e-flight-Journal01-2017

e ditorial
e-flight Needs a Platform to Take off
EElectric aviation-related technologies and products have
been developing quickly in the past decade. More innovative
concepts occur in the electric aviation area than any other
aerospace sector. New electric aircraft take maiden flights on
a regular basis. Due to the announcement of the electric aircraft
projects of Siemens, Airbus, Uber, Kitty Hawk, Zunum
and many others, we will very likely witness hybrid passenger
airplanes and electric on-demand VTOL in service in the
next decade.
However, this is also the critical time for the growing electric
aviation industry. The application of electric aircraft in flight
training, recreational flight and specific operations like aerobatics
and glider towing are imminent, but the rules must be
developed and the manufacturers and most importantly the
pilots and future customers must want this new e-Aviation.
Due to this, the aviation community and the general public
must be informed and be kept up-to-date.
Some great designs evoked are possible by electric aviation
technologies such as multi-rotor manned VTOL aircraft and
on-demand aerial mobility and may still seem exotic to policy
makers, but the success of the new designs and operation
business models depends on their critical understanding
and support. Moreover, electric aviation has significant
cross-over effect in many relevant industries such as microchip,
sensor, software, synthetic materials, battery, automation,
and so on, but some of these industries or companies
have not been well aware of the new market development
opportunities.
Therefore, we believe that this is the critical time for this new
aviation to take off and to do this there needs to be a platform.
The e Flight Journal strives to be the communication part
of this platform. Dedicated to electric aviation, which effectively
consolidates all communication and marketing channels
concerning e-flight and promotes the whole industry. It
is urgently necessary for the exponent and long-term growth
of the electric aviation market and industry.
This journal will serve as a good communication channel between
industry players, regulators, investors, market - the
general public and last but not least politicians. It will be a
loudspeaker, a bridge, a platform and any other roles necessary
to help propel forward electric aviation innovation.
The e Flight Journal is committed to raise the awareness of
electric aviation among the public, pilots and politicians
(PPP) so that the readers learn that electric aviation is an imminent
technology able to be deployed commercially in the
near future instead of a far-fetched phenomenon. To spearhead
the electric aviation market trend so that GA community
including manufacturers and operators know how they
could prepare for the advent of the electric aviation, to showcase
the contemporary state-of-the-art electric aviation technologies
from leading players in the industry, to review the
policymaking situation related to electric aviation and autonomous
flight certification and operation from key policymaking
agencies, i.e. FAA, EASA, CAAC etc.
We will do this in every possible way printed (at special occasions
like Airventure and AERO), and of course online, with
the website and social media channels. The difference from
the Journal opposed to many existing blogs is its filtered information
designated and condensed by experienced aviation
editors so that professionals can access the info in a
short time and the public will understand as well.
Electric aviation is more than aviation technology innovation.
It will have a profound social and economic impact, just similar
to what jet aircraft did to the society over 60 years ago,
making flying accessible to “normal” people.
Electric aviation will create more and new types of jobs,
more technology innovation in many other industries, a bigger
market for aviation products, and most importantly, make
aviation more friendly to the environment and flying more accessible
to people. Especially when electric aircraft is bundled
with renewable energy. No more noise complaints from
the neighboring communities, no more concern about the
fuel cost at the end of flight. Commuting between and inside
cities would be much easier and quicker. Flying long
distance would be at lower cost and more accessible. Even
the flying experience itself will be more easy (assisted), and
pleasant in a quieter cabin. Electric aviation will make flying
do better what was invented for: to overcome obstacles and
to bring people together.
But until the bright future of electric aviation arrives, we need
your help to get it done.
Here are 3 ways you can help:
First, share as much news with our editorial staff so that we
can investigate and edit the info to accelerate the communication
in the scene by helping eliminate issues and solve
problems together. For example, when new infrastructure is
built in several countries at the same time with little coordination.
By solving problems together we can help eliminate issues
along the way.
Second, share your news with us so that we can inform pilots,
the public and politicians by keeping them up-to-date
and motivated to work for the e-revolution.
Thirdly, support the magazine by distributing the access
links to get the info to as many persons as possible. If possible,
by commercial support as well because to get the info
mass distributed the magazine must be free and also from
the advertising side, there will not be much income as the
markets still have to develop. So as long as there are not
many e-aircraft sold there are no marketing budgets and no
advertising.
So support us and together we can make electric aviation
take off faster and fly higher while everyone enjoys the ride.
Willi Tacke
Xin Gou
e Flight Journal
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