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Bombardier asked AI to make futuristic spaceship concepts inspired by the Global and Challenger series jets, sharing the results on social media. The out-of-this-world scenes show jets on the moon, flying through space and over ultramodern cities. Technology is constantly changing and the industry works to grow with the onslaught of next-gen innovation in transportation. From flying cars to electric planes, what will the airspace look like in the future? An ongoing project for Bombardier is the EcoJet. The EcoJet research project reached the second test phase in October 2023, conducted using an 18-foot wide demonstrator and showing important results to contribute to the advancement of the project. The research project is a mission to reduce aircraft emissions by up to 50 percent through aerodynamics and propulsion. The ultramodern-looking jet is part of a series of Blended Wing Body test vehicles. Bombardier is among other BizAv businesses that are working to improve the sustainability of private aviation. From the integration of blended SAF to testing 100 percent SAF on private jets and popular jet engines. Lilium is building an eVTOL jet, achieving a type certificate for the aircraft in late November 2023. Lilium is the only eVTOL manufacturer with both EASA and FAA certification basis for a powered lift eVTOL aircraft.
Supersonic speed is not necessarily a new concept but the technology is now making its way into a commercial space. Boom Supersonic is developing the Overture airliner, the world's fastest airliner using supersonic flight. The company has introduced collaborators on the development, like Honeywell with the flight deck and avionics platform. Hermeus is progressing in its development of a hypersonic aircraft and by October 2023 had begun testing the fully integrated vehicle, Quarterhorse Mk 0. The company has been working on the development of the Chimera engine, able to transition from turbojet mode to ramjet mode during flight. After the Quarterhorse, Hermeus will develop the uncrewed hypersonic Darkhorse. With these supersonic technologies, the future of aviation is looking much faster. The future of private, general and commercial aviation will be completely different in the future, with faster, more sustainable and safer options for air travel.
@globalair.com Boom Supersonic has revealed the latest milestones for its Overture airliner and XB-1 jet, as well as for its Symphony engine and latest investment. Footage thanks to Boom Supersonic. #supersonic #aviation #boomsupersonic #avgeek #aviationgeek #aviationnews #aircraft #planes #aviationtiktok ? original sound - GlobalAir.com
Technological advances allow any industry to grow and adapt to its changing role in society. As the transportation industry advances, the changes are becoming more and more electric. Electric cars have become more integrated on the nation's roadways and electric planes are being tested and developed to fly in the sky in the coming years. General aviation will see great change in the next decade with the introduction of eVTOLs. Companies like Joby, Archer, AIBOT, AirEv, Lilium, Wisk Aero, Textron and Eve are developing new, eVTOL aircraft and some are nearing certification and have begun flight testing. Introducing electric aircraft can change how we commute, offering air travel in urban settings with low noise and environmentally sound operation. The use of electric aircraft will also benefit rural communities, like the Norwegian company Elfly Group producing an all-electric seaplane "Noemi" to offer sustainable travel options for isolated areas that rely on boats and planes for transport. While electric aircraft are currently being developed for shorter-distance travel, advances in future technology could someday allow for overseas electric air travel.
Some companies are developing all-electric aircraft but others are working to combine the tried and true with new technology through the development of hybrid-electric vehicles. Companies like Ampaire and EcoPulse are flight-testing hybrid-electric aircraft, using both electric systems and fuel. These aircraft will combine new technologies, like fully electric propellers, with hybrid-electric technology. An aircraft like Ampaire's EEL demonstrator relies on a hybrid-electric propulsion unit that uses both a battery and fuel to fly. The EEL achieved a major endurance flight record on Dec. 19 when it flew for 12 hours over Camarillo, California, landing with over two hours of fuel and battery reserves remaining. These aircraft can rely on the existing fuel infrastructure and will use mobile electric aircraft chargers for the batteries.
Along with electric aircraft, the concept of flying cars has developed into actuality. Samson Sky has been developing its flying car the Switchblade for years, completing its first official flight in November. ASKA's ASKA A5 prototype was awarded a Certificate of Authorization and Special Airworthiness Certification by the FAA and began flight testing in July 2023. ASKA has been performing ground testing since 2022 and began on-street driving tests in 2023. Alef Aeronautics also revealed it had achieved a Special Airworthiness Certificate from the FAA in July, the first of its kind to receive legal approval to fly. Subaru, which began as an aircraft research company in 1915, unveiled an air mobility concept in November. Flying cars have always been a symbol of the future, shown in shows like The Jetsons and in pop culture for decades.
Climate change has led the charge for sustainable innovation and new, environmentally friendly technology. The industry is working to remove lead from aviation gas with new unleaded alternatives, jets are flying with blended SAF, the push for electric and hybrid-electric aircraft will lead to certification and entry into market in the next few years, and OEMs are looking to the next method to accelerate goals of carbon neutrality and zero emissions. Some companies, like Airbus, have shared future design plans, including the world's first hydrogen-fueled commercial aircraft, a laminar aircraft demonstrator, a high-altitude pseudo-satellite, a helicopter with eco-mode and an eVTOL. Many companies developing next-gen technology as popping up left and right, but the major OEMs and veteran companies are making their own plans. Textron is developing an eVTOL, Gulfstream flew a jet using 100 percent SAF and Rolls-Royce completed SAF engine compatibility testing. The industry is changing and most companies are adapting.
A new and rapidly emerging field in next-gen technology is AI or Artificial Intelligence. Automated aircraft are not a new concept, but the industry is developing new technology to improve and expand upon the uses of this technology. Merlin Labs completed 25 flight tests in Alaska in July 2023 to test its automated fight control system alongside a safety pilot. Skyryse completed the world's first fully automated autorotation emergency landing procedure on Nov. 9 using a highly automated flight control system that works with the pilot to manage complex emergency procedures like engine failure. In December 2023, Wisk Aero completed a series of fight tests to evaluate the operational integration of uncrewed aircraft flying beyond visual line of sight in a controlled airspace in New Zealand. On the other side of the world, Reliable Robotics achieved the successful flight of an uncrewed Cessna 208B Caravan in California with a remote pilot at a control center 50 miles away. Flyvbird is developing on-demand airline services using AI to custom-design flight routes based on passenger demands. Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology are developing a humanoid robot pilot, PIBOT, capable of flying a plane on its own. In the next 50 years, there could be robots flying planes or pilots flying an aircraft without ever sitting in the cockpit.
Aviation is an integral part of society. According to the ICAO, the UN predicts that by 2050 about two-thirds of the world population will live in cities. Air travel options are increasingly necessary for both cities and rural communities, connecting people with family, resources, health care, emergency relief and transport. In under 200 years, the industry has developed from flying balloons and biplanes to supersonic jets and electric aircraft. In the next 200 years, aviation could completely change.