INDUSTRY NEWS

Bell Helicopter unveils full-scale VTOL air taxi design – Bell Helicopter unveiled a full-scale design of its new Bell Nexus vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) air taxi vehicle. Powered by a hybrid-electric propulsion system, Bell Nexus is equipped with the company’s powered lift concept that involves six tilting ducted fans to facilitate safe and efficient air travel. The design has been developed as part of a partnership between Bell, Safran, EPS, Thales, Moog, and Garmin on developing Bell’s VTOL aircraft and on-demand mobility solutions. Bell Nexus’ turboshaft-based hybrid propulsion and drive system will be provided by Safran. The system will be designed to generate electrical power for the aircraft’s six propellers, each housed in a tilting duct, three on each side of the cabin. The aircraft’s aft fuselage above the cabin will accommodate the Safran turboshaft engine to receive additional power for vertical takeoffs and landings, and prolonged range, like a hybrid-electric automobile ...

Inmarsat selects MHI’s H3 vehicle to launch new satellite – Inmarsat has signed an agreement with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) for the launch of its future communications satellites onboard the latter’s new H3 vehicle. The deal has made Inmarsat the first commercial customer to use the new H3 rocket, which is expected to make its first flight in 2020. As part of the new agreement, H3 is scheduled to start launching Inmarsat missions into space after 2022. MHI’s H-IIA rocket will be used to deploy the Inmarsat-6 F1, the first satellite in the Inmarsat-6 fleet. Built by Airbus Defence and Space, the Inmarsat-6 F1 is slated for launch in 2020.