Heart Aerospace has dropped the 30-seat hybrid-electric ES-30 in favor of a larger, two-propeller version of the airplane called the ES-36, the Los Angeles-based manufacturer announced on September 23. Charter carrier JSX has signed a deposit-backed purchase agreement for 50 of the ES-36 airplanes, plus options for another 50.

Vertical Aerospace has confirmed plans to start manufacturing its Valo eVTOL aircraft at its Cotswold Airport facility in the west of England. On September 24, the start-up announced that a 60,000-sq-ft converted hangar will be used to assemble an initial 37 units each year, although in the longer term it aims to open a large factory with annual capacity for 1,000 aircraft at a yet-to-be-confirmed location in the UK.

Whatever else President Trump and his Chinese counterpart President Xi discussed during the state visit last week in Washington, it seems unlikely that eVTOL aircraft were on the agenda. Nonetheless, some observers would argue that the broader advanced air mobility topic is very relevant to the economic tensions between the U.S. and China, touching as it does on unresolved issues around drone technology, trade imbalances, and artificial intelligence applications.

Bye Aerospace has flown its two-seat eFlyer 2 electric trainer airplane for the first time, the Colorado-based company announced September 24. The inaugural flight took place at Denver-area Centennial Airport (KAPA) on September 17, about a week after Bye announced it had received a special airworthiness certificate from the FAA.

Beta Technologies flew more than 16 medical and disaster-response missions across North Carolina this month under the FAA’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), connecting hospitals in the Raleigh-Durham area, known as the Research Triangle, with the state’s rural and coastal communities. The South Burlington, Vermont-based company started flying on September 17 in eLIFT-NC, North Carolina’s eIPP project, with its Alia CX300 electric airplane.

Thales has opened a new Flight Safety Center at its Bordeaux, France facility to promote “understanding, sharing, and advancing air safety culture.” Employees, customers, partners, suppliers, regulatory authorities, and industry experts are invited to visit the facility to learn more about air safety challenges and receive training, as well as share best practices and explore new aviation technologies.