EU Rules and Energy-intensive SAF

Welcome back to the Aviation Newsletter, your go-to podcast for the pulse of everything that flies. I’m Jovie, and this podcast is powered by the team at Starrime. Whether you’re a lifelong aviation enthusiast, a frequent flyer or simply curious about the world above the clouds, we’re truly grateful to have you with us. This year, we’ll continue to bring you deeper insights, compelling stories from the industry and updates on the technology shaping the future of flight. We always welcome your thoughts and feedback in the comments. The podcast remains available in both English and Chinese.Thank you for being on this journey with us. Now, let’s explore what’s making news in aviation today.新闻1：https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2026-05-21/eve-evtol-advances-toward-transition-after-59-test-flightsEve eVTOL Advances Toward Transition After 59 FlightsMay 21, 2026Eve Air Mobility has closed out a key phase of its eVTOL flight test campaign, accumulating 2 hours, 27 minutes, and 33 seconds of flight time across 59 uncrewed flights at Embraer’s test facility in Gavião Peixoto, Brazil.The hover and low-speed flights block focused on validating control laws, aerodynamic and load models, and propulsion performance. Testing progressed from below 15 knots to approximately 20 knots groundspeed, with the team adding simultaneous four-axis maneuvers as the envelope expanded.According to Eve, the aircraft logged more than 100 flight-test points during the phase, reached 215 feet agl, and flew for up to 3 minutes and 48 seconds in a single sortie. Eve said it also demonstrated autoland and a “simplified fly-by-wire mode” for the first time. The company described the simplified mode as a secondary layer of the flight control system that activates when the normal mode is unavailable.Noise levels came in as expected, while the propulsion and battery systems exceeded expectations, the company said. “Across 59 flights, we confirmed stable hover performance and predictable control behavior within the envelope, while expanding our understanding of loads, aerodynamics, propulsion, and energy management,” Eve CEO Johann Bordais said in a company statement.Ground tests are next, with the transition flights block expected to begin in July or August, when the prototype will attempt its first transitions between hover and wingborne cruise flight. “Completing hover and low speed testing gives us high confidence data to validate and refine our aerodynamic, propulsion, and load models,” said Marcelo Basile, Eve’s head of testing. “With planned ground tests next, we will be ready to begin transition flights, in which we validate the lifter-pusher synchronization before moving on to the cruise phase.”A crewed type-conforming prototype is expected to follow, with Eve and parent company Embraer engaged with both ANAC and the FAA on the certification path toward commercial operations. Eve has said certification and entry into service are now expected in 2028.新闻2:https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2026-05-19/mexico-approves-hondajet-apmg-s-upgrade-programMexico Approves HondaJet APMG S Upgrade ProgramMay 19, 2026Mexico’s Federal Civil Aviation Agency has approved the latest version of Honda Aircraft’s Advanced Performance Modification Group (APMG) upgrade for classic and earlier APMG-upgraded HondaJets based in the country. The APMG S package can be installed at Honda Aircraft’s headquarters service center in Greensboro, North Carolina, or any of the 21 authorized service centers, including Mexico-based Avemex.Performance enhancements with the APMG S upgrade include a 300-pound mtow increase to 10,700 pounds; the advanced steering augmentation system nosewheel mod for improved handling and crosswind capability; and Garmin avionics improvements with faster processing speed, TOLD management for computing V-speeds, climb/approach gradients, required runway length, and other features, as well as Garmin’s Flight Stream 510 for wireless flight plan transfer.Other modifications include removing wing fences and increasing the horizontal stabilizer’s span. Compared to the classic HondaJet, the APMG-modified jet requires 440 feet less required runway length, and it also has steep approach certification, according to Honda Aircraft.“We are excited to provide our customers in Mexico the opportunity to upgrade their aircraft with the advanced technology and performance of more recent iterations of the award-winning HondaJet,” said Amod Kelkar, senior v-p and chief commercial officer at Honda Aircraft. “We are pursuing additional international certifications and hope to expand availability of the APMG S upgrade package to more HondaJet customers around the world soon.”新闻3:https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2026-05-19/jefferies-available-used-bizjet-inventories-declineGefferies: Available Used Bizjet Inventory DwindlesMAY 19, 2026The available used business jet inventory is down by 11% this month year over year (YOY) to 1,029, and by 12% over the last six months, according to the latest report from analyst Jefferies. Citing its own data and analysis, along with that of Amstat, Jefferies further noted that the inventory is down by 37% when counting only younger jets—those less than seven years out of production. However, both the overall and young inventories did tick up from April by 1% and 7%, respectively.Driving the YOY inventory decline were available heavy jets, down by 26%. Available used light jets dipped by 8% and midsize by 5%.  As a result, pricing is up by 4% YOY, even if softened by 2% from April.Considering just the younger models, available inventory remains in the historically low range of 2.1% of the overall fleet.By manufacturer product lines, young Gulfstream model availability is down to 35 units, dropping 43% YOY as a result of a contraction in G650s on the market (nine units in May versus 28 a year ago). Similarly, available Bombardier fleets were down 41% to 37 units with fewer Globals and Learjets for sale.Textron Aviation’s Cessna Citation line accounted for 44 units for sale, down 40%, and available Embraer units decreased by 28% to 29 aircraft. Dassault Aviation’s Falcon inventory slid by 23% to 17 units.These declines are noted in average list prices, with Citations increasing 8% YOY and Falcons by 7.4%. Gulfstream model pricing ticked up 3%, while Bombardier aircraft list pricing is up 1.5% overall.新闻4：https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aerospace/2026-05-15/eu-rules-risk-energy-intensive-saf-production-strategiesEU Rules Risk Energy-intensive SAF Production StrategiesMay 15, 2026A report from Sweden’s Chalmers University of Technology has cautioned that under existing European Union (EU) rules, fossil-free aviation fuels may become more expensive and energy-intensive. After analysing different methods for producing synthetic methanol, the study published this week concluded that regulatory bias risks ‘locking in’ less resource-efficient manufacturing methods.According to the study, biomass gasification costs around €820 ($952) a tonne with an energy efficiency of around 46%. Combustion with carbon capture (with or without simultaneous energy production) costs around €1,055 and €1,495 respectively, offering a lower efficiency of approximately 37%.While Chalmers University argues that gasification can use residual material more efficiently, limited biomass feedstocks are at risk of being diverted elsewhere. According to co-author Henrik Thunman, the study “highlights a structural issue in EU energy and industrial policy” where “regulation risks working against its own objectives.”Although minimal commercial SAF is currently produced via gasification, it is expected to account for some 35 percent of all aviation fuel in the EU by 2050.The audio and content of this podcast shall not be used for AI model training or any other purposes. That’s all for this episode of Aviation Newsletter. Thank you for listening. Podcast by Jovie. Sound Edited by Priscilla. Aviation Newsletter is brought to you by the Starrime team. You can catch our podcast on all major podcast platforms. We also look forward to seeing your comments. See you soon.