In a speech delivered in the European Parliament on 5 March, Heart Aerospace’s director of government and industry affairs Simon McNamara called on MEPs to “help unlock and direct European financing to new aviation technology projects”.

Representing the Swedish hybrid-electric aircraft maker, which has raised $145m to support development of its ES-30 a 30-seat regional aircraft concept, McNamara noted that a “Parliament Resolution on electric aviation…serves as a landmark for how electric flight technology can, and will, revolutionise flying and decarbonise the sector.”

But, he stressed: “Delivering new technology is not easy, it takes time, expertise, a willingness to push boundaries and it is expensive!

“To date much of the funding that is driving this new technology is coming from private investment with limited public funds being diverted. Initiatives such as the Clean Aviation JU are very welcome and provide a financial boost to technology, but traditionally funds like the EU Innovation Fund have not focused on aviation projects and even the funding granted to SAF has been modest.”

The Parliament’s resolution, he added, does “request that the [European] Commission launch specific calls to finance projects supporting electrification and actions to reduce the overall impacts of aviation. This is starting to happen, for example last week’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) – Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility call but the pace needs to continue.

“So we, as an industry, very much count on the Parliaments’ support to help unlock and direct European financing to new aviation technology projects.”

And, McNamara called on MEPs to take action that will build an electric aviation support infrastructure, including hydrogen storage.

He concluded: “This is an incredibly exciting time for aviation. We have a clear pathway and commitment to decarbonise and within Europe we have many of the world’s leading companies in this field. By working together, jointly, unlocking the necessary funds and the policy enablers, we can and will with you help bring electric flight to Europe.”
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