Important Innovations

  Upcoming Hypersonic Passenger Travel                              Source:  Hypersonic Flight Stock Images Venus Aerospace of Houston A Houston, Texas based startup Venus Aerospace is developing a hypersonic space plane capable of flying passengers to anyplace in the world in an hour.  The company is staffed by top aerospace engineers.  The founder and CEO Andrew Duggleby was the head of launch operations for Virgin Orbit, Sir Richard Branson's space company.  The hypersonic space plane that they are developing has the potential to revolutionize passenger travel and bring the world much closer together. Right Out of Science Fiction The hypersonic transport (HST) aircraft is like something out of science fiction, specifically the space plane in Star Trek.  But it is real and is under development.  It would take off from a spaceport and travel to the edges of space, where the rocket engines fire-up and propel the HST at hypersonic speeds.  Venus' goal is to build a network of hi

  Big Global Flying Taxi Partnership: ANA, Joby Aviation & Toyota                                             Source:  Joby Aviation Electric, eVTOL Air Commuting for Japan There's a big, global development in the deployment of flying taxis. Japan's ANA - All Nippon Airways - and California-based flying taxi company Joby Aviation have formed a partnership to bring electric, vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOLs) to Japan to serve as a network of ride-sharing, flying taxis for commuters.  Automaker Toyota is also a major partner in this endeavor and will focus on transport connections on the ground.  With the global stature of the members of this partnership, it has all the appearances of a game-changing deal for the deployment of flying taxis. The Japanese Market for Flying Taxis The Japanese market is fertile for flying taxis.  92% of the Japanese population live in cities. Some like Tokyo are among the most congested in the world.  The first deployment of the Job

  Unique, High-Speed Design                                                  Source: Odys Aviation Hybrid E-Plane, Wing Configuration of Rotors For Vertical Takeoffs/Landings & Forward Thrust Long Beach, California-based aircraft startup Odys Aviation is developing a hybrid electric, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) for regional commuting, like NYC to DC or LA to San Francisco.  The company just raised $12.4 million in seed money from a prominent group of backers, including Giant Ventures, Uber Elevate cofounder Nikhil Goel and Cruise Automation founder Kyle Vogt to develop its unique aircraft with fast speed and long range. Revolutionizing  Regional Travel Led by co-founder and CEO James Dorris, Odys is developing an electric hybrid VTOL to revolutionize regional air commuting.  The vehicle is designed to carry 2 pilots and 9 passengers.  The speed, range and cruising altitude are impressive.  Maximum range is 1,000 miles; maximum speed is 345 mph, and the maximum cruising alti

  1 Hour Passenger Flight Beijing to NYC                                             Source:  China Transportation It Is Literally a Blast Chinese aerospace startup company Space Transportation's new space plane is being developed to carry passengers at speeds up to 2,600 mph in suborbital space to go from "point-to-point". That includes space tourism adventures and bullet-fast aircraft flights on Earth. The company says their new technology can fly passengers from Beijing to New York City in one hour. Space Transportation calls the new space plane a "rocket with wings".  They say it will be a fully reusable space plane with large triangular wings with rocket boosters. The concept is a blast into suborbital space and a new form of passenger air travel to space and for travel to destinations here on Earth being developed in China.   How Does It Work? The winged rocket plane takes off vertically and detaches itself from the huge, triangular glider wing.  It hurtle

Honda eVTOLs For City Commuting                                                                      Source:  Honda's eVTOL Next G Urban Air Mobility Honda is developing an electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (eVTOL) flying taxi to make "mobility in the sky more accessible to people."  Just using electricity, it can travel 100 miles.  When combined with a turbine engine, the hybrid electric eVTOL can travel 400 miles.  Honda recently disclosed that it is going full throttle into the flying taxi business.  Their eVTOL is specifically designed for intra-city and city to city travel, which Honda believes is about to grow significantly. In a presentation, Honda used the example of a businessperson on Cape Cod using the eVTOL to quickly and smoothly travel from the Cape to New York City and back within a day. Tech Specs The eVTOL uses 8, small propellers to get lift and then deploys 3 pusher props and its wings to fly forwards.  The power to fly is generated by a hyb

  Airlander 10 - World's Largest Hybrid Aircraft                                                   Source: Airlander 10 Airlander 10 - Unique Travel Vehicle The world's largest aircraft, known as Airlander 10, is a hybrid vehicle that's part airship/blimp, plane and helicopter.  Its capabilities are remarkable.  The flying "cruise ship" can carry up to 100 people and emits 90% less emissions than other aircraft.  It is the innovative creation of Hybrid Air Vehicles of Bedfordshire, England and it will start carrying passengers in 2025.  Airlander 10 has been designed to be a very different flying experience with zero emissions by 2030. New Aviation Technologies & Key Operational Stats The aircraft uses both aerodynamics and lighter-than-air technologies to generate lift. Airlander 10 relies on a gigantic "balloon" of helium to get into the air.  When in the air, 4 hybrid electric propellers on each corner of the aircraft move it forward.  Each of tho

  Supersonic Plane Faster Than the Speed of Sound                                                  Source:  NASA Could be Dawn of Global Supersonic Passenger Travel NASA and Lockheed Martin have designed what could be the supersonic jet of the future - the X-59 QueSST, meaning quiet supersonic technology.  The needle-nosed, ultra thin aircraft breaks the sound barrier without releasing sonic booms.   It has been designed to minimize shock waves down to the sound of a car door slamming down the street.  The minimal sound is critical for SST flights to resume  over land in the US.  Because of sonic booms, the FAA banned commercial SST flights over the US in 1973. A New Design of Aerodynamic Elegance According to NASA and Lockheed, they went back to the basics of aerodynamics to design an aircraft that flies faster than the speed of sound as quietly as possible.  They say the X-59 is a combination of highly advanced technology and elegant simplicity.  It is still under development. The cu

  Zoox Travels Up to 75 MPH Source:  Amazon Zoox Electric, Autonomous Taxi Service from Amazon This is a new example of USA travel innovation that is green and self-driving.  Amazon bought the California based, autonomous, robotaxi service Zoox in June 2020.  Now, Amazon has unveiled a cutting edge Zoox robotaxi under development for the past six years that Amazon's investment has helped bring to fruition.  The robotaxi is electric, autonomous and loaded with technology, including sensors, artificial intelligence, lidar and a lot more and has no steering wheel.  The vehicle is designed like a cube and can transport up to 4 passengers.  It can hit speeds up to 75 mph. The vehicle contains innovative, awesome technology that Amazon is rolling out. Incredible Technology and Maneuverability The Zoox can change direction without going into reverse.  It has four wheel steering and can drive bidirectionally for unprecedented maneuverability in tight urban spaces. With its 133 kilowatt-hou

  First Successful Test With Passenger Onboard                                          Source:   Virgin Hyperloop Travel at 620 to 700 MPH In Las Vegas yesterday, Virgin Hyperloop made its first successful run with two passengers onboard.  The high speed travel technology travelled 500 meters in just 15 seconds at the Virgin test site. Speeds hit 107.5 mph. The two passengers, Virgin Hyperloop Cofounder/CTO Josh Giegel and Virgin Hyperloop Director of Passenger Experience Sara Luchian sat in a single pod. They said they enjoyed the very high speed ride. They are the first in the world to take a hyperloop ride. The hyperloop carries passengers in small pods that levitate above the track in a vacuum tube.  It is capable of speeds up to 700 mph.  Some experts believe it will revolutionize travel. An expert in Sweden calls it "the barf ride" because of the potential impact of the very high speeds on passengers. No Carbon Emissions This high speed travel "revolutionary"

  Passengers Protected from COVID By Multiple Features Source:  Futurebus rendering  Award Winning Design "Futurebus" is a new public transportation, bus design concept for the times that we live in.  Every aspect of the design protects passengers from the spread of COVID-19 by minimizing contact with fellow passengers.  There are self-sanitizing handles that utilize UV light and antimicrobial fabrics.  There is a large, single sliding door that allows riders to board and leave the bus with no contact.  The bus has alternated seating to create a protective barrier and cooper infused fabric to reduce pathogens. International Team of University Designers The bus was designed by an international team from Harvard University, Northwestern University, Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Tong University.  The design won top prize in the Four C Competition, an international design competition sponsored by Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Design.  The competition happened tot

Blended Wing MAVERICK Source:  Airbus Future of Flying & Cutting Fuel Consumption French airplane manufacturing giant Airbus just disclosed that it has developed and tested a radical new flying machine.  It's a blended wing commercial passenger jet.  The new aircraft has great promise. It cuts jet fuel consumption by 20%.  And the radical, wide bodied, V-type design opens up tremendous opportunities to redesign the cabin area for passengers. In fact, it has the capacity to accommodate many more passengers than traditional passenger jets. Model Aircraft Demonstrated at the 2020 Singapore Air Show Airbus says this is radical new aircraft design.  It says it's testing disruptive aircraft configurations like the MAVERICK to evaluate their potential use.  They will continue testing their blended wing aircraft through 2025.  They demonstrated how the concept aircraft works with a small, remote-controlled version at this week's Singapore 2020 Air Show. Next Prio

FAA Re-writing the Rules Source:  NASA Supersonic Concept Flying Beyond the Speed of Sound At the Paris Air Show, FAA Acting Administrator Dan Elwell said the United States is changing the regulations to enable testing and the reintroduction of supersonic flights for passengers.  This is a major milestone for the return of civilian supersonic flights in the United States. New Generations of SST For the flying public and aviation enthusiasts, this is exciting news because there are many innovative supersonic aircraft projects well underway.  Companies like Boom Technologies and Aerion, as well as NASA, are working on next generation SST aircraft to replace the Concorde which ended flights in 2003.  The FAA's plans will give these companies a more efficient process to make SST travel a reality again. Elwell added the FAA and US Department of Transportation are committed to safe and environmentally sound R&D of supersonic aircraft.

The World's Fastest Plane Source: Hermeus Artist Rendering Hermeus - New US Concept that's VC Funded and Under Development This may be the flight of your dreams.  London to New York in 90 minutes instead of 7 hours plus.  This concept supersonic jet innovated by the US aerospace company Hermeus is now under development and funded by venture capitalists.  The future of flight is supersonic and this vehicle is designed to fly at Mach 5 or 3800 mph.  For more on this breaking news innovation, go to Important Innovations Collection: London to New York in 90 Minutes : World's Fastest Plane: New Hermeus Supersonic Aircraft Source:  Hermeus Artist Concept Money Secured by US Company to Develop the...

New Look at Flying and Commuting Innovation The Bell Nexus This Bell Helicopter piece of aviation innovation is a real vehicle, under development and readying for takeoff.  It's an aerial drone taxi that's capable of vertical takeoffs and landings and speeds up to 250 mph.  For a great news blog on this, go to Important Innovations Collection: Bell Nexus, Air Taxi Flying Machine : New Look at Flying's Future Source:  Bell Helicopter's Bell Nexus Readying for Takeoff Bell Nexus, created by Bell Helicopt...

World First & No Emissions Germany's Hydrogen Train Emission Free Rail Travel The train is officially called the Coradia iLint.  It's clean energy rolling through northern Germany. It provides regular passenger service in the Lower Saxony Region.  This is the first time that commercial trains powered by hydrogen-based cells have gone into use for passengers. French Manufacturer Two trains are in service. 14 more are on order for 2021. They're being manufactured by French based Alstom, which is one of Europe's biggest railway manufacturers.  The hydrogen trains are being touted as important innovation delivered by Germany and France. Train Green Tech The trains are low noise, have zero emissions and can reach speeds of 140 kmh. Germany specifically invested in them to reduce diesel fuel train emissions.  The fuel cells convert hydrogen and oxygen into electricity to power the trains. Many Advantages Over Diesel The trains are refueled at a mobile h