The Wichita, Kansas-based company has announced the first flight of the full-scale technology demonstrator of its electric vehicle takeoff and landing aircraft will happen at Salina Regional Airport (KSLN). In addition to Runways 17/35 and 4/22, the airport also has six helipads.

“This program will follow the successful conclusion of initial restrained flight tests, which are planned for 2025 at the National Institute of Aviation Research facility in Wichita,” Textron said in a statement.

• READ MORE: Bell Unveils Nexus eVTOL Air Taxi

The company said the flight test program at KSLN will be “instrumental in validating the aircraft’s full performance envelope.”

The Nexus is a zero-emission aircraft designed to carry one pilot and up to four passengers. Its electric propulsion system powers four tilting propellers and two aft stationary vertical rotors. 

The aircraft will have a wide range of applications, ranging from the transportation of cargo to passenger transport, Textron said.

UAS Research and Development

Salina Regional Airport was established in 1942 and used as a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress base during World War II. Today, it is known in part for its role in the development of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) as it is used for testing for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations that are part of the development of this technology by the FAA.

The airport is also used by the Kansas State University Applied Aviation Research Center for UAS research and development.

“Kansas boasts a rich aviation history, and we’re proud to work alongside the Salina Airport Authority [SAA] to test these emerging technologies so close to home,” said Kriya Shortt, president and CEO of Textron eAviation, adding that the facilities and support provided by SAA are vital in bringing the Nexus eVTOL to market.

“Salina Regional Airport has a long-standing tradition of supporting aviation innovation, and we look forward to contributing to the success of the Nexus eVTOL program,” said Pieter Miller, executive director of the Salina Airport Authority.

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Pipistrel is part of the Textron eAviation segment of Textron Inc. According to Textron, the Velis Electro received full type certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in 2020, followed by an FAA exemption earlier this year that permits it to be used for flight training.

• READ MORE: Textron Loans Pipistrel Velis Electro to Smithsonian

“The foundation has leased the Velis Electro to Proteus Air Services, a flight school in Santa Monica, where it will be used primarily for pilot training,” said Eco-Aviation president Scott Burgess. “Additional discovery flights in the Velis Electro will provide hands-on, educational experiences for students and others in the community. These flights are designed to inspire and educate community members about the possibilities within the aviation sector, particularly those who may not have previously considered it as a viable career path.”

Burgess said the Velis Electro was selected because it offers a lower-cost and more sustainable learning platform for student pilots to acquire flying skills while giving them early experience on next-generation power systems. 

“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,” he said, adding that the foundation is expecting the arrival of its second Velis Electro in November.

• READ MORE: Pipistrel’s Velis Electro Promises Electric Revolution

More Than Flight Training

In addition to providing flight training, the Eco-Aviation Foundation has plans to create an Eco Flight Ground School and initiate scholarships while working with local youth-focused community centers and aviation training opportunities.

According to the foundation, the scholarships will fund private pilot ground school, training on electric aircraft technologies, and the FAA knowledge test.

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On Tuesday, Textron eAviation announced it will loan a Pipistrel Velis Electro to the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., where it will be showcased for the next three years. Textron acquired Pipistrel and the Velis for $235 million in 2022.

“This contribution represents a major milestone in actively promoting sustainable aviation technology to educate the next generation of aviators, while also strengthening our position as leaders in reducing the industry’s impact on the environment,” said Kriya Shortt, president and CEO of Textron eAviation.

The Velis Electro, winner of the 2021 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Aircraft Design Award, will be a unique addition for the museum, which largely features aircraft that no longer fly.

It received European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) type certification in 2020, becoming the first electric aircraft in the world to reach the milestone. In March, it earned a light sport aircraft (LSA) exemption from the FAA, opening up flight training using electric aircraft in the U.S.

In 2021, flight school Florida Tech became the first in the country to own and fly (in the experimental category) an electric aircraft when it purchased the Velis. The following year, a student pilot flying the model became the first in the U.S. to earn a pilot private certificate in an electric airplane.

Even the U.S. military is interested in the aircraft—last year, AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Air Force, picked the Velis for its Agility Prime aircraft development and flight test program. The initiative seeks to uncover military applications for commercial designs that have yet to hit the market.

Soon, members of the public will have the opportunity to see the Velis Electro up close and personal at the National Air and Space Museum’s upcoming exhibition next year.

“As we endeavor to tell stories about innovations occurring right now in aerospace, Textron eAviation’s loan of a Pipistrel Velis Electro allows us to explore the topic of sustainability efforts in aviation,” said Roger Connor, a curator at the museum.

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The aircraft will replace the T-44C Pegasus, an earlier version of a militarized King Air that has been in use since 1977. The T-44C is slated to be phased out over the next year.

• READ MORE: Navy to Explore Use of eSTOL Aircraft, Issues Contract to Electra

Last week the T-54As were flown from the factory in Wichita, Kansas, to Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, where they will be used by Naval Air Training Command. They will be used to train the next generation of naval aviators who may go on to fly the P-8A Poseidon, E-2D Hawkeye and C-130 Hercules.

The Navy placed an order for the aircraft made by Textron Aviation in January 2023 as part of a 2023 METS contract. 

• READ MORE: U.S. Navy Awards Contract for Long-Range, Solar-Powered Stealth Drone

“The new METS aircraft will give us the ability to train pilots across the services with an advanced platform that better represents fleet aircraft,” Captain Holly Shoger, program manager of the Naval Undergraduate Flight Training Systems Program Office, said at the time. “The T-54A will include the latest avionics and navigational updates, such as virtual reality and augmented reality devices, to ensure pilots are ready to face any challenges that come their way in tomorrow’s battlespace.” 

The T-54A is a pressurized turboprop with state-of-the-art avionics, including multifunction displays with a digital moving map, an integrated GPS/inertial navigation system, ADS-B, a flight management system, weather radar, radar altimeter, and a cockpit data recorder. 

• READ MORE: U.S. Navy Signs Deal with Boeing for 17 F/A-18 Super Hornets

The T-54 is expected to meet advanced multi-engine and advanced tilt-rotor training requirements for the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps through 2055.

According to NAVAIR, the T-54A will “provide advanced instrument and asymmetric engine handling training to student naval aviators selected for multi-engine fleet communities.”

Last year’s agreement initially ordered 10 King Air 260s and associated support. Deliveries for the first aircraft are scheduled between 2024 and 2026. Per the contract, the Navy may take delivery of up to 64 of the trainers.

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In a news release from Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo 2024, the company said the T182—like the 172, 206 and T206— has received interior facelifts and the first deliveries of the aircraft have occurred. Production of the T182 was paused in 2013 and Textron announced its revival in 2022.

“Textron Aviation’s investment in the Cessna piston aircraft lineup demonstrates the company’s continued enthusiasm and support for pilots worldwide, whether they are pursuing training ambitions or planning their next adventure,” the company said.

• READ MORE: Cessna Turbo Skylane

The upgrades announced include new seats, power headset jacks at every seat, A and C USB charging ports at every seat, along with side and cell phone pockets throughout the aircraft. There is also integrated overhead air conditioning on aircraft with that option and a new center armrest available on certain models.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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“We couldn’t be more thrilled to announce this acquisition of Cessna Skyhawks, which marks a significant milestone in our commitment to providing top-tier aviation education,” said Matthew Johnston, president of CAU. “These new aircraft will help elevate our flight training degree programs, ensuring our students receive the best possible learning experience and preparing them for successful careers in the aviation industry.”

• READ MORE: Cessna 172 Skyhawk Avionics

According to school officials, the aircraft will be utilized at their locations in Bakersfield, San Diego, and Ventura, California, as well as in Mesa, Arizona.

The new aircraft will add to CAU’s current fleet of Skyhawks and Beechcraft Barons. School officials say the flight program continues to grow, and the aircraft are necessary to help maintain an “optimal student-to-aircraft ratio at the university.”

Backbone of Training Fleet

Designed in the 1950s, the Cessna Skyhawk, also known as the C-172, has been the backbone of the training fleet for more than 60 years. It’s difficult, almost impossible, to find a pilot who hasn’t logged time in a Skyhawk. The design began with a round-dial panel, manual flaps, and straight tail. Today it features the shark-fin tail and a full-glass panel sporting Garmin G1000 NXi avionics with wireless connectivity, standard angle-of-attack display system, and proven dependability. The aircraft is equipped with a McCauley aluminum fixed-pitch propeller and a 180 hp Lycoming IO-360-L2A engine.

• READ MORE: ATP Flight School to Add 40 Cessna Skyhawks to Training Fleet

According to Textron, more than 45,000 Skyhawks have been delivered around the world.

“For more than six decades, the Skyhawk has been at the forefront of innovation, empowering aspiring pilots and setting new standards in flight training,” said Chris Crow, vice president of Textron Aviation piston sales. “We are delighted to continue inspiring the journey of flight by providing California Aeronautical University students access to the most-produced, single-engine aircraft globally.”

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Today’s Top Pick is a 2020 Pipistrel Panthera.

Pipistrel’s fast Panthera retractable has been sparking conversation among pilots for several years because of its sleek futuristic appearance, aerodynamic efficiency, 1,100 nm range, and cruise speed of nearly 200 ktas. The four-seat aircraft operates under experimental rules, though Textron, which acquired Pipistrel in 2022, has said the aircraft is on course for certification later this year.

This 2020 Pipistrel Panthera has 70 hours on the airframe and its 260 hp Lycoming IO-540 engine since new. The panel features Garmin G3X avionics with dual 10-inch displays for PFD and MFD and synthetic vision, GTN 750 Xi GPS/Nav/Com, GTN 650 Xi GPS/Nav/Com, GMA 35 audio panel, GTX 345R transponder with ADS-B In and Out, Artex ELT 345 and Mid-Continent Instruments backup airspeed, altimeter, and artificial horizon.

Pilots interested in cutting-edge design, long-distance travel, speed, and fuel efficiency should consider this 2020 Pipistrel Panthera, which is available for $760,000 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

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• Plane & Pilot: Pipistrel Panthera
• The Aviation Consumer: Pipistrel Panthera: Sleek, Stylish, Fast

The post This 2020 Pipistrel Panthera Is an Efficient, Experimental AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Reliable Robotics, which in November completed the first flight of a Cessna 208B Caravan with no one on board, received military airworthiness approval to begin flight testing and operational missions of remotely piloted aircraft for the U.S. Air Force. The company will demonstrate its dual-use automated flight capabilities for military use cases such as cargo missions.

Reliable’s remotely operated aircraft system (ROAS) completed an airworthiness assessment comprising a comprehensive safety analysis, maintenance and operational evaluations, and testing of its automated flight tech. 

The approval is the latest milestone in the company’s Phase III Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Air Force. That collaboration began in 2021. Since then, Reliable has conducted a demonstration flight at California’s Travis Air Force Base and been contracted by AFWERX to study the possibility of automating large multiengine jets.

Now, the firm is one of only a few in the emerging aviation space with military airworthiness under its belt. Beta Technologies received the first such approval for an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) design in 2021. Lift Aircraft, maker of the Hexa personal eVTOL, nabbed one the following year. Other manufacturers of novel tech, such as Archer Aviation, also maintain relationships with AFWERX and the Department of Defense.

“Our AFWERX partners are developing exciting automation technologies through robust engineering and flight test campaigns,” said Hank “Hog” Griffiths, AFWERX airworthiness and test lead. “The technology is maturing rapidly and this airworthiness approval for a certified aircraft retrofitted with an autonomous flight system provides significant opportunities for the military.”

ROAS allows pilots to safely operate aircraft from the ground, which could alleviate the sting of pilot shortages. Some even argue automated flight tech could one day be safer than crewed flight.

Reliable is developing the aircraft agnostic system to automate all phases of flight—from taxi to takeoff to landing—for any design. That includes cargo aircraft designed for payloads north of 3,000 pounds.

The company has an entrenched relationship with Textron Aviation and Textron eAviation—the manufacturer’s sustainable flight arm—to retrofit ROAS onto additional Caravans. Textron has delivered more than 3,000 of the aircraft, making it one of the most widely used turboprops in the world.

ROAS’ continuous autopilot system relies on advanced navigation and multiple redundant layers to reach a level of reliability equal to crewed flight, Reliable claims. It includes automatic braking and is positioned as being able to prevent both controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) and loss of control in flight (LOC-I), according to the company.

Redundant hardware and software automate the flight control surfaces and engine controls. Similarly redundant voice and data networks, meanwhile, enable remote command and radio management for pilots.

“Nothing compares to showcasing how our autonomous flight capabilities will immediately enable new ways for the U.S. Air Force and other departments of the military to lead with innovation, improve safety, and project power across the globe,” said former Air Force Major General David O’Brien, senior vice president of government solutions at Reliable.

But Reliable is looking beyond defense use cases. ROAS—capable of automating aircraft with useful loads as high as 3,000 pounds or the ability to take off from shorter runways—could one day enable time-sensitive deliveries to locations currently served by piloted Caravans. In 2022, the company announced plans to launch a fully owned Part 135 airline subsidiary led by former Ameriflight executives.

In addition to its collaboration with the Air Force, Reliable has also demonstrated automated flight capabilities for NASA and the FAA, the latter of which formally accepted the firm’s certification plan in June. The company capped off 2023 with its historic cargo flight, keeping an uncrewed Caravan in the air for 12 minutes.

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Mountain View, California-based Reliable Robotics last week announced that it successfully flew a Cessna 208B Caravan in November, with no one on board—an achievement it said was a first for aviation. The uncrewed, FAA-approved flight, which lasted about 12 minutes, was operated remotely by pilot Danah Tommalieh from a control center 50 miles away.

The Caravan, a loan from potential customer FedEx, took off from Hollister Municipal Airport (KCVH) in California’s San Francisco Bay Area. Tommalieh was stationed at Reliable’s Mountain View headquarters.

“Reliable’s successful flight of an uncrewed Cessna 208 Caravan represents a milestone for the industry in bringing new technology to aviation,” said Chris Hearne, senior vice president of engineering and programs for Textron Aviation, which includes the Cessna brand.

Textron has delivered more than 3,000 Caravans, making it one of the most widely used turboprops in the world. Reliable has been working with both Textron Aviation and Textron eAviation—the sustainable flight subsidiary of Textron—to retrofit its continuous autopilot technology onto the popular model.

Reliable’s system automates aircraft through all phases of operation, from taxi to takeoff to landing, allowing pilots to safely operate it from the ground. Redundant hardware and software automate flight control surfaces and engine controls, while redundant voice and data networks enable remote command and radio management. 

The technology is also aircraft agnostic, meaning it could one day be equipped on other Textron designs or those of different manufacturers.

Reliable’s continuous autopilot system uses advanced navigation technology and multiple redundant layers to reach a level of reliability equal to crewed flight. It can prevent both controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) and loss of control in flight (LOC-I), which Reliable says account for the bulk of fatal aviation accidents.

Automated aviation systems will most likely first appear in the cargo sector, beginning with smaller aircraft, since passengers are not on board and operations are lower risk. Manufacturers such as Reliable claim the technology can alleviate the sting of pilot shortages and will eventually be safer than crewed flight. The challenge now is getting it certified.

Last month’s milestone flight comes on the heels of a few major developments for Reliable.

In August, the company flew a crewed Caravan, equipped with its continuous autopilot system for hours at a time, over the course of three test flights for the FAA, part of the agency’s Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Airspace Management Demonstration.

That followed the regulator’s formal acceptance of Reliable’s certification plan in June, which paved the way for its autonomous system to be one of the first approved. The plan relies on existing regulations for normal and transport category aircraft, with no special conditions or exemptions.

Earlier this year, Reliable conducted first-of-its-kind flight tests with NASA through the space agency’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) National Campaign, which also counts electric air taxi manufacturers Wisk Aero and Joby Aviation as vehicle partners for demonstrations. Davis Hackenburg, who spearheaded NASA’s collaborations with AAM industry stakeholders, joined Reliable as vice president of government partnerships in May.

But arguably the company’s most important relationship is its collaboration with AFWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force.

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) tapped Reliable in 2021 to explore how its autopilot system could support Air Force operations. Since then, it’s agreed to contracts and commissioned studies to explore how the commercially derived tech could be added to large, multiengine aircraft for military use cases, such as cargo logistics and aerial refueling. It completed an initial demonstration at Travis Air Force Base in May.

“This monumental aviation achievement is a great example of how AFWERX accelerates agile and affordable capability transitions for the world’s greatest Air Force,” Colonel Elliott Leigh, AFWERX director and chief commercialization officer for the Department of the Air Force, said of November’s flight. “This milestone accelerates dual-use uncrewed flight opportunities, increasing aviation safety and enabling us to bring a broad range of autonomous military capabilities into denied environments.”

But Reliable is looking beyond defense use cases. With a useful load of 3,000 pounds and the ability to take off from shorter runways, the company’s remotely piloted Caravan could introduce same- or next-day shipments of time-sensitive deliveries to locations currently served by piloted Caravans.

In fact, in 2022, Reliable announced plans to launch a fully owned Part 135 airline subsidiary led by former Ameriflight executives Jeff Drees and David DeRose and cargo industry veteran Lee Tomlinson. The trio of new appointees bring a combined 80 years of strategic and tactical expertise in air cargo and are preparing the company to launch commercial cargo flights.

Not long after that announcement, Reliable began working with ASL Aviation Holdings, which owns airlines in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. The global aviation services company wants to add advanced automation to its fleet of more than 160 aircraft, beginning with large twin engine turboprop freighters such as the ATR-72. 

The partners will weigh demand for remotely operated aircraft in Europe, looking at both cargo and humanitarian applications. ASL also provides outsourced cargo transport outside North America for global express carriers such as Amazon, FedEx, and DHL.

“ASL is always innovating to better serve customers, and our partnership with Reliable is aimed at enabling us to provide reliable, flexible and cost-efficient time-sensitive cargo delivery to smaller unserved areas,” said Dave Andrew, group chief executive at ASL. “[Last month’s] historic flight is a testament to Reliable’s focused leadership in advancing aviation innovation and capability for the industry.”

In addition, Reliable in June partnered with Azul Airlines, the largest airline in Brazil, to bring its remotely operated system to Latin America. The airline also has an agreement with electric air taxi manufacturer Lilium for the purchase of 220 Lilium Jets.

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Textron, representing Cessna and Beechcraft models, delivered 39 jets and 38 commercial turboprops for Q3 2023, an overall net improvement over the 39 jets and 33 turboprops in Q3 2022. The segment logged a quarterly profit of $160 million, which the company attributed to favorable pricing and higher volume. The aviation unit ended the quarter with a backlog of $7.4 billion.

On the rotorcraft side, Bell Textron’s revenues for the quarter came in even with Q3 2022 at $754 million, with the company citing “supply chain constraints, partially offset by higher military volume.” Commercial helicopter deliveries dropped from 49 for Q3 2022 to just 23 for Q3 this year. Bell’s backlog at the end of Q3 came in at $5.2 billion.

• READ MORE: Supply Chain Woes Hurt Textron Q3 Deliveries

Textron eAviation, including the recently acquired Pipistel, posted a loss of $19 million for the quarter. The company noted that the expenditure was “primarily related to research and development costs.”

“In the quarter, we saw higher overall revenues and net operating profit driven by growth at [the] Aviation, Industrial and Systems [divisions],” said Textron chairman and CEO Scott Donnelly. “At Aviation, we saw our strongest order quarter of the year with a 12 percent increase over the third quarter of 2022.”

Textron Systems unit’s quarterly revenues rose $17 million to $309 million, while the company’s Industrial unit saw $922 million in Q3 revenues, up $73 million from the same period last year. Textron’s Finance segment reported revenues of $13 million, notching a profit of $22 million for the quarter.

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