by Elsie Clark | Feb 24, 2026 | Innovation, Sustainability
Zero-emissions taxiing is the focus of a new project backed by the UK’s Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK. Led by Airbus, a consortium of partners including Drive System Design (DSD), Evolito, and the University of Southampton will work together to advance an electric wheel taxi system.
Such a solution could reduce taxi emissions by 47%, as aircraft could take off without deploying their main engines. Called Project SONATA, the consortium will develop a low speed, high torque electric motor and other infrastructure to support development.
Commenting on DSD’s involvement, Chris McDonald, the UK Government Minister for Industry, said:
Aviation needs to be sustainable on both land and air to reach Jet Zero, and that’s why this government is backing this innovative project by DSD to electrify aircraft ground operations. The UK’s world class aerospace sector has a key role to play in this race, and that’s why we’re doubling down on support for the sector through our Modern Industrial Strategy, delivering innovation and good jobs.
IATA named climate change-related disruption as one of the aviation industry’s top risks for 2026. The increasing frequency of extreme weather events will make running flights more difficult and less predictable, making improved sustainability an operational necessity. If successful, projects such as SONATA could go some way to mitigating these risks while reducing aviation’s overall environmental impact.
Join us at Aerospace Tech Week 2026, where we’ll be hosting key partners from the UK aerospace industry to discuss key sustainability questions.
For more like this, see:
by Elsie Clark | Feb 23, 2026 | Innovation
Research from Lufthansa Innovation Hub (LIH) finds that airline investment in startups has hit a five-year low.
Airlines completed 31 innovation deals in 2025, down from 39 in 2024 and well below the 2018 peak of 49 deals. Furthermore, only 7 airlines were responsible for 2025’s start-up activity, compared to 11 in 2025. LIH analysis confirms that only 7% of IATA-registered airlines have ever invested in start-ups, prompting them to comment:
For the vast majority of airlines, start-up investing is not a strategic tool. It’s something other industries do.
Data shows 2025 was the year corporate venturing hit an all-time high. Over 3,000 companies worldwide are now investing in start-ups, making airlines’ limited activity in this area especially notable.
United Airlines led the pack in 2025, signing 10 start-up investment deals. International Airlines Group (IAG) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) also invested in 7 start-ups each. LIH note that the share of investment in APAC is growing year-on-year, propelled by the ANA Frontier Fund, launched in 2024, and IndiGo Ventures, the first airline innovation arm based in India that closed a US$52 million fund last year.
Aviation’s cautious nature is not only highlighted by the limited number of airlines investing: of those investments, the majority are increasingly heading to later-stage companies as airlines try to mitigate risk. LIH found that in 2025 mature start-ups received 65% of airline investment, a significant rise from the 41% recorded in 2023.
JetBlue, one of the earliest airlines to fund start-ups, sold its venturing arm, JetBlue Ventures, to SKY Leasing in May 2025 to focus on core airline operations. This demonstrates how even successful funds are at risk when airlines remain focused on near-term profitability.
LIH suggests this mindset could be detrimental to aviation’s performance in the long run. They conclude:
A few selected airlines are still investing, but they’re doing so cautiously, selectively, and increasingly late. That approach may reduce risk in the short term. But it also raises an important question: are airlines still positioning themselves close enough to the next wave of disruption?
Join us at Aerospace Tech Week 2026 to explore our cutting-edge Start-Up Zone.
For more like this, see:
by Elsie Clark | Feb 19, 2026 | Innovation
European aircraft and aerospace manufacturer Airbus have published their full-year 2025 financial performance, recording revenue of €73.4 billion and a record backlog of 8,754 commercial aircraft.
Revenue was up on 2024’s €69.2 billion, and Airbus also managed to deliver more aircraft (783 in 2025 against 766 in 2024). Airbus Defence and Space performed especially well, with revenue increasing 11% year-on-year to €13.4 billion.
For 2026, assuming no further geopolitical disruption, the company is targeting 870 commercial deliveries. Production on the A220s is still accelerating, with Airbus now hoping to deliver 13 models a month by 2028. They blame Pratt & Whitney as engine suppliers for the current stalling on the programme, and assert that they will achieve a rate of 70 to 75 overall aircraft a month before the end of 2027.
Rivals Boeing posted a profit in 2025 for the first time since 2018, but also reported a backlog worth US$682 billion.
Guillaume Faury, Airbus Chief Executive Officer, said:
2025 was a landmark year, characterised by very strong demand for our products and services across all businesses, a record financial performance, and strategic milestones. We successfully navigated a complex and dynamic operating environment to deliver on our updated guidance.
Global demand for commercial aircraft underpins our ongoing production ramp-up, which we are managing while facing significant Pratt & Whitney engine shortages. The broad and competitive portfolios of Defence and Space as well as Helicopters allow us to capture the momentum in defence. We are also making progress to establish a new global industrial space player, together with our partners. These 2025 results and the confidence in our future financial performance support the proposed higher dividend payment.
Faury alludes to the merger with Leonardo and Thales that will see Airbus contribute its Space Systems and Space Digital businesses to a new aerospace entity that could rival SpaceX. Worth €10 billion, the European super-company represents an exciting development for Airbus as the manufacturing arm continues to struggle with supply chain issues and an extensive backlog.
Join us at Aerospace Tech Week 2026.
For more like this, see:
by Elsie Clark | Feb 18, 2026 | MRO IT
Turkish low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines have significantly boosted their in-house MRO capabilities with a new US$40 million facility. Situated at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport, the facility consists of three new hangars, two for maintenance and one for paint. These provide space for simultaneous line and base maintenance for up to five narrowbodies.
By the end of 2026, another hangar will be constructed, enabling base maintenance for a further five aircraft. Güliz Öztürk, chief executive of Pegasus Airlines, said:
Every investment we make in technical infrastructure takes our operational strength one step further. Our aircraft maintenance centre investment at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport is a strategic milestone in Pegasus’ sustainable growth journey. Our new hangars will not only enable us to manage the maintenance needs of our growing fleet more effectively, but also accelerate our transformation focused on digitalisation and efficiency. By managing our aircraft maintenance processes more quickly and in a more optimised way, we aim to provide our guests with an ever more seamless travel experience.
The facility will support a range of technical processes, from avionics modification to aircraft painting and engine changing. Digitisation has been a key consideration in the construction, with the facility boasting a digital warehouse and tool management system, as well as AI-enhanced occupational health solutions.
Together, the hangars will create 200 jobs. While currently only caring for Pegasus aircraft, in future the airline said they would be open to third-party work as well.
Join us at Aerospace Tech Week 2026!
For more like this, see:
by Elsie Clark | Feb 17, 2026 | MRO IT
Saudia have selected aviation software and information services provider Veryon to support corrective action across their fleet.
Using AI and natural language processing, Veryon Defect Analysis can group related defect reports to highlight recurring maintenance problems and support proactive decision-making. As Saudi Arabia’s national carrier, Saudia has undergone significant expansion in recent years, aviation being a core component of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 economic development strategy. Veryon’s solution will support its fleet of 160 aircraft, enabling continuous data analysis across the airline’s multiple business units.
Bethany Little, Chief Executive Officer at Veryon, said:
When an airline is scaling at the pace Saudia is, prescriptive health technology is a must-have and can dramatically improve reliability and an operation’s bottom line. Serving over 25% of the worldwide commercial fleet, Defect Analysis is the market-leading provider of prescriptive health maintenance solutions in the aviation technology market.
Veryon’s existing partners in the aviation industry include Airbus, Honeywell, and Lockheed Martin. The supply chain backlog shows no signs of clearing anytime soon, accelerating the adoption of prescriptive and predictive analytics. Having real-time data on hand can ensure airlines get the most out of ageing fleets. However, prioritising investment in these tools isn’t always easy, and must be matched by parallel investments in upskilling the digital skills of the workforce.
Join us at Aerospace Tech Week 2026 to discuss these issues.
For more like this, see:
You must be logged in to post a comment.