2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Jerry Siebenmark

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 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.

Textron Aviation delivers fewer business jets and turboprops than last year despite a robust environment.

Supply Chain Weighs on Textron Aviation Q3 Deliveries

Matt Thurber

New developments and products in avionics, specifically about aircraft electronics in the cockpit.

The Citation Sovereign and Hawker 4000 will be able to take advantage of FANS safety services with an STC under development by Textron Aviation.

Textron Aviation Picks Skytrac for FANS Upgrade

Charles Alcock

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

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.

Textron Aviation is building a strong portfolio of new electric and autonomous aircraft, including the redesigned Nexus eVTOL model.

Textron Powers Up Advanced Air Mobility Portfolio

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

The Wichita-based airframer plans an expanded parts distribution warehouse and new satellite service center.

Textron Aviation Emphasizes Aftermarket Support, Service

Textron Aviation will deliver the five Beechcraft King Air 360 twin turboprops to the Queensland Police Service in Austrailia.

Textron Aviation Takes Order for Five King Air 360s

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

Under a new partnership, Textron Aviation will electrify its Cessna Grand Caravans using the ZeroAvia ZA600 hydrogen-electric propulsion system.

Textron, ZeroAvia Team on Caravan Hydrogen Conversions

Textron Aviation is to electrify its Cessna Grand Caravan utility aircraft using ZeroAvia’s 600-kW hydrogen-electric propulsion system. Under a development agreement announced on September 29, the companies will work together to obtain an FAA supplemental&nbsp;type certificate to retrofit the turboprop aircraft using the ZA600 powertrain.
California-based ZeroAvia aims to complete certification of the ZA600 system by 2025. Its work will now be supported by Textron’s engineers, who will provide data and certification support.
The U.S. manufacturer has already delivered more than 2,400 Grand Caravans worldwide, giving the partners a large potential retrofit market. According to ZeroAvia, the aircraft’s high-wing design makes it suitable for mounting hydrogen fuel tanks under the wings, without limiting space for passengers or freight.&nbsp;
Textron has created an&nbsp;eAviation division to advance plans for electric-powered aircraft. This year it acquired electric aviation pioneer Pipistrel.
Meanwhile, ZeroAvia is continuing ground testing of a converted<a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-05-06/zeroavia-converts-second-dornier-228-hydrogen-propulsion-flight-testing"> Dornier 228 aircraft </a>and says that within the next few weeks it will be ready to start test flights from its facility at Cotswold Airport in the UK. The company, which earlier this year raised an <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-07-20/zeroavia-raises-additional-30-million-series-b-funding-round">additional $30 million</a>,&nbsp;wants to convert nine- to <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-08-04/american-airlines-commits-hydrogen-powered-regional-fleet-zeroavia">19-seat regional airliners </a>to hydrogen power using the same ZA600 system. It is also working on a more powerful 2.5-MW ZA2000 system for <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-05-23/zeroavia-advances-hydrogen-regional-jet-plans-mitsubishi">40- to 80-seat aircraft</a> that it says could be ready to enter commercial service in 2027.
Other companies, such as <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-04-26/ampaire-seeks-new-funding-hybrid-electric-plans-surf-air-acquisition">Ampaire</a>, are working on plans to convert the Grand Caravan to electric propulsion. It is developing a conversion program for what it calls the EcoCaravan.
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Managing Editor

Textron Partners with ZeroAvia to Convert Grand Caravan Aircraft to Hydrogen Propulsion

The U.S. Forest Service will use the new King Air 260s for wildfire mapping missions.

Textron Aviation Delivers King Airs to Forest Service

Textron Aviation is to jointly develop autonomous flight capability for its current and future aircraft under a partnership with Xwing. A&nbsp;non-exclusive agreement signed on October 12 calls for&nbsp;the companies’ engineering teams to develop and certify remote&nbsp;piloting&nbsp;technology for Textron’s Cessna Grand Caravan utility aircraft.
California-based Xwing is already operating a converted Caravan under an experimental certificate for research and development purposes with a supervising pilot on board. In addition, it has commercial operations with Caravans through its Part 135 subsidiary San Antonio Air Charter. It has applied to the FAA for clearance to fly its experimental aircraft commercially with a ground-based pilot and safety pilot on board, and this approval is still in process.
Textron has asked the Xwing team to provide expertise on autonomous flight technology and help it with design and manufacturing work to integrate these systems into existing and new aircraft. In return, the U.S.-based aircraft manufacturer will provide its partner with engineering and certification support. 
The agreement does not specify how Textron and Xwing might jointly market converted and new-build autonomous aircraft. However, Xwing has acknowledged that the partners are discussing this prospect and view strong eCommerce-fueled growth logistics and express delivery air services as a&nbsp;driver for autonomous operations, especially in view of the anticipated pilot shortage.
“The general aviation sector is ripe for new technologies,” commented Textron Aviation senior vice president Chris Hearne. “Textron Aviation has many of the most proven and scalable aviation solutions in the industry, and we are pleased to be the place where innovators like Xwing come for aircraft platforms.”
Xwing recently completed a $40 million funding round. Earlier this year, it&nbsp;carried out what it says was the world’s first autonomous gate-to-gate flight of a commercial cargo aircraft.
“It is an honor to work with Textron Aviation to optimize the next generation of aircraft for autonomous flight,” said Xwing founder and CEO Marc Piette. “Best suited and reliable for the air cargo industry, the Cessna Grand Caravan fleet has accumulated millions of flight hours. We look forward to playing a role in furthering the development of an autonomous aircraft using this platform as we reimagine the potential of autonomous technology within the aviation industry.”
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Textron Aviation

News

Supply Chain Weighs on Textron Aviation Q3 Deliveries

Textron Aviation Picks Skytrac for FANS Upgrade

Textron Powers Up Advanced Air Mobility Portfolio

Textron Aviation Emphasizes Aftermarket Support, Service

Textron Aviation Takes Order for Five King Air 360s

Textron, ZeroAvia Team on Caravan Hydrogen Conversions

Textron Partners with ZeroAvia to Convert Grand Caravan Aircraft to Hydrogen Propulsion

Textron Aviation Delivers King Airs to Forest Service

Textron Teams with Xwing To Bring Autonomous Flight Capability to Its Aircraft

Cessna Begins Latitude Deliveries, Launches U.S. Tour

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