Recent Updates

Eviation Aircraft has announced that U.S.-based Cape Air will be the first commercial customer for its all-electric Alice aircraft. The agreement was described as a “double-digit purchase option” but the exact number of aircraft Cape Air is considering was not disclosed. Eviation displayed the first “fully operational” Alice at the Paris Air Show in Le […]

Siemens signed an agreement to sell its eAircraft unit to Rolls-Royce at the Paris Airshow in Le Bourget, France, on Tuesday. Siemens eAircraft, which develops electric and hybrid-electric propulsion systems for the aerospace industry, has facilities in Germany and Hungary and employees approximately 180 people. Siemens reports that it has been working on electric aircraft […]

NASA’s all-electric X-plane has made significant progress toward its stated goal of “demonstrating innovative technology through electric-powered experimental flight,” the agency announced on Thursday. The X-57 Maxwell, a modified Tecnam P2006T, has been undergoing a series of phased modifications (“Mods”) in preparation for its first flight and eventual use as an electric propulsion research platform. […]

Airbus unveiled the latest version of its single-aisle A321neo passenger jet, the A321XLR, at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, France, on Monday. The A321XLR (eXtra Long Range) will have a range of up to 4,700 NM, a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 101 metric tons and, according to Airbus, a “30% lower fuel […]

CubCrafters is building out its house. Because a good portion of the 100 aircraft the Yakima, Washington-based manufacturer plans to build in 2019 are experimental versions as part of its Factory eXperimental builder-assistance program, it needed an extra 11,000 square feet of floor space, which it now has. The company says that its “growth has […]

Tamarack Aerospace says most of the Citation 525 series jets equipped with its ATLAS active winglets grounded by AD in May are now fitted with revised hardware. The company—and owners—are awaiting technical reviews from EASA and the FAA to clear the AD and return the airplanes to service. In this exclusive AVweb podcast, Tamarack’s Jacob […]

Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg told reporters on Sunday that the company made a “mistake” in not immediately telling regulators, pilots and airlines about the problems it was having with the angle of attack disagree warning on the Boeing 737 MAX. It only worked if the customer bought an AOA cockpit indicator and it took Boeing […]

Airbus is testing a scale model of an A321 with “flapping” wingtips it says may lead to lighter and less draggy wing designs. The AlbatrossOne remote control aircraft has been fitted with semi-aeroelastic hinges on the wingtips. The hinges allow the tips to move in response to wind gusts and turbulence, reducing stress on the […]

Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation has announced that it has given its MRJ aircraft family the “commercial” name SpaceJet. The SpaceJet M90, formerly the MRJ90, began certification flight test activities in the U.S. in March and the company opened a new U.S. headquarters in Renton, Washington, last May. Mitsubishi plans to begin deliveries of the M90 regional […]

Battery limitations continue to stunt the potential of electric aircraft, but Uber is betting that current technology is good enough to make urban air mobility workable now and will only improve as the vehicles mature. At this week’s Uber Elevate Summit in Washington, D.C., the company’s Mark Moore said battery capacity and longevity drives both […]