Page 5 - FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW 2024 - DAY 2 | DAILY NEWS

Supernal Plans Prototype Testing of S-A2 in 2025

hour at altitudes between 1,000 and 1,500
feet above ground level, S-A2 will have an
initial range of 60 miles to meet typical city
operation needs.

The aircraft utilizes a distributed electric
propulsion architecture and will operate
quietly to meet community noise standards.
The S-A2 is engineered to achieve global
commercial aviation safety standards with
a robust airframe structure that includes
redundant components in critical systems
such as powertrain, flight controls and
avionics.

Advanced Air Mobility company Supernal’s will inform Supernal’s prototype vehicle “We are eager to share Supernal’s latest
full-scale electric vertical takeoff and land- by helping to mature and validate vehicle product milestone – our eVTOL product
ing (eVTOL) vehicle product concept, S-A2, systems, optimize supply chain processes concept – with the aviation industry as we
is on display at the ongoing Show. The and solidify internal testing protocols. work to launch commercial Advanced Air
company Supernal will initiate prototype Mobility operations in 2028,” said Jaiwon
testing of S-A2 in 2025 and plans to launch The introduction of S-A2 to the aviation Shin, president of Hyundai Motor Group and
commercial flights in 2028. community is the latest milestone in the CEO of Supernal. “With our ‘right product,
company’s journey toward realizing safe, right market at the right time’ philosophy,
Prior to protoype testing next year, Supernal efficient and affordable everyday passenger S-A2 embodies critical work Supernal is
will begin flying its full-scale technology air travel. The aircraft leverages expertise conducting with fleet operators, suppliers,
demonstrator (FSTD) (FSTD). GKN has de- from Supernal’s aerospace engineering governments and Hyundai Motor Group to
livered the full composite wing assembly for teams in collaboration with Hyundai Motor ensure AAM becomes a safe, economically
the FSTD and will deliver the booms by the Group’s automotive designers and manufac- viable and widespread mode of transporta-
end of the month. The FSTD test program turing teams. Built to cruise at 120 miles per tion in the coming decades.”

Wisk Expects to Carry Passengers This decade, Says CEO

Brian Yutko, CEO of Boeing-owned Wisk “We want to enter into service this decade,” Skyports agreement: Also on the open-
Aero autonomous eVTOL vehicle, expects Yutko added. “We have planned ahead of ing day of the Show, Wisk and Skyports
the aircraft to begin carrying passengers that to achieve type certification and the Infrastructure (Skyports), a vertiport infra-
“later in the decade.” Flight testing of the operational approvals that are required to structure builder, announced that they were
company’s 6th generation aircraft is expect- fly autonomous aircraft,” said Yutko. “We expanding their partnership to identify an
ed to commence later this year. have to do both of those things, which is an Entry-into-Service (EIS) network for Wisk’s
unique aspect of certifying an autonomous autonomous Generation 6 aircraft in the
Wisk is developing a four-seater autono- aircraft.” South East Queensland (SEQ) region of
mous aircraft that will have a range of 90 Australia.
miles. “We are in the middle of a certification
program with the FAA (Federal Aviation Thet agreement builds on an existing part-
Administration),” Yutko told reporters on the nership between Wisk and Skyports an-
opening day of the ongoing Show. “We are nounced in 2022. The two companies will
now testing and producing the elements of collaborate to determine locations for a
this aircraft that we hope to fly around the viable vertiport network for SEQ, which is
end of this year.” undergoing rapid and extensive develop-
ment ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic
The Wisk team has grown over the last few and Paralympic Games.
years and is about 800 strong, said Yutko.
“We are pretty heads down right now on the “Skyports has already been a strong part-
building and testing phase of this. We are ner to Wisk, and we are proud to build on
making great progress on our certification the work we’re doing already, this time in
program. That is a pioneering program; we Australia,” said Yutko. “Wisk is committed
are trying to pioneer the first certification to bringing safe, emissions-free aviation
basis for an autonomous passenger carrying to Queensland, and this partnership will
aircraft. We are looking forward to flying the get us one step closer to making our goal
airplane in the coming months. a reality.”

FARNBOROUGH INTERNATIONAL AIRSHOW 2024 JULY-23-2024 5