THE DIFFERENT NEXT GENERATION AIRCRAFT SOLUTIONS

The companies that we’ve profiled in this report follow four different technologies and two different routes.

An electric battery powers the aircraft. The infrastructure needed here is relatively easy, as you can create charging stations at airports, but there are of course challenges with battery technology, especially the weight to distance issue.

MIT Technology Review recently had a piece on the current limitations with batteries. According to analyst Jayant Mukhopadhaya from the International Council for Clean Transportation (ICCT), “We were surprised by how terrible the range was, frankly.”

This comes as the only EASA certified electric aircraft at time of writing is the two seater Pipistrel Vellis Electro, which has a range of under an hour.

However, it’s fair to say that what we see with Pipistrel is only the start, and battery technology is evolving all the time.

So the goal of electric aircraft for regional routes is realistic, beyond that however it’s fair to question how much battery technology can evolve.

Hybrid-electric

Like a hybrid car, these aircraft are both electric battery and combustion engine powered, with the fuel ideally being Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Especially if they don’t have SAF, they could more accurately be described as low emission rather than zero emission aircraft.

Hydrogen-Electric

Hydrogen electric or hydrogen fuel cell technology involves hydrogen being compressed into gas, and a fuel cell powering an electric motor.

Hydrogen combustion

Hydrogen combustion involves putting liquid hydrogen directly into turbine engines.

While the electric route has challenges around the battery and range, hydrogen has more infrastructure challenges, as you will need hydrogen provision at every airport aircraft fly from - and potentially at emergency landing airports on route.

Hydrogen combustion (though not hydrogen electric) also has challenges around contrails and NOx emissions, which is why aircraft manufacturer Airbus is testing hydrogen engines on two gliders in North Dakota in early 2023, under Project Blue Condor, before deciding whether to take the hydrogen programme further.

(Image via REGENT)

Retrofit or new aircraft?

At the same time, companies are either retrofitting existing aircraft, or developing completely new ones.

For example ZeroAvia is working on first of all retrofitting a Dornier-228, but wants to soon move to the CRJ Series of regional jets.

Similarly, magniX has been modifying Harbour Air’s fleet of seaplanes. Both companies could probably be considered the GE or Rolls Royce of next generation aviation.

Then there are companies looking to produce their own aircraft from scratch, such as Heart Aerospace, Regent, Eviation and Faradair.

Making new aircraft is obviously more future proof, while retrofitting existing ones has advantages when it comes to speed and certification.

WHERE COULD NEXT GENERATION AIRCRAFT THRIVE IN THE NEXT DECADE?

The use cases are vast. Here are just just a few examples, of where regular 10-40 seat carbon neutral flight services could thrive:

1 - Commuter flights between major cities that are close together.

Think Newcastle to Manchester in the UK, or HamburgCopenhagen, or Washington DC - Richmond, Virginia

2 - Flights to remote tourist destinations. We’ve mentioned Kenya, and some lodges have their own air strips.

The potential is for these flights to become cheaper and carbon neutral. Other possibilities include flights to ski resorts, for example in British Columbia from Vancouver

3 - Island flights, for instance in the Scottish islands, Hawaii, Indonesia or in the Philippines

4 - Flights to geographically remote communities, for example in the Australian outback, or between the Norwegian Fjords

5 - Medevac flights

6 - Smaller aircraft can of course be converted for cargo

7 - Flights from small regional airports that have lost regular service, due to regional airlines no longer finding it economical to operate a 40 seat turboprop.

Examples could include Carlisle in NW England, which until 2020 had occasional services from Loganair.

In the US, Williamsport Regional Airport in Pennsylvania has a catchment area of 200,000, but lost services in October 2021 when American Airlines stopped operations.

8 - Existing routes served by small aircraft, which can be replaced by newer next generation, low noise, carbon neutral planes

For example, the 19 seat DHC-6 Twin Otter is in use by a number of airlines worldwide for smaller routes.

That includes Air Inuuit in the Canadian North, SVG Air in St Vincent & the Grenadines, MAS Wings in East Malaysia and Loganair in the Scottish Islands.

The Beechcraft 1900 is also still in use by some airlines such as Alpine Air Express, a cargo airline in Utah, Pacific Coastal Airlines in British Columbia, Buddha Air in Nepal and Trans Guyana Airways in Guyana.

Ampaire’s ‘Eco Otter’ is one example of an aircraft that could work here.

Looking at slightly bigger aircraft, in the 30 seat range, the Saab 340 is also no longer in production, but is still in use by quite a few airlines. Examples include Silver Airways in Florida, Cayman Airways, Rex Airlines in Australia and Air Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.

Heart’s ES-30 could of course act as a replacement.

And going one stage further,, one reason why United has invested in ZeroAvia is to decarbonise its United Express service, as ZeroAvia has plans to retrofit CRJ regional jets with a ZeroAvia powertrain.

9 - On demand private aviation services. Ampaire, Eviation and Electra are making zero emissions aircraft suitable for this market - and have pre-orders.

10 - Executive and private aviation. With private aviation coming under increasing pressure, with calls in France to even ban private aviation, there is a place for low or no carbon executive aircraft.