The Allplane Podcast

Things we talk about in this episodeIan Brooke’s background and story as an entrepreneur from an early ageWhat is Astro Mechanica and how it got startedWhat is an electric adaptive jet engine and how does it workWhat are the potential applications of the electric adaptive jet engineAstro Mechanica’s acceptance into Y Combinator, the famous Silicon Valley startup acceleration programmeWhere is Astro Mechanica at the moment and what are its next milestones

Vertical Aerospace is one of the world’s leading advanced air mobility developers, at least when it comes to its order book.Some 1,500 units of its VX4 eVTOL aircraft have already been pre-ordered (including a 500 aircraft order from Avolon, which the lessor then managed to place in a matter of months with a handful of airlines), but before that, Vertical Aerospace will have to complete a thorough a comprehensive testing and certification process.And no one better placed to talk precisely about this than our guest on this episode: Michael Cervenka, Chief Technology Officer at Vertical Aerospace.Michael is an industry veteran, who, prior to joining Vertical Aerospace, worked for quite a few years at that other flagship of British aerospace industry, Rolls-Royce. We recorded this conversation as Vertical Aerospace was preparing for a key step in its development process: its first piloted untethered flight. So, we talked with Michael in full detail about this ongoing testing programme, its current status and the challenges that lie ahead.And, then, of course, we discussed in detail other aspects of Vertical Aerospace’s plans , such as its value proposition, its industrial plan, which, unlike other eVTOL developers, involves a whole ecosystem of partners working together. There was also time to discuss financial and commercial aspects of the project and even some little known aspects of the project, such as the main differences between an eVTOL and a helicopter or why prototypes are painted white.So, tune in for an in-depth conversation about one of the most fascinating eVTOL projects in the world right now!

The decarbonization of the aviation industry will require huge amounts of investment.If we focus on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) alone, the amount of capex that will be required is staggering. Take Europe, for example, that will need over 100 new SAF production plants by 2030 if the aviation industry is to meet the EU’s ambitious SAF adoption plans.No wonder, then, that some of the most prominent initiatives to channel fresh investment towards this field have come from inside the industry. The Sustainable Flight Fund, set up by United Airlines through its United Airlines Ventures investment arm, is the largest venture fund in the world dedicated specifically to SAF investment. Interestingly, it is not a single-company effort, since, to back this project, United has assembled a broad coalition of fellow investors from across the commercial aviation ecosystem, including some airlines that are its direct competitors.Mukul Hariharan, a former airline pilot turned venture capitalist, is the managing partner of United’s Sustainable Flight Fund. He has come to the podcast to talk about it and about its investment philosophy.So, tune in, for a short but interesting conversation with one of the main players in the SAF investment scene!

Right as the commercial aviation industry gears up for the 2024 edition of the Farnborough Air Show, I got on Zoom with Jon Sindreu, one of the top journalists out there that knows the industry best.Perhaps because, in addition to his strong focus on aviation, Jon covers also range of sectors through the popular “Heard on the Streat” section on the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), he is able to offer a no-nonsense view from outside the aviation industry bubble.So, my idea for this episode was to review, together with Jon, some of the key macro trends that are shaping the commercial aviation industry: the future of the OEM duopoly, increasing consolidation in the European airline sector and, very importantly, the race to decarbonize the industry. Is there going to be enough SAF around to comply with the different governmental and EU mandates? How to get more SAF to the market fast? And, last but not least, is advanced air mobility the disruptive technology that we are being told it will be or is it all just hype?If you are looking for a fresh and outspoken voice on these matters you will possibly like Jon’s very straightforward talk.So, join us in this conversation in which we try to leave no stone unturned!

As Europe is trying to get people off planes and into trains out of environmental concerns, Dr. Klaus Radermacher stands out as a contrarian voice.We are calculating it wrong!…says this engineer and consultant, who, in the last few years has taken a keen interest in the topic of sustainable mobility.Is the train really a better alternative to the plane? Which mode of transportation is most efficient over short, medium and long distances? Should we keep building more high speed rail infrastructure to get people to fly less? These are some of the questions that Dr. Radermacher addresses in an episode of the podcast rich in facts and data.The conclusions Dr. Radermacher reached after applying his analytical framework to this consequential debate may not please everyone. They provide, however, a valuable viewpoint that should be taken into account if we wish to make the best possible use of the available resources to tackle one of the most pressing issues we face as a society.This was a long, but fascinating conversation, to the point that we have already agreed on retaking it where we left it some day soon, because there are so many segues and derivations of this line of thought that they could not all fit in a standard episode.In the meantime, tune in for what is possibly one of the most thought-provoking episodes to date of this podcast!

Sustainability has become a central topic in aviation, but are airlines prepared for this conversation?Elizabeth Maclean and Mike Evans are the co-founders of Herdwick Communications, a consultancy firm that advises airlines all over the world.With Elizabeth and Mike we speak about the reputation crisis and public relations storm that the aviation industry is facing in the face of climate change and how airlines should be communicating about sustainability.What can airlines say when they are being accused of wrecking the climate? How can airlines avoid greenwashing and end up being sued because of overpromising or misrepresenting their sustainability initiatives? Why so many airlines have opted for greenhushing instead?Elizabeth and Mike share their views on the matter and the basics of the model they have developed to help airlines deal with these increasingly pressing matters.Check it out!

Landor is, possibly, the creative agency that has designed the most iconic brands in aviation.British Airways, Alitalia, Singapore Airlines and Etihad are just a few of the big names of the airline industry that have entrusted their public identity to Landor’s creative minds.On this episode of the podcast we speak with Ryan Frost, Executive Creative Director at Landor, about the attributes of a great airline brand and we dissect what and how three great British airlines that couldn’t be more different between them - British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and easyJet - have chosen to communicate those attributes.We also take a look at some iconic projects completed by Landor in the past, not just the world-famous BA “Landor livery”, which was for many years almost like an unofficial national symbol of Britain, but also others that have defined an era in airline branding, such as Alitalia’s, its more modern reincarnation in ITA Airways and Etihad Airways.How often does an airline need to change its livery? How airline brands have adapted to the changing nature of the air travel business over the last few decades?We will talk about these and some other aspects of airline brand design on today’s episode of the podcast!

Our guest in this episode is Billy Thalheimer, founder and CEO of REGENT, a startup based in Rhode Island developing a wing-in-ground vehicle that will make it possible to fly fast and sustainably between coastal cities before the end of this decade.A wing-in-ground vehicle (WiG) is a type of craft that flies just a few meters above the surface of water making use of a draft-reducing aerodynamical effect.As a matter of fact, wing-in-ground vehicles are not new, the Soviets had a go at them during the Cold War, and some entrepreneurs have tried to make them work in the past. What’s new with REGENT’s project, though, is that they are using some novel technologies, such as retractable foils to overcome some of the traditional limitations of this type of craft, such as their limited maneuvrability and sensitivity to high waves. What’s more, REGENT is designing its craft to be electrically powered, which means they will also allow for sustainable travel.The Seaglider, such is the name of the ground-in-wing vehicle REGENT is working on, will fly over water at 180 mph, way, way faster than traditional ferries. So, it is not surprising that ferry operators are among the first to place orders for the Seaglider. Airlines have also shown interest in the Seagliders. Some of them, like Japan Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, have even invested in the project, adding their names to a list of A-class investors that includes the likes of Mark Cuban, Peter Thiel and aerospace and defense giant Lockheed Martin.Last but not least, the Seaglider has also caught the eye of the US Marine Corps at a time when it is reviewing its strategy for an Indo-Pacific area of operations that is simmering with geopolitical tensions.But how long will we have to wait to see REGENT’s Seagliders in action? How is the experience of traveling in a Seaglider going to be like?No one better to answer all these questions than person behind the REGENT Craft project! Tune in to listen to Billy Thalheimer share his insights about this new and revolutionary mode of transportation!

Is the air cargo market ripe for its own technology revolution?Aleksey Matyushev and his team at Natilus are certainly doing their bit to make it happen.A graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Aleksey has been working at the cutting edge of aerospace technology for quite some time, both on civilian and military projects.He is the founder and CEO of Natilus, a Californian startup that is working on a family of truly disruptive blended-wing-body freigther aircraft that are also designed with autonomous flight capabilities and hydrogen propulsion in mind.A tall order, for sure. But Natilus has secured the backing of quite a few prominent technology investors as well as some major players in the air cargo industry.The Natilus project encapsulates also some of the themes that the broader aerospace industry faces in decades to come: go for a clean-sheet design or not? should commercial aircraft be autonomous or remotely operated? what’s the role of hydrogen in the future of aviation?We talk about all this and some more with Aleksey in this episode of the podcast!

Charles Everett is the Director of Aviation at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, a public organization set up by these two states in order to manage key pieces of infrastructure, including the ports, some tunnels and roads and, importantly for this episode of the podcast, New York’s airport system.More than 144 million passengers pass every year through the airports under the responsibility of the Port Authority, which include JFK, La Guardia and Newark-Liberty, and this number is set to increase in coming years and the three of them complete massive redevelopment works.Over $30 billion dollars have been invested in the last few years in rebuilding and expanding airports capacity at all major airports in the New York area, something that is also expected to bring about a very significant upgrade of the passenger experience.So, on today’s episode, we are going to review, together with Charles, each of these projects and discuss how the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is preparing for a future in which sustainability take center stage and new forms of air mobility are start to shape the way we move around.Tune in for a detailed overview of New York’s airport system and how it is investing to reclaim its position as one of the world’s major air travel nodes!

Giulio Ranucci is the Head of Innovation at Aeroporti di Roma (AdR), the company managing Rome’s two airports, Fiumicino (FCO) and Ciampino (CIA), with nearly 45 million annual passengers combined.What makes Giulio’s work at the helm of AdR’s innovation arm particularly interesting, is the very active role that the Italian airport operator is playing in fostering technology innovation in the airport sector.The initiatives taken by AdR go well beyond Rome and Italy. Its annual startup accelerator programme is open to startups from all over the world and Aeroporti di Roma has also been instrumental in establishing a global network of airports, stretching all the way from Vancouver to Dubai, which share this interest in accelerating innovative systems and solutions with the potential to improve the passengers’ airport experience. This is an area, where, I think many will agree, there is lots of scope for improvement!In this episode of the podcast to learn how Aeroporti di Roma has structured its startup accelerator, including the setup of a dedicated physical space within the terminal, how the most promising participants can then get funding from AdR Ventures, the firm’s own venture capital arm and, last but not least, how its airports and those in the Airports 4 Innovations network provide a real-world launchpad to test new products and ideas.Tune in for a deep dive into the world of airport technology acceleration!

Richard Gaona is one of the key players in the global executive aviation industry.The once president of Airbus’ Executive Aircraft division is currently leading one of the most unique operators in the highly sophisticated world of private aviation.Richard is the President and CEO of Comlux, a company like no other. The uniqueness of Comlux is not due to the fact that it operates at the highest end of a market. No, even if its fleet includes some of the world’s largest and most luxurious private jets and its customer list, some of the world’s most successful businessmen, artists, sportsmen, heads of state and royalty, this is not the main reason it stands out from the pack.What sets Comlux apart is the its rather holistic approach combining under its umbrella pretty much all the services that a private jet owner may need: from aircraft trading and brokerage, to cabin completions, from maintenance and technical services to on-demand charters and aircraft management. What’s more, not content with that, Comlux has also been instrumental in the design of a new aircraft type, the Airbus TwoTwenty, which has de facto created a new category within the executive jet industry.In this episode of the podcast, done in partnership with Comlux, Richard Gaona shares some insights about the fascinating and exclusive world in which Comlux operates in: the top tier of corporate aviation. But with Richard we also talk extensively about the new TwoTwenty aircraft, the corporate version of the state-of-the-art A220 airliner, a project that is very dear to him, since Comlux has had a major role in its development from its inception.The idea behind the TwoTwenty is that you can combine the economic and operational performance of a purpose-built business jet, with the spaciousness of an airliner.Comlux delivered (and operates) the first TwoTwenty to Dubai based luxury hospitality group FIVE in the Spring of 2023 and will be fitting the cabins of the next sixteen of the type that Airbus produces. So, tune in for an in-depth conversation about one of the most fascinating companies operating right now in commercial aviation!

Jay Sorensen is one of the world’s top experts in airline ancillaries. Every year, Jay’s firm, IdeaWorksCompany, produces a comprehensive report about the state of airline ancillaries, a piece of work that has become the reference in this field, the Yearbook of Ancillary Revenue.As someone that tried to read IdeaWork’s ancillaries yearbook as soon as it comes out, I was keen to have Jay on the podcast to talk about this very important component of many airlines’ business model.What are the ancillaries that are driving the most revenue? Which ancillaries are now focusing the attention of the airlines? Is it realistic to think of airlines, first and foremost, as retailers, as some in the industry pretend?We talk about all these matters and some more on this week’s episode of the podcast…!

Addison Ferrell is Director, Infrastructure and Head of Americas at Skyports, one of the world’s leading vertiport developers.Vertiports will be an essential element of the upcoming advanced air mobility revolution. Will they be more like airports or like metro stations? What sort of experience can we expect to have there are travellers? What are the barriers of entry in this sector?These are all questions I wanted to ask an expert like Addison, because there is still so much of the advanced air mobility experience that is still pretty much being defined as we speak.In this regard, Skyport’s vision emerges as being particularly relevant, since the firm is active in all continents and has been involved in some of the most advanced projects in this field, such as the one taking shape in Dubai, to connect the Emirate’s main nodes with a network of vertiports.So, tune in for a fascinating conversation with one of the experts that is actively shaping the future of the advanced air mobility experience!

The seaplane industry could not remain off trend. Electrification is driving a wave of innovation in aviation and George Alafinov, the scion of a family of seaplane designers, is making sure it does not skip one of the oldest branches of the industry.True, seaplanes may have fallen out of fashion in the post-war years. The advent of the jet era, the availability of airports on land and the maintenance requirements of aircraft operating in salty water led to this category of aircraft being sidelined. But Jekta’s founder is taking a new approach, using composites and electric propulsion to create the seaplane of the future.In this episode of the podcast we discuss the pros and cons of seaplanes with George Alafinov and we talk also about the large order Jekta recently secured in India, where regional aviation is on the rise.Tune in to learn how Jekta is pioneering technologies that could lead to a seaplane renaissance at a time when the industry is looking for versatile, clean and efficient aircraft for regional air transport