig Bramscher](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/craig-bramscher/)
- [Matthew Miles](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/matthew-miles/)
- [Kevin Cameron](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/kevin-cameron/)
- [electric motorcycle](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/electric-motorcycle/)
- [Jasmine Green](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/jasmine-green/)
- [Care2 Causes](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/care2-causes/)
- [ExxonMobil](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/exxonmobil/)
- [Treehugger.com](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/treehugger-com/)
- [Sustainable Oils Company](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sustainable-oils-company/)
- [Flight Global.com](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/flight-global-com/)
- [Flight International](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/flight-international/)
- [electric flight](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/electric-flight/)
- [Calin Gologan](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/calin-gologan/)
- [PC-Aero](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/pc-aero/)
- [Flight Design](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/flight-design/)
- [Oliver Reinhardt](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/oliver-reinhardt/)
- [Dr. Yeuh-Lin Loo](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-yeuh-lin-loo/)
- [chemical engineering](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/chemical-engineering/)
- [Princeton](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/princeton/)
- [University of Texas - Austin](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/university-of-texas-austin/)
- [Pennsylvania State University](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/pennsylvania-state-university/)
- [University of California -Santa Barbara](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/university-of-california-santa-barbara/)
- [Dupont](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dupont/)
- [indium tin oxide](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/indium-tin-oxide/)
- [ITO](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/ito/)
- [Konarka](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/konarka/)
- [Dr. Cui](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-cui/)
- [Dr. Cho](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-cho/)
- [Panasonic](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/panasonic/)
- [silicon alloy anode](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/silicon-alloy-anode/)
- [Tesla](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/tesla/)
- [18650 cells](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/18650-cells/)
- [Payerne](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/payerne/)
- [Marcus Scherdel](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/marcus-scherdel/)
- [Aero 2010](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/aero-2010/)
- [E-Flight Expo](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/e-flight-expo/)
- [hydrogen power](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/hydrogen-power/)
- [Elekta One](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/elekta-one/)
- [Friedrichshafen](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/friedrichshafen/)
- [fourth annual Electric Aircraft Symposium](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/fourth-annual-electric-aircraft-symposium/)
- [German UL](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/german-ul/)
- [medical](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/medical/)
- [Luka Znidarsic](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/luka-znidarsic/)
- [Matija Znidarsic](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/matija-znidarsic/)
- [propeller improvements](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/propeller-improvements/)
- [Mary Grady](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/mary-grady/)
- [Electraflyer C](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/electraflyer-c/)
- [Electraflyer X](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/electraflyer-x/)
- [electric motor](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/electric-motor/)
- [ultralight](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/ultralight/)
- [AVweb](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/avweb/)
- [Dr. Jonathan Trent](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-jonathan-trent/)
- [OMEGA Project](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/omega-project/)
- [Green Hornet](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/green-hornet/)
- [F-18](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/f-18/)
- [Tom Lehrer](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/tom-lehrer/)
- [Eva Hakansson](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/eva-hakansson/)
- [Bill Dube'](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/bill-dube/)
- [Killacycle](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/killacycle/)
- [Killajoule](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/killajoule/)
- [A123 batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/a123-batteries/)
- [F1 batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/f1-batteries/)
- [KERS](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/kers/)
- [electric drag racing](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/electric-drag-racing/)
- [JoeBen Bevirt](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/joeben-bevirt/)
- [Zach Hoisington](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/zach-hoisington/)
- [Boeing](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/boeing/)
- [John McGinnis](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/john-mcginnis/)
- [Synergy](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/synergy/)
- [Jack Norris](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/jack-norris/)
- [Einar Enevoldson](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/einar-enevoldson/)
- [Morgan Sandercock](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/morgan-sandercock/)
- [Windward Performance LLC](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/windward-performance-llc/)
- [Sparrowhawk](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sparrowhawk/)
- [Glaser-Dirk DG 500](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/glaser-dirk-dg-500/)
- [Perlan 2](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/perlan-2/)
- [Perlan 1](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/perlan-1/)
- [Steve Fossett](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/steve-fossett/)
- [Dr. Larry Ford](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-larry-ford/)
- [electronic Certified Flight Instructor](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/electronic-certified-flight-instructor/)
- [eCFI](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/ecfi/)
- [Steve Williams](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/steve-williams/)
- [Hoganas](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/hoganas/)
- [bicycle hub motor](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/bicycle-hub-motor/)
- [SMC](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/smc/)
- [Alrik Danielson](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/alrik-danielson/)
- [powdered metal](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/powdered-metal/)
- [soft magnetic composite](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/soft-magnetic-composite/)
- [Dr. Key Dismukes](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-key-dismukes/)
- [human factors](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/human-factors/)
- [safety training](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/safety-training/)
- [Job Inc.](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/job-inc/)
- [Joby Energy](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/joby-energy/)
- [Diederik Marius](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/diederik-marius/)
- [Jeff Young](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/jeff-young/)
- [Gorillapod](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/gorillapod/)
- [Gorillamobile](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/gorillamobile/)
- [Gorillatorch](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/gorillatorch/)
- [Nymph](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/nymph/)
- [Dragonfly](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dragonfly/)
- [Personal Air Vehicle](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/personal-air-vehicle/)
- [kites](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/kites/)
- [electrical generation](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/electrical-generation/)
- [Stephan Boutenko](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/stephan-boutenko/)
- [Alternair](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/alternair/)
- [Airbus](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/airbus/)
- [Lindbergh Electric Aircraft Prize](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/lindbergh-electric-aircraft-prize/)
- [AFDX](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/afdx/)
- [Light Sport Aircraft](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/light-sport-aircraft/)
- [Patrick Panzera](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/patrick-panzera/)
- [Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/experimental-aircraft-association/)
- [Experimenter](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/experimenter/)
- [Pan-American Highway](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/pan-american-highway/)
- [M25](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/m25/)
- [distance record](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/distance-record/)
- [Radical Sportscars](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/radical-sportscars/)
- [SR8 chassis](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sr8-chassis/)
- [Evo-Electric Motors](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/evo-electric-motors/)
- [Thunder Sky batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/thunder-sky-batteries/)
- [Battery Management System](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/battery-management-system/)
- [waveform displacement](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/waveform-displacement/)
- [natural laminar flow](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/natural-laminar-flow/)
- [immersed propulsion](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/immersed-propulsion/)
- [open thermodynamics](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/open-thermodynamics/)
- [Gordschmied body](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/gordschmied-body/)
- [Daihatsu](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/daihatsu/)
- [electric distance record](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/electric-distance-record/)
- [Sanyo batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sanyo-batteries/)
- [Japan Electric Vehicle Club](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/japan-electric-vehicle-club/)
- [Swift Ultralight](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/swift-ultralight/)
- [Livio Mengotti](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/livio-mengotti/)
- [Dr. Svetlana Poroseva](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-svetlana-poroseva/)
- [network topology](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/network-topology/)
- [Florida State University](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/florida-state-university/)
- [Center for Advanced Power Systems](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/center-for-advanced-power-systems/)
- [Dennis Simantis](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dennis-simantis/)
- [Road and Track](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/road-and-track/)
- [spider webs](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/spider-webs/)
- [slime mold](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/slime-mold/)
- [Tokyo Rail System](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/tokyo-rail-system/)
- [University of New Mexico](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/university-of-new-mexico/)
- [YASA Oxford Motors](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/yasa-oxford-motors/)
- [yokeless and segmented armature motor](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/yokeless-and-segmented-armature-motor/)
- [Westfield iRacer](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/westfield-iracer/)
- [Riversimple](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/riversimple/)
- [Morgan Lifecar](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/morgan-lifecar/)
- [Patrick McGoohan](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/patrick-mcgoohan/)
- [Delta Project](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/delta-project/)
- [The Engineer](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/the-engineer/)
- [Tim Woolrich](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/tim-woolrich/)
- [Malcolm McCullough](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/malcolm-mccullough/)
- [night flight](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/night-flight/)
- [Natalie Jeremijenko](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/natalie-jeremijenko/)
- [New York University](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/new-york-university/)
- [Icon A5](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/icon-a5/)
- [water landings](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/water-landings/)
- [wetlands](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/wetlands/)
- [environment](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/environment/)
- [Environmental Health Clinic](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/environmental-health-clinic/)
- [Corey Ipollito](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/corey-ipollito/)
- [Paul Espinosa](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/paul-espinosa/)
- [Al Weston](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/al-weston/)
- [autonomous flight](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/autonomous-flight/)
- [Ilan Kroo](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/ilan-kroo/)
- [Steve Morris](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/steve-morris/)
- [USGS](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/usgs/)
- [cold case crime scenes](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/cold-case-crime-scenes/)
- [EADS](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/eads/)
- [Cri-Cri](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/cri-cri/)
- [Michel Colomban](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/michel-colomban/)
- [L'Aviation Verte](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/laviation-verte/)
- [Green Aviation Show](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/green-aviation-show/)
- [Le Bourget Field](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/le-bourget-field/)
- [Musee; de l'Aire et de L'Espace](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/musee-de-laire-et-de-lespace/)
- [outrunner motors](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/outrunner-motors/)
- [Lynch Agni motor](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/lynch-agni-motor/)
- [Santos-Dumont](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/santos-dumont/)
- [aluminum ladder](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/aluminum-ladder/)
- [Diatex 1000](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/diatex-1000/)
- [Gerard Feldzer](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/gerard-feldzer/)
- [Icare](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/icare/)
- [University Stuttgart](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/university-stuttgart/)
- [Roman Susnik](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/roman-susnik/)
- [Claude Nicollier](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/claude-nicollier/)
- [Dr. Andrew Frank](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-andrew-frank/)
- [UC Davis](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/uc-davis/)
- [Greg Stevenson](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/greg-stevenson/)
- [GSE-HFE](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/gse-hfe/)
- [pulse and glide](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/pulse-and-glide/)
- [UQM Motor](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/uqm-motor/)
- [Marc Cook](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/marc-cook/)
- [Larry Ford](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/larry-ford/)
- [Charlotte Whitfield](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/charlotte-whitfield/)
- [Jaephil Cho](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/jaephil-cho/)
- [Elektra One](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/elektra-one/)
- [Tyler MacCready](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/tyler-maccready/)
- [Aerovironment](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/aerovironment/)
- [Geoffrey Long](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/geoffrey-long/)
- [Michael Friend](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/michael-friend/)
- [SoLong](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/solong/)
- [Dr. Charlotte Whitfield](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-charlotte-whitfield/)
- [NACA](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/naca/)
- [blade passing frequency](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/blade-passing-frequency/)
- [Farassat](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/farassat/)
- [Gutin](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/gutin/)
- [Hawkings and Lawson](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/hawkings-and-lawson/)
- [Hubbard and Lassiter](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/hubbard-and-lassiter/)
- [aeroacoustics](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/aeroacoustics/)
- [hearing protection](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/hearing-protection/)
- [sound exposure level](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sound-exposure-level/)
- [effective perceived sound level](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/effective-perceived-sound-level/)
- [Phantom Eye](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/phantom-eye/)
- [HALE](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/hale/)
- [Phantom Ray](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/phantom-ray/)
- [liquid hydrogen](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/liquid-hydrogen/)
- [Ford Duratec](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/ford-duratec/)
- [Darryl Davis](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/darryl-davis/)
- [CAFE Board](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/cafe-board/)
- [Green Flight Challange](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/green-flight-challange/)
- [Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/charles-m-schulz-sonoma-county-airport/)
- [NASA Centennial Challenges](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/nasa-centennial-challenges/)
- [Allied Organzations](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/allied-organzations/)
- [Qinetiq](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/qinetiq/)
- [Zephyr](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/zephyr/)
- [lithium-sulfur batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/lithium-sulfur-batteries/)
- [Sion](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sion/)
- [Global Hawk](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/global-hawk/)
- [Jon Saltmarsh](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/jon-saltmarsh/)
- [Dr. Stephen Schneider](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-stephen-schneider/)
- [Dr. Ben Santer](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-ben-santer/)
- [Al Gore](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/al-gore/)
- [climate change](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/climate-change/)
- [IPCC](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/ipcc/)
- [United Nations](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/united-nations/)
- [Nobel Peace Prize](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/nobel-peace-prize/)
- [MacArthur genius grant](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/macarthur-genius-grant/)
- [National Wildlife Federation](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/national-wildlife-federation/)
- [Dr. Terry Root](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-terry-root/)
- [Climatic Change](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/climatic-change/)
- [d’Alembert’s Paradox](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/d’alembert’s-paradox/)
- [Gabrielli-von Karman Limit](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/gabrielli-von-karman-limit/)
- [FAI](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/fai/)
- [Yuma Proving Grounds](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/yuma-proving-grounds/)
- [Rutan Voyager](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/rutan-voyager/)
- [Sion Power Inc.](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sion-power-inc/)
- [Uni-Solar](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/uni-solar/)
- [Dr. Joseph Armstrong](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-joseph-armstrong/)
- [thin-film solar cells](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/thin-film-solar-cells/)
- [NREL](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/nrel/)
- [Silent Sentinel](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/silent-sentinel/)
- [World Symposium on Elecric Aircraft](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/world-symposium-on-elecric-aircraft/)
- [Erik Lindbergh](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/erik-lindbergh/)
- [LEAP](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/leap/)
- [Randy Babbitt](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/randy-babbitt/)
- [Tian Yu](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/tian-yu/)
- [Electric Aircraft Corporation](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/electric-aircraft-corporation/)
- [Sonex Aircraft](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sonex-aircraft/)
- [John Monnett](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/john-monnett/)
- [Earthstar Aircraft](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/earthstar-aircraft/)
- [Mark Beierle](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/mark-beierle/)
- [AirVenture 2010](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/airventure-2010/)
- [Vislabs](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/vislabs/)
- [Univerity of Parma](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/univerity-of-parma/)
- [Alberto Broggi](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/alberto-broggi/)
- [Piaggio Porters](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/piaggio-porters/)
- [electric vehicles](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/electric-vehicles/)
- [RGE Supercar](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/rge-supercar/)
- [Imperial College](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/imperial-college/)
- [Martin Wezel](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/martin-wezel/)
- [Tom Peghiny](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/tom-peghiny/)
- [paramotors](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/paramotors/)
- [Power Block Controllers](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/power-block-controllers/)
- [self-launching sailplanes](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/self-launching-sailplanes/)
- [Viva](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/viva/)
- [Apis 2](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/apis-2/)
- [Cessna Aircraft Company](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/cessna-aircraft-company/)
- [Bruce Gillit](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/bruce-gillit/)
- [Charlie Johnson](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/charlie-johnson/)
- [UQM 125 Motor](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/uqm-125-motor/)
- [Vertical Power](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/vertical-power/)
- [GSE OCX-1226](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/gse-ocx-1226/)
- [Jack J. Pelton](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/jack-j-pelton/)
- [Sikorsky Innovations](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sikorsky-innovations/)
- [Project Firefly](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/project-firefly/)
- [electric helicopter](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/electric-helicopter/)
- [Gaia](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/gaia/)
- [U. S. Hybrid](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/u-s-hybrid/)
- [Chris Van Buiten](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/chris-van-buiten/)
- [Mark Miller](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/mark-miller/)
- [Farnborough International Air Show](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/farnborough-international-air-show/)
- [Yuneec International](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/yuneec-international/)
- [FlightGlobal.com](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/flightglobal-com/)
- [Pierre Hallet](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/pierre-hallet/)
- [DUC propeller](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/duc-propeller/)
- [Mt. Everest](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/mt-everest/)
- [H202](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/h202/)
- [hydrogen peroxide](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/hydrogen-peroxide/)
- [tip jet propulsion](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/tip-jet-propulsion/)
- [Aero-news.net](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/aero-news-net/)
- [Avimech International Aircraft](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/avimech-international-aircraft/)
- [Burt Rutan](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/burt-rutan/)
- [R. J. Gritter](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/r-j-gritter/)
- [variable-pitch propeller](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/variable-pitch-propeller/)
- [asymmetric thrust](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/asymmetric-thrust/)
- [Electric Tournament of Champions](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/electric-tournament-of-champions/)
- [Foamie model aircraft](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/foamie-model-aircraft/)
- [Sonex](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sonex/)
- [Axel Lange](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/axel-lange/)
- [Clive Coote](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/clive-coote/)
- [LEAP awards](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/leap-awards/)
- [Aero-Friedrichschafen](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/aero-friedrichschafen/)
- [Caltech](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/caltech/)
- [University of Toronto](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/university-of-toronto/)
- [Berkeley Lab Solar Materials Energy Research Group](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/berkeley-lab-solar-materials-energy-research-group/)
- [Mary Mayer](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/mary-mayer/)
- [Applied Physics Letters](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/applied-physics-letters/)
- [American Institute of Physics](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/american-institute-of-physics/)
- [quantum dots](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/quantum-dots/)
- [nanocrystals](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/nanocrystals/)
- [Sandia National Laboratories](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sandia-national-laboratories/)
- [Greg Nielson](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/greg-nielson/)
- [University of Illinois and Urbana-Champaign](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/university-of-illinois-and-urbana-champaign/)
- [Science News](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/science-news/)
- [Gizmag](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/gizmag/)
- [John Rogers](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/john-rogers/)
- [Richard Glassock](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/richard-glassock/)
- [Queensland University of Technology](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/queensland-university-of-technology/)
- [Smart Skies](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/smart-skies/)
- [Ricardo Wolverine](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/ricardo-wolverine/)
- [ARCAA](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/arcaa/)
- [Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/australian-research-centre-for-aerospace-automation/)
- [OS 10cc](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/os-10cc/)
- [Plettenberg 220](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/plettenberg-220/)
- [UAV](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/uav/)
- [UAS](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/uas/)
- [hybrid](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/hybrid/)
- [Jean Koster](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/jean-koster/)
- [University of Colorado](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/university-of-colorado/)
- [RASEI](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/rasei/)
- [GENeco](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/geneco/)
- [Mohammed Saddiq](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/mohammed-saddiq/)
- [Sean Hill](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sean-hill/)
- [methane](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/methane/)
- [waste treatment](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/waste-treatment/)
- [food waste](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/food-waste/)
- [Bio-Bug](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/bio-bug/)
- [Dung Beetle](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dung-beetle/)
- [Nellis Air Force Base](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/nellis-air-force-base/)
- [Luke Air Force Base](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/luke-air-force-base/)
- [SunPower](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sunpower/)
- [Medford OR airport](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/medford-or-airport/)
- [T20 Tracking Panel](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/t20-tracking-panel/)
- [NASA Langley](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/nasa-langley/)
- [Hampton Virginia](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/hampton-virginia/)
- [colloquium](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/colloquium/)
- [gridlock](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/gridlock/)
- [wormholes](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/wormholes/)
- [EAS III](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/eas-iii/)
- [Lithium Iron Phosphate](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/lithium-iron-phosphate/)
- [Lithium Cobalt Oxide](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/lithium-cobalt-oxide/)
- [silicon anodes](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/silicon-anodes/)
- [Ulsan National Institute of Science & Technology](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/ulsan-national-institute-of-science-technology/)
- [Kirk Flittie](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/kirk-flittie/)
- [NASA Dryden Flight Test Center](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/nasa-dryden-flight-test-center/)
- [Edwards Air Force Base](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/edwards-air-force-base/)
- [Boeing Phantom Eye](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/boeing-phantom-eye/)
- [Ford engines](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/ford-engines/)
- [Astro-flight motors](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/astro-flight-motors/)
- [Global Observer](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/global-observer/)
- [Jerry Booker](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/jerry-booker/)
- [Red Tail Hawk](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/red-tail-hawk/)
- [Blue Tail Hawk](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/blue-tail-hawk/)
- [Yellow Tail Hawk](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/yellow-tail-hawk/)
- [Mark Bierele](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/mark-bierele/)
- [Monnett Moni](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/monnett-moni/)
- [EagleTree](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/eagletree/)
- [Cycle Analyst](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/cycle-analyst/)
- [ultralight sailplane](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/ultralight-sailplane/)
- [Aero-PC](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/aero-pc/)
- [Expo for Sustainable Mobility](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/expo-for-sustainable-mobility/)
- [Ohio State University](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/ohio-state-university/)
- [Buckeye Bullet](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/buckeye-bullet/)
- [Venturi Automobiles](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/venturi-automobiles/)
- [Federation Internationale de l'Automobile](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/federation-internationale-de-lautomobile/)
- [Bonneville Salt Flats](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/bonneville-salt-flats/)
- [Roger Schrorer](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/roger-schrorer/)
- [Giorgio Rizzoni](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/giorgio-rizzoni/)
- [David Cooke](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/david-cooke/)
- [Gary Bork](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/gary-bork/)
- [Rob Ewing](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/rob-ewing/)
- [R. J. Kromer](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/r-j-kromer/)
- [Kelly Hartnett](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/kelly-hartnett/)
- [A123 Systems](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/a123-systems/)
- [Transportation Research Center](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/transportation-research-center/)
- [Center for Automotive Research](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/center-for-automotive-research/)
- [Vislab](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/vislab/)
- [World Expo](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/world-expo/)
- [Shanghai](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/shanghai/)
- [Imperial College Racing Green Endurance](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/imperial-college-racing-green-endurance/)
- [Vislab Intercontinental Autonomous Challenge](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/vislab-intercontinental-autonomous-challenge/)
- [Marco Polo](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/marco-polo/)
- [Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research (EMPA)](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/swiss-federal-laboratories-for-materials-testing-and-research-empa/)
- [Dominic A. Notter](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dominic-a-notter/)
- [Marcel Gauch](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/marcel-gauch/)
- [Rolf Widmer](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/rolf-widmer/)
- [Patrick Wäger](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/patrick-wager/)
- [Anna Stamp](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/anna-stamp/)
- [Rainer Zah](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/rainer-zah/)
- [Hans-Jörg Althaus](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/hans-jorg-althaus/)
- [battery electric vehicle (BEV)](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/battery-electric-vehicle-bev/)
- [life cycle inventory](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/life-cycle-inventory/)
- [Ecoinvent Centre](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/ecoinvent-centre/)
- [Environmental Protection Agency](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/environmental-protection-agency/)
- [Environmental Defense Fund](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/environmental-defense-fund/)
- [Didier Esteyne](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/didier-esteyne/)
- [electric Cri-Cri](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/electric-cri-cri/)
- [Le Bourget](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/le-bourget/)
- [Jean Botti](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/jean-botti/)
- [MotoCzysz](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/motoczysz/)
- [Rod Barber](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/rod-barber/)
- [Agni Z1](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/agni-z1/)
- [Isle of Man Tourist Trophy](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/isle-of-man-tourist-trophy/)
- [E1PC](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/e1pc/)
- [Cedric Lynch](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/cedric-lynch/)
- [Azhan Hussain](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/azhan-hussain/)
- [TTXGP](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/ttxgp/)
- [TTZero](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/ttzero/)
- [D1-10 Motor](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/d1-10-motor/)
- [Richard Van Grunsven](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/richard-van-grunsven/)
- [Dave Nadler](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dave-nadler/)
- [Gerhard Waibel](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/gerhard-waibel/)
- [ASW](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/asw/)
- [Lange Aviation](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/lange-aviation/)
- [Antares 20E](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/antares-20e/)
- [battery heating](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/battery-heating/)
- [battery monitoring](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/battery-monitoring/)
- [SAFT batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/saft-batteries/)
- [Vulture program](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/vulture-program/)
- [DARPA](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/darpa/)
- [Boeing PhantomEye](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/boeing-phantomeye/)
- [Aerovironment Global Observer](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/aerovironment-global-observer/)
- [SolarEagle](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/solareagle/)
- [Sywell Aerodrome](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sywell-aerodrome/)
- [parallel hybrid](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/parallel-hybrid/)
- [Hacker A200](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/hacker-a200/)
- [Alatus motorglider](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/alatus-motorglider/)
- [Solar Impulse project](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/solar-impulse-project/)
- [Chateau de Chillon](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/chateau-de-chillon/)
- [Mark Twain](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/mark-twain/)
- [Shelley](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/shelley/)
- [Lord Byron](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/lord-byron/)
- [Geneva](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/geneva/)
- [Zurich](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/zurich/)
- [Michael Strano](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/michael-strano/)
- [Geraldine Paulus](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/geraldine-paulus/)
- [Jae-Hee Han](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/jae-hee-han/)
- [MIT](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/mit/)
- [Carbon Nanotubes](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/carbon-nanotubes/)
- [Dr. Doug Natelson](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-doug-natelson/)
- [Dan Ward](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dan-ward/)
- [Rice University](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/rice-university/)
- [nanogap](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/nanogap/)
- [Nature Nanotechnology](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/nature-nanotechnology/)
- [Mads Syndergaard](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/mads-syndergaard/)
- [Skynch](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/skynch/)
- [electric winch](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/electric-winch/)
- [controller](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/controller/)
- [Panasonic batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/panasonic-batteries/)
- [cross-country paraglider flight](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/cross-country-paraglider-flight/)
- [Quickie](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/quickie/)
- [Green Flight Challenger](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/green-flight-challenger/)
- [Mojave](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/mojave/)
- [Vic Turner](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/vic-turner/)
- [Gene Sheehan](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/gene-sheehan/)
- [Allon McBee](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/allon-mcbee/)
- [Luke Leatherman](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/luke-leatherman/)
- [RGE](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/rge/)
- [Racing Green Endurance](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/racing-green-endurance/)
- [hitchhiker](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/hitchhiker/)
- [Professor Guilio Romeo](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/professor-guilio-romeo/)
- [Politecnico de Torino](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/politecnico-de-torino/)
- [DLR](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dlr/)
- [Lange Antares](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/lange-antares/)
- [Air Products Limited](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/air-products-limited/)
- [Mavel Eletronnica](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/mavel-eletronnica/)
- [University of Pisa](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/university-of-pisa/)
- [JIHLAVAN airplanes](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/jihlavan-airplanes/)
- [Skyspark](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/skyspark/)
- [Dr. Eric Darcy](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-eric-darcy/)
- [Johnson Space Center](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/johnson-space-center/)
- [National Renewable Energy Laboratory](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/national-renewable-energy-laboratory/)
- [lithium ion batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/lithium-ion-batteries/)
- [LiFePO4 batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/lifepo4-batteries/)
- [thermal runaway](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/thermal-runaway/)
- [Randall Fisher](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/randall-fisher/)
- [Etrex GPS](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/etrex-gps/)
- [Jason Paur](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/jason-paur/)
- [Wired Magazine](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/wired-magazine/)
- [Autopia](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/autopia/)
- [hypermiling](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/hypermiling/)
- [Flight Star](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/flight-star/)
- [Motorcyclist Magazine](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/motorcyclist-magazine/)
- [Brammo](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/brammo/)
- [Zero S](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/zero-s/)
- [Enertia](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/enertia/)
- [Empulse](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/empulse/)
- [Michael Czysz](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/michael-czysz/)
- [Mavizen](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/mavizen/)
- [Mission One](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/mission-one/)
- [Roehr](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/roehr/)
- [Agni](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/agni/)
- [Oliver Garrow](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/oliver-garrow/)
- [Verticopter](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/verticopter/)
- [flight simulator](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/flight-simulator/)
- [Turnigy model aircraft motor](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/turnigy-model-aircraft-motor/)
- [CTOL](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/ctol/)
- [STOL](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/stol/)
- [STOVL](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/stovl/)
- [VTOL](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/vtol/)
- [ThinGap](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/thingap/)
- [14090 ring motor](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/14090-ring-motor/)
- [Geoff Long](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/geoff-long/)
- [ISIS motor](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/isis-motor/)
- [Oxford University](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/oxford-university/)
- [Rean Pretorius](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/rean-pretorius/)
- [unmanned aerial vehicles](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/unmanned-aerial-vehicles/)
- [UAVs](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/uavs/)
- [ducted fan](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/ducted-fan/)
- [Alexander Schey](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/alexander-schey/)
- [Piaggio vans](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/piaggio-vans/)
- [Shanghai World Expo](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/shanghai-world-expo/)
- [Hugues Duval](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/hugues-duval/)
- [Electravia](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/electravia/)
- [E-Helice](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/e-helice/)
- [Boeing Research & Development](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/boeing-research-development/)
- [PhantomEye](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/phantomeye/)
- [SUGAR program](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sugar-program/)
- [Refined SUGAR](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/refined-sugar/)
- [SUGAR High](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sugar-high/)
- [SUGAR Volt](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sugar-volt/)
- [Aviation Week](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/aviation-week/)
- [TechNews Daily](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/technews-daily/)
- [Toby Schulz](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/toby-schulz/)
- [Usuaia](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/usuaia/)
- [Prudhoe Bay](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/prudhoe-bay/)
- [Evo Motors](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/evo-motors/)
- [ThunderSky batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/thundersky-batteries/)
- [National Instruments](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/national-instruments/)
- [Anne Lavrand](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/anne-lavrand/)
- [Lycoming O-320](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/lycoming-o-320/)
- [Van's Aircraft](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/vans-aircraft/)
- [TBO](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/tbo/)
- [vortex collectors](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/vortex-collectors/)
- [John Monnet](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/john-monnet/)
- [Jeremy Monnet](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/jeremy-monnet/)
- [Sonex Aircraft LLC](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sonex-aircraft-llc/)
- [Waiex](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/waiex/)
- [Peter Buck](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/peter-buck/)
- [Experimental Soaring Association](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/experimental-soaring-association/)
- [Andrew Pearce](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/andrew-pearce/)
- [T](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/t/)
- [Tine Tomazic](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/tine-tomazic/)
- [Sinus](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sinus/)
- [General Aviation Technology Challenge](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/general-aviation-technology-challenge/)
- [NASA Centennial Challenge](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/nasa-centennial-challenge/)
- [European Business Awards](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/european-business-awards/)
- [Angela Belcher](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/angela-belcher/)
- [Susan Hockfield](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/susan-hockfield/)
- [Reza Ghodssi](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/reza-ghodssi/)
- [A. James Clark School of Engineering](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/a-james-clark-school-of-engineering/)
- [University of Maryland](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/university-of-maryland/)
- [tobacco mosaic virus](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/tobacco-mosaic-virus/)
- [TMV](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/tmv/)
- [James Culver](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/james-culver/)
- [Chunseng Wang](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/chunseng-wang/)
- [Journal of Materials Chemistry](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/journal-of-materials-chemistry/)
- [Pocket Airports](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/pocket-airports/)
- [Moeller Skycar](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/moeller-skycar/)
- [Sharon Weinberger](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sharon-weinberger/)
- [Popular Mechanics](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/popular-mechanics/)
- [Martin Jetpack](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/martin-jetpack/)
- [Terrafugia Transition](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/terrafugia-transition/)
- [Smart Skies Program](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/smart-skies-program/)
- [Future of Electric Vehicles Conference](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/future-of-electric-vehicles-conference/)
- [DBM Energy](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dbm-energy/)
- [Shai Agassi](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/shai-agassi/)
- [Better World](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/better-world/)
- [Nissan Leaf](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/nissan-leaf/)
- [charging stations](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/charging-stations/)
- [Alan Cocconni](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/alan-cocconni/)
- [Audi A-2](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/audi-a-2/)
- [Sunseeker](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sunseeker/)
- [Duo](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/duo/)
- [Stuttgart Akaflieg](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/stuttgart-akaflieg/)
- [Icare II](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/icare-ii/)
- [Klaus Ohlmann](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/klaus-ohlmann/)
- [Icare 2](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/icare-2/)
- [Federation Aeronautique Internationale](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/federation-aeronautique-internationale/)
- [Solar-Powered Aircraft](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/solar-powered-aircraft/)
- [Stuttgart University](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/stuttgart-university/)
- [IFB](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/ifb/)
- [Institut für Flugzeugbau](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/institut-fur-flugzeugbau/)
- [gasoline](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/gasoline/)
- [Tesla Roadster](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/tesla-roadster/)
- [Nissan Versa](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/nissan-versa/)
- [Nobel Prize](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/nobel-prize/)
- [supercapacitors](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/supercapacitors/)
- [nano graphene platelets](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/nano-graphene-platelets/)
- [Dalian Institute of Technology](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dalian-institute-of-technology/)
- [Dr. Bor Jang](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-bor-jang/)
- [Andre Geim](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/andre-geim/)
- [Konstantin Novoselov](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/konstantin-novoselov/)
- [University of New South Wales](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/university-of-new-south-wales/)
- [Nowra](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/nowra/)
- [Sunswift IVy](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sunswift-ivy/)
- [CSIRO motor](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/csiro-motor/)
- [General Motors Sunraycer](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/general-motors-sunraycer/)
- [NICTA](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/nicta/)
- [Boeing Aerostructures Australia](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/boeing-aerostructures-australia/)
- [Guinness World Records](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/guinness-world-records/)
- [Santa Rosa CA](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/santa-rosa-ca/)
- [Geiger HP-13.5](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/geiger-hp-13-5/)
- [Friedrichshafen Expo for Sustainable Mobility](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/friedrichshafen-expo-for-sustainable-mobility/)
- [Dr. Ajay Misra](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-ajay-misra/)
- [NASA Glenn](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/nasa-glenn/)
- [Fiber reinforced foam core](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/fiber-reinforced-foam-core/)
- [multifunctional structures](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/multifunctional-structures/)
- [capacitors](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/capacitors/)
- [solid oxide](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/solid-oxide/)
- [boron nitrate nanotubes](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/boron-nitrate-nanotubes/)
- [Silence Twister](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/silence-twister/)
- [range-extender pod](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/range-extender-pod/)
- [drop tank](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/drop-tank/)
- [flight profile](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/flight-profile/)
- [Keith Monteith](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/keith-monteith/)
- [hydrogen fuel](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/hydrogen-fuel/)
- [serial hybrid](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/serial-hybrid/)
- [Michael Leiber](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/michael-leiber/)
- [SAE](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sae/)
- [Society of Automotive Engineers](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/society-of-automotive-engineers/)
- [energy density](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/energy-density/)
- [power density](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/power-density/)
- [e4Tech](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/e4tech/)
- [Institute for the Analysis of Global Security](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/institute-for-the-analysis-of-global-security/)
- [Fischer-Tropsch](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/fischer-tropsch/)
- [Changing World Technologies](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/changing-world-technologies/)
- [National Defense Council Foundation](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/national-defense-council-foundation/)
- [Biofuels Digest](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/biofuels-digest/)
- [Discover Magazine](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/discover-magazine/)
- [Butterball turkies](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/butterball-turkies/)
- [capex](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/capex/)
- [State of Ohio](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/state-of-ohio/)
- [Richard Altman](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/richard-altman/)
- [Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/commercial-aviation-alternative-fuels-initiative/)
- [CAAFI](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/caafi/)
- [ASTM](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/astm/)
- [Senator Mark Warner](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/senator-mark-warner/)
- [National Institute of Aerospace and Science and Technology Corp](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/national-institute-of-aerospace-and-science-and-technology-corp/)
- [hydride storage](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/hydride-storage/)
- [Professor Stephen Bennington](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/professor-stephen-bennington/)
- [Cella Energy](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/cella-energy/)
- [ISIS](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/isis/)
- [Oxford Univeristy](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/oxford-univeristy/)
- [YASA Motor](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/yasa-motor/)
- [Dr. Arthur Lovell](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-arthur-lovell/)
- [Rutherford Appleton Laboratory](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/rutherford-appleton-laboratory/)
- [London Centre for Microtechnology](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/london-centre-for-microtechnology/)
- [University College London](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/university-college-london/)
- [Professor Neal Skipper](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/professor-neal-skipper/)
- [Professor Bill David](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/professor-bill-david/)
- [Dr. Martin Owen Jones](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dr-martin-owen-jones/)
- [Jet Fuel](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/jet-fuel/)
- [Brent Crude](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/brent-crude/)
- [Flight Global](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/flight-global/)
- [Egypt](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/egypt/)
- [International Energy Agency](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/international-energy-agency/)
- [RyanAir](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/ryanair/)
- [Lufthansa](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/lufthansa/)
- [Air France](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/air-france/)
- [British Airways](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/british-airways/)
- [Daizi Zheng](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/daizi-zheng/)
- [Christopher Hurley](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/christopher-hurley/)
- [U. S. Army Communications-Electronics Research Development and Engineering Center](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/u-s-army-communications-electronics-research-development-and-engineering-center/)
- [CERDEC](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/cerdec/)
- [sugar-powered batteries](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/sugar-powered-batteries/)
- [Dismounted Soldier Power Army Technology Objective](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/dismounted-soldier-power-army-technology-objective/)
- [bio-battery](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/bio-battery/)
- [Turnigy Motor](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/turnigy-motor/)
- [Jeti SPIN ESC](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/jeti-spin-esc/)
- [electronic speed control](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/electronic-speed-control/)
- [thrusters](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/thrusters/)
- [George Church](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/george-church/)
- [John Podesta](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/john-podesta/)
- [Joule Unlimited](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/joule-unlimited/)
- [genomics](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/genomics/)
- [AvWeb.com](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/avweb-com/)
- [Diesel fuel](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/diesel-fuel/)
- [ethanol fuel](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/ethanol-fuel/)
- [greenhouse gas](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/greenhouse-gas/)
- [carbon dioxide](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/carbon-dioxide/)
- [biofuel production](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/biofuel-production/)
- [The Age of Electric Flight](https://sustainableskies.org/tag/the-age-of-electric-flight/)