“Time Well Spent.”

When Diamond Aircraft was purchased by Wanfeng Aviation Industries, a subsidiary of the Chinese conglomerate Wanfeng Auto Holding Group in 2017, some observers believed the manufacturing of Diamond aircraft would relocate to China. Instead, Diamond aircraft continue to be manufactured in Wiener Neustadt, some 50 kms from Vienna in Austria, and in London, Ontario, Canada. The Austrian HQ is also home to Austro aircraft engines, who power Diamond aircraft, and Diamond Flight Training, all part of Wanfeng Aviation Industries.

Founded originally by an Austrian aircraft designer Wolfgang Hoffman in 1981 until purchased by the Dries family in 1991, the company’s fortunes ebbed and flowed in the 90s and 2000s and went through several restructurings following financial difficulties in 2007/2008. All now appears to be financially stable under the umbrella of the Chinese conglomerate.

Diamond’s flagship aircraft, the twin-engine DA62, has a range of 1,288 NMs, can seat 7 people, with a speed of 192 kts and fly up to 20,000 feet. The attached video shows an early morning DA62 departure from Diamond’s home airport in Austria, Wiener Neusdtadt, (IATA code LOAN) to Salzburg, followed by a number of other flights, showing what can be achieved in a single day’s flying. Planning is key of course – and scenic views over the Alps are mandatory – as is a dash of Italian romance. (At least in corporate OEM marketing videos on sunny days.)

Diamond remains committed to its all-electric training aircraft, the eDA40, perhaps looking to compete with the already certified Pipistrel Velis Electro, now owned by another large conglomerate, Textron Aviation, owner of Cessna and Bell. Diamond has also now fully integrated Volocopter, (via its parent Wanfeng Aviation), after purchasing Volocopter for €10m in March 2025. Volocopter remains at its base in Bruchsal, Germany – at least for now.

https://www.diamondaircraft.com/en/

“Why is 7 afraid of 8? Coz 889…

When BETA CEO Kyle Clark took Stonepoint Capital Chairman and Co-CEO Chuck Davis for a spin recently on one of the BETA CX300 aircraft, Davis was introduced, in the air, to N889CD – BETA’s first conforming aircraft linked to the FAA certification process.

The registration mark N889CD was a grateful nod to Chuck Davis’s early investment in BETA – and the joke about “why is 7 afraid of 8? Because 889..” sounds like a long-running joke between both. Very nice touch.

On landing, Chuck also referenced a well-publicized personal loss which happened some ten years earlier.

All in all, a lovely tribute and yet another indication of BETA’s very human approach to corporate culture.

https://beta.team/

PS nice translation feature on the BETA website using Google Translate – into French. Aviation is very english-centric, so tip o‘ the beret to BETA on thinking globally.

“Meet the Mighty Falcon 10X”…

With a range of 7,500 NM (13,890 KM), the Dassault Falcon 10X can fly non-stop from New York to Shanghai or Los Angeles to Sydney. The two Rolls-Royce Pearl 10X engines produce 18,000 pounds of thrust each, required to reach the published top speed of 0.925 Mach, very close to the speed of sound.

Only two engines when the usual Falcon long-range cabins such as the 7X and 8X have three? True – but when you’re as powerful as these two and may not need the ultra-long range of the 7X or 8X, it’s cheaper to maintain.

Mind you, when you’re paying around US$75m for a new 10X, you may not be two worried about a 3rd engine maintenance cost.

Dassault claim the 10X is the “safest, most advanced widebody in the sky”. Needless to say, Gulfstream, Bombardier and Embraer may have an alternative view on that statement. Boeing Business Jets and Airbus Corporate Jets might also raise an eyebrow – or two.

Meanwhile, Dassault Aviation continue to dazzle (and differentiate) with their ”models-based” marketing style. Originally revealed in May 2021, the official post-certification unveiling of the 10X took place on 10 March 2026 – the attached video clip was first shown at the Dassault HQ in Mérignac, near Bordeaux at the launch party. Perhaps even Grant Cardone, once an Owner of a Falcon 900 with his brand “10X” painted on the side in very large red and black colours, and even with the Registration Mark N10X, might not be able to resist.

For the purists, and the Buyers, the technical details are on:

https://www.dassaultfalcon.com/businessjets/falcon-10x/

Reliable Robotics – Uncrewed Cessna 208B Caravan.

Given the strict regulatory environment that commercial aviation operates in, it’s almost impossible to imagine a passenger-carrying aircraft without a pilot – or two.

Nevertheless, a number of companies including XWing and Merlin have developed, tested and flown a number of older generation aircraft without a pilot at the controls. To comply with safety regulations, even under experimental aircraft rules, a safety pilot has been on board.

However, on 27 November 2023, Reliable Robotics, a Mountain View, California-based company, has successfully operated a Cessna 208B Caravan from start-up to taxi-out to take-off to flight to approach to touch-down to taxi-in at Hollister Municipal Airport in San Benito County, California – with no pilots on board. The flight was “flown” remotely from 50 miles away in Mountain View. (Reliable Robotics was founded by Robert Rose in 2017).

The company states that 70% of all General Aviation fatal accidents “can be prevented with the use of Advanced Automation Systems”. Furthermore, 80% of all “aviation accidents are caused by human factors” according to the FAA.

Even though the Cessna 208 flew its own first prototype in December 1981 and was certified in December 1982, over 40 years ago, the use of modern sophisticated software and hardware technology has enabled the aircraft to operate under UAS conditions: Unmanned Aerial Systems. Whilst the certification and deployment of UAS in a commercial passenger carrying capacity may seem a long way off and will almost certainly be cargo focused initially, the technology has progressed to the point where full regulatory approval is more likely to be years away rather than decades. Looking at this video, it does seem inevitable. Given the large majority of underlying accident causes focuses on human error, it also seems very compelling.

Incidentally, Hollister Airport offers easy local access to Silicon Valley which may be handy with future funding requirements…

”HondaJet ASMR – sound on.”

Continuous upgrades to business jets are a regular feature of OEM marketing campaigns. Often they are insignificant and little more than cosmetic, even if requiring regulatory approval.

The HondaJet is different and their improvements since receiving the initial FAA Type Certificate (TC) in 2015. With the latest TC for the Elite II in October 2022, the latest iteration of the popular and unique Light Jet provides for extra range as well as some welcome safety features such as ground spoilers, Autothrottle and by the end of 2023, Emergency Autoland.

The new matt black colour scheme looks great and even a tad menacing, never a bad way to stand out from the crowd.

Now, the folks at HondaJet TV have come up with a very abstract way to grab attention. ASMR means a number of things to lots of people but this idea is novel, and sounds wonderful.

Nicely done.

PS technically, ASMR stands for “autonomous sensory meridian response”.

”Boys with toys…in 360.”

For those who were lucky enough to attend the June 2023 Paris Air Show, the highlights were usually airborne. The numerous flying displays, were invariably loud, impressive and memorable. The military jets attracted the most attention, perhaps due to the sheer speed, noise and acrobatics. However, these were small jets and designed (partly) for maximum maneuverability.

What is very impressive is when you get large commercial aircraft strutting their stuff. An interesting take is the view from the cockpit during the flying display and especially so when you can see (and feel) the pilots demonstrate their flying skills as well as the extraordinary technical achievements of the aircraft.

If you have a touchscreen, click, twirl and scroll to get the full 360 sensation.

In with the old, out with the new…

With the new design all-electric eVTOLs gaining most of the Advanced Air Mobility media coverage (and capital) to the end of 2022, the hybrid-electric propulsion market using retrofitted existing aircraft has been quietly and steadily building its own “power base”.

Formed in 2016 and based in Hawthorne, California, Ampaire’s focus on hybrid technology using older generation aircraft has resulted in steady, if perhaps unspectacular progress. Using a retrofitted Cessna 208B Grand Caravan and labeled the Eco-Caravan, it combines standard aviation fuel (and potentially SAF) with a hybrid-electric powertrain located in the cargo area and powered by a battery pack located along the fuselage belly area. The first Eco Caravan flight using this hybrid technology flew on 22 November 2022 and is currently scheduled for certification in 2024.

Promising zero emissions or lower emissions with up to 70% reductions, Ampaire has already received significant orders for the Eco Caravan, including an order for 25 aircraft from Monte Aircraft Leasing.

Ampaire is also developing all-electric aircraft technology, also using modified older generation Cessna aircraft. The Cessna 337 (Skymaster) has been labeled the Electric EEL and has already flown multiple times under Experimental aircraft regulations, again using hybrid technology initially.

Ampaire is working closely with NASA on the technology which may be unsurprising considering several of the company’s executives have backgrounds in NASA, including founder/CEO Kevin Noertker and co-founder Cory Combs.

With certification delays already being announced by some of the high-profile, all-electric eVTOL OEMs such as Joby, perhaps crawling before walking (hybrid-electric before all-electric) may ultimately prove to be the AAM winning strategy.

https://www.ampaire.com

“…almost certainly be undetectable against the noise background of a modern urban environment.”

One the biggest challenges (of many) faced by those aiming for success in the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) market, and in particular those in the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) market, is social acceptance. A large part of any potential resistance to these new aircraft designs is linked to noise and well, how LOUD they’ll be when flying over urban areas. This is especially so when compared to helicopters.

Joby Aviation has come up with a brilliant way of demonstrating the potential decibel level of their current eVTOL design in the attached video clip – and hopefully appeasing future potential objectors in the process.

It’s well known that many electric car manufacturers add a noise to the hum of electric motors for safety reasons. None other than Hans Zimmer is already working with BMW to create sounds for their iX and i4 models.

Hard to imagine an “Orchestra of Silence” in the new era of UAM eVTOLs and The Dark Knight isn’t to everyone’s taste.

But wouldn’t it be cool?

“Some low level flying in the Panamint Valley…”

With movie turns in Star Wars and famous for it’s record/extreme 53 degree centigrade heat, Death Valley in the Mojave Desert in Northern California is well known as a mecca for low-level flying (and aviation photographers) given it’s unique geography and gorgeous valley vistas.

Dassault Aviation brought one of its Falcon 8X fleet (N8X) to Inyokern Airport (KIYK) in January 2022 to demonstrate the capabilities and agility of it’s ultra-longe range flagship in the harsh environs of a truly unique location by flying through the Panamint Valley, part of the Death Valley National Park.

Even with a range of 6,450 nautical miles and MTOW of 73,200lbs, the 8X handled the task flawlessly.

When an aircraft looks as great as the 8X and can fly through Death Valley in much the same way as an F-15, do you really: “feel the need, the need for speed?” Nah.

“How in the name of Chuck Yeager did we get here?”

Spoiler Alert!

“Born as an idea, a sketch that my Dad did on a piece of paper…”

Narrated by the daughter of “…my Dad” (who we can safely assume to refer to Beta’s founder and CEO Kyle Clark,) and including simple drawings of the evolution of flight, this video from Beta is a nice take on the potential benefits from eVTOL’s using aviation history milestones and key aircraft developments in order to explain Beta’s vision of it’s air mobility vision.

Alia has already notched up an impressive customer profile (e.g. UPS, United Therapeutics, Blade and Bristow) and recently undertook a unique test flight between 23-30 May 2022 from Plattsburgh (New York) to Bentonville (Arkansas). This trip required eight stops enroute to recharge the batteries for it’s 1,219nm trip and covered nearly twelve hours (11:44) airborne time.

Based at Burlington Airport in Vermont USA, Beta’s Alia is also part of the US Air Force Agility Prime platform which aims to develop eVTOL technology for defense applications and Search & Rescue. With an expected certification timeline of mid-2024, Alia will also focus on passenger journeys (Air-Taxi) and logistics applications.

Appearing to be well ahead of the competition in terms of it’s flight test campaign, Beta’s tagline of: “simple enough to be revolutionary” hardly does justice to Alia’s futuristic look, sector-leading potential in terms of payload range, unique design, advanced technology and unbridled passion of Kyle Clark and his team.

And it’s a really cute video. Enjoy.