Hanneke Weitering

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.

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 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.

The company's Nuuva cargo drone is approaching its first flights, too

Textron eAviation's Nexus eVTOL Aircraft Could Fly in 2025

Chad Trautvetter

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

Pipistrel subsidiary is driving electric aircraft innovation at the Textron division

Textron eAviation Shows Off FAA-approved Velis, Works on Nexus eVTOL

The FAA has granted Textron eAviation’s Pipistrel an exemption from the light sport aircraft (LSA) regulations, allowing the company’s <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-04-28/textrons-pipistrel-seeks-faa-approval-velis-electro-light-aircraft">Velis Electro</a> electric-powered airplane to operate&nbsp;under LSA regulations in the U.S. This means that flight training schools and individual pilots can now fly the Velis Electro without restrictions that until now relegated them to experimental airworthiness limitations.
“This is a great day for flight training organizations and aspiring pilots,” said Kriya Shortt, president and CEO of <a href="https://futureflight.aero/news-article/2023-08-25/textron-refreshes-leadership-eaviation-division-progress-nexus-evtol">Textron’s eAviation segment</a>. “With this exemption, the cost-barrier to pursuing primary flight training can be substantially reduced. We are thankful to the FAA for its support in bringing more opportunities for electric aviation to the United States.”
Electric power was on the table when the LSA rules were first proposed in 2002, according to the FAA’s comments on the exemption:&nbsp;“The FAA considered electric propulsion as an acceptable alternative to reciprocating engines because it was believed to adhere to the proposal’s intent to require a ‘simple-to-operate design.’”&nbsp;But that notion&nbsp;was quashed&nbsp;due to&nbsp;concerns about the term “single non-turbine engine” describing an LSA’s powerplant. While the originally proposed rules&nbsp;would have allowed electric propulsion for LSAs, the final rule issued in 2004 changed that term to “single reciprocating engine” to exclude rocket and turbine engines—and, in turn, electric motors.
“The FAA believes at the time the rule was created, the philosophy for LSA was small, simple, and safe. Electric propulsion was likely too novel back then for adoption. Practical batteries likely seemed like something only feasible in the distant future,” the agency explained.&nbsp;
As it turned out, the FAA accepted a change to the F37 standards that govern LSA approval in 2015, and this finally included electric propulsion. However, the LSA regulations remain codified and are difficult to change, hence the need for an exemption. There were no comments on eAviation’s petition for exemption.
According to Pipistrel, “The Pipistrel Velis Electro is the first commercially available, type-certified electric aircraft in the world. The aircraft is quiet, producing noise levels of only 60 decibels, low cost, and user-friendly, making it an ideal solution for flight training with zero carbon emissions.”
<a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2020-06-12/easa-awards-first-electric-aircraft-tc-pipistrel">EASA certified the Velis Electro</a> under its CS-LSA regulations on June 10, 2020, with special conditions attached to its lithium-ion batteries and electric motor.&nbsp;
Fully charged, the Velis Electro can operate for up to 50 minutes, not including reserves. Flight schools have been flying the Velis Electro in Europe since the airplane was certified. Typically, the electric airplane is used for close-in training such as takeoffs, landings, and other maneuvers&nbsp;in the practice area. For cross-country flights, students fly a piston-engine airplane such as the Pipistrel Alpha or Virus.&nbsp;
“The Velis Electro offers a lower-cost and more sustainable learning platform for student pilots to acquire flying skills and go from zero flight experience to eventually flying solo, while giving them early experience on next-generation power systems,” Pipistrel officials said in a written statement.
“The FAA exemption is an important milestone on the journey to sustainable flight. We are proud of our team and what we have achieved towards creating the future for electric and sustainable aviation, globally,” said Pipistrel president and managing director Gabriel Massey. “Taking off for the first time is exhilarating, and even more so in an electric aircraft. We are looking forward to seeing more pilots take to the skies and experience their first flight in the Velis Electro.”

Editor-in-Chief

Matt Thurber

Pipistrel Gains FAA Exemption for Velis Electro

Just one year after Textron publicly confirmed its intent to develop and certify the hybrid-electric Nexus eVTOL aircraft, the U.S. aircraft manufacturer has made a leadership change at&nbsp;its new eAviation business unit in a move that could signal&nbsp;a new approach to its advanced air mobility efforts. To date, the timeline for bringing the aircraft to market has been relatively open, with company indicating type certification could be possible anywhere between 2028 and 2032, with 2030 seen as the most probable date.
This week Textron unexpectedly announced that Rob Scholl, president and CEO of Textron eAviation, is leaving the segment to assume a new role as head of Textron Specialized Vehicles, an industrial business unit that manufactures golf cars, snowmobiles, and other utility vehicles. The Wichita-based group&nbsp;has named long-time company executive Kriya Shortt to succeed Scholl as head of the eAviation division, effective August 31.&nbsp;
Shortt, who is currently Textron Aviation’s senior v-p of global parts and distribution, has spent 27 years with the business aircraft group, and also holds&nbsp;leadership roles in its sales, marketing, and customer service departments. She has recently served as president of Textron’s Able Aerospace Services and McCauley Propeller Systems divisions.&nbsp;
Scholl has led the eAviation team since March 2021, when he was appointed senior v-p of the fledgling division, reporting directly to Textron Inc. CEO Scott Donnelly. Textron eAviation was formally <a href="https://futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-07-28/textron-changes-course-evtol-aircraft-plans-confirming-nexus-active-program">established as an individual business segment</a> and wholly owned subsidiary of Textron Inc. about one year later, when Scholl was named president and CEO. Before eAviation, Scholl held several senior leadership positions at Textron Aviation as well as the conglomerate's corporate headquarters.&nbsp;
Under Scholl’s stewardship, eAviation acquired electric aircraft manufacturer <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-03-17/textron-supercharges-electric-aviation-ambitions-pipistrel-acquisition">Pipistrel</a> (which had already certified an electric airplane in Europe) and revamped efforts to develop the Nexus, a four-passenger, hybrid-electric aircraft concept originally designed by Bell, Textron’s helicopter-making division. Bell introduced its full-size Nexus concept at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2019, but work on the project stagnated until 2021, when Textron transferred the project to its new eAviation division.&nbsp;
<figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center">
<article class="media media--type-image media--view-mode-default">
 
 <div class="layout layout--onecol">
 <div class="layout__region layout__region--content">
 <div class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blockmediaimagefield-media-image">
 
 
 
 <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/futureflight/import/Textron%20eAviation%20Nexus%20Exterior.png" width="1966" height="864" alt="Nexus eVTOL" title="Textron eAviation is developing a four-passenger eVTOL aircraft called Nexus. (Image: Textron)">

</div>
 
 </div>
<div class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blockmediaimagefield-caption">
 
 
 
 <div class="field field--name-field-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Textron eAviation is developing a four-passenger eVTOL aircraft called Nexus. (Image: Textron)</div>
 
 </div>

 </div>
 </div>

 </article>

<figcaption>Textron eAviation is developing a four-passenger eVTOL aircraft called Nexus. (Image: Textron)</figcaption>
</figure>
Earlier this month, Textron eAviation announced the formation of a new customer advisory board for the development of the Nexus. So far the only member of that group is <a href="https://futureflight.aero/news-article/2023-08-14/charter-operator-flyexclusive-joins-advisory-board-textrons-nexus-evtol">FlyExclusive</a>, a business aviation company that has expressed interest in operating the aircraft but has not yet committed to purchasing it.&nbsp;
While most other eVTOL aircraft developers are campaigning to have their designs certified and in service in the 2024-2025 timeframe, Textron eAviation isn’t rushing to the finish line, Scholl told AIN in an interview last week. Scholl predicted the Nexus will enter service sometime around 2030, “but that's going to be driven by the continued development of several key technologies, including battery technology, but also the readiness of regulations and the ability to meet those and ultimately hit the economics targets that customers like FlyExclusive are going to need for their business,” he said.&nbsp;
Like most eVTOL vehicle developers, Textron’s engineers are eagerly awaiting advancements in battery technology to provide smaller, lighter batteries with higher energy densities, which in turn provide&nbsp;more range. The Nexus is projected to have a range of about 100 nm and a top speed of around 120 knots. Its full fly-by-wire design features an open rotor system with four fixed rotors and a pair of tiltrotors.&nbsp;
Electric aircraft are already limited to relatively short-range flights due to the constraints of battery technology today. This could prove to be especially challenging for the Nexus, which has a maximum takeoff weight of a 8,000 pounds. That’s heavier than any other eVTOL aircraft in development, and in some cases more than double the weight of other designs.&nbsp;
Regarding the weight, Scholl said, “We think this is where the aircraft is going to really end up to be not only certifiable, but you have a real aircraft that will actually perform a real mission.” In other words, the aircraft’s size and payload capacity are optimized to make it not only technologically feasible but also economically viable and profitable to operate. The five-seat vehicle, which has room for four passengers plus one pilot, can be configured for a variety of applications, such as air taxi services or emergency medical transport.&nbsp;
Despite some skepticism about the weight of its Nexus aircraft, Scholl said eAviation's engineering team believes the choice will prove to be valid in the longer term and they are not&nbsp;daunted by the technical challenge. “There's only one company in the world that has brought tiltrotor fly-by-wire technology to the market, and that's Textron and Bell with the V22 and the V280,” he said. “We understand some of the challenges around really making that type of technology work.”&nbsp;&nbsp;
Scholl added that “no one has certified more aircraft in the last 10 years than Textron ... If you look at that, we understand the process to not only design but to certify and manufacture the aircraft. So from that standpoint, if you talk about an organization that understands what it takes, I think that Textron does.”
So far Textron eAviation has constructed a 23-percent scale model and begun testing it in a wind tunnel. Meanwhile, the company is working to build its first full-scale prototype, which is expected to begin flight testing with that aircraft in 2024.&nbsp;

Science & Technology Editor

Textron Refreshes Leadership of eAviation Division to Progress Nexus eVTOL Aircraft Program

Business aviation services group FlyExclusive is to be the first member of the customer advisory group that Textron’s eAviation division is establishing for its new Nexus eVTOL aircraft. The companies announced today that FlyExclusive, which operates private charter flights and a fractional ownership program, will provide Textron with input on the development of the hybrid-electric Nexus, including the&nbsp;perspectives of pilots and passengers.
For now, FlyExclusive has not indicated whether it intends to acquire the eVTOL vehicle. Its agreement with Textron eAviation is expected to cover joint marketing activities for trade shows, as well as collaborative efforts to develop advanced air mobility through engagement with regulatory authorities and work on public acceptance.
According to Textron eAviation president and CEO Rob Scholl, the U.S. aircraft manufacturer is provisionally aiming to bring the Nexus into service in 2030. He told&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;the timeline remains contingent on several factors, with scope for flexibility between 2028 and 2032.
"That's going to be driven by the continued development of several key technologies including battery technology," he explained. "But also the readiness of regulations and the ability to meet those and ultimately hit the economics targets that customers like FlyExclusive are going to need for their business."
Moves to establish a customer advisory group for the four-passenger Nexus have begun just over 12 months after Textron publicly confirmed it is actively working on the aircraft. A preliminary design was first unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2019, but Textron later suggested that work may have been suspended on the program, until the fall of 2021 when it was transferred from Textron's helicopter-making division Bell to the new Textron eAviation business unit, which was formed in March 2021.
In April 2022, the Wichita-based group’s capabilities in electric aviation were significantly boosted by the <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-03-17/textron-supercharges-electric-aviation-ambitions-pipistrel-acquisition">acquisition of Europe’s Pipistrel,</a> which has already certified its Velis Electra electric light aircraft in Europe and has invested significant resources working on eVTOL and other electric- and hybrid-electric designs. Pipistrel is part of a wider Nexus team that also includes Textron subsidiaries Bell and Kautex, and all are contributing to design work for a full-scale prototype that is expected to fly at some point in the next couple of years.
<figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center">
<article class="media media--type-image media--view-mode-default">
 
 <div class="layout layout--onecol">
 <div class="layout__region layout__region--content">
 <div class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blockmediaimagefield-media-image">
 
 
 
 <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/futureflight/import/Textron%20eAviation%20Nexus%20Interior.png" width="697" height="381" alt="Textron eAviation's Nexus eVTOL aircraft." title="Textron eAviation's hybrid-electric Nexus eVTOL aircraft would carry four passengers on flights of up to around 100 nautical miles. (image: Textron)">

</div>
 
 </div>
<div class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blockmediaimagefield-caption">
 
 
 
 <div class="field field--name-field-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Textron eAviation's hybrid-electric Nexus eVTOL aircraft would carry four passengers on flights of up to around 100 nautical miles. (image: Textron)</div>
 
 </div>

 </div>
 </div>

 </article>

<figcaption>Textron eAviation's hybrid-electric Nexus eVTOL aircraft would carry four passengers on flights of up to around 100 nm. (Image: Textron)</figcaption>
</figure>
At a press conference during the October 2022&nbsp;NBAA-BACE trade show in Orlando, the company <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-10-21/textron-eaviation-wants-lead-mainstream-business-aviation-advanced-air">unveiled a design</a> featuring a larger wing span that it said would have an increased range of up to around 100 nm&nbsp;and speeds of around 120 knots. The engineering team is targeting a maximum takeoff weight of around 8,000 pounds and full fly-by-wire controls for the tiltrotor design.
Earlier this year, the company started wind tunnel tests with a 23 percent scale&nbsp;model of the aircraft as part of a process it says will "calibrate our simulations and validate our design." The ongoing tests are focused on confirming the initial configuration, as well as range and speed estimates, and how its six rotors will interact with the vehicle aerodynamics in all phases of flight including VTOL, transition, and cruise.&nbsp;
"The tests also provide us with immediate information related to tail size, engine power requirements, transition strategies, hover net thrust and aerodynamic drag, clearing the path towards final requirements that meet certification standards," Scholl explained. "The data and insights gained from this wind tunnel testing will allow us to further refine our models to design a viable leading eVTOL aircraft."
<h3 class="subheading">Prospective eVTOL Operators Have Their Say</h3>
Textron also wants to get direct input from prospective operators as well, and this process is now starting with the formation of the customer advisory board. In particular, FlyExclusive is expected to provide Textron's engineering and design team with guidance on optimising both the cockpit and cabin.&nbsp;
“The Nexus eVTOL is being designed to offer customers sustainably powered mobility and flexibility in a variety of locations and missions,”&nbsp; Scholl commented. “Our collaboration with FlyExclusive demonstrates our strong focus on further developing the product and ensuring it delivers an exceptional customer experience. As we begin the building of our first eVTOL prototype aircraft, FlyExclusive’s input will be important as we finalize our aircraft design and as the technology and market evolve over the coming years.”
In June, FlyExclusive, which is based in North Carolina, announced new features for its Jet Club charter flight program and&nbsp;changes to its fractional ownership offering. The company, which also offers maintenance, repair, and overhaul services, has a fleet of more than 90 business aircraft, most of which it owns. 
Last year, FlyExclusive moved to expand its fractional ownership program with orders for eight of Textron Aviation’s Citation XLS Gen2 midsized business jets&nbsp;and six of the super-midsized Longitude model. It already operates Cessna Citation CJ3+ aircraft and the new deliveries are expected in 2024 and 2025.
Based on an agreement to combine its business with special purpose acquisition company EG Acquisition, FlyExclusive is working on plans to raise fresh capital through an initial public offering. During an investors'&nbsp;day event in June, the company indicated that it expects to complete the IPO in August or September.
“This appointment [to the Nexus advisory board] reflects our unwavering commitment to innovation, sustainability, and furthering our long-standing partnership with Textron,” commented FlyExclusive president Tommy Sowers. “As one of the largest operators of Cessna Citations&nbsp;[with] decades of experience and deep respect for the talented individuals at Textron, we are eager to bring our unique perspective to the table and collaborate on designing the future of flight—all to provide superior service and experience for our customers.”
Textron has said that, in addition to passenger flights, it envisages the Nexus being deployed for services such as cargo transportation and emergency medical services.
This story was updated on August 21 to include details about the Nexus program timeline and some aspects of the aircraft design.
<figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center">
<article class="media media--type-image media--view-mode-default">
 
 <div class="layout layout--onecol">
 <div class="layout__region layout__region--content">
 <div class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blockmediaimagefield-media-image">
 
 
 
 <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/futureflight/import/Nexus_IMG9039.jpg" width="7625" height="5086" alt="Textron eAviation has conducted wind tunnel tests on a model for its Nexus eVTOL aircraft." title="Textron eAviation has conducted wind tunnel tests on a model for its Nexus eVTOL aircraft. (Image: Textron)">

</div>
 
 </div>
<div class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blockmediaimagefield-caption">
 
 
 
 <div class="field field--name-field-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Textron eAviation has conducted wind tunnel tests on a model for its Nexus eVTOL aircraft. (Image: Textron)</div>
 
 </div>

 </div>
 </div>

 </article>

<figcaption>Textron eAviation has conducted wind tunnel tests on a model for its Nexus eVTOL aircraft. (Image: Textron)</figcaption>
</figure>
&nbsp;

Managing Editor

Charles Alcock

Charter Operator FlyExclusive Joins Advisory Board for Textron's Nexus eVTOL Aircraft

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

The Velis Electro is the world' first certified electric aircraft to make it into commercial production, and most buyers are using it for flight training.

Electric Flyers Might Soon Fly Velis Electro

This year Textron Aviation has made a big leap forward in executing its strategic plan for a leadership role in the so-called advanced air mobility (AAM) revolution. Alongside rival Embraer, it is the only other mainstream business aircraft manufacturer to be assembling a credible product portfolio of electric and autonomous aircraft.
The U.S. aerospace and defense group sees the new sector gaining serious momentum from around 2030, and by then it could potentially have several new electric aircraft ready to enter service next to a product line that already includes the ubiquitous King Air and Caravan turboprop families and Citation business jets.
In March 2021, Textron signaled its ambitions with the formation of its eAviation division under the leadership of former Textron senior vice president of sales and marketing Rob Scholl, reporting directly to group chairman and CEO Scott Donnelly. Just over 12 months later the surprise acquisition of electric aviation pioneer<a href="The Nexus eVTOL aircraft from Bell is one part of Textron's portfolio of electric aircraft"> Pipistrel</a> in April 2022 well and truly turned theory into practice, providing the basis for several new aircraft now in the development pipeline.
The deal also seems to have breathed new life into the plans being hatched by Textron’s helicopter division Bell for its <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/aircraft-program/nexus">Nexus eVTOL</a> vehicle. After seeming content for the industry to assume that this project was&nbsp;on the back burner, Scholl told&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;that <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-07-28/textron-changes-course-evtol-aircraft-plans-confirming-nexus-active-program">Bell </a>is now building the first prototype and expects to be ready to start flying it in 2024 or 2025.
“Our design is a bit bigger than what we’re now seeing in the [eVTOL] air taxi sector, weighing 8,000 pounds, with a 50-foot wingspan and a range of 100 nm,” Scholl told&nbsp;AIN. “We believe this is a pragmatic choice to reflect applicable technology and regulatory considerations.”
This represents a significant range increase over earlier iterations of the Nexus that&nbsp;were expected to fly no further than around 60 miles. The new Nexus will&nbsp;be able to fly at 120 kts and its wingspan has been increased in order to meet current FAA vertical flight regulations.
The larger and longer-range model unveiled at an NBAA show press conference on Monday looks markedly different from a succession of earlier technology demonstrators that Bell has been working on over the past five years. With about the same dimensions as the Grand Caravan, it features an open rotor system with four stationary units for vertical lift and a pair of tilting rotors for the transition to cruise flight.
One of the main reasons Textron sees AAM services taking somewhat longer to gain momentum than start-up rivals pushing for launch in 2024 or 2025 are the challenges associated with new infrastructure requirements, especially in terms of airspace management, and also new regulations. “We need to be more focused on how we increase airspace capacity, how do we increase communication to get aircraft talking to each other,” Scholl stated. “If anyone can do it, Textron can.”
In his view, ground infrastructure for eVTOL operations is somewhat less of an immediate imperative as he feels the new services can get started mainly with existing infrastructure, rather than by, “building hundreds of new vertiports.” Textron is looking to build on its long-established engagement with leading regulators like the FAA and EASA to contribute to putting the AAM building blocks in place.
The Nexus program team now consists of some 50 full-time engineers, most of whom are based in Textron’s Pawnee Campus Glass House in Wichita, Kansas. Additionally, the group is tapping not only Bell’s engineering resources, but also colleagues from Pipistrel (providing battery expertise)&nbsp;and&nbsp;from other Textron units, including automotive supplier Kautex and propeller specialist McCauley.
Despite a declared willingness to accelerate Nexus’s path to market, Textron appears to see more immediate potential for fixed-wing electric aircraft. These include Pipistrel’s Velis Electro trainer, which is still the only type-certified aircraft with a growing customer base in Europe that Textron now wants to expand through achieving FAA approval.
At this past summer’s EAA AirVenture show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Textron announced plans to step up certification efforts for Pipistrel’s Panthera general aviation model. At first, the focus is on the standard model powered by a new Lycoming piston engine, but Scholl pointed out that the group’s new Slovenia-based subsidiary has already flown a hybrid-electric technology demonstrator as part of the Horizon 2020 Mahepa research and development work backed by the European Union.
Also now in the eAviation mix is Pipistrel’s Nuuva family of uncrewed cargo air vehicles, including the in-development V300 model. This has already been deployed for airspace integration testing in Europe and is intended for middle-mile freight distribution work.
The Slovenian company is also offering an uncrewed intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platform called the Surveyor. This medium-altitude model has a flight endurance of up to around 30 hours.
Pipistrel has also been working on an electric 19-passenger regional airliner&nbsp;called the Miniliner that bares a passing resemblance to Textron’s Beech 1900 commuter.
The Miniliner is intended to operate on routes of around 300 nm, connecting small airports with little or no scheduled airline services to bigger international gateways. Scholl said this project is still in the works, albeit with a somewhat longer timeline than some of the other market opportunities now pre-occupying the eAviation team.
Parent company Textron Aviation recently announced a partnership with hydrogen propulsion system developer <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-09-29/textron-partners-zeroavia-convert-grand-caravan-aircraft-hydrogen">ZeroAvia</a> to electrify the Cessna Grand Caravan. The companies are working to secure a supplemental type certificate to install the 600 kW ZA600 powertrain on the turboprop single by 2025.
“Getting the business economics right is a big part of the challenge for sustainable aviation,” Scholl concluded. “Textron is uniquely positioned to lead the AAM sector. Few companies will make it to market and be successful.”

Textron eAviation Wants to Lead Mainstream Business Aviation to an Advanced Air Mobility Future

Textron’s eAviation division is continuing work on its Nexus eVTOL prototype aircraft and is aiming for a first flight “in a couple of years,” according to division president and CEO Rob Scholl. This marks a change of course for the U.S. company, which previously indicated that it had dropped plans to bring the model to market.
For now, work is proceeding on the design and build of the latest iteration of the hybrid-electric aircraft Nexus 4 EX, which Textron&nbsp;unveiled in January 2020.&nbsp;A dedicated team within the new eAviation business unit based in Wichita is now leading the program, with support from colleagues from other Textron divisions, including Bell, Textron Aviation, automotive supplier Kautex, and newly acquired Slovenia-based light aircraft manufacturer <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-03-17/textron-supercharges-electric-aviation-ambitions-pipistrel-acquisition">Pipistrel</a>.
Back in <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-11-24/textron-confirms-bells-nexus-evtol-may-not-make-it-market">November 2021</a>, Scholl indicated to FutureFlight that it no longer viewed the Nexus as an active program. He explained that Textron would not proceed with the full development of an eVTOL vehicle until it could make the business case for doing so, implying that this was heavily predicated on significant advances in battery technology.
Given its background in certifying the all-electric Velis Electro fixed-wing training aircraft and its previous work on various eVTOL designs, Pipistrel’s contribution could be especially valuable with the Nexus.&nbsp;“There are a lot of synergies [within Textron] on the advanced air mobility side,” Scholl told FutureFlight in an interview this week. “People find the work that we're doing exciting and interesting.”
However, Scholl threw shade on any notion that Pipistrel’s input would mean the market could eventually expect a dramatically smaller version of the ducted fan Nexus, an initial mockup of which was first revealed in 2019. “I think the size of Nexus reflects, in my opinion, an aircraft that will be usable for the market. Battery technology now is going to drive you to a larger design to carry those batteries. Regulatory certification requirements are going to end up adding more structure to the aircraft. When it comes right down to it, you have to have an aircraft that customers are going to want to pay to fly in. Those factors drive you to a larger airframe in the air taxi space.” 
While this will at first be expensive, Scholl said, the price of the four-passenger aircraft should come down over time with economies of scale. “We're trying to design this aircraft that we think will be useful in the real world,” he said. Citing Textron’s long experience with certified business aircraft programs via its Bell, Beechcraft, and Cessna brands, Scholl said eAviation seeks to bring “some reality” to the urban air mobility product space. “The credibility of Textron resonates with [potential] markets and users of the aircraft.”
Scholl said the pace of the <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/aircraft-program/nexus-4ex">Nexus</a> program would be driven by both technological and regulatory factors. “You need to see the whole supply chain coming together to get the cost of these aircraft down so&nbsp;that, in the end, the operator has a usable business case. We have to make sure we [offer] an&nbsp;aircraft that is robust in terms of operational costs so that operators can be effective in their business model,” he said. 
&nbsp;

Textron Changes Course on eVTOL Aircraft Plans, Confirming Nexus Is an Active Program

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

Pipistrel hopes to begin deliveries of its Velis Electro electric-powered training airplane in the U.S. next year after changes to FAA regulations.

Pipistrel Seeking To Fly Electric Velis Trainer Under New FAA Rules

While Textron still clearly harbors strong ambitions in the electric aviation and wider advanced air mobility sector, the U.S. aerospace group has all but confirmed that its Bell business’s long-awaited Nexus eVTOL aircraft will not be its first product in this market, at least not in its current iteration. In a November 24 interview with FutureFlight, Rob Scholl, the senior Textron executive appointed nine months ago to lead its eAviation team, acknowledged that Nexus is not an active program and said that the company will not confirm plans to bring a passenger-carrying eVTOL model to market until it confirms a business case for doing so.
“Nexus has been in the works for five years and it has been a useful exercise to test the [all-electric] technology and market feedback,” Scholl explained. “Bell has continued to evolve designs internally and develop the technologies, and we have a good view of these in terms of the technology roadmap. We will continue to invest [in this area] as it makes sense, but we still have to see further development of the battery technology and the economic case.”
Bell unveiled the Nexus eVTOL concept in early 2019&nbsp;and the company was previously&nbsp;named by Uber as a partner in its Elevate urban air mobility plans. However, since around early 2020, when it introduced&nbsp;the revised 4EX version and announced a partnership with Japan's Sumitomo group just before the Covid pandemic broke out,&nbsp;the company has had little to say publicly about progress with the project.
By contrast, in late September, Airbus unveiled its long-awaited plans to develop a four-passenger eVTOL aircraft called CityAirbus NextGen. This project is being led by the European aerospace group's Airbus Helicopters division, which competes directly with Bell in the rotorcraft market.
Textron's rotorcraft division has worked on its Autonomous Pod Transport drone concept with similar motivations, but, again, does not yet see a clear path to market. “We’ve looked at working with [defense-orientated] Textron Systems on that, but we see the same challenges in terms of economics,” Scholl said. “A lot of these technologies that are in the early phases &nbsp;are very cost-sensitive.”
Essentially, Textron appears to feel no commercial time pressure from attention-seeking start-ups racing to bring eVTOL models into commercial service around 2024. “The economics of these models are the key,” said Scholl. “We could bring an aircraft to market, one that would be robust, pass the regulations, and work operationally, but it has to work for the public and that could take time; this market [for eVTOL passenger flights] could develop in waves.”
So far, most of the eAviation team's efforts have focused on discussions with possible technology and capital partners. Scholl’s role has been to understand what each Textron business unit is or could contribute to the group’s plans for electric aviation and assess&nbsp;“where and how we can participate.” He said that this exercise will continue into 2022, and Textron may announce further partnerships beyond those it has with Surf Air and Ampaire to convert the Grand Caravan aircraft to hybrid-electric propulsion, and with Xwing, which is working on remotely piloted operations with this ubiquitous utility model. Separately, MagniX is also advancing plans to convert the Caravan to electric propulsion.
Scholl said that the SkyCourier is another Textron aircraft that could benefit from electrification. Quizzed as to whether the company has similar plans for its King Air family, in view of start-up Bye Aerospace’s plans to develop an electric challenger called the eFlyer 800, he noted that the task is more challenging for an aircraft of that size.
That said, Textron’s customer base is increasingly pressing for the introduction of more environmentally sustainable aircraft.&nbsp;Scholl acknowledged that this market pressure, on top of momentum in the same direction from its own workforce, is a significant factor as it advances plans around reducing its products’ dependence on fossil fuels, while also trying to reduce the carbon footprint of its production process.
“There’s a lot of interest in sustainability from customers across the spectrum, and the industry would like to see fuels [like 100LL avgas] phased out,” Scholl said. “Electrification could be the way out for this, and we’re talking to customers involved in areas such as training and special missions, as well as individual aircraft owners.”
But autonomous flight, including remotely piloted operations, may take longer to adopt in Textron’s view, even though Bell is working on increased automation for some of its existing helicopters. “Technology isn’t the biggest challenge,” concluded Scholl. “It’s airspace integration and public acceptance. If we do autonomy too quickly, the public may not accept it for a long time and it could stunt its growth.”
The recent launch of the CityAirbus NextGen program follows extensive flight trials with the CityAirbus and Vahana technology demonstrators. The design unveiled during September 21 sustainability conference in Toulouse is a fixed-wing aircraft, with a V-shaped tail and eight sets of electric motors and propellers.
An engineering team led by Airbus Helicopters is working on the detailed design, with the aim of achieving the&nbsp;first flight with a prototype in 2023, en route to type certification in 2025. It will carry up to four passengers on flights of up to 80 km (50 miles) and at speeds of 120 km/h (75 mph).
In April, Italian rotorcraft manufacturer Leonardo&nbsp;confirmed plans to develop a hybrid-electric-powered light helicopter that could be available in the second half of this decade. The company said it will likely use the prototypes for its new AW09 aircraft as technology demonstrators for the new project.
Back in 2013, Leonardo announced plans to develop electric and hybrid-electric concepts for a new tiltrotor aircraft through its Project Zero initiative. This was based on a technology demonstrator that the Italian company, then called AgustaWestland,&nbsp;had already flown secretly in 2011 and 2012, but the project has since been abandoned.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Textron eAviation

News

Textron eAviation's Nexus eVTOL Aircraft Could Fly in 2025

Textron eAviation Shows Off FAA-approved Velis, Works on Nexus eVTOL

Pipistrel Gains FAA Exemption for Velis Electro

Textron Refreshes Leadership of eAviation Division to Progress Nexus eVTOL Aircraft Program

Charter Operator FlyExclusive Joins Advisory Board for Textron's Nexus eVTOL Aircraft

Electric Flyers Might Soon Fly Velis Electro

Textron eAviation Wants to Lead Mainstream Business Aviation to an Advanced Air Mobility Future

Textron Changes Course on eVTOL Aircraft Plans, Confirming Nexus Is an Active Program

Pipistrel Seeking To Fly Electric Velis Trainer Under New FAA Rules

Textron Confirms Bell's Nexus eVTOL May Not Make It to Market

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN