Re: “.. Long long winding road..”
in response to
by
posted on
Oct 24, 2024 09:05PM
Absolutely, Cal. It has been a long winding road and the remaining road is also long and winding, hopefully not as long or as winding as what LAC has already achieved. As for the announcement of another company using lithium batteries for commercial air travel purposes that list gets longer and longer every day. We have arrived at EVs in the air for commercial transport, but in this case the pronouncment that EVs for commercial air transport is "in its infancy" would be a correct use of the concept. It really is the beginning for commercial air transport, but what a beginning. I don't remember how many article links I have already posted confirming the arrival of electric commercial air transport over the past couple of years here on Agoracom, but all of the ones I posted were just a small sample to illustrate the concept. Anyone can do their own search and quikly see the broad application of BEV use proposed and actually being developed throughout the world.
Alice flew in 2022 and was touted as the first commercial electric plane, but it still hasn't been finished. See the updated article from this month:
If we are still talking about future commercial electric powered airplanes then this one seems to be soaking up its share of journalistic ink:
How passenger electric planes could become a reality within the next decade - ABC News
Harbour Air in Canada has flown and continues to develop their own electric commercial airplane that they intend to put into commercial use in the next few years. Yup, it is still "in development".
Going Electric | Harbour Air Seaplanes
Another one "in development" is the Seaglider:
All-electric Seagliders are about to take flight in the US
Still in the "in development" saga is Sweden's ES-30:
This regional electric airplane is set decarbonize flying | World Economic Forum
Fligt schools have started training student pilots in electric planes:
Canada’s first-ever commercial electric flight takes off in B.C. | Globalnews.ca
The U.K. gets into the act of using Electric Planes for Flight School training:
Inside a flying school with a 100% electric aircraft | Science, Climate & Tech News | Sky News
Delta stated that 2024 would be the year that they would initiate their Electric Taxi program. 2024 is almost up, I don't think they made the goal post, but Delta, just like LAC, may have had to "extend" the goal post a little, eh?
Delta Plans to Offer Commuter Flights on Small Electric Aircraft - AFAR
The article linked as follows claims that Electric Taxis are one step closer: Electric Air Taxis Take Center Stage at NBAA's Business Jet Conference
Hyundai is getting into the Air Taxi racket: Electric Air Taxis Take Center Stage at NBAA's Business Jet Conference
Vertical Aerospace in the U.K. had planned to start operations in 2024 with their Electric Taxi. I don't think they made that goal post, but progress continues: Vertical Aerospace · Pioneering Electric Aviation
"Bruchsal, 8 August 2024: Volocopter, the pioneer of sustainable air mobility, successfully completed a crewed test flight at the Aerodrome of Saint-Cyr-l'École, the first bespoke commercial vertiport for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) integrated within Volocopter’s approved flights routes in Paris. This flight initiated the eVTOL operational validation phase, a critical step to making electric flights a norm in the city and beyond. The commencement of this phase holds immense significance for the entire Innovative Air Mobility (IAM) industry, as it will generate practical knowledge for integrating eVTOLs in vertiports and airspaces in megacities worldwide."
Germany's Volocopter had set 2023 as their deadline to get into the Electric Taxi business. Looks like they also had to "extend" the goal post a little, but judging from the above announcement in August of this year it would seem that Volocopter should be starting commercial electric taxi service in Paris "soon". "Soon", of course, is subject to interpretation but they have certainly done a lot of the ground work toward their goal:
Paris Sets the Stage for eVTOL Operational Validation
And, of course, the Chinese get into the act and withot a pilot in the commercial electric air taxi. You heard that right, without a pilot in the plane:
The world’s first certified passenger-carrying air taxi takes flight - CyberGuy
Okiedo