FAA Seeking 23 More Hours of Cockpit Voice Recorder Time
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed extending the cockpit voice-recording requirement to 25 hours for all newly manufactured aircraft.
Inside the cockpit of an Airbus A220. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fabian Behr)
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed extending the cockpit voice-recording requirement to 25 hours for all newly manufactured aircraft, the agency announced in a press release on Thursday. Currently, cockpit voice recorders (CVR) – also known as black boxes – retain only two hours of data.
The proposed rule, which aligns with regulations set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), would provide investigators with substantially more data to identify the root causes of incidents and develop effective preventive measures. This extended recording duration would be particularly valuable in investigating longer-duration flights or incidents that may involve multiple contributing factors.
“This rule will give us substantially more data to identify the causes of incidents and help prevent them in the future,” said FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker in a press release.
The proposed rule is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on Monday, Dec. 4, 2023, and the public will have 60 days to submit comments.
Enhancing Flight Safety
The proposed extension of cockpit voice recorder durations follows recent recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). By capturing and analyzing more comprehensive cockpit communications and audio data, investigators will be better equipped to reconstruct the events leading up to an incident, identify potential human factors, and assess the effectiveness of existing safety protocols.
Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
United's new A321neo features the airline's signature interior. Highlights of the cabin include large overhead bins and wireless charging in First Class.
United Airlines' Airbus A321neos have adjustable LED mood lighting (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
United Airlines officially unveiled its Airbus A321neo interiors on Thursday at a special event held at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). During the rainy Texas morning, AirlineGeeks got an early look inside the cabin of United’s first A321neo.
Registered as N44501, the carrier’s first A321neo was officially delivered on October 12, 2023, flying from Hamburg to Houston via Reykjavik and Cleveland. Since then, the aircraft has been undergoing induction and test flights from United’s Houston maintenance base. N44501 is slated to enter revenue service late Thursday and United provided a look at the aircraft’s interior before its inaugural flight.
United’s first Airbus A321neo (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
United’s A321neo Cabin: Large Bins, Wireless Charging and Extra Personal Space
United’s new Airbus A321neos have 20 First Class seats and 180 Economy Class seats, for a total of 200 seats. 57 of the Economy Class seats are extra legroom Economy Plus seats. On board, travelers will find the airline’s “signature interior,” which was first announced a few years ago.
Economy on United’s A321neo (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
The aircraft has been delivered with United’s new domestic first class seats. With a privacy divider between seats, adjustable aisle armrests, and seat cushions designed to accommodate a variety of passenger heights, these seats offer a host of new features for the airline.
First Class seats on United’s Airbus A321neo (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
First Class passengers will also have three charging options: an AC outlet, a USB-C outlet, and wireless charging. The wireless charger is located in a compartment in the armrest and the seats also have 14-inch high-definition touch screens.
United’s Airbus A321neo First Class seats have 14-inch high-definition touch screens (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
In an effort to improve accessibility, the airline has also included a remote for those unable to reach the touch screen. Stored in the center seat console underneath the wireless charger, the remote has both a trackpad and conventional buttons.
United A321neo First Class remote control and wireless charging (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Economy Class seats feature a 12-inch high-definition entertainment screen. These are the largest Economy Class touch screens in the United fleet. All seats also have Bluetooth connectivity, allowing passengers to connect their own headphones and earbuds to the aircraft’s setback entertainment system.
Economy Class seats on board United’s Airbus A321neo (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Another new feature on United’s A321neo is a self-serve snack bar at the rear of the Economy Class cabin. The introduction of this space means that United is joining airlines like JetBlue in offering Economy Class passengers the option to get their own snacks and beverages during narrowbody flights.
Economy Class self-serve snack bar on board United’s Airbus A321neo (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Throughout the cabin, passengers will have extra personal space at the shoulder level due to new slimmer sidewall panels. The aircraft has Airbus’ Airspace cabin, which includes design elements such as adjustable LED lighting and redesigned window bezels to provide better exterior views.
United’s Airbus A321neo Economy Class seats (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
The aircraft also has new large overhead bins, which allow bags to be stored vertically rather than on their side. The airline stated that there is enough space on board for each passenger to store a carry-on roller bag in the overhead bins.
United A321neo aircraft have Airbus’ Airspace cabin, which feature large overhead bins and adjustable LED lighting (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
United’s Director of Onboard Products, Peter Wolkowski, was on hand to introduce the new cabin products. “What you see today is the pinnacle of our signature interior design,” he said at Thursday’s event as he showed off the onboard features.
United Airlines’ Airbus A321neo cabin (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
United’s Bold A321 Fleet Plans
Following the aircraft’s inaugural flight from Houston to Chicago – operating as United flight 321 – N44501 will enter regular scheduled service on Friday, flying between Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX).
United has already received a second A321neo and is expecting several more deliveries before the end of 2023, with additional deliveries ramping up in the new year. According to data from Cirium, the carrier will deploy the A321neo on select flights between Chicago and Fort Lauderdale in December, before expanding the aircraft type’s network to include Las Vegas, Orlando, and Fort Myers in January.
A United Airbus A321neo at Airbus’ Toulouse facility (Photo: Airbus)
Back in October, United placed a massive order for 60 Airbus A321neo aircraft, adding to the 50 A321XLR and 70 A321neo aircraft that it already had on order. With this new order, the airline now has a direct purchase commitment for 180 new A321s, with new purchase rights for up to 40 additional A321neos at the end of the decade.
United Chief Operating Officer Toby Enqvist highlighted the significance of Thursday’s inaugural event and the airline’s partnership with Airbus. “We have not bought an Airbus airplane for over twenty years,” he stated. “It’s a really big deal for us.”
Andrew is a lifelong lover of aviation and travel. He has flown all over the world and is fascinated by the workings of the air travel industry. As a private pilot and glider pilot who has worked with airlines, airports and other industry stakeholders, he is always excited to share his passion for aviation with others. In addition to being a writer, he also hosts Flying Smarter, an educational travel podcast that explores the complex world of air travel to help listeners become better-informed and savvier travelers.
Tulum Airport's air traffic control tower (Photo: Mara Lezama / Quintana Roo government)
Tulum International Airport (TQO) is set to welcome its first revenue flight on Friday, Dec. 1. Located in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, the airport is a new fixture in a hot spot for tourists, cutting down on the 80-mile drive from Cancun.
Beginning in early December, Mexican airlines Aeromexico and Viva Aerobus will start service to Mexico City. According to Cirium Diio schedule data, Viva Aerobus flight 9360 is set to be the airport’s first arrival at 11:15 a.m. local time from Mexico City’s Felipe Angeles International Airport (NLU). Aeromexico flight 592 will arrive shortly after at 11:35 a.m. from Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX).
Aeromexico’s first test flight into Tulum Airport. (Photo: FlightRadar24)
In the U.S., airlines have been lining up to serve the brand-new airport. Delta, United and American have planned service from their respective hubs. Ultra low-cost-carrier (ULCC) Spirit also announced plans to serve Tulum from Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Orlando (MCO).
The terminal building at Tulum’s new airport (Photo: Mara Lezama / Quintana Roo government)
Who Operates Tulum Airport
Starting in the late 1990s, the Mexican government worked to privatize many of the country’s major airports. Fast forward to today and most of Mexico’s airports are privately operated. For example, Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste (ASUR) operates nine airports in southeast Mexico, including Cancun International Airport (CUN).
Inside the terminal building at the new Tulum Airport (Photo: Mara Lezama / Quintana Roo government)
Earlier this week, Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama shared that the new Tulum Aiport will have its own Foreign Relations Office. “It’s an office that we are we’re working on. Right now I have a meeting with General (Gustavo) Vallejo (in charge of the airport construction), but it will be a reality,” she said to Riveria Maya News in an interview.
Governor Lezama shared photos of the new airport on her official Facebook page last week.
Inside the terminal building at the new Tulum Airport (Photo: Mara Lezama / Quintana Roo government)
How Big Could the New Airport Become
The airport itself is built on 1,200 hectares – or roughly five square miles – of land, boasting a 12,000-foot runway and 12 gates. There will also be a multipurpose military and first-responder base on the airfield.
According to Governor Lezama, the new airport can accommodate up to 5.5 million passengers per year. The government also says the construction project alone has created over 15,000 jobs in the region.
The terminal building at Tulum’s new airport (Photo: Mara Lezama / Quintana Roo government)
One study from consultancy group ASM says that Tulum’s new airport could receive 25% of Cancun International Airport’s (CUN) service to the U.S. Per Cirium Diio data, U.S. airlines are scheduled to operate up to 110 weekly flights to Tulum once service begins in late March 2024.
The new airport’s terminal appears to have artfully-designed fixtures. (Photo: Mara Lezama / Quintana Roo government)
The new airport is set to be a game-changer for the state, making Quintana Roo the only state in Mexico to have four international airports, the governor said. It will join Cancun (CUN) and Cozumel (CZM) with current international service. While it may be equipped to handle international flights, Chetumal International Airport (CTM) does not currently have any planned.
Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Air Greenland's sole Airbus A300-800neo seconds before touching down in Kangerlussuaq (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Nuuk — the capital of Greenland — has been in the process of expanding its international airport. Currently, one of the only airports in Greenland capable of handling Air Greenland’s flagship Airbus A330-800neo is located in Kangerlussuaq. However, it’s a small city and is only used because of the longer runway. In addition, Kangerlussuaq is only used as a connection point to other points in Greenland. But that will all change roughly a year from now.
Air Greenland announced on their website that the full grand opening of the new runway will happen in one year, on Nov. 28, 2024, and that its flagship A330neo named ‘Tuukkaq,’ will be the first large aircraft to land and take off that day on the new runway. The CEO of Air Greenland Jacob Nitter Sørensen did have something to say about the new runway; “It has great symbolic significance that it is a red airplane from the flag carrier that inaugurates the full length of the runway, just as we also inaugurated the [current] runway in 1979 with a DASH-7. In this way, we are showing the flag on this historic day.”
Flying into Nuuk, Greenland (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Accommodating the Airline’s Largest Jet
The A330neo’s current route is from Kangerlussuaq to Copenhagen, but now that the runway in Nuuk opens in less than a year that route will end and be moved to Nuuk. Air Greenland has stated that “the timetable must be changed to incorporate the new direct route between Nuuk and Copenhagen, and work has begun.”
Along with the new runway expansion, Nuuk will also be receiving a new larger passenger terminal, capable of handling the larger passenger loads from the A330 flagship and moving away from the current smaller terminal. Right now, according to the airline, the runway in Nuuk only measures 3,117-feet (950 meters) and the largest aircraft it can handle is the Dash-8, which Air Greenland operates to points around the country. But, with the new expansion the runway will be more than doubling in length to roughly 7217-feet (2,200 meters).
Nuuk’s current runway from above, pictured in May 2023 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Joey has always been interested in planes for as long as he can remember. He grew up in Central New York during the early 2000s when US Airways Express turboprops ruled the skies. Being from a non-aviation family made it harder for him to be around planes and would only spend about three hours a month at the airport. He was so excited when he could drive by himself, the first thing he did with his driver's license was get ice cream and go plane spotting for the entire day. He graduated from Western Michigan University in 2022 with a B.S. in Aviation Management & Operations and a Minor in Business, and currently works for a major airline in his hometown.
Breeze Receives $250,000 Incentive to Serve Ogden, Utah
The Ogden City Council voted 4-2 on Tuesday to provide a $250,000 incentive to Breeze to serve the airport, making Breeze the only carrier.
A Breeze A220 in Phoenix. (AirlineGeeks - William Derrickson)
Breeze Airways has announced two additional routes, including a new city. It is the latest addition to the startup airline’s recent expansion and brings commercial airline service back to a well-known city.
The new destination will be Ogden, Utah. Breeze will begin flying from Ogden to John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Calif. on February 21, 2024. Ogden is Breeze’s second city in Utah after Provo, which is 45 minutes to the south.
Breeze will be the only airline serving Ogen after competitors Avelo Airlines and Allegiant Air left the market last year. Breeze is serving the airport four times per week: on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Ogden is the 45th airport in Breeze’s network, and the airline will operate its Airbus A220s on the route.
“Ogden has a rich travel history having once served as a transfer point between the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads,” Breeze President Tom Doxey said. “Today, Breeze is writing a new chapter for Ogden — one in which its residents get access to simple, affordable, and convenient air travel to highly desirable destinations like Orange County.”
The Ogden City Council voted 4-2 on Tuesday to provide a $250,000 incentive to Breeze to serve the airport. Startup costs could range from $800,000 to $1 million. City council members who approved the benefit see minimal risk in providing the funds, especially considering that the Los Angeles area is the top travel destination for Ogden residents.
Breeze is also starting a new route from San Bernardino International Airport to Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport. It is Breeze’s third route out of San Bernardino, another airport where it is the only airline. Flights will operate twice per week, on Thursdays on Sundays, seasonally from February 15 through June 2 of next year.
Airline’s Other Developments
These new routes are only the latest additions to Breeze’s network. The carrier recently added Evansville, Indiana; Grand Junction, Colorado; Madison, Wisconsin; and others to its network. The announcement also comes a day after the first Breeze flight departed from Plattsburgh, New York for Orlando, Florida.
Many of these new airports, with the notable exceptions of Madison and Orland, center around airport airports where there is no other competition. Many others, such as Evansville, have only minimal services. Founder David Neeleman called Breeze “Allegiant better” since Allegiant, a major ultra-low-cost carrier in the US, also centers their business model around many smaller secondary airports away from city centers.
“These pockets of pain that are being created, because either there is no air service there, it’s gone away completely, or it’s just regional planes going to hubs, has created hundreds and hundreds of market opportunities for us,” said Neeleman.
Neeleman especially pointed to the current struggles that ultra-low-cost airlines are facing as demand drops. Using larger aircraft like the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737, as compared to Breeze’s Airbus A220s and Embraer E190 series planes, make it tougher for other low-cost airlines to make money in markets that are already tight, Neeleman says.
All these developments come as Breeze is trying to be certified as a US flag carrier to enable it to operate international routes. Such international destinations have proven lucrative for mainline carriers since the pandemic recovery. Ireland is one potential destination for the carrier, as there is a lot of tourism and visiting-friends-and-family traffic between the two countries. Breeze particularly wants to take advantage of peak travel seasons.
John McDermott is a commercial pilot pursuing a career in professional flight. His passion for aviation began in an Ann Arbor bookstore with a tale of enemy pilots during World War 2, and he hasn't looked back. Besides flying and writing for AirlineGeeks, John volunteers with Professional Pilots of Tomorrow and travels whenever he gets the chance.
Hawaiian Adds Honolulu-Salt Lake City to Route Map
On Wednesday, Hawaiian Airlines announced it will be launching new nonstop flights between Honolulu (HNL) and Salt Lake City (SLC).
A Hawaiian A321neo (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Bailey)
On Wednesday, Hawaiian Airlines announced it will be launching new nonstop flights between Honolulu (HNL) and Salt Lake City (SLC) starting on May 15, 2024. The new route is scheduled to operate daily.
Hawaiian will operate the new route with its fleet of Airbus A321neo aircraft. The carrier’s A321neos have a total of 189 passengers with six premium recliners, 44 Extra Comfort premium economy seats, and 128 economy seats.
Recently, the Honolulu-based carrier has been grappling with engine issues on its A321neo fleet. Hawaiian joins a long list of airlines worldwide that have had their growth hampered as a result of recalled Pratt and Whitney engines.
“It is infuriating to think that this is going to be borne by the airlines that are operating the airplanes, and… the guests of those airlines who want to be travelling on those aircraft,” Hawaiian CEO Peter Ingram told FlightGlobal in September. This is Hawaiian’s first new mainland U.S. destination since it added Austin, Ontario, and Orlando back in December 2020, according to Ishrion Aviation on Twitter/X.
Flight Schedule
HA84 will depart HNL at 6:50 p.m. and arrive at SLC at 5:15 a.m. the following day, while HA83 departs SLC at 7 a.m. with a 9:55 a.m. arrival in Honolulu. All times are local.
Hawaiian will directly compete with Delta on the new route. The airline – which has a hub in Salt Lake City – operates a Boeing 767-300 on the SLC-HNL route.
“We know this new route will excite travelers in both Utah and Hawai’i given our tourism and education ties, and shared Pacific Island communities. We are eager to strengthen these relationships when we launch our service next summer,” Hawaiian’s CEO said in a press release.
Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Ampaire has three aircraft in its fleet to advance hybrid-electric propulsion technologies. (Photo: Ampaire)
Traditional aerospace engine makers are known to modify existing aircraft to test future propulsion technologies. The start-ups follow the giant’s steps to prove their designs on various platforms. Here’s a look at what technology demonstrators are flying and the potential technologies that’ll come to an airplane near you.
Battery-electric powered the first wave of emission-free aviation innovations. However, the industry has agreed that battery-electric airplanes will not carry enough volume nor fly far enough to make a significant impact soon. Therefore, more and more players are entering the hybrid-electric arena.
There are two types of hybrid technologies. The most popular one is parallel-hybrid, which uses combustion and electricity as energy sources. It’s more efficient as it allows different modes of operation during different phases to optimize energy usage. The plug-in hybrid is also a parallel hybrid architecture, which utilizes two types of energy to power two independent propulsion systems. Then there’s the series hybrid architecture, which runs a small combustion engine as a generator to power an electric motor.
Not only is hybrid electric technology the most hotly contested technology, but it is also the most promising, with many more miles and hours flown by the demonstrators compared to the other types of novel propulsion technologies.
Ampaire Electric EEL and Eco Caravan
Ampaire is one of the earliest companies to work on hybrid electric conversions. The Californian company has converted two types of aircraft so far: the Electric EEL based on a Cessna 337 Skymaster and the Eco Caravan converted from a Cessna 208 Caravan.
Electric EEL
Ampaire’s Electric EEL, a modified Cessna 337, flying over Hawaii. (Photo: Ampaire)
Its first Electric EEL aircraft had an electric propulsion system at the rear of the aircraft and maintained its combustion engine on the nose. It first took flight in June 2019 and has conducted route-proofing tests in Hawaii, Scotland, and, most recently, Alaska. The second prototype flipped the configuration to allow a more streamlined design and placing of battery packs in the cargo hold. The duo also set impressive records, such as the longest non-stop hybrid-electric flight at 1,135 miles in 2022. In July, the company announced that it had surpassed 20,000 hours running hybrid.
The EEL was used to develop high-power electronics under Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) funding, which designated the flying test beds ARPA-E Bird. The startup received funding in 2022 to further study its AMP-H270 drivetrain. The company hopes to put it on the nose of the ARPA-E Bird test bed along with a fully electric powertrain in the back.
Eco Caravan
Ampere’s Eco Caravan taking off on its first flight. (Photo: Ampaire)
ARPA-E also provided $9 million in funding to further develop the propulsion developer’s drivetrain for the Caravan. Surf Air Mobility was the original suiter for this project before it abandoned plans to acquire Ampaire in 2022. The Hawthorne, Calif.-based company managed to power through the difficulty and conducted its first flight of the Eco Caravan seven months after losing its investor. The program also found its customer shortly after in January 2023, with Azul Connecta signing a Letter of Intent for up to six upgrade conversions.
VoltAero Cassio 1
VoltAero’s Cassio 1 testbed aircraft is the world’s first parallel hybrid aircraft. It is validating the company’s electric-hybrid propulsion unit at the full 600-kW power rating. (Photo: VoltAero/Jean-Marie Urlacher)
VoltAero’s Cassio 1 is another test platform modified from the SkyMaster. It first flew in March 2020 with its original combustion engine in the aft fuselage and two Safran ENGINeUS 45 electric motors mounted on the wing. The demonstrator received its hybrid power train later that year and took to flight in October, becoming the world’s first true parallel-hybrid aircraft. The French company announced surpassing 10,000km in flight testing in 2022 and plans to use the hybrid technology for its upcoming Cassio 330 aircraft.
European Union H3PS
Tecnam P2010 H3PS flying. (Photo: Tecnam)
The European Union funded the High Power High Scalability Aircraft Hybrid Powertrain (H3PS) project to study the feasibility of a parallel hybrid powertrain for general aviation and the scalability of the technology for aircraft up to 11 seats. The three-year project included airframer Tecnam, engine maker Rotax, and electric motor maker Rolls-Royce Electric. It produced a Tecnam P2010 flying test bed and performed its first flight in December 2021. The research concluded that hybrid-electric powertrains are beneficial and scalable for future demonstrator projects.
Airbus EcoPulse and E-fan X
Europe’s largest commercial aircraft maker, Airbus, has shown its interest in hybrid-electric propulsions. It worked on two projects, the EcoPulse, which is based on a Daher-Socata TBM 900, and the E-fan X, a modified British Aerospace 146, which was the largest demonstrator if it had not been canceled.
EcoPulse
Airbus EcoPulse on display at the Paris Air Show.(Photo: Airbus)
The EcoPulse is the only series hybrid demonstrator in the cohort. Despite a report by Aviation Week that the demonstrator was close to its first flight by the end of October, it had yet to take to the skies at the time of writing. The main goal of the demonstrator is to test a distributed electric propulsion, much like that of the canceled NASA X-57 Maxwell. It has six electric motors, four of which are powered by battery packs, while the other two are powered by an “e-Auxiliary power Unit” (e-APU) provided by Safran.
E-Fan X
Airbus and Rolls-Royce was working on flight testing hybrid-electric propulsion on a British Aerospace 146 before the program was canceled in 2020. (Photo: Airbus)
E-Fan X was supposed to be the largest technology demonstrator for novel propulsion methods. Rolls-Royce and Airbus collaborated on the project and planned to put two of the Power Generation System 1 (PSG1) onboard the BAE146 airplane. The PSG1 uses a modified Rolls-Royce AE2100 combustor as a generator to power the electric motors. This plane would have been another series-hybrid demonstrator. Unfortunately, the manufacturers canceled the program in April 2020.
Flightlab Helo
Airbus is testing a hybris-propulsion system on it’s H130 Flightlab helicopter. Its engine backup system (EBS) uses a 100-Kw motor to provide electric power for up to 30 seconds in the event of main turbine engine failure. (Photo: Airbus Helicopters)
The Flightlab Helo is an Airbus demonstrator based on its popular H130 helicopter. While a 100-Kw motor connects to the main driveshaft, it only provides emergency backup power for 30 seconds in case of emergency power failures. The first revision of the system connects a battery pack to the backup motor to give pilots extra time to react to a possible failure. However, the planemaker is looking into developing a fully parallel hybrid propulsion system mixing thermal and electrical energy together with the aim of optimizing fuel consumption and enabling hybrid single-engine flights over urban areas.
NASA Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration
Across the pond, the U.S. government is also growing its industry base in novel propulsions through NASA’s Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration (EPFD) Project.
GE Aerospace and magniX have revealed the paint schemes of the hybrid electric aircraft they will fly as part of NASA’s Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration (EFPD) project. (Photo: NASA / GE Aerospace / magniX)
GE Aerospace EPFD
GE partnered with Boeing to modify Saab 340B powered by GE CT7-9B turboprop engines. The CT7-9B engine includes a traditional CT7 gas turbine running in parallel with an electric motor/generator. While not much has been shared on the progress of the modification, the engine maker announced that it had conducted tests at NEAT, the NASA Electric Aircraft Testbed facility near Sandusky, Ohio, simulating altitudes of over 45,000 feet.
MagniX EPFD
MagniX partnered with Air Tindi and AeroTEC to demonstrate electric propulsion technology on a hybrid De Havilland Canada Dash 7 aircraft. The group will replace the two outboard engines on the Dash 7 with MagniX magni650 engines. Air Tindi delivered the airplane to AeroTEC on October 27. In the meantime, the engine maker also delivered its first power unit to NEAT for testing in November 2023.
Both projects target flight demonstrations between 2025 and 2026.
Pratt & Whitney Canada Hybrid Electric Demonstrator
Pratt & Whitney Canada will build a Hybrid Electric Demonstrator using a Dehavilland Canada Dash8-100. (Photo: Pratt & Whitney Canada)
P&WC is working with De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited (De Havilland Canada) to integrate this hybrid-electric technology into a De Havilland Canada Dash 8-100 flight demonstrator. This demonstrator will include an advanced electric motor and controller from Collins Aerospace, also a Raytheon Technologies business. The company is replacing one of the engines on the airplane with a parallel-hybrid engine.
During the 2023 Paris Air Show, the group announced it had achieved a critical milestone in its hybrid-electric flight demonstrator program. It completed a rated power test of the demonstrator’s 1 megawatt (MW) electric motor, developed by Collins Aerospace. The 1MW motor will be combined with a highly efficient thermal engine developed by Pratt & Whitney as part of a hybrid-electric propulsion system. The project targets its maiden flight in 2024.
Conclusion
Hybrid electric is likely the most popular and realistic technology for conventional aircraft. Eight active programs are trying to demonstrate the viability of the technology. The most popular architecture is a parallel one; while it has to carry additional weight due to the more complex drive system, its efficiency could outweigh the additional emission. Manufacturers should gain more insight into the optimization strategy by gathering real-world data from the flight tests.
Next week, we’ll examine another popular low-emission propulsion source, hydrogen-electric.
Fangzhong grew up near an OEM airport in northeastern China, where he developed his enthusiasm for aviation. Taking upon his passion, he's now working as an aircraft interior design engineer. Besides working in the aerospace industry, Fangzhong enjoys trying out different types of airplanes and seeing how airplane interiors have evolved. So far, he's flown on over 80 types of aircraft. He also planespots in his spare time. His rarest catches included the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft and AN-225.
Hong Kong Airlines Reports Promising Traffic Figures
After three years of the pandemic, the city's second carrier has seen a significant increase in travel demand.
A year after it lifted its COVID-era travel restrictions in September 2022, demand has sharply bounced back in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Airlines has gotten into gear and revealed increasingly promising traffic figures.
“We are very pleased to see that our flight operations have returned to pre-pandemic levels before year-end, surpassing our initial forecast of full recovery by mid-2024,” Jevey Zhang, Chairman of the airline said.
Earlier, IATA and the Hong Kong Government also expected the city’s aviation industry could fully recover by 2024.
Hong Kong Airlines currently operates to 25 destinations, ranging from Southeast Asia to the Maldives. Before the pandemic, the airline used to operate in North American cities, such as Los Angeles. By the end of 2023, the airline will own a fleet of 21 Airbus aircraft, after ramping up a number of A330s this year. Hong Kong Airlines could double its passenger traffic in 2024 by expanding 30% of its fleet. However, the airline did not reveal more details on the new aircraft.
In 2023, the airline scaled up its service to Japan, by operating nine routes to Japan. The travel hotspot gained more popularity as a result of the weak Japanese yen, letting travelers from Hong Kong go to Japan without breaking the bank. The load factor during peak season remained above 90%. In the meantime, Hong Kong Airlines remains optimistic about the Japanese market and says it will continue to explore other potential markets.
The airline plans to hire an additional 20% of its workforce to meet growing travel demand next year, targeting new employees from South Korea, Thailand, and China. Earlier this year, Hong Kong Airlines held a large-scale recruitment day in Japan and China.
After years of the pandemic, Hongkongers are desperate to return to the skies again. However, passengers in Hong Kong have followed others around the globe, paying through the nose for air tickets.
According to Cathay Pacific, in response to cost escalations, the airline will have to factor that into its ticket prices.
Travel Demand Bounces Back
Without a doubt, Hong Kong has been experiencing a travel boom since relaxing its restrictions. According to Hong Kong International Airport, Traffic to and from Southeast Asia, Japan, and China saw the largest increases in October.
In addition, Hong Kong Airlines is considering launching new services to the Northwest region of China to consolidate Hong Kong’s position as an international aviation hub.
An American A321 at LAX (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
The National Mediation Board (NMB) has denied the American Airlines flight attendants’ union its request to be released from federal mediation.
In a letter to its members on Tuesday evening, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) expressed strong disagreement over the NMB’s decision, bemoaning that the federal agency’s established standard for release only “…serves to benefit employers and is not consistent with the provisions or intent of the Railway Labor Act.”
The APFA has been in contract negotiations with American since 2018 and advanced to supervised mediated talks with the NMB in June, after filing for mediation in March of this year. Had the APFA’s request to be released been granted, the parties would have entered a 30-day cooling-off period, setting a countdown to a possible strike in the midst of the busy holiday travel season.
In August, over 93% of eligible APFA members participated in a strike vote. Of those who returned ballots, 99.47% voted yes, authorizing their union leadership to call a strike if mediation fails and no agreement is reached by the end of the subsequent cooling-off period.
In a statement, APFA National President Julie Hedrick said, “As of today, the National Mediation Board (NMB) has denied our request for release into a 30-day cooling-off period. Flight Attendants at American Airlines are working under wages negotiated in 2014 while management continues to drag out bargaining with contract proposals that do not address the current economic environment.”
In modern history, the NMB has rarely released airline workers from mediation. Over the last twenty years, only a handful of parties have been granted requests for release.
Fast forward to August 2023, the union representing Southwest pilots – SWAPA – was denied a similar request for release. “I’m disappointed but not surprised,” Captain Casey Murray, president of SWAPA, said in response to the decision, according to Bloomberg News. The Dallas-based airline’s flight attendants are also set to vote on a new contract, which would see 36% pay raises, per CNBC.
Despite today’s setback for the APFA, they have vowed not to back down and intend to submit additional requests to be released if no agreement is reached following their next round of mediated talks with American.
Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
A Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787 Dreamliner seconds from touchdown in Las Vegas.
(Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
Virgin Atlantic recently announced it has completed the world’s first-ever transatlantic flight powered entirely by Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) by a commercial airline. The flight comes soon after Gulfstream similarly announced it completed a transatlantic flight based on SAF with a private jet.
“This flight today shows that sustainable jet fuel can be used as a drop-in replacement for jet fuel – and it is the only viable solution for decarbonising long-haul flights,” group chief Richard Branson wrote in a blog post announcing the flight. “A huge well done to the Virgin Atlantic team and all of our partners for coming together and making this happen – now we’ve shown that it can work, it will take industry and governments to make it an everyday reality.”
Airlines around the world have been touting Sustainable Aviation Fuels as a logical next-step to reduce their carbon footprints without needing to entirely overhaul their infrastructure since many commercial aircraft can operated with SAF. Some airlines have already flown partly with SAF by blending it with traditional jet fuel. Major carriers like United Airlines and the Air France-KLM group have announced major investments in companies that produce the fuels in order to accelerate the development, testing, production, and use of SAF.
A Virgin Atlantic 787-9 departing London Heathrow. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
“[SAF is] really the only pathway to decarbonising long-haul aviation over and above having the youngest fleet in the sky,” Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss, said. “It is a really momentous achievement.”
Future of SAF in Airline Travel
One of the biggest challenges to the wide implementation of SAF is that it is incredibly energy-intensive to produce. Critics say that producing SAF might not produce much benefit over traditional fuels because of how difficult it is to scale fuel production. In his post, Branson acknowledged that policy changes are necessary to continue encouraging SAF development.
The higher costs of producing SAF will inevitably be passed from manufacturers to airlines and thereby to travelers. Whether this will have an impact on how much people fly will be seen, though it is possible that fuel manufacturers will be able to work the costs down quickly enough for passengers to overlook the ticket increases as temporary.
Equally important to combating the climate crisis, Branson writes, is the development of new, hyper-efficient aircraft made of carbon fibers. Of particular note are the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350, which are made of carbon fibers and are significantly more efficient than the predecessors. While Airbus is also developing aircraft capable of running entirely on hydrogen — one of the most promising fuel alternatives — any future aircraft produced by Boeing are still rumors, so it has yet to be known which sustainability features it will have.
The UK does not have any plants dedicated to producing SAF, though its government intents to have five under construction by 2025. Having the plants available will make using the fuels are available will make it easier for airlines to meet the ambitious targets that governments have set out for carriers, especially in France.
For now, developments of alternative fuels such as SAF and hydrogen will continue. Many airlines aim to be carbon neutral by 2050, which is a year that scientists take to be a “point of no return” if climate change targets are not hit.
John McDermott is a commercial pilot pursuing a career in professional flight. His passion for aviation began in an Ann Arbor bookstore with a tale of enemy pilots during World War 2, and he hasn't looked back. Besides flying and writing for AirlineGeeks, John volunteers with Professional Pilots of Tomorrow and travels whenever he gets the chance.
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