Boeing is collaborating with NASA and United Airlines to evaluate the impact of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on contrails and non-carbon emissions during flight tests. The US airframer says its second ecoDemonstrator Explorer, a Boeing 737-10 destined for United, will fly with 100% SAF and conventional jet fuel in separate tanks and alternate fuels during the trials. It adds that NASA's DC-8 airborne science lab will fly behind the 737 and measure emissions produced by each type of fuel and contrail ice particles, while NASA satellites will capture images of contrail formation. World Energy will supply SAF for the tests from its facility in Paramount, California, with support from the US Federal Aviation Administration, GE Aerospace and the German aerospace research centre DLR. DLR previously completed similar flight trials with Airbus, to measure emissions at altitude. The objective of the US effort is to understand how advanced fuels, engine combustor designs and other technologies may reduce atmospheric warming. The project is part of a multi-year partnership between Boeing and NASA to analyse SAF benefits. "We've solved hard problems before, and if we continue to take meaningful actions, I'm confident we'll achieve a more sustainable aerospace future together," states Boeing chief sustainability officer Chris Raymond. His counterpart at United, Lauren Riley, says: "This collaboration between Boeing, NASA and United has the potential to not only help us better understand contrails but to provide the full scope of what our transition to SAF can provide beyond greenhouse-gas reductions." Boeing and NASA conducted SAF emissions ground testing on an Alaska Airlines 737-9 in 2021, and ecoDemonstrator 777-200ER and 787-10 flight-test jets in 2022. The airframer has a target of delivering aircraft compatible with 100% SAF by 2030.

Chicago-headquartered AAR has elected Billy Nolen to its board of directors, effectively immediately. Nolen, 66, brings more than 30 years of aviation experience across safety, operations, and regulatory affairs, the company says. He recently served as acting FAA Administrator and is currently the chief safety officer at Archer Aviation, an air mobility company known for developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. While at the FAA, Nolen revamped certification requirements and airport-focused safety management systems and earlier served as its associate administrator for aviation safety. "Mr. Nolen brings a unique combination of commercial, government, and military expertise in aviation and a vison for the future of the industry," states John Holmes, AAR's chairman, president and chief executive. "He will add to the breadth of experience we have on our board and help guide the continued execution of our strategy."

EHang has received the world’s first type certification for unmanned electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) for its passenger-carrying pilotless eVTOL aircraft EH216-S. This paves the way for the Guangzhou-based start-up to conduct passenger-carrying UAV commercial operations. “Our self-developed EH216-S passenger-carrying UAV system has finally met high expectation to secure the first TC [type certification] in the global eVTOL industry, marking a significant chapter in civil aviation history. Embracing the TC as our springboard, we will launch commercial operations of the EH216-S unmanned eVTOLs, prioritising safety above all,” states chairman, founder and chief executive, Hu Huazhi. “This will enable us to steadily progress towards our strategic goal to be a UAM platform operator, and commit to our mission to enable safe, autonomous, and eco-friendly air mobility accessible to everyone,” he adds. The certification puts it ahead of other competitors. German developer Volocopter is targeting 2024 for type certification, while UK-based Vertical Aerospace pushed back its target for certification to 2026 from 2025. Meanwhile, US developer Joby Aviation has completed two of five stages in the Federal Aviation Administration's type certification process as of February.