Is eVTOL currently a possibility or already a reality?

There have been several technological improvements in the aircraft sector that have advanced the realisation of concepts. One such development in the field that has the potential to transform air travel over metropolitan areas is the eVTOL aircraft. Many different eVTOL variants have been prototyped and tested over the past few years.

Representative | IEEE Spectrum

There are already more than 250 different eVTOL designs on the market as a consequence of numerous product reforms, patent filings, design advances, and testing that led to the emergence of several eVTOL businesses. The majority of investments have been made to enhance aircraft performance, power output, and design.

The focus on operator and passenger safety has driven the aviation industry to develop more variants to meet various client expectations. eVTOL aircraft are likely to be employed for both cargo and passenger transport.

What are the breakthroughs in powering eVTOLs?

The capabilities of onboard electric power and battery technology determine the functions that eVTOLs can perform.Power is needed during the critical flying phases, including takeoff, landing, and flight (especially in high wind conditions).There is a "Diamond Nuclear Voltaic (DNV) technology" that produces self-charging batteries out of tiny amounts of radioactive carbon-14 waste encapsulated in stacked industrial diamonds.Depending on the flight mission, several industry experts are looking at hybrid technologies like hydrogen cells and batteries instead of solely using batteries.

Some prominent use-cases of eVTOL

1. eVTOL in transportation

The Jetson single-seat ONE eVTOL | Electrek

When Uber first announced its air taxi business, Uber Elevate (now owned by Joby Aviation), it looked like a lofty goal. But recently, a lot of aerospace enterprises have started focusing on developing air taxis to cater to a specific demographic of passengers. Reportedly, the infrastructure expenses for air taxis will be significantly lower and still more effective than those for terrestrial transportation. It will be of great assistance in areas with high commuter demand and limited supply.

2. Emergency medical care using eVTOL

Representative | Aviation Today

According to an ongoing research project by Urban Aeronautics, CityHawk Vehicle, eVTOL ambulances could speed up favourable results in more than half of cardiac arrest cases by reducing the time it takes for emergency medical personnel to arrive on the scene. In distant places, specifically, enhanced mobility vehicles can cut the time needed for medical tests and supplies from hours to just 15 minutes.

3. Search and rescue with eVTOL

eVTOL can improve search and rescue efforts. Because of its ability to travel over new territory and additional characteristics like visual help, it can locate people who are trapped in debris following disasters like landslides, fires, or earthquakes.

Representative | Clean Future

Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft are being developed to be less expensive and noisier than conventional helicopters. Many challenges face the industry as a whole, despite the efforts of hundreds of tech businesses throughout the world to pioneer eVTOL vehicles.

What then, are the proposed challenges?

1. Infrastructure

The VFS (Vertical Flight Society) states that existing heliports will have to change to vertiports, which are landing areas for helicopters and various other VTOLs or rotorcraft. Although most modern heliports can accommodate eVTOL aircraft, they sometimes lack charging facilities.

WPEC

The architecture and engineering design firm PS&S attempts to pave the way with vertiport concepts for urban, suburban, and waterfront settings. Each of these plans features terminals where passengers can wait for their flights as well as landing pads and charging stations.

Other industry titans are utilising the conversion of vacant parking garages into vertiports in urban areas, such as Archer Aviation and REEF Technology. The upgrading of rooftop access for eVTOLs in North America will be considered for REEF's current 4,800 parking garages.

2. Regulations and Standards

eVTOLs are now found in an odd place within the aerospace sector. Since they aren't quite helicopters or aeroplanes, authorities struggle to implement these cutting-edge aircraft according to established government laws.

However, that being said, the FAA stated that it would create additional powered-lift regulations "to securely enable innovation" for "operations and pilot training" in addition to certifying eVTOLs as powered-lift aircraft, a category that already exists.

3. Public Acceptance

When it comes to creating any form of vehicle, safety is always put first. Due to the fact that eVTOLs are a more recent technological advancement, the general public may be apprehensive of the risks associated with using them, but this may primarily be due to unfamiliarity.

Electric vertical take-off and landing, or eVTOL, aircraft are currently being valued at some astounding levels. The market value of Joby, an air taxi with a tilting rotor, is $5.5 billion. Lilium is valued at $2.7 billion and is propelled forward by 34 electric turbofans in unison. Another tilting rotor air taxi, Archer, has a $1.4 billion market value.

China's Ehang, which is valued at $1.4 billion, is also testing an autonomous air taxi with blades that passengers must carefully wade over to enter the cabin. Although Blade Air Mobility is more of a luxury air travel Uber than an eVTOL company, it has a valuation of little around $700 million.

Lilium eVTOL | Electrek

Despite huge interest in this "niche" category of transport, apprehensions about the successful integration of eVTOLs in the aviation ecosystem still remain.

Why?

Currently, the whole yearly market for helicopters, including commuter models, military gear, and other types, is only $42 billion, the majority of which goes to the military. Many of the tasks that helicopters once performed are now delegated to unmanned aerial vehicles. Only Statista seems to comprehend that the manned rotorcraft business isn't expanding because it forecasts an 18% fall in military sales from 2019 to 2029.

Compared to fixed-wing aircraft, normal rotorcraft typically need four to five hours of maintenance for every hour of flying. Because tilt wing rotorcraft have more complex failure scenarios, they often need extensive maintenance. The engines and drivetrains of conventional helicopters are significantly more complex than electric drivetrains, yet rotorcraft are difficult, and converting rotorcraft to horizontal flight with lifting surfaces is challenging.

V22 Osprey Tiltrotor | Forbes

The unfortunate reality of EVTOLs is that travelling up and down and forward while using rotors both demand a significant amount of energy. A classic cliche within aviation circles says helicopters force the air to allow them to fly. When flying forward, the range can be increased by tilting the rotors to a horizontal position and using the wings and body lifting surfaces.

Going ahead

Regardless of the pros and cons, the eVTOL industry is poised to become mainstream at least by the 2030s.

Consistent laws are essential to preserve security and address possible problems, just like in any emerging industry. Together, NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are drafting safety requirements for these new vehicles and their accompanying infrastructure in the case of eVTOL.

SOURCE(s)

COVER: Aviation Week

Saudi Arabia is finalising the launch its multi-billion-dollar new international airline, which sources say is likely to be branded “RIA”, according to a report published in Arabian Business.

The Kingdom has been working on the launch for the past 12 months, with the new venture backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

Sources close to the PIF told Arabian Business that “RIA” is being tipped as the name for the new carrier. Once launched, it will become Saudi’s second national carrier, based out of Riyadh. The current SAUDIA operates from Jeddah.

The current SAUDIA operates from Jeddah.

Part of the blueprint for the country’s Vision 2030 is a USD 100 billion investment in the aviation sector over the next eight years, the bulk of which will go towards establishing a new national carrier serving global routes.

“We are talking about a brand-new airline that aims to do what Emirates did in a quarter of the timescale. It’s unprecedented in the history of aviation. It’s also why they have yet to appoint a CEO – whoever takes this job will have to deliver the most ambitious targets you can imagine,” the source said.

It is understood that “RIA” has been submitted to the PIF as a preferred option, though the final decision is likely to be made by Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman.

Saudi Arabia is targeting 30 million international transit passengers by 2030

Saudi Arabia is targeting 30 million international transit passengers by 2030, compared to under four million currently.

Sources suggest this will mean the new carrier will eventually need to operate over 150 routes globally, across Europe, North America, South America, Africa and Asia, which necessitates USD 30 billion investment. Emirates currently flies to 158 destinations in 85 countries.

“Right now, about 60% of all air traffic into Saudi comes from the Middle East. Asia-Pacific is around 20%, Africa just 10% – this is where the huge potential is,” the source added.

Emirates currently flies to 158 destinations in 85 countries.

In May 2021, Saudi Arabia announced an aviation strategy targeting 250 direct destinations, tripling traffic and the creation of a new carrier.

The introduction of a new airline, which will operate alongside the national carrier Saudia formerly Saudi Arabian Airlines — will play a major role in the government’s plan to diversify its economy, boost tourism and reduce reliance on oil.

(With Inputs from Arabian Business)

Vistara is among India’s top airlines, with an operating landscape of more than 40 destinations (both domestic and international) using a fleet of 54 aircraft. The airline has flown over 35 million customers since its inception, of which 5 million were flown between March to July 2022.

According to Vinod Bhat, CIO, Vistara, the organisation’s key priorities have always revolved around a seamless customer experience, and how the company can work towards elevating it to the next level.

“To ensure that we have strived to maintain the right balance of value for our customers and cost efficiency. Another important aspect is making sure that our infrastructure is resilient. We have been rapidly investing in IT infrastructure and new digital technologies that are easily adaptable and scalable to further enhance customer experience,” he says.

Vinod Bhat, CIO, Vistara

These technological interventions are helping Vistara obtain a 360-degree view of its customers’ expectations. They help the airline keep track of all customer touchpoints, for example, the call centre applications, ground services, etc. to validate whether customers’ needs are being met.

Vistara has access to real-time data, which helps achieve efficiency in its response time for any customer-related aspects like baggage, tickets, etc.

ALSO READ - Vistara to launch electronic logbook; partners with Ultramain ELB for paperless operations

“Moving on to cost optimization, these interventions help us automate the daily mundane tasks, which saves us a lot of time, money and manpower, and improve our productivity. E-tech logbook and RFID are two of the most recent and relevant examples of the technologies we are using at Vistara that help us reduce cost and maximise business value,” says Bhat.

Vistara appointed Ultramain Electronic Logbook (ELB) to enable accurate, real-time global operational visibility of the entire Vistara fleet for efficient maintenance

ALSO READ - Vistara becomes first Indian scheduled operator to implement RFID Equipment and Maintenance Checking – Here’s what we know

Vistara is also India’s first airline (and one of the few worldwide) to have a 100% cloud-based IT infrastructure, which Bhat believes makes things a lot more efficient and more accessible, given the complexity of airline operations.

All of Vistara’s application landscapes, servers and platforms are on the cloud. The airline has also deliberately ensured that it is present in a multi-cloud environment, i.e., the company doesn’t have only one type of cloud, whereas multiple types of cloud systems are put in place to ensure workload optimization.

“From the very beginning, we at Vistara understood the importance of cloud and its ability to launch new workloads cost-efficiently. Cloud has not just proven to be resilient during the pandemic but also given us scalability with its demand-based infrastructure. Through this, we were able to adapt to dynamic market conditions and navigate demand and supply fluctuations smoothly.The cost of our cloud infrastructure is only ‘pay-per-use’, which essentially means the workloads, storage, computer power we were using depends on the market demand and costs depend on usage. So, the pay-per-use model has helped us optimize costs and has worked excellently for us."Vinod Bhat, CIO, Vistara

Leveraging data & automation to enhance operational efficiency Any airline deals with vast quantities of data that are spread across geographies and time zones. This data is crucial to ensure seamless air and ground operations.

According to Bhat, with a lot of data across multiple touchpoints, it is difficult to manually filter out what is relevant for the business. “AI/ML gives us a clear view of the data and helps us draw inferences – this data can be related to anything – customer, campaign, safety, engineering, operations, etc. So, AI/ML helps us make sense of that data and make critical decisions.”

New technologies like RFID are helping Vistara not only manage the inventory within the aircraft but also track the expiry of that inventory.

For example, when it comes to safety concerns related to any part of the aircraft, with the use of AI/ML, the engineering team can make quick decisions and act on them. A campaign can be personalised as per the data we can filter out using AI/ML.

Similarly, Vistara can also hyper-personalise its services or campaigns for its customers with the use of AI/ML. Automation is one of the key levers of any digital transformation journey.

ALSO READ - Delhi airport introduces ‘BAGG TRAX’, RFID-enabled tag to track check-in luggage

New technologies like RFID are helping Vistara not only manage the inventory within the aircraft but also track the expiry of that inventory.

Vistara has flown over 35 million customers since its inception, of which 5 million were flown between March to July 2022.

The full-service carrier also appointed Ultramain Electronic Logbook (ELB) which will enable accurate, real-time global operational visibility of the entire Vistara fleet for efficient maintenance, higher dispatch reliability, and increased aircraft utilization.

Currently in the airborne proving stage, implementing the electronic logbook will enable Vistara to digitize the aircraft paper flight logs with an easy-to-use, touch-screen interface for effortless communication between cockpit crews and ground maintenance teams.

“At Vistara, we are constantly looking for opportunities to automate processes involved in the aviation business, across various departments – flight operations, ground services, corporate, safety, HR, engineering, etc,” says Bhat.

(With Inputs from ET CIO)

AirAsia Resumes delivery of A321neo aircraft, the Malaysian low-cost carrier, has announced its plans to resume the delivery of Airbus A321neo aircraft. During the pandemic, the carrier suspended new aircraft delivery.

Airbus and AirAsia inked the concrete deal for the new aircraft before the pandemic. In response to the prolonged pandemic, the pair agreed to amend the deal last year, converting the remaining undelivered 13 A320s to A321neos. The latest deal is a total order of 362 A321neo aircraft with deliveries through 2035.

According to the airline, four A321neos have been delivered since 2019. The low-cost carrier is one of Airbus’ regular customers. In 2011, the carrier signed a deal for 200 A320 aircraft at the Paris Air Show.

According to Airbus, Malaysia is Airbus’s third-largest market in the Asia-Pacific region, following China and India.

AirAsia is not the only Malaysian carrier to resume aircraft delivery recently. Malaysia Airlines, the flag carrier in the country, has confirmed a deal of 20 new Airbus A330neos. The new aircraft are scheduled to be delivered in 2024.

ALSO READ - AirAsia reaches deal to restructure Airbus jet order

"The new aircraft are expected to meet the goal of net zero by 2050. We will also be taking delivery of the new Airbus A321neos from 2024, which will further reduce our emission per seat by 20% while driving our business growth."Tony Fernandes, CEO of AirAsia.

Meanwhile, the no-frills carrier posted a net operating loss of USD 52.3 million in the second quarter of 2022. However, the airline has seen a sign of rebounding after the pandemic. The revenue of the second quarter of 2022 increased by 277% year-over-year.

After fewer travel restrictions, the demand for domestic and international travel is on rising.

In response to the higher fuel prices, AirAsia has increased its fares by 10% and implemented a fuel charge. In the second quarter alone, the carrier relaunched 159 international routes. With this end in view, 78% of its furloughed staff have returned to the office, and expect the remaining staff will be returned by the end of the year.

The carrier said that only 65 aircraft were operating by the end of June. Compared to the same time last year when only 15 aircraft were in the skies. In addition, AirAsia has further reviewed that 108 aircraft returned to the skies as of August, and is expected to increase to 160 by the end of the year. The airline has forecasted full operations by the second quarter of 2023.

 In addition to the Kuala Lumpur-based AirAsia, there are several affiliate AirAsia airlines including Thai AirAsia, Philippines AirAsia, Indonesia AirAsia, and AirAsia India.

With inputs from A.G.

Planemaker Boeing Co expects Indian airlines to increase capacity by at least 25% over the next year as demand recovers rapidly in the world’s fastest-growing major market, an executive said on Thursday.

In the longer term, Boeing expects an annual capacity increase of 7% in India, better than other high-growth markets.

Boeing forecast that airlines in South Asia will order 2,345 aircraft in the next 20 years to keep up with demand, India’s estimated growth rate in air traffic will average 6.9% a year through 2040. That rate is higher than the 5.5% projected for Southeast Asia and 5.4% for China.

India will witness the highest air traffic growth in the next two decades, US aerospace major Boeing said.

Indian skies are dominated by low-cost carriers (LCCs) including IndiGo, SpiceJet, GoFirst and AirAsia India, with the majority of them operating Airbus narrowbody planes.

"We predict that airlines will recover quickly and add 25% or more seats to the market annually."Dave Schulte, Director of Regional Marketing at Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Boeing dominates India’s widebody market but fare wars and high costs have led to casualties among full-service carriers, including Kingfisher Airlines in 2012 and Jet Airways in 2019, making LCCs and Airbus even more dominant.

But India’s newest budget carrier Akasa Air and new owners Tata Sons at Air India and the Jalan-Kalrock consortium at Jet Airways are giving the U.S. planemaker hope of clawing back share in the Indian market as they eye more plane orders.

ALSO READ - Airbus, Boeing compete to get Air India’s deal

Akasa has 72 Boeing 737 MAX planes on order.

ALSO READ - Rakesh Jhunjhunwala’s Akasa Air signs deal for 72 Boeing 737 Max planes

Boeing’s biggest customer in India, SpiceJet plans to induct more MAX planes into its fleet even as it struggles to make timely payments to vendors and lessors, prompting some of them to deregister and take back planes.

"I certainly expect more widebody orders and I expect more narrowbody orders from India. Almost 2.3 crore people travel by trains and 3.6 lakh by air daily in India. Just a 1% swing from train to plane doubles the aviation market."Salil Gupte, Boeing India president.

The loss-making airline has 155 MAX jets on order but has been slow in adding planes to its fleet even after the aircraft was cleared for flying by the country’s aviation regulator last year following a global ban sparked by two deadly crashes.

Boeing is very bullish on the country’s potential.

However, Indian airlines face some major concerns which were highlighted by the US major also, the Jet fuel prices in India are 90% higher than in most other regions, then the major costs of Indian carriers are dollar-denominated which hurts badly when the rupee falls against the dollar, thereby increasing the airline costs. And finally, Indian airlines have the "lowest average fares for similar distances and demands."

While the aisle market in India is dominated by Airbus with its in-style A320 household plane. Boeing may try to bring more narrow-body planes to the market. It has attracted some customers such as Akasa Air which placed a huge order of B737 MAX planes.

The development work of the civil enclave project at the Kanpur Airport, including a new terminal building, at an investment of INR 143.6 crore is expected to be completed by this year, an official release said on Thursday, September 1.

Once commissioned, the new terminal building spread over 6,248 sq mt will be able to handle 300 passengers during peak hours with host facilities such as eight check-in counters, conveyor belts for the arriving passengers and a parking space for as many as 150 cars.

It will be built with Four-Star GRIHA-energy efficient technology. The airport will provide more options for flyers who are looking to travel to various tier-II cities of India under the RCS-UDAN scheme.

Civil enclave project to have top-notch amenities by Dec'22 at the Kanpur Airport

Besides, the apron is being designed to park as many as three A321 types of aircraft. The airport at Kanpur, which is the commercial capital of Uttar Pradesh and a hub for leather, textiles and defence production, among others, is at present directly connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Gorakhpur.

Kanpur, once known as ‘The Manchester of East’; is one of the most vibrant cities in India. Nestled on the banks of the eternal Ganga, Kanpur stands as one of North India’s major industrial centres with its own historical, religious and commercial importance.

"Considering the growth in passenger traffic, AAI has undertaken the development work of civil enclave at Kanpur Airport with enhanced passengers' facilities at a project cost of INR 143.6 crore," it said.

The airport will provide more options for flyers who are looking to travel to various tier-II cities of India under the RCS-UDAN scheme.

The façade of the terminal will be adorned with art depicting local heritage inspired by the famous JK Temple of Kanpur. The development project is also expected to be completed by 31 December this year.

The development of the civil enclave at the Kanpur Airport with enhanced capacity and passenger amenities will improve the connectivity to this city. This will in turn act as a propulsive factor for the growth and development of the city and adjoining regions.

The UDAN scheme, launched by the Modi government in April 2017 was aimed at providing regional connectivity to the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the scheme to provide affordable flights to the common citizens. Other airports in Uttar Pradesh built under this scheme are Agra, Kushinagar, Prayagraj, Hindon, Ayodhya and Bareilly.

The development project is also expected to be completed by 31 December this year.

ALSO READ - AAI has begun the construction of Ayodhya airport

ALSO READ - After the launch of Kushinagar Airport, the government plans to build 17 more airports in UP

Through the scheme, air connectivity has been provided to 68 unserved and underserved destinations. It has also initiated 425 new routes that are expected to enhance air connectivity in 29 states and union territories.

According to a statement released by the government, over a million passengers have already availed of the benefits of the UDAN scheme by August 2022. Regional carriers have also benefited from the scheme as they are now getting more opportunities and are improving their operations.