CRANFIELD AEROSPACE SOLUTIONS

Based in - Bedfordshire, UK Aircraft - Project Freeson Technology route - Hydrogen Electric Website - https://cranfieldaerospace.com/

CEO - CEO since 2015, Paul Hutton previously held executive positions at Thales and Astrium (Airbus UK). He also led and grew the UK Public Sector Cloud and Cyber business for Computer Science Corporation.

Spun off from Cranfield University (with which it maintains close links), Cranfield Aerospace Solutions is initially working on a hydrogen-electric conversion.

This involves the 10 seat BN2 Islander, one of the best selling small regional aircraft types. Cranfield Aerospace is running the project under the name ‘Project Freeson.’ easyJet is providing advice and expertise to Cranfield Aerospace, while Loganair is interested in using the converted Islanders on its Scottish island routes

Initially the aim was to run the Islanders via a hybrid-electric powertrain, but in 2021, the project switched to hydrogen fuel cells. The first flights are planned for 2023 or 2024.

Once the BN2 Islander conversion programme has been completed, the next phase will be to convert a 19 seater such as the Twin Otter.

After that, Cranfield Aerospace wants to develop its own aircraft, starting with a small 19 seater, before moving to a 75 seat aircraft before the end of the decade.

Germany’s EVIA AERO – a start-up airline focusing on providing zero-emissions sub-regional air services within Europe, has signed an agreement with Cranfield Aerospace, becoming the first Project Freeson customer.

Investors in Cranfield Aerospace Solutions include the Strategic Development Fund (SDF), the investment arm of the Tawazun Economic Council of the UAE, Motus Ventures as well as Hydrogen One Capital Growth and Safran.

Electra

Based in - Falls Church, Virginia Aircraft - Electra eSTOL Technology route - Hybrid-electric Website - https://www.electra.aero/

Electra Founder and CEO John Langford previously founded Aurora Flight Sciences in 1989 and served as Chairman and CEO through 2019. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and served as President of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) from 2018-2020.

Electra arguably competes as much with the companies in our Urban Air Mobility powerlist, as it does with the other names we have featured in this report.

That’s because it is developing small (nine seat) eSTOL (electric short takeoff and landing) aircraft that will probably be on many of the same kind of routes served by eVTOL aircraft.

We have however included Electra in this report as it does off and land in a ‘conventional’ way, just with only a very short 300 foot runway required.

It can also carry more passengers, with eVTOLs right now only being capable of transporting four people and a pilot.

In September, Electra successfully completed a fully integrated test of the proprietary hybrid-electric propulsion system, which is obviously an important milestone when it comes to developing its low-carbon emissions, electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft.

Electra also bought eSTOL competitor Airflow in June, integrating its technology and its order book into its own. The result is that Electra now has 800 pre-orders for its aircraft.

That includes pre-orders from Singapore based Private Air Mobility Platform Yugo, the US Air Force, Germany’s flyv, and El Azufre, a 21st century ‘clean-energy ski resort’ located in the Andes Mountains.

Earlier this year, Electra secured an investment from Lockheed Martin Ventures.

Meanwhile, Bristow is collaborating with Electra on developing a full range of safety and operational features to ensure the new eSTOL aircraft’s final configuration, specifications and design features meet customer as well as FAA, EASA and Transport Canada certification and timeline requirements.

Bristow and Electra will also look towards using the eSTOL aircraft on Bristow’s own network for oil and gas customers and search and rescue.