The quest to bring green regional aircraft to market is more likely to fail for financial than technical reasons, according to aviation consultancy Altea. In a white paper published on October 5, the UK-based group warns that investors in new aircraft and propulsion systems may lack the long-term commitment needed and that communities depending on the promised new air services could find themselves worse off if these fail.
"Clean-sheet aircraft programs can require eight to ten years or more to progress from design to entry into commercial service, while venture capital investors typically work against substantially shorter return horizons," Altea regional aviation specialist Chris Holliday concluded in the report. "This mismatch can provide a stronger indication of uncertain program resilience than propulsion technology alone," he wrote.
More In Sustainability and Environment
