Aviation
How Volocopter’s ‘flying taxi’ stations will be running by 2028
How Volocopter’s ‘flying taxi’ stations will use an elaborate system of conveyor belts and lifts to handle 10,000 passengers each day by 2028.
The future of travel has been unveiled by Volocopter – and it seems remarkably efficient. The German flying car start-up has released a video that shows its vision of an urban ‘air taxi’ system that could handle 10,000 passengers each day. The system features elaborate ‘Volo-port’ stations perched on top of skyscrapers that are equipped with conveyor belts, swappable battery packs and lifts to speed up transfer of passengers. This means aircraft are always fully charged and ready to go, according to the company, which claims these futuristic landing pads could be commercially viable for normal people. The company hopes to have a prototype station in place next year but predicts that it will take around ten years before a city-wide system is in place.
The Stuttgart-based start-up’s ambitious plan is to create circular launchpads on the top floor of skyscrapers in cities from where the electric aircraft would take off and land, writes the Verge. They would have a conveyor belt that would transport the vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft into an indoor hanger.
From there, they would moved to a garage where maintenance work can be carried out. The system would be so efficient the company claims 1,000 passengers could board and disembark every hour.’It’s about mass transportation of people and how it can be done in a safe way and with what infrastructure,’ Alexander Zosel, Volocopter’s co-founder and chief innovation officer, told the Verge. Mr Zosel said the Volocopter aircraft would need to land every 30 seconds. Having such high volume is important if the company is able to handle lots of passengers and therefore be affordable.
Initially, the taxis would only fly over a short distance with flight times of around 30 minutes and a maximum range of 17 miles (27km). However, some have doubts about how feasible this technology will be – most batteries are still far off offering the power-to-weight ratio required to take off. The company has demonstrated its capabilities in Germany and Dubai where it believed the company is most likely to launch its first service. More recently it announced it partnership with Intel in CES at Las Vegas.
The company stunned attendees during Intel’s keynote by flying the drone right onto the stage, in what a spokesperson admitted was a ‘ballsy’ move. In a presentation about Volocopter’s craft, an exhibitor said it is the ‘world’s first autonomous air taxi.’The craft completed the first unmanned test flight in Dubai this past autumn. ‘Potentially in years to come, you would be able to take your phone out and pull up a transportation application, and similar to what you do with a taxi today, summon this to your location, hop in, tell it where you’re going. ‘And it would autonomously fly you to that location, no pilot required. It’s a safe, reliable form of transportation’, the exhibitor said. The Volocopter craft ‘is essentially a scaled-up super drone,’ he noted. It is fully electric, allowing for zero emission travel. And, it’s quiet enough to be operated in an urban environment.
Volocopter relies on a system of ‘redundancies’ to ensure its safety, meaning there are many propellers, batteries, and motors to compensate in case one goes out. With Intel’s flight control technology and a ‘myriad of sensors,’ the craft is ‘constantly analysing environmental data to ensure those redundancies,’ a Volocopter exhibitor explained.
There are 18 independent motors and propellers, but ‘if that seems like way too many, what it allows for is, you can lose a propeller or several of them and still maintain your flight.’There are nine batteries, ensuring the same type of back-up. According to the firm, rides in the flying taxis would likely be comparable to a trip in an Uber Black.
Courtesy: DailyMail
Airlines
Inflight Ramadan Experience: Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways Offer Traditional Meals and Religious Content for Passengers
The most well-known Middle Eastern airlines are providing special Ramadan meals to its customers. Emirates, Qatar, and Etihad have developed distinctive recipes in response to the holy month of Ramadan.
Emirates
Emirates is preparing thousands of Ramadan meal boxes for fasting passengers both onboard and Iftar boxes at boarding gates, an array of religious content and Ramadan series on ice, and traditional Ramadan refreshments and meals in the lounges.
The Ramadan meal boxes will include light dishes and starters such as hummus and spinach bil zeit, Greek salad and cauliflower bil tahini, falafel sandwiches, pasta salad and fried aubergine with mint, zaatar chicken salad and cauliflower bil tahini, chicken musakhan sandwiches with Arabic bread, as well as staples like traditional dates and refreshing laban. A smaller Iftar box will also be served at boarding gates at Iftar time including all the essentials to comfortably break the fast.
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Emirates’ Ramadan and Iftar boxes will be served to complement the regular hot meal service and menu’s will be refreshed on a weekly basis to ensure a best-in-class dining experience during the Holy Month. The boxes will be served on flights to select destinations during times that coincide with iftar, on flights to and from the Gulf region, as well as flights catering to Umrah groups traveling to Jeddah and Medina during the month of Ramadan.
Qatar Airways
It offer a bespoke Iftar to passengers on board and at Al Safwa, Al Mourjan and Global Premium Lounges. Special Ramadan offerings will be available on flights to the GCC, Middle East, and some Indian Sub-continent, African and Asian destinations.
Similarly, Qatar Airways Al Safwa First Class Lounge and Al Mourjan Business Lounge will announce the prayer call; in readiness for passengers to utilize the prayer rooms.
Travelers can choose from a selection of traditional Ramadan favorites for a fulfilling dining experience in addition to the Qatar Airways customary dining experience served alongside Qatar Airways’ signature Ramadan-themed lantern.
Etihad Airways
Etihad’s regular hot meal service will be complemented by the Iftar meals onboard, and guests will be treated to meals including Saffron curry crusted seabream, Lamb shank with black lime jus, Lentil soup, Chaami and beetroot salad, Machboos chicken ciabatta sandwich, Aseeda cheesecake, Saffron pot de creme with batheeta crumble and more. A selection of the bespoke recipes will be available online or by scanning QR codes placed at the bottom of the onboard menu, allowing guests to recreate Etihad’s unique inflight meals at home.
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The Etihad Ramadan experience starts from the lounges at Abu Dhabi International Airport, which will also feature Ramadan dishes and beverages as well as dedicated prayer rooms. Travellers breaking their fast prior to departure or just before landing will be provided with takeaway bags containing dates, a drink and a snack.
The airline’s inflight entertainment system, E-box, will be updated with a selection of Ramadan content in addition to recordings of the Holy Quran and the Mecca Qibla pointer that are always available on board.To view Etihad’s special Ramadan menu and select recipes, click here.
The completed prototype of Iran’s homegrown trainer jet was shown, bringing the country’s military forces one step closer to self-sufficiency. Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammadreza Ashtiani attended the inauguration of the aircraft’s production line as the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) Air Force welcomed the second “Yasin” advanced trainer jet.
For the next phase of training its pilots for Su 35 aircraft, Iran unveiled the first Indigenius trainer aircraft. Despite Western sanctions, Iran is actively producing its own aircraft and developing its manufacturing capabilities.
The second 2nd Yasin advanced trainer jet has finally been unveiled, after the first prototype appeared in 2019
A production line has been formed. If there's still plans for a CAS variant, we'll likely see the design for it soon https://t.co/jLiEwUhpCK pic.twitter.com/UTABSYMk1o
— Iran Defense|نیروهای مسلح جمهوری اسلامی ایران (@IranDefense) March 11, 2023
The Yasin is a twin-seater, single-engine aircraft that can be used for pilot training, advanced pilot training, and weapon delivery training. It has a maximum speed of around 1,000 km/h and a range of approximately 900 km.
The Yasin’s development is a significant step for Iran’s defence sector because it demonstrates the nation’s capacity to manufacture cutting-edge military equipment at domestically. Iran has been under international sanctions for many years, which has made it difficult for the country to import advanced military equipment from other countries.
The Yasin is part of a larger effort by Iran to strengthen its military capabilities and reduce its reliance on foreign military equipment. It’s also a symbol of Iran’s technological and scientific progress and its ability to achieve self-sufficiency in various areas, including defense.
Following the FAA’s Safety Summit last week, the agency issued a safety alert with specific steps it wants airlines, pilots and others to take.
The FAA is urging the following actions:
- Ensure pilots and flight attendants have the same understanding of what “sterile flight deck” means and the risks associated with extraneous communication during this time.
- Emphasize the importance of awareness of the aircraft in relation to taxiways, runways and other aircraft. This includes reviewing the following previously published SAFOs:
- Encourage personnel to identify and report existing and emerging safety issues through voluntary reporting programs and understand the usefulness of voluntary reporting systems for the operation in which you are engaged.
- Reinforce adherence to published processes and procedures, including checklists, Air Traffic Control instructions, and internal company procedures.
- Ensure Safety Management Systems are accounting for the high rate of change and churn in the industry.
El Al Israel Airlines announced on Thursday that it would resume flights to India in October after a three-year break, citing reduced flight times because of the ability to fly across Saudi Arabia and Oman.
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Using Boeing 737 aircraft, Israel’s national airline will fly four times a week from Tel Aviv to Mumbai. The trip should take 5.5 hours instead of the previous 7.45 hours. Moreover, it will operate twice-weekly flights to New Delhi on larger Boeing 777 or 787 aircraft. El Al reported that the flight time on the trip will decrease to 6.5 hours from 9.
After the recently obtained clearance to fly over the skies of Saudi Arabia and Oman, the introduction of the new routes is now feasible, according to El Al.
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Israeli travelers and businessmen enjoy India. El Al has started using the new route on flights to Asia since Muscat joined Riyadh in allowing Israeli civilian overflights last month. El Al claims that the new Saudi corridor will enable it to increase its service to Australia and Asia.
Archer Aviation Inc. and United Airlines announced plans to launch the first air taxi route in Chicago, between O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Vertiport Chicago. Vertiport Chicago, North America’s largest vertical aircraft takeoff and landing facility, is located in the Illinois Medical District near the Chicago Loop.
This site was selected as the takeoff and landing site for this airport to city center route because of its unparalleled convenience, access and service. From there, passengers will be able to travel to and from ORD via Archer’s Midnight aircraft in approximately 10 minutes. A similar trip by car can take upwards of an hour or more during rush hour traffic.
United and Archer’s goal for its UAM network is to provide residents and visitors in the Chicago Metropolitan Area with a safe, sustainable, low noise, and cost-competitive alternative to ground transportation beginning in 2025. Chicago is the third most populous city in the United States, a center for business, innovation and investment, and home to United’s headquarters.
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This makes it a unique city for Archer and United to build out. The early launch routes will focus in on airport to city center transportation service, which are referred to as “trunk” routes. Once the trunk routes have been established, the next step will be to build out “branch” routes to connect to surrounding communities.
ComEd, the Midwest’s largest utility company, will work with United and Archer to establish the power infrastructure necessary to support eVTOL aircraft operations in and around the Chicago Metropolitan Area.
A Southwest Airlines flight’s safe landing on Wednesday is credited to an off-duty pilot who acted quickly after one of the two flying pilots became suddenly ill.
Southwest Flight 6013 had taken off just after 6:30 a.m. heading for Columbus, Ohio, according to the flight-tracking site FlightAware. As it was airborne, one of its pilots “required medical attention,” a representative for the airline stated, without revealing information about the health condition.
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The pilot then fell unconscious, and the crew moved him to the back of the aircraft where they began to treat him. The flight’s off-duty pilot, who travelling to be a passenger, went to the cockpit and handled radio communications for the duration of the flight. After returning to Las Vegas, the aircraft’s first officer landed at Harry Reid International Airport a little more than an hour after takeoff.
In a statement, Southwest said that a credentialed pilot from another airline who was on board “entered the fight deck and aided with radio communication as our Southwest pilot flew the aircraft.”And grateful for the off-duty pilot’s support and help. “We praise the crew for their professionalism and appreciate our customer’s patience and understanding regarding the circumstance,” Southwest stated in a statement. The FAA said it is investigating the incident.
Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, will deploy its signature A380 aircraft to Bali starting from 1 June 2023, marking a milestone in Indonesia’s aviation history as the first scheduled A380 service to the country.
The new 2-class Emirates A380 service will replace one of the two daily services to Bali currently operated by a 2-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The airline’s debut A380 flight EK368, will depart from Dubai International Airport (DXB) at 03:25 hrs, arriving in Denpasar International Airport (DPS) at 16:35 hrs local time. The returning flight, EK369, will depart Bali at 19:40 hrs, arriving in Dubai at 00:45 hrs local time. All times are local.
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Tickets can be purchased on emirates.com, the Emirates App, at Emirates sales offices, and via both online and offline travel agents. Travelers are also encouraged to check the Emirates website for the latest travel requirements.
On a two-class Emirates A380 aircraft, passengers are offered 58 lie-flat seats in Business Class and 557 generously pitched seats in Economy Class. Customers traveling to and from Bali can look forward to enjoying Emirates’ spacious and comfortable cabins; signature products that offer travelers the best experiences in the sky like the Onboard Lounge, as well as regional cuisine including a number of Indonesian dishes. ice, Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system offers more than 5,000 channels of on-demand entertainment with a wide selection of Indonesian content.
Emirates continues to expand its A380 network to meet increasing travel demand globally. The airline’s flagship aircraft is currently deployed to 41 destinations, including Dubai and is likely to expand to nearly 50 destinations by the end of the summer.
Inflight Ramadan Experience: Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways Offer Traditional Meals and Religious Content for Passengers
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Israel’s El Al to resume India flights using Saudi corridor
United airlines announces first Electric Air Taxi Route in Chicago
Off-duty pilot helps land 737 after Southwest pilot falls ill during flight
Emirates to launch first A380 service to Bali
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