811 Wright Electric Airplane Motors
We speak with the Founder and CEO of Wright Electric, an aviation company with a goal to make all regional single-aisle flights zero-emissions. In the news, Boeing testified before the NTSB about the 737 door plug incident, American Airlines new standby rules are criticized, Space-X may bring the Boeing Starliner astronauts back from the International Space Station, and the impact on Delta Air Lines after the Microsoft/CrowdStrike global IT outage. We also have an Australia News Desk report.\n\n\n\nGuest\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJeff Engler is the Founder and CEO of Wright Electric. The company develops ultra-lightweight electric motors, generators, and batteries for aerospace and defense. Wright is leveraging the company\u2019s megawatt-class propulsion system to transform a 100-passenger BAe 146 into an all-electric, zero-emissions aircraft. Wright and Columbia University are developing batteries that are up to four times lighter than lithium-ion.\n\n\n\nJeff explains how the company all started with a newsletter and came to focus on flights with more than 100 passengers and shorter than 800 miles. He describes what distinguishes aircraft propulsion electric motors from other electric motors, and how the transportation market segments into different technologies for different applications.\n\n\n\nWe consider the important issue of battery energy density and why Wright has decided to develop their lightweight batteries. Also, we discuss programs the company is involved in, the C-130/LM-100J and BAe 146 aircraft that support the technology development, and Wright\u2019s commercial, government, and academic partners. Jeff describes Wright\u2019s timeline targets for retrofitted and clean-sheet electric aircraft.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJeff started the company when he learned flying tripled his carbon footprint. He incubated Wright through a Harvard University fellowship and led Wright through the selective Y Combinator accelerator program. He previously co-founded Podimetrics, a medical device company that has raised $70M+ in venture funding. Jeff has undergraduate and graduate degrees from Columbia and Harvard.\n\n\n\nSee:\n\n\n\n\nWright Steps Up Ground Testing for 2.5MW Electric Motor\n\n\n\nWright Electric assembling 2.5MW WM2500 electric propulsion unit\n\n\n\nWright Electric & Columbia University Receive U.S. Department of Energy Award for Ultra-Lightweight Battery Development\n\n\n\nU.S. Air Force Backs Wright's Work On Rechargeable Thermal Batteries\n\n\n\nSurprise test flight heralds ultra-long-range electric aircraft by 2028\n\n\n\nSamsung\u2019s EV battery breakthrough: 600-mile charge in 9 mins, 20 year lifespan\n\n\n\nAlliance for Zero-Emission Aviation (AZEA) - The Alliance is a voluntary initiative of private and public partners who share the objective of preparing the entry into commercial service of hydrogen-powered and electric aircraft.\n\n\n\n\nOther articles supporting our conversation:\n\n\n\n\nDOD Report: Consolidation of Defense Industrial Base Poses Risks to National Security [PDF]\n\n\n\nReducing the Cost of Space Travel with Reusable Launch Vehicles - NSTXL.\n\n\n\n\nAviation News\n\n\n\nNTSB chair: Boeing reassigning workers to Everett was retaliation\n\n\n\nNTSB chief rips Boeing over lack of 737 Max answers\n\n\n\nThe National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) held an investigative hearing open to the public in the NTSB Boardroom on August 6-7, 2024. During the hearing, the NTSB gathered sworn testimonies about the Jan.\u200b 5, 2024, Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 door plug incident. This was a fact-finding step in the safety investigation and the testimonies became part of the public record.\n\n\n\nNTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy asked Boeing Director of Quality Hector Silva if he was \u201c100 percent sure a defect will not occur tomorrow\u201d and whether he was \u201c100 percent sure there will never be an unauthorized removal\u201d of a door plug. He replied, \u201cNo.\u201d Boeing factory workers told the hearing they felt pressured to work fast and complete jobs for which they did not feel qualified.\n\n\n\nVideos of the hearing are publicly available.