This episode has two exceptional guests because more often than not, innovation doesn’t happen in isolation.

Great successful products and services are those that fast achieve product-market fit and this is precisely what we are going to talk about here today.

Our guests are Marc Allen, CEO of Electra, a US startup that is developing a hybrid-electric ultra-short take-off and landing aircraft capable of landing in incredibly short open spaces, and Tomislav Land, co-founder and CEO of Flyvbird, a startup airline based in Germany which aims to transform regional air travel with an on-demand capilar air mobility network.

At this point, I must say that Tomislav is, actually, a veteran of this podcast, since he was here already in 2022 when Flyvbird was starting to take shape.

Quite a few things have happened since then, so we do examine with Marc and Tomislav the current state of the industry, and talk about what the market is asking for right now.

And while it is true that the market has cooled somehow when it comes to some of the most complex cleansheet aircraft projects from the point of view of technology, regulatory burdens and capital requirements, there is still plenty of appetite for advanced air mobility projects that are low risk, clean, safe and efficient.

And Electra’s EL9 aircraft, which is currently undergoing development and evaluation, among others, by the US military, seems to tick pretty much all these boxes. Marc will provide us with some insights about the current status of the project and the steps it is taking towards certification, while Tomislav will explain how it fits perfectly in Flyvbird’s plans to build a new generation on-demand regional airline.

Last but not least, both CEOs also talk about the ways they are collaborating to ensure success through the so much sough-after product-market fit.

Tune in to learn more about one of the most non-nonsense cleansheet aircraft projects right now in the market!

Josef Kallo is a true sustainable aviation pioneer. He was already working on hydrogen-powered aircraft back in 2013, when few outside a small circle had heard about sustainable aviation or alternative propulsion technologies.

Fast forward to 2021 and H2FLY, the company he has been leading for over a decade, made headlines after being acquired by Joby Aviation, one of the forerunners in the advanced air mobility race.

During all this time, H2FLY has been steadily and quietly making strides in the field of hydrogen propulsion and, in September 2023, it made history be being the first to fly an aircraft on liquid hydrogen, a technology that poses some interesting technology challenges.

What is H2FLY currently working on? What is the future of hydrogen-powered aviation? What role is H2FLY going to play in also powering the eVTOL revolution?

Tune in for an in-depth conversation with one of the world’s leading experts in hydrogen aviation, Josef Kallo!

Payments are an essential element of the airline business and one that is often overlooked by most people.

But, have you considered the tech required by any international carrier to handle thousands of payments from all over the world, smoothly and instantly?

In this episode, produced in partnership with CellPoint Digital, we delve into the topic of airline payments tech.

Diego Pérez, VP Business Development for Latin America and CellPoint Digital, shares some insights about the different elements involved in an airline payment. He also explains what is payment orchestration, and why it matters if you wish to offer multiple payment methods to your customers.

Diego will also share his experience working in the Latin American markets, a region of the world that stands out in the use of alternative payments, that is using methods and channels different from the classical credit card payment. This is also becoming increasingly relevant for airlines in other parts of the world, as Gen Z travellers show a preference for a diversity of payment methods.

So, tune in to learn more about the trends that shifting the payment landscape and how technology is providing answers to them!

Kanika Tekriwal is the co-founder and CEO of JetSetGo, a company that has emerged, over the course of the last decades, as the major integrated executive aviation operator in India. JetSetGo provides a whole range of services in one of the world’s most promising air travel markets, from operating its own private jet fleet, to MRO and charter services.

The MEBAA executive aviation show, which took place in Dubai in December 2024 provided an excellent opportunity to catch up with Kanika (apologies beforehand for the sound quality, since this episode was recorded at the MEBAA venue!) and learn not just about the state of executive aviation in India, but also about a number of exciting innovative technologies which JetSetGo is planning to invest in.

JetSetGo recently placed a substantial order for electrically-powered, ultra-short take off and landing (ultra STOL) aircraft from Electra.aero, of the US, and it is also evaluating the possibility of adding eVTOLs to its portfolio, with the intention of becoming an advanced air mobility pioneer in India.

As you will realize during this conversation, in addiiton to being a successful entrepreneur, Kanika is absolutely passionate about the aviation industry and has a clear and ambitious goal to take JetSetGo to new heights!

So, tune in for this impromptu, but also quite insightful and inspirational conversation with Kanika Tekriwal, of JetSetGo. It was a lot of fun!

Joshua Ng is a Director at Alton Aviation Consultancy, which, at the name implies, is a global consultancy firm serving the aviation industry with actionable analysis, advice and recommendations.

Being based in Singapore, Joshua has a rather advantageous viewpoint on the sustainable aviation developments taking place across the Asia-Pacific region, a part of the world that has the capacity to move the needle when it comes to decarbonizing the skies.

This is a matter that generates plenty of headlines, but if we look beyond the buzz, what are the most pressing concerns that occupy the minds of decision makers? Which technologies does Alton Aviation Consultancy see as the most likely winners in the transition towards sustainability? What are the perspectives for advanced air mobility in Asia? What is the expected role of China in all of this?

Together with Joshua, we try to answer all of these questions in an episode of the podcast you can’t miss if interested in this very dynamic part of the world!

Things we talk about in this episode

Ian Brooke’s background and story as an entrepreneur from an early age

What is Astro Mechanica and how it got started

What is an electric adaptive jet engine and how does it work

What are the potential applications of the electric adaptive jet engine

Astro Mechanica’s acceptance into Y Combinator, the famous Silicon Valley startup acceleration programme

Where 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!