Championing The Electric Aviation Revolution

By: Rex Alexander

In the arena of life, we are always on the lookout for a champion to fight the good fight and stand up for a common cause that we can all rally behind. In the fight to move the electrification of aviation from vision to reality, the Lindbergh Foundation is one of those champions.

In 1977, the 50th Anniversary year of Charles Lindbergh's epic New York-to-Paris flight, friends of the Lindberghs at The Explorers Club in New York City conceived the idea and General James H. Doolittle and Astronaut Neil Armstrong led a national campaign that resulted in the establishment of The Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation.

To build upon this and the many other accomplishments of the Foundation since its inception, a major announcement was made Thursday July 25, 2019 at EAA Airventure for the Lindbergh 100th Anniversary Campaign to take a leading role and spearhead a global effort for the electrification in aviation. According to Erik Lindbergh, the chairman of the board of the Foundation, just as the 50th anniversary of his grandfather's flight was the catalyst for the formation of the Foundation, the 100th anniversary will serve as a catalyst to initiate a global shift in aviation as we know it.

The primary goal of the 100th Anniversary Campaign is to inspire students, enable innovators, reward achievements and spur innovation. To accomplish this, the Foundations intends to sponsor activities consisting of a carefully designed mix of competitions, talks and awards with the ultimate vision of setting the aviation industry on a clear trajectory toward decarbonization and noise reduction within a timeframe that reflects the urgency of the need. This is in direct support of the many entities who are now entering the Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) world of aircraft to support the advancement of Urban Air Mobility (UAM).

At this year's EAA Airventure, the Foundation was a major sponsor in promoting cutting-edge technology and innovation in this space with numerous forums and executive roundtable discussions that were held in Aviation Gateway Park at Oshkosh. Those involved in these discussions include the likes of NASA, Uber, GE Aviation, FAA, EAA, Blade, NATCA, and many others. Topics discussed included Airframes, Manufactures, Airspace, Regulations, Infrastructure and much more.

According to Mr. Lindbergh, success will be defined by driving a significant influx of talent into work that addresses clean and quiet aviation. This campaign is to then reach a crescendo in May of 2027, the 100th anniversary of Charles Lindberghís New York to Paris flight.

(Image supplied by author)

FMI: lindberghfoundation.org