Page 13 - World Airnews September 2020 Edition

P. 13

CLIMATE
CHANGE

ZERO-EMISSION FLIGHT

How aviation is responding to the needs of cities
GNC 355 GPS/Comm Radio

lectric-powered aircraft is inching
Eincreasingly closer to reality than ever. Fully WAAS/SBAS IFR-approach-capable, GNC 355 gives
Glenn Llewellyn, Airbus General Manager,

Electrification talks about his thoughts on the

role that electric-propulsion aircraft technol- pilots the benefit of flying LPV, as well as RNAV

ogy can play in creating sustainable futures.
Zero-emission flight is not the “pipe- approaches complete with a built-in Comm radio.

dream” that most people may think.
Glenn has been working on electric and

hybrid-electric technologies for aircraft
since 2014. Today, he leads Airbus teams Graphical flight plan editing, allowing pilots to more easily edit
working on electric-powered flight demon-

strators and eVTOL demonstrators, includ-
ing Vahana, CityAirbus and E-Fan. His latest their flight plan based on an ATC amendment or weather.
project E-Fan X - a complex hybrid-electric

aircraft demonstrator - is the next step in

Airbus’ electrification journey. When the

demonstrator embarks on its first flight in
2021, the E-Fan X will be a giant leap to- Interface options includes the G3X Touch, G5, GFC 500/600 as
wards making zero-emission flight a reality

by the mid-2030s. CityAirbus is an urban air vehicle demonstrator designed to be fully-electric well as select third party autopilots. Additional interface
and emissions-free. This is just one of the projects that Airbus is working on
FIVE QUESTIONS WITH GLENN
LLEWELLYN options include pairing GNC 355 with GTX 345 (ADS-B).
Q. In your opinion, what is the biggest

challenge facing cities today?
I’m a huge believer in the power of diverse Aviation connects people, cultures and
thought. The healthy conflict that can exist businesses. It enables mutual under- Available for Experimental & Certificated Aircraft

between people approaching a topic from
different perspectives generates creative standing and is considered a contribu- and so many more capabilities...

magic. I think one of the biggest challenges tor to world peace. The problem is not

of future cities is to enable the meeting

of these diverse thoughts inside cities aviation. The problem is carbon.

and between different cities. This means

ensuring sufficiently fluid interconnections GLENN LLEWELLYN,
using zero-emission technology. We’re AIRBUS GENERAL MANAGER, ELECTRIFICATION
just starting this journey. The challenge is,

of course, a technical one, especially for

larger commercial aircraft. But managing emissions of our products because we see

and regulating urban flight will also be a term. The E-Fan X will test a 2MW electric a clear societal benefit to aviation. At the

motor on board a regional transport aircraft.

significant challenge. That’s more than 30 times greater than its same time, we understand the urgency

Q. How can cities help to create a sustain- predecessor, the E-Fan! Nothing like this has to reduce CO2 emissions. It’s already

able future for our planet? ever flown before. We’re currently finalising possible to fly with zero local emissions:

As more and more of the world’s popula- the design. We expect to start testing on we’ve shown that with demonstrators like

tion lives in cities, it’s important that cities the ground later this year. As a company, we Vahana and E-Fan.
take the lead working with industry and have the ambition to make zero-emission In the medium term, we believe electrifi-

regulators to bring zero-emission tech- commercial aviation possible. E-Fan X is one cation will enable lower pricing and greater

nology to reality. There will be challenges of the stepping stones to that ambition. accessibility to more sustainable forms of

as for any disruptive transition, and it will Q. Aviation is perceived as a key contrib- flight. In addition to electric propulsion, we’re

only be successful through public-private utor to pollution. And the “anti-air travel also looking at other options like hydrogen

partnerships and alliances. movement” is starting to gain global buzz. and sustainable fuels. We believe these tech- 15.88 cm wide

Airbus is already working together with How do you hope electrification and proj- nologies can complement each other.

numerous cities to further develop our ects like E-Fan X will help to change this Q. How do you see commercial aviation in

vision of zero-emission urban air mobility. perception? 10 years’ time? Will we have electric-pow- +27 11 701 3244

Q. You’re currently working on the E-Fan Aviation connects people, cultures and ered commercial aircraft? If not, what will

X project. What do you hope to achieve businesses. It enables mutual understand- have been achieved by then?
with this project? ing and is considered a contributor to We have a very clear research target salesadmin1@centuryavionics.co.za | www.centuryavionics.co.za
We aim to prove that hybrid-electric aircraft world peace. The problem is not aviation. to make the technology available for a Hangar M1, Lanseria Int Airport

architecture is a realistic goal in providing The problem is carbon. At Airbus, we’re 100-seat hybrid-electric aircraft available

the benefits we expect in the medium investing to significantly reduce the CO2 by the 2030s. Q SA CAA AMO:0003 SADO D688 NCAA AMO:FSS|AMO|C3610

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