Paris Airshow
As well as celebrating a decade of our Jetex Paris le Bourget location, lots of other exciting announcements were being made during the International Paris Airshow.
The main theme of this year’s show has been sustainability in the industry. Among those pushing boundaries in electric aviation were Airbus and VoltAero Cassio, pushing the boundaries of hybrid and eVTOL engineering with demonstrations throughout the show.
Rolls-Royce have announced plans to acquire Siemen’s eAircraft Business to continue to revolutionize jet travel. The partnership will concentrate on evolving the gas turbine engine, advancing the use of sustainable alternative fuels and electric engines – all to help manage CO2 emissions and aviation sustainability.
The announcement further echoes a joint statement by Airbus, Boeing, Dassault Aviation, Rolls-Royce and United Technologies Corp at the show to cement their commitment to reducing aviation pollution drastically. They pledge to reduce CO2 emissions to half of 2005 levels by 2050 and to limit growth of net CO2 emissions by next year.
The most ambitious project? Check out Zephyr Endless Flight – a solar-powered balloon concept that would no longer require fuel to moderate the direction of travel. It could even take you to the edge of the stratosphere!
Supersonic Air travel?
As well as emerging technologies, the aeronautical industry is in the process of reviving an old one – Supersonic travel. ICAO and the FAA are looking at regulation changes that would permit supersonic travel, 15 years after the Concorde flew for the last time. The changes would affect current rules that restrict supersonic aircraft from flying over-populated areas, due to noise pollution. Companies such as Boom, Spike and Aero are also looking to revolutionize the business to bring supersonic back to the mainstream.
Call for Pilots
CAE, the aviation training specialists have announced a serious of scholarships and programs aimed to encourage potential pilots to join the industry. CAE estimates the civil aviation industry to need over 300,000 new pilots to satisfy growing demand. Their scholarships also aim to bring a more diverse range of applicants into the air.
Rolls Royce Around the World
Rolls Royce and Aeroflot have celebrated a new record – one of their engines has endured 50,000 engine flying hours – without requiring an overhaul. The distance is equivalent to 1,000 round the world trips – or travelling to the moon and back 50 times! The engine entered service in 2008 and has powered an A330 aircraft.
This weeks Why Fly Private
A man traveling from Pittsburgh International Airport on an American Airlines flight to Dallas had to be restrained by crew and passengers with duct tape as he became agitated during the flight. The flight had to make an emergency landing at Oklahoma City, where the passenger was arrested.
