Page 86 - World Airnews Magazine April 2020 Edition

FEATURE

FLIGHT AUTOMATION

TECHNOLOGY IS ‘MONTHS AWAY’

FROM CERTIFICATION

By Brian Garrett-Glaser

“We can take people basically off
the street, with no flight experience,
Skyryse is close to certifying FlightOS, and in a very short period of time
part of a broader flight automation they’re capable of accessing that full
technology stack the company is devel- flight envelope and all the capabilities
oping that will significantly reduce pilot of the aircraft without any risk of loss
workload and improve the learning curve of control, flying into terrain or flying
of newly-certified pilots. into areas of low visibility,” Groden
Skyryse aims to use FlightOS and its said.
broader technology stack to bring a “The system doesn’t care if there
touchscreen video game-like approach to is no visibility outside the aircraft,
flight controls for a wide range of aircraft it’s going to maintain a stable flight
types, including working with developers profile and continue with what the
of electric VTOL aircraft intended for urban person desires.”
air mobility. Though Skyryse has demonstrated
FlightOS can be retrofitted onto any rota- the ability of FlightOS to enable safe
ry- or fixed-wing airframe, including future flight by non-pilots, that isn’t the
eVTOL aircraft, according to Skyryse CEO goal, according to Groden.
Mark Groden. The hardware and software He hopes to reduce the workload
package, which does require fly-by-wire on expert pilots, improving the
installation if not already available on an safety of dangerous missions such as
airframe, “makes flight controls so simple nighttime firefighting and emergency
they can be operated with a touchscreen medical response, and enable new Skyryse aims to use FlightOS and its
tablet or joystick, while on-board pilots to fly commercial passengers. broader technology stack to bring a
computers control all aspects of the flight “There are only a thousand touchscreen video game-like approach
envelope, manage the airframe’s structural helicopter pilots in the U.S. that to flight controls for a wide range of
and aerodynamic operating limits, and can fly commercial service at a aircraft types, including working with
leverage exterior radar and sensors for safety metric that we thought was developers of electric VTOL aircraft
real-time situational awareness,” according acceptable,” Groden said. “And intended for urban air mobility.
to the company. that’s simply not enough. You can

NEWS DIGITAL ROUTES CLOSE AS

CORONAVIRUS CASES SURGE

grounded, bringing the total Abu Dhabi-based Etihad to mounting fears over the
number of closed flight routes Airways had earlier halted virus have prompted carriers in
As many countries around to 30 since the outbreak. airline services on 18 destina- the Gulf Cooperation Council
tions and reduced frequencies
(GCC) region to ground many of
the world shut their borders to As for flydubai, services on on some routes. their fleets.
limit the spread of coronavirus, at least seven destinations are The fast-spreading virus Emirates had earlier asked
Emirates airline and flydubai suspended effective today, has now infected more than thousands of its staff, including
including India, Ukraine, Jordan,
are temporarily suspending Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey and 180,000 people worldwide, cabin crew and pilots, to
today at least 16 more routes. Sudan. More flight cancella- causing numerous flight take unpaid leave, as it is
Emirates said that effective tions are also scheduled to take cancellations, travel bans going through a “measurable
March 17, aircraft plying to and effect tomorrow and the next and tighter border controls slowdown.”
from nine cities in Portugal, day, affecting travellers to and worldwide. The government has also
Malta, Cyprus, Jordan, Iraq, from Azerbaijan, Baku, Djibouti Travel restrictions, coupled imposed a travel ban to
Lebanon and Turkey will be and Egypt. with a decline in demand due Thailand and Iran. Q

World Airnews | April Extra 2020
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