April 5, 2021 - No. 26 In This Issue : Alaska Airlines’ CEO Thinks eVTOL Aircraft Will Come Within 10 Years : Sunglider builds on legacy of solar aircraft : US FAA allocates more than $627.7m for airport improvement works : Singapore rolling out IATA Travel Pass : Let supersonic jets soar once again : Groningen Airport aims to be the first hydrogen valley airport : Hyundai already sets date for the start of the generalization of urban air mobility : IIT Hyderabad develops dual carbon alternative to lithium-ion batteries : Airlines anxiously await return to the skies : Serbia plans new mega airport for Belgrade : SpaceX facility to be built across from Tesla Gigafactory Texas: report Alaska Airlines’ CEO Thinks eVTOL Aircraft Will Come Within 10 Years Electric-powered aircraft may seem like a pipedream, but tech companies worldwide are pouring billions into developing them. And their use on a commercial basis may be closer than you think. At least, one prominent United States-based airline CEO thinks that. Alaska Airlines keenly interested in eVTOL technology Speaking at the US Chamber of Commerce Aviation Summit last week, Alaska Airlines’ CEO Ben Minicucci says his airline is closely looking at eVTOL technology. eVTOL stands for electric vertical take-off and landing – just like helicopters, except that your average helicopter isn’t powered by electricity. “It’s going to come in more rapidly than we think,” he said. “Probably in the next decade, we are going to see something, based on the research we have done. “I think you’ll see low passenger airplanes, maybe five to ten (passengers) at first, then moving bigger into the regional market. You’ll see it (eVTOL) penetrate the regional market in the course of the next 10 to 20 years.” Analysts expect the eVTOL industry to be worth US$4.2 billion early next decade. Like most emerging industries, there is a lot of competitive jostling for attention and a breakout product. It’s also proving a diverse industry. Much like the conventional aircraft industry, different companies focus on different eVTOL technologies that target distinct market segments (i.e., freight deliveries, emergency rescue flights, or point-to-point passenger travel). eVTOL technology to help Alaksa Airlines meet its carbon reduction goals Mr Minicucci thinks eVTOL technology will have a significant role to play at Alaska Airlines in the future. It will also play a key role in helping airlines achieve their carbon reduction goals. Alaska Airlines has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 16% since 2012. Alongside a consortium of other United States-based airlines, Alaska Airlines has a goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. “This is going to be an essential piece of that strategy – to get to net zero in 2040 or 2050. You cannot do it with sustainable fuels alone. You need technology, and I think this (eVTOL) is a huge enabler. “We need to help these technology companies with investment and research, so they can really accelerate.” By their very definition, eVTOL aircraft aren’t going to be rolling down the runway. Like helicopters, they take off and land from fixed positions. The first passenger eVTOL aircraft we’ll see will probably be similar to aerial taxis – manned or unmanned drones whizzing a handful of passengers from city centers to airports, or perhaps close point-to-point travel. It’s a scenario Kevin Burke, North American CEO of Airports Council International is open to; “We’re an ever-evolving aviation ecosystem,” he told the Aviation Summit. “eVTOL is a great example of its not there yet, but it will be. I’m all for it.” Some obstacles to rolling out eVTOL aircraft in the short-term Mr Burke flagged two obstacles to rolling out eVTOL in the short term – airport infrastructure and government regulations will have to be updated to accommodate eVTOL flights. The other immediate obstacle is limited battery power that limits flight range and aircraft weight capacity. But significant resources are being poured into improving battery storage capacity. Ben Minicucci thinks that once batteries are advanced enough to fly heavier aircraft further, conventional electric-powered aircraft will soon start rolling down the runway. It’s a fascinating scenario, and it’s unusual to see such a high-profile airline CEO put such a short time frame on seeing eVTOL technology come into play. https://simpleflying.com/alaska-ceo-evtol/ Sunglider builds on legacy of solar aircraft A remotely piloted solar aircraft has demonstrated it can hover in the stratosphere to provide cellular networks in isolated areas. It also demonstrated remote sensing and observation capabilities. That aircraft is the Sunglider. AeroVironment Inc. of Simi Valley, Calif., which has a long history of working with NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif. The two groups have collaborated in efforts to complete preliminary flight tests to prepare for reaching ever more complex goals with solar powered aircraft. Sunglider is a product of HAPS Mobile Inc., which is a subsidiary of Softbank Corp. and minority-owned by AeroVironment. AeroVironment has been working on solar aircraft for more than 40 years. The solar powered and human piloted Gossamer Penguin flew on July 25, 1980, from Roger’s Dry Lakebed near Armstrong. During the next four decades, the company’s remotely piloted family of solar-powered aircraft made ever higher altitude flights and capability demonstrations. The Helios Prototype reached a record altitude for a propeller-driven vehicle of 96,863 feet on Aug. 13, 2001, beating a previous record set by the company. Many of AeroVironment’s solar powered aircraft such as the Pathfinder, Pathfinder-Plus, Centurion and Helios flew as part of NASA’s Environmental Research and Sensor Technology program managed at Armstrong. An initial goal of that program was to develop science instruments for studying the stratosphere. Another focus became development and demonstration of technology for enabling a new class of aircraft capable of flying high altitude, long duration Earth science and environmental missions. Adding to the legacy The Sunglider follows in the traditions of AeroVironment’s history in solar remotely piloted aircraft, but is considered a high-altitude platform system, or HAPS vehicle. It is with Sunglider that the company flew to 62,500 feet for more than five hours during a 20 hour mission on Sept. 21, 2020. Solar batteries power the aircraft during the day and collect and store energy for use at night. The Sunglider is very long, with a wingspan of 262 feet. By comparison, a Boeing 747 has a wingspan of about 229 feet. It also has 10 electric motors that propel the aircraft at about 40 mph. “Sunglider’s motor technology has advanced through multiple generations of improvement since the Pathfinder-Plus and the Helios Prototype,” said Peter De Baets, AeroVironment senior director. “As a result, we have an increase in efficiency and capability. As an example, Helios was a much lighter aircraft and needed 14 motors. Sunglider only needs 10. That gives you an idea of how much more capable today’s materials and technologies are.” The September mission based at Spaceport America in New Mexico had three focus areas. The first was connectivity, acting as a central communication point in a network, De Baets said. The aircraft’s cellular network payload linked teams in Tokyo, New Mexico and Silicon Valley. The two other goals were validating aircraft systems operating in the stratosphere and confirming operations. Before the flight operations moved to New Mexico, the AeroVironment team brought the Sunglider, then called Hawk30, for multiple initial low altitude flight tests at Armstrong in 2019. “Those flights verified the basic performance and handling characteristics that showed us we could operate the aircraft safely and effectively,” said Nick Plumb, AeroVironment program manager. “We expanded the aircraft’s flight range for verification and validation of our guidance, navigation and control systems, as well as our aerodynamics and aeroelastic stability. It really gave us confidence that we had an airplane that would get to the stratosphere successfully and safely. We learned a lot during our time at NASA Armstrong and it prepared us well to go to high altitude.” What’s next The AeroVironment team continues to expand the duration that Sunglider can fly and fine tune the aircraft to prepare for offering commercial services. “Technology maturity needs to continue and much of that happens through flight test,” Plumb said. “You learn a lot every time you fly.” Sunglider has benefited from improvements in materials, electronics, and solar-electric propulsion technologies. However, there are still some items that will have to happen before Sunglider will be able to accomplish its intended missions. For example, AeroVironment is working on a major effort with NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California, on regulations and standards development for this class of high flying aircraft. “A lot of concepts from manned aviation, or even typical unmanned aerial vehicles, do not carry over to HAPS in a traditional way, such as safety, risk, reliability, maintenance checks and pilot in command,” De Baets said. “We will have to look at a new way of doing collaborative traffic management and sense-and-avoid, specific standards for electric drive train, and risk of loss per flight hour.” Concepts for how to pilot a future group of these vehicles that act like a satellite in providing a telecommunications network in remote places is also ongoing. In that situation, a single pilot could fly multiple aircraft together, De Baets explained. Those ideas will be advanced with partners such as the Federal Aviation Administration and regulatory agencies worldwide to grow and harmonize operations. Experience counts Sunglider takes advantage of all the lessons AeroVironment’s team has learned from its solar powered aircraft. “We have a core team that designed and flew Pathfinder and Helios,” De Baets said. “We continued to work on high altitude, long endurance aircraft, and we are able to leverage decades of expertise — from recent grads to experienced professionals. It’s something that really sets AeroVironment apart from others: people have really long careers here. It really changes the dynamic for the better.” Lessons learned from the past design decisions and aircraft operations allow the team to know why decisions were made and fine tune the approach to challenges. “It’s hard to point to any area of the Sunglider and not see the influence of AeroVironment’s heritage,” De Baets said. “Even the telecommunication payload mission for the Sunglider stratospheric flight had origins in a mission we flew with the Helios Prototype.” That’s not to say everything always goes as planned. The Helios Prototype was lost on its last mission on June 26, 2003. A review board concluded events unfolded from an inability to predict, using available analysis methods, the aircraft’s increased sensitivity to atmospheric disturbances such as turbulence, following aircraft configuration changes required for the long-duration flight demonstration. AeroVironment’s team learned from those lessons, which have led to successful aircraft designs such as the Sunglider. John Del Frate, who was an ERAST program manager and project manager for several of the aircraft, said he has watched the technology evolution since the program ended in 2003. “I’m personally very excited to see this team continue work started back during the ERAST days,” he said. “The vision we all had then was exactly what Sunglider is all about. Our hope was that new battery, solar cell and composites technologies would allow the concept to break through the barriers faced by Helios.” De Baets and Plumb say Sunglider’s future is sunny, which is a great forecast for a solar powered vehicle. “What is fascinating is time and tech have caught up with ability to explore the stratosphere, De Baets said. “Very few vehicles fly in the stratosphere with significant payload capability and we will have the ability to maximize the opportunities offered by the airspace. The goal: affordable persistence. We are helping to develop the foundation for these operations.” https://www.aerotechnews.com/blog/2021/04/04/sunglider-builds-on-legacy-of-solar-aircraft/ US FAA allocates more than $627.7m for airport improvement works The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has allocated more than $627.7m in grants for airport improvement works. The allotment will be utilised to fund infrastructure and safety projects in 390 airports located in 39 states, Puerto Rico and the Federated States of Micronesia. The funding will be allocated through the FY2021 Airport Improvement Program (AIP). US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said: “Airports serve as a lifeline for communities across the nation. “Modernising our infrastructure in a way that creates jobs, ensures safety, combats climate change, and fosters equity is a top priority for the Biden-Harris Administration. These Airport Improvement grants will help airports across the country better serve their communities.” Some of the key projects that will be funded through the programme include the construction of a new replacement airport in Newtok, Alaska. The project, which will receive more than $21.1m in grants, will benefit the local residents who depend solely on aviation to procure goods and for transportation. The replacement airport project is expected to complete in 2023. The reconstruction of Runway 08/26 in Rafael Hernandez Airport in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, will receive around $19.5m. The project is expected to complete in 2025. Some other projects which will be funded are shifting and reconfiguring the existing runway of Willow Run Airport in Michigan; construction of an apron and taxi lanes in Salt Lake City International, Utah; and revamping the hangar building in Sawyer International, Gwinn, Michigan. FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said: “These grants are an investment in safety and continued innovation. “Every airport in every community plays a vital role in our air transportation system.” https://www.airport-technology.com/news/us-faa-allocates-627m-airport-improvement/ Singapore rolling out IATA Travel Pass Singapore aviation authorities announced on Monday (5 April) that passengers travelling to the city-state by air will be able to use the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Travel Pass to share their pre-departure COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test results with their airline during check-in, as well as on arrival at the immigration checkpoints at Changi Airport. This is part of an ongoing collaboration between the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and IATA to facilitate seamless and efficient travel through digital certificates of COVID-19 tests. The IATA Travel Pass is a personal secure digital wallet solution that can be used by passengers to obtain and store their COVID-19 test results from accredited laboratories. Such solutions will help drive adoption of digital health certificates and facilitate the secure verification of the health credentials of travellers. This is a positive step towards smooth air travel and safeguarding of public health. Following the successful trials by Singapore Airlines, the Singapore health and border control authorities will accept the IATA Travel Pass as a valid form of presentation of COVID-19 pre-departure test results for entry into Singapore. The information presented on the IATA Travel Pass will be in a format that satisfies Singapore’s prevailing COVID-19 pre-departure test requirements for entry into Singapore. CAAS and IATA will be working on further enhancements to the IATA Travel Pass. This includes enabling QR code scanning by immigration officers and back-end transmission of health credentials from the IATA Travel Pass to the airlines’ and immigration authorities’ systems for pre-boarding and pre-arrival clearance, as well as including digital vaccination certificates in the IATA Travel Pass. CAAS Director-General Kevin Shum said, “we have built upon our long standing and deep partnership with IATA to develop solutions to facilitate travel. This latest collaboration with IATA demonstrates our shared commitment to drive the adoption of digital health certificates and restore international air travel. As we work to safely rebuild the Changi air hub, we will continue to explore other solutions that can provide similarly secure and verifiable means of sharing health certificates for safe international travel.” Willie Walsh, the newly installed director general of IATA, said “having the confidence of an aviation leader like Singapore in IATA Travel Pass is hugely significant. Ongoing trials put us on track for IATA Travel Pass to be a critical tool for the industry’s restart by delivering verified travel health credentials to governments. And travellers can have complete confidence that their personal data is secure and under their own control. The success of our joint efforts will make IATA’s partnership with the government of Singapore a model for others to follow.” The IATA Travel Pass app will be available for download in the second half of April. It is being trialled by more than 20 airlines, including Singapore Airlines. Travellers to Singapore intending to use the IATA Travel Pass should check with the airline they are travelling with for eligibility to use the IATA Travel Pass. Changi launches new COVID companion Meanwhile, Singapore’s Changi Airport said on Monday that it was launching the Safe Travel Concierge (STC) by Changi Airport Group (CAG). The service lets passengers book their on-arrival COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test and check that they have completed all pre-travel requirements. Instead of searching different websites to apply for their pre-travel documents, passengers can easily access the information and forms through STC. After registering for an STC account, passengers just need to add their upcoming trips. Depending on their profile and trip details, they will be shown a customised list of pre-travel requirements to complete before flying to Singapore. Besides booking their on-arrival PCR test, passengers can also access services such as the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority’s electronic Arrival Card and Health Declaration form through STC. Passengers can also stay updated with the latest Covid-19 news with the portal. Please refer to Annex for a full list of features in STC. CAG’s Managing Director for Airport Operations Management Jayson Goh said the online concierge service can ease the anxiety of air travel by helping passengers navigate their pre-travel requirements. “As we prepare for the reopening of international borders, Changi Airport continues to innovate and leverage technology to ensure a safe and pleasant traveller experience for our passengers. With the support of the Singapore Tourism Board, we first trialed the STC prototype at TravelRevive, the first hybrid tradeshow in Singapore. We are glad to launch it today for all passengers and encourage them to use it for a smoother experience at Changi Airport.” Passengers may register for an STC account on safetravel.changiairport.com. https://asianaviation.com/singapore-airlines-to-toll-out-iata-travel-pass-in-may/ Let supersonic jets soar once again Much of modern life has improved since the 1970s. Not so air travel: Getting from New York to London takes roughly as long now as it did in the days of disco. Could that be about to change? Nearly 20 years after the Concorde made its final touchdown, supersonic flight is once again becoming a tantalizing possibility. A handful of enterprising companies are now manufacturing next-generation jets that can exceed the speed of sound and dramatically reduce flight times. Warren Buffett's NetJets just ordered 20 of them from the startup Aerion, at about $120 million apiece. UBS reckons the total market for supersonics could reach $340 billion by 2040. These jets differ from their predecessors in key respects. Improvements in aircraft design, materials science and engine systems ensure that they'll be lighter, quieter, more efficient and less polluting. Clever engineering is helping to reduce or eliminate the impact of the "sonic booms" that they create. Abundant private investment means they should be free of the government meddling that bedeviled the Concorde. Not incidentally: They look awesome. If the business takes off, the benefits could be profound. Supersonics could connect major cities as never before, vastly extend global business networks, boost American competitiveness, and enliven an industry that has been stagnating for decades. They'll likely cater to corporate clients at first, but the benefits should eventually spread as the pressures of competition and innovation take hold ― just as they did for cars, cell phones and countless other technologies now taken for granted. Down the road, ultrafast travel for the masses isn't implausible. Unfortunately, there are impediments to the supersonic dream. One is concern about noise. This led the Federal Aviation Administration to prohibit supersonic flight over land in the U.S. in 1973, and the ban is still in place. It makes the economic case for supersonic jets much weaker: It limits the market size, prevents companies from engaging in trial-and-error to find the most profitable routes, and eliminates the vast majority of potential business travel. The FAA should replace the ban with a targeted noise standard. A threshold of, say, 90 decibels ― or about the same noise level as a lawnmower or motorcycle ― would protect those living beneath flight paths while still allowing supersonics to flourish. A second issue is atmospheric pollution. Many of the worries raised about supersonic travel ― such as risks to the ozone layer ― pose less of a threat than once thought. Others, including increased carbon emissions, could be mitigated by technology. Boom Technology Inc., for example, plans to fuel its supersonic jets using direct-air carbon capture, which would make flights carbon neutral. Other companies are working on variable-cycle engines that could significantly boost fuel efficiency. Even so, environmentalists are raising the alarm about supersonics ― and could well keep them grounded, just as the Anti-Concorde Project once did. Although the FAA is clearly rethinking things ― in January, it relaxed rules for supersonic test flights ― it needs to move faster to ensure that American companies take the lead in this promising new field. In addition to replacing its misguided ban on supersonic flights over land, it should address environmental objections by collecting and publishing impact data from the jets' test flights, and ensuring that all the new supersonic companies comply with international rules for offsetting carbon emissions. Concerns about such a powerful technology shouldn't be dismissed. But with the right rules in place, the age of supersonic travel is nothing to fear. It should be welcomed with open arms ― and open skies. http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2021/04/773_306473.html Groningen Airport aims to be the first hydrogen valley airport Groningen Airport hopes to become the first hydrogen valley airport in Europe. Groningen Airport Eelde and New Energy Coalition are to make the airport more environmentally sustainable through various green hydrogen applications in line objectives set in the Northern Netherlands region. It has been stated that Groningen Airport, along with the NXT Airport initiative, want to be able to produce green hydrogen on site and use it in both land and air operations for innovative developments in the near future. This could be achieved through a collaboration with GroenLeven, which has built a solar park with a capacity of 21.9MW between the runway, apron and taxiway, to produce the clean fuel. The green hydrogen produced from the solar park will then be used in various different aspects of the airport’s operations, for instance, in a multi-fuel filling station that serves both land and air vehicles. Land vehicles will include passenger cars, trucks and intercity buses that can use the station to refuel with the potential expand for ground handling equipment to refuel hydrogen drones and hydrogen aircraft. The project is part of the wider aim to make Groningen Airport carbon emission free by 2030, seeing hydrogen as a key fuel source to achieve this goal. Together with Holthausen Clean Technology, Groningen Airport is looking at the conversion of existing equipment as well as the development of innovative hydrogen-powered ground equipment which does not yet exist on the market. Marieke Abbink-Pellenbarg, General Manager of New Energy Coalition, said, “The New Energy Coalition Foundation connects parties to create collaborations for an accelerated transition to a sustainable energy economy.” “In addition to road, water and rail transport, we can now also include air transport in the Hydrogen Valley. This is a very valuable addition and strengthens the position of the Hydrogen Valley, the testing ground for hydrogen development in the Northern Netherlands.” “We will use our knowledge and network to help Groningen Airport Eelde in their ambition to become the most sustainable and hydrogen-powered airport in Europe.” The focused goal of the collaboration is to make the airport and aviation network in the area more sustainable and in line with the region’s hydrogen applications. https://www.h2-view.com/story/groningen-airport-aims-to-be-the-first-hydrogen-valley-airport/ Hyundai already sets date for the start of the generalization of urban air mobility When mentioning HyundaiMost of us think of the automaker. But the Seoul, South Korea-based brand is more than a car company. Today it sees itself as a provider of smart mobility solutions and is making a number of big bets and investments in the future of mobility, from autonomous driving to electrification and urban air mobility (UAM) as a service. In early 2021, during the Consumer Electronics Show, Hyundai unveiled its S-A1 flying taxi concept, a vertical take-off and landing vehicle (eVTOL), in association with Uber Elevate. And it is that the population increase within the big cities entails an important mobility problem: traffic jams. To solve this, Hyundai is already working on its new urban air mobility project that will put into circulation flying vehicles that are 100% sustainable between now and the next decade. In late 2020, Hyundai announced its updated roadmap for the company’s future Strategy 2025. This plan focuses on four major areas that will advance, together, towards the achievement of cleaner, safer and more autonomous mobility. The four pillars will be electric vehicles (EV), autonomous driving technology, the hydrogen fuel cell and the ability to take to the skies with safe and capable vehicles. In other words, generalize the “flying car”. With urban air mobility, Hyundai will offer an innovative mobility experience to its customers beyond conventional two- and four-wheel machines. To support the project, the South Korean company will build a family of air vehicles for passengers and goods and will develop a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system for this new concept. In doing so, Hyundai Motor Company seeks to ensure leadership in urban air mobility technologies and ecosystems. At the head of this project is Jaiwon shin, an aviation expert at NASA, and the company is expected to play an essential role in the development of this division and in realizing the vision of the Hyundai group in the field of mobility of the future. “We’ve all been living in a two-dimensional world,” Shin says, “but urban air mobility will elevate us to the third dimension above our heads”, A project that will help reduce congestion in cities and improve the quality of life. Think about it: urbanization, congestion, emissions regulations and an insatiable desire to move from A to B are placing more demands than ever on the city’s transportation systems. Many believe that the industry is headed for a future of multimodal mobility, where various forms of connected transport are used at different stages of the journey: an autonomous taxi picks you up at your door on a rainy morning and takes you to the train station, and after the trip, you ride a scooter to the office. The idea is to distribute the traveler population in several modes, reducing the pressure on any one mode at the same time and optimizing individual trips in real time. That is why this project, which perfectly demonstrates the mission “Progress for Humanity” (“Progress for Humanity”) of the company, has already begun to take firm steps with the conceptual aerial model S-A1. This one is currently in development around four principles: keep it safe, quiet, affordable, and people-centered. The company’s plans are to introduce an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) with hybrid powertrain in 2026 and launch a fully electric urban aerial vehicle for city operations in 2028. Later, in the 2030s, the company plans to launch a series of regional mobility solutions connecting nearby cities across the sky. These mobility models will have a scalable commercial production approach to cover cities around the world. And in parallel with the development of these vehicles, Hyundai plans to do the same with a hydrogen propulsion system with the aim of approaching the aviation field based on its own fuel cell technology, which we already find on the streets well. through the Nexo in the form of an SUV, or the Xcient Fuel Cell, which is a truck. This would make it possible to achieve a fairly wide flight range with enormous efficiency and respect for the environment with the advantage of forgetting about land traffic. https://www.explica.co/hyundai-already-sets-date-for-the-start-of-the-generalization-of-urban-air-mobility.html IIT Hyderabad develops dual carbon alternative to lithium-ion batteries The Electrochemical Energy Storage Lab at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH), has developed a 5V Dual Carbon Battery utilising self-standing carbon fibre mats as both electrodes - cathode and anode. The breakthrough model, developed by a team led by Dr Surendra Kumar Martha, eliminates the requirement of toxic, costly, and heavy transitional metals. This more sustainable and low-cost Dual carbon battery may find potential uses in high-voltage applications, sophisticated battery-run medical devices, regenerative braking systems in electric vehicles, and stationary grids. While rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are projected to meet future electric mobility, electric aviation, and stationary grid energy storage targets within 2030, they require toxic and costly metals like cobalt, nickel, and manganese, for functioning. Moreover, geologically unsymmetrical distribution of lithium and cobalt along with geopolitics and unethical child labour centred on mining, causes rampant fluctuations in raw material cost. It affects the market price stability of large LIB packs used in electric vehicles. The novel dual carbon battery developed by IITH, consists of zero-transition metal that is environmentally benign. It may cut down the overall battery cost by 20-25 per cent and is expected to curb the unpredictability in market price. The use of ubiquitous carbon as electrode active material as well as current collector, replacing heavy metals, brings in the aspects of lightness and flexibility. The fabricated 5.0 voltage cell, with nominal voltage application of 4.6 V, provides an energy density of 100-watt hour per kilogram approximately and can be extended up to 150- watt hour per kilogram with further modifications. The research team believes that developed cells may find potential uses in high voltage applications, sophisticated battery-run medical devices, regenerative braking systems in electric vehicles, and stationary grids. Dr. Surendra Kumar Martha, said, "The study will be extrapolated to push the energy density limits further, and their broad vision includes introducing the dual carbon system as a cheaper LIB alternative to the Indian Market." The research for the novel dual carbon battery was carried out by Shuvajit Ghosh and Udita Bhattacharjee, PhD students at IIT Hyderabad, under the supervision of Dr. Surendra K. Martha, in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA, and Naval Materials Research Laboratory, Mumbai. Naval Research Board (DRDO) supported the project. https://www.edexlive.com/news/2021/apr/05/iit-hyderabad-develops-dual-carbon-alternative-to-lithium-ion-batteries-19539.html Airlines anxiously await return to the skies Reports of All Nippon Airways' (ANA) "restaurant with wings" concept fooled many readers into thinking that the story was an April 1 joke. However, Japan's largest airline has indeed offered the travel-deprived public the opportunity to dine aboard a Boeing 777 in first or business class for up to $540. The lengths that airlines are being forced to go is representative of the enormous financial pressure on the airline industry brought about by COVID-19. ANA is not alone in creative thinking; British Airways has also launched a first-class meal service delivered to would-be passengers at home. As some airlines have been forced to innovate, others have succumbed to financial pressure. Italy's long-suffering flag carrier Alitalia is struggling to such an extent that it could only pay its 11,000 employees 50 percent of their March salaries. Efforts have been underway in Italy to create a smaller airline from the remnants of Alitalia, but they have hit a regulatory brick wall in the form of the EU's antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager, who insists that the assets of Alitalia be acquired at market rates. Italy's economic development minister, Giancarol Giorgetti, said "a new strategy is needed," as negotiations with Vestager's department have led to a "stalemate." A functional flag-carrying airline is not only a bellwether of a nation's economic health, but it also plays a vital part in connecting the nation with the rest of the world. Tourism represents 13 percent of Italy's GDP and the jeopardy of Alitalia's successor airline is a blow to the economy ahead of the lucrative and economically vital summer season. Throughout the pandemic, airlines have been forced to raise vast sums of cash to remain solvent, but such efforts have presented their own challenges. The Franco-Dutch giant AirFrance-KLM received a significant bailout from the French government. However, with environmental considerations increasingly becoming a national concern, the investment was conditional on many domestic routes being abandoned in favor of the nation's high-speed rail network. Indeed, such a policy intervention may come back to haunt the French government, as domestic tourism has been the cause of a limited revival in other markets such as the U.S. and Japan. In China, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAP) has reported that 93,000 domestic flights are slated from March 28 to October 30, representing a 10.6 increase compared to 2020. However, foreign flights are just three percent of pre-pandemic levels, underscoring the importance of domestic travel to airlines. While COVID-19 has caused unparalleled disruption to the airline industry, "cargo has been the biggest winner from COVID-19," according to Joanna Bailey, editor of aviation news site Simple Flying. "Cargo carriers have been operating at historically high levels of capacity," she said. The profitability of the cargo sector has also seen the Saudi Arabian national carrier spin-off its cargo operation with HSBC rumored to be assisting in a lucrative IPO. Indeed, a high demand for cargo could also be a lifeline for the restoration of many long-haul routes as "90 percent of goods shipped by air travel in the bellies of passenger planes." Bailey said, "A number of airlines tell us that they can afford to fly long-haul with low numbers of passengers, or even no passengers at all, because what they're earning from capacity below the wing makes those operations economically viable." The need for this kind of hybrid model is evidenced by the volatility in the market, with Europe struggling with its vaccination program as further lockdowns are announced while Asia, the UK and the U.S. continue to ease restrictions. While it is hard for airlines to return to full operation rapidly, the hope that pent-up demand will translate into a rapid uptick in fortunes is fueling a steady increase in airline and engine maintenance stocks. Retail investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown reports that shares in IAG and Rolls Royce have accounted for their most frequent trades in recent weeks. With airlines and passengers keen to return to the skies, the inescapable reality is that this cannot happen on a large scale until the virus is brought under control. Writing to the UK Department of Transport, Mike Gooley, CEO of travel giant Trailfinders, warned that "zero risk is a fool's mission that can only result in inertia." While it is true that an overly cautious approach could prove extremely problematic, the lessons learned in Europe and the U.S. of removing restrictions too early are equally dangerous. With vaccinations being rolled out across the globe, there is a justifiable cause for optimism. But this optimism must be met with pragmatism if we are to return to the sky. https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-04-04/Airlines-anxiously-await-return-to-the-skies-ZbHu7JvJyo/index.html Serbia plans new mega airport for Belgrade Serbia plans to build a new international airport for the city of Belgrade to overcome future expansion constraints at the existing site. According to the “eKapija” portal, the Ministry for Construction, Transport and Infrastructure has unveiled the country’s new spatial plan up until 2035, which foresees the construction of the new hub ten kilometres west from the existing Nikola Tesla Airport and 24 kilometres from the city centre near the suburban neighbourhood of Dobanovci. It is located within the same municipality as the existing airport and will be located near the European route E70 highway. The current commercial airport serving Belgrade was opened in 1962, replacing the old one some eight kilometres away. Under the proposed spatial plan, the airport complex will take up some 1.100 hectares and feature three runways, two terminal buildings, two cargo terminals and a logistics and free customs zone. The new facility, a 4F class airport, will have the ability to handle the largest passenger and cargo aircraft currently in operation. The Ministry noted that the city’s main airport will need to be relocated as it lacks the physical space for long-term expansion. The plan is up for public consultation as of today. The Spatial Plan of the Republic of Serbia from 2021 until 2035 will then be debated in parliament prior to its adoption. Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport is currently managed and operated by France’s VINCI Airports under a 25-year concession agreement, until 2043. Through a 730 million euro investment plan, the contract includes the financing, operation, maintenance, extension and renovation of the terminal and the existing airport runway. The majority of the infrastructure development will be completed over the next three years. The airport will also be equipped with solar panels to reduce its carbon footprint and a water treatment plant. VINCI’s goal is to grow passenger numbers to fifteen million per year by the end of the concession. https://www.exyuaviation.com/2021/04/serbia-plans-new-mega-airport-for.html SpaceX facility to be built across from Tesla Gigafactory Texas: report A SpaceX facility could be built across Tesla Gigafactory Texas. Hints that SpaceX was looking for a dedicated factory in Austin emerged last month when the company posted a Starlink-related job based in the area. A few sources told the Austin Business Journal that a possible SpaceX facility would be built opposite Giga Texas. However, permits and other official documents for a SpaceX factory in eastern Travis County have not been filed with the city yet. In March, SpaceX posted a job for an Automation & Controls Engineer, working to make Starlink a mass-market product. The job listing has been taken down, but an excerpt of the post stated the following: “To keep up with global demand, SpaceX is breaking ground on a new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Austin, TX. The Automation & Controls Engineer will play a key role as we strive to manufacture millions of consumer facing devices that we ship directly to customers (Starlink dishes, Wi-Fi routers, mounting hardware, etc.) “Specifically, they will design and develop control systems and software for production line machinery – ultimately tackling the toughest mechanical, software, and electrical challenges that come with high volume manufacturing, all while maintaining a focus on flexibility, reliability, maintainability, and ease of use.” Elon Musk’s other companies, including The Boring Company and NeuraLink, have also found locations in Texas, too–although none are as close as the possible SpaceX Starlink facility. Plus, Elon Musk relocated to the Lone Star State, along with the Musk Foundation. Musk noted in an interview that he was already spending a lot of time in Texas between visits to Tesla’s new Gigafactory and SpaceX’s testing facility in Boca Chica. So it isn’t too surprising to learn that his other companies have found locations in Texas as well. https://www.teslarati.com/elon-musk-spacex-tesla-gigafactory-texas/ Curt Lewis