Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

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Mark Huber

Airbus Helicopters' FlightLab&nbsp;has tested an electric flight control system as part of a new human-machine interface (HMI) for the Airbus CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL prototype. In a first for the helicopter industry, the system uses a single flight control stick to replace three-axis, conventional helicopter controls (cyclic, pedals, collective) to perform all aircraft maneuvers including takeoff and landing, climb, descent, acceleration, deceleration, turn, and approach.
The single stick takes up less space and offers improved pilot visibility. Combined with a revised HMI using simple displays, it provides information selection specifically tailored to eVTOLs.
Following this flight-test campaign, Airbus Helicopters will finalize system details and then conduct new tests within the Vertex project in partnership with the Airbus UpNext innovation ecosystem to advance autonomy by managing navigation and simplifying mission preparation.
“The advantage of an electric flight control system is enormous, especially when it comes to reducing pilot workload and ultimately enhancing mission safety. It is also a great example of how our demonstrators are used to mature the techno-bricks necessary to prepare the future of vertical flight,” said Tomasz Krysinski, Airbus Helicopters’ head of research and innovation.
Its FlightLab testbed is a modified H130 single-engine helicopter dedicated to maturing new technologies for the company’s current helicopters and future fixed-wing and eVTOL designs. Airbus unveiled the electric CityAirbus NextGen prototype in 2021.

News and issues relating to civil and military unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) of all kinds and sizes, including those used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), combat (unmanned combat air vehicles, or UCAVs), law enforcement, research and other applications. Of particular focus is the FAA's planned integration of UAS into the U.S. national airspace system.

CityAirbus NextGen flight controls tested 

Airbus FlightLab tests eVTOL electric flight control system

Airbus Helicopters has flown its FlightLab helicopter with single-stick eVTOL controls.

Airbus Tests Single-stick eVTOL Flight Controls

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News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

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Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

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News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

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News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

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