Important Innovations

  Doroni Aerospace's H1 eVTOL                                             Source: Doroni Aerospace Parks In the Garage Miami, Florida based Doroni Aerospace has developed an electric flying car that can be piloted with just a driver's license.  The electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (eVTOL) is so intuitive and smart, that it is semi-autonomous and can pilot itself.  Called the H1 eVTOL, it is also small enough to fit into a garage.  The company says the vehicle is easier to fly than a conventional small plane or helicopter.  It requires only 20 hours of flight training.  The H1 aircraft isn't a flying machine on the distant horizon.  It can be pre-ordered right now. Democratizing the Skies The company says their new vehicle, which takes off and lands vertically and is totally electric powered, will democratize flying because it is so easy to operate.  It's a semi-robotic, semi-autonomous aircraft that can seat two people, carry a 500-pound load and has wheels

  New French, Hybrid VTOL "ATEA"                              Source:  Ascendance Flight Technologies Ascendance Flight Technologies' New Green Aviation French aviation startup Ascendance Flight Technologies has invented a new, hybrid, vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (VTOL) for intracity and regional aircraft commuting.  The 5-seat ATEA uses two forward facing propellers and 8 fan engines in its wings.  The eight electric powered fan engines enable vertical takeoffs and landings.  The diesel fuel powered forward facing propellers enable forward flight.  The unique VTOL has a range of 250 miles.  Its hybrid powertrain uses jet fuel and electricity as power sources.  The company says the combination cuts carbon emissions by 80%.  Importantly, AETA can be reconfigured to use green fuels, including hydrogen fuel cells, biofuels and sustainable aviation fuels to further cut down on emissions. Tech Specs The hybrid electric and jet fuel systems work independently of each o

  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

ASX Technologies MOBi-One - New Flying Tech Source:  ASX Technologies Tilt Wing Concept Electric vertical take off and landing vehicles (cVTOLs) are one of the hottest sectors of the aviation industry.  ASX Technologies and its MOBi-One eVTOL are taking a radically different approach to flying.  MOBi-One is using a tilt-wing concept that goes back to the 1960s.  The tilt-wing approach enables the EV to take off and land like a helicopter and fly like a plane.  The vehicle is capable of take-offs and landings in a back yard or on an office building roof. Flying Against the Wind In a sense, ASX Technologies is flying against the wind of the eVTOL industry.  The rest of the contenders, including Uber and Hyundai, are using tilt rotors.  The rotors move in different directions but the wings stay fixed.  According to ASX executives, there are many benefits from the tilt-wing approach: less moving parts on the vehicle more aerodynamic efficiency more reliable performance s

Flying into a Cleaner, Greener Environment Source:  NASA X-57 Maxwell NASA, the US space agency, has unveiled its first, all electric plane.  The experimental aircraft is called the X-57 Maxwell.  NASA calls it a work in progress.  It's an early version of its first green plane designed to lead the way for the aviation industry into a new era of electric aircraft and cleaner skies.  Tests in the air are expected to begin early next year. X Planes with 14 Electric Motors The X-57 Maxwell is the first crewed X planes in two decades.  The early model of the airplane along with a simulator to allow pilots to experience what it's like to control the Maxwell in flight are at a NASA facility in California.  The model replaces a traditional combustion engine with 14 electric motors powered by lithium batteries.  The engines are designed to be quieter, more efficient and much better for the environment. Leading the Way Toward Electric Flying NASA is now focusing on more

Israel's New All Electric Commuter Plane - Alice Source:  Eviation's Alice On Display at the Paris Air Show and Already Has 1st Commercial Customer Alice is an all electric, 9 seat commuter jet now on display at the Paris Air Show.  It's the invention of Israeli startup Eviation.  Massachusetts based, Cape Air - a regional air line - has taken out an option to purchase a number of the $4 million jets.  For more details, go to  Important Innovations Collection: Israeli's Alice All Electric Plane : On Display at Paris Air Show Source:  Eviation's Alive at Paris Air Show, June 16, 2019 Massachusetts Based Cape Air is First Com...

World's Largest Plane Successfully Tested in 2 Hour Flight Source:  Stratolaunch Systems Designed for Lucrative Commercial Space Launch Market The world's largest plane is the creation of Stratolaunch Systems, the company started by the late co-founder of Microsoft Paul Allen.  The test flight this weekend of Roc, the world's largest plane, was a great success.  The plane is designed as an air launch vehicle for the lucrative commercial space market.  For a news blog with more details, go to Important Innovations Collection: Crowded Space Plane Skies : World

Reusable Space Plane on the Horizon Courtesy:  Reaction Engine Ltd, Oxfordshire, UK UK's Sabre Space Plane Engine Tech Flying Forward Travelling 3 and 5 times the speed of sound, Mach 3 and Mach 5.  UK engineers are developing the Sabre, air breathing rocket engine to do just that.  Sabre is designed to propel planes around the globe in just a few hours and take space planes into rapid orbit.  The unique propulsion system just passed a big milestone. Big Test To work at Mach speeds, the rocket engine has to endure extreme high temperature airflows.  Engineers at Reaction Engines LTD in the UK have designed a heat-exchanger to make that happen.  At the Colorado Air & Space Port in the US, it just successfully endured a major test.  In simulations it handled flying at 3 times + the speed of sound.  In less than 1/20 of a second, the heat exchanger handled and "quenched" a 420C onslaught of airflow. Big Backers More big tests are upcoming including enduring

The Plimp - Combo Plane, Blimp, Helicopter Source:  Egan Aircraft's Plimp May Be New Innovation Way to Fly New aviation innovation just arrived in the form of The Plimp.  It's a combo plane, blimp and helicopter technology that is fascinating and may be game-changing travel for people and goods.  My journalist colleague Ed Kane has just posted a news story on this  https://importantinnovationscollection.blogspot.com/2018/12/aviation-innovation-plimp.html