As industries begin to shift away from fossil fuels, Ampaire is banking on its line of hybrid-electric airplanes to revolutionize air travel. The company recently announced its historic first flight of an existing airline route in Hawaii.
Kevin Noertker, Ampaire CEO, said not only would the environment reap the biggest benefits from a reduction of emissions, but the airline industry could also soar to new heights.
"For the airlines, the biggest impact is reduced cost of operation. Airlines care about the total cost of ownership and operation for their planes. By switching to a hybrid plane, you could reduce that fuel burn by up to 50 percent," Noertker told Cheddar.
The CEO also noted that a fully electric plane would reduce emissions by more than 90 percent.
After launching in 2016 and constructing an aircraft for the last two years, paid flights for the company are on the horizon. "We're looking at about a three-year timeline before we get certification to deploy these planes in that commercial operation," Noertker said.
While the company gears up for commercial flights, it has already been conducting demonstrations under the FAA's experimental market survey, which allows passengers and potential Ampaire customers to fly.
Last month, the company became the first to ever demonstrate a hybrid-electric flight in Maui, which went from Kahului to Hana in about 20 minutes. Like other industries, Ampaire's ability to continue developing and moving forward with test flights, particularly in Hawaii, was impacted by pandemic-related restrictions.
The hybrid-electric planes, according to Noertker, while capable of long-distance flights, are optimal for relatively short-distances. Over the next five to 10 years, however, there are plans to produce an aircraft that can hold up to 20 passengers and will fly "routes between 50 and 500 miles."
"The reality is most routes that airlines like to fly are about 100 miles," Noertker said.
Experts are calling summer 2022 the "summer of travel." Millions are finally taking that trip that got delayed several times in the last few years. They are taking advantage of remote work policies, and making up for too much time at home. James Ferrara, president and co-founder of InteleTravel, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
On Today's Biz Breakdown, the oil shortage being compared to the 1970s gas crisis, home prices surged In March, and 56% of tech workers say they would quit if recorded by their employer.
Summer-focused businesses such as pools, restaurants, and camps are seeing major labor shortages like so many other sectors right before the busy season. Monica Plaza, the chief strategy officer at Wonolo, a staffing platform, joined Cheddar News to break down the ongoing worker shortages and discuss ways to entice future employees for hospitality and leisure. “There are workers out there. It's a matter of how do you attract them and how do you make sure that they want to work at your particular job and stay," she said.
A swift jump in Treasury yields rattled Wall Street Wednesday, weighing down stock indexes at the start of another month in what’s been a turbulent year.
It's the unofficial start of summer, and after two years of COVID, Americans are ready to travel again. So how can you beat the crowds and keep your family safe? Cheddar's Shannon Lanier has some hacks that can help you make the most of your summer vacation with minimum hassle.
Simple Goodness Sisters produces homemade cocktail syrup from their farms in Buckey, Washington. Cheddar News was joined by the sisters and Co-Founders themselves, Belina Kelly and Venise Cunningham, to talk more about the business and make a cocktail themselves!
The baby formula crisis hit a new level of concern in February. A facility that produces 40% of the baby formula in the U.S. was shut down for contamination, leading to bare shelves in supermarkets across the country. However, the issue is now getting attention at the federal level and changes are being made. Lauren Smith Brody, the founder of The Fifth Trimester and co-founder of Chamber of Mothers, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
