XTI on Monday announced it signed a capital distribution agreement with investor FC Imperial Limited worth as much as $55 million, giving the firm a post-money valuation of around $275 million should the transaction go through.

“Assuming the completion of the proposed investment, we believe the additional capital will help accelerate the development of the TriFan through several major milestones, including completion of the updated preliminary design review along with launching the critical design review phase in preparation for the assembly of XTI’s Test Aircraft No. 1,” said Scott Pomeroy, chairman and CEO of XTI.

XTI, which is publicly traded on the Nasdaq, was borne out of a merger between manufacturer XTI Aircraft Company and Inpixon, a developer of real-time location systems. That transaction went through in March.

The company’s proprietary aircraft design has received patents in the U.S., Canada, Japan, China, and Europe. In 2019, a two-thirds scale prototype aircraft made its maiden voyage.

The TriFan design was inspired by the hummingbird using its wings to suspend itself in air while collecting nectar: fast, quiet, and able to hover. In the same way, the aircraft uses tilting fans to easily transition from hover to forward flight, much like the tiltrotors on the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey or Leonardo AW609.

Unlike the cylindrical shape of most commercial airliners, the design takes the form of a bird in flight to provide lift, similar to the Boeing B-52 or Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.

The TriFan seats a pilot and as many as six passengers. It can operate from a helipad, airport, or any “improved surface,” with no need for new infrastructure or airspace regulations.

Two massive ducted fans on either side of the aircraft’s fixed wing aid in hover and cruise flight, while a third rear fan—which stows during flight—provides power and stability during vertical takeoff. The fans are controlled using simple fly-by-wire controls and powered by a pair of turboshaft engines. The company says it will later switch to hybrid-electric and eventually full electric power to enable zero-emissions operations.

According to XTI, the aircraft’s 700 sm (600 nm) range from helipad to helipad—equivalent to the distance between Dallas and Denver or San Francisco and Portland, Oregon—is double that of most helicopters and seven times that of battery-only VTOL designs. It can also use its fans to perform a short takeoff and landing (STOL) from an airport runway for increased range (750 nm) and payload.

XTI says the TriFan’s 345 mph (300 knots) cruise speed is also twice that of a typical helicopter and will save passengers time compared to business jets and airliners. It will fly at around 25,000 feet and have a configurable fuselage for executive, commuter, and medical use cases.

At the same time, the aircraft is expected to be affordable. In 2021, XTI estimated that an eight-passenger TriFan configuration flying from Manhattan to John F. Kennedy International Airport (KJFK) would cost 80 cents per seat-mile, compared to $3.19 for the average eVTOL and $3 for the typical Uber ride.

The TriFan will be certified as a single-pilot design with IFR permissions, including flights in inclement weather. XTI is collaborating with AVX Aircraft Company on the aircraft’s design, development, and certification.

As of March, the company has a total of more than 700 conditional aircraft purchase agreements, non-binding deposit agreements, options, and letters of intent for the model.

Last month, regional airline Mesa Airlines, which works with United Airlines, placed a conditional preorder for up to 100 aircraft, the value of which XTI estimates at $1 billion. The firm also became an investor. The pending transaction represents one of the most significant so far for the young company.

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The company showcased its Sirius CEO-Jet and Sirius Adventure Jet—the initial entrants into what it claims will be the first family of hydrogen-powered, zero-emission, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capable aircraft—on Thursday at the Move Expo in London.

The models will be powered by a hydrogen-electric powertrain and fuel tank—a propulsion system designed to extend flight time compared to fully electric models. Similar to the Lilium Jet, the aircraft will feature electric ducted fans embedded in fixed wings and canards to provide vertical lift.

Both the CEO-Jet and Adventure Jet are expected to emit less than 60 dBA of noise at a distance of 100 meters—about the volume of a typical conversation—using what Sirius describes as a “deflected vectored thrust” propulsion system. The company claims they will reduce noise by about 95 percent compared to helicopters.

The CEO-Jet, designed to seat three passengers, will serve the private business aviation segment, combining zero-emission flight with luxurious, customizable amenities.

The Adventure Jet, on the other hand, is designed primarily for passenger and cargo transport but can also handle medical evacuations, search and rescue, firefighting, surveillance, and offshore operations. It seats up to two pilots and as many as five passengers, with a maximum takeoff weight of about 7,700 pounds, handling point-to-point trips to remote destinations such as jungles or mountaintops. It will even have an inflatable pontoon, allowing it to glide over water.

The latter design comes equipped with GPS, Doppler radar, very high frequency (VHF) and ultra high frequency (UHF) radio, and a digital autopilot system capable of hover and approach.

“The CEO-JET offers an eco-friendly option for business travel, while the Adventure Jet opens new horizons for global tourism and exploration,” said Alexey Popov, CEO of Sirius.

Founded in 2021, Sirius set out to design an aircraft that could combine the aerodynamics of an airplane with the versatility of a helicopter. The concept for a family of hydrogen-powered business jets first emerged in January, and the company shared more information in the weeks leading up to Move Expo.

The Sirius Jet’s calling card is its propulsion system—a hydrogen-electric powertrain that energizes 28 electric ducted fans, 20 embedded in the wings and eight mounted in the canard. Together with a pressurized cabin, these fans are designed to help the aircraft reach an altitude of 30,000 feet.

The fans are linked individually to one of 28 electric motors, each weighing about 21 pounds and containing a proprietary thermal management system. Air drawn through the jet’s intake passes through a cooling system and into onboard liquid hydrogen tanks. It is then channeled to a fuel cell stack, which has a high weight-to-power density ratio ideal for storing hydrogen.

Within the fuel cell, hydrogen and oxygen react to create water and electricity, the latter of which is directed to a set of battery packs that power the electric motors. The packs recharge during flight, are active for only 90 seconds per flight cycle, and do not need to be replaced, Sirius says. Water, a byproduct, is released through the exhaust valve.

By Sirius’ estimate, it would cost only $500 to fully refill the fuel tank. The company further claims the propulsion system makes its aircraft more efficient than electric VTOL (eVTOL) counterparts.

The Lilium Jet, for example, has a range of about 155 sm (135 nm); the Sirius CEO-Jet will max out at around 1,150 sm (1,000 nm), while the Adventure Jet can reach that range using its additional fuel tanks. Further, the CEO-Jet’s cruise speed and Adventure Jet’s top speed—323 mph (280 knots)—is more than double the Lilium Jet’s (155 mph, or 135 knots).

A potential CEO-Jet network in the U.S. could encompass New York City, Chicago, Kansas City, Missouri, New Orleans, and Miami. The Adventure Jet, meanwhile, could connect San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Phoenix. According to Sirius, the network would offer “a 4-[time] improvement in travel efficiency compared to conventional methods” such as car or traditional airplane.

At the same time, the hydrogen-powered aircraft are billed as offering the luxury of a conventional business jet. Customers have the option, for example, to customize interior colors, upholstery, amenities—including champagne fridges, custom bathrooms, art installations, and kitchens—lighting, and flooring materials such as marble, hardwood, or carpet. Passengers can even pick the scent they smell when they enter the aircraft.

Both models are equipped with an airframe parachute system that deploys automatically in case of emergency, which Sirius claims reduces risk to “virtually zero.”

Sirius hopes to set up serial manufacturing and obtain certification for the Sirius Jet family before 2028. Next year, it expects to complete an inaugural flight using a demonstration plane and open sales of 50 business jets, with deliveries beginning in 2028. By the end of the decade, it intends to launch a shuttle network across the Americas, European Union, and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

So far, Sirius has received an order from Indian seaplane operator Mehair for 50 Adventure Jets plus 50 options, with another from Indonesian tourism firm Parq Development for five CEO-Jets and Adventure Jets apiece.

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The deliveries come less than a month after Gulfstream received FAA type and production certification (March 29 and April 8, respectively) for the new, Rolls-Royce Pearl 700-powered G700. The engines have greater than 18,000 pounds of thrust, each.

• READ MORE: Gulfstream G700 Obtains FAA Certification

The FAA nods, entry-into-service, and as many as 15 deliveries had been expected by the end of last year. But delays in the certification process, largely attributed to FAA staffing woes, have slowed the progress for the new model. The good news for Gulfstream is that this year’s deliveries for all models are expected to spike to as many as 160 aircraft, a boost of some 44 percent.

Mark Burns, Gulfstream president, said, “We appreciate the confidence our customers have demonstrated in our aircraft and look forward to continuing these deliveries in the weeks ahead.”

• READ MORE: New Gulfstream G700 Beats Projections During Testing

The $75 million G700, which Gulfstream says features “the most spacious cabin in the industry,” also features a maximum range of 7,750 nm (at Mach 0.85). The twinjet can cover legs of 6,650 nm at Mach 0.90. Its maximum operating speed is Mach 0.935, making it the fastest business jet in the Gulfstream line. And the G700’s pressurization system enables the “industry’s lowest cabin altitude,” according to the Savannah, Georgia-based manufacturer.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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The 30th anniversary AERO event runs from April 17-20 in Friedrichshafen, Germany, with the career days on April 19 and April 20.

• READ MORE: Rolls-Royce Launches Flight Testing of Pearl 10X Engine

According to show organizers, some 25 companies are participating in the recruiting effort, including Liebherr Aerospace, Rheinland Air Service (RAS), Diehl Aerospace, Rheinmetall, EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency), Air Alliance, Hillsboro Aero Academy, Textron Aviation, Junkers Aircraft, Lufthansa CityLine, Zeppelin, Trelleborg Ceiling Solutions and Platoon Aviation.

“The current forecast of Boeing sees a global need for a total of around 2.29 million new employees for the aviation industry by 2042, including 649,000 pilots, 690,000 new technicians and 938,000 cabin crew,” said Tobias Bretzel, AERO show director. “In addition, there will be a need for additional personnel in general aviation, business aviation and the military. The prospects for young people for a successful career in aviation and aerospace are better than ever. The AERO Career Days offer interested parties a unique opportunity to obtain comprehensive information at first hand.”

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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The Pearl 10X has been selected by French aircraft manufacturer Dassault for its new Falcon 10X, the company’s ultralong-range flagship.

“We are excited to enter into this important next phase of the engine development program with the start of our flight test campaign,”  Philipp Zeller, senior vice president of Dassault’s business aviation division at Rolls-Royce, said in a statement. “All the tests completed to date confirm the reliability of the engine and show it will meet the performance requirements to power Dassault’s flagship, the Falcon 10X.”

• READ MORE: Rolls-Royce Tests Pearl Engines with 100 Percent Sustainable Aviation Fuel 

As part of the test campaign, the engines are fitted to a Boeing 747-200, which serves as Rolls-Royce’s flying test bed (FTB). 

The Tucson, Arizona-based FTB is capable of having a variety of engines fitted to it “to give them a real-life test run in the air, providing valuable performance data,” the company said. “As the aircraft usually has four engines, we can ensure safety at all times by having one test engine operating alongside three other engines that are already established in service.” 

During the latest round of engine tests, the FTB has five engines, according to the company: the Pearl 10X, a Trent 1000, and three RB211s.

Over the course of the coming months, flight testing will include engine performance and handling checks at various speeds and altitudes, in-flight relights, tests of the nacelle’s anti-icing system, as well as fan vibration tests at various altitudes, Rolls-Royce said.

• READ MORE: Rolls-Royce Confirms All of Its Current Engines Can Run On 100 Percent SAF

In October, Rolls-Royce announced it had successfully completed a series of tests for the Pearl 10X, and its Pearl 15 engines using 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The tests, which took place in Germany, “play a leading role in the journey to achieve net-zero flight by 2050,” the company said at the time.

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The Orlando, Florida-headquartered company said it is supporting government and law enforcement agencies, nonprofit organizations, and corporate groups in their efforts to detect, track, and curb human trafficking. The announcement coincides with the annual increase in public awareness of private aviation that occurs as people travel to Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday in Las Vegas in personal, corporate, and charter aircraft.

“Signature is the largest network of private aviation terminals in the world, which gives us a unique opportunity to help combat human trafficking,” said Tony Lefebvre, CEO of Signature. “The International Organization for Migration has stated that nearly 80 percent of international human trafficking journeys cross through official border control points, including airports. That makes this an incredibly important and relevant issue for us, and one where we have the ability to make a tangible difference.”

The company said its collaboration efforts include signing the U.S. Department of Transportation’s pledge for Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking, a program under which transport organizations work to increase awareness and educate their employees about the pervasive crime. Signature also joined the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Blue Lightning Initiative for training aviation personnel to identify possible traffickers and their victims.

Signature became a corporate sponsor of nonprofit Covenant House, which provides support for young people facing crises including the effects of human trafficking. The company is also sponsoring the Freedom Aviation Network, a nonprofit that provides air transportation for survivors of human trafficking. The group has made 85 flights and transported more than 100 passengers since 2022.

Signature is also partnering with the American Association of Airport Executives to develop training programs to address human trafficking tailored to those working in general and business aviation.

“Private aviation operators are on the frontlines of the fight to end human trafficking,” said Michael Camal, senior engagement manager with the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking. “We are grateful that Signature is leveraging its vast resources and global workforce to combat this heinous crime.”

The post Signature Aviation Joins Support Groups, Government Agencies, and Law Enforcement to Combat Human Trafficking appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Groupe Dassault consists of several enterprises beyond Dassault Aviation, including Dassault Systèmes, Le Figaro (media and services), Immobilière Dassault (real estate), Dassault Wine Estates (including Saint-Émilion, France-based Château Dassault), and Artcurial (auction house).

Edelstenne rose to lead the French conglomerate on May 28, 2018, following the death of Serge Dassault. Trappier comes into the position having longtime experience with the company. He served as executive vice president, international directorate, leading the company’s successful bid to sell the Mirage 2000-9 fighter to the United Arab Emirates in 1998, as well as the selection of the Rafale fighter following India’s Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft RFP in 2012.

Trappier graduated from Telecom SudParis academy for engineers and then served in the French Navy as an officer. He joined Dassault Aviation in 1984 as a systems engineer in the business unit’s design department. Currently, he also serves as chairman of Dassault Falcon Jet, and he’s a member of the French Légion d’Honneur and Knight of the Ordre National du Mérite.

Dassault Aviation certified the Falcon 6X in 2023 under Trappier’s leadership and continues development of the Falcon 10X with certification anticipated in 2025.

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Today’s Top Pick is a 1973 Learjet 25B.

The Learjet 23’s first flight in 1963 marked a new era in personal transport. Until that point, many aviation industry leaders doubted that the market for luxury private jets was large enough to warrant the expenditure needed to design and produce such aircraft. Convinced it would succeed if marketed to the right customers, inventor Bill Lear pushed ahead with development of the Learjet.

Learjets became so popular that for a time they became synonymous with “private jet” and “business jet.” People tended to refer to any sleek, small private jet as a Learjet. While many business aviation customers bought the aircraft, it was celebrity ownership that helped them stand out. Famous people–-like singers James Brown and Frank Sinatra, and pilot/golf champion Arnold Palmer—traveled in Learjets, which came to represent expressions of personal style as much as time-saving business tools. Even the earliest models still look great today.    

This 1973 Learjet has 10,600 hours on the airframe, 4,036 hours on one engine and 4,200 on the other since overhaul. The General Electric CJ610-6 engines have a TBO of 5,000 hours. The airplane has made a total of 9,557 landings and has a range of 1,437 nm, maximum takeoff weight of 15,000 pounds, and  basic empty weight of 8,154 pounds.

The panel includes a Garmin GNS 530AW, dual Garmin GTX 335 transponders, autopilot with flight director, and weather radar. Additional equipment includes a drag chute.

Pilots and passengers who want a fast, beautifully styled aircraft with family ties to what many consider the first real business jets should look into this 1973 Learjet 25B, which is available for $385,000 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

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The post This 1973 Learjet 25B Is a Fast Celebrity-Linked ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Embraer delivered 75 aircraft during the fourth quarter of 2023, including 49 executive jets, 25 commercial jets, and one C-390 military jet. For the full year, the company’s deliveries totaled 181 aircraft, an increase of 13 percent from 160 in 2022.

• READ MORE: Embraer Deliveries Up 30 Percent in Third Quarter

The Executive Aviation unit ended the year with a total of 74 light jets delivered, marking a 12 percent increase over 2022 and the highest volume in seven years. Deliveries of medium jets rose 14 percent to 41 aircraft. The backlog grew by $400 million to $4.3 billion.

Embraer’s Defense & Security unit won a deal to supply its C-390 Millennium military transport jets to South Korea, making that country the first C-390 customer in Asia. Last year Austria and the Czech Republic also selected the C-390 in 2023, as did the Netherlands in 2022.

• READ MORE: South Korea to Buy Embraer C-390 for Military Transport

The Commercial Aviation unit reported a 12 percent increase in deliveries of E-Jet aircraft to 64. Within the E-Jet family, deliveries of the E2 models more than doubled to 39 aircraft in 2023. The backlog rose to 298 aircraft, or a total of $8.8 billion. Highlights for the year included the Canadian carrier Porter Airlines placing an order for 25 E195-E2 passenger jets, adding to previous existing firm orders for 50 aircraft.

Embraer’s Services & Support business backlog grew to $3.1 billion in 2023, its highest-ever level. The company said growth momentum benefited from its earlier announcement of a deal that has doubled its maintenance service capacity for executive jets in the U.S. The expansion includes the addition of three executive aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities at Dallas Love Field, Texas (KDAL); Cleveland, Ohio (KCLE); and Sanford, Florida (KSFB).

The post Embraer Says Deliveries, Backlog Rose in 2023 but Supply Chain Woes Slowed Results Overall appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The groups said their joint initiative aims to encourage aircraft operators to use a stepped approach while incrementally increasing SAF use at a higher rate than mandated under existing regulations such as the ReFuelEU aviation initiative.

The plan outlines “ambitious yet achievable targets,” GAMA and EBAA said, starting with a goal of 5 percent SAF usage by 2025. Subsequent goals include increases in SAF use to 20 percent by 2030, 60 percent by 2040, 80 percent by 2045, and 100 percent SAF adoption by 2050. 

• READ MORE: GAMA Hosts Pre-Brief on Life After EPA’s Ruling on Leaded Aviation Fuel

In recognition of SAF’s limited availability in certain parts of the world, GAMA and EBAA are promoting a system of “book and claim” that would allow operators to purchase credits when the fuel is not available. Under this system, they could claim benefits of SAF when aircraft in other regions are using it.

“This initiative is a testament to our industry’s dedication to sustainability,” said EBAA secretary general Holger Krahmer. “We are not just meeting regulatory requirements. We are setting higher standards for ourselves and leading by example. It’s crucial that we support the development and distribution of SAF, and the ‘book [and] claim’ system is a crucial tool allowing for an accelerated uptake of sustainable fuels.”

The EBAA and GAMA said their initiative arrives as pressure increases for the aviation industry to reduce its carbon footprint. Establishing goals beyond the minimum regulatory requirements reflects the industry groups’ commitment to net-zero operations.

“With SAF playing a key role in decarbonizing business aviation, it is vital that we work with authorities and legislators to incentivize and strengthen efforts to develop, deploy, and increase overall usage of SAF,” said GAMA president and CEO Pete Bunce. “This initiative further demonstrates the industry’s commitment to achieving our sustainability goals.”

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