Briefing November 2017

One Aviation flew its Eclipse jet with a new wing, in August. The testing is the first step in developing a new version of the jet, EA700. The EA700 will be a larger version of the original 500/550 jet, with a bigger wing, bigger engines, and a fuselage extended 14 inches. The more powerful EA700 will be able to climb direct to 43,000 feet and extend its range to 1500 NM. It will also boost performance for high and hot airports. The flight test lasted about 80 minutes and all parameters were met, the company said. The aircraft felt very solid, a testament to the engineering and build teams, said test pilot Jerry Chambers.

Editorial Staff

Sunday, October 01, 2017 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

New aircraft designs are making strides, with One Aviation's larger EA700 Eclipse jet completing its first test flight, Lilium securing $90 million for its electric VTOL aircraft, and Airbus's Vahana autonomous air-taxi preparing for flight tests.
Bruce Landsberg, a long-time general aviation safety advocate, has been nominated to serve as a member and vice chairman of the NTSB.
The NTSB issued safety alerts to pilots and mechanics, emphasizing the overlooked dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning in aircraft and recommending the use of detectors and thorough exhaust system inspections.

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First Flight For New Version Of Eclipse Jet

One Aviation flew its Eclipse jet with a new wing, in August. The testing is the first step in developing a new version of the jet, EA700. The EA700 will be a larger version of the original 500/550 jet, with a bigger wing, bigger engines, and a fuselage extended 14 inches. The more powerful EA700 will be able to climb direct to 43,000 feet and extend its range to 1500 NM. It will also boost performance for high and hot airports. The flight test lasted about 80 minutes and all parameters were met, the company said. “The aircraft felt very solid, a testament to the engineering and build teams,” said test pilot Jerry Chambers.

Lilium Electric VTOL Attracts Investors

Lilium, a start-up aviation company based in Munich, said in September they raised $90 million to develop the five-seat Lilium electric aircraft. The new investment “makes Lilium one of the best-funded electric aircraft projects in the world,” said CEO Daniel Wiegand. The aircraft will fly for one hour at up to 162 knots on a single charge, the company says. It’s powered by an array of powerplants the company refers to as “electric jet engines.” The company said the funding, which brings the total capital raised to $100 million, will enable them to add more staff and work toward a first crewed flight in 2019.